Confections and Candies Archives - Page 3 of 3

Stone Fruit Skillet Cobbler

8 Comments / Confections and Candies, Pies and Tarts

Today’s post is all about a summertime staple that should make your life easier. With so much going on, I think we should simplify these summer days so that we can spend a little more time actually enjoying them. If you’re up for taking a load off your proverbial plate in a beautiful and delicious way, look no further than this stone fruit skillet cobbler.

For starters, I just want to say “LOL” to the summer. It wasn’t long ago that the term “summer break” induced visions of binge-watching “Full House” and drinking Diet Cokes by the pool with my friends. Summer used to be primarily about tan lines and an extended curfew, those days when the biggest concern to be had was whether or not that bottle of Nair would destroy your bikini area. Let’s just have a moment of silence for the easy days of our youth, shall we?

Of course in adulthood that reality changes as work schedules and managers and deadlines really don’t take a break. Even then, it’s easy to take the occasional long weekend or beachside snooze because you are on your own schedule. Instead, for me, it took having kids to remember that summer is no longer about beach lounging and googling things like, “where is Johnathan Taylor Thomas after Home Improvement,” because now you’re on kid schedule, and let me tell you- kid schedule is way more complicated.

Let’s say you have a couple of hours to kill and you want to take your kids to the pool. Once you factor in time for applying sunscreen, feeding them snacks, trips to timeout for stealing someone else’s diving rings, and then reapplying sunscreen, your time spent swimming is actually, well, none. This is also assuming that the trip wasn’t cut short at the hands of a diaper explosion or a sunscreen-in-the-eyes meltdown. If so, factor in a deficit of thirty minutes for time spent in that disgustingly wet public bathroom. RIP your daily morale.

Or let’s say you want to have an afternoon picnic, get out of the house for some exercise. If so, I sincerely hope you live somewhere north of the Mason/Dixon line or have chosen a cloudy day for this adventure, because your kid will not be having it. They’re going to be hot! They’ll be sweaty! Their legs will hurt, they’ll need some ice water, they’ll want to go home to collect 103 very important items that they left behind. Summer adventures with kids, in my experience, turn into misadventures, so just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Lest you feel discouraged at the outlook of summers with kids, let me say that I do think this will all end up being worth it. The opportunity to watch those littles experience the freedom and newness of each summer for the first time makes for a memorable experience. I’m going to keep taking photos and biting my tongue when I want to freak out because there is sweetness in this season, even if it is in the midst of a little stress. And in the meantime, I’m working to scale back in other ways, a de-clutter of my to-do list, so that I can really try to focus on enjoying the moment I’m in, ya know?

First up is this stone fruit skillet cobbler. This is an adaptable recipe that you can modify to fit whatever fruit you pick up at the farmers market or find lying in the nether regions of your freezer. You can make the dough for the biscuity/scone-like topping a few hours, days, whatever in advance and plop it on your fruit filling when the craving hits. The topping here is a combination of my favorite scone and my biscuit recipe. It’s tender, almost cakey, but super delicious in flavor. In place of some of the flour, I’ve added cornmeal for texture and to compliment the sweet fruit. When baked, this topping has crisp, buttery edges and a soft biscuit-like center that goes splendidly with a juicy fruit filling.

I opted to use peaches, cherries, and plums for this particular stone fruit skillet cobbler, but you can really use whatever fruit you have on hand! The most important part is making sure to add the right amount of sugar. If you’re working with super sweet fruit, like strawberries, figs, or blueberries, you will likely require less sugar to add to the filling. In my case, the addition of tart plums required a smidge more sugar, so just be sure to adjust the recipe by a tablespoon or two as needed. I love to take whatever fruit is threatening to die in my fridge and throw it in mini, ramekin-sized portions for individuals treats as well. Just make sure your baking container is large enough to avoid an overflow of fruit syrup burning on the bottom of your oven. I learned this the hard way.

Moms, I’m giving you a badge of courage for taking these summer days in stride. As a reward, enjoy this stone fruit skillet cobbler and just give yourself a pat on the back for being freaking awesome, okay? Happy baking, y’all!

If you like this stone fruit skillet cobbler you should check out:

Cherry Gateau Basque

Cherry Lime Hand Pies

Peach Berry Pie

Peach Crumb Muffins

Chocolate Budino

Stone Fruit Skillet Cobbler

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This stone fruit skillet cobbler is a simple way to use up fresh summer produce and can be easily adapted for a variety of your favorites!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the filling:

Two pounds of cored stone fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, etc)
About ½–1 cup (100 gm-200 gm) sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For the topping:

3/4 cup (105 gm) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1–1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons (70 gm) unsalted butter, cold and chopped
½ cup (120 gm) heavy whipping cream
Extract sugar for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

To prepare the cobbler:

Preheat the oven to 375 and prep the filling. Core and chop fruit into 1/2” pieces and be sure that any peaches have been peeled. You can keep the skin on plums, cherries, and nectarines. Toss the fruit with the remaining filling ingredients and sugar to taste. I like to start with ½ cup sugar for ripe, sweet fruit. If you’re using any tart or not fully ripened fruit, you’ll likely need about ¾ cup of sugar instead. Only add the full cup of sugar for really sour fruit. Dump the fruit mixture into a 1-1/2 quart baking dish and set aside while you prep the topping.
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or the backs of two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized clumps form. Add the heavy whipping cream and stir together until a dry dough comes together. Use a medium cookie scoop or your hands to make little flat rounds of dough to place directly on top of the fruit in the baking dish. Sprinkle with a little extract sugar and baking in the preheat oven for about 35 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the fruit underneath is bubbling. Allow to cool slightly before serving with a scoop of ice cream.

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Tiramisu Cream Puffs

10 Comments / Confections and Candies

As a mother of two toddlers, I spend a lot of time playing make believe. Whether we’re eating crumpets at a tea party, hunting down an imaginary bear, or calling Mickey Mouse on the telephone, this kind of play is a fun way to connect the real with the imaginary. Currently, princesses reign supreme in our house, and it’s not unusual for at least two or three of us to be clicking around in plastic high heels, fluffy skirts, and play jewelry. The biggest compliment you can give my daughter is to tell her she looks like a princess, because to her, it’s the highest honor.

On Being Fancy.

Here’s the thing: from a young age, kids know and love the concept of royalty. There’s something special and fanciful about dressing up and being an elite version of yourself. Even as adults, we love real-life royal weddings, romances, feuds, and even deaths because those humans and the lives they lead feel distinguished and extraordinary, a little like a lifetime of playing dress-up. There’s not a single woman reading this who, at one point, didn’t dream of a life like this of our own. We’re engrained to delight in the fancy things.

So why not? Even as adults, we can still play pretend! We can invite our girlfriends over, open our nicest bottle of wine, and fancy. We can ignore our sometimes dull surroundings, clothing, and lifestyles, and dream up a champagne and caviar world. Yes, we love and honor the beauty of our realities, but we can gussy-up what we’ve got and put our pinkies out for a day. In fact, I think we should do it.

Tiramisu Cream Puffs

So cue the tiramisu cream puffs.

Even if you’ve grown up eating tiny fancy-pants treats like cream puffs, I can almost bet you’ve never had ones made with a tiramisu filling. While even an experienced home baker may be intimidated by attempting something like this in their own kitchen, I can promise you that these treats are attainable; you’re going to be so proud of yourself when you make these little showstoppers. Scout’s honor.

Making the Cream Puffs

To make your own tiramisu cream puffs, we start with the pastry. Here, the pastry we’re making is called choux. We make this classic French staple by cooking butter, water and flour into a thick pasty dough and beating in a few eggs. In the oven, they bake into light and airy rounds with a flavor similar to a popover. It’s hollow center is perfect for piping in yumminess like the mascarpone filling we use for these tiramisu cream puffs.

Filling the Puffs

To prepare the filling, we beat some mascarpone cheese with Kahlua, or another coffee-flavored liquor. Fold that into a homemade whipped cream which fluffs up our choux filling. For the topping, we make a simple ganache to drizzle over or dip our cream puffs into. Once completed, these tiramisu cream puffs are fancy finger treats fit for a princess- shockingly simple for such a special outcome.

The truth is, we all have a little fancy in us. It looks different from person to person, but it’s 100% okay to play the part every once in a while. I hope you’ll delight yourself in the fancy sometime this summer, and maybe, if you do, you’ll make these tiramisu cream puffs for the occasion. Happy Wednesday, friends, and happy baking!

If you like these tiramisu cream puffs you should try:

Tiramisu Cream Puffs

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

These tiramisu cream puffs are bite-sized profiteroles filled with a mascarpone and coffee whipped cream. Each puff is topped with thick dark chocolate ganache. Perfect option for a fancy finger food!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 35
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 15

Ingredients

For the choux (adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum):

½ cup (120 gm) water
4 tablespoons (55 gm) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
½ cup (70 gm) all-purpose flour
2 large eggs

For the tiramisu cream:

4 ounces mascarpone cheese, at cool room temperature
2 tablespoons coffee liquor (I use Kahlua)
1 cup (240 gm) heavy whipping cream
¾ cup (90 gm) powdered sugar

For the ganache:

1/3 cup (80 gm) heavy whipping cream
4 ounces chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

For the choux:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a large round tip (I use Ateco 809) or snip the end off of a quart-sized freezer plastic bag.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, butter, sugar and salt until the butter has melted and the mixture is boiling. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add all of the flour, stirring vigorously to combine. After a few moments of stirring, the dough will form a moist ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan. Return the pan back to the heat to cook, paddling the dough with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula for 3 minutes. Dump the dough into a large bowl and add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition to combine. The dough should be viscous enough to hold a soft peak when you pull the wooden spoon out of it. If it is too stiff, add a teaspoon or two of water. Scoop the mixture into the piping bag and squeeze out tablespoon-sized round balls (see photo) of dough, about 2 inches apart on the prepared pan. Barely moisten a fingertip to smooth out any peaks on the rounds so that they are rounded disks, similar to the shape of a baked macaron cookie. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then decrease the oven temp to 350 and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown. Allow to cool prior to using.

For the tiramisu cream:

Beat the mascarpone and coffee liquor with a hand mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until smooth. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream on medium speed until slightly thickened. Add the powdered sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream. Set aside in the fridge until the cream puffs have cooled to room temperature. When ready to fill, slice a tiny slit onto the top of each cream puff. Spoon the tiramisu cream into a piping bag fitted with a round tip and fill each puff with cream until full. Set aside while you make the ganache.

For the ganache:

Heat the heavy whipping cream in the microwave or on the stove until steaming. Pour the hot cream over top of the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and cover the whole thing with a sheet of plastic wrap. After 5 minutes, stir the mixture until smooth and pour a spoonful of ganache on top of each puff. Alternatively, you can dip the cream puffs. The ganache will firm up as it sets, so be sure the gently reheat as needed.

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Rhubarb Shortcakes

10 Comments / Cakes, Confections and Candies

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of wonderful, but can I just say that I am exhausted? After a few weeks of living out of a suitcase, nothing brings me more joy than to write to you all today from the comfort of my desk at home. The world is beautiful with a million and one delicious and exciting things to offer, but like Dorothy said, there’s no place like home.

Sometimes I laugh at how attached to this home I’ve become. It wasn’t long ago that the thought of a lifetime spent in the deep Southern confines of Selma, Alabama was terrifying to me. Even to this day, my friends from my pre-Selma days don’t understand how I’ve eased into this life so comfortably. I imagine that the simplicity and slow pace of a small town probably appears lackluster to some outsiders looking in, but I’ve learned that this kind of life can shine pretty vibrantly if you’re willing to settle in and polish it.

Are you in a similar phase of life? Have you found yourself in a chapter of your story that you never really imagined for yourself? Are you searching for purpose in a season that you maybe haven’t quite figured out?

I want to encourage you by saying that there’s so much hope. There’s silver in the rough edges of our lives if we’re willing to hunt it out, and there’s purpose and joy even in the stories that we wouldn’t have written for ourselves. I have been on the receiving end of so much love and connection and fun- rich relationships and moments that I would have missed out on if I had remained closed to them. My decision to lean into the unknown and choose joy in the life that we had was one of the most valuable choices I have made, and I hope you’re in a place to make it too. Be at home wherever you find yourself.

There’s a lot to love about these rhubarb shortcakes. The cakes, tender and layered, make a perfect vehicle for toppings. The rhubarb, roasted until syrupy and sweet, provides a fragrance and tang that not other fruit can. And the mascarpone whipped cream is straight up manna from heaven- creamy, sweet perfection.

To make these rhubarb shortcakes, we start with the cakes! This recipe was adapted from my jam-filled scones, so expect as much when you make them. Butter is cut into the dry ingredients until there are pea-sized clumps throughout. The heavy whipping cream gets poured in to bring the dough together. We pat out the mixture onto a floured surface and use our biscuit folding technique to achieve tall, flaky layers. Bake the cakes in the oven while you prep the rhubarb.

Trim the ends and any rough spots off of your rhubarb stalks and cut them into 2-3″ pieces. Toss them with sugar and fresh split vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste. Roast in a preheated oven until the juices run thick and the rhubarb is tender to a fork.

Finally, for the mascarpone cream, beat the mascarpone and sugar together until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the whipping cream until it is incorporated smoothly and beat on medium-high speed until it is cloud-like and fluffy. Store in the fridge while you assemble your rhubarb shortcakes.

To serve, split the warm cakes in two and top with several rhubarb pieces. Allow the cake to soak of some of the excess juices- SO GOOD. Top with a giant dollop (or two) of the mascarpone whipped cream and replace the lid of the cake.

These rhubarb shortcakes are simple and no frills, but entirely impressive to eat. The flavors combine really nicely and make for a delightful summertime treat. Give them a try and I think you’ll agree. If you love them as much as I do, I hope you’ll tell me about it in the comments section below. Happy Thursday and Happy Baking!

If you like these rhubarb shortcakes you should check out:

Strawberry Shortcakes

Strawberry Almond Skillet Cake

Berry Rhubarb Tart

Raspberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb Shortcakes

Print Recipe

★★★★

4 from 1 reviews

These rhubarb shortcakes are sweet, tangy, and entirely delicious! A tender scone is topped with roasted vanilla bean rhubarb and a mascarpone whipped cream. Perfect for summer desserts!

Author: Kate Wood

Ingredients

For the shortcakes:

2–1/2 cups (325 gm) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50 gm) sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1–1/2 tablespoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, cold
1 cup (240 gm) heavy whipping cream, plus more for brushing

For the roasted rhubarb:

1–1/2 pounds rhubarb, ends trimmed and stalks cut into equal-sized 2-3” chunks
1–1/2 cups (300 gm) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract

For the mascarpone cream:

8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature but still cool
¼ cup (30 gm) powdered sugar
1 cup (240 gm) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

To prepare the shortcakes:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or the backs of two forks to cut in the butter until it takes on a sandy consistency with pea-sized clumps throughout. Add the heavy cream and fold until a dough comes together.
Pat the dough out into a 1” thick rectangle and then fold in thirds like you’d fold a letter to put into an envelope. Pat the dough out to 1” thickness again and use a knife to cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. If desired, you can use a 2-1/2” round biscuit cutter, but this is unnecessary. Place the shortcakes on a baking sheet snuggled up to one another, and use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of heavy cream on their tops. Sprinkle with sugar, decrease the oven’s heat to 400 degrees and bake the shortcakes until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool prior to serving.

To prepare the roasted rhubarb:

Preheat the oven to 375 (or lower oven temp after baking shortcakes).
Toss the rhubarb pieces, brown sugar, and vanilla bean paste together in a 9”x13” baking dish. Roast the rhubarb, tossing occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender and the sugar has all dissolved. Allow to cool slightly prior to serving.

To prepare the mascarpone cream:

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the mascarpone and powdered sugar until smooth, about 1 minute. Drizzle in a bit of the cream and beat briefly to combine. Repeat this process a few times until the cheese has been thinned out to a loose, smooth consistency. Add the remaining cream and beat on medium-high speed until the cream has fluffed up to a whipped cream consistency and medium-stiff peaks have formed.

To serve the shortcakes:

Split each warm shortcake in half and top each bottom half with a few stalks of roasted rhubarb. Top the rhubarb with a generous dollop of cream and replace the top to the shortcake. Serve immediately!

Notes

This recipe makes large servings. Feel free to make smaller scones. If so, the recipe will serve 10-12

YOU NEED TO KNOW: How to Make Ganache (and Homemade Chocolate Truffles!)

35 Comments / Confections and Candies, Tutorials

There are a few recipes that every home baker needs to know like the back of their hand. Ganache, with only two ingredients and two steps to create it, is one of a few baking fundamentals that can elevate homemade dishes to sweet, chocolatey bliss. Despite its simplicity, ganache often scares bakers away from attempting to make it themselves at home. Today, in an effort to conquer this Everest, we are going to cover the basics on ganache so that you can create decadent, chocolate dishes with ease from here on out. We’re also going to learn how to make 4 different types of homemade chocolate truffles from a single ganache base, so if you’re interested in making some treats for your valentine (or yourself, no judgement here!), this is a post you’ll want to listen in on. Let’s get started!

What Is It?

Ganache is the mixture of warmed cream and chocolate. It can be used to glaze, fill, coat, or whip into baked goods and desserts. Ganache can take on a variety of forms depending on the cream to chocolate ratio; the concentration and preparation of these two ingredients will alter the final product.

How Do You Make It?

All ganaches begin by heating heavy whipping cream until hot but not boiling. The warm cream is poured over finely chopped chocolate and allowed to rest for a few minutes. Once the chocolate has melted enough to be stirred into the cream. When combined, the chocolate and cream transform into a smooth and rich liquid that we know as ganache.

What Are the Different Types of Ganache?

The proportion of cream to chocolate will determine how viscous your final product will be. A higher cream:chocolate weight ratio will land you a more thin chocolate glaze. Likewise, a ganache with more chocolate than cream will result in a thick, fudgy texture. Here are three basic cream:chocolate ratios that you need to know.

1:1 – One part cream to one part chocolate

Using the same weight of cream and chocolate will result in a thick fudge sauce consistency. When warm, this ganache can be poured thickly over cakes, breads, and ice cream. When chilled, the ganache can be used to fill cakes, pastries, and tarts. If whipped, this ganache ratio will transform into a hardening frosting that is perfect for cakes to be covered in fondant. You might remember this ganache from marble loaf pound cake .

1:2 – One part cream to two parts chocolate

Ganache will become thick and viscous as you increase the amount of chocolate to cream. The more chocolate, the thicker it will be. We will use this ratio later today to prepare homemade truffles, but you might remember a similarly rich ganache from the mint chocolate sandwich cookies.

2:1 – Two parts cream to one part chocolate

When warm, this ganache will be a thin, pourable glaze that can be used to coat baked goods, but when allowed to cool, this ganache ratio will whip into a light and fluffy frosting that will stay soft upon setting.

What Else Do I Need to Know About Ganache?

There’s a few other things that will affect your final ganache. First: time and temperature. A warm, freshly made ganache will be a bit more loose than one that has been resting at room temperature or chilled overnight in the fridge. Given enough time and cool temperatures, all ganaches will firm up somewhat from their warm state. For example, if you’ve prepared a thick ganache with more chocolate than cream, you’ll find the ganache is pourable and saucy while warm, but will harden up to a firm, malleable consistency after some time in the fridge. Cold ganache will always be more firm than a warm one, so if you find that your final outcome is not as thick as you anticipated, it may be that you just need to let it rest a bit more.

The type of chocolate that you choose to use will also affect your final ganache. While most recipes call for bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, ganache can be made with white or milk chocolate as well. The type of chocolate you choose will affect the flavor and texture of your ganache, so be sure to use chocolate that you would normally enjoy eating on its own.

Finally, ganache can be flavored with a few simple add-ins. Extracts, liquors, and even nut butters can be whisked into a warm ganache to to add flavor the the chocolate base. I’ll share a few simple variations below, but be sure to tell me if you have any favorites that I need to try!

Homemade Chocolate Truffles

Let’s be honest. There’s nothing sweeter than romance via chocolate on Valentine’s Day and no better way to share that love than by making homemade chocolate truffles. Now that you’ve mastered ganache, you can easily prepare 4 different homemade chocolate truffles to show love to your boo thang. Of course there’s a million other options, but here are a few rich candies to get started with:

Simple Chocolate Truffles

The gold standard for chocolate candies, these babies are the most basic form of truffle, prepared by scooping firm rounds of chilled ganache and rolling it in cocoa powder. These are perfect for the more-is-more kind of chocolate lover in your life.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles

Here, peanut butter is stirred into the warm ganache before it’s chilled to a thick consistency. Once firm, simply scoop small mounds of chocolate to roll and refrigerate until cold. The chilled balls are then dipped in a coating of melted chocolate and sprinkled with chopped peanuts.

Dark Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt

Simple, rich, and decadent are these truffles, made by preparing a dark chocolate ganache with the addition of sea salt. Once chilled, balls of ganache are dipped in dark chocolate, and a sprinkle of sea salt gives these little guys a sophisticated look with that sweet and salty taste.

Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles

Similar to the peanut butter truffles, these hazelnut truffles are made by stirring chocolate hazelnut spread into the warm ganache. I like to roll the chilled truffles in chopped hazelnuts, but certainly you could dip these in chocolate as well.

A Few Other Chocolate Truffle Filling Variations:

Boozy Truffles: Add 1 tablespoon of rum, bourbon, coffee or orange liqueur into the warm chocolate ganache recipe.

Vanilla Truffles: Add 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to the warm chocolate ganache. Roll the finished balls in powdered sugar.

Coconut Truffles: Add 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract to the warm chocolate ganache and roll the finished balls in toasted sweetened coconut.

Peppermint Truffles: Add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract to the warm chocolate ganache and roll the finished balls in crushed candy canes.

Ok, I’m Obsessed with Ganache. How Do I Get Started?!

Ganache and homemade truffles are one of the easiest recipes you’ll make all year. Once you know how to make a base ganache you can make a ton of different treats like peanut butter chocolate cheesecake, mint brownie ice cream cake, and pretzel millionaire bars. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you’ll be glad to have this technique in your pocket, and you honey booboo will be even more thrilled. Give these homemade chocolate truffles a try and let me know what you think! #MonthofChocolate will continue next week, so stay tuned for more milky cocoa goodness!

Chocolate Ganache

Print Recipe

Making homemade ganache is simple and only requires two ingredients. Use some basic ratios to learn how to make the perfect ganache your recipe needs!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 5
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate, finely chopped
Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions

Place the chocolate in a bowl and set aside while you prepare the cream.Warm the cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until cream is hot and beginning to steam. Do not boil.
Pour the warm cream over the chopped chocolate and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow it to rest about 5 minutes, and then use a spoon or spatula to stir the chocolate and cream together. If the chocolate is not completely melted you can microwave the chocolate and cream together in 15 second increments, stirring until the two have combined.
Allow the ganache to cool to your desired consistency. You can expedite this process by placing the bowl in the refrigerator. Stir it regularly to keep it uniform in consistency.

Notes

For a thick glaze/ cake or pie filling:

Use a 1:1 chocolate to cream ratio.
Weigh equal amounts of cream and chocolate. For example, you may use 2 ounces of heavy whipping cream and 2 ounces of chocolate to make 4 ounces of ganache.
If you plan to frost a cake with this ganache, allow it to cool and then whip with a paddle attachment until fluffy in the bowl of a stand mixer.

For truffle thick ganache:

Use a 1:2 cream to chocolate ratio.
Weigh out double the amount of chocolate to cream. For example, you might combine 2 ounces of cream and 4 ounces of chocolate to make 6 ounces of truffle thick ganache.
If you plan to use this ganache to make truffles, chill the ganache until it is firm enough to scoop.

For a thin glaze/ whipped ganache:

Use a 2:1 cream to chocolate ratio.
Weigh out double the amount of cream than chocolate. For example, you might combine 4 ounces of cream and 2 ounces of chocolate to prepare 6 ounces of thin ganache.
For whipped ganache, allow the cream to set out or chill in the fridge until slightly thickened and viscous. Place in the bowl of a stand mixer and use the whisk attachment to beat until light and fluffy. Be sure to not overbeat- you may make butter!

Homemade Truffles

Print Recipe

If you know how to make ganache, these homemade truffles are a cinch! Four variations will make for a beautiful homemade dessert!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 20
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 18

Ingredients

4 ounces (115 gm) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces (60 gm) heavy whipping cream
Cocoa powder (for classic truffles)
1/4 cup (60 gm) creamy peanut butter (for peanut butter truffles)
6 tablespoons (90 gm) chocolate hazelnut spread (for hazelnut truffles)
Sea Salt (for dark chocolate truffles)
1 cup (180 gm) chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate for dipping, optional
Toasted peanuts or hazelnuts, finely chopped, optional

Instructions

Place the chopped chocolate in a small mixing bowl
Heat the heavy whipping cream until hot. Pour over the chocolate, stir to combine, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rest 5 minutes and then stir to combine until smooth. Microwave in 15 second increments if the chocolate is not thoroughly melted. If you plan to make classic truffles, refrigerate this mixture until firmed but still malleable. Scoop out 2 teaspoon sized balls and roll them in cocoa powder. Refrigerate to firm and then serve at room temperature.

For peanut butter truffles:

Stir the peanut butter into the warm ganache and place in the fridge to chill. Once the ganache is set but still scoopable, spoon 2 teaspoon sized balls (I use a small cookie scoop) of ganache and roll gently in your hands. Place the balls back in the fridge to cool. In the meantime, melt the additional chocolate in a double boiler set over medium-low heat. Roll each chilled ball in the melted chocolate and place on a piece of parchment or wax paper to set. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and cool completely in the fridge.

For hazelnut truffles:

Stir the chocolate hazelnut spread into the warm ganache and place in the fridge to chill. Once the ganache is set but still scoopable, spoon 2 teaspoon sized balls (I use a small cookie scoop) of ganache and roll gently in your hands. Roll each ball in the finely chopped hazelnuts and place in the fridge to set.

For sea salt truffles:

Sprinkle in a small pinch of salt and stir to combine. Place in the fridge to chill. Once the ganache is set but still scoopable, spoon 2 teaspoon sized balls (I use a small cookie scoop) of ganache and roll gently in your hands. In the meantime, melt the additional chocolate in a double boiler set over medium-low heat. Roll each chilled ball in the melted chocolate and place on a piece of parchment or wax paper to set. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to firm up at room temperature or in the fridge.

Chocolate Budino// Guide to Chicago

15 Comments / Confections and Candies

Chocolate Budino Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a rich chocolate Italian pudding with three different flavor and topping variations. Chocolate crumble, hazelnut, and fresh berries! Make the creamy dessert ahead of time and store in the fridge until you're ready to top with whipped cream and nutty crumbly toppings. Find the recipe and how to for this custard based dessert on thewoodandspoon.com

A few weeks ago, Brett and I traveled to Chicago to celebrate my 29-ish (ok, 30th) birthday. The weekend was packed with SO MUCH FUN AND DELICIOUSNESS that I knew I just had to tell you guys all about it. Oh, and we’re going to talk about chocolate budino too, so happy birthday to everyone apparently.

Have you been to Chicago? It’s literally the best. The town is clean and beautiful with amazing restaurants, architecture, and shopping to boot. If cool food, professional sports, and really nice locals are your thing, Chicago is where it’s at.

Where We Stayed

We stayed downtown at the Loews Hotel and spent pretty much every waking moment eating and navigating the city. Although the shopping and tourist attractions were all pretty stellar, the hands-down highlight was the architecture tour along the river. Taking in the city from a boat on a sunny day was a treat I won’t soon forget.

And Friends Came, Too!

Another day was spent with my dearest friend, Trisha, and her husband who drove from Indianapolis to surprise me for my b-day! This girl has a brand new baby boy at home and still made the trek to hug my neck and celebrate- isn’t that golden? We had a few meals, shopped, and experienced the view from the 96th floor of the John Hancock building during our time together. Let’s raise a glass to the besties that love us well.

In the evenings, we hung out with my brother, Blake, who lives in downtown Chicago. While together, we visited some of my very favorite restaurants in the city and spared no calorie to make sure that we enjoyed the full culinary experience. My brother is a super adventurous eater and really appreciates good food, so it was next-level amazing to have him join our dining squad.

On our last day in Chicago, we had brunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Little Goat Diner, and went to see the Broadway musical Hamilton. If theatre or American history or hip-hop or ridiculous musical talent is your thing, THIS SHOW IS FOR YOU. I laughed, I cried, I danced in my seat- this show literally blew my mind and I’m dying to go again. If you have the opportunity to see this show, DOOOO IT.

Be sure to check out my list of Chicago faves below. In a city with a thousand wonderful things to do, I hope you’ll make time for at least one or two of these on your next trip.

Chocolate Budino

While in Chicago, we ate dinner at Monteverde, a 2017 James Beard Award winning chef’s restaurant. We ordered things like pesto gnocchi and pumpkin ravioli, but the winner for me was the butterscotch budino. If you’re not familiar, budino is basically a rich Italian take on pudding, sometimes smooth and creamy like a custard, other times light and eggy like a souffle. Always wanting to appease my pudding-loving husband, I started tinkering with a chocolate budino recipe a few months ago, and I am thrilled to share the outcome with you today.

This chocolate budino is not your average Snack Pack. There’s no artificial chocolate powder flavor here; this thing doesn’t taste like a Yoo-Hoo. This version of chocolate budino tastes like CHOCOLATE- rich and buttery with the perfect amount of sweetness, but otherwise decidedly chocolate in flavor. Making chocolate budino is quite similar to making a homemade pudding, and once you know the base recipe there are three different topping variations that you can try. Seriously, I see this coming to an intimate dinner party near you.

Making the Budino

To make the chocolate budino, we start at the stove. Gently heat some whole milk and cream while you mix together the dry ingredients- cocoa powder, cornstarch, and sugar. A few egg yolks are whisked into the dry ingredients before the steaming dairy is added to the mix. We add the hot liquids in a slow and careful stream, whisking vigorously the whole time to ensure that we don’t scramble our egg yolks in the process. Once the milk and cream have been added, we pour the whole lot of it back into the saucepan on the stove and cook, continuing to whisk, until the mixture has thickened slightly to the consistency of a thick and creamy salad dressing.

Next, we lower the heat and add the remaining ingredients of chocolate, salt, vanilla, and butter, stirring to combine. Immediately divvy the pudding into small heat-safe containers and rest a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of each one to make sure that the pudding doesn’t form a skin (yuck).

Serving the Budino

This chocolate budino can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge just until the time of serving. I like to let mine warm up on the counter for a few minutes prior to serving so that you can realllllly taste the chocolate. While they sit out, you can begin assembling the toppings for these treats! Fresh whipped cream is a must, but from there you have some choices to make. I’ve included instructions for a berry topping, a chocolate crumble (adapted from this cake!), and hazelnut praline. All options are terrific, so pick how you want your chocolate budino and get to work! You won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for always letting me jabber on about desserts and traveling. If you have any must-see spots in Chicago, PLEASE, tell me about them! And if there’s another city you think I need to eat my way through, please inform me so that I can begin negotiations with Brett. Ha! Enjoy these chocolate budinos and cheers to you!

Where We Ate in Chicago:

Little Goat Diner

My favorite dish (This Little Piggy Went To China) is from here!

Monteverde

Italian cuisine with house-made pasta and loads of global influence.

Girl and the Goat

Global food served in a family-style setting.

Au Cheval

The best burger and garlic fries in Chicago.

Avec

Rustic Mediterranean small plates and home of the best Chorizo-stuffed dates.

Bavette’s

A classic steakhouse with French flair.

Nico Osteria

A daily-changed menu serving housemade pasta and Italian seafood.

Fat Rice

A mix of Asian, African, and Indian cuisine served in the COOLEST atmosphere.

Pequod’s

Perfect Chicago deep-dish pizza. We called ahead and ordered carry-out to avoid a wait!

The Purple Pig

Highly acclaimed Chicago favorite serving New American cuisine in a shared-plate atmosphere.

RL Restaurant

American food served in a unique club atmosphere.

Sweet Mandy B’s

Buy as many cookies as you can fit in your carry-on.

Floriole

A fantastic bakery with some of the flakiest, most buttery pasties I’ve ever had.

Where We Drank in Chicago:

Three Dots and A Dash

The coolest tiki lounge in The Loop!

The Signature Lounge

Cocktails from the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building!

Velvet Hour

A moody bar with a speak-easy vibe.

Cindy’s Rooftop

My favorite spot for day drinking in Chicago.

Intelligentsia Coffee

A Chicago-born coffee company with a terrific brew.

Lost Lake

A tiki bar with and island aesthetic.

Things We Did in Chicago:

Millenium Park to check out The Bean!

Shopping on Michigan Ave.

River architecture tour

Hamilton– the best broadway show I’ve ever seen.

Shopping on Armitage

Took in the view from the top of the John Hancock Building

Places I’m Dying to Try Next Time in Chicago:

Three Arts Club Cafe

Bohemian House

Velvet Taco

Big Star Tacos

Publican Quality Meats

Milk Room

For more posts like this, check out:

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Coffee Almond Scones and Our Time in Portland

BBC Popsicles and Our Time in St. Barth’s

Chocolate Budino: Three Ways

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Chocolate budino, a rich pudding-like dessert, can be prepared in three ways- with a chocolate crumble, with a berry topping, or with a hazelnut praline!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 90
Yield: 4

Ingredients

For the budino:

1–1/4 cup (300 mL) whole milk
1/3 cup (80 mL) heavy cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup (30 gm) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (50 gm) sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the whipped cream:

¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar

For the chocolate crumble topping:

¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, room temperature
2–1/2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons (60 gm) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon water

For the berry topping:

1 cup mixed berries (I prefer blackberries and raspberries)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

For the hazelnut praline:

¼ cup (40 gm) chopped hazelnuts
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons butter, melted

Instructions

To prepare the budino:

Combine one cup of the whole milk and the heavy cream in a 6-quart saucepan on the stove. Turn the heat to medium-low while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, cocoa powder and sugar. Add the egg yolks and the remaining milk, whisking to combine.
Once the milk and cream on the stovetop are warmed and barely steaming, carefully remove one cup of the mixture and add it to the cornstarch mixture, whisking quickly all the while. Once combined, add the cornstarch and milk mixture back to the saucepan on the stove, whisking together constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. You’ll want the mixture to become a viscous consistency, similar to the texture of a creamy salad dressing.
Turn the heat to low and add in the salt, chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Whisk quickly to combine and melt the chocolate and then remove from the heat immediately. Pour into four heat-safe containers and place a small sheet of plastic wrap on top so that a skin does not form on the top of the pudding.

To prepare the whipped cream:

Place the cold cream in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium speed until slightly thickened and frothy, then add the sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat just until medium stiff peaks form. Keep in the fridge until you plan to serve the budino.

To prepare the chocolate crumble topping:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Beat the butter and sugar on medium low speed until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on low until large crumbs begin to form. Chill the crumbs in the freezer for about 5 minutes to set the crumbs.
Spread the crumbs out onto a quarter sheet pan and bake in the oven, tossing occasionally for about 15-20 minutes, or until crumbs are baked and set. All to cool completely.

To prepare the berry topping:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Mash larger berries to release juices and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and is bubbling. Remove from heat and cool completely.

To prepare the hazelnut praline:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all three ingredients and spread out on a small sheet pan.
Bake for about 5 minutes, then stir and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes. The nuts should be fragrant and crunchy with melted sugar. Allow to cool completely.

Notes

If desired, add 1/4 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) to the pudding.
As an alternative to the hazelnut praline, consider making cookies to top the pudding! Check out my recipe for butter pecan cookies. Substitute hazelnuts for pecans and crumble baked and cooled cookies over top of the pudding.
Switch out these toppings for some of your favorites. Salted caramel, pretzels, shortbread cookies, toffee sauce and bananas, and any other number of items would taste delicious here! Change according to your preferences.

Recipe for the budino adapted from Nigella Lawson

Honey Mascarpone Tart with Figs and Salty Graham Cracker Crust

67 Comments / Confections and Candies, Pies and Tarts

Honey Mascarpone Tart By The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a simple, summer dessert. A no-bake cheesecake tart of sorts with a salty press in graham cracker and a creamy cheese filling. The tart is naturally sweetened with honey and is topped with toasted pistachios and fresh figs. This dessert can be made ahead and is quick- it takes less than 30 minutes of prep time. Make this little tartlet in place of summer pies. Find the whole recipe and photos on thewoodandspoon.com

I know. You’re just dying to read all about this sassy little honey mascarpone tart that requires less than 10 ingredients and 30 minutes to prep. But first, I thought I’d spend a minute talking about making a home in a new city.

A Whole New World

When I moved to Selma, it was a culture shock. I’d moved around a good bit throughout my life, planting roots in upstate New York, rural Kentucky, and even central Florida, but not even my decade in Birmingham could prepare me for the small town life that awaited me in lower Alabama. The town of less than 20,000 operated at a slower, more relaxed pace of life. No Starbucks, no Whole Foods, no movie theatre. Most of the people I met had lived there pretty much their whole life, and in a sea of new faces, I sweat under the heat of being the new kid.

I felt kinda like a square peg in a town filled with round holes. People were warm and inviting, but the level of kindness and hospitality around me was intimidating. I didn’t feel polite enough or talkative enough or Southern enough to fit in. My accent was different, and I dressed different, listened to different music. I wasn’t outdoorsy, I didn’t fry chicken, and I couldn’t give two craps about who won the Iron Bowl. I felt like an outsider.

Normal, social people, maybe ones with fewer insecurities and fears than I had, would have embraced the change. They probably would have welcomed the kindness and warmth that this small community shared so generously. They would have jumped at the chance to be known, to belong.

Change is Hard

But to be frank, it scared the mess out of me. I didn’t like the constant show of new faces and I missed the quick runs to Target and my favorite Thai restaurant. I cried in the shower and avoided going to the supermarket because I knew I would be met with unfamiliar faces and awkward conversation. It was as if I had amnesia, like I was lost in a foreign land and I didn’t know who or where I was.

Instead of dealing with it, I pushed back. I cut my hair and put on my best yankee accent. I turned my nose up to the beautiful tastes and sounds that were all around me, retreating to things that were more familiar- throwback playlists on my iPod, old Converse sneakers, and recipes that reminded me of home. Where was my own identity? The one that wasn’t just “Brett’s wife,” or “the new girl from Orlando.”?

Blossom Where You’re Planted

One day at work, I had a patient ask me how my transition to Selma was going. Obnoxiously, I cleared my throat and with an eye roll or two, I told him that my new life was harder than I thought it would be. The change was more than I expected. I’m honestly not sure what else was said in the conversation, or if I even responded with the grace that man deserved, but what plays clear as black and white in the reel of my memories is the look on his face and the gentle words that came next: “My Mama always told me, ‘Blossom where you’re planted.’ I sure hope you take the chance to bloom here, ma’am.”

Those words affected me. They exposed a stubborn seed of pride in my heart that was unwilling to bend for my new home in any way. I was so busy with my self-deprecation and mourning the loss of outlet malls that I forget to look for the silver lining. I failed to seek out the gold in Selma, the gold in its people.

A lot has transpired in the four year since that day. I won’t say much about it now, but what I will share is that Selma has become a home. There are roots now, woven snug to some of the most intimate parts of who I am. Roots that connect me to memories of my children, new smells and flavors, and faces of people who have become “forever friends.” There’s buds here, signs of new life and growth, and I’m certain now more than ever that Selma is the soil I want to blossom in.

Honey Mascarpone Tart

Every summer since moving to Selma, I’ve found myself with a basket of figs. My father-in-law has a gigantic fig tree at his home, so when the tree’s fruit ripens, I strap on some boots and sweat, sweat, sweat for the love of sweet summer fruit. Preserves come first, and we enjoy that bounty all year round on toast and biscuits, even inside some sweet little pop-tarts that I plan to share with you all next month. This year, I made a few extra trips to pick figs and this honey mascarpone tart is the result.

A simple, 8 ingredient tart, requiring less than 30 minutes of prep work and zero use of the oven, this honey mascarpone tart is a beautiful vehicle for late summer’s freshest fruits. I’ve chosen to pair mine with figs, but I think any cherry, peach, or berry would find themselves more than at home on this little beauty.

Making the Tart

To make this honey mascarpone tart, we start by preparing the crust. Salty, soft, and unabashedly buttery, the graham cracker crust here is anything but subtle. It is the perfect match for the creamy, lightly sweetened cream and fresh figs. A simple stir of graham cracker crumbs, butter, salt, and brown sugar and you’re halfway there to creating the best no-bake honey graham crust a gal could ask for. Press the crumbs into the removable bottom of a tart pan and let the whole thing chill up in the fridge.

The Filling

Next, make the filling. Mascarpone cheese, honey, and brown sugar are the main stars here. After combining all three, fold in some whipped cream and spread it into the chilled crust. At that point, the honey mascarpone tart could really be finished. I could easily polish off the entire thing without even blinking an eye. Instead, let’s decorate it with some fresh summer fruit, a handful of pistachios, and a drizzle of honey. YOLO, okay?

This honey mascarpone tart feels special. It feels like a dessert worth celebrating over, and yet, it’s just a few simple ingredients that shine their brightest when paired together. Light and fresh, a chilled slice of this honey mascarpone tart is just the ticket on these warm summer nights we’re having. It’s easy enough for a weeknight at home, decadent enough to raise a toast to.

Give this honey mascarpone tart a try and let me know what you think! Happy Thursday!

If you like this honey mascarpone tart, be sure to check out:

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts

Bruleed Key Lime Pies

Blueberry Galette with a Cornmeal Crust

Honey Mascarpone Tart

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.3 from 9 reviews

This honey mascarpone tart is a quick and simple mascarpone cream dessert with a salty graham cracker crust. The tart is finished with fresh figs and toasted pistachios.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 240
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust:

1/3 cup (70 gm) brown sugar, packed
2 cups (200 gm) graham cracker crumbs
¾ teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (100 gm) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

8 ounces (230 gm) mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup plus 1/3 cup (320 mL) heavy whipping cream
1–2 cups of fresh figs, halved (peaches, berries, or cherries can be substituted)
¼ cup (40 gm) chopped pistachios, toasted (optional)
Additional honey for drizzling (optional)

Instructions

To prepare the crust:

Whisk together the brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until well combined. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of a 9-10” tart pan with a removable bottom. Place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.

To prepare the filling:

In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese on medium speed until creamed and no lumps remain, about 1 minute. Be sure the cheese has come to room temperature or you will have a clumpy filling. Add the brown sugar and beat to combine, about 30 seconds. Add in the honey slowly with the mixer on low. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat for an additional 30 seconds to ensure everything is well combined.
In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup of the heavy cream on medium low speed until it gets frothy. Increase the speed and beat until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.
Fold about half of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Add the remaining half and fold to combine. If you notice your filling is a bit clumpy, add in the additional 1/3 cup of cream and beat briefly to smooth out.
Spread the filling into the prepared tart crust and allow to chill in the fridge for several hours to firm up. Once ready to serve, garnish the tart or each slice with figs, pistachios, and an extra drizzle of honey, if desired. Store in the fridge up to 3 days.

Notes

In a pinch, you can use cream cheese in place of mascarpone, but I highly encourage the mascarpone! It works perfectly with the honey.
If your mascarpone curdles a bit when you add the honey, try refrigerating it and then re-mixing. I have found this helps to minimize the curdles. Most of the lumps disappear with the addition of the whipped cream anyways.

Homemade Chocolates

10 Comments / Confections and Candies

This is a public service announcement to the men of the world. Listen closely, boys, because I’m only going to remind you of this one time. Are you ready? Here it goes:

Next Tuesday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day. DO. NOT. BLOW IT.

On Valentine’s Day

Back in high school, performance on Valentine’s Day was everything. Giant teddy bear? Check. Heart shaped balloons and bouquets of carnations? Check, check. Brian McKnight/ KC and JoJo mix tapes and folded loves notes shoved through the vent of your locker? Might as well be the boyfriend starter kit.

Once you get to college, things escalate a bit. Dinner dates, rose bouquets, and jewelry are the new gifting norms, although, if you can land a guy who opts for concert tickets and cooking classes, YOU ARE WINNING AT EVERYTHING.

Unfortunately, after college and into adulthood, Valentine’s Day loses a bit of its luster. Babysitters are impossible to book, restaurants are too crowded, and somehow, husbands think items like dustbusters and shower curtain liners qualify as legitimate gift options (they don’t, BTW). It’s no wonder that people get fed up with Valentine’s Day. What’s there to love about overpriced retail gimmicks and packing into movie theaters with a bunch of hormonal, sweaty-palmed middle schoolers whose moms think they’re watching the newest Pixar film with their “friends” (they’re not, BTW).

A Tip to the Guys

Guys, I’m going to break it down for you as plainly as I can. Please, let me make it simple for you. Are you ready?

EVERY GIRL LIKES VALENTINE’S DAY.

Yep. You heard me right. That includes your girlfriend who boycotts Hallmark and laughs at the nervous kid wearing a tie and sport coat to his first date. It includes your wife who claims flowers are a waste of money, but gives you the silent treatment when you come home empty handed. And it evens includes the gal who begs you not to give her a gift and says you celebrate her love every other day of the year.

No matter what they tell you, every woman wants a gesture of love on Valentine’s Day, and I know this will come as a shock to you husbands out there, but it almost always has nothing to do with… *cough* you know what. (Literally, the brains of guys everywhere are spontaneously combusting right now.)

What Women Really Want

You know what we want? We want chocolate. And not just any average heart-shaped, store bought, golden box of chocolates. We want delicious, melt in your mouth homemade chocolates, made by the sweat of your brow and at the expense of your time spent with a remote in your hand. Specifically, we want these bourbon pecan, peanut butter cup, and coconut almond chocolates. There. Now you know. So let’s get to it.

Homemade Chocolates

These homemade chocolates are no bake and are made with just a few basic store bought ingredients. I decided to include a few variations of homemade chocolates so that there’s an option for almost everyone, but primarily so that the overachiever boyfriends can impress their ladies with an assortment of all three. But girls, don’t be afraid to get in there and make these for your man too! If he’s got a sweet tooth like mine does, just a few of these beauties will go a long way and he will be grateful you passed on the conversation hearts and sappy card.

Bourbon Pecan

First up is bourbon pecan. If you’ve ever had the Southern treat of “Bourbon Balls,” you can expect something quite similar here. With a dark chocolate shell, these little bourbon pecan homemade chocolates are filled with powdered sugar, toasted pecans, and premium booze. These are perfect for the bourbon lover in your life, or someone who loves their desserts extra dark and extra sweet.

Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut butter cups take homemade chocolates to the next level. Everyone loves the store-bought variety of peanut butter cups, but have you ever had one literally melt upon impact with your mouth? Prepare for that here. These peanut butter cups are RICH, filled with a fluffy peanut butter cream filling and coated with smooth milk chocolate. A crowd favorite, if you’re ever in doubt, just go in this direction.

Coconut Almond Chocolates

Finally, my favorite of these homemade chocolates, the coconut almond chocolate. Filled with sweetened coconut and a little extra sugar, these little friends are coated in a milk chocolate blend and topped with a single toasted almond. Anyone who knows anything about candy will know what a treat they’re in for when they spy these little friends. For a nut-free option, leave off the almond and top with a few flakes of toasted coconut or a sprinkle of sea salt. Perfection!

These homemade chocolates require some special equipment like a mini muffin tin and little waxed paper cups for the candies, but the assembly is quite simple. In a pinch, you can used paper mini muffin liners, although, beware that some stickage can happen. And if you’re not a fan of dark or milk chocolate, feel free to swap up the top used in the recipes! I like each chocolate as the recipe is written, but certainly you can switch it up if desired.Any man friend that takes the time to muster these up for his lady is worth his weight in ~~gold~~ chocolate and has certainly outdone himself on Valentine’s Day. You should give these homemade chocolates a try for your significant other, friends, co-workers, or secret admirer- they’re sure to overflow with heart eyes and appreciation.

On the off chance that your special someone doesn’t like chocolate, let me encourage you to just let them know they’re loved in a special way. You probably already know what types of things make their heart skip a beat, so I’d challenge you to go the extra mile to make someone feel like a million bucks next Tuesday. Happy weekend, Happy Valentine’s Day, Happy #monthofchocolate, and as always, cheers to you!

Bourbon Pecan Chocolates

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These homemade chocolates includes peanut butter cups, bourbon pecan candy balls, and coconut almond candies. No bake, easy to assemble, simple gift option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 28

Ingredients

1 cup bittersweet chocolate
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1–1/2 cups powdered sugar
1–1/2 tablespoons bourbon
½ cup pecans, finely chopped, divided

Instructions

In a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together. Stir frequently to ensure that the chocolate does not get too hot. If you allow the chocolate to become too hot, it could seize up, so be sure to keep the water on medium-low heat. Once melted, set off to the side while you prepare your filling.
In the meantime, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and bourbon in a medium sized bowl. Once fluffy and smooth, stir in ¼ cup of pecans. Set in the fridge to chill briefly.
Line a mini muffin pan with waxed paper candy cups. Fill a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip) with approximately half of the melted chocolate and snip the tip of it off, being sure to not cut too large of a hole or allow all of the chocolate to drip out immediately. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of chocolate in to the bottom of each of the paper candy cups and then set the plastic bag aside. Use a small instrument (I use a small clean paint brush or the end of a chopstick) to paint the chocolate up the sides of the paper candy cup, coating up at least half of the height of the paper. This prevents the filling from showing out the sides of the chocolate once the candies are assembled. If you don’t care if the filling shows, you can skip this step. Once covered, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill for about 5 minutes.
Once firmed up, scoop teaspoon sized rounds of the bourbon pecan filling into the bottom of each cup. You can lightly wet your finger and gently smooth out the top of the filling to make a flatter mound.
Add more chocolate to your plastic bag and then top the filling with an additional teaspoon of chocolate. Use your paint brush to smooth out the chocolate and cover the filling completely, and then gently rap your pan on the counter to smooth and settle all three layers of the candy. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining pecans. Allow them to rest in the mini muffin tin in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. Store candies in the fridge for up to two weeks. The candies may form a white film on the chocolate if stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.

Peanut Butter Cups

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These homemade chocolates includes peanut butter cups, bourbon pecan candy balls, and coconut almond candies. No bake, easy to assemble, simple gift option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 24

Ingredients

1–1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1–1/2 tablespoons shortening
½ cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
pinch of salt
½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

In a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together. Stir frequently to ensure that the chocolate does not get too hot. If you allow the chocolate to become too hot, it could seize up, so be sure to keep the water on medium-low heat. Once melted, set off to the side while you prepare your filling.
In the meantime, cream together the peanut butter and butter in a medium sized bowl. Add the salt and powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy. Set in the fridge to chill briefly.
Line a mini muffin pan with waxed paper candy cups. Fill a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip) with approximately half of the melted chocolate and snip the tip of it off, being sure to not cut too large of a hole or allow all of the chocolate to drip out immediately. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of chocolate in to the bottom of each of the 24 paper candy cups and then set the plastic bag aside. Use a small instrument (I use a small clean paint brush or the end of a chopstick) to paint the chocolate up the sides of the paper candy cup, coating up at least half of the height of the paper. This prevents the filling from showing out the sides of the chocolate once the candies are assembled. If you don’t care if the filling shows, you can skip this step. Once covered, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill for about 5 minutes.
Once firmed up, scoop teaspoon sized rounds of the peanut butter filling into the bottom of each cup. You can lightly wet your finger and gently smooth out the top of the peanut butter to make a flatter mound of filling.
Add more chocolate to your plastic bag and then top each peanut butter mound with an additional teaspoon of chocolate. Use your paint brush to smooth out the chocolate and cover the peanut butter completely, and then gently rap your pan on the counter to smooth and settle all three layers of the candy. Allow them to rest in the mini muffin tin in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. Store candies in the fridge for up to two weeks. The candies may form a white film on the chocolate if stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.

Almond Coconut Chocolates

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These homemade chocolates includes peanut butter cups, bourbon pecan candy balls, and coconut almond candies. No bake, easy to assemble, simple gift option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 30

Ingredients

2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1–1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1–1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
3 tablespoons corn syrup
¾ cup powdered sugar
30 whole almonds, toasted

Instructions

In a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together. Stir frequently to ensure that the chocolate does not get too hot. If you allow the chocolate to become too hot, it could seize up, so be sure to keep the water on medium-low heat. Once melted, set off to the side while you prepare your filling.
In the meantime, beat together the butter, coconut, corn syrup, and powdered sugar in a medium sized bowl. If you wish for a smoother, less clumpy filling, feel free to whiz the mixture in a food chopped briefly. Set the filling in the fridge to chill briefly.
Line a mini muffin pan with waxed paper candy cups. Fill a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip) with approximately half of the melted chocolate and snip the tip of it off, being sure to not cut too large of a hole or allow all of the chocolate to drip out immediately. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of chocolate in to the bottom of each of the paper candy cups and then set the plastic bag aside. Use a small instrument (I use a small clean paint brush or the end of a chopstick) to paint the chocolate up the sides of the paper candy cup, coating up at least half of the height of the paper. This prevents the filling from showing out the sides of the chocolate once the candies are assembled. If you don’t care if the filling shows, you can skip this step. Once covered, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill for about 5 minutes.
Once firmed up, scoop teaspoon sized rounds of the filling into the bottom of each cup. I like to roll teaspoon sized balls in the palm of my hand and then flatten slightly to make flat round disks that fit inside the paper liners.
Add more chocolate to your plastic bag and then top the filling with an additional teaspoon of chocolate. Use your paint brush to smooth out the chocolate and cover the filling completely, and then gently rap your pan on the counter to smooth and settle all three layers of the candy. Place a single toasted almond on top of each candy. Allow them to rest in the mini muffin tin in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. Store candies in the fridge for up to two weeks. The candies may form a white film on the chocolate if stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

12 Comments / Confections and Candies, Pies and Tarts

We stress ourselves out, don’t we? We plan too much, do too much, squeeze too much in at the last minute. We run and push and accept a few jobs that we have no business taking. But this is Christmas. These few weeks of the year are precious and valuable and not meant to be squandered away on to-do lists and stressful tasks. The hours of these days should be spent on laughter and hugs and gratitude. So if you’re in over your head this Christmas, today’s recipe, cookie butter pretzel mousse, is for you. This recipe will give you something delightful to share with your loved ones and spare you from burning the midnight oil in the kitchen. Interested yet? Well then let’s get to it!

Cookie butter pretzel mousse is a sweet and salty dessert made up of a cream cheese and cookie butter whip, topped with buttery, brown sugar pretzel crumbs and whipped cream. We start by preparing the pretzel crumbs by combining crushed pretzels, melted butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Once the mixture is fully combined, we set the crumbles aside to cool. Meanwhile, the cookie butter gets whipped with a bit of sugar and cream cheese. Once creamy and smooth, whipped cream is folded in to create a fluffy, cloudlike mousse that it out of this world. Once thoroughly folded in, you can begin to assemble your little mousse cups! I prepared mine in individual jars, but if you don’t have small Weck or Ball jars at home you could easily assemble these in low ball glasses, champagne coupes (hello, NYE!), or even small plastic cups.

Start to finish, these cookie butter pretzel mousse cups take less than 30 minutes to make, and the outcome is a stunning dessert that will blow each and every one of your holiday guests away. So chill out, love someone this weekend, and spend a little less time in the kitchen by sharing this delicious cookie butter pretzel mousse at your upcoming celebrations. I’ll also be sharing a recipe for sparkly champagne cupcakes that will make your New Year’s Eve bash extra boozy and fancy so check back for that in a few days as well. Cheers to you and have a merry week!

Cookie Butter Pretzel Mousse

Print Recipe

Cookie butter pretzel mouse is a creamy, sweet and salty mousse topped with buttery, brown sugar pretzel crumbs and fluffy whipped cream.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6

Ingredients

For the pretzel crumbs

4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rough crushes pretzels

For the mousse

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup cookie butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cream

For the whipped cream topping

1 cup cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

To prepare the pretzel crumbs

Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in the pretzel crumbs and set aside while you prepare the mousse and cream topping.

To prepare the mousse

Beat together the cream cheese and cookie butter on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure it becomes well combined. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whip together the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the cream into the cookie butter mixture. Once combined, fold the remaining whipped cream in. Set aside while you prepare the whipped cream topping.

To prepare the whipped cream topping

Beat the cream on medium low speed until it begins to froth slightly. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and then continue beating just until stiff peaks form.

To assemble the cookie butter mousse cups

Using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe the mousse mixture into 6- 6 ounce glass jars. You will add approximately 1/3-1/2 cup of the mixture to each jar. Alternatively, you can just scoop the mixture in to a bowl or the jars if you don’t have a piping bag, or use a plastic bag with the end clipped off to pipe it in. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the pretzel crumbs over top of the mousse and then top with a large dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with any remaining pretzel crumbs and then serve!

Notes

These can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days but are best eaten right away as the pretzel crumbs will lose their crunch over time.
Do no use low fat or unsalted pretzels. Also avoid use large pretzel rods or nuggets.