hot chocolate Archives - Inside BruCrew Life

You look like you could use some sugar. Maybe some Hot Chocolate Cheesecakes would satisfy that sugar craving?

I’m sure that is what you need.

Hot Chocolate Cheesecakes

Winter is my enemy and I have been drinking lots of coffee and hot chocolate to stay warm. My body is not loving this 12* stuff. I know it could be a lot colder, but come on spring. Please hurry here.

So while I am on this hot chocolate kick, I thought it would be fun to switch out the sugar in my basic cheesecake recipe for hot chocolate mix. Word to the wise…DON’T try to use a diet hot chocolate mix. That batch didn’t taste so great! I also thought it would be a good idea to try to make these skinny-ish! Again a bad idea!! Maybe it was the diet hot chocolate mix, but the fat free cream cheese and fat free sour cream DID NOT bake up good at all. So, I went full fat for these Hot Chocolate Cheesecakes, and they came out just perfect.

Some things aren’t meant to be fat free. I’m pretty sure cheesecake is one of those.

Cheesecake is definitely a favorite around our house. I gave up all thoughts of dieting when these hot chocolate cheesecakes were in my fridge. Yes, I have will power issues. The cheesecake wins every time. Chocolate, cool whip, sprinkles…I couldn’t resist them. If you make them cupcake size, you don’t feel as guilty eating them. At least that’s the story I tell myself as I head to the gym again.

Creamy cheesecake that tastes like a cup of hot cocoa?
Why yes, you do want some of these in your fridge!!!

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Hot Chocolate Cheesecakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Yield: 15 mini cheesecakes

Hot Chocolate Cheesecakes

Little hot chocolate cheesecakes are the perfect ending to any meal.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

2 Tablespoons sugar

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

2 cream cheese (8 oz. each), softened

1 cup hot chocolate mix

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 Tablespoons flour

1 cup Cool Whip

1/2 cup Kraft mini marshmallow bits

1/4 cup colored sprinkles

Instructions

Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Divide into 15 cupcake liners and press down. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and hot chocolate mix until creamy. Add the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and flour and beat again until mixed. Spoon into cupcake liners. Bake at 350* for 22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan 2-3 minutes. Remove to wire rack and cool completely. Refrigerate. Just before serving top with Cool Whip, sprinkles, and mini marshmallow bits.

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/01/hot-chocolate-cheesecakes/

Looking for more Cheesecake recipes for your Valentine’s parties and dinners…
check out a few of our family favorites.

These Triple Chocolate Cheesecakes will definitely satisfy that chocolate beast in you.

When I want a light dessert with less calories, I make up these No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Cups.

butterfinger mousse cheesecake3

Butterfinger Mousse Cheesecakes are a great way to use up leftover candy.

Shared with: Chic & Crafty, Taste & Tell, Inspiration Gallery, Kitchen Fun, I’m Lovin It, Weekend Potluck, One Creative Weekend, Weekend Wrap Up, Super Sweet, Seasonal Inspiration, Finding the Pretty, Sundae Scoop,

Procrastination is something that I have become very good at.

Last month Aimee (from Shugary Sweets) and I decided to share a caramel hot chocolate treat with you on the same day in late January. So, I have actually had this caramel hot chocolate fudge made and sitting on my computer since the beginning of December. You would think that with that much time I would have the pictures edited and in a draft just waiting to post. Of course not! That would be too much planning ahead for me. Last night I sat down and edited the pictures, and that’s where I stopped. I mean I had all Sunday afternoon to finish it

So this morning I got up and went to uploaded the pictures into my draft before church, and it wasn’t working. The internet was down! I tried again after church and still nothing. So here I am at Starbucks with my handy little laptop that my husband got me for Christmas and a USB drive. Thank goodness for free wifi, so I can still post on time.

I would like to think this will teach me to plan ahead a little better….but I know myself, and I know that I will probably still wait until the last possible minute again.

One thing that I love about the winter is all the hot chocolate. Of course we drink iced hot chocolate during the summer, so it isn’t much of a change. We buy a big container of hot chocolate mix because our kids go through it way too fast to buy those little boxes with 10 packets in them. Although the big container encourages them to use big scoops of the mix, so I don’t know if we are really saving anything.

Caramel Hot Chocolate Fudge

So, when I saw the big container sitting in the cupboard, I knew that I wanted to make a whole bunch of yummy hot chocolate flavored treats for you. I hope you are prepared for lots of hot chocolate goodness. Haha! That sounds like I have so many things to share…in reality it is just 4 recipes. I was going to share them all in one week, but I haven’t decided if I’m going to do that. Maybe I will space them out. I guess you will just have to come back every day to see what I decide to do. I actually have 2 real food items I want to share too…decisions, decisions. #lifeofablogger

This fudge looks really complicated with all the swirls but it is so easy to make. The easiest thing to do is start with the hot chocolate layer. Once that is all melted and creamy, you turn the heat on low so it doesn’t set up in the pan. Get another pan out and get the caramel layer started. After you have both layers all ready, you can start swirling. I like to line my pan with parchment paper. The paper lifts right out of the pan and peels off so easily. I tried wax paper one time. Not a good idea to pour hot fudge onto a wax paper! I had to get creative and use a blow dryer to melt the bottom of the fudge just enough to peel off the wax paper. Just an FYI for you to remember.

Start by pouring half of the hot chocolate fudge into the pan. Drop half of the caramel fudge by spoonfuls onto the top of the hot chocolate layer. Take a knife and gently swirl the caramel fudge through. Don’t swirl too much or you will start to loose your colors. I think the contrast of this fudge makes it so pretty!!! Repeat the layers and swirling with the rest of the fudge.

Now this is where you have to have patience. Place the dish in the refrigerator and wait a few hours. I know…this is tough. I like to make the fudge up late at night, so it can set up overnight. Then when I get up the next morning I can pull the pan out of the refrigerator first thing. This gives it time to come to room temperature while I am getting ready for the day. This fudge is easier to cut if you let it come to room temperature. I run the knife under very hot water and it cuts right through it like butter. You will also want to clean the knife off between cuts. That isn’t necessary but it will keep your fudge clean looking. This is also a soft fudge, but don’t worry it will hold it’s shape very well. Just keep it in a sealed container on your counter.

My youngest absolutely loved this fudge. He came in the office last night when I was editing these pictures and he got really excited. He said, “Mom, that was the best fudge you ever made.” If that doesn’t convince you to make it, I don’t know what will.

I still have half a container of hot chocolate mix left, I think I need to surprise my little guy with another batch of this caramel hot chocolate fudge. I can’t wait to see his smile when he sees it in the kitchen again!!!

***Now go check out these yummy Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa Bars that Aimee has for you today!!! I really think we should have mailed each other samples…it isn’t fair that I have to drool over her pictures and not get to eat one!

Make sure you don’t miss any of the crazy baking by following the BruCrew here:
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Caramel Hot Chocolate Fudge

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 48 squares of fudge

Caramel Hot Chocolate Fudge

Soft hot chocolate fudge swirled with a caramel fudge

Ingredients

Hot Chocolate Layer

2 cups chocolate chips

1 Tablespoon butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup marshmallow cream

1/3 cup hot chocolate mix

For the Caramel Layer

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 Tablespoon butter

pinch salt

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup marshmallow cream

1 packet Duncan Hines Caramel Mix In (for the frosting)

1/2 cup miniature marshmallow bits

Instructions

In a large saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, butter, salt, and sweetened condensed milk for the hot chocolate layer. Stir until melted and smooth. Add the marshmallow cream and the hot chocolate mix. Stir until melted and creamy. Turn heat to low.
In another saucepan, combine the white chocolate chips, butter, salt, and sweetened condensed milk for the caramel layer. Stir until melted and smooth. Add the marshmallow cream and caramel mix in. Stir until melted and creamy.
Pour 1/2 of the hot chocolate fudge into a 8x8 pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Drop 1/2 of the caramel fudge by spoonfuls onto the hot chocolate layer. Swirl gently with a knife. Repeat with the rest of the fudge. Sprinkle the top with the marshmallow bits. Refrigerate until set. Remove the parchment paper and let come to room temperature before cutting. Cut into 48 squares.

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/01/caramel-hot-chocolate-fudge/

Do you need more fudge for your Valentine sweetie?
Check out a few others that disappeared quickly in our house.
Click the picture to get to the link!!!