Dark chocolate crackle cookies

I found this recipe in Kuchnia Magazine. I loved them right away for their deep chocolate taste. Keep cookies on the airtight container up to 7 days and they will stay fresh and moist.

• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate,
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour,
• ½ cup cacao powder,
• 2 tsp. baking powder,
• ¼ tsp. salt,
• 4 ⅕ oz unsalted butter, softened,
• 1 ¼ cup brown sugar,
• 2 large eggs,
• ⅓ cup milk,
• 1 cup confectioners sugar.

1. Put the semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring, until smooth.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cacao and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla extract and beat until well combined, about 1 minute.
4. Pour into butter mixture melted chocolate, whisk until combined.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and beat dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with milk.
6. Wrap dough and refrigerate at least for 2 hours or overnight.
7. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a couple baking pans with parchment paper.
8. Put confectioners sugar in a bowl. Form the cookies into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll the balls in the confectioners sugar to coat.  Place on the baking sheets spaced about 2-inch apart. 
9. Bake for 13-15 minutes until cookies puffed and firm. Let cool completely on the banking sheets.

Chocolate - Cinnamon Pear Loaf Cake

Simplicity. This is the key of these cake. Your guest will be surprised when they discover whole pears placing in the cake.

  Ingredients:

• 8 oz Bartlett pears, peeled and cored from bottom, leaving stems intact,
• 2 cups water,
• ¼ granulated sugar,
• 1 Tbsp. orange juice,
• 1 stick cinnamon,
• 1⅔ cups all - propose flour,
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar,
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder,
• 1 tsp. baking powder,
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon,
• ½ tsp. baking soda,
• ¼ tsp. salt,
• 1 large egg,
• 1 cup buttermilk,
• ½ cup olive oil,
• 1 Tbsp. all - propose flour,
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder,
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon,
• 3 oz white chocolate,
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream,
• 3 Tbsp. butter,
• 3 Tbsp. light corn syrup.

Method:

1. In large saucepan combine water, granulated sugar, cinnamon stick, orange juice. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add pears. Return to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove from heat. Drain well and cool pears.
2. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a loaf pan, set aside.
3. In large bowl combine 1⅔ cups all - propose flour, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, ½ tsp. baking soda, ¼ tsp. salt.
4. In a medium bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk and olive oil. Add to flour mixture, whisk until smooth.
5. Pour batter into peppered pan.
6. In a small shallow dish combine 1 Tbsp. flour, 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder and ¼ tsp. cinnamon. Roll pears in flour mixture to light coat. Place pears, Stan side up, into center of batter.
7. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until clean stick. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely.
8. Melted white chocolate drizzle over loaf.

 *Sources: Better Homes and Gardens

Double Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour,
• ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon,
• ½ tsp. ground ginger,
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves,
• ¼ tsp. ground all-spice,
• ¼ tsp. ground cardamom,
• ½ tsp. salt,
• 1 tsp. baking powder,
• ½ tsp. baking soda,
• 2 large eggs,
• 1 cup granulated sugar,
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted,
• ½ cup buttermilk,
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract,
• 1 ½ cup pumpkin purée,
• 4 oz dark chocolate, melted,
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder,
• 3 oz white chocolate,
• ¼ cup whipping cream,
• 1 Tbsp. light corn syrup.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs and sugar. Add melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Fold in pumpkin.
4. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and whisk just until no lumps remain.
5. Divide batter in half. Add the melted chocolate and cocoa powder to half of the batter; stir to combine.
6. Add the two batters to the pan, alternating between pumpkin and chocolate. Using a table knife, swirl through the batter. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove and cool in pan for 20 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
7. In a small saucepan, bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate pieces. Do not stir. Let stand for 3 minutes. Add corn syrup and stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake. 

This is not last minute cake, the best on next day.
 *Sources: Better Homes and Gardens