Chocolate Dipped Praline Pretzels

These pretzels have it all ~ you get the sweet, salty, chocolate and nutty flavors all in one delightful bite.  They are great for gifting!

 

 

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsps heavy cream

4 oz bittersweet, semisweet or milk chocolate chips

8 pretzel rods



 

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together pecans, brown sugar, and cream. Spread in a single layer in a lightly buttered 9-inch round cake pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until pecans are fragrant and sugar is slightly crystallized, stirring once.  Let cool in pan.  Lay a piece of wax paper on table for setting pretzels on.  Place chocolate in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute, stir, then continue to microwave at 30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring after each until melted and smooth.   Dip two-thirds of each pretzel rod into chocolate, twirling to coat all sides, set pretzel on wax paper.   Sprinkle pecan mixture over coated ends of pretzel, continue with each pretzel. Let stand until chocolate is set. Wrap in tall cellophane bags and tie with ribbons. 
Recipe adapted from Southern Living

 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Festive Treats

For a sweet and simple (albeit messy to make) treat, try dipping some treats into chocolate and decorate!

 

First get your ingredients set up,  take out your dipping snacks - use your 
imagination, I chose strawberries, pretzels and oreos. If using strawberries wash and dry them. Pour desired sprinkles into paper cupcake liners for dipping them or sprinkling, and melt your desired chocolates.  I use the white melting candys for white chocolate, the directions are on the package for melting these in the microwave.  I use the Ghiradelli bittersweet or semisweet chocolate baking bits for the chocolate.  These can be melted in a metal heat safe bowl over a small pot of simmering water, stirring with a wooden spoon until the bits have melted and you have a smooth liquid chocolate.  For strawberries, hold the stem and dip and swirl, let excess chocolate drip back into bowl, then place on waxed paper to set.  For pretzels and oreos you can dip and immerse in chocolate, then lift from bottom with a fork, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl then slide off fork onto waxed paper to set.  While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle and decorate with desired sprinkles and candies and let completely set.

Valentine Goodies

 

 

 

Christmas Pretzels ready for gifting!

Red White and Blue Strawberries - dipped in white chocolate or white melting candy then dipped in blue sprinkles and patriotic sprinkle mix!

Enjoy!

Holiday Toffee

This toffee is very versatile, it is the same delicious recipe as the St. Patrick's Day Toffee, I just changed up the colors and candies, using sno-caps nonpareils, holiday M and M's, Christmas sprinkles and red melting candies. Use any pretty and festive candies you find and load it on top for this sweet holiday treat.   I used bittersweet baking chips in this one instead of the milk chocolate bits, you can use either type.

 Here's the full toffee post with step by step directions, just substitute holiday candies and colors: 
 http://rosiescountrybaking.blogspot.com/2012/03/st-patricks-day-toffee.html

 

All packaged and ready for gifting:

Enjoy!

Halloween Candy Bark

This is a great way to use up all that leftover candy from Halloween, or to make as treats to give away.  Mix and match your favorite candies,  mine are:  Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Reese's Pieces and Butterfingers.  I found this recipe in Bon Appetit and adapted it slightly, adapt as you like using your favorite candies.

1 lb Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips
About 10 oz of Butterfingers candy bars, cut into irregular 1" pieces (or your choice of candy)
About 4 oz of Reese's Peanut Butter cups, cut into small wedges (or your choice of candy)
1/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts
3 oz white chocolate, chopped
Reese's Pieces or M & M's 
Line a 9 X 13"baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place chocolate chips in a heavy med saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and warm.  Pour melted chocolate onto foil and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with your choice of candies - I used the butterfinger pieces and peanut butter cups, make sure your candy and nuts are touching the melted chocolate to adhere. Place white chocolate in a heavy small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and warm.  Remove from heat and drizzle chocolate over candy with a spoon.  Scatter Reese's Pieces all over - making sure candy touches the melted chocolate to adhere.  Chill toffee in refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes.  Peel toffee off foil and break up into pieces.

Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate and Peanut Sweet and Salty Toffee

This toffee is sooo good, its sweet, buttery, chocolaty and salty the perfect answer for your sweet tooth and salty cravings!  And because its so rich and full of flavor you don't need to eat much to feel satisfied.  You will need a candy thermometer, a heavy pot, a metal offset spatula, a 18 X 11 baking sheet, and caution as the mixture cooks to 300 degrees.

 

 

Recipe

4 sticks unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp salt

16 oz container cocktail peanuts - separate - 3 cups for toffee mixture - 1 cup for topping, chopped

8 oz bittersweet chocolate finely chopped

Line a large cookie sheet (18X11) with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.  Bring the butter, sugar and salt to a boil in a heavy pot thats fitted with a candy thermometer over med-high heat, whisking until smooth.  When a boil is reached, stir occasionally, until the color is deep golden and reaches 300 degrees, this will take about 15-20 mins.  Then stir in 3 cups of the peanuts, then carefully pour this mixture into center of prepared baking pan.  Spread with spatula, smoothing the top, and let stand 1 minute, then sprinkle chocolate evenly on top.  Let stand until melted about 4 mins, then spread chocolate over toffee until smooth.  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and let set, it will set quicker in fridge or freezer.  Break into pieces and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Sweet and Salty Tofee

 

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Candy thermometers are available here:

http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/B00004XSC9

Chocolate Drizzled Pecan Pralines

Pecan Pralines are such a sweet treat, and drizzled with dark chocolate adds another level of flavor for us chocolate and pecan lovers!!!

Ingredients

3/4 cups sugar

• 1/3  cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4  cup butter 
• 1/4  cup milk 
• 1 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 1/2  cups toasted pecan halves
• 3 oz Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• Preparation
• Stir together all  ingredients except pecans and chocolate, in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Continue to boil, stirring constantly, 7 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 234°.Remove from heat, and stir in pecans.  Spoon pecan mixture onto parchment lined baking sheet, spreading in an even layer.  Let set about 20 minutes.  Separate and break up praline-coated pecans into pieces using 2 forks.   Microwave chocolate in a microwave safe bowl at 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.  When smooth, drizzle chocolate over pecans and let set.  For quicker setting place in refrigerator or freezer.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
• Adapted from Southern Living

• 
  
•                                                                   Enjoy!

St. Patrick's Day Toffee

I love every kind of holiday or occasion because it gives me a reason to bake and create.  So with St. Patrick's day approaching I've been thinking up some Irish/Green goodies.  I am not Irish and not familiar with Irish cooking, but I'm always willing to learn.  I have a bunch of ideas for the next week.  The first one was for a toffee.  I was inspired when grocery shopping this morning and found these coconut M&M packets that had green colored candy.  I picked up some green melting candies and a shamrock mix sprinkles and got started.


Ingredients
2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
5 Tblsp water
5 oz green melting candies and 5 oz milk chocolate baking bits
Shamrock sprinkles and green coconut M and M's

Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes until fragrant, toss 1/2 way through once

Measure out 5 oz of green melting candies

 Measure out 5 oz milk chocolate baking bits

Spread 1/2 of the pecans in a 9 X13 sheet pan lined with parchment paper, leaving a little room on edges, save the other half of pecans for sprinkling on the chocolate

Add the sugar, butter and water in a heavy duty pot and heat on medium, stir to melt

Attach a candy thermometer on side of pan and keep heating and stirring until you get to 285 degrees

This is what it will look like when ready

Pour evenly over pecans

Sprinkle chocolate bits over hot toffee, let sit for 2 minutes

While thats sitting melt the candy in the microwave, following directions on bag

Spread the now melting chocolate with an offset spatula

Spoon melted green candy onto chocolate

Swirl the 2 with an offset spatuala

Sprinkle with remaining nuts, sprinkles and M and M's, pressing lightly.  Let completely set, then break up into pieces.

This turned out to be quite a tasty toffee :)

Enjoy and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Chocolates and Confections

I received several great cookbooks for Christmas this year and I'm excited to try some new recipes.  The first one I've tried is from my new book, "Chocolates and Confections at Home with the Culinary Institute of America", Pecan Buttercrunch, a chocolaty nutty toffee ~ it's so wonderful.   Overall it is simple to make, the tricky part is cooking the sugar mixture.  You will need a candy thermometer for this.  Here's the recipe:

Pecan Buttercrunch
1 cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract extract
8oz dark chocolate, I used ghirardelli 60 % cacao bittersweet chocolate about 3/4 of a 12 oz bag
2 cups chopped salted toasted pecans


Line a 10X15 sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a heavy 2 qt saucepan combine the sugar, butter, water, salt and vanilla.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula.
Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and continue stirring while cooking until the thermometer reads 290 F degrees and the mixture is a light golden brown.
Immediately pour into prepared pan and spread quickly to the edges with a metal offset spatula.
Sprinkle the chocolate evenly over the buttercrunch and let sit for 2-3 minutes to melt.  Then spread the chocolate until smooth with a clean offset spatula.  Sprinkle with the pecans.  Allow the chocolate to set completely.  Break the buttercrunch into pieces and serve.  Can be stored at room temp in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Adapted from "Chocolates and Confections at Home with the Culinary Institute of America"