Chocolate Diamonds Recipes

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE DIAMONDS

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with foil. Coat with no-stick cooking spray.
• BEAT shortening, peanut butter and brown sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy. Beat in eggs and almond extract until smooth. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix at low speed just until combined. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
• BAKE 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack while preparing chocolate layer.
• PLACE chocolate chips in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in 15 second intervals until melted and smooth. Stir in hot fudge topping. Microwave on HIGH 15 seconds. Spread over warm baked bars. Sprinkle with walnuts. Chill 1 hour or until chocolate layer is firm.
• LIFT bars from pan with foil and place on cutting board. Cut into diamonds by cutting on the diagonal from corner to corner both directions forming a large "X". Beginning at one center cut, make 1 1/2-inch parallel diagonal cuts on both sides. Repeat with other center cut to form diamonds. Store in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line bottom with wax paper.
• Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time until combined well. Sift flour and cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into baking pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack and invert onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
• Chop chocolate. In a dry heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderate heat, without stirring, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook sugar, stirring with a fork, until a deep-golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and add cream (mixture will bubble up and steam). Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, stirring until mixture is smooth. Pour ganache over top of cake and smooth with a spatula. Chill cake, uncovered, at least 30 minutes and, covered, up to 3 days.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• In a dry small heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until a pale-golden caramel. Continue to cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling pan, until golden. Remove pan from heat and pour caramel onto baking sheet. Cool caramel completely.
• Pry caramel from baking sheet with your fingers and in a food processor pulse caramel until coarsely ground. Sprinkle the ground caramel evenly over top of cake and with a sharp knife cut cake into 1 1/4-inch diamonds.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with foil. Coat with no-stick cooking spray.
• Beat shortening, peanut butter and brown sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy. Beat in eggs and almond extract until smooth. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix at low speed just until combined. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack while preparing chocolate layer.
• Place chocolate chips in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in 15 seconds intervals until melted and smooth. Stir in hot fudge topping. Microwave on HIGH 15 seconds. Spread over warm baked bars. Sprinkle with walnuts. Chill 1 hour or until chocolate layer is firm.
• Lift bars from pan with foil and place on cutting board. Cut into diamonds by cutting on the diagonal from corner to corner both directions forming a large "X". Beginning at one center cut, make 1 1/2-inch parallel diagonal cuts on both sides. Repeat with other center cut to form diamonds. Store in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 6 minutes with a handheld. Beat in yolk and vanilla, then add flour and salt and mix at low speed until just combined.
• Spread batter evenly with offset spatula in a greased 15 1/2- by 10 1/2- by 1-inch baking pan and bake in middle of oven until top puffs slightly and is firm to the touch and edges pull away from sides of pan, 20 to 25 minutes (watch carefully toward end of baking; cookie base can burn easily).
• While cookie base is baking, melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth, then remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat.
• Spread chocolate over warm cookie base and immediately sprinkle with walnuts. Cool completely in pan on a rack, then cut into 2-inch diamonds or squares. Chill in pan until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 6 minutes with a handheld. Beat in yolk and vanilla, then add flour and salt and mix at low speed until just combined.
• Spread batter evenly with offset spatula in a greased 15 1/2- by 10 1/2- by 1-inch baking pan and bake in middle of oven until top puffs slightly and is firm to the touch and edges pull away from sides of pan, 20 to 25 minutes (watch carefully toward end of baking; cookie base can burn easily).
• While cookie base is baking, melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth, then remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat.
• Spread chocolate over warm cookie base and immediately sprinkle with walnuts. Cool completely in pan on a rack, then cut into 2-inch diamonds or squares. Chill in pan until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.

COCOA SHORTBREAD DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and vanilla, and process until mixture comes together. Shape the dough into a ball.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick; cut out shapes with a 3 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch diamond-shape cookie cutter. Space 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies until firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks.
• Melt white chocolate, stirring, in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Drizzle chocolate over tops of cookies. Let set before serving, about 30 minutes.

DIAMOND BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Gradually add flour until blended., Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown., Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake 1 minute longer or until chips are melted. Spread chocolate over crust. Sprinkle with walnuts and coconut. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into diamond shapes.