Brownie Truffle Bites

This is a super easy recipe that would be great for your sweetie this Valentines day.  All you need is a pan of brownies, some white chocolate or almond bark and some red or pink candy melts.

I made a pan of my peanut butter brownies for this one but any brownie would work, even a mix.  Using a small scoop, make balls out of the brownies.  Chill or freeze until firm.  Melt some almond bark or white chocolate (almond bark will cover the chocolate better).  Dip the brownie balls into the chocolate and lay on a parchment lined tray to set.  Drizzle with some melted red or pink candy melts and viola.  East peasy lemon squeezy.

You could also roll the ball into powdered sugar, cocoa powder or coconut for an even easier little treat.  These are so easy that you've gotta try them.

Brownies 3 Ways

I hope that everyone had a good Father's Day. I had a great weekend spending time with family and friends. On Saturday we had a big pre-Father's Day BBQ and pool party and then on Sunday we were able to just spend time together as a family. My girls loved making breakfast for their daddy in the morning and taking care of him all day. For dinner we had a big "meaty" meal and when I asked my husband if he had eaten any of the vegetables that I had made he said, "It's Father's Day, I should at least get one day off". I thought that it was so cute that I didn't even say another word. I guess that he can have a day off once a year if he wants. To put the icing on the cake, so to speak, here is a great dessert for that father in your life. Who doesn't love a rich fudgy brownie with a candy bar inside?

When you look at the amounts of the ingredients in this recipe don't freak out. It is enough to bake in a cookie sheet and can accommodate all three kinds into one pan. This is great if you have a big family get together or party to bring them to. The recipe makes about 40 good sized brownies and they are so rich and fudgy that you could probably cut them in half and still be satisfied. If you want to make less, you can halve the recipe and bake it in a 9 x13 or use 1/3 of the recipe for an 8 x 8.

I used three different candy bars, Snickers minis, the miniature Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and the small York Peppermint patties. These were all so good I am not sure that I could pick a favorite but my husbands favorite definitely was the Reeses, which is his favorite candy bar. I am sure that you could make these with any of your favorite candy bars. As a word of advise, these need to cool for a long period of time and it is best if they sit in the refrigerator before cutting. This will help you get that crisp clean cut. I brought some of them to a lunch at the park today and unfortunately they hadn't cooled all the way before I cut them and the hot weather outside didn't help much either so they looked like a mess and were quite melted (sorry ladies!!!). These are best served right out of the refrigerator which consequently is also the best place to store them. So if you have a hankering for a great fudgy snack, whip up a batch of these and you won't be disappointed.

Candy Bar Brownies

(Adapted form a Martha Stewart recipe)

3 sticks of unsalted butter(1 1/2 cups)

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

24 ounces chocolate chips (2 bags, I use the 60% cocoa ones)

1 Tbs. Vanilla

3 3/4 cups sugar

9 large eggs

about 40 each of York peppermint patties, Snickers minis and miniature Reeses Peanut butter cups (have them unwrapped and ready to use)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients and whisk to combine; Set aside.

2. Place the butter and chocolate chips in a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl in not touching the water). Heat stirring occasionally until the butter and the chocolate chips are melted. Remove from heat and add in the sugar and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add in the eggs a few at a time mixing well after each addition. Add the flour mixture 1/3 at a time stirring until just combined. Do not over mix.

3. Spread about half of the batter onto the bottom of the pan using an offset spatula to spread evenly ( it helps to warm the spatula by running it under hot water). Using three different sections make rows of the candy bars. Over lap just the peppermint patties (like shingles on a roof). Leave a little border around the edges of the pan and between the different sections. (I made 3 rows of 12 of each the peppermint patties and the snickers and 4 rows of the Reeses). Carefully spread the remaining batter over the top of the candy bars using the offset spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to help even the batter and remove any air bubbles.

4. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the brownies are set and the edges are crisp. Cool in the pan for several hours and then move to the fridge to cool and set completely. Slice them with a sharp damp knife, rinsing between cuts. Store in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

I have to tell you that I love brownies. Not the cheap from the box kind, but real homemade brownies that are full of bittersweet chocolate. I love to keep them cold in the fridge and break off little pieces throughout the day. (It doesn't count when you don't eat it all at once, right?!) I love to add things to my favorite brownie recipe whether it be oreos, nuts, cream cheese or in this case peanut butter. Whoever thought up the winning combo of peanut butter and chocolate should be awarded a prize. The two just go so well together. I am not sure if you've been able to tell or not, but I have been on a bit of a chocolate and peanut butter kick lately. It seems that most of the desserts that I have made lately contain the combo and they have been delicious. This one is no exception. If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you've gotta try these.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
(adapted from a recipe from Everday Food Magazine)

1 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick of butter cut into pieces
1 1/3 cups of chocolate chips, I prefer bittersweet
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
6 Tbs. creamy peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside. In a bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt, stir with a fork to combine and set aside. In a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from the heat and add the sugar. Once mixed, add the eggs and mix well. Add the flour mixture stirring only until combined. Don't over mix.

2. Heat the peanut butter in a small dish for about 15-30 seconds until slightly melted. Do not overheat. If the peanut butter is too runny it won't swirl well with the brownies. Drop the peanut butter by tablespoon in about 6 seperate spots. Swirl the peanut butter and brownies mixture with a butter knife.

3. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the edges have crisped and the brownies look cooked through. Cool in the pan completely and then refrigerate until cold before cutting (This allows for a nice perfect cut.)

Can you say brownie points?!!

I have been needing something chocolatey lately and nothing curbs that chocolate craving like a rich, fudgy brownie. I have been making this fudgy brownie recipe that I found in the Every Day Food magazine for awhile now, but today, I decided to make it even better. Make the cream cheese version and add oreos! now who can resist that?!

As a rule, I always line my brownie pans with foil. I know that some recipes call for parchment paper, but I don't always have that on hand and I have found that foil works just as good (just don't forget to grease the foil). I also, cool the brownies in the pan, then lift them out with the foil and cool in the fridge before cutting. This helps me make a cleaner cut. I have also tripled this recipe when I am serving a big crowd, like family get togethers. With the recipe tripled you can bake it in a sheet pan lined with foil. The cooking time is reduced to about 40 minutes and makes about 40+ good sized brownies.

Super Fudgy Brownies

(From the Everyday Food Magazine)

1 stick of butter
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I use the 60% cocoa chocolate chips)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs

For the cream cheese swirl

4 oz softened cream cheese
2 Tbs. softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbs flour

20 oreo cookies crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x9 pan with foil or parchment and grease. ( I don't have a 9 x 9 so I have baked this recipe in an 8 x 8 or an 8 x 11.5)

2. Mix the cream cheese ingredients together in the order listed, and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

4. Place butter and chocolate in a large heat proof bowl set over (not touching the water) a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring , until smooth and both butter and chocolate have melted. Remove the bowl from the pan. Add the sugar, mix to combine. Add the eggs;mix to combine. In batches, add the flour mixture and mix until just moistened ( do not overmix). Add half the crushed oreos to the batter.

5. Alternately sppon, chocolate mixture and cream cheese mixture into prepared pan. Swirl with the tip of a paring knife. Sprinkle the top with the remaining oreo cookies.

6. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan 30 minutes. Lift brownies out of pan using the foil or parchment and cut using a dampened serrated knife.

Makes 16