This year I find myself looking at the calendar in amazement wondering where all the time I thought I had before the holidays went. Actually the whole summer and fall have pretty much zip-pity do da-ed right out of my arse. Spring storms this year brought hail and water damage to our home. So in addition to playing general contractor for the already scheduled brick work, I found my self managing a new roof and gutters (thank-you State Farm), as well as the painting of all the exterior trim. The unplanned remodeling of the lower level of our house did offer us new options for finally completing the “man cave” of our dreams (with a giant HD television, amazing sound system, and sexy lighting) however I guess between doing much of the work myself and organizing the rest, I somehow lost a month or two.

Suddenly it was Thanksgiving (didn’t even see that one coming) and now it was time to decorate the house and make holiday treats for family and friends, neighbors, and the caregivers at the home where my mother resides. So I got busy and busted out a dozen of my trusted holiday family favorites and got to work. As I completed the last treat, I felt that I had sifted, creamed, chopped, dusted, and rolled about as much butter, flour, and sugar as I could possible tolerate. Seems to come a point each year where I am just over it, and with company arriving this coming Wednesday (hopefully a bit later in the day than the new furniture and bed are to be delivered, nothing like running a tight schedule) I felt like I had everything taken care of.  Then came the question. “You are going to make Peanut butter balls aren’t you? I don’t see any peanut butter balls. They are my favorite and you always make them. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them”.

So overnight as I lay awake dreading the idea of rolling and dipping yet another item, the thought came to me to simply make them as a bar. The recipe itself is quite simple, so why not just let simple be and make my life the same. Well the experiment worked quite well I must say. I prepared the filling as I normally would for the balls, but instead pressed it into an 8″ x 8″ pan that I had lined with foil and buttered. Then I tempered some chocolate and flooded it over the top of the filling. I allowed the pan to set up overnight, cut the bar into pieces and….. ta da! I did go the extra and melt some peanut butter chips to decorate the tops but that certainly would have not been necessary. I must say they turned out really quite good. I still think I might prefer the rolled ones, but for this holiday, simple is certainly……. simply delicious.

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Peanut Butter Ball Bars

Everyone's favorite chocolate and peanut butter balls made in an easy bar form.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 48 Candies

Ingredients

• 1   cup butter softened
• 1   cup peanut butter smooth or crunchy
• 2   cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3   cups powdered sugar
• 1  12 oz. bag semi-sweet baking chips

Instructions

• Line an 8" x 8" baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease with butter
• Mix together butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add graham crackers and mix well. Add powdered sugar and mix until a soft dough forms.
• Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Melt chocolate by tempering either in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour melted chocolate over the top of the peanut butter mixture and spread evenly.
• Allow for chocolate to set up before cutting. You can speed up this process by placing pan in the fridge.
• Using the foil lift the bars out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 1" - 1 1/2" squares. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

You can use any recipe for Peanut Butter Balls with this method.

More recipes you might enjoy:

Better Homes and Gardens

Joy of Baking

Sweet Anna’s

Taste of Home

The Girl Who Ate Everything

Plump juicy strawberries coated with a crisp shell of chocolate create fruit truffles that are both light and delicious. The perfect addition to any brunch, or with a glass of champagne for dessert, these decadent yet innocent treats combine two favorite flavors that will make your heart sing.

To prepare Chocolate Dipped Strawberries:

Cooks note: There really is no magic to dipping berries, but here are a few tips that will help you.

Start with the freshest berries you can find. This is not always an easy task, but look for berries that are bright in color, firm with no soft or dark spots, and that have bright green tops. Wash the berries and spread them out on a towel to dry completely. Make sure the berries and the tops are totally dry before starting. Chocolate and water do not mix!

Use a good quality chocolate for dipping. I like to use a dark and a white chocolate, however you can use whatever you prefer. Some recipes call for adding oil to the chocolate. If you are using a quality product, there is no reason to do so.

One of the great things about this treat is you can make any quantity you choose. If you intend to preparing a large quantity, I find it best to melt the chocolate over a double boiler. If I am only dipping a dozen or so, I temper my chocolate in the microwave in a small bowl to conserve chocolate, and make dipping easy. Gently pull the leaves up to create a handle. Dip the berry and tip it from side to side to coat. If your berries are different sizes, dip the largest berries first, while the dish is full of chocolate.

Gently shake the berries to allow the extra chocolate to drip off. Place the dipped strawberries on a wax or parchment paper lined sheet pan to set up. The chocolate will harden in about 20 -30 minutes depending on the temperature in your work space. I do not recommend placing your berries in the fridge. While the cold temperature of the fridge will speed up the hardening process, it will cause the chocolate to sweat.

It is almost impossible not to get chocolate on your fingers. Keep a damp and a dry towel handy to clean your hands, but make sure your fingers are dry before moving on.

There will be some wasted chocolate. It is impossible to use every drop when dipping. Remember the chocolate you have used to dip now contains some strawberry, so it is really not much use for any other project. I spread the remaining amount out on to a piece of wax paper and allow it to harden. Break into pieces, easy strawberry chocolate fudge!

Once the chocolate shell is hardened, I like to drizzle the berries with a contrasting color of chocolate for interest. I place the berries on a wire rack over wax paper to do so. Be creative and have fun.

Make sure to allow plenty of time for your chocolates to set up. Wear rubber gloves to handle your chocolates. Warm fingers leave prints.

Chocolate dipped strawberries do not hold very long. You can dip them a day ahead, but I would advise against any longer, as the strawberries will break down. Store your berries lightly covered at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. I do not recommend placing them in the fridge for storage. This is a treat that is best prepared the same day you plan to serve them.

Holidays are a dream come true for those of us with a sweet tooth. Suddenly there are candies, cookies, and cakes everywhere, and it is somehow alright to have some of everything…….after all it’s the holidays. Tempting morsels magically appear in the office break room, and neighbors drop by with plates of goodies. But it’s the holidays…. or at least that is what we tell ourselves as we pop another peanut butter ball in our gob. We will starve ourselves in January, that’s what it is for, but right now………it’s the holidays!

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Nutella Frangelico Truffles

Decadent rich chocolate centers with a hint of hazelnut, covered in a dark chocolate shell.

Course Candy

Cuisine French

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 24 Truffles

Ingredients

• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup Nutella hazelnut spread
• 3/4 cup toasted hazelnuts finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Frangelico (optional)
• 12 ounces dark chocolate candy melts

Instructions

• Finely chop the semi-sweet chocolate and place in a medium size mixing bowl.
• Heat the cream until almost boiling.
• Pour heated cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for a few minutes to soften.
• Mix well until all the chocolate is dissolved.
• Add Nutella and mix until smooth and silky.
• Stir in hazelnuts and mix well.
• Add Frangelico if desired and mix.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover Nutella mixture with plastic wrap, placing the wrap directly on the top of the mixture.  Refrigerate for several hours to allow the Nutella ganache to set up.
• Tip: When a recipe calls for cordials or liquor you wouldn't normally purchase, just buy a “mini” or “airline” bottle. Many of the cordials used in recipes are thirty dollars or more for the full-sized bottle.
• Line a sheet pan with wax paper.
• Using a melon baller or teaspoon, scoop enough ganache to roll into a 1″ ball.  A melon baller works really well and helps keep the truffles a uniform size.
• Roll the chocolate between the palms of your hands. If the chocolate gets to soft, place it back in the fridge for a few minutes to set up.
• Tip: Wash the chocolate off of your hands periodically to prevent sticking, making sure to completely dry your hands, water and chocolate do not mix. I find wearing latex-free gloves makes the process easier.
• Once you have formed all the balls, place the pan in the fridge and allow the chocolate to set up, do not freeze.
• Take the pan out of the fridge and allow it to slightly warm while you temper the chocolate coating.
• Tip: The balls must be firm in order to dip in the coating, however if they are too cold it will cause the coating to crack as they warm up and expand. If they are too warm, they will fall apart in the coating. If the balls feel like they are getting too soft, put them back in the fridge for a few minutes.
• Temper the candy melts in the microwave or over a double boiler.
• Working quickly drop a ball into the coating, rolling to completely cover, remove, and place on wax paper to set up. Use a fork to turn and lift the truffle out of the coating, or you can purchase a dipping tool at most craft supply stores.
• If your coating begins to set up, slightly warm the chocolate. Place the balls back in the fridge if they feel too soft.
• Finish the truffles by tempering a small amount of light chocolate and piping it on for a bit of decoration.

Notes

I lightly dusted the truffles with some edible glitter to add a bit of magic to these holiday treats.

 

Instead of dipping the truffles you can roll them in chopped nuts or cocoa powder.

Two thirds of the way through dipping my truffles I noticed the coating was getting thick and lumpy, and the truffles were not smooth. One of the balls had gotten too soft or I had rolled it around too much trying to cover it and one had fallen apart in my coating.

I poured the “contaminated” coating out onto a piece of wax paper, spread it with a spatula, added some sprinkles, and allowed it to set. I scored the chocolate with a knife after about a half of an hour. Another delicious candy was made today, and no one needs to know my little secret (I have learned to “go with the flow” when I work with chocolates and candies, and not to get stressed out or upset).

I hope you give making truffles a try if you have not done so before. After all, it’s the holidays and the worst thing that can happen is that you end up with fantastic ice cream topping. And unless you have witnesses………. you can always claim that it was your plan in the first place! Santa may know, but you can always buy him off with a few treats on Christmas eve.

If you love chocolate like I do, then I am sure you will agree that there are few things better than chocolate cake. I am not talking about a fluffy cake mix chocolate cake. I am speaking of the kind of cake that is moist and dense, not too sweet. The cake that has a dark, deep, rich, pure chocolate flavor that melts in your mouth and dances on your tongue. A real I sold my soul to the devil kind of chocolate cake that makes you think you died and went to heaven. If that sounds like your kind of dessert, then you will be happy to know that this one definitely hits all the right buttons, an absolute chocoholics dream come true!

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Death by Chocolate Cake

A chocoholics dream come true. Chocolate and more chocolate is what this cake is all about.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup strong-brewed coffee
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces vanilla yogurt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• ¾ cup white baking chips

Chocolate Ganache

• 9 ounces dark chocolate chips, Ghiradelli, or other premium chocolate
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 ounce Kahlua, optional

Instructions

Cake

• Heat oven to 325° F.  Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan, set aside
• In a large saucepan combine sugar, coffee, unsweetened chocolate, and butter. Heat while stirring over medium-low until the chocolate and butter are melted. Heat this mixture only long enough to completely melt the chocolate and butter. Do not boil, we are not melting sugar and making candy, the sauce should appear granular.
• Remove from heat and cool (since we are going to be adding egg to this mixture, it is extremely important to allow the sauce to cool down somewhat. Scrambled eggs would not be a good thing here).
• In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• Tip: When baking, mix your dry ingredients flour, baking powder, soda, salt, powdered spices together with a whisk in a separate bowl. This accomplishes two things, one it combines the ingredients without overworking the batter, and it sifts the flour.
• Stir yogurt, eggs, and vinegar into chocolate mixture in saucepan. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring just until combined (Vinegar is added to assist the leavening ingredients in this very heavy cake, but will add no taste. Do not be surprised to see the batter bubble, it is the vinegar doing its job).
• Fold in the white baking chips and pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (Because this is such a dense cake be sure to test the cake in several places. I like to use a wooden skewer instead of a tooth pick to make sure the cake is done all the way through).
• Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on rack

Chocolate Ganache

• Place the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl.
• In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat warm the cream until it is almost ready to boil. (Do not boil). Pour the hot cream into the bowl of chips and mix until all of the chocolate is melted and becomes smooth (the residual heat from the cream will melt the chocolate).
• Finish the ganache by stirring in the Kahlua.

Assemble

• Pour the ganache over the cooled cake while the chocolate is still warm. It will flow easily and become smooth. As the chocolate cools it will set up and will keep its shiny appearance.
• I finished this cake with some white, light, and milk chocolate that I drizzled over the cake after the ganache had set up. I tempered the chocolates one at a time and used a small plastic bag with the corner cut off to pipe on the finishing touches.

Notes

Use a good quality chocolate for your ganache. Rum is also commonly added instead of Kahlua. This is totally a preference, and most certainly can be omitted. However if you are adding liquor, be sure to do so after the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated into the cream.

Ganache is easy to make and delicious, and can be used in many ways. One way is as a warm sauce-like glaze as described here. Another application is to allow the ganache to complete cool (room temp not refrigerated), and then whisk it into a spreadable frosting. Thicker versions are commonly used for fillings in pastries and truffles, or thinned as a sauce.