Magic Truffles

No they're not magic because these are going to disappear once you taste them, although I could totally see that happening too.  They're 'magic' because the main ingredient in these bad-boys is a batch of Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars (tweaked slightly).

The idea for these truffles came to my sugar-pumped brain when I was reading a recipe for cake pops.  If you're not familiar with cake pops, check out Bakerella's website as it seems she is becoming the cake-pop-master-ella.

Basically a cake pop is cake - any cake, baked, then crumbled.  Add frosting to the crumbled cake, mix till gooey and delicious, then form into balls.  Insert a stick into the ball, dip in chocolate and decorate.  Genius and delicious.

I was thinking about trying out a batch but I remembered that I had toffee bits and a can of sweetened condensed milk in the pantry just calling my name.  Those two are just asking to be made into Seven Layer Magic Bars.

Although Magic Bars are one of my go-to recipes this time around I wanted to do something a bit more calorie-licious.  I just made that up...I mean the whole point of this blog is about experimentation, so let's take things to the next level and get fatty together.

So after being inspired by the cake pops, I decided I would crumble up an entire batch of Magic bars and combine them with toffee frosting (which is now my favorite frosting ever, besides Sam's Club butter cream.  I know I can't believe I am admitting that).  Then I rolled the mixture into balls and coating with melted chocolate.  No stick required.  They are faster to eat without the stick anyway.


Magic Truffles
*for a printable version click here

For the Magic Bars:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used digestives, both work equally the same)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet, your preference)
3/4 cup Heath Toffee Bits, and additional for garnish (1 bag is enough for the recipe, I had extra left over)
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut (sweetened kind is okay)

For the Toffee Frosting:

Ingredients
4 oz. unsalted butter
6 oz. light brown soft sugar
4 fl oz. evaporated milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 oz. icing sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the chocolate coating:

Ingredients
2 cups chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet, your preference)
2 tablespoons PLUS 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening (do NOT use butter!)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheits (325 if you're using a glass baking dish).  In a small bowl, combine crumbs with butter and mix well.  Press crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. 

Sprinkle toffee bits on top.

Then sprinkle the chocolate chips.

And then the coconut.

Using a fork, firmly press down so everyone gets cozy.

Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool completely on wire rack.

Once totally cooled, cut up ENTIRE batch and place in a bowl. 

Okay this next step is going to break your heart at first (especially for me since I didn't know whether or not this recipe was going to work, but trust me it's SO worth it once they're done).  Using your fingers, crumble up squares into a messy, sticky, but holy-crap-that's-good mess and set aside.

To prepare the frosting, heat the butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and salt together in a pan until boiling.



Simmer for four to five minutes, stirring regularly to let thicken.

Add icing sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand-up mixer.  Pour butter mixture into mixing bowl with the sugar and beat with a whisk attachment until combined and fluffy...start out on low speed so you don't get sugar everywhere - poof!

Add frosting to the bowl of crumbled up magic bars and mix just to combine, don't over mix.

Form mixture into balls and refrigerate to firm up, about 30 minutes.

Line cookie sheet with waxed paper (this is to place the balls on after you coat them with chocolate).

To prepare the chocolate coating, add chocolate and shortening to the bowl of a double broiler. Stir constantly with heat-safe rubber spatula until smooth and no lumps remain.  Using a fork, dip rolled balls into chocolate and coat evenly.  Gently tap fork on the side of the bowl to help shake off excess chocolate.

Invert chocolate dipped truffle on cookie sheet lined with the waxed paper.  Use the bottom of the fork to smooth out any lines.

Sprinkle with extra toffee bits.  I also toasted some additional coconut and sprinkled that on too.

Let sit for about two hours for the chocolate to firm up.  I found these taste best if refrigerated.

Enjoy!!!

Magic Bars recipe adapted from Eagle Brand

Toffee Frosting recipe courtesy of More Cake Please

Chocolate Coating recipe courtesy of Hershey's

Dark Chocolate & Bailey's Truffle Tart with Oatmeal Cookie Crust & Bailey's Whipped Cream

Hello Beautiful.

Do you have one of those desserts that is your signature dish?  You know the one you get special requests from your friends to bring over for a dinner party?  Then people say 'ooh did you see what she brought?  How did she ever find the time, it looks so decadent and amazing!  I bet she bought that at a fancy bakery and put in it her serving dish.'  Hah!

If you don't have one of those recipes, well you do now.  You can be the belle of the Chocolate Ball.  And if you're a guy reading this, well you can be the belle of the ball too...you know if you're into that sort of thing...I can dig it.

And here is the best part.  This dessert is damn easy.  Really, it's easier than making chocolate chip cookies.  I swear.  And it gets better.  There is LOTS of booze here.  In the tart AND the whipped cream.  Whoo-frickin-hoo.

Once you prepare the tart you need to let it chill for at least 6 hours (or overnight in the fridge).  I prepared this before I went to bed and when I woke up in the morning I whipped up the cream and took the photos.  See the thing about taking these photos is you MUST eat what you photograph immediately,  I mean you're taking all sorts of close-up shots getting personal with the pie...how could it ever be avoided?

So here I am before 9am eating this tart filled to the max with Baileys.  Yep I had a great little buzz going before I even had my coffee.  What more of a reason do you need to go out and make this for yourself?

The original recipe didn't call for a crust, which is fine if you're in a rush.  BUT, I would say that the crust is more than worth the time and effort.  The chocolate ganache is so elegant and silky and rich beyond belief.  I found that the crunchy, sweet crust add a nice contrast to the smoothness of the chocolate.  You need a bit of texture here to help balance out the plate.  Then of course a hearty dollop of the whipped (and boozed up) cream is the cherry on top.

One last note.  The recipe calls for 'good quality milk chocolate' aka Valrhona or something similar I suppose.  Well, all I had was good ole' chocolate chips in the house and let me tell you what you'd never know the difference.  I am always a pusher for quality products but the chocolate chips worked just fine.

Dark Chocolate & Bailey's Truffle Tart with Oatmeal Cookie Crust & Bailey's Whipped Cream

*for a printable version click here

For the crust:

Ingredients:
2 cups ground oatmeal cookies (in a food processor)
3.5 oz. melted butter

For the tart:

Ingredients
15 oz. good quality dark chocolate (or 1.5 bags dark chocolate chips)
12 oz. heavy cream
4 oz. Bailey's Irish Cream (I used the Hazelnut flavor but any of them will do)
Shaved chocolate for garnish (I used dusted cocoa as I didn't have any chocolate on hand)

For the whipped cream:

Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.  Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter or Crisco.  I use a sandwhich baggie as a glove to easily cover the pan.

Place ground up cookies in a medium size bowl and add melted butter.  Using your fingers or a spoon incorporate butter into cookies until evenly coated and forms a crumbly mixture.  If the cookies seem too dry you can add a little bit more melted butter, 1 teaspoon at a time until you've reached the desired consistency.

Press cookie crumbles into the bottom of the greased pan and press down to compact.  Make sure you've got a nice, even layer.  Bake for 4-5 minutes or until top is light brown.  Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.

Place chocolate in heat safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds and stir with rubber spatula.  Heat for another 30 seconds and stir.  Additional you can melt the chocolate in a double broiler if you prefer.  Continue microwaving in 10 second intervals until smooth.

As you can see I had some help with the next step...

Combine the heavy cream and Bailey's in a small saucepan and heat on low to medium heat.  You want the mixture to be warm to the touch but not boiling (then you'd cook away the alcohol, oh no no)

Add melted chocolate to the cream mixture and whisk thouroughly until fully incorporated, about 5 minutes.  Pour chocolate oven baked crust.  Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Once cooled, sprinkle with chocolate shavings or dust with cocoa powder.

To prepare the whipped cream, combine heavy cream, Bailey's, and vanilla extact in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on high until peaks form.  Add powdered sugar (be sure to sift in so you won't get any lumps!).  Beat to incorporate sugar.  Give yourself a dollop and enjoy.  This one is spectacular.  

Sorry for so many photos but I felt like I was photographing a super model.

 Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is

Nutella Chow

PARTY FOOD!!!

This is the first recipe I've tried off of Pinterest, my new bestie.  I'm completely and totally addicted.  Everything you've been looking for your whole life is there, mostly things you never even knew you loved, until now.

Like Nutella Chow.

This one is so stinkin' easy your kiddos could help you whip it up.  Well, not mine...he's still a peanut but I let him lick the bowl anyway.

Next time I make this (and there will for sure be a next time) I will be a bit more adventurous.  I think you could add just about anything to the mix and it would be awesome.  For example, throw in some mini marshmallows, nuts, M&M's, choco chips...you get me.

Just be aware, this makes a HUGE amount.  Like a whole cereal box worth.  So be generous and spread the love to everyone you know.  There is plenty to go around.

Nutella Chow

*for a printable version click here

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (4oz.) butter
1 cup Nutella
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
2/3 cup hazelnuts
13 cups (12oz) box of cereal, Crispix, Oat Crisp, or Chex.  Really your preference here.
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Roast hazelnuts in a shallow pan (so they don't roll all over the place) until fragrant and light brown, about 8 minutes.

Allow to cool and remove as much of the skin as possible.  I found a nifty trick to help with this tedious process.  Take a rubber jar opener and place some of the nuts inside.  Fold like a taco and rub the nuts with the sides of the rubber.  Peels off the skin in no time.

Finely grind nuts in food processor, set aside.  Place cereal in LARGE bowl and set aside.  The bigger the better.  In a pan over medium heat, melt butter, chocolate, and white chocolate chips, stirring constantly.  Once melted remove from heat and add Nutella.  Stir until well incorporated.  Add ground hazelnuts and mix well.

Pour over cereal.  Roll up your sleeves and get a mixin'.  Really it's best to use your (clean) hands.  It makes the whole process much easier.

Once the cereal is thoroughly coated with the chocolate mixture, spoon into a zip lock bag with the powdered sugar already inside (fold over the sides of the bag, makes it easier to spoon the cereal in).  Shake.  Shake.  Shake.  I found you cannot add all the cereal at once, so I used a slotted spoon to remove the coated cereal and then transferred it to a serving bowl.  This was really helpful so you won't end up with lots of extra powdered sugar in the bottom of the bowl.

Make sure you're not wearing anything white when you eat this.  People will know you wiped your hands on your pants, tee-hee.

 Enjoy! 

Recipe courtesy of Chef In Training

Oatmeal Cream Pies with Mascarpone Honey Filling

For someone who loves to bake and truly appreciates all things sweet made from scratch, I have a confession...I really, REALLY like to eat those overly processed, what-the-hell-I-can't-even-pronounce-the-ingredients AND they have a ten year expiration date snack cakes. 

You know what I'm talkin' about...

Tastykakes are without a doubt my childhood favorite...I will recreate the Peanut Butter Kandy Kake later on.  I found an insanely gooey sheet cake version which you will devour.  But today we're talkin' Oatmeal Cream Pies.

I am a firm believer in 'if it ain't broke don't fix it.'  And for me, there is nothing wrong with Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies.  They are sweet, chewy, and most importantly the frosting doesn't squish out the sides when you bite into it.  Must be all the additives and preservatives that keep everything 'in place.'  I really don't care how or what goes inside these cookies, they are damn good and one of the ultimate comfort foods.  

The recipe I'm sharing here is the 'grown-up' version of the Oatmeal Cream Pie.  If you ask Little Debbie what Mascarpone is, she'd probably tell you it's her Italian neighbor. 

   

isn't she cute

Oatmeal Cream Pies with Mascarpone & Honey Filling

*for a printable version click here

For the cookies:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup butter (10 oz.)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups oats

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

For the filling:

Ingredients:

8 oz. mascarpone

4 oz. cream cheese

3-4 tablespoons honey, depending on your taste

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 to 4 cups powdered sugar *see note below

The original recipe called for only 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.  This is probably because the cream cheese she used had much less water than the brand I tried.  The cheese I used was the spreadable kind, more for toast and crackers.  So if you are using block cream cheese (like Philadelphia for example), start out with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and add (if needed) 1/2 cup more until you reach your desired consistency.  Yeh, I needed 4 cups.  I added the extra 4th tablespoon of honey so you could still taste it under all that damn sugar.  Once I got the balance of ingredients right it was perfect, don't be scared to tweek things in the kitchen as you go. 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Beat butter and sugars until creamy.

Add egg and vanilla and mix well.

Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.

Whisk to combine.

 Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into butter mixture and mix well.

Add oats and mix well.

Using a cookie scoop, drop rounded dough onto cookie sheet lined with waxed paper, 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 minutes.  Let cool for two minutes on the sheet then transfer to wire rack to cool.

For the filling, combine mascarpone and cream cheese in mixer and beat until light and fluffy and lump free, about 2 minutes. 

Add honey and vanilla.  Mix to combine.

Sift in powdered sugar, mix well to combine but don't over-beat.

To assemble, slather one cookie (bottom side up) with a dollop of the filling.  Drizzle with honey and top with another cookie.

Enjoy!

cookie recipe adapted from Blooming on Bainbridge

filling recipe adapted from Lick The Bowl Good