Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

Got a sweet tooth but watching your sugars? Try making these easy, delicious nut butter cups. I've always seen recipes like this but was a little afraid of making them for some reason. However, being low-no sugar for almost a month now, had me craving something fierce.

There are no added sugars in these and I chose a good dark chocolate with low sugar. The almond butter mixture I could just eat with a spoon, yum! So you basically layer and freeze these. When adding the last part of the chocolate to the tops, go easy because you might run out for the last one, like I did. The silicone cups make it super easy to pop right out when frozen. Also these get melty fast when you go to eat one, but straight out of the freezer, they're too hard to bite so be careful. Oh man, they're good and hit the spot for something "sweet" for me.

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
adapted from Fast Paleo, makes 8-9

1 1/3 C. dark chocolate (70% or higher) (I used 2 Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate Bar 3.2 oz.)
2 Tbl expeller pressed coconut oil, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 C. almond butter
Pinch of sea salt
Silicone cupcake liners (like these, affiliate link)

 Melt 1 1/3 C. dark chocolate and 1 Tbl coconut oil together. Pour 1 Tbl rounds into silicone cupcake liners and freeze until they harden (about 15 minutes). Mix together 1/3 C. almond butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 Tbl coconut oil and a pinch of salt. Place about a 1/2 tablespoon of mixture into each cup and freeze until hardened (about 15 minutes). For the last layer pour enough chocolate to cover the almond butter and freeze 5-10 more mins, store in fridge or freezer.

enjoy,
Rachelle

Cinnamon Sugared Pretzels

Oooh these are addicting! Sugary cinnamon coated pretzels. Use your favorite shape and size, I used gluten free pretzels for mine.

Cinnamon Sugared Pretzels
from Lifes Too Short To Skip Dessert

1 (16 oz) bag pretzel twists
⅔ cup oil (veg. or canola)
½ cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
White chocolate drizzle, if desired

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a medium sized bowl mix together oil, cinnamon and sugar. Add pretzels and stir to coat. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, removing twice to stir. May drizzle with melted white chocolate when cooled.



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enjoy,

Almond Roca Bark

Another treat I made during Christmas was this Almond Roca Bark. If you like those Heath bars, you'll LOVE this recipe. I promise it tastes just like it, but with almonds. I went to add a white chocolate drizzle on top by my bag busted open spilling all over so I turned it into a marbled bark.This stuff is SO good, it probably won't wait until Christmas time to be made again.


Almond Roca Bark
from Barefoot and Baking

3/4 cup toasted, chopped almonds*
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 oz (about 1 cup) milk chocolate chips

Butter a 7x11 inch pan. Sprinkle half of the almonds on the bottom of the pan.

In a heavy sauce pan, over medium high heat, melt the butter and then add the brown sugar. Stir gently until boiling. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling until the temperature reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage). The best is to use a candy thermometer, doing it with timing can be tricky, especially if this is your first time making this. If it gets higher than 320 it will NOT remain solid.

Pour the hot mixture over the almonds in the buttered pan. Pour the chocolate chips over the top and let them sit for a minute or two to melt. Once they are melty, use a spatula to spread them evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining chopped almonds over the melted chocolate. Let the whole thing cool until the chocolate has set. Use a sharp knife to break the almond roca into pieces. Store in an air tight container.

*to toast almonds spread them in a dry skillet and cook them over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to lightly brown and you can smell them. Let them cool completely. Toasting nuts gives them a much crunchier texture and a richer flavor.



waiting and waiting for the candy mixture to come to temp.(I lost the clip so I have to hold it!)

oops, my white chocolate drizzle bag busted, turned it into marble bark


christmas treats ready for gift giving


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enjoy,

Christmas Goodies Wrap Up

If you're looking for Christmas goodies to bake this week, I have a round up of past recipes here. There you'll find photos and links to Candy Cane Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Candy Cane Chocolate Crackle Cookies, Gingerbread Men Cookies, Cherry Blinks and Gingerbread Cake.

I also have these goodies I made last year:

Christmas Peanut Butter Balls



Christmas Crunch Bark



Cream Cheese Mints

Eggnog Quick Bread

Minty Hot Cocoa Cookies


I forgot all about this, Peanut Brittle



Also, Chocolate Truffles

New for this year, Christmas Pretzel Candies


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enjoy,

Valentine's Day Truffles: Cookie Dough Truffles and Oreo Truffles

Happy Valentine's Day!  Here are some sweets I dipped up for my Sweets! Oreo and cookie dough truffles! Mmm! I boxed them up in little heart shaped boxes and wrappers. (the bird candy box was a clearance candy box once year, I just cut out the candy shape holders to place my own in it)

Cookie Dough Truffles
Paula Deen

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
1 1/2 lb chocolate bark candy coating, melted (I used a bag of bittersweet chocolate chips)

In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours.

*Cook’s Note: Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.

Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into melted chocolate to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Servings: 5 dozen truffles

Oreo Truffles

Bakerella

1 package oreo cookies (divided… use cookie including the cream center)
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
white chocolate bark (I used 14 oz dark chocolate)

1. Finely crush 7 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Reserve for later.
2. Add remaining cookies and softened cream cheese to a food processor and pulse until combine.
3. Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
4. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. You can sprinkle the tops with the 7 crushed cookies for decoration.
5. Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy!

Makes about 36 truffles.

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enjoy,

Christmas Peanut Butter Balls

I was in such a candy making mood this Christmas and I knew Mr. would love these peanut butter balls. They were easy to make, just a little time consuming having to roll and dip each little ball. These were great though! I sprinkled Christmas sprinkles on them, but any color would be fun to whatever the occasion.

Peanut Butter Balls
slightly adapted from JoyofBaking.com

2 cups (500 grams) creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 - 2 1/2 cups (230 - 290 grams) confectioners sugar

Chocolate Coating
9 ounces (255 grams) milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons (25 grams) shortening

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat and let it warm up to melt a little. Once melted, remove from  heat, stir in the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and mix until it has the consistency of a dough (add more sugar if necessary).
Roll the dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) round balls. Place on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm.

Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate, making sure the entire ball is coated with chocolate. Then, with two spoons or a dipping fork, remove the peanut butter ball from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the baking sheet. When all the balls have been dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

To serve: place in small fluted candy cups.

Makes about 40 pieces, depending on size.

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enjoy,

Christmas Crunch Bark

Simple goodness. I have to share this recipe again, I gave it as part of a Teacher gift this year and I love it and wanted to share with you again! This time I added M&Ms to it.


Christmas Crunch Bark
slightly adapted from my original post

1 package (24 ounces) vanilla -flavored almond bark, coarsely chopped (in the baking aisle of the supermarket)
¾ cup whole or slivered almonds, coarsely chopped
¾ cup sweetened dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
2 cups crisp rice cereal
1 Cup Christmas M&Ms
10 oz dark/semi sweet chocolate, melted for drizzling

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place into the freezer at least 1 hour.
Place almond bark into a double boiler bowl, heat and stir until melted, being sure NO water gets into the chocolate bark.
Heat a small frying pan and toast nuts at a medium low temperature until golden brown. Keep an eye on the nuts so they don’t burn. Just takes a few minutes, be sure to stir them.
Remove from heat and add cranberries to the pan. Stir until combined.
Stir cereal and half of the nut mixture into melted bark.
Pour bark mixture onto cold tray, spreading evenly. Immediately sprinkle with remaining nut mixture and M&Ms, press lightly onto surface of bark.
Drizzle with melted dark chocolate, let stand 7-10 minutes or until bark is set. You could also place in the fridge for a bit to set quicker.
Bring edges of parchment up over bark and break into various size pieces.

Yield: about 1 cookie tray full
Tips:
•You can use two packages (12 ounces each) premium white or chocolate-flavored confectionery coating candy wafers instead of the almond bark.
•When melting almond bark, make sure your bowl and utensils are completely dry. Even one drop of water will cause almond bark to harden and clump.
-Instead of a dark chocolate drizzle, you could also melt white chocolate and color it red or green with food coloring, festive for Christmas!

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enjoy,

Cream Cheese Mints

I'm in a big candy making mood this year for Christmas, I guess all those years of making cookies for Santa burned me out. A friend reminded me of this recipe, and thankfully Cindy from Skip to my Lou blog has her own little shop to order supplies I needed to make these, and they ship fast!! They arrived just in time for me to make some for the teacher's gifts. I made a batch of red and a batch of green little swirl disks.

Cream Cheese Mints
slightly adapted from Skip to my Lou

4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

16 oz. powdered sugar
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. oil of peppermint (or other flavoring)
gel food coloring
granulated sugar
flexible rubber mint molds

Mix together cream cheese, flavoring, powdered sugar. Start with an 1/8 teaspoon of flavoring and then add more to desired taste. Knead dough (I used my stand mixer), may need to add more powdered sugar until dough becomes stiff.
Add gel paste coloring to color the dough. If dough becomes sticky add in a bit more powered sugar while kneading in coloring.
Roll into tiny balls (make a test to determine size of ball -- each mold is a little different). Coat balls with granulated sugar.
Press ball into mold. Immediately flip mold over and release mint. Repeat over and over. Makes about 5 dozen mints depending on size of mold. Allow mints to air dry a few hours or overnight. Mints also freeze beautifully!

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enjoy,