Sunday, November 20, 2011

Chocolate Chip Cookie Torte


The name of this recipe makes it seem fancier than it really is. While it is entitled torte, it is essentially a chocolate chip cookie in the shape of cake. Don't get me wrong though, this cookie torte is more than just your standard chocolate chip cookie. Because of its shape, the cookie has the taste of a perfectly golden brown chocolate cookie that is crunchy on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside. That's my idea of perfect chocolate chip cookie!

The torte recipe is slightly different from most chocolate chip cookie recipes because instead of a 2:1 flour to butter ratio, it is 1:1. This means there is a higher proportion of butter in this recipe but that just means a tastier cookie! While the torte is elegant and tasty, it is super easy to make. The preparation of the dough took me no more than ten minutes because it just required mixing all the ingredients in a food processor. It seriously couldn't be any simpler! After mixing all the ingredients, I flatten the dough in a 8 inch round cake pan, threw it in the oven, and waited for my nose to tell me when the torte was ready.

This is a great homemade dessert to make on a weeknight. After a long day of work, the last thing we want to tackle is a homemade dessert for dinner. Now you have a go to recipe. Why is it good? The food processor does all the work, the butter doesn't need to be at room temperature (no advance preparation needed), and there's no need to shape the dough. Top a slice of torte with some vanilla ice cream and you have rewarded yourself with a delicious dessert after a long day of work!


Sunday, November 6, 2011

Skinny Chocolate Cupcakes with Pumpkin


 


Yes, it’s that time of year again: pumpkin season! With the holidays right around the corner, we are bound to see pumpkin recipe after pumpkin recipe. That’s all fine and dandy for the pumpkin lovers out there but for people like myself, it gets a little boring. Lately, I’ve been intrigued by this orange ingredient (I don’t know why) and even contemplated making pumpkin spice muffins. As I was browsing for pumpkin recipe, I found one for chocolate cupcakes that substitutes pumpkin puree in place of oil and eggs from Gina's Skinny Recipes. The best part of the recipe is that I shouldn’t be able to taste the pumpkin. This was quite intriguing, especially to someone like me so I had to try it. So, if you are looking for a pumpkin flavored recipe, this is not the recipe to try! However, if you're like for a simple chocolate cupcake that is lighter in fat and calories without compromising flavor or texture, you are at the right place!

When I bought the pumpkin puree, I checked out the nutrition label to find pumpkin to be nutritional and healthy. It has no fat, few calories, and a significant amount of fiber. I was beginning to like pumpkin more by the second.

I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of this recipe. The cupcakes were indeed moist, delicious, and chocolately. As much as I tried to taste the pumpkin, I could not. My family were even surprised about how well the cupcakes turned out. They were hesitant at first to try the cupcakes because they saw the can of pumpkin puree but were caught off guard by the fact it tasted like a chocolate cupcake. I made the cupcakes into with the mini cupcake tins instead of the standard size which made it okay for me to eat 2...or 3...or 4...

With the holiday season coming up, this is a great recipe to spare ya some holiday calories...and it's festive because of the addition of pumpkin. Of course, no one has to know that except for us! Check out the nutrition facts:

Servings: 24 • Serving Size: 1 cupcake • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 2 pts
Calories: 93.8 • Fat: 2.3 g • Protein: 1.1 g • Carb: 17.5 g • Fiber: 1.4 g • Sugar: 9.9
Sodium: 281.8
(from skinnytaste.com)


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