OMG!!!!

Oh my goodness... Chocolate. Peanut butter. Pretzels. Imagine all of these ingredients together along with lots of butter and sugar? Heaven in your mouth right? Right! I'm ready to run every single day if it means I can eat these squares whenever I want.

Recently, I've been enjoying an evening snack of pretzels dipped in peanut butter and sprinkled with mini dark chocolate chips. Which got me thinking, there must be some sort of baked good that can incorporate those flavours together? I not only found one, but hit the jackpot!


This isn't a difficult recipe, there are just 3 steps to follow - the first step being the most time-consuming - and the only part that requires use of your oven. Oh - and you do have to chill the squares for at least an hour before you can cut them - so these should be made a little ahead of time... especially since once you cut them up, you probably won't stop eating them (and then fall into a diabetic coma...)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Squares

Pretzel shortbread crust
ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 c) cold butter, cut into cubes
2 c. salted pretzel crumbs, very coarse (remember to measure once you crumble the pretzels)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Spray a square baking pan with some non-stick spray. Set aside.

In your food processor, pulse everything together - the pretzels shouldn't get too fine - you want to be able to tell that they are in the crust - and your butter needs to be incorporated so that the mixture forms pea sized lumps.

Pour the mixture into your baking pan and press the shortbread firmly into the base (make sure it's level). Bake for 20 minutes (golden brown). Remove from your oven and place on a cooling rack. The base needs to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Filling
ingredients:
18 oz jar of creamy natural peanut butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 c.) butter, melted, allow to cool just a little
1 3/4 c. salted pretzel crumbs, very fine (again, measure once you crumble the pretzels)

Start the filling by processing the salted pretzels into a very fine texture (use your food processor).

Now in the bowl of your kitchenaid mixer, combine all the ingredients using your paddle attachment. You can do this by hand too, but the mixer makes it easier considering how thick the peanut butter can get.

Place the filling on top of the pretzel crust - I dumped the peanut butter filling and then lightly moistened my hands to spread it evenly and smoothly on top of the base. Be careful, the shortbread is delicate, try not to break it while you are spreading the filling on top.

Once your two bottoms layers are in place, start on the chocolate topping.

Chocolate
ingredients:
11.5 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. heavy cream

Place your chocolate chips in a mixing bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat up the cream. Stir it so that it doesn't burn the base of the pot, and take it off the heat just before it begins to simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and whisk away... you want the chocolate to melt and the mixture to get shiny and smooth.

Top the peanut butter filling with the chocolate. Use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly over the base. Chill in your fridge for at least an hour (the chocolate needs to set before you can cut into it).

I got 20 generous squares out of this batch... very generous. And very delish. I promise, everyone who can eat peanuts will be loving them and you for making them!

don't judge a scone by its colour...

I'm back to baking scones... well to be honest, I haven't stopped making them, but I did try a new recipe last night. I switched up my original lemon scone recipe and added beautiful blueberries to the batter.

Sigh. The result was well...blue. But fresh, tangy and light - a perfect way to start off your day. Oh, and these smell soooooooooooo good while they're baking. Double sigh. I can't wait to make another batch. Or 6. They are that good.

Blueberry Lemon Scones
ingreidents:
grated zest of 1 large lemon
3/4 c. brown sugar
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. (2 sticks) cold butter, grated
1 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
3/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 egg, beaten for an egg wash
large sugar, to sprinkle on top of each scone


Grate the butter and return it to your freezer to allow it to get really cold.

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

In your stand mixer bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Add the sugar and lemon zest to the bowl and mix with your paddle attachment at a low speed (STIR)until just combined.

Add the cold butter to the dry mix and combine on your low speed for a few minutes(you're looking for pea sized clumps). At this point you can toss in your blueberries and just incorporate.

Stop mixing and make a well in the centre of your batter. Add the cream and buttermilk. Mix together (low speed) very briefly; you want everything to come together and gather on your paddle attachment.

Turn the dough out a well floured surface. You'll want to use your rolling pin to roll out the dough into a rectangle. Cut your scones into triangular shapes. I get 2 rows and 3 columns out of the batter, which I then cut into triangles.

Place your scones onto the prepared pans and then move the pans to the freezer. Allow the dough to chill for 30 minutes (this allows the butter to get really cold again in order to really puff while baking).

Remove from the freezer, add an egg wash to the scones and then sprinkle them with the large sugar. Bake in the middle rack for 30 minutes (until golden brown). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely... although the smell might dry you crazy with anticipation!

bliss in a bite

If you know me, you know that I like to chat with people and talk things over, share ideas, get really enthusiastic, and completely commit to an idea... I think you've noticed that I tend to be on the obsessive side of things (scones, almond butter, lemons...and just about everything else in my life too)!

Now that I've started on this Starbucks kick, well... I've become game for trying any Starbucks baked good people seem to like. So Tonya challenged me with this one... chocolate dipped coconut macaroons. I didn't make them exactly as she remembered; since Starbucks used to make a flat cookie: with one half a beautiful white and the other half a dark chocolaty brown.

My little pyramid shaped cookies turned out pretty awesome, and Tonya said that I totally kicked their butt! Whoot Whoot!

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
ingredients:
2/3 c. sweetened condensed milk
1 egg white
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
3 1/2 c. sweetened flaked coconut
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate squares, chopped (or whole chocolate chips)

Preheat your oven to 325 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl (no need for any electric mixers for this recipe), stir together the condensed milk, egg white, vanilla and salt until just combined. Stir in the coconut until well blended.

Once everything is blended, grab your mini scooper and drop the dough onto your prepared cookie sheets - if you want to make more cookies, spoon out about 1 tablespoonful of dough per cookie.

Moisten your fingers as needed in order to shape your macaroons into little pyramids.

Bake one cookie sheet at a time (place the other cookie sheet into the fridge to remain cool) for about 15 to 20 minutes (the tops will be golden brown).

Allow the cookies to set on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then cool the macaroons completely on a wire rack (at least 30 minutes).

Once your Macaroons have cooled grab your chocolate and melt it (either in a double boiler or over low heat in a saucepan). This should take a few minutes, whisking every once and a while to ensure that the bottom doesn't burn and that the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Hold a macaroon by its pointed top and dip the bottom into the chocolate - allow excess chocolate to drip back into the pot. Place the macaroon back onto your cookie sheet (lined with the parchment paper). Repeat with the remaining macaroons.

Refrigerate the macaroons until the chocolate sets, about 15 minutes.

You should get about 22 little pyramids in total... each one absolutely delicious. I promise.

bang on fantastic bars!

I'm about to share THE recipe with you... and I promise it's the kind of recipe that will have you planning to bake your next batch as you finish eating the squares in front of you!

Chocolate and toffee. Together in one bar. Seriously! There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. These are the types of bars that are not just fantastic - they are gobsmacking, tummy pleasing, lip licking wonderful bars. And if you don't believe me... give them a try. I swear you'll be itching to make another batch. They're that good. (as a side note... I made two batches of these babies...in a 5 hour time frame)

Black and White Toffee Bars
ingredients:
1 c. + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla salt
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 c. dark chocolate chips
1 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 c. toffee candy pieces (quite small)

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Grease your 9-inch square pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.

You'll need to combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer and with your paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using an electric mixer), beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together - about 3 minutes at a level 4/ medium speed. You want the result to be creamy and fluffy. Once you get to that stage you'll beat in the egg.

You'll then gradually beat in the flour - lower your speed for this part to the Stir level - you want everything to just combine.

Now, you'll dump in the remaining ingredients: chocolate and white chocolate chips and toffee pieces. Grab your handy wooden spoon and stir - everything will be thick. Don't worry, this isn't a loose batter, it should feel like molasses...

Once you have distributed all the bits of goodness, spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes. These should be golden on top, it's hard to do the clean stick test... since the entire thing is made up of melted chocolate ;0) (your stick should not come out clean)

Allow the bars to cool in the pan on a wire rack. Before cutting into your desired bar shape, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes, this will allow the chocolate to set, making it easier to cut.

I ended up with 24 bars per batch - 12 squares that I then cut into triangles.

These babies were inspired by Starbucks, but conquered by me :0)

Starbucks part deux

As I mentioned in my last blog, my Starbucks themed week included their Banana Walnut Bread... only, I didn't make a bread. I decided that these would be much better as mini bundt cakes; and added handfuls of chocolate chips to the mix (you can never go wrong with chocolate) ;0)

Feel free to make these in a loaf pan or in a large bundt pan if you don't have the mini ones. Just increase the baking time if you do use the larger pans.

Banana-walnut chocolate chip mini bundt cakes
ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla salt
1 egg
1/2 c. + 2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat your oven to 325 F. Spray your mini- bundt pans (8) with non-stick spray (or grease with butter).

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt together into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In your larger bowl, mix together the egg, sugars and vegetable oil until combined (I used my electric mixer at this point). Add the flour mixture - again, using your electric mixer, adding the buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas until everything is incorporated.

Grab a wooden spoon and fold in the 1/2 c. chopped walnuts and chocolate chips (I added in an extra handful of chips too). I used my mini ice-cream scooper to scoop the batter into the mini bundt pans (4 scoops per pan). Top the batters with the 1/3 c. chopped walnuts.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (45 to 50 minutes if using a loaf or large pan) - you'll want the skewer to come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from the pans.

Aren't they so adorable? So easy to make. And again, I kicked Starbucks butt! :0)

I decided to bring Starbucks home with me...

I have to admit... when it comes to lattes, I'm a sucker for Starbucks. Every time I stand in line waiting for my grande soy latte I look at the baked goods on display and think... "I can totally do better than that!"... and so began last week's baking challenge. I decided to bake up a batch (or three) of Starbucks' classic Cranberry Bliss Bars and their Banana Walnut Bread.

I think in the end I did really well... the bars ended up with a bit of a thicker brownie crust than I would have liked - but I now know what I'll do next time... and believe me, there will be a next time. I can understand why these are such a hit in the coffee shops around the holidays - they look so festive when assembled - and taste as good as they look!

You have to be a little proactive with this recipe... the frosting calls for softened cream cheese - so be sure to take it out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature (ditto for some of the butter). And... you have to be patient... things need to cool before you can continue to assemble, but it really is worth the time and effort. I promise... after all, if I can be patient enough to do this, you can too!

Cranberry Bliss Bars

The Base
ingredients:
1 c. butter, melted
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp orange extract
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 c. dried cranberries
3/4 c. white chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 325 F. Prepare a 9x13 rectangular pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.

Allow the melted butter to cool slightly. In a large glass bowl and with your electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and sugars for 3 - 5 minutes until light. Gently blend in the eggs (1 at a time) and orange extract with the mixer at low speed. Add the flour, baking powder and ginger, just incorporating. Add the cranberries and chips - folding in with a wooden spoon.

Spread the batter into the pan (it'll be thick, that's ok). Bake until the skewer test comes out clean - my oven took about 45 minutes - but I started checking @ 29 minutes... since I didn't want to over bake and dry out the brownies.

Allow the brownies to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

While they are cooling start on your frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
ingredients:
3.3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp orange extract
3 tbsp half & half (or milk - whatever you have on hand)

Add your paddle attachment to your kitchenaid and blend the cream cheese and the butter until fluffy (about 3 minutes @ speed 4).

Add the orange extract and the powdered sugar and beat until you get that fluffy and spreadable frosting - adding the half & half a tbsp at a time; use your judgement in adding the liquid... it'll give you that looseness you need to create a spreadable frosting.

Spread the frosting over the cooled brownie bass.

Now for the fun... garnish these babies :0)

The Festive Garnish
ingredients:
1/2 c. dried cranberries, roughly chopped
zest of 1 orange
1/3 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 tsp vegetable oil

Zest your orange and roughly chop your cranberries. Sprinkle them both over the frosted base.

Mix the white chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a glass bowl over a simmering pot of water. Allow the chocolate to melt - stir as needed.

Using either a whisk or a fork, drizzle the melted chocolate over the bars. Allow the white chocolate to set for one hour before you cut them. I wanted the "traditional Starbucks triangles", so I cut the base in 3 columns and then 4 rows and then cut each of those squares in half diagonally to create the triangles.

Simply beautiful and really impressive.

Next time: I'll be using a 10x15 rectangular pan for a thinner brownie base... and I'm also going to exchange the orange extract for vanilla and swap out the orange rind for crystallized ginger... just to twist it up a little more.

Here's to the beginning of the holiday season... cheers!

the birthday weekend...

I'd been looking forward to last weekend for quite some time... you see, Gigi and René bought their first house and Saturday evening was not only their house warming par-tay, but it was also René's birthday.

I wanted to bring them some lovin' from the oven - and it had to be something that I knew would bring huge smiles to their faces. That meant that it could only be one thing...lemon meringue pie.

This time round I made mini lemon meringue tarts for them. Although it's not a new recipe (I've already posted it), I thought you'd enjoy at least looking at some pictures - some blind baking of the crusts, filling them with lemon curd and then baking the meringue... oh, and obviously of course pictures of the new home-owners (and birthday boy).

Bonne fête René! And congratulations guys... I heart your home (and the two of you).