Homemade Brownies with Funfetti Frosting

At least once a week my 16 year old asks me to make him brownies. He really doesn't care what kind of brownies as long as they are rich, fudgy and most definitely none of that "cakey brownie nonsense". More often than not I laugh off his request since let's face it, if he had his choice, every day would be brownie day. However, once in a while I cave in and deliver, which makes me his favorite person in the world for at least that day!

Superbowl Sunday was a perfect occasion to add a little sweet treat to our menu that would also appease my brownie loving boy. So I spent way too much time pouring over recipes on Pinterest to find a brownie that would fit all the requirements of my 16 year old. Before I knew it, I had wasted spent an hour looking for "the one" when I came across these brownies. 

Rich and dense looking with a delicious frosting AND sprinkles. My teenager was sold. What was even more appealing to me was the one-bowl approach of the brownies itself, meaning they come together fast and without dirtying a lot of dishes. Once the brownies are cooled, the frosting is whipped up quickly and you have a scrumptious dessert in no time. Score for mom, mission accomplished!

Homemade Brownies with Funfetti Frosting
~makes one 9x13 pan~
(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

Brownies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract 
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
12 oz (ish) jar hot fudge sauce
Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. and 2 tsp Butter Vanilla Emulsion
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup ice cream sprinkles (find them near the ice cream)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 pan with foil (it makes the brownies easier to remove) and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa and melted butter. Stir in sugar until combined. Stir in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla and salt. Fold in flour JUST until you no longer see flour streaks in the batter. Gently fold in hot fudge sauce (you may need to heat it just enough to spoon/pour out of jar).

Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Brownies will look cakey on top and feel very dense -- that is normal. Let brownies cool completely.

Prepare frosting:
In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter and butter vanilla emulsion on medium speed until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar, a little at a time, until just combined. Add heavy cream and beat on high for about 1 minute, until fluffy and smooth. Fold in sprinkles.

Frost cooled brownies. For best results, cover and refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.

Note: Don't skip the butter vanilla emulsion as it lends the "funfetti" flavor to the frosting. You can either buy it online or find it at your local Walmart in the cake decorating/supply section.

Adapted from: Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Nutella Chocolate Cookies

Dear Mr. Pietro Ferrero, 

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for inventing "Pasta Gianduja" or as we have come to know it, Nutella, in 1946. Because of your incredible creation you have brought me hours at the gym joy in eating, and just as much happiness baking with this wonderful chocolaty goodness. It is rare that something that is quite simple in ingredients would sweep nations and cause almost "mass hysteria" when showcased in a dessert. You have done an outstanding public service, and for that I'm eternally grateful!

Sincerely,

Susi's Kochen und Backen Adventures

Oh yeah, my love for Nutella is like no other. I'm hardcore and prefer it straight up, with a spoon, but also can't pass up a great dessert made with this stuff. So it was only logical when I came across today's recipe and saw it was utilizing one whole cup of the brown gold, that I had to make it. Another good reason (or justification), all three of my kids are on spring break and we all know that kids and cookies go together hand in hand, right? This recipe makes for pretty thin, crispy cookies, but the center stays semi-soft. Most of my family prefers big thick chewy cookies, but I haven't heard any complaints so far and the batch is almost gone. 

This cookie doesn't look fancy, but don't let that deceive you. The batter is kicked up with the addition of Nutella, chopped hazelnuts and chocolate chips. Both of the latter ingredients mimicking Nutella and with that, the cookie is full of flavor and depth. 

The batch makes quite a lot of cookies, but after sending some to work with my husband and countless neighbor-kids "passing by", there are only a handful left. I had a couple of 9 year old boys tell me that I make the best homemade cookies. That made my day and earned this recipe a permanent spot in my recipe files. So, if you are like me and harbor a quite unnatural love for Nutella and cookies, don't wait to make these little guys. There is never a wrong time to bake cookies and these chocolaty gems taste great with a big tall glass of milk or a cup of coffee.

Nutella Chocolate Cookies

 ~makes 6 dozen~

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

1 cup Nutella

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter in an electric mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and Nutella and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Add the vanilla and mix for 10 seconds.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda (do not skip this step as sifting eliminates clumps of cocoa). Mix into the butter mixture on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the bottom and sides at least once to ensure even mixing. Fold in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts and refrigerate the dough for ten minutes.

Spoon tablespoon-sized drops of dough onto parchment or silpat lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Adapted from: Simply Recipes

St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes

 

Would you like to know how to make new friends? It's actually quite easy, first thing you have to be invited to a party. Secondly you need to make some very tasty "adult only" cupcakes and bring them along to said party. Lastly, sit back and enjoy watching everyone moan while eating those cupcakes. Follow all of these steps and I guarantee you will be an instant hit at any party. 

These cupcakes are made up of three distinct components. A chocolate Guinness cupcake filled with a white chocolate Bailey's truffle center and topped with Bailey's buttercream. Oh yeah, these little babies are laced with liquor and are somewhat reminiscent of a drink called an "Irish Car Bomb". It consists of a glass of Guinness along with Irish Whiskey and Bailey's Irish Cream. The whiskey is floated on top of the Irish Cream in a shot glass, and the shot glass is then dropped into the stout. Talk about potent!

Guinness and chocolate are a match made in heaven and I'm now officially in love with with this combination. You can't tell that the batter is made with beer, but it rather enhances the chocolate flavor and adds a rich undertone, almost reminding me of espresso. I also chose to go with an extra dark cocoa powder which along with the beer makes for a not too sweet cupcake which happens to be the perfect vessel for the truffle center and frosting. The truffle center is chopped white chocolate (I used Lindt) mixed with hot heavy cream, butter and Bailey's.  After the cupcake is baked I used an apple corer to remove part of my cupcakes so I could fill them with the truffle mixture. Putting the truffle mixture into a disposable pastry bag made filling the cakes a cinch.  I didn't even bother replacing the tops since I knew the holes would be covered by frosting anyway, and this way they ended up being my afternoon snack. The buttercream is simply butter with powdered sugar, and for additional flavor more Bailey's Irish Cream is incorporated.

These cupcakes were really a hot commodity at the party. People were pleasantly surprised, especially by the Guinness in the cupcake batter and every single person that tried them was in agreement that these cupcakes were pretty much one of the best ones they had ever eaten. So, if you are still looking for a little something to bring along to a St. Patrick's day celebration or just looking for a great dessert after that corned beef and cabbage, then this is your recipe. On Thursday make sure to wear something green, drink a green beer, but most of all have a happy St. Patrick's Day. Éirinn go Brách - Ireland Forever!

Also, make sure to check out some of my posts from the previous year when my blog was still in its infancy if you are looking for more St. Patrick's Day inspired recipes:

Glazed Corned Beef
Irish Colcannon Potatoes
Fried Cabbage
Irish Soda Bread
Shepherd's Pie
Irish Cream Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey's Truffle Centers and Bailey's Buttercream
 ~makes 24 cupcakes~ 
(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
For the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 cup Guinness beer
16 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

For the Bailey's Truffle Centers:
8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons Bailey's Irish cream

For the Bailey's Buttercream:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5-8 tablespoons Bailey's Irish cream

Directions:
For the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine the Guinness and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend. Add the Guinness/butter mixture and beat just to combine. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Bailey's Truffle Centers: Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, the pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, place the bowl over a double boiler or give it a very short burst in the microwave (15-20 seconds). Add the butter and Bailey's and stir until combined.

Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to be piped. (You can use the refrigerator to speed the cooling process, but be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure even cooling).

Meanwhile , cut out a portion from the center of each cooled cupcake with an apple corer or using the cone method (a small paring knife words best for this). Once the truffle mixture has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes.

For the Bailey's Buttercream: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated. Mix in the vanilla and Bailey's until smooth. Add more Bailey's if necessary until the frosting has reached a good consistency for piping or spreading. Frost the cupcakes as desired.

Slightly adapted from: Annie's Eats

Chocolate-Raspberry Marble Pound Cake with Chocolate-Raspberry Glaze

Do you ever cook or bake something and when it's time to write your post you are at a loss for words? Well, that's how I feel today. I should talk about this great cake I made, but I would much rather talk about my youngest son and the awesome soccer season we've been having. Or how about my middle son, he just got done with a big science project. I could certainly tell you about the effects aspirin has on plants. Not your thing? Well then how about my oldest? She is a senior in high school and we are in the middle of prom season. Would you like to know about all the emails she sends me daily of the pretty dresses she is finding all over the internet. I could also talk about all the yard work we've been doing since our weather has been gorgeous and we are having a big graduation party coming up in just a few short months. None of those are of interest to you? Well, then can I tell you about my two silly, extremely loving dogs who've been enjoying the warmer days by exploring the yard like they've never seen it before. In fact our little Cocker Spaniel is out there with her nose on the ground and her little "nub" wagging all day long, that is as long as I'm out there with her, since she has a slight case of separation anxiety, but we'll save this subject for another time. All of those things are going on in my life and I could easily talk about all of them for hours, but coming up with an interesting post about this recipe is just not in my cards today. I really don't want to bore any of you, so I guess I better try and turn this around and bring it back to my cake (how did you like this extremely smooth transition?).

OK fine, let's talk about this recipe. This is an extremely tasty cake, which I found in a great little book called "Cake Keeper Cakes" by Lauren Chattman. This cake is a kicked up version of a marble/pound cake. Kicked up with raspberry flavor that is. The chocolate part of this cake comes from melted bittersweet chocolate which is folded into half of the dough. The other half of the dough gets some berry love from raspberry jam. Both are layered alternating into a loaf pan and then swirled with a knife to get the marbled effect. Once baked, the cake gets even more flavor from raspberry jam, which is brushed all over the cake. Last, but not least, once the cake is cool, a chocolate glaze with a little bit of Chambord liqueur adds the finishing touch for this delectable dessert. 

This is a great cake with a wonderful, but yet subtle raspberry flavor. The whole family (minus my chocolate hating husband) really enjoyed this. In fact, my youngest was terribly upset when he got home from school and realized his brother and sister had gotten to the last couple of pieces before him. Yeah, it is that good and apparently it makes a 9 year old very upset when gone. I'll be making this one again and this time a little someone already put "dibs" on the last piece.

Chocolate-Raspberry Marble Pound Cake with Chocolate-Raspberry Glaze

 ~makes 1 cake~

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

For the cake:

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

4 large eggs, at room temperature lightly beaten

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cake flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup raspberry jam

For the glaze:

1/4 cup raspberry jam

6 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (Chambord)

Preparation:

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and dust with sugar.

Put 1 inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler or a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Place the chocolate in the top of the double boiler or in a stainless steel bowl big enough to rest on top of the saucepan, and set the bowl on top of the simmering water, making sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat, whisking occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the eggs and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and lightly beat. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the bowl.

Turn the mixer on low speed an d add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. After the last addition, mix for 30 seconds on medium speed.

Scrape half the batter into a medium mixing bowl and whisk in the raspberry jam. Whisk the melted chocolate into the batter remaining in the mixer.

Scrape 1/2 the raspberry batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top, then add 1/2 of the chocolate batter. Repeat the layers with the remaining batters. Run a butter knife blade through the batter to create marbling. Do not overmix.

Bake the pound cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

For the glaze: Heat 1/4 cup raspberry jam until loose, and use a pastry brush to brush the warm jam all over the top and sides of the cake. Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, and chocolate in a samll pot and heat over medium, whisking until smooth. Stir in the raspberry liqueur. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Spoon the glaze over the cake, smoothing it over the top and sides with a small metal spatula to cover. Let stand until the glaze firms up, about 1 hour. Slice and serve.

Adapted from: Cake Keeper Cakes

Susi's Kochen und Backen 1st Blogoversary!

Wow, I can't believe it's been one whole year already since I started this "blog thing". One year ago, my very smart 17 year old daughter told me I should start a blog. Little did she, or I know what a fun and at times exhausting ride this would be. The year has certainly been filled with a few trials, a few extra gray hairs, but mostly great memories. If it wouldn't have been for my little "hiatus" named Valley Fever, I would have finished as strongly as I started, but sometimes life does not work out the way you intend it to. However, through all of this I could not be prouder of this blog and how far I have come. I have challenged myself with recipes, photography and writing. I'd like to think that I've improved in all areas. The cooking and baking part comes easily to me, the other two don't come as naturally, but it has been a great experience and learning curve. None of this would have been possible without all the support you guys have given me. Some of you have been around since the very beginning and I can't begin to express how much your kind comments have meant to me. Some of you are newer to my blog, nonetheless your friendship and equally encouraging comments have been what keeps me coming back. All of your great blogs are what drives me to push and improve myself everyday. The last year would have not been as possible or successful without all of you and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I could not be prouder to have "met" every single one of you!

So what is in store for year 2 on Susi's Kochen und Backen Adventures? At this point, I'm just happy that I'm feeling well enough to blog again, however, I do have a few "monsters" I would like to tackle this year. Baking more of my own bread is on the top of my list, along with trying my hand at macarons which I have only admired on other blogs thus far. I would also like to challenge myself into creating more "original" recipes and keep working on my photography skills, which is still my greatest struggle (even though I think I've improved from my early months). I will also continue to feature more German recipes since I enjoy sharing my heritage with you. Lastly, but not least, some popular features will make a return along with a few more recipes that focus on healthy eating in general. I'm certainly looking forward to a great year and can't wait to share all of this with you!

To celebrate this momentum occasion I struggled with the decision of what recipe to feature today. I finally decided to go with this cupcake recipe and in true Susi's Kochen und Backen fashion, this recipe ended up turning out a bit different then intended.  Chocolate cupcakes, with a cream cheese center who were "supposed" to be topped with a chocolate glaze and chocolate curls. Unfortunately, once baked, the cupcakes decided to have a mind of their own and the cheesecake center decided to sink on me, leaving them looking more like craters then photographic gems I had envisioned. That's when I decided to macerate some of my bounty of frozen fruit from last summer and top the cupcakes with that. Everyone agreed that they looked prettier than the original in the book and while I can't compare taste, I'd like to think that the fruit gave them this little extra special something. These cupcakes were a hit and I will definitely be baking them again, "Susi's Kochen und Backen Style".

Black & White Cupcakes

 ~makes 12 cupcakes~

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

8 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup cake flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1 cup berries, frozen or fresh, tossed with 2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:

Toss berries with 2 tablespoons sugar and set aside.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

To make the cream cheese filling, in a bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and 1/2 cup of the sugar and beat until combined.

To make the cupcake batter, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about one-half full. Spoon the cream cheese filling onto the center of each, dividing it evenly (the filling will sink into the cupcakes as they bake). Bake until the cupcakes are set in the center, about 15-20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Right before serving top each cupcake with the berry mixture.

Adapted from: Cupcakes 

Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

We are having a blast with our out of town visitors and I apologize for my lack of commenting on other blogs but I will be back full force once my visitors leave in early October. For all of my Foodbuzz friends, rest assured I'm still keeping up as much as possible on the challenges and will be voting for all of you! 

My post today was inspired by my little sister who is here visiting from Germany. My sister was diagnosed with Celiac disease almost 10 years ago. In case you haven't heard of it, it is a autoimmune disorder which causes her to not be able to eat anything containing gluten (this includes wheat, barley, oats etc.) Considering that I don't usually have to cook gluten free, it is quite a challenge to cook for someone like this. Luckily, a lot of my day to day meals are already gluten free or can be made gluten free by a few substitutions. So far we have had my Ragu alla Bolognese (she used special noodles), my Tandoori Chicken, Taco Salad,  and a few other things she thoroughly enjoyed. I'm convinced that cooking meals from scratch helps a lot since you can control what is put into a dish. 

Unfortunately, things get a little bit harder when it comes to dessert. If I lived closer to my sister I would most definitely use and experiment with different gluten free flours, but since she is only visiting for a short time I needed to find a fuss-free recipe that would work for her and be equally tasty for everyone else eating it. Looking through a few of my books I remembered seeing a recipe for flourless chocolate cupcakes in Martha Stewart's cupcakes book. The recipe is truly super easy, requires only a handful of ingredients and turns out an amazing flavor experience. The original makes 22 cupcakes but I went with half the amount since the recipe states they are best eaten the same day and by doing so I was rewarded with exactly 12 cupcakes. Butter and bittersweet chocolate are melted in a double boiler and slightly cooled down before adding the egg yolks. Meanwhile egg whites and sugar are whisked stiff and then folded into the melted chocolate mixture. That's it! The batter is divided into paper lined muffin tins and baked at a very low temperature for about 25 minutes or until the middle is set.

The cupcakes once baked are not show pieces. In fact, they are quite ugly. At first, taken out of the oven they look like pretty little souffles but once they cool down their tops start to sink and they crack everywhere and forget about getting them out of the tin perfect looking. That's why even in the book their tops are disguised with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, which is how I served them as well. Crunchy tops, tasting like meringue with a wonderful fluffy and rich interior. This was a fantastic dessert that all of us enjoyed. It especially made me feel good that I was able to produce such a great tasting cupcake my sister could eat. She was in love with this recipe and already copied it down so she can fix it for everyone back in Germany when she gets home.

Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

(adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes)

(makes 22)

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips)

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

Ice Cream, for serving (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Melt butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Stir to combine, then remove bowl from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in egg yolks.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until peaks are stiff and glossy but not dry (do not overbeat). Whisk one quarter of the beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten; gently fold mixture into remaining whites.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes are just set in centers, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.( their centers will sink). Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they are baked; keep at room temperature until ready to serve, topped with scoops of ice cream, if desired.

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

Have you ever taken the time and looked at the ingredient list of store bought granola bars?  I have, and I was truly appalled to find so many strange ingredients listed in the nutritional info of several well known brands. Shouldn't something so wholesome be well, wholesome? Shouldn't you be able to feel good if you are packing them for your kids lunch or as a snack? I certainly thought so, and after seeing quite a few fantastic looking granola bars pop up on some of the blogs I read, I set out to find a version my family would love.

I didn't have to look further than Foodnetwork.com which had a basic granola bar recipe from the incomparable Ina Garten. I figured it was a great starting point. I loved the simplicity of her ingredients in the bars and only added a few of my own touches to end up with something that my kids think is "sell-worthy", but then again, they are kind of biased and I pay them to say things like that.

I used the recipe as more of a guideline and encourage you to do the same. The sky is the limit as far as flavor combinations are concerned. There are truly so many options when it comes to this recipe. You can chose any nut (I used almonds) but anything from pecans, to walnuts or pistachios would be wonderful. The dried fruit part is equally adjustable to your taste preferences. I used dried cranberries, but again anything from raisins to dried apricots or cherries would be lovely. I do think a couple of things are key though. Use only high quality ingredients in this recipe, they are a must for flavor. Also, watch the oats and nuts along with the coconut closely while toasting in the oven, you definitely don't want to burn it. The recipe calls for toasted wheat germ, I just toasted it on top of the stove in a dry pan but it also requires a watchful eye. There is not much difference in the time between a perfectly toasted batch and burned wheat germ, sometimes that means only a matter of seconds. Last but not least, I rounded out my granola bars with semi-sweet chocolate chips and some roasted sunflower kernels.

These bars are wonderful! Once baked and cooled they can be stored in an air-tight container for at least a week, that is, if they last that long. This is going in my recipe file and I will be making them many more times. The best compliment was probably from my husband though, who is not a granola bar eater like the rest of us, but who fell in love with them and has been eating one every day for his breakfast. I definitely know they are good when that happens.

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut, loosely packed

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

3/4 cup sunflower kernels, roasted

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the toasted wheat germ and sunflower kernels.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the cranberries and stir well. Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes then stir in the chocolate chips. If you do this any earlier they will just melt.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into rectangles or squares. Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from: Ina Garten

Ice Cream Fridays: Chocolate-Raspberry Ice Cream and Giveaway Winner Announcement

Welcome to the final installment of Ice Cream Fridays for the year. All of you ice cream fans, this does not mean that I won't be featuring seasonal ice cream flavors every now and then, it just means, that for now it will not be a regular feature anymore. But don't fret, Ice Cream Fridays will be back for sure next year with new ideas and flavors. For the time being though, I'm cooking up a couple of different ideas for a new Friday feature, so stay tuned to see what I have in store.

Which ice cream did I chose to cap off my feature? It is none other than a Chocolate-Raspberry Ice Cream with Chambord. To break this one down with one simple word would be: Decadence. I had this flavor bookmarked in my all time favorite ice cream book, "The Perfect Scoop" for a very long time. I figured there was no better time than now to feature a flavor combination that I have loved for as long as I can remember, raspberries and chocolate.

This ice cream was another very easy, non-custard based, quick to fix recipe. Heavy cream, unsweetened (dutch processed) cocoa powder and sugar are whisked together and brought to a boil. Fresh (or in my case freshly frozen) raspberries are added and left to "steep" for a bit. The mixture is then processed in a food processor or blender until smooth, and finally strained to remove all those pesky little "get stuck in your teeth" seeds. To kick the flavor up another notch, I added a couple of tablespoons of Chambord liqueur to really enhance the raspberry flavor. After chilling in the refrigerator for a few hours the mixture is churned in an ice cream maker.

True bliss with every creamy, rich, decadent bite. On first taste you think it's just a chocolate ice cream until the bright tartness of the raspberries gets you upon swallowing - heavenly. One of my definite favorites this year. One that I will be making over and over again. Maybe next time I'll add some chopped semi-sweet chocolate to the final mix to make it even better (if possible).

In case you were wondering what my personal top 5 ice cream flavors were this season, here they are in no particular order:

- Chocolate-Raspberry Ice Cream with Chambord

- Nutella Ice Cream with Frangelico

- Oatmeal Raisin Ice Cream

- Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

- Super Lemon Ice Cream

 And finally, here is the winner (who was generated by Random.org) of the giveaway. The winner receives the book that has brought me,

and hopefully all of you, so much joy this summer:

Congratulations to:

Carole

who said:

"I recently purchased an ice cream maker so I've been enjoying your ice cream posts. I'm a Nutella fan."

Please contact me by email with your address so I can send you the book! :o)

Chocolate-Raspberry Ice Cream with Chambord

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream

5 tablespoons (40 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2/3 cup (130 g) sugar

2 cups (240 g) raspberries, fresh or frozen

2 tablespoons Chambord liqueur

Directions:

Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil (it will start to foam up). Remove from the heat and add the raspberries. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. If you wish, press the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Add the Chambord.

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Adapted from: The Perfect Scoop

German Chocolate Cupcakes

Even after being married for over 18 years my husband still takes me by surprise. He's been telling me for years how much he dislikes chocolate desserts and quite frankly he never craves anything chocolate besides the very occasional Resse's Peanut Butter cup. So, imagine my confusion and surprise when I asked a couple of days ago what sweet treat I should blog about next and he answered very quickly: "German chocolate cake, I love that!" Huh,  did he just say chocolate cake? He swiftly let me know that this cake is not really a chocolate cake because of the frosting. Really, who am I to argue this logic? Since I had just made a big triple layer cake I was looking for something more portable and portion controlled (meaning something that I could easily distribute to friends and neighbors) and with that in mind, I found these cupcakes in my Martha Stewart's: Cupcakes book.

For the record, German Chocolate cake has nothing to do with Germany. It is one of my pet peeves when people assume that just because I was born and raised there I should be an expert on this cake. I'm sorry to disappoint, but I didn't even know such cake existed till a few years ago when I ate it at a party. In case you wonder how the name came about, it traces back to Bakers sweet German chocolate which was invented by Samuel German for the Bakers brand in 1852. Traditional German chocolate cake is a layered chocolate cake filled and topped with a coconut-pecan frosting.

Today's recipe is pretty close to some of the traditional ones out there, but veers slightly by using melted semi-sweet chocolate instead of the German chocolate baking bars which makes it a little less sweet. Cake flour and buttermilk ensure that the cake part of this cupcake is wonderfully moist and light. The frosting is cooked on top of the stove out of egg yolks, butter, brown sugar and condensed milk. Once the mixture is thick, it is removed from the heat and strained into a bowl where vanilla, salt, sweetened coconut, and toasted pecans finish it off. When the frosting is cooled and firmed up, you are ready to frost your cupcakes. I decided to go against Martha's instructions and only top the cupcakes with the frosting (she had you cut them apart and add filling in the middle as well). I decided to add a little classic touch by drizzling the finished dessert with a quick chocolate ganache.

How did this mini-cake measure up to the traditional? Everyone loved this portion controlled version of the original. One is plenty rich and leaves you perfectly satisfied without being overly full. My daughter, the chocoholic thought the ganache drizzle is what made this cupcake. My boys didn't talk, they just inhaled, and my husband, well, he gave me a big sticky sweet kiss right after he finished his. I take that as a compliment!

German Chocolate Cupcakes

~makes 24 cupcakes~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for tins

2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted, plus more for tins

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Coconut-Pecan Frosting (recipe to follow)

Chocolate Ganache, optional (recipe to follow)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush stand muffin tins with butter; dust with cake flour, tapping out excess. whisk together cake flour, baking soda, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in chocolate until combined.

Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes Run a small offset spatula of knife around the edges to loosen; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

To finish, spread frosting on top of each cupcake. Drizzle with ganache (if desired).

Adapted from: Martha Stewart's: Cupcakes 

Coconut-Pecan Frosting

~makes about 4 cups~

Ingredients:

3 large egg yolks

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 package (7 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions:

Heat egg yolks, evaporated milk, brown sugar, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, about 10 minutes (it should reach the consistency of sour cream). Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl.

Stir vanilla, salt, coconut, and pecans into frosting. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally, Frosting can be refrigerated up to 1 day in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and stir with a flexible spatula until smooth.

Chocolate Ganache

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

3-5 tablespoons heavy cream

Stir heavy cream by the tablespoon into the melted chocolate until combined and it reaches desired "drizzle" consistency. Use immediately.