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Fudge Topped Shortbread

July 19, 2011 in Uncategorized by traveleatlove | 7 comments

Looking for something simple and decadent for your next girls’ night in or dinner party? I discovered a pretty delicious recipe this weekend for shortbread topped with a layer of fudge. In hindsight, I wish I had added a layer of caramel to make it like a homemade Twix. There’s always next time.

My shortbread started with butter, of course. This time I used a semi-local version, Kate’s homemade butter from Maine.

butter

The shortbread dough was also made of confectioner’s sugar and flour. Once I set the crust to bake for 25 minutes, I got started on the fudge, a simple base of chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. .All sorts of toppings or additions make this recipe really versatile. Peanut butter fudge? Hmmm. Maybe later in the week. Knowing how to make easy fudge is a blessing and a curse!

sweetened condensed milk

chocolate chips

fudge

I tested the warm fudge a few times for quality assurance. Winking smile Once the shortbread was starting to get golden brown on top, I removed it from the oven and poured the fudge over it. Set in the fridge for a few hours, the fudge was firm, like a chocolate bar.

fudge shortbread

Since our day out on the boat was long and 90 degrees, I decided to keep the shortbread at home. Instead, we ate it later in the evening, topped with fruit soaked in blackberry brandy, a brilliant idea.

The original shortbread recipe was on the Eagle Brand Condensed Milk site.

Have you made anything new and delicious lately?

 

Ingredients

  • Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
  • 2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • Sliced almonds, toasted*

Instructions

  • HEAT oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
  • BEAT butter, powdered sugar and salt in large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Add flour; mix well. Press with floured hands evenly in prepared pan.
  • BAKE 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • MELT chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in almond extract. Spread evenly over shortbread.
  • GARNISH with almonds; press down firmly. Chill 3 hours or until firm. Cut into bars.
  • *To toast almonds: Place almonds in dry nonstick skillet; cook over medium heat, shaking pan until nuts are lightly browned.

Tags: baking, bars, chocolate, dessert, shortbread

Mousse au Chocolat

June 16, 2011 in Food by traveleatlove | 13 comments

A no-cook dessert with two ingredients? Deep, dark chocolate turned into a fluffy mousse? All in a day’s work.

Tuesday was another not-so-great day. I had a few work-related disappointments, the weather was gloomy, and I was really just having a hard time dealing with the feast or famine nature of consulting work. It’s really hard at times to NOT take things personally when people just don’t respond. I know I will get better at it one day, but Tuesday was not that day.

I rarely turn to chocolate for comfort, but sitting on the couch, moping, I decided I needed to make a dessert. You know, there’s just something about puttering around in the kitchen that is soothing to a heavy heart.

After just a little bit of Googling, trying to find a chocolate mousse that didn’t require cream (because I was too lazy to walk a block to the store to buy it), I found that traditional chocolate mousse doesn’t even require cream!

eggs

I eventually decided on the simplest recipe ever, then change it up ever so slightly. Four eggs, separated, and a heaping cup of dark chocolate chips. The original recipe called for a few teaspoons of sugar, but I knew I wouldn’t need it.

chocolate chips

I started by creating a makeshift double boiler, a metal bowl in a pot of water, and melting the chips until glossy.

melted chocolate

Once the melted chocolate had cooled a bit, I stirred in the egg yolks quickly, making sure they didn’t scramble.

chocolate and egg yolks

Next up, I whipped up the egg whites, waiting until they made stiff peaks.

 

egg whites

I folded the whites into the chocolate and yolk mixture until everything was incorporated and looked chocolatey again. Then I popped the bowl of mousse into the fridge for two hours, and it was ready to go.

chocolate mousse

I served the mousse in my nana’s dessert dishes. I was disappointed at first in the yield of the recipe which was about four servings. That was until I realized how incredibly rich it is! I ate about half of this bowl and was full and had my chocolate craving satisfied. This is a keeper! Being in the kitchen and moving around also lifted my spirits a little and made me feel hopeful for a new day.

What do you go for when you are craving sweet? What about salty?

Tags: chocolate, dessert, recipe

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bliss

May 17, 2011 in Food, recipe by traveleatlove | 21 comments

It’s very rare that I have a craving for anything sweet. If you have read this blog for any period of time, you know I would skip dessert for chips and salsa, and that I find most sweet things to be way too much. But lately, I have had peanut butter and chocolate on the brain, and this weekend I decided to do something about it.

peanut butter

I scanned lots of websites for brownie recipes and finally came across a recipe that was for peanut butter brownies, no chocolate involved. The recipe was perfect as I had all of the ingredients in the house already (subbing butter for margarine)

peanut butter blondies

The addition of peanut butter to the batter really gave it a thick, creamy texture, and it smelled amazing. I cut back on the sugar called for in the recipe just a bit to make room for semi-sweet chocolate chips. While the peanut butter would be great by itself some days, I needed my chocolate peanut butter fix!

peanut butter blondies

The end result was perfect. I always end up cooking things for less time than the recipe requires, and it usually works like a charm. I loved the texture of these, moist and buttery but with a bite here and there from the chocolate chips.

I would make a few changes to the recipe next time. I would add more peanut butter to enhance that peanut butter flavor even more, and I would leave out the vanilla. Even the tiniest bit of vanilla extract in a dessert seems to overwhelm me. That’s some strong stuff!

peanut butter chocolate blondies

These made a nice dessert and also a perfect pairing for a cup of tea on a rainy Monday morning. I am going to DC for Eat, Write, Retreat this weekend and despite the gloomy weather outside, am trying to keep upbeat. Spring has to be somewhere out there!

What is your favorite dessert combination? How are you dealing with our extended winter?

 

Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup margarine, softened
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ). Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together peanut butter and margarine. Gradually blend in the brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix until fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture until well blended.
  3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven, or until the top springs back when touched. Cool, and cut into 16 squares.

Tags: baking, chocolate, chocolate chips, dessert, peanut butter

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