Tag Archives: Chocolate

Ghirardellis Caramel S’mores

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No, this isn’t a “real” recipe. Just something I want to share with you all since campfire season is upon us. And that means kicking back listening to the crackle of wood burning and being mesmerized by logs turning to coals. I have to give a shout out to my amazing father. The beautiful stone fire pit you see in the background? Yeah, he built it.  He threw it together this afternoon for my mom so all us kids could come over for a campfire this evening. I’m not kidding. He’s so awesome.

When the embers are just perfect, it is time to make s’mores. Classic campfire food. Did you know s’mores are not required to have plain chocolate on them. No, there’s a world of other possibilities for making gooey, melty marshmallow goodness.

My favorite is using Ghirardellis caramel squares instead of regular old Hershey bars. First of all, it’s better chocolate. Second, it’s filled with gorgeous oozing caramel. It is amazing. Try it at your next campfire. You’ll never go back! Do you have a go-to chocolate replacement in your s’mores?

Ghirardellis Caramel S’mores

Graham Crackers
Marshmallows
Ghirardellis Caramel Squares

First, you take the graham. You put the chocolate (caramel square) on the graham. Then, you toast the mallow. Onto the chocolate it goes, top with another graham and mmmmmmmmm, enjoy.

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M&M’s® Rolo® Pretzel Bites

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Looking for a fabulous, easy treat? How about a little caramelly goodness sandwiched between rich chocolate and a little salty crunch? I’ve got you covered with these rolo pretzel bites. They whip up in just minutes and are perfect for munching during a movie, long car ride or on a weekend getaway. They are also HIGHLY addictive. I’d recommend making a double batch. I made the epic mistake of bringing just a single batch to a family camping trip and they were devoured the first evening. I’m embarrassed to tell you how many I shoved in my face. I could not stop. They were just glorious.

Simply top waffle pretzels with an unwrapped Rolo candy. I used slave labor and had my kids unwrap all the candies. They love helping me.

Bake for a couple of minutes and then press a peanut M&M into the Rolo – smooshing it down into the pretzel. You could use a regular M&M, but I like the peanut crunch on top.

This recipe is proof that if Mars & Hershey combined, they could take over the world. You won’t be able to stop eating these.

There are lots of combinations you could do with these little bites. During the holidays, use just red/green M&Ms. You could use Hershey’s kisses or hugs instead of Rolos (but why on earth would you want to remove the caramel from this recipe?). All you peanut butter/chocolate combo folks could press a peanut butter M&M on top to get your fix. Personally, I think these are perfection just as they are. Gooey caramel, salty pretzel and just the right amount of chocolate with a peanut crunch. Oh. Baby.

M&M’s® Rolo® Pretzel Bites
makes about 50

1 bag Rolo candies
50 waffle pretzels
50 peanut M&M’s

On a large parchment paper lined baking sheet, spread out pretzels in a single layer. Unwrap Rolo candies and place one on top of each pretzel.
Bake at 275° F for 2-3 minutes until Rolo candies are soft.
Remove from oven and quickly press one M&M into each Rolo.
Allow to cool completely.

Graham-O-Toffee Candy

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The “O” is for oats. These treats are to DIE for. Incredibly easy and layered deliciousness. I’m taking them camping this weekend. If they last that long. I love recipes where the finished product seems like more work than it actually took. Shhh. It’ll be our little secret how simple these are.

Start with a jelly roll pan and line it with foil, then a single layer of graham crackers.

Mix up some oats, sugar and flour.

Then mix in an egg and some butter (mmmmm – melted butter).

Spread over the grahams. Don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. As it bakes it will spread and layer itself nicely.

Bake until golden, then top with chocolate, almonds and toffee chips.

Break apart into bars or chunks and shove into your face.

These bars are perfectly balanced. They have sweetness and crunch in all the right places plus the earthy goodness of oats.

They are a great camping food. Especially if you’re going somewhere you can’t have a fire. They are a little reminiscent of smores, except better, because they’re toffee. I love caramel buttery toffee. (happy sigh) Enjoy!

Toffee Oat Grahams
adapted from BHG

15 whole graham crackers (rectangles)
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 12 ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heath bar toffee chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan (jelly roll pan) with foil, extending foil beyond edges of pan. Arrange whole graham crackers in a single layer in prepared pan. In a large bowl combine the oats, sugars, and flour. Stir in melted butter, egg, and vanilla until well combined. Spoon over graham crackers and spread evenly to edges of pan to cover graham crackers.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until oat mixture bubbles and is lightly browned on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Return to oven for 1 minute. Spread melted chocolate over top to cover. Evenly sprinkle with almonds & toffee chips. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Use foil to lift from pan. Remove foil. Cut or break into bars. Makes 30 bars.

Super Moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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Baked goods involving zucchini are considered a vegetable in my book. I’ve been exercising like a crazy person lately and watching my calories, so more vegetables is exactly what I need. This amazingly moist absolutely decadent tasting chocolate bread fit the bill perfectly. I don’t feel too badly about it since it’s reasonably low-calorie and very low-fat. Unless I eat the whole loaf. Hmmmm. Not gonna lie. That might happen.

Start by shredding some zucchini. You’ll need about one medium-sized courgette (yes, I just used the fancy-pants term).

Mix up some sugars and applesauce. You can use oil if you’d like, but I was going the uber healthy route with this. Then, stir in some eggs and zucchini.

Some dry ingredients get stirred in. Those little hands belong to my son, who loves helping me bake. I don’t want any of you to think I have freakishly t.i.n.y. mitts.

Then the final touch to this yummy bread. Chocolate chips. Ok, so it just ceased to be a bread and became a cake. I know.

Bake, slice and enjoy.

Rich chocolate. And I’ve convinced myself it is actually a vegetable. Yes. I am in heaven. Please don’t wake me from this dream.

You will be too. There are little pockets of melty chocolate chips in every bite and the bread is all gorgeous and moist. Enjoy!

Super Moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread
adapted from Slice of Feist

1 & 1/2 Cups Shredded Zucchini
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup high quality Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Dash of salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Applesauce
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup packed Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

In a large bowl, combine your applesauce, sugars and vanilla. Mix in your eggs and shredded zucchini. In a separate bowl, sift together your flour, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Slowly add this dry mixture into your wet mixture. Stir until combined. Mix in your chocolate chips.

Scrape your batter into a greased 9x5x3 loaf pan (I always do a little parchment paper action on the bottom too), and bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

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I didn’t think it was possible, then somebody said “pretzels”. My life will never be the same.  I thought my Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars would never be topped. That they were the ultimate. The addition of pretzels is beyond amazing. These bars are essentially the same as a chubby hubby truffles, but they take 5 minutes flat to throw together and do not involve any rolling or chocolate dipping. Pretzels give these bars a little kick of saltiness to cut thru all the sweet richness of the other ingredients. They are perfection. I think I may be changing my mind about peanut butter and chocolate. The last few things I’ve tasted have been simply delightful, which is a very bad thing.  Especially these. Reading this post will take you longer to do than actually making these amazing bars will.

Pulse up your pretzels until most of them are finely ground, but there are still pea sized pieces left.

Add peanut butter and powdered sugar.

And my most favorite ingredient ever – melted butter.

Mix until well combined.

Spread into an 8×8 pan fitted with a greased foil sling.

Chill for about 10 minutes while we whip together a chocolatey peanut butter ganache for the top. I used the same ganache as on my Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars for two reasons. First, I think topping bars with a mixture of chocolate and peanut butter is perfect. Second, the site I got this recipe from used just a straight chocolate/cream ganache and the blogger said it was too much chocolate. I didn’t want the top layer to overpower the peanuty goodness of the bar. So, peanut butter and chocolate it is.

Spread in an even layer over your peanut butter mixture and chill for at least an hour.

Remove from the pan and cut (used my pastry scraper for exact lines) into squares.

Enjoy. Really. Find a quiet place to be alone with one of these and simply enjoy the perfect addition of pretzels to creamy peanut butter and rich chocolate. The salty crunch is like that one really awesome person you hope will come to your next party. They make it a par-taaaay. It’s words like “par-taaaay” that make me wish I had a New Jersey accent. Sort of.

Just marvelous.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
adapted from Craving Chronicles

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups pretzel crumbs, fine
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons peanut butter

Directions

Line 8×8 pan with foil. Spray with baking spray.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt  butter in microwave (about 30 seconds on HIGH). Stir in pretzel crumbs, peanut butter & confectioners’ sugar. Spread evenly into prepared pan and refrigerate at least 10 minutes.

Combine semi-sweet chips and peanut butter and microwave, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Spread evenly over the peanut butter/pretzel layer and refrigerate at least one hour. Remove from pan and cut into squares.

Rolo Cake Bars

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My favorite combination is caramel and chocolate. Rich sweet chocolate and gooey caramel is pretty darn close to a slice of heaven in my book.  When I saw this recipe for Rolo Cake Bars, I knew there was a batch in my very near future. But, I couldn’t just make a pan of them to have around given my addiction to all things caramel and chocolate. Lucky for me, I had some trees removed today and had three burly lumberjack type men around to help me plow thru these bars.

This recipe has one tricky part. It comes when you are at the store (or in your pantry) getting your ingredients. All cake mixes are not the same. I know these look like they’d both work, but they wont.

Check the ounces on the box. You want the big one. 18.25oz. Accept no other.

The dry mix, melted butter and evaporated milk get combined together and half is pressed into a pan. My dough was very sticky so I used an offset spatula to get it mostly flattened into the pan. Don’t worry if your dough isn’t completely firm. They still bake up beautifully.

While the crust cooks up a bit – we get to hang with some Rolos.

Mmmmmm. Caramel. Cut them in half.

When the crust comes out of the oven, place the Rolos caramel side down on top. Can I just say that the smell of warm cake batter hitting the chocolate was almost too much for me. I was tempted to just scoop it out of the pan and shovel it into my mouth.

Then dollup the remaining batter on top.

Bake until golden. Attempt to keep your mitts off it and let it cool. Then cut into squares.

Sweet light cake mixed with decadent rich caramel and chocolate. Oh baby.

Seriously. Oozing Rolo goodness. A riot of amazingness.

I don’t think four ingredients could get better than this.

Rolo Cake Bars
adapted from Cookies and Cups

  • 1 box (18.25 oz) yellow, vanilla or white cake mix, dry
  • 5 oz evaporated milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 40 Rolo Candies, unwrapped and cut in half

How to Make

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
  3. With your mixer, beat cake mix, evaporated milk and butter until combined. Mixture will be thick and sticky.
  4. Divide batter in half and press 1 half into the bottom of the pan.
  5. Bake until just set, approximately 8-9 minutes.
  6. Remove base from oven and place Rolo candies, caramel-side down on top.
  7. Drop remaining batter on top of Rolos in teaspoon sized amounts.
  8. Bake for 24-26 minutes longer until top begins to golden.
  9. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread

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I have been overwhelmed in the past week or so to the response to my Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars. God bless Pinterest. As a thank you to everyone who’s expressed their delight at the peanut butter/chocolatey goodness of those treats, I bring you another equally decadent dessert.  These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies are infused with rich peanut butter and a smattering of sweet chocolate chips. Oh baby.

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Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

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I’m making peanut butter and chocolate for two reasons. I needed a snack to bring to conference championship weekend (it’s a football thing – pretty much the best day in the NFL all year) and secondly, I don’t really like peanut butter chocolate things. Since I’m trying to drop a few pounds, I need to make things that won’t tempt me personally. I’ve found that if I can resist the urge to eat “just one” of something, I’m much less likely to polish off the entire batch. These looked amazing and my husband (confirmed non-sweet eater) had three of them, so I feel very confident in telling you to give them a try. Plus, 3000 people repinning this on Pinterest can’t be wrong. Sweet and salty together is always a good plan.

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Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars

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You are going to hate me for giving you this recipe. Either that, or you’ll want to erect a monument in your town square. Possibly to me. More likely to these peanut butter bars. They are amazing. In every way. Totally easy. 5 minutes into the pan, no baking easy. Sinfully delicious. I am not kidding. I want to eat the entire batch and I’m normally not really a peanut butter/chocolate girl.  I know. I’m crazy. I must have been dropped on my head as a child or something. It’s a flaw. I’m sorry. Does it help that I loooooooove these?
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Rocky Road Clusters

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These should have an aka after the title. Also known as “pieces of heaven”. When I read this recipe I started drooling after the first two ingredients. Chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Yeah. You really can’t go wrong when those two things are going to be combined. I’ve never been a fan of rocky road ice cream because the good stuff is surrounded by chocolate ice cream – which I despise. I’ve finally found a version of rocky road that I love. These are a fudgy base filled with marshmallow and pecans. You all know how I feel about nuts, but in this case, it just works. These candies are super quick to put together and make for perfect camping food in my opinion. Throw them all in some tuperware and off you go. I love food that travels well. And to top it off, they are gluten free! Yippee! Continue reading →