Chocolate Thumbprints

1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

5 oz chocolate chips

2 tbsp heavy cream

1 tbsp butter

1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until well blended, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
2. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill until dough is firm but pliable, about 30 minutes.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie to make a 1/2-inch-deep indentation.
4. Bake cookies in a 325° oven until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely (if indentations have disappeared, make them again while cookies are warm).
5. Carefully fill each indentation with about 1 teaspoon chocolate ganache. Let stand until ganache is shiny and firm to the touch, about 1 hour (or chill for about 30 minutes).

Chocolate ganache. In a microwave safe bowl melt chocolate, cream and butter - stir occasionaly, and let cool until thick but not firm, about 15 minutes. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Pumpkin-walnut foccaccia

3/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
3 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided (about 15 3/4 ounces)
3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Gruyère cheese, divided
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Add ingredients to bread machine according to directions, set on dough cycle. When cycle is finished, spread out on pizza pan about an inch think, spread walnut and 1/4 cup cheese. Cover with a towel and let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

Pumpkin mini chip muffins

3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini chips


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes

Peanut butter and jelly muffins

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup strawberry, raspberry, or grape jelly

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12 muffin tin with muffin papers. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix the peanut butter with the egg. Add the milk, a little at a time, then mix in the butter. Pour the wet batter into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir gently to combine. The batter will be stiff. 2. Put a heaping tablespoon of batter in the bottom of each muffin cup. Use a finger to make an indentation in the center and put a teaspoon of jelly in the hole. Cover with another heaping tablespoon of batter or enough to fill each cup about 2/3 full. Spread the batter gently until no jelly is visible. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the muffins onto a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Be careful: the jelly centers can get hot. Makes 12 muffins.

Source: http://www.familyfun.com/