Spiced Blondies with Chai Ganache

Chai is one of those magical blend of spices that's aromatic, earthy, warm, and soothing all at the same time. Add it to some black tea, steep with a touch of heavy milk, a kiss of sweetener, and you have the perfect cup of goodness. I like chai in just about anything, from pancakes to icecream (can't wait make some)! This recipe for Spiced Blondies with Chai Ganache takes things to a whole new level.

Picture it now: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, coriander, and nutmeg with a hint of a ground black pepper for gentle bite. Mix in some vanilla extract, almost equal parts flour to brown sugar, eggs, and add a generous serving of butter. So evil! Bake into blondie form (a brownie without the cocoa). Now as if that's not inviting enough, add a luscious layer of chai-tea infused, white chocolate topping. 

Don't make a face you non-white chocolate lovers! This is different... there's tea involved! I hate white-chocolate and this swooned even the likes of me. Admittedly, I halved the amount of ganache to cut back. If you're really all that adverse, try this tasty cream cheese chai frosting instead.

This is a lovely dessert because a small bite packs a lot of awesome. Initially, I cut these into 9 squares from a 8x8 pan but that proved to be serious a serving. In bite-sized form, they are perfect for parties and people quickly become addicted. The danger is lies in the delicious spices masking the richness of the blondie. It's the jungle juice of baked goods. Make at your own peril!

If you're not into tea, don't worry. These taste nothing like tea! Think of fall flavors, almost like pumpkin spice, with a very subtle pow from the peppercorn. Serve with a cup of chai if you want the ultimate experience or a glass of milk! You could even do espresso if you want a "dirty chai" - boo barista humor.  However you serve it, they're delicious!

This recipe for Spiced Blondies with Chai Ganache can be found on Raspberri Cupcakes!

Salted Brown Butter, Vanilla Bean Rice Krispie Treats

If you're ever in need of a wham, bam, thank you ma'am recipe, this is it! Fancy Rice Krispie treats! They are one of the easiest desserts to make in the whole wide world and require only a handful of ingredients. That's why when it came time to knock out a Baked Goods Basket, they immediately sprung to mind!

This was actually my first time ever making any kind of Rice Krispie treat! I've eaten the standard version before but it never occurred to me how they're a perfect canvas for creativity. Plain rice cereal and some marshmallow fluff as the base? The possibilities are endless! There are some super creative recipes out there, you could make a cook book with this Pinterest board alone.

I selected this classy version from Baked Bree: Brown Butter, Vanilla Bean. In the title of this post I added the word salted because... well... I forgot to add the salt. They still tasted good - the cereal has a touch of sodium built in. Just to be on the safe side, I lightly sprinkled 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt on top and voila! A whole new dimension to the yumminess!

The aroma of the vanilla while you brown the butter is pure heaven. The bars have a slightly nutty after taste that contrasts with the subtlety of the vanilla. The flavor is mature while the texture is fun! The end result is a dessert that's easy to make, serve, keeps well in an air tight for container, and is an addictive crowd pleaser. It's a whole new perspective to a childhood classic!

The recipe for these awesome Brown Butter, Vanilla Bean Rice Krispie Treats can be found on Baked Bree!

Magic Custard Cake

Hollyyy crap... this is what? My third post for April? Terribly behind but let's put that in perspective. We've traveled to West VA and South Carolina; both work full-time; gym regulars; manage the house; love Autumn; and try to be sociable. Plus. Oh you know... the wedding is approximately 19 days away. *crazy eyes* There's been a lot going on behind the scenes in terms of planning and daily life. I'll try to bang out a few posts in the interim! Thanks for being patient!

This tasty treat is called the Magic Custard Bar. Apparently it's a known thing! I have never heard of it nor had the site where I found it, White On Rice Couple. What lured me in was the incredibly basic ingredient (flour, confectioner's sugar, butter, vanilla extract, eggs, and a touch of milk) list in compilation with the flavor profile. It's not super sweet and is perfect for any time of day. Have it with your cup of cafe or as a little bed time nibble. So what the heck is it exactly?

Well. Beats me. I guess that's why they call it a Magic Custard Bar. The bottom half as you can see is a custard-like consistency. It's smooth and mellow. The egg white makes sure this is as soft as a cloud. The mixture is very fluid so be careful when you mix! The top part has a very thin and delicate crust. Honestly.... the best way I can describe it is a yellow/angel food cake hybrid. Something about it made me think of Portuguese bread known as Pao de Lo.

It's a sophisticated little number; I would serve this to someone who doesn't have a real big sweet tooth but you still want to make them a nom. My goal was to give it to my "second" mom but that never happened. In retrospect, she may not have liked the yellow cake aspect. Good thing White on Rice has a chocolate version as well!

 
For the full recipe, check out White on Rice Couple's adaption of this kitchen classic!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Some days, you just need a recipe that requires minimal effort but produces optimal results. On Super Bowl Sunday, I found myself pacing the kitchen like a lion. I was torn between making a grocery store run and using what was on hand. It was already the afternoon and we needed to drive down South to watch the game. In my heart, there were key lime bars! In the kitchen though... there was just enough goodies to make cookies. 

As my hands reached for the car keys, I felt Mike's challenging gaze from across the living room. It's like that awkward moment when two cats (God... I've become a cat lady and I'm still in my 20's) stare at one another for too long then one suddenly flips out. You cannot hear the dialogue- but you know sh*t is going down. The subtle ear twitch... tails swooshing at the slightest breeze... the dilated pupils. That gaze conveyed a myriad of valid points such as: 

1) Don't spend the extra dinero;

2) You're on a time budget;
3) Exactly how angry will you be with me when I say it's time to go and the bars haven't sat in the fridge long enough;
4) Are you going to cry in the car ride if the visual aesthetic is compromised in any way due to sharp turns, other drivers, or traffic;
5) You realize this is unnecessary stress- right?
6) If they don't come out picture perfect, I don't want to deal with a salty Michele; and
7) Just make cookies woman

Needless to say... I scurried back into the kitchen. Cookies it will be!

In keeping with the time budget, rolling out individual cookies and letting the dough sit in the fridge for a couples hours wasn't in the cards. Bars were the perfect compromise of flavor and sanity. Make the dough and slather it across a greased baking pan- done! I have made a Chocolate Cookie Cake in past, and though delicious, they do not fill out a 9x13 pan. The title of favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe still goes to Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. If only the came in a pan version! These bars needed to be chewy, soft, and thick. I didn't want cardboard sprinkled with chocolate chips. 

Then I saw The Cutting Edge of Ordinary and there stood the image of cookie bar perfection. 

These bars fulfill their promise and deliver a cookie-like bar. All the usual suspects are there: chocolate chips, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. They were promptly attacked and enjoyed! Mike made sure a few snuck there way back to our house. As the recipe recommends  I strongly encourage adding nuts to the mix, even if it's a handful for added dimension. I added a drizzle of melted chocolate on top... just to be a lil extra evil. Next time, I may add a dash of almond extract because I am such an almond fiend. 

My sole gripe was they were not as thick I was wanted them to be. The Cutting Edge's versions looks so much more yummy because they're thicker and have a pillowy look. *drools* Maybe I needed to add more flour? Heck now that I'm re-reading the directions... I may have set the oven to 350 instead of 325! User error? Ohhhhhh darnnnn.... looks like I am going to have to make them again to check! (moo ha ha ha) 

For the full recipe, check out The Cutting Edge of Ordinary! 

Power Up: Chocolate Peanut-Butter Energy Bars

It's hard for me write about being healthy and staying active after attending a wedding cupcake tasting. We wanted to try everything at Confections in Manassas, VA! The spirit was willing, but the flesh is weak. My tummy can only handle so many cupcakes in a single sitting. On top of that, I'm addicted to the theme music from "Downton Abbey" and all it motivates me to do is nap. 

The moral of the story: don't watch hours of British drama and stuff your face with sugar like some people. How's that horrible saying go... do as I say, not as I do?

I've always hated that saying. We all need our moments of  cake and stories as a reprieve. Be kind to yourself. That doesn't mean bombard yourself with bon bons; you don't want to have a one-night stand with ice cream that you'll regret the next day! We live in a society where sweets have been conditioned to equate to reward. That may have been true back in the day when a slice of cake was considered a delicacy. Nowadays you can simply go to a gas station and grab a candy bar. Reward yourself with nutrients. Tasty nutrients.

The (soon to be) hubby and I love going to the gym and being active. It's one of the characteristics that attracted us to one another. We met break dancing. We were always digging for spots to practice and staying till they kicked us out! The fun and frustration is in overcoming the challenge. I hate to admit it, but I am competitive which is why I don't like to compete with others. Who better than to have it out with than your greatest opponent: the self. It's never been about impressing others.

One problem we run into on a regular basis is the dinner-gym balance. After work, we like to go to the gym but that leaves the question of dinner in the air. Unless it was prepped the night before, we tend to feel rushed and a bit stressed. Well... at least I do! Nobody wants to eat dinner at 9pm! Plus, we're freaking starving and Mike's ready to eat the floor boards.

To help ease the pressure of dins, I am trying to bring better snacks to work. Breakfast is usually a hearty bowl of oatmeal with fruit, then lunch, and finally a little sweet in the afternoon. That's honestly not much fuel. When I stumbled upon these bars in Health magazine, I knew we had to give it a shot before hitting the gym!

Packed with peanuts and rolled oats, these are bars a 100% win. They taste delicious and they provide just the right amount of fuel. Mike was all about eating a bar on the drive over. Why are these so lovely? As Health magazine says, "these treats not only taste better than most energy bars, but the peanuts may help prevent a blood-sugar spike, and both dark chocolate and cranberries are great choices for heart health."

The recipe calls for barley flakes or rolled oats. Watch what kind of oats you select if you decide to go this route. The generic oatmeal type tend to be a bit thinner. Rolled oats are thicker and hearty! Don't worry about left over oats- they're perfect for oatmeal. If you can, try finding unsweetened dried cranberries to cut back on the sugar. 

As perfect as these bars were, I am curious to see how dark chocolate would taste instead of semi-sweet. I'm a big dark chocolate lover but  he tends to go for the sweeter varieties. Plus, I may substitute the peanuts for almonds as they are a nutritious nut too and there's already peanut butter in the mix; it's a thought. 

For the full recipe, check out  the article in  Health's Magazine's! They even provide a breakdown of the nutritional information.

Lovely Lemon Bars from Smitten

There's nothing quite like a lovely lemon bar. They were my original obsession at Starbucks (followed by the Black Bottom Cupcake). They've made a return, but only in bite sized portions. I wonder how bad the full bar I was eating back in high school- eep!

These lemon bars are from Smitten Kitchen. They were made for my girlfriend's baby shower.  We're all on edge waiting for the newest edition to the Daniel's clan. We do know it's going to be another little girl. Much to their dismay, they're having a really hard time picking a name. They knocked their first daughter's name out the park... so coming up with one just as good has caused many a painful hour at Barnes and Nobles, flipping through name books, and scribbling on notepads.

All I know is I cannot wait to meet this tiny person. She's going to be blessed with such a beautiful family. In celebration, unnamed baby Daniels, these lemon bars are for you!

What can I say? The recipe is from Smitten so they came out perfect! Everyone at the baby shower was singing their praises which made my imaginary tail wag. The crust is incredibly simple and basic- nothing fancy. It's good old fashioned butter and flour. The filling is decadent and thick. 6 egg yolks tend to have the effect on anything (just like the Rhubars). Plus lemon juice and lemon zest? Oh this is indeed a recipe for trouble. If you're looking for a fantastic lemon bar- I highly recommend!

For the full recipe, check out Smitten Kitchen's post! It will make you as happy as a kitty basking in sunshine.

Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Rhubarb crumb bars are a cross between coffee cake and a fruit crumble... which can only mean one thing: yum!

I have been dying to try this recipe for awhile. It was worth the wait- especially if you're rhubarb fiend. I never would have thought to use it in this form so the result was a pleasant surprise.

The rhubarb maintains its freshness; the long baking time ensures a tender texture. There's not as much of a zest flavor like the the Rhubars, so feel free to slip in some lemon juice.

The cake is thick but not dense. It has a very neutral flavor in order to soak up the juices from the rhubarb. Don't worry... that's where the crumble on top comes in.

As with any crumble... it's sugary goodness. Brown sugar and butter is a guarantee for crack. Use less crumble if you want to taste more rhubarb.

The original recipe is for strawberry and rhubarbs- but I wanted to use all the beautiful rhubarb in the fridge. If you want strawberries, split the rhubarb in half and substitute with the strawberries (1/2 lb rhubarb; 1/2 lb strawberries- cleaned, hulled, and sliced).

Note: when you bake this, you may want to put aluminum foil on top to prevent crisp.

Serves 16.

Rhubarb Crumb Bar Recipe

by White on Rice Couple

Streusel

1/2 c (115g) unsalted Butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
3/4 c (160g) packed Golden Brown Sugar
1/4 t (2g) Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
1 1/4 c (160g) all-purpose Flour, plus more for pan

Bars

1 lb (450g) Rhubarb, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 1/2 T (15g) Golden Brown Sugar
1 1/3 c (200g) all-purpose Flour
3/4 t (3g) Baking Powder
1/2 t (3g) Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
3/4 c (170g) unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c (140g) Confectioners’ Sugar
2 large Eggs, beaten
3/4 t (3ml) pure Vanilla Extract

Whipped Cream Topping (optional)

1 c (240ml) Whipped Cream
1 T (9 g) Confectioners’ Sugar
1 t (5ml) pure Vanilla Extract
confectioners’ sugar for dusting the top

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9″ square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2″ overhang on two sides (use a swipe of butter on edges of pan to help keep parchment flush with pan. Butter and flour parchment and pan, tapping out excess flour.

Make Streusel. Whisk together butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix together using a fork or your fingers to create large crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make Cake. In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, and 1/3 c (50g) of flour. Sift or whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.

In a mixer, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in flour mix until just incorporated.
Spread batter in prepared pan, top with rhubarb/strawberry mix then top with streusel topping.

Bake 50-55 minutes or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan, then remove from pan using the overhanging parchment tabs.

While bars bake, whisk together whipped cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract to firm peaks. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Slice bars to preferred size, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve or top with whipped cream and serve.

Sweet Potato Bars with Chocolate

Thanksgiving has passed. It was a warm occasion in our house with lots of family. Thanks to my New Yorkers for making the trip! We jokingly called our set up a commune because my generation crashed at my brother's (the dorm) and then would head over to my mom's (the cafeteria) when things were ready. There were too many of us. That's my family- go big or go home! I picked up a few cool recipes along the weekend, one of which was these sweet potato bars which I've been dying to make.

These suckers are intense. I cannot imagine someone eating an entire helping because the chocolate is thick. This is my fault; I should have used less chocolate than the recipe called for because I got gipped with an 8x8 pan; the recipe calls for 9x9. This doesn't make it bad! You just need a smaller helping- or maybe I just need a bigger tummy.

The part I liked best was the sweet potato, so much so, that I would spoon it off the top. Shame on me! I know! It's very soft and smooth; the flavor is delicious. For some reason, sweet potato tastes a lot like pumpkin to me when served this way. Use one or the other; I don't think it would dramatically change the flavor profile.

What had me smitten about the crust was the use of ginger with the graham crackers. That's a new one for me! A little savory with the sweet. I think it was needed though with the chocolate on top. Helped unify the flavors across the layers- there's a little ginger in the sweet potato too! These bars cut beautifully!

This recipe requires sweet potato puree. Now I didn't look for the canned junx if such things exists. But heads up, you really should prepare this part first. I baked my potatoes the night prior and it worked beautifully. Pick your battles - there's no shame in boiling them if you're short on time. I promise no one will make a fuss. If they do- send them my way and I'll take care of it.

Tip from White on Rice: to make sweet potato puree, you can either bake skin on sweet potatoes for about 1.5 hrs (until soft) @ 375 °F, then peel & press through fine mesh sieve, or you can peel, boil for @ 20-30 min or until soft then press through fine mesh sieve. Baking is slightly more flavorful, boiling is much quicker. Makes about 12 bars.

Sweet Potato Bars with Chocolate
by White On Rice Couple

Graham Cracker Crust
8 oz (225g) Graham Crackers, finely ground
3 oz (85g) finely ground Almonds (optional)
1 t fresh Ginger, finely grated
1 t ground Cinnamon
1/2 c (120g) unsalted Butter, melted

Chocolate Layer
1/2 lb Dark Chocolate, cut in small pieces
1/2 c (120ml) Milk

Sweet Potato Layer
2 c (455g) Sweet Potato Puree-- make ahead of time!
3 lrg Eggs, slightly beaten
1 t Sea Salt
1 1/2 t ground Cinnamon
1/4 t ground Cloves
1 t fresh Ginger, finely grated
1 c (135g) Sugar
1 1/2 c (360ml) Milk
1/2 c (120ml) Heavy Cream
Pecans for garnish (optional)

Whipped Cream (optional)
1 c (240ml) Heavy Cream
1 t Powdered Sugar
1/2 t Vanilla Extract

Combine graham cracker crust ingredients in a bowl & mix until well combined. Spread into an even layer in a 9″x9″ baking dish.

Gently heat milk in small sauce pan; pour over chocolate in a heat proof bowl and mix until completely combined. Pour over graham cracker crust (spread & gently shake to even out) and set aside to cool at least 15 min before layering in the following sweet potato mix.

Preheat oven to 350°F

Combine sweet potato ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Gently pour over chocolate layer and put baking dish in middle rack of oven. Bake for 40-50 min, or until outer 1″ appears set (inner will still have a little wiggle when gently shook.) Set aside to cool, then put in the refrigerator until fully chilled.

Slice with a clean knife into even squares, wiping knife clean between each cut. Garnish with whipped cream and/or pecans. Oooooo layers!

RhuBars

Rhubarb. What is the big freaking deal about rhubarb? I have seen it all over the food blog world. It looks like red celery but supposedly gives anything a touch of class. I think people just like the sound of it- 'rhubarb.' Maybe if you roll the 'r'. Quite frankly, all the hype on rhubarb was starting to annoy me so I had to check it out.

It's season is from April to September. The leaves are considered toxic but are usually removed by the seller. Look for long, firm, fleshy stalks for optimal taste and freshness. Look for that strong, red color.

The pretty color of the bars is what lured me in; I'm simple-minded like that. I hate to say it because I don't want to be a groupie but... my goodness. These bars are wonderful and really neat to make. Bear in mind, this was my 1st time playing with rhubarb. They gently fell apart in the pot and transformed into this light pink puree in a matter of minutes. I was impressed.

The flavor? It's kind of like a lemon but not as zesty. Tart. Refreshing and light. I think eating one bar is perfect. I was tickled that such a flavor exists in a veggie that looks like celery. Okay Rhubarb. You've won me over. At least in this recipe. The crust is delicious as well! I found these lovely bars by Lara Ferroni. The curd is adapted from Ginger Tablet and the crust from Joe Pastry.

Note, you will have left over puree. Save it in the fridge as a spread. It can last up to a week. This recipe calls for a 9x5 baking dish. I couldn't find one at the time so I used an 8x8. If you have the 9x5, I strongly encourage using it to make the bars cut more evenly. Also, let them cool completely before you serve them! My brother was literally circling the dish so I cut them early. While they tasted perfect, the were not 100% settled as you can see in the pictures.

Rhubarb Curd

400 grams/ almost 1 lb of rhubarb (about 10 to 15 stalks)
1/4 cup sugar

6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, if you want more tartness)
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut up into chunks
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Crust

4 ounces butter, room temperature
1 cup (136 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350. Makes about a dozen bars.

Make the rhubarb puree. Wash and chop rhubarb into 1/2 inch chunks. There is no need to peel, but if your stalks are particularly large, you might trim off any tough parts. Stir the rhubarb and 1/4 cup of sugar together and let sit for about 10 minutes. Place in a medium sized pot with about 1/4 cup of water and cook over low heat until you can no longer see whole pieces. Turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature. Blend to a smooth puree if you desire (this will remove any remaining little stringy bits, but it isn’t necessary).

While this is cooling, make the crust. Place the butter, flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a mixer. Start on low speed, stir until it resembles course crumbs. Then increase speed slightly and continue to mix until a soft dough forms. Lara says it's kind of like magic and she wasn't kidding! The crumbs eventually turn into a nice, soft dough.

Take the dough and press it into a 9x 5 baking dish. Let rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes, and then bake until it is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. While the dough is baking, finish preparing the curd.

By now, the puree should have cooled to room temperature and is ready to be made into curd. In a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks, remaining sugar and salt. Whisk until well combined and warm. Add about 1 cup of the stewed rhubarb and the lemon zest (optional). Keep stirring until the mixture is warm again. Check for taste and add more of the pureed rhubarb until you get the desired flavor and color.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter chunks.

Pour the enough curd onto the crust to make a layer a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Make sure it settles evenly by gently tapping on the counter. Bake for another 10 minutes, until the curd has set. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate if desired (it’s easier to slice when chilled). Dust with powdered sugar and serve!

These bars were demolished in my house, so make sure you have enough to share!

Magic Bars

As I opened the can of sweetened condensed milk, my mom's eyes lit up. She has a soft spot for the stuff. A few spoon fulls was a childhood dessert. She grew up overseas. I would not say they were in poverty but they were broke. While I was baking, she explained how my great-grandmother would bring cans of it whenever she visited from Africa. It was a tremendous treat and they never had something so sweet in their lives. Amazing how something so simple can leave such a lasting impression.

I wanted to make something quick and easy last night, so I chose Magic Bars. I have no idea why they're named such; that's simply how I was introduced to them by my '2nd mom.' Two things about these suckers: 1) they will rot your teeth- so sweet and 2) if you mess up making these, then you can burn water. They're that easy.

There is another variation i would like to try with oats. Down the line, I will attempt to create the "healthy" version of these bars- I'm thinking honey instead of condensed milk and dried fruits instead of chocolate. We'll see.

Magic Bars

adapted from family

Preheat the oven to 350 and throw the ingredients in a 8x8 or 9x9 pan!

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/3 cups sweetened flaked or shredded coconut
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (i used hazelnuts)
1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

Coat the bottom of the pan with the melted butter. Add the graham cracker crumbs and press slightly down. Layer on the coconut, chocolate chips, and nuts. Get creative and add anything you'd like! Coat the top with the entire can of condensed milk. Slap it in the oven for 30-35 minutes and you're done. Bam! It's all about the layers.

Serve with a LARGE cup of milk! Hope you enjoy and make sure you brush your teeth!