No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

I have suddenly developed an allergy to eggs. Despite eating them everyday, some things just set off the allergy, and I can't really figure out what.  So for Christmas I wanted a cake, but I didn't want to put in a ton of effort.  This recipe fit the bill.

I typically use 1/3 Fat Cream Cheese. In the past, I found it creamier.  But the last few times I've used it, it seems to be chemically. So back to full fat.

Even still, the crust with the peanut butter and the candy was delicious, and I could easily make this again.  Maybe more peanut butter.  Because peanut butter makes everything better.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Photo by ALB

Serves 8  (more like 12 or 16)

Ingredients
Crust
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I used an entire pack of Oreos and put them in the food processor)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Pinch of salt

Filling
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened peanut butter or Reese’s creamy peanut butter (I used Jif, next time make it a heaping 1/3 Cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Reese’s Baking Cups
1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces Candy

Topping
1/2 cup Reese’s Baking Cups
1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces Candy

Preparation
1. In a bowl, thoroughly mix chocolate cookie crumbs, brown sugar, butter, and salt. Press evenly into parchment-lined 8x8” baking dish (I used foil sprayed with PAM). Chill dish while making the filling.

2. In a medium bowl, place cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in cream and beat until thoroughly incorporated.

3. Add sugar, vanilla, peanut butter, and salt. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Fold in the 1/2 cup Reese’s Baking Cups and 1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces Candy.

4. Pour filling into chilled crust and smooth out the top. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of Reese’s Baking Cups and 1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces Candy.

5. Freeze for 3 hours.

6. Allow bars to slightly soften, then slice and serve.

Toffee, Peanut Butter and Caramel Cookie Bars

So I found this recipe sometime between September and November, and they have been talking to me.  Since I don't like having sweets in the house, I thought I'd make them for Thanksgiving, except it was just me and D.  Then I thought I would make them for my work's cookie swap, but someone was diagnosed with meningitis and the days after, I noticed how many women don't wash their hands after using the rest room.  So I didn't want to participate in the Great Meningitis Cookie Swap.

Christmas rolled around and my back started acting up, so cheesecake was out (requires getting out of a chair a lot).  So back to these.

They were really simple to make.  But man was the pan heavy!   I was going to only eat just 1.  I ate 4 over the week. I gave 2 away.  D had some. My brother had some. My dad had some.

I would make again.

I used my hand mixer (seriously, am I the only person who finds a hand mixer easier to use than the Kitchen Aid Heavy As Shit Stand Mixer?).  The butter/sugar takes a bit to blend that way.

Toffee, Peanut Butter and Caramel Cookie Bars

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
12 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
2 c light brown sugar (or dark...whatever you have)
½ c creamy peanut butter (or crunchy...whatever you have)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour
1 c old fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
2½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt (used Kosher...it's what I had)
2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1 cup Reese's peanut butter chips
1 cup Heath toffee bits
Cooking Spray

Caramel Filling
11 oz bag Kraft caramel bits (or unwrapped caramel squares)- unwrapping them is a PITA
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
4 Tablespoons butter, doesn't matter if it is softened

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick foil (or spray the hell out of the pan with cooking spray).

Cream butter and sugar together in mixer. Add peanut butter and beat. Add eggs and vanilla.

Add flour, oats, baking powder, and salt.

Stir in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and toffee.

Cookie Dough 

Press 2/3 of the cookie dough on the bottom of the pan.

Place all filling ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments until smooth. Stir in between! (this took 5 30 second/stir increments for me)

Pour caramel mixture evenly over the dough.

Drop the remaining dough on top using your hands. (Like a crumble, a little here, a little there)

Ready for the Oven

Bake for about 30 minutes (mine were 35... next time I'm trying 33).

Fresh out of the Oven

Let cool completely and cut into bars.

From Hugs and Cookies XOXO, with my comments

German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

So I never made a cheesecake.  D and I have been married 11 years, and 11 years ago as a present I got a springform pan.  It has sat in the cabinet for 11 years with me wondering if I would get the guts to make a cheesecake. Then I found this recipe.  What's odd is in 2012 I posted a German Chocolate Cake from David Lebovitz on my list of things to try.  I wouldn't have thought about it until I found this recipe.

Any way, D and I were having a party for our anniversary and I showed him this cake and he said ok.  I silently cursed myself for showing him this as it looked complicated and a lot of work.  So I said ok, and then signed us up for a 5K because having a race to do before making this cake, well, just seemed logical...haha. It actually took 2 days to make (started it Friday Night and got everything made but didn't assemble).

It took about 5 minutes to assemble and then at the party I released the springform.  I was super nervous but it came out fine.  Everyone who had some, liked it.  The only issue was the crust was a little hard.  I think this was too thick, based on my lack of expertise in ever making a cheesecake crust.

Cake Sliced: Photo by ALB

I would make again.

German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, with filling adapted from David Lebovitz
Yield: 10-12 servings

Crust Ingredients
1 package (about 38) chocolate sandwich cookies, finely processed into crumbs (oreos)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (used salted, so didn't use salt)
Small pinch of salt (didn't use)

Ganache Ingredients
3/8 cups heavy cream
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (Had I read, I would have used half semisweet and half Ghirardelli 60% Cacao chocolate chips, but I used 1 oz choc chips and 4 oz of the Ghirardelli 60%)

Cheesecake Ingredients
3 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese, room temperature (I used 1/3 fat)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 eggs, room temperature
3 ounces or about 6 tablespoons chocolate chips, melted and cooled (I used semisweet)

Cake Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/8 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (This is 6TBSP)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/8 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/8 cup plus 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil (This is 2.5 TBSP)
3/8 cups warm water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling Ingredients
2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 ounces butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut, toasted

Directions
Make the cheesecake crust
Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter and salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan (at least 3 inches up the sides). It’s hard to get the crust up that high, but keep pressing the crumbs up from the bottom with a smooth-sided glass (twisting the glass as you do so, so the crumbs don’t stick) and working them around — you’ll want it that high to hold the cake layer. Patience helps with this step.

Make the ganache
Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan (or heat in the microwave for about a minute, watching to ensure it doesn’t boil). Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Once the cream reaches a simmer, pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk in small circles until a smooth ganache has formed. Pour the ganache over the bottom of the crust. Freeze until the ganache layer is firm, about 30 minutes.

Make the cake
While the ganache is freezing, cut a circle of parchment paper and use cooking spray as “glue” to adhere it to a 9-inch round cake pan. Then grease the pan and the paper (Used PAM). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and coarse salt together in a mixing bowl. Beat the dry ingredients on low until combined before increasing the speed to medium and adding the egg, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat about 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Pour it into the pan.

Place the pan in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 25-30 minutes. Rotate the pan about halfway through so it’ll bake evenly. When you take the cake layer out, leave the oven preheated for the cheesecake. Let the cake layer cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before turning it out onto a sheet of wax paper and leaving it to cool completely. Wrap the cake layer and stick it in the freezer to firm it up for assembly.

Make the cheesecake
While the cake layer is baking, mix cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until well blended and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each, and continue mixing until combined. Add the chocolate and continue mixing until combined. Pour mixture into prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 55 minutes or until center of cake is almost set. The top may crack, but it doesn’t particularly matter, since you’ll be covering it anyway. Let the cheesecake fully cool. When almost cool, place it in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.

Cheesecake Filling: Photo by ALB

Make the filling
Place the butter, salt, toasted coconut, and toasted pecans in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream, sugar, and egg yolks over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened, coats the spoon, and reads 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour this mixture over the coconut mixture and stir until the butter melts. Let the mixture cool completely (I set mine in the fridge once it was almost cool to thicken it some more.)

Everything before Assemby: Photo by ALB

Assemble the cake
Place half of the filling on top of the chilled cheesecake and spread it out. Carefully place the chocolate cake layer on top. Spread the rest of the filling on top of the chocolate cake layer. Decorate with pecans. Chill for 3 hours or overnight. When completely chilled, loosen the cake from rim of springform pan by wrapping the pan in warm dishtowels. Remove the springform pan and serve.

Final Cake before sliced: Photo by ALB

Butterfinger Nutter Butter Cheesecake Bars

I don't know what exactly I was searching for when I found this recipe. I read it over and thought they looked pretty easy to make, so I'd try them.  Just when?  We were having a party and I like to have little desserts in case someone wants to snack before dessert is served, so these would serve the bill.

Some of the Ingredients: Photo by ALB

They were pretty easy make.

Ready to go in the oven: Photo by ALB

The result?  They were really good albeit a bit overly sweet (duh) so the fact they were cut in small pieces were good.  But they had a good peanut butter flavor with a tad of cheesecake.  And they were so easy, I would definitely make again.

Yum!  Photo by ALB

Butterfinger Nutter Butter Cheesecake Bars

Yield: 36 SMALL SQUARES (I got 25)
From Lauren's Latest

INGREDIENTS
For the crust
16 whole nutter butter cookies
1/4 cup melted butter

For the cheesecake filling
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (used 1/3 fat Cream Cheese)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour
6 fun size Butterfinger chocolate bars

For the topping
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x9 square dish with foil or parchment and set aside. {If you are lining your pan with foil, lightly grease with non stick cooking spray.} Grind nutter butter cookies in a food processor until the consistency of graham cracker crumbs. Pour in melted butter and pulse a few times to mix. Press into prepared dish and set aside.

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Stir in egg, vanilla and flour. Finely chop butterfingers and fold into the cheesecake mixture. Pour over top nutter butter crust and bake for 18-22 minutes or until cheesecake has set. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled.

Pour chocolate chips and butter into a small bowl and microwave using the 'melt chocolate' function, stirring every 20-30 seconds. If your chocolate is almost melted, don't put it back into the microwave! Just keep stirring- the residual heat will continue to melt the chocolate completely. {If your microwave doesn't have this function, zap your chocolate at 50% power at 20 second intervals, stirring in between.} Spread melted chocolate overtop of the bars evenly and place back into the refrigerator 5-10 minutes to harden the chocolate. (I did 7). Remove from refrigerator and using the foil or parchment, remove the entire block of bars from the pan. Cut into bars and serve. (I actually cut the bars still on the parchment and then put them back in to the tray to serve later in the day.)

Recipes Notes: If you leave the bars in the refrigerator longer than 10 minutes after you've topped it with chocolate, cutting into the bars might be more difficult and the chocolate is more likely to crack.

Samoa Bundt Cake

I love Samoa Girl Scout Cookies.  When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, of course I had to go look.  It looked kind of hard and involved.

Then I thought about when I could make it.  Thanksgiving, of course.  Because after all, I was only running a half-marathon.  There would be no stress of people coming over, 3 dogs, a long run, or anything else.

So I decided to make Wednesday night.  It actually wasn't hard, just long.

I was worried about making the Dulce de Leche.  I have no interest in boiling a can of Condensed Milk in a crock pot or a pot of boiling water.  I'm sure it works if you keep watching it.  It's the "keep watching" part that I was worried about it.  I found Dulce de Leche at Kroger and the local Mexican Grocer.  I bought that.  That saves a lot of time (between 4 and 10 hours).

Then I got all the ingredients together for the Cakes, and made them.  The Brown Sugar batter was A LOT thicker than the Chocolate Batter.  I was a little worried but it came out fine.

Some of the ingredients

The cake ready to go in the oven

The frosting was simple to make.  My first batch of toasted coconut took 6 minutes like the directions said.  The 2nd batch, after 7 minutes, it still wasn't brown.  I took it out anyway.  I'm not sure what went on there.

Assembling it (after everything cooled) was pretty easy.  I decided to spread the chocolate from the center instead of striping the cake.  That way there was more chocolate.

D, my brother and I ate it on Thanksgiving.  After 10 seconds, I wondered how I didn't have any left and they still had it on their plate.  It was sweet, but not overpowering.  In the morning, I know my dad ate 2 pieces.  So we all enjoyed it.

Final Product: Photo by ALB

Samoa Bundt Cake

From Betsy's Life.

****READ THE ENTIRE RECIPE BEFORE YOU BEGIN****

Ingredients
For the Brown Sugar Batter
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup of dark brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk

For the Chocolate Batter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup + 2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 T cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup boiling water

For the Frosting
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (Substitute canned dulce de leche)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 T vanilla extract
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup toasted coconut

For the topping
1 1/2 cups toasted coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

Instructions
Create the Dulce de leche frosting (if using canned dulce de leche skip this step)
Place the whole, unopened can of condensed milk in your crock pot and submerge in at least 3 inches of water.
Cook on medium for 10 hours or on high for 7.
*Alternatively, boil the whole, unopened can on the stove FULLY SUBMERGED AT ALL TIMES for 4 hours.
Let it cool.

To make brown sugar batter
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy
Add eggs, one a a time, beating well after each addition
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
Alternate adding the flour mixture and whole milk to the butter mixture, one at a time, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Set batter aside

To make the chocolate batter
Cream sugar and oil together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg, vanilla, and milk
In a medium bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture until well combined.
Carefully stir in boiling water

Make the cake
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
Grease and flour a bundt pan well.
This is a marble cake. Pour some of the brown sugar batter into the pan, then top it with some of the chocolate batter.
Alternate until both batter bowls are empty.
Tap bundt pan on the counter a couple times to remove bubbles.
Bake approximately 50 minutes or until skewer inserted in center comes out clean. (Original directions said 1 hour but both Betsy's blog and I had finished cake at 50 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool entirely.

Make the frosting
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until desired color is reached (about 6 minutes)
Beat cooled cooked condensed milk (or dulce de leche), butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla and salt for 3 minutes.
Add in 1 cup toasted coconut.
Chill for 1 hour

Assemble the cake
Frost the cake with dulce de leche frosting
Toast remaining coconut and press into the sides and top of the frosted cake
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring frequently.
Place melted chocolate in a pastry bag with a small tip or ziploc bag with a corner cut out about 1/4 inch up from the corner, and drizzle stripes on the cake.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

If you have an hour, and a lasagna/brownie pan, you can make this (and if someone is home while you are on your work commute home so they can take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator).

First, do not use fat-free cream cheese.  Personally, I hate the stuff because it has a chemical tang to it that doesn't taste right.  However, I had opened the 3rd box of CC when I noticed all the boxes said Fat Free.  I may have said a few expletives.  I thought about where this dish was going and should I go to the store and get regular or reduced fat, and decided at a tailgate where lots of beer is consumed, that FF would be ok.

After they were done baking, I tasted one to make sure the tang wasn't too bad.  I could taste it, but decided they were definitely edible and would be 10000 times better had I used the right cream cheese.  I came back from the tailgate with 2 left.  So they couldn't have been all that bad.

Photo by ALB

Because of the incredible ease, I will definitely make these again.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

A classic! A favorite! And incredibly delicious! This simple Chocolate Chip Cheesecake is sure to become your standard.

Photo by ALB

From Mr. Food
Serves: 15

Cooking Time: 45 min

Ingredients
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 (16.5-ounce) rolls refrigerator chocolate chip cookie dough

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until well mixed; set aside.

Slice cookie dough rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange slices from one roll on bottom of a greased 9- x 13-inch glass baking dish (I used a metal pan and sprayed the hell out of it with PAM); press together so there are no holes in dough. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over dough; top with remaining slices of cookie dough (this part was a bitch...cut slices, and then roll them into balls and press them in the palms of your hands and then put them on the cheesecake.  Made it much easier.)

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden and center is slightly firm.

Remove from oven, let cool, then refrigerate. Cut into slices when well chilled.

Death by Oreo Cupcakes

I saw these in January by blogger Lisa.  I put them on my list to try.  I usually make Oreo Balls when I bake with Oreos but decided to try something different.  Yes, you should try these.  But invite me over first.

Death by Oreo Cupcakes

Photo by ALB

by Lisa

CUPCAKES: Enough of you asked for more info on the death by Oreo cupcakes that I mentioned, so I am passing on the recipe. Be warned, they are addicting!! Recipe make 24 cupcakes. What you'll need:

1 pkg regular oreos
cupcake liners

1 pkg chocolate cake mix (and the ingredients that go on the back of the box)

For Frosting: Do not use this full recipe. Either make it all, use half and save the rest for later, or make half a recipe. Trust me on this.  (AL's Note: Used the whole recipe, because I like frosting)
8 oz cream cheese - room temp
8 T butter (1 stick) - room temp
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
2-3 T milk

Add cupcake liners to cupcake pan. Place an Oreo at the bottom of each liner.

Coarsely crush half remaining oreos (I break them up by hand). Prepare cake mix per instructions. Add Oreo pieces to mix. Fill cupcake liners with mix.

Note: I cook for 15 min at 350 deg even though the boxed mix instructions say to cook longer. Not sure if that is a high altitude thing or because of that added cookies to the mix. In any event, I suggest checking after 15 mins. (AL's Note: Baked them according to the back of the box).

Finely crush remaining Oreos (or, if you make half a recipe of frosting, eat 3 cookies and finely crush the rest. just kidding. sort of.). I do this in a food processor.

For frosting, mix cream cheese and butter with vanilla until smooth. Add powdered sugar. Add milk as needed to get desired consistency. blend in crushed oreos.

Frost cupcakes when cool. Enjoy!!

Dulce de Leche, Coconut and Chocolate Chip Magic Bars

Sometimes you have those foods in the house that do nothing for you. And then other times you have the foods in the house that you just want to face plant in to.  For me, these would fall into the latter category.  My brother and I made these  over the weekend.  Every time I walked into the kitchen I grabbed a bar.

They were very chocolatey.  You didn't really taste the bacon.  But you did get little bursts of salt in the taste.  My dad thought they were too sweet. So being the good daughter that I am, I ate his portions.

Dulce de Leche, Coconut and Chocolate Chip Magic Bars

Contributed by Grace Parisi
ACTIVE: 30 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS
SERVINGS: 15
MAKE-AHEAD

This is Grace Parisi's sophisticated version of magic bars, that chocolate-coconut bake-sale favorite. Browning the butter gives the crust a nutty flavor; cooking it in a metal baking dish makes it extra crisp. In a touch inspired by pastry chefs' favorite new ingredient, Grace adds bacon to the filling.

Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (I happened to have unsalted but would have used salted if that's what I had)

1/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped  (used 1 tsp vanilla extract)
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces bacon, finely diced
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut (6 1/2 ounces)  (used 7 oz bag)
12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup salted roasted almonds, chopped (used sliced, not roasted...don't remember if they were salted)
One 16-ounce jar dulce de leche (used 12 oz jar of caramel)
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving up to 1 inch of overhang. Spray the paper with vegetable oil spray. (Didn't use paper...just sprayed the hell out of the pan)

2. In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and browned, about 4 minutes. Scrape the butter into a large bowl and freeze just until solid, about 15 minutes.

3. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the sugar, vanilla seeds and egg yolk into the butter at medium speed until blended. Add the flour and salt and beat until moistened crumbs form. Press the crumbs into the prepared baking pan and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 25 minutes, until the crust is set and lightly browned.

4. Meanwhile, wipe out the bowl used to make the crust. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels and let cool. In the bowl, toss the coconut with the chocolate chips, almonds and bacon.

5. In another bowl, whisk the dulce de leche with the condensed milk; pour two-thirds of it in the crust. Lightly press the coconut-bacon mixture over the dulce de leche. Drizzle the remaining dulce de leche mixture on top.

6.  Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the bars cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Carefully remove the bars from the pan and peel off the paper. Cut into bars and serve.

Make Ahead: The bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Food and Wine November 2010

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

So Hope posted these, which reminded me I have the Barefoot Contessa's Cookbook that has this recipe in it. I never made it.

I then realized my friend is turning 40, and here was an excuse to make them, even though he doesn't eat sweets.

Very easy. I don't like cake, but the batter was delicious. I do like icing, and this one was good. D thought they were good. The cupcake wasn't overpowering and there was enough sweetness in the frosting.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

Photo by ALB

2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home, All Rights Reserved

Serves: 14 to 15 cupcakes.

Ingredients
•12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
•2/3 cup granulated sugar
•2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
•2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
•2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
•1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
•1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
•2 tablespoons brewed coffee
•1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
•1 cup good cocoa powder
•1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
•1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing, recipe follows
•Chopped salted peanuts, to decorate, optional

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing:


•1 cup confectioners' sugar
•1 cup creamy peanut butter
•5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
•3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
•1/3 cup heavy cream
Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

So I always liked Erin Baker's Breakfast Cookies but the past few times I got them they were moldy. So I decided to try these (from various websites).

Making them was easy but when I got to making cookie balls, there was no way in hell. The mix was all powdery. So I added 3 TBSP of oil. Then albeit dry they formed.
They taste like what I remember the EBBC's taste like, with no mold.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa (such as Hershey's Cocoa)
1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1-1/4 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup Ghiradelli 60% Cocoa Chips
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (I used Jif Chunky)
3TBSP Vegetable Oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together the first nine ingredients (through the chocolate chips) in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla, applesauce and peanut butter together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper (this is optional, but it makes for easier clean-up). Roll dough into 18 balls, pressing down to flatten in the shape of a cookie. Place dough on prepared cookie sheets one inch apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes.

Makes 18 breakfast cookies.

Number of Servings: 18 (I got 18)

Nutritional Info
Fat: 8.5g
Carbohydrates: 26.0g
Calories: 184.8
Protein: 5.0g
Fiber: 3.6g

Chocolate Chipotle Brownies

I made these last year.

Chocolate Chipotle Brownies

24 servings/ 4 points per serving

Instructions

1 teaspoon plus 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup all-purpose flour
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
4 eggs
1 cup chopped Mexican chocolate or semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Grease and flour an 11 by 7-inch baking pan or dish with 1 teaspoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the flour. Heat the remaining butter and the unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. In a medium bowl, stir together remaining flour, sugar, cinnamon, and ground chipotle. Add sugar mixture to melted chocolate mixture, stirring to combine. Add eggs, mixing until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate morsels.

Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan or dish. Bake until the center is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely and then cut into small squares.

Bourbon Fudge Brownies

Hmmm... D likes these a lot. I do not, BUT I think it is because I don't like fudge, and I think these are too fudgy. They have the same texture to me that fudge does on your teeth, that gives me the heeby-jeebies. However they did cure a chocolate fix I was having (2 took care of it). They are VERY EASY to make.

Bourbon Fudge Brownies

1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Bring bourbon to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, stirring until smooth.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture and bourbon mixture to sugar mixture, beating at low speed just until combined.

Spread batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Yield: 20 servings

CALORIES 148 (30% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 2.9g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 2.2g; CHOLESTEROL 31mg; CALCIUM 20mg; SODIUM 121mg; FIBER 1g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.2g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2003

Rudolph's Chocolate Truffle Cake

When Bro and I were little, my parents used to have a Christmas Party every year and get a Midnight Layer Cake from Bun Penny. I have not thought about that cake in many years until I made this. A picture will be coming...

It is a bit expensive as it required 6 bars of Ghiardelli Semi-sweet chocolate squares...but well worth it.


Rudolph's Chocolate Truffle Cake

8 (1-ounce) semisweet chocolate squares
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Truffle Filling, divided
10 (1-ounce) semisweet chocolate squares, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 to 2 (1-ounce) semisweet chocolate squares, finely grated

Stir together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan over low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, and let mixture cool slightly (about 10 minutes).

Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in melted chocolate mixture until blended and smooth.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; whisk into chocolate mixture until blended and smooth.

Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.

Bake at 325° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

Spread 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Chocolate Truffle Filling evenly on top of 1 cake layer. Top with 1 cake layer; spread 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Chocolate Truffle Filling evenly on top, reserving remaining 1/2 cup Chocolate Truffle Filling. Top with remaining cake layer.

Microwave coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate squares and cream in a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute and then every 30 seconds until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and slightly thickened. Let cool slightly (about 15 minutes).

Spread warm semisweet chocolate mixture over top and sides of cake. Chill cake 30 minutes or until chocolate glaze is firm. Pipe border using a rosette tip around bottom of cake with remaining 1/2 cup Chocolate Truffle Filling. Sprinkle finely grated semisweet chocolate evenly over top of cake.

Yield: Makes 12 servings (more like 20 servings)
12 servings = 22 points each
20 servings = 13 points each

Chocolate Truffle Filling

4 (1-ounce) semisweet chocolate squares
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup whipping cream, divided
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Microwave semisweet chocolate squares and 6 tablespoons butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in 1/4 cup whipping cream. Stir in 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, adding remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, until mixture is smooth and creamy. Let mixture cool completely.

Note: I didn't use the microwave...just a sauce pan.

Yield: Makes 1 3/4 cups

Chocolate Guinness Cake

This cake was very good and very tall (3 layers). It would have been better if I left it out instead of refrigerating it, but Guinness (the dog) got to part of it and I had to get her away.

Photo by ALB

Chocolate Guinness Cake

Ingredients
2 cups Guinness
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

Preparation
For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. (I sprayed 3 pans with PAM and was done). Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

Icing
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place cream cheese and confectioners' sugar into a mixing bowl, and whip with an electric beater, until smooth. Add cream and beat again until you have a spreadable consistency.
Ice top of cake, starting at middle and fanning out, so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.

Yields about 12 slices.

Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon

I like this at Thanksgiving, since I'm not a fan of Pumpkin and everything I bake has to have alcohol or cream cheese in it.

Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon

Photo by ALB

POINTS® Value:
Servings: 8

Ingredients

* 1 cup sugar
* 4 Tbsp butter
* 3 egg
* 3/4 cup light corn syrup
* 1/4 tsp table salt
* 1/3 fl oz bourbon
* 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 cup Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
* 1 Pillsbury Frozen Regular 9-Inch Pie Crust

Instructions

Melt butter
Sugar is granulated
eggs are slightly beaten
Pie shell is not frozen

Preheat oven to 375.
In mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, corn syrup, salt, bourbon and vanilla. Mix on low speed of mixer until blended. Spread pecans and chocolate chips on bottom of prepared pie shell.
Pour filling over nuts and chips. Bake in preheated 375 oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until set.

Oreo Balls

I have no clue what Internet site I got this recipe.

Oreo Balls

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 Package of Oreos
8 oz Kraft Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese (You can use regular, but I find this is creamier)
2 Ghiardellhi White Chocolate Bars
1 Ghiardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Bar

Crush Oreos in food processor and add cream cheese until massive ball.

Roll into balls (I use a cookie scoop, so they are sort of uniform size). Freeze for 30 minutes.

Melt White Chocolate in the Microwave according to direction. Dip Balls into chocolate and set on drying rack to dry.
(About 30 minutes)

Melt Bittersweet Chocolate in a ziplock bag in the microwave. Cut off a corner of the bag. Drizzle all over the white chocolate balls. Let dry.

Refrigerate or serve at room temperature.