Chocolate

Gina: A muffin for the chocolate lover in all of us. They’re great for festive brunches and holiday breakfasts, or with a cup for tea for an afternoon pick-me-up. Pat’s been known to sneak them in the middle of the night, too, to eat with his ice cream (he thinks I’m not watchin’, but, girlfriend, you know we are always watchin’ . . .).

Gina: Just about every church cookbook and family recipe box throughout the South has its own version of this dark, rich chocolate cake named for the “muddy” Mississippi River. In our version, we add coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor, and throw in a handful of mini–chocolate chips, creating a sinfully “muddy” bottom that’s fun to drag your fork through. Then we top the whole thing off with mini-marshmallows and a river of icing. This is one Mississippi cake you’ll be happy to drown in!

Pat: Cupcakes bring out the kid in everyone. They certainly bring out the kid in me, and my girls will tell you that I love these cupcakes as much as they do. Who can blame me? They are impossible to resist. The combination of cake flour and buttermilk gives them a tender crumb and a slightly tangy flavor, and the thick, rich cream-cheese frosting—made with melted chocolate chips—puts them over the top. These cupcakes starred in the “If Pat’s a Good Boy” episode of our show. Talk about inspiration to behave! Gina often doubles this recipe so we have enough around to feed a crowd for a party or picnic, because even when folks are on their best behavior these have a way of vanishing. . . .

Pat: We all have our vices, and mine is brownies—particularly these brownies, which have candy bars and crunchy pecans baked right in. They are some of the most decadent brownies you will ever eat. When I have one of these at two in the morning, I’m tempted to let out a loud moan, but then Gina would probably throw me out. Gina used to make them for me when we were courting hence the seductive additions. They say that chocolate is an aphrodisiac, so if you’re looking for a sweet deal to spark a little romance in your house, take my advice: Light a fire, add the Whipped Cream, fresh raspberries, and silky chocolate shavings, and you’ll be well on your way to a blissful ending!

Tartufi made with homemade chocolate ice cream are delicious. You can make your life simpler by substituting store-bought ice cream and proceeding to form and coat the tartufi as described below.

If you’re going to take the time to churn your own ice cream, I think it should be chocolate, don’t you? This is sweetened with agave nectar instead of artificial sweetener because the nectar gives the finished stuff real unctuousness and body—almost like the real thing.

Time to go through the impulse purchases you’re storing in the attic or basement and dig out that old-fashioned ice cream maker you thought you couldn’t live without. Here’s a very good reason to unpack it.

“To truly mousse or not to mousse?” That was the question. At first I thought I’d find a great low-fat packaged mousse mix and turn the flavors up by adding some interesting ingredients. I tried it...and decided you deserved better. This is as close as I could get to a real chocolate mousse, made with egg whites and chocolate and very little fat.

A classic—like biting into a chocolate-covered cherry, only lower in carbs, and better!

This recipe was inspired by the idea of Aero bars. We wanted to replicate that honeycomb texture while creating something intensely delicious. This dessert achieves that. You can serve it with cookies or blood orange compote. The light texture melts in your mouth and leaves you wanting more.

This ice cream is just fun. We use the natural starch in the popcorn to thicken the ice cream base; then we use a whipped cream canister to create small popcorn like bites in the liquid nitrogen. You can serve the popcorn ice cream in a bowl (with spoons on the side, of course), and watch grown-ups revert to childhood as they discover your secret.