Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles

I am so sorry I haven't updated for almost a month! Life has been going way too fast for me. It's MAY already! Exactly 7 months until the wedding and I feel like there is so much stuff left to do. Mainly the details like the menu and the invitations and centerpieces and flowers. Just the kinds of things I do NOT like doing. I'm more of a big picture kind of girl. When it comes down to the details I'm just glad there are people like my sister and my future mother in law to help me out :)



I have not even been able to do much baking lately. The closest I got was making these no-bake peanut butter pretzel truffles. Much like cake balls, you just crush the pretzels, mix with peanut butter, shape into balls and cover with chocolate. mmm!!! Maybe I could make a (cuter) version of these for the wedding! Then again, witih all the peanut allergies I might want to stay away from nuts, lol.

We are going to do an early afternoon ceremony with an afternoon champagne and hors d'oeuvres reception immediately after. Anyone have any ideas for easy foods we could serve? We are going to do a dessert table (of course!). I just hope I have enough time to do the baking without getting too stressed out close to the wedding date.

Peanut Butter-Pretzel Truffles
Makes 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups pretzel pieces
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup milk or semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

1. Put the pretzel pieces into a resealable plastic bag and crush into very small bits (a rolling pin works great for this or a food processor).

2. In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and salt. Stir until all of the ingredients are completely blended and smooth. Add the pretzel bits to the peanut butter mixture and mix thoroughly. Add the powdered sugar and mix until completely combined.

3. Line a small baking sheet with wax paper. Using a small cookie scoop, or about 2 teaspoons worth of peanut butter mixture, gently shape into a ball with your fingertips. Place the ball on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining peanut butter mixture. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

4. When ready to dip the truffles, microwave the chocolate chips and vegetable shortening together in a small bowl at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted and smooth.

5. Working one at a time, dip one peanut butter-pretzel ball into the melted chocolate and use a fork to roll it around, ensuring that it is completely coated with chocolate. Let any extra chocolate drip off and place back on the wax paper-lined sheet. Repeat with all of the peanut butter-pretzel balls.

6. Return the baking sheet to the refrigerator and again chill for at least 30 minutes. Garnish with a drizzle of melted chocolate, if desired. Store airtight in the refrigerator.

No Bake Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake

No oven necessary! This tangy no-bake cheesecake is elegant and light. The perfect summer dessert. It tastes like creamsicle popsicles from my childhood. Those used to be my all-time favorite ice-cream truck treat, which this cake takes its inspiration from.

This is an awesome time saver as you can make it ahead and store it in the freezer several days before you want to serve it. It is deliciously refreshing served straight from the freezer but you can also thaw for 20-30 minutes for a softer cake if you like.



No Bake Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake
9" round | adapted from Foodie with Family

20 cream filled vanilla cookies (like Golden Oreos)
1 stick butter, melted
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
Zest and juice from 1 orange
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar


1. In a food processor, pulse cookies until they are crumbs. Add butter and pulse until combined. Spray 9-inch tart pan with non-stick cooking spray. Press crumb mixture into tart pan, pressing down firmly to pack down. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on high until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides with a spatula. Add orange juice and zest and continue to mix until evenly blended. Add heavy cream and mix until slightly thickened. Scrape down the sides, add sugar and vanilla and mix on high until thick.

3. Spread evenly over prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and freeze for at least 2 hours prior to serving. Can be served frozen or thawed for 20-30 minutes before served.

Cornflake Candy Bars

Chewy, crispy, crunchy base topped with a thin layer of chocolate and crowned with pillowy marshmallows. The peanut butter flavor is subtle but excellent.

The special ingredient here is cornflakes for crunch. No need to turn your oven on for these, so feel free to make them even on a hot and sunny day. Just pop them in the fridge to set the chocolate at the end.



1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cup corn flakes
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

In medium pot mix sugar, brown sugar and syrup over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Take off the heat and add peanut butter. Stir well. Measure the corn flakes into a large bowl.

Add the sugar mixture and mix. Press firmly into a 9" x 13" greased pan. Melt chips in double boiler and pour over the pressed mixture. Sprinkle evenly with mini marshmallows and press down gently to adhere to the chocolate.

Graham Cracker Bars

This chewy, chocolatey bar is so easy and so fast because it uses purchased Graham crackers. Buy the graham cracker crumbs if you want to save yourself the work of crushing them. I don't mind crushing them myself. It takes seconds in the food processor or take out your frustrations by putting the crackers in a ziplock bag and pounding them with a rolling pin.

I don't have words to describe the amazingly medley of flavors bound together by rich, caramelly sweetened condensed milk. Even if you don't like coconut (I am not usually a coconut fan), I still strongly recommend these bars.

I had such an awesome weekend. As I type this the sun is setting and making me sad that it's Sunday night, meaning that Monday is just around the corner. I tried riding a tandem bike for the first time around Stanley Park. I also slept in my new condo for the first time on Saturday night. Life is good. So are these bars.

Graham Cracker Bars
8" pan | adapted from allrecipes.com

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups flaked coconut
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 oz. milk chocolate chunks
3 oz. white chocolate chunks

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8" square baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and coconut. Pour in the condensed milk and melted margarine, mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chunks. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven or until baked through. Chill and cut into squares.

DB: Panna Cotta and Florentines

The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada de Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.



I made mine lemon-flavored by using lemon gelatin powder instead of plain and throwing in some lemon zest. I made mine in a spring form pan atop a graham cracker crust, much like a no-bake cheesecake. It was delicious, but next time I will let it set a little longer in the fridge before digging in.



The florentines were delicate, crisp and lacy. Word of caution: You absolutely need a silicone mat or parchment for easy removal from the baking tray.

Lemon Panna Cotta
adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons lemon flavored Jell-o powder
3 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon sugar
zest from 1 lemon
Pinch salt

Place the milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Pour milk mixture into a heavy saucepan and stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, honey, sugar, zest and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour into serving dishes. Cool slightly. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours.

Florentines
Nestle

2/3 cup unsalted butter
2 cups quick oats
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 1/2 dark or milk chocolate

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat.

To the melted butter add oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Drop a tablespoon full, three inches apart, onto your prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly.

Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheets.

While the cookies are cooling melt your chocolate until smooth either in the microwave (1 1/2 minutes), or stovetop (double boiler).

Peel the cookies from the silpat or parchment and place face down on a wire rack set over a sheet of wax/parchment paper. Spread a tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom of your cookie, sandwiching another cookie atop the chocolate.

Cappuccino Nanaimo Bars

This no-bake recipe is from Bars and Squares: More Than 200 Recipes. Nanaimo bars, named after a city in BC (my home province!), consist of a graham crumb base layer, topped by vanilla/custard butter icing (in this case I used coffee flavored) then covered in a thin layer of chocolate. You can also try different crumbs, filling and chocolate.

I liked this version way better than regular Nanaimos which are often too sweet. I could have eaten the bowl of the coffee buttercream just on its own. Next time I might skip the base and topping and just go straight for the middle.

The Daring Bakers made these as their January 2010 challenge. My version is here, but the coffee flavored kick I added this time around is simply awesome.

Note: To get nice, clean cuts without the chocolate top cracking, after you spread the chocolate on, refriegerate for 5 minutes - chocolate should still be slightly soft - then score the top using a sharp paring knife. Refrigerate to chill fully then cut into bars all the way through following the pre-cut lines.



Cappuccino Nanaimo Bars
8" Square Pan | adapted from Jill Snider

Base:
2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp instant espresso powder
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
3/4 cup finely chopped almonds

Filling:
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tbsp instant espresso powder
2 tbsp hot water

Topping:
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp instant espresso powder
4 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped

1. In a sauceman over low heat, combine butter, cocoa, sugar, espresso powder and egg. Cook, stirring, until mixture starts to thicken, 5 mins. Remove from heat. Mix in graham crumbs, coconut and almonds. Press evenly into prepared pan. Refrigerate until cold, 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, beat half the confectioner's sugar with the butter until blended. Mix espresso powder and hot water until dissolved. On medium, beat espresso mixture into butter mixture and add remaining confectioner's sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over base. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours. Lift out of a pan and transfer to cutting board.

3. Melt all topping ingredients together. Pour over filling and quickly spread to cover evenly. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes or until chocolate is slightly set. Score the top of the bars just through the chocolate layer (to make cutting easier later on). Return bars to refrigerator to set fully, about 30 minutes. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.