Bittersweet Chocolate Glazed Espresso Brownie Bites

Finally, something chocolate.

These bittersweet chocolate glazed brownies are made with espresso, and are so gooey and chocolatey that you only need one bite to satisfy your cravings. The best part is you can make the batter in one pan, making for minimal clean-up.

These little squares are incredibly fudgy and have a deep, rich flavor.

And because they're made with espresso, you can eat them for breakfast. Right?

I would definitely say these are a very sophisticated and "grown up" take on everyone's favorite brownie.

Bittersweet Chocolate Glazed Espresso Brownie Bites adapted from Huffington Post

Brownies:

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cold large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour

Glaze:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350F with rack in middle. Line 9x13x2in baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on short sides, then butter foil.
2. Melt butter and chocolate in a medium sauce pan over low-medium heat, stirring until smooth. Be careful not to overheat or burn the chocolate. Remove pan from stove, then stir in sugar, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt with a large spoon. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring until smooth and mixture leaves side of pan. Add flour and stir until just combined.
3. Transfer batter to 9x13 baking pan and bake until a tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs adhering, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan and heat slowly, stirring, just until smooth. Remove from heat, then pour glaze over pan of warm brownies and spread evenly with a small offset spatula. Let stand at room temperature until glaze is set, about 3 hours. Remove brownies from pan using foil as an aid and cut into 1-inch bites with a thin blade knife, cleaning knife as necessary to maintain a clean edge. Garnish with espresso beans if desired.

Make ahead: Brownie layer can be made 3 days ahead (without glaze) and kept chilled in 1 piece wrapped well in foil. Bring to room temperature before glazing, about 2 hours. Glazed and cut brownie bites can be made 1 day ahead and kept, loosely covered, at room temperature.

Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting

I had a request to make a birthday cake this week for a woman who loves lemons. 

This lemon cake recipe was an absolutely perfect choice. The cake was tender, moist, and tangy. And, drizzing lemon syrup over the cake before frosting ensured that it didn't dry out.

I was hesitant to use the accompanying whipped frosting after reading the reviews, so I settled for a simple lemon buttercream instead. The frosting was almost too sweet for my taste, but was still light enough to not be too overpowering.

Candied lemons make this treat really special. After simmering thinly sliced lemons in syrup for half an hour, they are entirely edible and packed with tart lemony flavor.

This bright, sunny cake is a delicious and light way to celebrate a summer birthday.

We served the cake with some espresso brownie bites. What a wonderful combo! 

Happy birthday Marilyn!

Lemon Cake and Candied Lemons Recipe via Martha Stewart

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
3. Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.
4. While cakes are baking, bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add lemon slices and simmer 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lemon slices to a waxed-paper-lined plate. Stir remaining 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice into syrup.
5. Using a toothpick, poke holes in warm cakes on rack. Brush with lemon syrup. Let cool completely. Prepare frosting, substituting 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for vanilla extract. Frost cooled cakes and top with candied lemon slices.

Lemon Frosting Recipe via Food & Wine

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk (optional, I did not use)
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream (I only had milk, but I would suggest sticking with the cream)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the butter and egg yolk at medium-high speed until creamy. Beat in the sugar at low speed. Beat in the cream, vanilla and salt, then beat at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes longer. Beat in the lemon zest and juice.
2. Spread 1 cup of frosting over a cake layer and top with the second layer; frost the top and sides. Let stand 1 hour; serve.

Apricot and Blueberry Tart

Last week, I made lemon & blueberry muffins that were a big hit at my dad's office. I still had tons of blueberries left over, so when I stumbled upon this apricot and blueberry tart recipe on Huffington Post the other day, I was excited to try out another tasty combo.

Stone fruits are in season right now, so I had no problem finding gorgeous and reasonably priced apricots at the Ferry Building Farmers' Market.

This tart has a little bit of everything with a not-too-sweet crispy almond crust and silky vanilla pastry cream, but the delicious fruit is the real star of the recipe.

Although this recipe is a little more involved, both the tart shell and the pastry cream could be made ahead of time, so all you would need to do is assemble and bake. Perfect for summer entertaining.

Blackberry Cheesecake

I made this blackberry cheesecake last night after dinner for my stepmom's girls' weekend.

I don't have pictures of the step-by-step because it was too late to take decent pictures, but the final result was too tasty not to share.

This was my first cheesecake. I was surprised and how quick and simple the recipe was - the longest part of the whole process was waiting for the cake to cook for a little over an hour.

Try waiting an hour without checking the oven every two seconds when there are delicious smells of pecans and butter wafting through the house. It's tough.

Citrus-Scented Chocolate Tart

Hi, I’m Lindsay, and I’m a chocoholic.

There, I said it.

I have an affinity for all things chocolate. Truffles, cakes, pies or straight from the Hershey’s bar, chocolate is definitely my weakness. I have been known to skip breakfast entirely and head straight for the Godiva if I have a box lying around.

Don’t pretend like you haven’t done it.

This Citrus-Scented Chocolate Tart is an elegant dessert to serve to guests and fellow chocolate-lovers. It looks like a flourless chocolate cake, but a little orange and lemon zest in the filling give it a light citrus flavor reminiscent of those chocolate oranges that you would crack open on the counter. The recipe for the filling is a snap, and the homemade cocoa pastry crust is surprisingly easy to make in a food processor for those who have never rolled their own crust before (me).