Maple Cream Truffles

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened

• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

• 3 tablespoons maple flavoring

• 2 cups chopped walnuts

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup butterscotch chips

• 1 tablespoon Crisco

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and maple flavoring until smooth. Stir in walnuts.
2. Use a one tablespoon ice cream scoop and place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Put them in the freezer until firm enough to shape into balls; place back on the baking sheets. Freeze until firm.
3. In the microwave melt the chips and Crisco. Stir every 30 seconds. Dip balls and place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until hardened.

Mint Chocolate Mousse Cups

I am exploring all the things I can do with these chocolate cups.  Here is a variation on typical chocolate mousse.  I served these for bookclub and they are as good as they look.

Chocolate Cups

• 1 lb. Wilton Melting Chocolate

1. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Stir every 30 seconds. Stirring the warm chocolate will help to melt it because your bowl will become hot. Do not overcook the chocolate.
2. Use a spoon to add chocolate to silicon cupcake cups. Smooth over all the surfaces. Don’t worry about having the insides perfect because you will not see it.
3. Put cupcake cups in the freezer.
4. When they are hard, turn the silicon cups inside out to remove the chocolate. Set aside. If you end up with extra cups, save them in the freezer for other desserts or fresh fruit with whipped cream.

Mint Chocolate Mousse Ingredients

• 2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 6 oz Andes mint chips (half the bag)
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)

•  ¼ cup water
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ¼ cups whipping cream, whipped

Directions
1. In a microwave heat chocolate, 1/2 cup water and butter for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth and the chocolate and butter are melted. Cool for 10 minutes.
2. In a small heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks, sugar and ½ cup water. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat
3. Whisk the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture. Set saucepan in ice and stir until cooled, about 5-10 minutes. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into chocolate cups.
4. Add coarsely chopped milk chocolate to the top.
5. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Whipped Cream Topping

•  1/2 Cup whipping cream
• 3 T sugar
  

1. Chill metal mixing bowl and electric mixer whisk in the refrigerator until cold.
2. Whisk whipping cream and  sugar until stiff peaks from.
3. Pipe onto the chilled mouse cups just before serving.

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Cups

1.  Melt 1 lb. of Wilton melting chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Stir every 30 seconds. Stirring the warm chocolate will help to melt it because your bowl will become hot. Do not overcook the chocolate.

2.  Use a spoon to add chocolate to silicon cupcake cups. Smooth over all the surfaces. Don’t worry about having the insides perfect because you will not see it.

3.  Put cupcake cups in the freezer.

4.  When they are hard, turn the silicon cups inside out to remove the chocolate. Set aside. If you end up with extra cups, save them in the freezer for other desserts or fresh fruit with whipped cream.

Chocolate Mousse Ingredients

• 8 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup water, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/4 cups whipping cream, whipped

Directions

1. In a microwave heat chocolate, 1/4 cup water and butter for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth and the chocolate and butter are melted. Cool for 10 minutes.

2. In a small heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks, sugar and remaining water. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat

3. Whisk the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture. Set saucepan in ice and stir until cooled, about 5-10 minutes. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into chocolate cups.

4. Add coarsely chopped milk chocolate to the top.

5. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup crushed pineapple (juice squeezed out)

Frosting
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan or two round pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake.

Peanut Butter Topped Brownie Bites

19.5 oz package of brownie mix

Mix brownie mix according to package directions. Fill four mini tart pans with mini cupcake liners. Spray each with cooking spray. Cook brownie bits for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Frosting
½ C butter
1 C peanut butter
5 T milk
2 C powdered sugar

Mix butter and peanut butter in an electric mixer. Add milk one T at a time. Add powdered sugar and mix until fluffy. Pip frosting onto brownies with a large star tip, swirling from the outside to the center. Add one Reese’s Pieces to the top of each bite.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Braid

Dough:
1 C water
5 1/2 - 6 C flour
3/4 C sugar
3 packages of yeast (2T 1/4 t)
1 t salt
1/2 C butter
3 eggs

Pineapple Filling:
1 - 8 oz. can crushed pineapple
1/2 C sugar
3 T cornstarch

Cream Cheese Filling:
1 - 8oz. cream cheese
3 T sugar
1 t Lemon juice

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In a saucepan, heat butter and water to 120-130. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40-45 minutes.
Combine pineapple-filling ingredients. Cook and stir until thickened. Cool. Combine cream cheese filling ingredients, mix well and set aside. Combine icing ingredients and set aside.
Punch dough down; divide into thirds. On greased baking sheets, roll out each portion into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling lengthwise down center third of each rectangle. Spread the pineapple filling on top of cream cheese filling. On each long side, cut 1” wide strips 3” into the center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Seal ends. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes. Bake in oven preheated to 350 for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Drizzle icing over braids.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Prep Time: 30 min
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hr 0 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Serves: 8 pretzels

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt

Directions
Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Place them on a wire rake to let the water drip off. Place onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.