Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

We are happily sitting in bed and writing this post from the comforts of our own home and, more specifically, a home with lights.

This week we learned a little lesson that we think was potentially a tad unnecessary and that is; don't take electricity for granted. Or heating. Or hot water. Or fridges and freezers. Or washers and dryers. Or garage doors that open with a clicker thing. Thankyouverymuch, Mother Nature.

That's right, gang, we were without power for 4 whole days. Like, for reals. Seriously. WHAT YEAR IS THIS?!?! How is it possible that it took 72 hours to fix some freaking power lines?!?! For the love. Have we not progressed past this kind of lame infrastructure challenge? Next thing you know we will be fording rivers because no one can build a bridge that stays up...oh wait.

Whatever. We are over it. 

But, of all the creature comforts we missed, you'll be shocked to hear that we bakers mostly missed the oven. (Yes, it is gas, but how do you light a gas oven with a match? Er, scratch that, we don't want to know because we would def stick our heads in the oven which would NOT end well.).

A whole 4 days without baking was torture! We would totally rather listen to Chumbawumba on repeat for 13 hours (which happens to accurately describe the time spent on a high school road trip to a state basketball tournament...no, we were not players, just fans). 

So, obvy the first thing we did upon returning to this century was bake a little something. Because, while the power being restored was a pretty sweet birthday pressie...birthdays, by the way, lost their fun factor for us approximately 7 years ago so we typically like to ignore them. Only our own though! We love other peoples' b-days...YAY candles and cake!!

Wait, where were we? Oh yes, the best pressie this year, better than basic human requirements like lighting, was the giant, delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte that we whipped up as soon as the oven was functional. We've had our eye on it for ages now after spying the treat on the marvelous Annie's Eats blog and it seemed appropriate given there was just so much to celebrate...heating, hot water, fridges, freezers...

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte
Serves 8-10
Adapted from Annie's Eats 

Print Recipe

For the Crust:
32 Oreo cookies (about a 15.5 ounce package with some extra to snack on)
5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt

For the Crunch:
1 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped, divided (for the filling, crunch and topping)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg

For the Filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups powedered (confectioners’) sugar, sifted
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (not natural, we used Jif)
2 tablespoons whole milk

For the Topping:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper (to make it easier to slide the cake off the bottom and serve on a pretty plate) and place it on a baking sheet. Combine the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in a food processor until finely ground and well combined. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. Freeze the crust for 10 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before filling.

To make the crunch, in a small bowl combine a 1/2 cup of the chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips, sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss with a fork to mix and set aside.

To prepare the filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 2 cups of the heavy cream until it holds medium peaks.  Beat in 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Scrape the cream into a separate bowl and refrigerate until needed. 

Wipe out (do not wash) the mixer bowl, replace the whisk with the paddle attachment, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, whole milk, and 1/4 cup of the chopped peanuts until well combined.

Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about 1/4 of the whipped cream just to lighten the cream cheese mousse mixture.  Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the filling firms up a bit.

To finish the torte, put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30 second increments until the chocolate is almost melted. Stir vigorously between heatings and be careful not to burn the chocolate...the hot cream will melt the chocolate further. Bring the 1/2 cup of heavy cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and, working with a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and smooth.

Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, at least 20 minutes.  When the ganache is firm, use a very sharp, short knife and run it along the sides of the pan to loosen the crust a bit. Then, very gently remove the sides of the springform pan.  Slide the torte off the springform pan base very carefully onto a serving plate. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fall French Toast

Well, it’s official. We are in the thick of fall. There’s no turning back. Summer is but a totally out of our rear-view mirror and winter is rapidly approaching (we mean, really, with the snow already?). Yikes. 

You won’t hear any complaints from us...at least not until winter when all we do is moan about the cold.

But for now, we lurrrrrve the fall. One of our most favoritest seasons. It’s crisp and cool and ideal fashion weather. Think fabulous boots and jeans and cardigans and tweed...uh, yes, apparently we dress like 65-year-old men. Not that it’s a bad thing. One of us used to work at Talbots’. It’s true.

However, there is a major downside to fall. One which we can’t ignore.

Fall seems to usher in that feeling in the morning when you absolutely, under no circumstances, want to get out of bed because you know, YOU KNOW, it’s going to be freezing out there in your bedroom, on the floor, in the house. You just aren’t prepared to deal with that. It’s warm in bed. It’s where you are staying. Yes, sir.

Here’s the problem with that train of thought though, coffee is outside your bed. The newspaper is outside your bed. And, this delicious french toast touched with honey and orange is outside your bed.

So you have a new reason to get out of bed and dress in your fall best and bake some brunch...at least until winter when all you will do is moan about the cold...

Fall French Toast
Serves 6-8

Print Recipe

4 eggs
1 cup half & half (or heavy cream if you’re feeling ambitious)
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon orange extract
pinch of salt
½ loaf of peasant bread (or your choice of thick bread), sliced

Unsalted butter, for skillet
Maple syrup, for serving
Powdered sugar, for serving

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet. Soak bread slices in the egg mixture for about 1-2 minutes and place on the skillet. Fry bread on both sides until they are mottled brown and firmer to the touch (as opposed to soggy feeling). Remove from skillet, dust with powdered sugar, if you chose, and serve with hot, real maple syrup or more melted butter.

Almond Coconut Candy Bars

You shouldn't accept candy from strangers.

Or, at least that's what we are lead to believe every day of the year EXCEPT Halloween. Does anyone else find this odd? It's NOT ok to take candy from unknown persons normally, but on Halloween it's perfectly acceptable to binge on sweet treats gathered from grown adults dressed like vampires?

I mean, once your parents have scanned your candy bag for syringes. Obvy.

Really though, assuming the candy in question is unopened and edible (2 year old bags of M&M's need not apply, old Mrs. Peterson), we will eat anything, Halloween or not. People give us candy, uh, we eat it. 

However, responsible parents who are worried that the Austin Powers down the street (PS - Does anyone else watch 'Happy Endings' because it is amazing) is handing out poisoned Snickers should implement our proven antidote to the candy coma (mental or physical, real or imagined)...

MAKE YOUR OWN CANDY! Yessssss.

What better way to assure your kids, um, or you, get not only the best candy in town but also the safest? If you make it yourself, you can happily trust that it's filled with love and chocolate and almonds and coconut and smiles. Who wouldn't want that kind of candy on Halloween?!?!

Ok. Ok. Maybe the kids would reject the homemade candy bars because they are kids and they like things packaged in Reese's Peanut Butter Cup wrapping, but you? You will love these adult candy bars.

Of course other parents will have to check the bags of their kids and will have to taste test these bars to make sure they aren't poisoned. Just. In. Case.

Almond Coconut Candy Bars
Makes 32-ish Bars
Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens 

Print Recipe

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 18 large rectangles)
1 1/2 cups whole almonds, lightly toasted
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
pinch of salt
2/3 cups (roughly 11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 14 ounce package of sweetened, flaked coconut
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk 
18 ounces dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup of the toasted almonds, brown sugar and salt in a food processor until a fine crumb. Add the melted butter. Mix until fully combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden on the edges and top. Allow to cool. 

Combine the coconut and sweetened condensed milk in a medium bowl. Spread the coconut mixture over the top of the crust very gently (so as not to pull away the top of the crust). Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of whole almonds (you may not use them all) evenly over the top of the crust, pressing them lightly into the coconut. Bake for 10 minutes or until top appears firmer.

Melt the dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave on 30 second bursts, stirring between cooking, until almost melted. Be careful not to overcook and burn the chocolate. As you stir the chocolate will melt further so take note...Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top of the baked coconut and almonds. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack of chill in the fridge until the chocolate is set. Cut into bars and serve.

Nutty Caramel Crumb Bars

We predicted this would happen.  We just knew it. 

Weeks ago, when we made that first fateful purchase from the Halloween candy aisle, the writing was on the wall.

And here we are, with a week to go til that most horrifying of holidays (no seriously one of us lives in New York City, Halloween is a scary, scary day), and we've officially overdosed on snack size candy bars.

Help! How are we going to make it through this week?  The candy laden plastic pumpkins have started showing up everywhere, filled to the brim with dangerously delicious Halloween treats.

The kitchen at work is fully stocked with black and orange M&M's.  The nail salon is practically forcing people to take those little boxes of Nerds. 

And the post office is handing out Twizzlers.  The post office!  Is nowhere safe?!  We are one fun size Twix from the edge.

But we've come up with a plan!  Hurrah!  Yippee!  Woo hoo!

We'll fight off the temptation to enter a full on candy coma by baking up our own candy-ish bars.  Not the homemade versions of our favorite store bought bars a la the almond joys and peppermint patty creations - but treats reminiscient of the candy bar category. 

Just the general candy bar characteristics really, you know, chewy, chocolate-y, crunchy, crumbly...happy, sleepy, grumpy...oh wait.

Clearly the sugar has gone straight to our heads.  All the more need for the PLAN.

And we actually think we did alright with our first survive-the-week-by-making-homemade-candy-bar-ish-treats attempt.  Salty peanuts, caramel and chocolate?  Armed with these we're confidents we can resist every single plastic pumpkin.

Nutty Caramel Crumb Bars
Makes 16 bars

Print Recipe

For crust & topping:
1 cup honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (you can use any nut you like)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups oats
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted, plus more for greasing the pan

For caramel filling:
24 soft caramel candies, unwrapped (we used Kraft)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and nuts. Mix in the melted butter until the oat mixture is thoroughly combined. Press two-thirds of the mixture in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Use the back of the spoon to firmly press & compact the mixture. Bake crust for 20 minutes.

While crust is baking prepare caramel filling. In a saucepan over low heat, melt together caramels and cream stirring frequently, until smooth, about 6-8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Remove crust from oven and let cool on rack for 5 minutes. Sprinkle crust with chocolate chips and cover with caramel sauce. Top with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely. Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Gluten Free Goodness

These Blue-Eyed bakers are blessed with very capable dessert digestive systems.  We can (and do) eat just about any and all delicious treat we come across.  But we know some of our wonderful readers do not get to consume the bevvy of baked goods we make due to some food allergies, most frequently, gluten intolerance. 

And that's no good.  No good at all.  We want everyone to get to enjoy the things we make.  All you cookies should be included.  Nobody puts Baby in a corner.  The more the merrier.  Especially when it comes to desserts.

And while we usually don't set out to make specific gluten free treats, we actually have quite a number of recipes that are completely gluten free.  We've picked our top 10 to share with you all, and will also be adding a gluten free category to our recipe section to make searching for a sweet treat easier for everyone, intolerance or stomach of steel aside.  Bake on buttercups!

1. Peanut Butter & Bacon Cookies

Um...wait, do we actually need to say anything about these cookies?  BACON.  There.

2. Fancy Chocolate Bark

This is such a versatile recipe and perfect for holidays and gift giving.  And it's fancy.  Like the name says.

3. Two Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

So delicious and so easy.  And so amazing that it only has two ingredients.  TWO!

 4. Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Treats

Will the powers of chocolate and peanut butter ever cease to amaze?? (Make sure you're using gluten free rice krispies).

5. Peppermint Patties

Another perfect holiday treat.  Plus they're easy AND impress the pants of people.  Is there a better combo?

6. Almond Orange Florentines

Delicate and seriously delicious.

7. Microwave Peanut Brittle

You make this entire recipe in the microwave.  IN THE MICROWAVE.  We know.  You're welcome.

8. Fleur de Sel Caramels

Delicious salty, chewy, sweetness. 

9. Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

Creamy, cold, caramel-y goodness.

10. Rocky Road Fudge

We've been making (and eating) this easy treat since we were wee blue-eyed babies. 

Head over to our recipes page to see all our gluten free treats!