Chocolate Gingerbreads Recipes

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• For the gingerbread: Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves into a large bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the molasses, vanilla and egg and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sifted flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined into a smooth dough, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a flat square, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until just firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, make templates for the gingerbread house. Gather 3 sheets of stiff paper or 2 manila folders (split at the seam), scissors, a ruler and a pencil. For the side panels, draw and cut out a rectangle that measures 4 by 7 inches. For the front and back panels of a house with a peaked roof, draw and cut out a template that is 6 inches wide at the base, 4 inches to the roofline and 4 1/2 inches slanted to a peak. The template for the roof panels should measure 4 1/2 by 8 inches.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Unwrap the dough and cut into 3 equal pieces (a pizza wheel is handy for this). Working with 1 piece of dough at a time and keeping the other pieces refrigerated, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using the template, cut out the side panels and remove the scraps around the cutouts. Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough, cutting out the front and back panels and 2 roof panels. If the dough gets too soft while rolling, return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes before proceeding. (Discard the dough scraps or reroll to make cookies.) Chill the dough pieces on the prepared baking sheets for 15 minutes.
• Bake the dough pieces until crisp almost all the way through (the very center will still be a little soft), 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans 10 minutes on a rack, then remove the house pieces to the rack to cool completely.
• For the royal icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add the vanilla and 5 tablespoons water and beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the icing forms thick and glossy peaks, about 2 minutes, adding up to 1 tablespoon more water if needed. Divide the icing between the 2 prepared piping bags (one fitted with a small plain tip and the other fitted with a large plain tip).
• Decorate the side panels: Using the piping bag fitted with a small tip, pipe icing to draw a window on 1 of the side panels; press nonpareils around the edges to line the window frame. Pipe icing onto the backs of 2 of the gummy candy canes and attach them on either side of the window. Attach a row of 8 of the chocolate-covered mints along the bottom by piping pea-size dots of icing onto the backs and pressing them on. Repeat with the second side panel. Let the panels rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Decorate the front panel: Using the piping bag fitted with a small tip, pipe a double line of icing across the front panel where the roof starts to incline; press on 13 of the chocolate chips. Pipe a large dot of icing onto the back of 1 of the chocolate hearts and attach it to the panel just above the line of chocolate chips; outline the heart with icing. Pipe icing to draw a door; attach a nonpareil with a dot of icing to make a doorknob. Pipe icing to draw 2 windows; line the windows with nonpareils. Pipe icing onto the backs of the gummy penguins and attach 2 on either side of the door. Let the panel rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Decorate the back panel: Using the piping bag fitted with a small tip, pipe a double line of icing across the back panel where the roof starts to incline; press on the remaining 13 chocolate chips. Pipe a large dot of icing onto the back of the remaining chocolate heart and attach it to the panel just above the line of chocolate chips; outline the heart with icing. Pipe icing to draw 2 windows; line the frames with nonpareils. Let the panel rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Decorate the roof panels: Pour half of the melted chocolate onto 1 of the roof panels; using an offset spatula, spread it to form a thin, even layer. Sprinkle the chocolate-coated roof panel with the chocolate curls. Repeat with the other roof panel. Refrigerate the panels for 15 minutes to let the chocolate set.
• Assemble the walls: Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe a 6-inch line of icing on the foil-wrapped base (this will be for the front of the house). Press the front panel into the icing and pipe a line of icing along the inside of the panel at the base to reinforce it. Prop up the front with a can. Pipe a 7-inch line of icing perpendicular to the front panel. Pipe icing up the edge of 1 of the side panels. Press the side panel into the icing on the base and against the edge of the front panel, creating a corner. Pipe a line of icing along the inside of the panel at the base to reinforce it. Prop up the side with a can. Repeat the process with the second side panel and the back panel. Let the house rest until the icing is firmly set, at least 1 hour.
• Attach the roof: Gently test the walls to make sure the icing is set. If they give, let the house rest until firm. (If you add the roof too soon, the house will collapse.) Once the walls are set, remove the cans. Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe icing along the angled roof edges on 1 side of the house. Pipe icing on the unfrosted side of 1 of the roof panels along the 2 short edges (where the roof will attach to the slanted edges of the house). Press the panel onto the house and hold it in place until the icing sets, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the other side and the remaining roof panel. Let the roof rest until completely dry, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Landscape the yard: Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe a rectangular icing walkway in front of the house; line the edges with the brown candy-coated chocolates and pave the middle with candy rocks. Pipe pea-size dots of icing onto the backs of the chocolate-covered raisins and press them in a row along the bottom of the back panel. Use the piping bag fitted with a large tip to pipe icing snowdrifts around the walkway and the base of the house. While the snowdrifts are still wet, sprinkle them with chocolate puffed cereal and snowflake sprinkles, pressing gently to help them adhere.
• Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe icing along the top seam of the house where the roof panels connect; line with a row of the chocolate kisses. Let the house rest until dry.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE-GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until lightened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
• In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cookies are best the day they are made but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2-in. gingerbread boy cookie cutter; place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough; chill and reroll scraps., Bake 6-8 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Ice and decorate as desired.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, gingerbread spice and salt in a medium bowl. Beat 1 stick butter and the brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the whole egg and egg yolks and beat 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the water. Beat until just smooth, being careful not to overbeat (the batter may look curdled).
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack, remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Beat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the ginger jam in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully cut the cake in half crosswise with a serrated knife and spread one half with the ginger filling. Top with the other cake layer and cut lengthwise, then crosswise into 6 equal rows, making small cubes. Freeze the cubes until firm, about 1 hour.
• Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan. Hold each cake square over the bowl on a fork and spoon chocolate over the top until evenly covered. Let the excess drip off, then transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet. Top with crystallized ginger. Let set, about 2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator; before completely set, loosen with a spatula.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREADS

Steps:

• Beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add egg, molasses, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves.
• Whisk flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Stir into the butter mixture.
• Do no chill dough. Drop by tablespoonfuls and sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake at 350 8 to 12 minutes.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREADS

Steps:

• Beat 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar and 1 stick butter until fluffy, then beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger and a large pinch each of ground cinnamon and cloves with the egg. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; stir into the butter mixture. Do not chill. Drop by tablespoonfuls, sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake 8 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

GINGERBREAD HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Combine the milk, cocoa powder, sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon nutmeg and allspice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar, cocoa powder and spices are dissolved and the milk is steaming, about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a boil. Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until smooth. Divide among 6 to 8 mugs and garnish with whipped cream and mini marshmallows.

CHOCOLATE-SWIRL GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square pan. In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, ginger, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cloves.
• Melt the butter in the water in a small saucepan over medium heat, and stir mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg.
• Pour half the batter into prepared pan. With a spoon, drizzle half the chocolate over the batter. Pour remaining batter on top, and drizzle the remaining chocolate over the batter in a decorative pattern.
• Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD MEN

Steps:

• Position racks in the top & bottom thirds of the oven, then preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• With shortening (not on ingredient list) to grease several large baking sheets, then set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder & cloves until spices & coca are evenly distributed, then set aside.
• In a 2nd large bowl, & using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream shortening & brown sugar until smooth & airy, about 1 minute.
• Beat in egg & then the molasses.
• Turn off mixer & add prepared flour mixture, then AT VERY LOW SPEED beat just until crumbly bits of dough form, but not until the mass begins to cohere into a ball.
• With flour lightly dust a clean, dry work surface as well as your hands.
• Turn dough out & knead just until it forms a smooth mass, about 30 seconds.
• Divide into thirds & cover them with a clean kitchen towel.
• With flour lightly dust the work surface again & roll one of the thirds to a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Flour the dough & a rolling pin only as necessary.
• Use a large gingerbread-man cookie cutter to cut the dough into the desired shapes, then use a metal spatula to transfer them carefully to the prepared baking sheet(s). Gather any scraps, lightly dust again with flour & roll out a 2nd time, creating additional gingerbread men.
• Decorate the cookies with the raisins & red hots, using one for the eyes & the other for the mouths. Additional red hots can be used as buttons on their coats.
• Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate sheets top to bottom & front to back.
• Bake another 4 minutes, or until cookies feel dry but still are a little soft.
• Remove from oven & cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
• Cool the baking sheets for 5 more minutes, then regrease them before baking additional batches, as necessary, OR work with 2 additional baking sheets, preparing them while the others are in the oven.
• Keep no longer than 2 days at room temperature, several more days in the refrigerator, OR up to a month in the freezer.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper. Dust paper and sides of pan with cocoa; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, ginger, pumpkin-pie spice, and baking soda; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and sour cream until smooth. Add flour mixture; stir just until moistened (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Using paper overhang, lift gingerbread from pan. Transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares. Before serving, dust bars with confectioners sugar, if desired.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan, then dust it with flour, tapping out any excess.Sift or whisk the flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, mustard, pepper, and baking soda together in a large bowl and set aside.In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.Add the brown sugar to the bowl of the mixer, and continue to mix on medium-high speed.
• To the butter and sugar, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing between each addition. Add the molasses and melted chocolate to the mixing bowl, mixing well to incorporate.To the mix, alternate adding the wet (espresso) and dry (flour) until everything has been incorporated.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 40 minutes.
• While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan set over very low heat, melt the chocolate and cream together. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• Remove the cake from the oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Unmold the cake from the pan, invert it onto a wide platter, and spread the icing across the top, letting the chocolate drip down the sides. Cut into pieces and serve to your guests.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with Silpat baking mats, and set aside. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream grated ginger and butter until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
• Add the flour mixture in batches until fully incorporated. Mix in chocolate, cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the sugar in a pie plate. Using a 1-ounce ice-cream scoop, scoop the dough into a bowl filled with sugar. Roll each ball of dough in sugar. Bake until surface cracks slightly, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.