teacher by day - chef by night
A few years ago my aunt gave me Death by Chocolate Cakes – and wow is there good stuff in there (great cookbook for those chocolate addicts – get it, seriously), so I knew thats where I had to go to find this cake (which I had sticky-noted immediately after receiving the book).
These S’mores Bar Cookies are a mix between a Blondie & a Chocolate Chip Bar Cookie. The flavors are right on, the cinnamon in the batter is perfect & they are nice any chewy (even a week later – I stored them in the fridge and then just let them come to room temperature).
“Please sir, may I have s’more”
Welcome to the summer season! There is nothing that screams summer more than some warm roasted marshmallows (ok – maybe grilling screams summer pretty loudly too, but I grew up in a house where dad grilled in a winter coat). There are so many awesome S’mores inspired recipes out there (none of them for that winter-grilling father of mine who hates them) and I finally had to pick one and make them.
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We went to a BBQ with some friends and I decided these would be perfect to bring (especially after my amazing baker co-worker made some a few weeks ago for us). These cupcakes were voted “best dessert at the bbq” (which I think is a pretty big compliment since almost everyone there is very into mountain/road biking and very health-conscious, so these can even convert your ‘healthy friends’ to the ‘dark side’)
adapted from 6 Bittersweet’s as she adapted it from lots of other places
as adapted from Creative Loafing
Now that these cupcakes are done, I came across Domestic Fits Smore’s Cheesecakes which I look forward to brining to my next (indoor) summer event – not sure how well cheesecakes would do outside. I wonder if maybe even my cheesecake loving but s’mores hating father would like these!?
I leave you with a question to ponder… One of the joys of S’mores is their simplicity, whereas these cupcakes take them to a different level of preparation and difficulty – which do you prefer!?
This is the make at home, do it yourself, whatever, whenever, whoever, version of those ‘instant’ cakes and they are just TOO GOOD! You are now just 10 minutes from warm Chocolate Cake
To sum up these chocolate cups with peanut butter mousse: my dad (my most honest and pickiest critc) said [mumbled] “you can make these whenever you want” through his full mouth, to which my mom responded with just a really extreme head nod since her mouth was full and she’s a lady! So what are you waiting for!?! Get off the computer and start making these (or pencil these in for the next event on your calendar where you want to impress)
Every year since I can remember, Chocolate Covered Matzo graced our Passover table. We always bought it but in recent years 1/2 of the pieces in the package were no longer full pieces of matzo but were broken into small pieces. Having smaller pieces is perfect when it is homemade, but when I buy it and they advertise full sheets – I want full sheets!
A few years ago, (pre-food blog life) I made chocolate covered matzo for my family’s sedar and since it was so easy we have decided it is even better than buying it. My dad wishes I made one without any homemade caramel on it, so maybe next year I will try dipping some so there is more chocolate than matzo to make dad happy.
By the end of Passover most of us are sick and tired of eating matzo – but when you cover it in chocolate it refreshes your tastebuds and makes sure that you can’t get enough of it!
Chocolate Covered (Caramel) Matzo
(as made by Zoe Bakes – a family favorite that I have made for years)
Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a sauce pot cook the butter and sugar over medium high heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly. The caramel may melt and be transparent or it may look more crystallized – don’t worry. Spread it evenly over the matzo. Bake for about 15 minutes (rotated and check 1/2-way through).
Remove from oven and add the chocolate. Let the chocolate sit for 5 minutes and then spread evenly over the matzohs. Allow to cool to room temperature (or put in the fridge to cool). Break into strips or bite sized pieces.
Happy Passover … or anytime you have extra matzo that you aren’t sure what to do with it!