chocolate

Bready or Not: Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars

Posted by Beth on Oct 9, 2019 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, brownies, chocolate, pumpkin | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars

Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars. Because I will never feature enough iterations of this perfect pairing.

Yeah, every year I do a new take (or a couple) on this lovely Voltron-saving-the-galaxy team-up between pumpkin and chocolate. You know why? Because it’s AWESOME. Like Voltron. With a lot less death and destruction.

This recipe gets extra oomph from cream cheese, but by no means do these taste like cheesecake bars. Here, the cream cheese adds umami richness rather than straight-out cream cheese flavor.

I was amazed by how thick these bars ended up. Really, these are more akin to cake than standard blondies or brownies.

Bake these up and brighten someone’s day. You don’t need to summon up Voltron to save a person’s world. Sometimes, baked goods can do the trick.

Need more pumpkin X chocolate OTP? Check out past posts on Bready or Not!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Pumpkin Nutella Swirl Muffins
Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Shortbread
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (2 loaves)

Print Recipe

Bready or Not: Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars

This perfectly autumn recipe pairs pumpkin and chocolate with the richness of cream cheese to create thick, moist bars.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars, chocolate, cream cheese, pumpkin

Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

• 15x10-x1 jelly roll pan

Ingredients

Pumpkin base layer

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 eggs
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree
• 1 cup vegetable oil

Chocolate swirl

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Prepare the base layer

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a jelly roll pan (15x10x1) with aluminum foil, making sure the edges are covered. Add nonstick spray or grease.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cloves. Add the four eggs, the pumpkin, and oil. Pour into the prepared pan.

Start the chocolate swirl

• Microwave 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, zapping in short increments and stirring well between each pass, until it is melted. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar; it's okay if it's still a little lumpy. Follow up with the one egg, milk, and melted chocolate. Dollop the chocolate mixture atop the pumpkin batter. Use a narrow spatula or butter knife to swirl layers together in a marbled effect. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until it looks puffed and the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool on a rack for at least an hour, then chill in fridge before cutting. This will make it easier to cut.
• Use foil to lift onto a cutting board. Slice into bars then store chilled in a sealed container with waxed paper between stacked layers.

OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Fudgy Chocolate Gluten-Free Cake

Posted by Beth on Sep 25, 2019 in Blog, Bready or Not, brownies, cake, chocolate, gluten-free | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Fudgy Chocolate Gluten-Free Cake

This incredible Fudgy Chocolate Cake is like a great big grown-up brownie.

While this can’t be said to be healthy, it IS gluten free, so makes for a wonderful treat for people with that dietary restriction.

It also keeps very well. I sliced it up and kept pieces stored in the fridge for over a week. They never dried out or lost flavor.

Even better, this cake can be frozen to last longer. Freeze slices on waxed paper and keep stored in a plastic container or freezer bag. Defrost in fridge when you want to indulge!

This cake is delicious by itself, but you could easily dress it up with fresh strawberries, cherries, or raspberries, and/or a scoop of vanilla ice cream–all of which are gluten-free as well, of course.

Modified from Allrecipes Magazine February/March 2015.

Print Recipe

Bready or Not: Fudgy Chocolate Gluten-Free Cake

This gluten-free chocolate cake includes basic ingredients and is fast to make, to delicious results. The cake keeps well in the fridge and can be frozen as well.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: cake, chocolate, gluten free

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder sifted, plus more to dust pan
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• confectioners' sugar for top, optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 300-degrees. Cut parchment to fit in the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan. Grease pan. Set parchment inside. Grease again. Dust paper and sides of pan with cocoa.
• In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate and butter in short bursts, stirring well between each pass, until smooth. Stir in cocoa powder followed by sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake about 40 minutes, until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out just slightly wet. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a rack. Remove the parchment, then invert again onto a plate to cool for at least an hour before cutting. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.
• Keep cake covered by plastic wrap in fridge; keeps well as long as a week. Cake can be sliced and frozen for later enjoyment.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars [cake mix]

Posted by Beth on Sep 11, 2019 in Blog, Bready or Not, brownies, cake mix, chocolate | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars [cake mix]

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars are so good that people won’t even guess that it uses cake mix.

I, personally, don’t see any shame in using cake mix. It’s a convenient base ingredient to doctor up.

Chocolate and peanut butter is such a classic pairing. You can use any number of chocolate cake mixes for this (it was tested with a 15.25 ounce box), but I recommend devil’s food cake. It has a nice depth to it.

If you’re in America, you might find a premade bag of peanut butter and chocolate chips at stores like Walmart. If you can’t find that, just use separate bags of those kinds of chips and measure out a cup of each.

At my husband’s work, some of his co-workers considered this among their all-time favorite recipes. That is high praise indeed.

Print Recipe

Bready or Not: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars [cake mix]

This easy-to-make recipe is so good that people won't even know it uses cake mix!

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars, cake mix, chocolate

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix 15.25 oz
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 bag peanut butter and chocolate chips or 1 cup of each kind of chips
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
• In a big bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, and milk. Spread half of batter on bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Place peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and warm to be spreadable. Pour over the baked bottom crust and spread to edges. Sprinkle the peanut butter and chocolate chips on top, followed by dollops of the reserved cake batter. Finish with the chopped peanuts.
• Bake for another 20 minutes, until the visible portions of the peanut butter layer look set. Cool completely, refrigerating if desired.
• Use foil to lift onto cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not Original: Cookies and Milk Quick Fudge

Posted by Beth on Aug 7, 2019 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies, fudge, no-bake dessert, oreo | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Cookies and Milk Quick Fudge

Old-fashioned stovetop fudge is great. It’s also fussy, sometimes refusing to set or turning out gritty, and makes the cook babysit a hot pot to stir and stir. I’m all about quick fudges, especially during the Arizona summer. This Cookies and Milk Quick Fudge is especially nice because it has endless variations!

Choose a crisp, crunchy cookie from the store. Maybe on a good sale. In my case, I used Keebler’s Deluxe Grahams. A lot of Keebler’s cookies would work here–just don’t use the soft-baked ones.

Prep the cookies by chopping up a cup and a half. Freeze those bits; it won’t take long. From there, it takes just a few minutes to mix up the fudge.

The hardest part is waiting for the fudge to set for the next few hours.

This recipe makes a lot of fudge, but it’s easy to portion out. Slice it small, and keep it sealed and stored in the fridge!

Make this recipe time and again with different cookies. It could even be customized for the holidays or sporting events with the addition of differently colored sprinkles on top. Have fun with it!

Print Recipe

Bready or Not Original: Cookies and Milk Quick Fudge

This quick fudge is fast to prepare and ready to eat after a few hours of chilling. Use any variety of crisp, firm store-bought cookies here, like many of those made by Keebler. Chop up the cookies and spread them on a wax paper-covered dish to freeze, which won't take long at all. This recipe makes a lot of fudge, and it can keep for weeks if sealed in the fridge.

Course: Dessert

Keyword: fudge, no bake, quick fudge

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chopped store-bought cookies frozen
• 3 cups white chocolate chips
• 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk can
• 3 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Instructions

• Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray. Set aside.
• In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in 30 second increments, stirring well after each bout, until it is melted and smoothed. Watch it closely!
• Quickly stir in the frozen cookies and pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and tap them into place. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Use foil to lift fudge onto a cutting board to slice into small squares. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Double Chocolate-Candied Ginger Cookies

Posted by Beth on Jul 10, 2019 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Double Chocolate-Candied Ginger Cookies

Let’s go hardcore chocolaty with these Double Chocolate-Candied Ginger Cookies.

Candied ginger with bittersweet chocolate, you say? Why, yes! The combination is extraordinary. These are grown-up cookies, with heady chocolate and ginger mingling in a great way.

I was surprised at how much the cookies dough hardened during its chill time. I still recommend chilling the dough, though, because aging the flour mix does age the dough and deepen flavors.

Just soften the dough at room temperature for a bit, if needed. My cookies didn’t spread much, either. They ended up as fat. luscious little chocolate bombs!

These are cookies to bludgeon off the lingering foulness of a bad day. Indulge!

Modified from Saveur Magazine.

Print Recipe

Bready or Not: Double Chocolate-Candied Ginger Cookies

The sweet spiciness of candied ginger wonderfully complements bittersweet chocolate in the rich cookies! Shaped teaspoon-sized, recipe makes about 33 cookies.

Course: Dessert

Keyword: chocolate, cookies

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tb unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate heaping, coarsely chopped or in chips
• 1/2 cup candied ginger chopped

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a big bowl, beat together the butter, coconut oil, both sugars, and salt, until pale and fluffy. Add the egg, scraping the bowl as needed. Stir in the flour mixture. Fold in the bittersweet chocolate and candied ginger.
• Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill for a few hours.
• Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Pull out cookie dough; if it fairly hard, let sit out a few minutes to soften some. Use a spoon to shape and form small dough balls. Space out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes. Let sit on cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Moose Farts

Posted by Beth on Jul 3, 2019 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies, no-bake dessert | 2 comments

Tomorrow might be America’s Independence Day, but let’s go rebellious and Canadian with a tasty no-bake treat called Moose Farts.

That’s right, MOOSE FARTS. With a name like that, you know it has to be good.

These are apparently a Newfoundland treat. They bear some similarities to “magic cookie bars,” but these are in a distinct ball shape.

I think they’re perfect for a hot Arizona summer. No need to turn on the oven or use tons of fussy ingredients! Moose Farts are something kids and adults can enjoy. The moose… not so much.

Modified from Rock Recipes.

Print Recipe

Bready or Not: Moose Farts

Moose Farts are an easy, no-bake treat out of Newfoundland! If grinding your own graham cracker crumbs, about half a standard Honey Maid box will give you the perfect amount of crumbs to include in the balls and to roll them in.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: no bake

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk can
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups dried coconut shreds or flakes
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips milk or semi-sweet
• extra graham cracker crumbs to roll balls

Instructions

• In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract, then follow up with the coconut flakes, graham cracker crumbs, and chocolate chips. Once they are combined, stash the bowl in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Use a teaspoon or teaspoon scoop to form a small ball. Roll in extra graham cracker crumbs. Place in a container. Repeat with more balls, with waxed paper placed between the layers. Recipe makes about 51 ball using a scoop.
• Store balls in sealed container in the fridge.
• OM NOM NOM!