Tag Archives: dark chocolate

Macaroons Dipped in Dark Chocolate

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macaroons


Sweetened coconut dipped in dark chocolate is a perfect dessert in my world. Hard to beat the combination.

a macaroon dipped in chocolate


(Unless there’s peanut butter… or oats… or orange… or ginger… OK, I love desserts!) I found this recipe on the Women’s Day website several years ago and have made it a couple of times. It’s an elegant little bite of yummy, but not as gooey as some macaroons you may have tried because this one contains no flour. So, yes! Gluten-free.

only use non stick foil


A word (OK, several words) of warning –
1. Be sure you use non-stick aluminum foil to bake these on. The first time I made them, I thought they were kidding and it was a disaster trying to pry them off the baking sheet.
2. Non-stick aluminum is a fairly new variety that I happened to find in Target.

use only glass or metal bowls


3. Remember with any egg white baking, don’t use a plastic bowl or spoon or spatula. Glass and metal only.
4. Don’t spray your baking sheets with baking spray, thinking that will replace the foil. (Or you’ll be “foiled again!”) Oil and egg whites don’t play well together.

gently mix coconut in


Let’s get to it! This recipe makes about 2 dozen treats.

drop onto foil lined pans


bake till browned

dip in chocolate

Ingredients
3 large egg whites (Not a speck of yolk.)
3 TBS sugar
¾ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract (You could also just use 1 tsp almond and skip the vanilla.)
1 pkg (7 oz) sweetened flaked coconut. This is about 2 ½ cups.
8 oz dark chocolate, melted, or about 1 cup. (I use Ghirardelli chips.)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Line two baking sheets with nonstick aluminum foil. (Did you skip the warnings above? Please go back and read 1 & 2.)
Beat the egg whites, sugar and extracts in a glass or metal bowl until foamy.
Stir in the coconut and gently mix it in.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake 15 – 20 minutes until they have set up and are browned.
Let cookies cool on a wire rack.
Melt the chocolate in a small bowl.
Dip the bottoms and a bit of the sides into chocolate. Tap off excess.
Place back on the same foil lined baking sheets to set up at a leisurely pace.

Note: If you’re in a hurry to try them, pop one or two into the fridge, but don’t put them all in the fridge because chocolate likes to set up without a big rush of cold air.

delicious


Once the chocolate has set up on these macaroons, store them in an airtight container for a few days, if they last that long.

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Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

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I have three ideas for you if you want to make your own peanut butter Easter Eggs. This way you control the ingredients and you have the fun of making these alone or with any available kids.

The first is to use the recipe for Buckeyes, but dip them completely: http://www.nanaclareskitchen.com/2011/12/23/buckeyes/

buckeyes

And you can use dark chocolate! It’s so hard to find Easter Eggs in dark chocolate. Except the coconut, which I love, but that will wait for another day, another post.

Awhile back I tried out two varieties and posted that as Dueling Peanut Butter Balls. Both can be dipped in chocolate – or coconut or crushed nuts or butter brickle pieces. YUM!

Both are listed here: http://www.nanaclareskitchen.com/2011/12/05/dueling-peanut-butter-balls

dualing peanut butter balls

The peanut butter/pretzel variety is very easy, and has more texture, if you like the crunch.

PB and Pretzel Truffle

Or you can dip the old fashioned peanut butter balls that are made without sugar! The honey in these makes them so moist.

peanut butter balls

Before you can run to the store, rifle through all the bags and bags of candy, stand in line to check out, and drive home you can whip these up in minutes. And I’ll bet yours will be a lot prettier. Happy Easter everyone.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Haystacks

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haystack

Thursday is National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day and I couldn’t resist celebrating a bit early by mixing it with chocolate and a high fiber cereal. OK, that was just an excuse, but it was worth it.
My love affair with peanut butter really heated up when Jimmy Carter was running for President in 1976. I was working in radio news and every time any news reporter uttered his name, “the Peanut Farmer” was tagged onto the end of it. It was a mandatory addition. And there were news reports about peanut farms and peanut products; I had peanuts on the brain. After he won the election, I thought there would be free peanut butter for all, but that never happened.

melt dark chocolate

add peanut butter


There are endless ways to enjoy peanut butter and chocolate; this little snack uses only three ingredients.

I’m not sure why they call these haystacks, but I’ve researched the term and have discovered that anything that is dropped by a spoon is called a haystack. It can be chicken, chocolate, chow mein noodles or coconut. I won’t protest this, as I think we have an agricultural theme today, with peanut farming and haystacks. Pick up a pitch fork and dive in feet first.

add Fiber One cereal


all mixed up


Note:
The last ingredient, Fiber One cereal may be problematic for you. You can swap it out for Cheerios, chow mein noodles, or whatever you like as long as it’s crunchy.
However, if you use the Fiber One, you can call this a diet food. In fact, I first saw this idea in an add on the Hungry Girl site, which is the wildly popular site for diet food. http://www.hungry-girl.com/
She loves Fiber One and crushes it to create bread crumbs. But that’s for another day and another recipe.

drop and wait

Ingredients for a Single Serving – 2 or 3 haystacks
2 TBS dark chocolate chips
1 TBS peanut butter
2 TBS Fiber One Cereal

Ingredients for about 10 haystacks.
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup Fiber One Cereal

haystack heaven


Directions
Melt chips in microwave, 30 seconds at a time. Add peanut butter and cereal.
Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let them set up. (Or pop into the fridge or a cold porch so you can eat them in minutes.)
Makes about 10 little haystacks, so if you have to share them, you might want to double the recipe. However, don’t eat too many with the Fiber One or…well, you know.

Celebrate the favorite combination of chocolate and peanut butter with the crunch of cereal. Ready in minutes it’s a healthy snack.

Valentine’s Day Chocolate Party Mix

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photo by Peggy Wolff photography

My sister, Peggy Wolff, of Burnsville, MN, recreated this recipe and posted this beautiful picture of it. Now if she can just help me get such beautiful pictures!

Chocolate Party Mix

This is a festive snack that mixes white and dark chocolate, salty nuts and crisp Rice Chex cereal, along with the popular Valentine’s Day M & M’s. It goes together in minutes without the need for an oven and it’s gluten free!

pour melted chips on chex


This would be a fun idea to bring to school. Fill baggies with the mix and tie with red ribbons.

spread on a pan to cool


Ingredients
8 cups rice Chex cereal
1 ¼ cups white chocolate baking chips
1 ¼ cup chocolate chips – dark or semi sweet
1 ¼ cup salted nuts – any variety
1 cup Valentine’s Day M & M’s

repeat with chocolate chips and chex


Directions

chillin on the deck


Cover two bar pans with wax paper or parchment paper
Melt the white chips in the microwave.
Place 4 cups of cereal in a bowl.

mix nuts and candy in large bowl

Pour the white chips over the cereal and mix to coat them. Don’t worry about getting each piece coated.
Spread out on the bar pan. Use a fork to break them into smaller clumps.
Chill in the fridge or in a cool place for five minutes. Keep the crows away if you chill outside!

add cereals and fold together

Melt the chocolate chips.
Pour chips over remaining 4 cups of cereal, mix and spread onto the other bar pan.
Chill in the fridge or in a cool place for five minutes.
Put the nuts and candy in a larger bowl and blend.
When the cereal is chilled, pour both into the bowl with the nuts and candy.
Fold together gently.

Eat and enjoy. This is a crunchy, sweet-salty snack that is easy to love. The Valentine’s Day M & M’s add a burst of color to the white and dark chocolate covered cereal clumps. The salty nuts add crunch and contrasting flavors.

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