Snickers and Mars bars

 Here's to the mighty Snickers bar, and here's to making it (sort of) by yourself (sort of) at home (sort of)!!

I know I've talked about this recipe once before, but I found myself making two batches this month, one with peanuts (like a Snickers) and one without (like a Mars Bar).

So, if you ever really wanted to know what's involved in making your own, here's the (less than) skinny on the process.

(And maybe this will be my last set of parentheses!)

Bottom Layer Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter

Nougat Layer Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup salted peanuts chopped, roughly chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel Layer Ingredients:
1 14-ounce bag of caramels
1/4 cup whipping cream

Top Layer Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter

It's really not a lot, this process just TAKES TIME since every layer needs to cool enough to hold its own before you add another one on top of it.  I'd plan on at least an hour per layer, even if you use the fridge, because you really want that pretty set of layers to come out evenly when you're down.

 Directions (Bottom Layer):
1. Buy a 9x13 disposable pan and spray it with a non-stick cooking spray.  You really want disposable and you really want to grease it up.  Trust me on both.  It makes the final steps the easiest.
2. In a microwave safe dish/measuring cup, melt together the bottom layer ingredients over 90 seconds, stopping every 30 seconds to stir, or until completely melted and combined.
3. Spread out melted PB chocolate goo into prepped disposable container, set in fridge to solidify.

Directions (Nougat Layer):
1. Melt butter in your pan over medium heat, then add your sugar and milk and bring to a boil.  Stir well so everything dissolves nicely.
2. Cook for about five minutes, still stirring from time to time.
3. Add fluff, PB, and vanilla - keep stirring!  Make it smooth.

 4. Turn off the heat and fold in the peanuts (for Snickers), or don't (for Mars bar)
5. Pour and spread over cooled and set bottom chocolate layer.  Stick that puppy back in the fridge for another hour.

Directions (Caramel Layer):
1. Combine caramels and cream in saucepan over low heat.  Stir until smooth (10+ minutes).
2. Pour over nougat and return to fridge for another hour.


 Directions (Top Layer):
1. In a microwave safe dish/measuring cup, melt together the bottom layer ingredients over 90 seconds, stopping every 30 seconds to stir, or until completely melted and combined.
3. Spread melted PB chocolate goo on top of other three set layers.  Put back in fridge to solidify one final time.

 Directions to Serve:
This is the part where you're really thankful I told you to use a disposable pan...

First, peel back the edges if your pan.  You'll see how nicely the layers have set, making it super simple for you to take them out of the pan.

I just flip it upside down and peel off the bottom.  The flexibility of the disposable pan helps.  If you're super-anti-disposable pan, then try to use a silicon one or something with equal amounts of flex.

 Next, take your nicely sharpened knife and cut it up.  You can make bars, squares, or whatever your heart desires.  I'd store them in the fridge because the chocolate will go soft if you leave it out too long.

When I make a double batch (two 9x13" pans), I can keep them in the fridge for about two weeks and they still taste amazing.  I can't vouch for longer than that because they really won't ever last once people have tasted them.



Try it.  You'll never want to go back to your standard Snickers/Mars bar again.  I promise.

Apple Cider Caramels

I made these at 6:30 in the morning.  It's amazing how reducing apple cider that early in your day can accomplish two things...
1. Make your kitchen smell AMAZING.
2. Hypnotize you back to sleep.

Seriously?  Don't look directly into the pot in the beginning stages of this recipe.  You'll be lulled into a false sense of security and then BAM!  You need to actually pay attention and work.

Apple Cider Caramels are completely worth it, though!  (Just use a bigger pot than I did.  It got a little too close for comfort and I needed an actual pot.  Should've planned ahead!)

Ingredients:
2 C (high quality) apple cider
1 C heavy cream/whipping cream, divided
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2 C sugar
1/3 C light corn syrup
1/2 C real butter, cubed

Directions:
1. Pour cider into a medium saucepan and boil on high for about 20 minutes, or until the cider reduces to 1/3 C.  Set aside to cool.
2. Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper, leaving at least 1" hanging over the edges for easy removal.  Coat with a little bit of vegetable oil and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine 2/3 C cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and reduced apple cider, then set aside.

4. In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/3 C whipping cream + enough water to reacy the 1/2 C line on the measuring cup, and corn syrup.
5. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.  Insert a candy thermometer and simmer until the syrup reraches 234 degrees.
6. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture.  Add the cubed butter and stir in until the cream and butter are fully incorporated.  Return the pan to heat and re-insert the candy thermometer.
7. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 248 degrees.

8. Remove from heat and pour the caramel intot he prepared pan.  Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
9. Cover loosely until ready to cut.
10. Cut into 1/2" squares and wrap in wax paper and store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

* My thermometer runs a little high, so my caramels were more firm than chewy, but you can gauge pretty quickly when they're about ready by the color they are turning.

* Even as such, everyone loved them, and I'll definitely be making these again!

Caramelized Pecan Brie

I love a good baked brie.  Here's a way to dress up your brie and still have an amazing dish...

Ingredients:
6" round Brie
1/2 C lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 C corn syrup
1/4 C unsalted butter
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C pecan halves (chopped, if you prefer)


Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter over medium heat.  Stir until boil, then boil gently (NO STIRRING) for a minute.
2. Remove from heat, and quickly whisk in baking soda.  Then, stir in salt and pecans.  Let set for about 30 seconds.
3. Finally, mound warm nut mixture (hehe...) on top of Brie, enabling the caramel to artfully cascade down the sides.  I served it in a borl to make it easier to serve, but I'm sure I'd fine a pretty cascading picture if I looked online.  Too lazy, peeps, sorry!

Salted Caramel Butter Cream Double Chocolate Cupcakes

The original recipe for these amazing cupcakes can be found over at Sweet Bliss Bakery. As soon as I read it, I knew I had to make it.  The problem was finding an excuse to make cupcakes.

Odd, huh?

For the cupcakes, your ingredient list includes...
Chocolate cake box mix (your favorite)
3 eggs
1/2 C melted butter
1 C water
3 Tbsp cocoa powder (Dutch processed)

Directions:
1. Mix ingredients.
2. Place in paper lined muffin tins (1/2-2/3 full)
3. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
4. Cool for 5, then remove from tin to finish cooling.

Caramel Ingredients:
1/2 C sugar
2 T water
1/4 C heavy cream
1 1/2 t vanilla

Directions:

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil, in a small pan on med-high heat.

(I only had a very large pan, making this nearly impossible)

2. Have your cream and vanilla ready to go as your working.

3.Once sugar water boils, leave it be (NO STIRRING) for 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, and slowly mix in cream and vanilla.  It will froth, so be careful!  Mix until completely smooth.

5. Set aside to cool.

Butter Cream Ingredients:
1 C butter, softened
4 C+ powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Cream butter in a medium bowl
2. Slowly add powdered sugar to desired consistency.
3. Add in cooled caramel and blend to desired smoothness.  If you need to, add more powdered sugar.

Additional, Optional, Toppings:
Caramel Sauce (Smuckers, Hersheys, or your favorite local sauce)
Chocolate shavings or curls.  I just used my small cheese grater and Bakers semi-sweet chocolate.

Caramel Cafe Mocha Cupcakes

My sister in law is a huge Starbucks fanatic.

Huge.  In fact, I'm sure she spends at least one full paycheck there each year.

When I saw this at the Brown Eyed Baker, I knew I should keep it in mind for her birthday.  I slightly modified it, but in the long run, these treats were a huge success.


Since my SIL is gluten free, I made the entire process easy for myself by investing in Betty Crocker's Gluten Free chocolate cake mix.  I've tried different GF mixes before, but her's is the smoothest I've found so far.  

The only thing I did differently was to add 2 Starbucks Via Italian Roast packets to the mix.  This added the "mocha" flavor I desired.  Bake according to the box's directions.

For the butter cream frosting, it went like this:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2½ cups powdered sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ Via Italian roast packets

Mix up butter until smooth.  Slowly add powdered sugar.  Once to desired consistency, blend in vanilla and coffee crystals. Start with one packet of Via.  Add as much or as little as you want, depending on the strength of the coffee flavor.

To decorate, I took the naked cupcakes (remove the paper if you use the liners), and placed them in the bottom of a Starbucks hot sample cup.  (They'll share them with you if you buy something there, like the Via.)

Then, leaving a little space around the edge, frost the cupcakes to look like whipped cream.  For the straws, cut the Starbucks' straws into thirds.  Top with caramel drizzle (I used Smucker's from the squeeze tube), and then finished with mini chocolate chips.

FYI: The straw helps to pull the cupcake back out for eating purposes.

Whiskey Salted Caramels

Well, I've been going back and forth about posting this, but I'm going to share my fail turned some what of a success.

I found this recipe for Whiskey Salted Caramels.  I have never made caramels for caramel sake.  I've made Caramel Corn (a multitude of times), but never just snacking caramels.  I also love whiskey recipes, so I knew this was the recipe for me!

 I did everything that the recipe said to do.

Really.

I know what caramel is like, so I didn't want to mess this up.

When it was ready, I put it on a cookie sheet (lined and sprayed), and put it in the fridge.

I waited about an hour, then put some yummy, yummy salt on top.

After two hours, it was still soft, so I put it back in the fridge.

Left it overnight.

It was more solidified the next day, but it pulled like taffy and wouldn't really stay as a piece of caramel, just a soft, stringy lookalike.

So, what does any self respecting cook do?
Make Brownies!

I just made a triple chocolate Ghiradelli box mix.

Then, I strung out the caramel and placed it on top, just as they came out of the oven.

The caramel melted into ooey, gooey deliciousness.

And I forgot to take a picture.



But they were good. And I'd highly recommend them.  I'd also highly recommend the salted caramels, but you might have to be better at them than I in order to enjoy them as they're supposed to be.

Sorry about that!

Taste of Sweetness Saturday: Snickers!

Home made Snickers?  Sounds like a great way to spend a Friday afternoon, right??

Actually, it's like your entire Friday.  Not because it's really labor intensive, but because it takes a long time to cool all of those layers into their yummy goodness!

 The recipe is here, and I followed it to the T.

 The chocolate, melted with peanut butter, is amazing by itself.  It just means that the chocolate doesn't really set unless cold.  It melts quickly in your hands, so I've found it's better to keep it in the fridge while it's not being eaten...  if you can keep it that long!

The nougat is amazing as well.  I hate working with marshmallows or marshmallow fluff, but it's totally worth it.

I couldn't find chopped peanuts -  is that even possible in this day any age?!  No worries, I chopped them myself with a knife.  I was just surprised, that's all.

It was amazing I didn't burn the caramel.  It goes quickly.  Almost did, but that's what I call the authentic, "home made" effect! 

 

The hardest part about this entire process is waiting between all of the layers.  The nougat melted the first chocolate layer, the caramel started to soften the nougat, and so on down the line.  I LOVE that the original blogger suggested using a throwaway aluminum pan for this.  It made removal so simple.  The only realy change I made was I cut the 9x13 of Snickers before adding the top layed of chocolate, and then I just dipped the pieces into the final chocolate and drizzled the extra on top.  I made some "bite sized" pieces, but most of them were about 1.5" squares.  Since I've been keeping them in the fridge, thinly slicing each piece helps with eating it, but really it's gone before you care that much, anyway.  Regardless, outcome: AMAZING!