Month: March 2016

“OHHH FUDGE!” – Ralphie

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

A Christmas Story is one of my favorite movies. I watch it faithfully every year at Christmastime. It still cracks me up – every. single. time.

I still have a few boxes of Girl Scout cookies on my kitchen counter so I decided to get rid of a box last night. I was very proud of myself for not getting rid of them by stuffing them in my face! I decided I wanted to try something different than I have done before. I find sometimes that incorporating the cookies into a recipe that cooks them can sometimes loose the flavor of the cookies, hence why I crushed some Thin Mints and topped gooey brownies with them and made Thin Mint truffles, both kept the integrity of the cookies.

In my area, Samoas are now called Caramel deLites. I knew I wanted to do something that wasn’t chocolate, but still played off the flavor of the cookie to enhance it. I decided to make caramel fudge and top it with chopped up cookies. I will tell you that I am not a great fan of fudge made with Fluff or Marshmallow Creme as I don’t like the texture it gives the fudge, but that is just my personal preference.

Ingredients:
9 tbsp. unsalted buter
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
10 soft caramel candies
3/5 cup white chocolate chips
1 box Caramel deLite Girl Scout Cookies.

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Directions:
Melt butter in a sauce pan over low heat. While butter is melting, line a 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper, lightly spraying the pan and the paper with nonstick spray. Chop up 1 box of Caramel deLite Girl Scout cookies. Add in the sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, brown sugar and 10 soft caramel candies. Stir over low heat until boiling, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. It is very important to time this for 10 minutes – if you under cook this your fudge won’t set and if you over cook your fudge will crumble to pieces. Remove from heat and stir in the white chocolate quickly. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth over the service as best you can. Sprinkle over top the cookies and gently and carefully press slightly into the fudge so that they adhere when cutting. Try not to eat this entire pan in one sitting. Enjoy!

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THREE INGREDIENTS!

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

Whomever thought to crush cookies to make them in to fake truffles is a genius! I mean come on! Three ingredients and the short time of creating such deliciousness can’t be beat!

I may have gone a little over board on buying Girl Scout cookies this year. Who am I fooling .. I do it EVERY year! I tell myself that I am just being helpful and kind by buying so many, but really I just love me some Thin Mints and Carmel de lites (formerly known as Samoas). So of course I receive 3/4 of the boxes I have ordered and decide it is time to go on a diet because I obviously love to punish myself and make dieting even more hard than it already is!

I used one box of Thin Mints to top some delicious brownies that I slathered in chocolate ganache for a get-together at a friends house a few weeks ago. Then it was an co-workers birthday, so I decided to finish of my supply of Thin Mints to make Thin Mint Truffles – you can also make these with Oreos, which I believe this idea started (don’t quote me on it though). I added some peppermint extract to my melted chocolate just to give it a little kick – so my truffles actually had four ingredients, but who’s counting!

Ingredients:
2 sleeves Thin Mints
4 oz. softened cream cheese
8 oz. melted chocolate chips or candy melts

Directions:
In food processor add Thin Mints and pulse until fine crumbed. Add in softened cream cheese and pulse until crumbs and cream cheese form a “dough” consistency. Line small sheet tray or plate with parchment paper. Scoop dough out with a teaspoon and roll between your palms into a small ball. Once all dough is formed into balls place in fridge to chill. While balls are firming in the fridge, pour chocolate chips or candy melts into a microwave safe bowl and heat in 2 or 3 – 30 second intervals stirring well between sessions so that you don’t burn the chocolate or candy melts. Also, by stirring throughly you are spreading the heat around which will help melt more chocolate. You don’t want to melt the chocolate completely using the microwave or the chocolate will become too hot and not set correctly. You want the chocolate to be about room temp. – this is “faking” tempering chocolate so that it will set at room temp. Once the chocolate is ready (this is where I added the peppermint extract and stirred it through), remove your truffles from the fridge and start rolling one-by-one to coat. Set back on parchment paper and let set up at room temp – or at least try to – before eating.

ENJOY!

Chocolate EXPLOSION!

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

When I ask someone what sweet they want I will usually take their idea and expand on it to make it slightly more decadent. I don’t necessarily do this on purpose, but I mean come on, if you are going to stuff your face, why not make it an AMAZING FACE STUFFING EXPERIENCE? It really seems like a no brainer.

That being said, when I asked Pattie what she wanted as her going away sweet, she responded with, “Something chocolate.” In my mind I heard so much chocolate that my mouth will explode. So that is what I created.

A chocolate cake with chocolate ganache between the two layers, frosted with chocolate buttercream, surrounded in Kit Kats, topped with more chocolate ganache and Ferrero Rochers. Oh yeah, and a ribbon – because it’s much prettier that way (and keeps the Kit Kats from falling off en route).

Good luck Pattie! You will be missed, but I am sure we will see your smiling face in the office often!

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