WORLDS BEST COCOA RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cut and set aside 25 pieces of plastic wrap about 5 inches square.
• For cookies, beat 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening, 2 cups of milk, 2 cups of sugar, the eggs, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract together in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl, whisk the 4 cups of flour with both amounts of unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until smooth.
• Scoop up the batter by teaspoons, and drop onto ungreased baking sheets in small round dollops about 2 inches apart. Recipe should make about 50 cookies. The cookies will rise and expand a lot.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set in the middle, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheets for several minutes before removing to finish cooling on racks.
• To make the filling, place 1 cup milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup, and cook in microwave until hot but not simmering, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the heated milk into a large mixing bowl. Add the cup of room temperature butter, 1 cup of vegetable shortening, 2 cups of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and the marshmallow creme. Beat the mixture on high speed until the frosting is fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes. At first the frosting will appear lumpy, but keep beating.
• To fill the cookies, choose 2 cookies that are about the same size, and spread about 1 1/2 tablespoon of the frosting onto the flat bottom of a cookie. Top with the other cookie, flat side down, and wrap the filled cookie in a sheet of plastic wrap. Place the filled cookie into the freezer. Repeat with remaining cookies and frosting, wrapping each whoopie pie in plastic wrap and freezing.
• To serve, remove whoopie pies from the freezer and allow to thaw until very cold but not frozen, 10 to 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
• Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don’t think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don’t worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
• Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it’s not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
• Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
• Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.