Category: COOKIES, BARS & CANDY

Caramel Apple Raisin Dimsum Dumplings


CARAMEL APPLE RAISIN DIMSUM DUMPLIINGS
2 large apples, peeled, cored & chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons golden rum
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
Melissa’s Dimsum dumpling wrappers
Frying oil (with a neutral flavor)
  • Soak raisins in the rum for an hour before preparing the apples.
  • Toss apples and raisins with the lemon juice.
  • Sift together the dry ingredients.
  • Toss the apple mixture with the dry mixture until well coated.
  • Add vanilla and cream until well blended.
  • Melt butter in cast iron skillet (preferred). Add apple mixture and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender.
  • Fill each dumpling wrapper with a heaping teaspoon of the apple mixture.
  • Wet and seal the edges.
  • Bring oil to a frying heat.
  • Add several of the dumplings, but do not crowd the pan. Cook until golden brown.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Sprinkle with powder sugar or cinnamon sugar.
  • Serve with french vanilla ice cream.

Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday
Favorite Ingredient Friday is hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cakes [22]

Simply Delicious Sunday

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUP CAKES
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup JIF creamy peanut butter
1 pound powdered sugar (1 box)
1 1/2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
16 ounces milk chocolate chips
8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • Melt the chocolate chips until smooth and set aside to cool.
  • Cream the butter and peanut butter.
  • Add the sugar and blend until smooth.
  • Add the crushed vanilla wafers and blend until well mixed.
  • Spray a muffin tin with PURE.
  • With your fingers, press a small portion of mix into the well of each muffin tin, flattening along the sides and bottom of each muffin cup.
  • Beat together the chocolate and cream cheese until smooth and well blended.
  • Fill the wells of each muffin to desired height.
  • Chill until firm.
If you like to play along, please add this button, link to this post with your recipe. Since Mr. Linky has been so flaky, please include your link and recipe name in your comment and I will generate a list on each week’s post for everyone to link to instead of using Mr. Linky. Don’t forget to leave a comment and visit everyone.

Alice at Alice’s Restaurant offers us Quick Biscuits
Christina at Enchanted Hovel offers us Salsa and Guacamole
Emily at Marvelous Recipes offers us Italian Chicken
Kristen at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker offers us Homemade Pretzels
Sherrie at 100 Sweets offers us Pumpkin Pie

What is this all about? Go here for all the details.

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GOLDEN CAKE with CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING

In an effort to clean out my magazines and cookbooklets, I’ve decided to join Magazine Mondays hosted by Cream Puffs in Venice. What I really like is that she isn’t strict about when you post so I can publish these yummy results as I find them.

GOLDEN CAKE with CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING
8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Lightly beat the egg yolks.
  • Add sugar gradually and then the boiling water gradually while continuously beating.
  • Add orange extract.
  • Sift flour and baking powder together 3 times.
  • Gradually beat into egg mixture.
  • Bake in an un-greased angel food or Bundt pan for 45 minutes.
  • Turn upside down and cool for an hour.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING

1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 ounces, unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons milk

  • Scald milk.
  • Add milk slowly to sugar until thick enough to hold its shape.
  • Add melted chocolate, vanilla and butter. Beat until smooth.
  • Let stand 10 minutes before frosting the cooled cake.

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Apple Maple Croustade

APPLE MAPLE CROUSTADE (TART)
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
2 apples, cored, peeled and sliced thin
powdered sugar
French Vanilla ice cream

  • Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature until it’s easy to handle (about 45 minutes).
  • Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
  • Line a baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • Beat the egg and water together with a fork in a small bowl.
  • Mix the cornstarch, granulated sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Stir in the maple syrup.
  • Add the apples and toss to coat.
  • Put a piece wax paper on a work surface and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
  • Unfold the pastry sheet on the sugar.
  • Roll the sheet into a 12 x 10-inch square/rectangle. Place on a baking sheet.
  • Brush the edges of the rectangle with water. Fold over the edges 1/2 inch on all sides, pressing firmly with a fork to form a rim.
  • Spoon the apples into the center of the pastry crust.
  • Lift the edge of the crust and fold it up about 2 inches toward the center over the apples. Repeat with the adjacent section of pastry, letting each section gently rest over the next fold. Be careful not to crush the fruit.
  • Brush with the egg mixture.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. S
  • ift additional confectioners’ sugar over tart.
  • Serve warm with French Vanilla ice cream.

If you like to play along, please add this button, link to this post with your recipe and sign Mr. Linky. Be sure to include your recipe in parenthesis following your name. Thanks and have fun. Don’t forget to leave a comment and visit everyone.

What is this all about? Go here for all the details.

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Chocolate Bavarian Cream

I’m going to post this early since today is Joy’s Chocolate round-up! Be sure to stop by and see all the decadent and delectable chocolate recipes.


Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Jen over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Favorite Ingredient Friday is hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy
Vintage Recipe Thursday is hosted by Joy of desserts

Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday

CHOCOLATE BAVARIAN CREAM
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup chocolate base (recipe follows)
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup water
dash salt
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla

  • Soak gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes to soften.
  • In a double boiler whisk together the chocolate base, water, milk and salt until smooth.
  • Beat the egg yolks together until smooth.
  • When chocolate mix is hot, pour it over the egg yolks and blend them together. Return the mixture to the double boiler and cook until the custard coats a spoon. Add the gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.
  • Cool mixture slightly.
  • Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add to the cooled mixture along with the vanilla.
  • Pour into bowls or molds or use as a filling between cake layers. I use a sheet of wax paper on the top to prevent refrigerator ‘film’.
  • Chill until firm.

CHOCOLATE BASE
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups evaporated milk
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
dash salt

  • In a double boiler melt chocolate squares.
  • Sift sugar and cocoa together.
  • Add to chocolate. Blend well.
  • Add 1 3/4 cup of the evaporated milk and stir until well mixed.
  • Cook until thick, stirring occasionally.
  • Beat until cool.
  • Add remaining milk, vanilla and salt.
  • Cool and refrigerate.

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Chocolate Round Up Time and Tasty Tuesday

Jen over at Balancing Bedlam and Beauty is hosting Tasty Tuesday as a new weekly meme and Joy over at Joy of Desserts is hosting this yearly chocolate round-up.

ROCKY ROAD COOKIES
12 ounces milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup peanuts
1 1/2 cups rice krispies
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

  • Melt chocolate until smooth.
  • Add peanut butter and blend well.
  • Add peanuts, rice krispies and marshmallows. Mix until well coated.
  • Spoon onto wax paper.
  • Leave them in a cool place to set up (about 2 hours)
FUDGY PEANUT BUTTER SAUCE
1/2 cup Karo light corn syrup
1/2 cup JIF creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup Hershey’s chocolate syrup

  • Blend all together until smooth.
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Fountain of youth ~ the chocolate continues to flow…

Okay, so it’s still not really the fountain of youth, but chocolate always makes me think of being a kid so I’m still hoping they were connected. Here are a couple more recipes to get us more in the mood for Joy’s upcoming Chocolate round-up.

CHURCH COOKIES
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Jumbo egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Melt chocolate until smooth. Set aside.
  • Beat egg whites with salt until foamy.
  • Gradually add sugar and keep beating until stiff peaks form.
  • Add vinegar and vanilla.
  • Add chocolate and nuts.
  • Drop onto greased cookie sheet.
  • Bake 10 minutes.
  • Cool on wire rack.
  • Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

HOT FUDGE SAUCE
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • Bring water to a boil and add butter.
  • Sift sugar, cocoa, flour and salt together.
  • Add dry ingredients to saucepan and cook until thick, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from heat and stir vanilla in.
  • Serve immediately.
  • Refrigerate leftovers and reheat as necessary in microwave.

CHOCOLATE BALLS
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Jumbo egg
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Cream sugar and butter together.
  • Add the egg, chocolate, salt and flour, mixing well with beater.
  • Form into walnut size balls.
  • Bake on an un-greased cookie sheet 10-12 minutes. DO NOT over bake.
  • Sift powdered sugar over the cookies while still warm OR for more decadence allow cookies to cool and coat in white chocolate almond bark.

CHOCOLATE VELVET & COFFEE CREAM FROSTING
This is a great looks and tastes like you worked all day (but you didn’t) dessert to serve at buffet or holiday.
CHOCOLATE CREAM
8 ounces sweet chocolate
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 envelopes KNOX unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

  • Melt chocolate pieces with 1 1/2 cups milk in a double boiler.
  • Dissolve the gelatin into the remaining milk.
  • Beat the chocolate mixture until smooth.
  • Add in the gelatin mixture, sugar and salt.
  • Cool mixture until it begins to thicken.
  • Add in the light cream, vanilla, almond flavoring and whipped heavy cream.
  • Mix until smooth.
  • Rinse Bundt pan in COLD water.
  • Pour mixture into Bundt pan.
  • Chill until firm.

FROSTING
2 teaspoons instant coffee, finely ground twice
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
shaved sweet chocolate

  • Sprinkle the coffee over the cream.
  • When coffee has dissolved add the vanilla and whip the cream stiff, adding the sugar as you beat.
  • Unmold the chocolate cream onto a flat platter.
  • Pour the coffee cream over top and garnish with shaved chocolate.

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Orange Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

The original recipe didn’t have chocolate chips and I thought was way to bland. So I increased the salt, added the chocolate chips and another fun substitution is to use half butter and half peanut butter.
ORANGE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
1 cup butter*
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 Jumbo eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cup orange juice (with pulp)
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup milk chocolate chips

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cream butter, sugars and eggs.
  • Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda.
  • Gradually add to butter mixture.
  • When well mixed gradually and alternately add orange juice and oatmeal until well blended.
  • Add the chocolate chips first and then fold in the raisins.
  • Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 12 minutes.
  • Cool on wire rack.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator!
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Apricot Pineapple Monkey Bread aka Bubble Bread

APRICOT PINEAPPLE MONKEY BREAD*
BREAD
1 cup scalded milk
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1teaspoon salt
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup rum
1/2 cup minced walnuts
2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 Jumbo eggs, beaten
4 1/2 – 5 cups flour
TOPPING
20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, super firmly packed
1/2 cup apricot pineapple preserves**
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2+ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins*
1/4 cup rum*

  • Soften the yeast in the warm water.
  • Stir together the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
  • Soak the raisins in the rum until needed. Drain before adding to the bread.
  • Combine the milk, shortening, sugar and salt. Cool to lukewarm.
  • Add yeast to milk mixture and then the eggs, the raisins and nuts.
  • Add the flour. Mix to a soft dough.
  • Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Turn over once, cover with a cheesecloth and let rise until double in size.
  • Punch down and let stand ten minutes.
  • Prepare the topping while the dough is standing.
  • Melt the butter in a saucepan.
  • Add the preserves, brown sugar, cinnamon and almond extract. Cook until smooth and fairly thin.
  • Add the pineapple (and raisins if you’re using refrigerator rolls) and heat through.
  • Roll into many small balls about the size of golf balls.
  • Grease a Bundt cake pan. (I like to use my pineapple upside down cake pan.
  • Arrange a layer of the balls haphazardly in the cake pan.
  • Dribble about half the topping loosely over them.
  • Arrange the other half of the dough balls.
  • Pour remaining sauce over top.
  • Allow to rise until double in size (about 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours)
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.
  • Enjoy
*You can cheat and use 3 cans of refrigerator biscuits instead if you’re in a hurry. If you still want the raisins you can add them to the topping instead.
**You can use pretty much any flavor you want – I also use raspberry, peach and blackberry depending on my mood. A lot of times I combine the peach and blackberry half and half.

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Favorite Ingredient Friday ~ Salted Chocolate Cookie Drops

Hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy
This recipe was inspired by my good friend Barbara’s candy recipe for Salted Chocolate over at Kitchen Comforts.
SALTED CHOCOLATE COOKIE DROPS
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Hershey’s cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups (packed) brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 Heath bar, chopped into bits
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 10 ounces milk chocolate, chopped into small chips
  1. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugars, salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.
  4. Add the flour mixture and mix just until well blended.
  5. Add chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.
  6. Line baking sheets with silicone mats.
  7. Roll into 1 inch balls.
  8. Press down slightly as you place them on the baking mat about an inch apart.
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  10. If needed press down slightly with the back of the spatula as you remove them from the oven.
  11. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from mats.

Makes about 4-6 dozen cookies.

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Simply Delicious Sunday [3] ~ Chocolate Carrot Cake

Won’t you join us?

CHOCOLATE CARROT CAKE with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
cake
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup butter, softened
3 Jumbo eggs or 4 large
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup golden rum*
3 cups grated carrots
8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

  • Pour rum over raisins and set aside for at least an hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grease and flour 2-9 inch cake pans.
  • In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, cinnamon and sugars.
  • In another bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla and 1 egg. Add additional eggs and beat until well creamed.
  • Add dry ingredients gradually until well blended.
  • Add carrots, pineapple and walnuts until well blended.
  • Drain raisins and fold in last.
  • Pour batter into prepared pans.
  • Bake 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool 10 minutes.
  • Invert cakes onto rack and cool completely.
*As an option you could soak the carrots in orange juice instead and then substitute 1 teaspoon maple flavoring for the rum.

NOTE: To make this as the plain Rum Raisin Carrot Cake, just eliminate the cocoa.

frosting
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

  • In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  • Add lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until blended.
  • Add powdered sugar gradually until well blended and smooth.
  • Ice first layer and then add 2nd cake top and ice again including sides of cake.
  • Refrigerate 1 hour to set icing before serving.

I look forward to seeing your home style recipes! Don’t forget to link your specific recipe post link on Mr. Linky so we can see what’s cooking at your house! Be sure to put the title of your recipe in parenthesis! It makes it so much easier for everyone to search for recipes.

I also participate in the memes: Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie, Favorite Ingredient Friday hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy, Freezer Food Friday hosted by MJ at mjpuzzlemom, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks, Homemaker Mondays hosted by Robyn at 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven, Making a Happy Home Monday hosted by LL at As for me and my house…, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace, Slow Cooking Thursday & Tips on Tuesday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, $5 Dinners is hosted by Erin at $5 DInners and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace. Doing them all make great additions to help keeping me on track and finding so new recipes!

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