Peanut Butter Bars (Gluten Free)

Peanut Butter Bars are always a hit.  I've been making them since I was in high school, and there's never been a time when they weren't VERY well received.

This time around, I made them gluten-free so that I wouldn't leave out the gluten-free people that they would be shared with.  My recipe usually includes graham cracker crumbs.  I subbed in cashew meal and coconut flour instead.  If you want to make them the regular way, just replace the same amount of graham cracker crumbs back in.

What you need:

Base:
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
scant cup EACH cashew meal (or almond) and coconut flour
2+ cups powdered sugar

Ganache Topping:
8 ounces chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate *see note
4 ounces heavy cream


Mix together peanut butter and butter until smooth.  Stir in the cashew meal and coconut flour.  Add the powdered sugar and stir until the mixture becomes a thick mass.  It WILL be very crumbly at first, but stick with it and it will form a dough-like mass.  Pat this into a deep-sided container (I actually used two smaller Pyrex containers this time, but a 11 x 7 inch pan works perfectly.  I've also done 13 x 9, but you will have thinner bars).

Now, for the ganache topping:  Melt the chocolate and the heavy cream together over a double broiler (place a metal bowl on top of a sauce pan with water in it to make your own double broiler).  Once smoothly mixed, pour over the top of the peanut butter mixture.  Refrigerate for an hour or two before cutting into bars.  Keep refrigerated.

Enjoy!



*I usually get Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips- cheaper than the bars of bittersweet, but nicer quality than regular chocolate chips.  I was stuck with Tollhouse this time around, which works fine.

Chocolate Chip PUMPKIN Cookies

It's Fall and everyone is obsessing over pumpkin.  Every time I walk into Trader Joe's, I'm bombarded by the displays of delicious pumpkin everything.  Now that it's mid-October, I'm was being to feel left out of the fun since I had yet to bake/make anything pumpkin.

Luckily, I have a little niece in need of a Halloween care package.   So I'm making these, making a card, and I got some Halloween stickers to send her.  Working on achieving favorite aunt status. ;-)

These cookies have a whole can of pumpkin in them!  So you don't have to worry about using the remainder of the can, which is neat and tidy.  I didn't want them to be super cakey though, which is why I used the egg yolks instead of only whole eggs (Full disclosure: I actually had planned on using ONLY yolks, but forgot and dropped the whole first egg in.  These turned out well, so it works.  Feel free to try with just three yolks though and see how that turns out!)

I wanted to make these as "real"/natural as possible but didn't really care about skimping on fat and sugar.  You can definitely sub in regular sugar and all-purpose flour.  If you don't have coconut oil, I think some sort of shortening would be best, texture wise, but you can also just use another 1/2 butter.

What you need:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 cup organic cane sugar

1 egg

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla (or amaretto or whatever sweet liquor you have hanging around... that's what I do when I don't have vanilla or just want to mix up the flavor.  Today was triple sec because I had no other options in the apartment

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin 

3 cups white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cream the butter, coconut oil, and sugar together in a mixing bowl.  Add the egg, egg yolks, vanilla, and pumpkin.  Mix well. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix and then add the chocolate chips.  Drop by large tablespoons on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  The very middle of the top should still be slightly wet looking.  It'll dry out as it cools.  Enjoy!

Awesome Apple Bars

This recipe started with my mom's friend, and they've been a family favorite for years now.  I've made a couple slight changes to them (mostly because I have a serious compulsion to not follow any recipe I try).  They are a real crowd-pleaser and sturdy enough to pack up and bring places, such as the sides of sports fields to feed hungry post-game players.  Or serve them hot with a little whipped cream or ice cream.

What you need:

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup chilled butter, cut into 1/2 slices

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

pinch of salt

Filling Ingredients:

3 cups peeled and chopped apple (I used 5 small/medium ones)

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoons EACH butterscotch liqueur or creme de cacao (or just use vanilla if that's what you have)

Glaze Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2-4 tablespoons milk 

Start by making the crust:

Measure the flour, powdered sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl.  Cut the butter in using a pastry blender until it is evenly distributed and the mixture is crumbly with chunks no bigger than small peas.  Or, if you don't have a pastry blender, use forks or even your hands.  Chill the mixture for 10 minutes in the freezer (and maybe work cutting up those apples while you are doing this).  Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Press crust into two 8x8/ 9x9 pans or one 13x9 pan.  Bake for 15 minutes or until VERY lightly browned.

To make the filling:

Mix all of the filling ingredients together.  Plop evenly on top of the warm crusts.  Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and apples are cooked through.  If it is getting too brown at any point, cover with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.  

Glaze:

Mix together glaze ingredients, adding enough milk to make a thick, but completely mixed, glaze.  Pour on top of hot apple bars. 

Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into if you want to have presentable looking bars.  Or just dive in and get 'em while they're hot.  They may slop over a bit, but they'll still be delicious.  I made 32 small-ish bars out of this.  Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Torte with Mousse Filling and Ganache

Rich, walnut-studded layers of chocolate cake filled with fluffy chocolate mousse, topped with fresh whipped cream and decadent ganache.  Mmmm....

It was Rob's birthday and I wanted to make him a cake, but didn't want a huge thing that would a) make us fat, or b) sit uneaten in the fridge in avoidance of making us fat.  So I made this little cake instead.  Super rich, yes, but small enough that it wasn't overwhelming.  

As you can see, my decorating skills leave something to be desired, but I'm sure this could be a very presentable dessert if appropriate patience and effort were applied.  I'm just gonna blame the wine this time.

Start by making the chocolate cake- I did this two days ahead of time and kept the cakes in their pans in the freezer.  Even if you do it the day of, I recommend allowing for a couple hours of freezing time so that they are easier to handle.

What you need:

7 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

Heavy cream (if needed)

3 tablespoons Kahlua

2 eggs, separated

1-2 teaspoons powdered sugar

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  Melt the chocolate and the butter over a double boiler (or a Pyrex bowl set into a small saucepan), stirring frequently.  Add the sugar and stir until smooth (if this is too think and starting to seize up, add a splash of heavy cream to smooth it out).  Add the Kahlua and let cool a bit.  While it cools, beat the egg whites with the powdered sugar until firm peaks form.  Go back to your chocolate mixture.  Add a tablespoon of this to the egg yolks and stir it in.  Add the salt to this and then add the egg yolk mixture to the chocolate mixture.  Fold in the egg whites.  Pour the batter into three greased 4 x6 pans (I bought those aluminum ones that can be thrown away).  Bake for 30 minutes.  The cake will still look a little wet in the middle, but shouldn't be jiggly.  Let cool and then freeze for at least a couple hours.

NOW, on to the rest of the cake:

You need:

Half of a batch of chocolate mousse, chilled (see recipe here.)

3 layers of flour-less chocolate cake, chilled, see recipe below.

Whipped cream

Chocolate ganache (heat half a cup of cream until just boiling, then add 2/3 cup bittersweet baking chocolate or dark chocolate chips, stir until smooth)

Chocolate garnishes (chocolate curls, mini chocolate chips)

Spoon a 3/4-1 inch thick layer of mousse on top of one of the cake layers (still in pan).  Carefully remove one of the other layers from its pan and place on top of mousse layer.  Repeat with more mousse and the other cake layer.  Spoon a bit more mousse on top and freeze the cake for an hour or two.  When ready to eat, remove from pan, placing it upside down on a serving plate.  Top with a layer of whipped cream and Drizzle the chocolate ganache over the cake and the plate.  Garnish with additional chocolate-y things or whatever you like.  Slice and serve.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse

A super rich and decadent dessert that is quick and easy to put together.  Pairs deliciously with red wine, by the way.

What you need:

4-5 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (the better the quality, the better the mousse, but I've used plain chocolate chips before and it has turned out fine.  This time I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate, because on Saba, that was my best option.  If you have those nice bittersweet baking bars available, that's what I recommend)

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup whipping cream

3 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons Kahlua or Amaretto or some other sort of sweet liquor that you have

2 teaspoons white sugar

Start by whipping the cream until stiff.  Place in the refrigerator to keep it cold.  Next, melt the chocolate with the butter over a double broiler, stirring until smooth.  Turn heat off and set away from stove to allow it to cool a bit.  

Separate the eggs.  The yolks should go into a large mixing bowl, and the whites should go into a glass or metal 4-8 cup bowl.  Take a large spoonful of the somewhat cooled melted chocolate and stir it into the egg yolks.  Now stir in the rest of the chocolate and also add the Kahlua (or whatever you are choosing to use).  Place bowl in the fridge.  

Start beating the egg whites and sprinkle in the sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form.  

Remove the whipped cream and the chocolate mixture from the fridge.  Gently fold first the whipped cream, and then the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.  At this point, you can either spoon it into individual serving dishes or keep it in the big bowl.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.  Enjoy!

Healthy Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

Low fat, low sugar (if you want) and low carb.  And pretty tasty (tastier if you opt for real sugar, I'll admit).  I made these for my boyfriend and I- started out with one batch and then split it to add real sugar to half and Splenda to the other half.  You can chose to go either way. :-)

What you need:

4 ounces fat-free cream cheese

2-3 ounces 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese

2 ounces lowfat plain yogurt

2 teaspoons amaretto  (or maybe a teaspoon of vanilla- I just like the amaretto flavor in general)

teeny pinch of salt

1 egg

1/3 cup cocoa powder

EITHER: 1/2 cup sugar OR 10-12 packets Splenda (or try using more or less, to taste)

About 20 mini phyllo  pastry shells (I used Athens brand)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  Blend together the two cream cheeses and yogurt until smooth.  Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Fill the phyllo shells with the mixture and bake for 20 minutes, or until mostly firm to the touch.  The sugar ones look a bit shinier, and the Splenda ones were completely dry on top.

Let cool and store in the refrigerator.  Top with some whipped cream and enjoy!

Other ideas to try with these: stir some mini chocolate chips into the batter, try making a peanut butter filling/ layer, add a dollop of low-sugar jam (like the all fruit kind, no added sweetener) on top....

Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

I made this for a someone's birthday.  Can't take much credit for the actual recipe (got it off of Eva's Fika blogspot and made few changes- so thanks Eva!)  Didn't try the actual cheesecake, but judging by the little mini ones (see picture below) I made with some the bit of extra batter, it was pretty tasty.

What you need:

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, creamy filling mostly removed

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

For the batter:

3 (8 oz) blocks of cream cheese- I used full fat because that was all the store had at the time, but I think you could easily sub in the 1/3 less fat for little change in taste or texture, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 12 ounces of bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped if that is available to you)

3 eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon Amaretto

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius.  Butter a 10 inch spring form pan, if you have one.  Or, line a 10 inch cake pan with parchment paper (which is what I did).

Mix together cookie crumbs and butter, press into pan. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring until smooth.  Let cool a bit.

Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until smooth (Or use a mixer if you have one.  Or even the whisk attachment on an immersion blender, if you're desperate like me).  Add the sugar and beat some more. Add the chocolate, beat until it is fully incorporated.  Then add the eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition.  Add the amaretto and sour cream, beat until batter is smooth and even.  Pour the filling on top of the crust, smooth the top slightly with the back of the spoon (and if you're like me and used a cake pan, you probably have some extra batter- yay! you get to make the mini cakes).  Place the pan on a jelly roll or other large pan and pour a cup or so of water into this pan (this will help prevent cracks on the top of the cheesecake).  Place in the oven and bake for about an hour, or until firm.  The center will still be a little jiggly and wet looking.  Remove from the oven and carefully run a knife around the outside or the pan.  Let cool and then place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.  Remove from pan, enjoy with whipped cream and the raspberry sauce.

For the Raspberry Sauce (this is a Saba version- not easy to get fresh or even frozen raspberries.  It works though, and is simple and convenient): 

12 ounces seedless raspberry jam

1/4-1/3 cup water

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Amaretto

Place the jam, water, and lemon in a sauce pan on medium high heat.  Whisk until smooth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until it begins to thicken again.  Remove from heat and add the Amaretto.  Serve at room temperature.

Cheesecake Minis!

I made these with the bit of extra batter.  I crushed one cream filled cookie for each hole in the mini muffin tin (didn't bother taking out the cream filling this time or adding butter).  Poured a bit of batter on top to fill.  Baked at the same temperature for about 15 minutes or until set.