Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

In the 1800’s, kitchens were busy with bread and soups and such. No one had cookies or brownies or popsicles. How shocked are you to think that they did have fudge though!

Like many other good culinary inventions, fudge way an accident. While stories tend to be inconsistent, the basic tale claims that fudge was created from a failed batch of caramels. Thank goodness someone wasn’t making the caramels correctly or else we may still have no fudge today!

In the old days, fudge was called “Divinity” because it tasted “simply divine”. It wasn’t until the 1900’s that Divinity took on a new look—the look of white chocolate fudge… my favorite!

Now-a-days we can enjoy many different flavors of fudge, from chocolate, to mint, to fruit-filled—you’re only limited by your imagination! Enjoy this tasty (and easy) peanut butter fudge recipe for a new twist on an old favorite.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 stick margarine
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1) Mix sugar, milk, margarine and salt in a saucepan. Boil, stirring frequently, until it forms a soft ball in cold water.

2) Remove from stove and add peanut butter and vanilla. Beat until creamy and pour into buttered 9×9 pan. Let cool before cutting.

*If you want chocolate peanut butter fudge, add 1 heaping teaspoons of cocoa to the top four ingredient before cooking.

Yum-o. I love peanut butter and this delicious fudge recipe is a great way to enjoy one of my favorite flavors. Although I do love peanut butter I also love chocolate (as I’m sure you know!) To turn this fudge recipe into chocolate peanut butter fudge, add one teaspoon of cocoa to the other ingredients. It’s a great way to sweeten up any day… peanut butter fudge!

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

The icing on the cake is the finishing touch. It’s the final addition, the presentation. A good icing can make or break a tasty cake. Don’t be caught with a “not-so-delicious” icing. Go with what works and then reap the benefits.

One thing that definitely does work is my recipe for a chocolate ganache glaze. One word—wow. This chocolate ganache glaze is a fun and different way to frost nearly any cake! Don’t be limited by what Betty Crocker says. Make your own rules… and your own icing! With this chocolate ganache recipe, it won’t even be hard.

Yield: Enough to cover 9” double layer cake or 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. semisweet, bittersweet or milk chocolate, chopped fine
• 4 oz. heavy cream

Directions:

1) Place chopped chocolate pieces in a bowl.

2) In a saucepan, heat cream to simmering. Pour simmering cream over chopped chocolate and stir until smooth.

3) Let sit until it cools to room temperature. Use a ladle to pour ganache over cake cupcakes.

See, now wasn’t that simple. This easy chocolate ganache recipe is so fast, hardly has any ingredients at all! One word of caution; beware. This isn’t frosting you’re dealing with. Be sure not to flip a big dollop on because it (obviously) will go sliding right off your cake. Be careful and your reward will be great… a tasty chocolate ganache glaze to cover any fantastic cake!

Devil’s Food Cake: Cupcake Recipe

It’s hard to get that picky eater to suck down a couple carrots, but offer up a devil’s food cake cupcake and the full stomach suddenly has “just enough room”.

I know that trick. No… I’ve done that trick.

With this devil food cake recipe, you won’t have to worry about being unhealthy. While, there is still sugar and such, you may find that this chocolate cake isn’t too much of a diet-buster.

Using unsweetened cocoa powder, low-fat yogurt and wheat flour, are all great ways to make this devil’s food cake a little less of a guilty pleasure so go ahead… have two cupcakes instead of just one.

Yield: Two 9-inch or three 8-inch rounds, 16 servings each,
2 dozen cupcakes or one 9 x 13-inch sheet cake, 24 servings

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks, 6 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (7-1/2 ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (5-1/4 ounces) superfine or granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups (5 ounces) whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup (4-1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (3 ounces) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (8 ounces) plain low-fat or whole-milk yogurt
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) water

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the pan or pans of your choice or line with parchment paper. For cupcakes, lightly grease two muffin tins or line with papers and coat the papers with non-stick spray.

2) Cream together the butter, sugars and salt in a large mixing bowl till fluffy and light, at least five minutes. Stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once during that time. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa and baking soda. If lumps remain, sift or strain the mixture.

3) Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well (at least a full minute) after each addition, and stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl before adding the next egg. Mix in the vanilla. Add half the flour mixture and mix until evenly combined. Add the yogurt and water, and mix again. Add the remaining flour, mix, and stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once more, to make sure the batter is evenly moistened. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s).

4) Bake the cakes; 30-35 for layered cakes and 35-40 for a sheet cake… even less for cupcakes! The cake is done when it begins to pull away from the side of the pan, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Place on a rack to cool completely before frosting.

These tasty devil’s food cupcakes are great for parties, or any other occasion really. For a frosting, I love to top these delicious cupcakes with a smooth cream cheese frosting. For an added twist, try torting your cupcakes. (That means to put a dollop of cream cheese frosting in the middle of your cupcake!) No matter how you ice it, this devil’s food cake recipe is devilishly delicious!

Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Chocolate cheesecake. Two thumbs up. Caramel cheesecake. Two thumbs up. Caramel chocolate cheesecake. Four thumbs up?! It’s very possible with this caramel chocolate cheesecake recipe!

I have a great friend who just absolutely loves chocolate! He can have chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup and chocolate sprinkles and not even bat an eye! I’ve never been that much of a choc-o-holic myself, but he absolutely loves this recipe! The funny part is so do I.

This recipe is great to make because not only does he love it (with all the chocolate), but so do I (with the chocolate caramel combo).

This caramel chocolate cheesecake recipe is perfect for birthdays, nights in, or special occasion parties. You too will find that this easy chocolate cheesecake is a huge crowd pleaser! Try one out for yourself.

Ingredients:

• 3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
• 1 chocolate wafer premade crust (or your favorite recipe!)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1) Cook sugar in a dry heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork, until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan, until deep golden.

2) Remove from heat and carefully add heavy cream (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until smooth. Stir in sour cream.

3) Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy, then beat in chocolate mixture on low speed. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions.

4) Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan. Pour filling into crust and bake in baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 55 minutes, or until cake is set 3 inches from edge but center is still slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken.

5) Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in springform pan on a rack. (Cake will continue to set as it cools.) Chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a plate.

Yum-o! Such a great partnership between caramel and chocolate… you’re sure to wonder why you didn’t stumble across this tasty recipe sooner! Enjoy all you can and wash it down with a big glass of milk…you just might need it.

White Chocolate Fudge Recipe

One of my favorite desserts is one which is many times overlooked—the ever beloved fudge. Chocolate fudge is a dense, yet delicious dessert. Originally it was produced with dark or milk chocolate. This recipe is a tantalizing twist on classic chocolate fudge; a white chocolate fudge recipe.

Along with my other fudge recipe, a milk chocolate fudge recipe, this fudge is extremely heart healthy. Nuts like almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts or pecans are great ways to keep your heart healthy.

While, yes, fudge is typically a splurge, who’s to say that it can’t be good for you too? No one! It doesn’t usually take much fudge to satisfy a sweet tooth, so this white chocolate fudge recipe is a great dessert for pretty much any occasion. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 12 ounces white chocolate, melted
• 1 1/2 cup pecans (or walnuts or macadamia nuts)

Directions:

1) Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large mixing bowl at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended.

2) Gradually add chocolate; mix well. Stir in nuts. Spread in greased 8 inch square pan. Chill several hours. NOTE: you can also use 3/4 cup nuts and 3/4 cup dried apricots or other dried fruit.

Some of my favorite things to add into this delicious white chocolate fudge recipe include, mini chocolate chips, M&Ms, a variety of nuts, or dried fruit. For holidays, you can try swirling in some food coloring, like red and green for Christmas or blue for Hanukah! This white chocolate fudge recipe is a great way to make any occasion a special one so have fun with it!

Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

Some days when I want a cookie, but I’m just not in the mood for chocolate (shocking, I know) I’ll reach into my kitchen cookie jar for that oh so delectable peanut butter cookie. This peanut butter cookie recipe is a great classic recipe which goes perfectly with a front porch swing and a big glass of milk.

My dad loves peanut butter cookies and this peanut butter cookie recipe is a great chewy cookie. He loves it when I make these cookies and if I scoop them a little smaller than usual no one seems to have a problem with eating half a dozen of them!

I never really mind too much… that just gives me an opportunity to make more and enjoy these peanut butter cookies right out of the oven!

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1) Cream the butter for 2 minutes. Add the sugars, cream for 2 more minutes. Mix in the peanut butter and egg. Mix together the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir into the sugar butter mixture.

2) Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

3) Preheat oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake until light brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to rack to cool completely.

Yum! Aren’t these peanut butter cookies delicious? If you love these cookies, but thin you might love them more if they were a tad chewier, try baking them at 300°F for 15 minutes.

For another little twist to these tasty cookies, try dropping a Hershey Kiss right in the middle of these cookies, pressing lightly, before baking. I like this little modification for these special peanut butter cookies and with this recipe, everyone will be satisfied. Enjoy your peanut butter cookie recipe and happy baking!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe

I love chocolate chip cookies. I also love cheesecake. What would you say if I said you could have both? Believe it because it’s true—you absolutely can with this delicious chocolate chip cheesecake recipe.

This recipe is perfect and I make it a lot at my home, for parties, gatherings, or just because. This chocolate chip cheesecake recipe has just enough chocolate to satisfy, but not so much that the creaminess of the cake is overwhelmed.

In addition, the extra chocolate on top of the cake is a nice little something extra. This chocolate chip cheesecake, a large glass of milk and I’m set! You will be too; just give it a try.

Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
• 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
• 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:

1) Combine chocolate cookie crumbs and butter, stirring well. Firmly press mixture evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes.

2) Beat cream cheese at high speed of an electric hand-held mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

3) Stir in vanilla and 2/3 cup chocolate chips. Pour mixture into crust. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes; turn oven off and leave oven door ajar.

4) Leave cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool a on a wire rack. Cover cheesecake, refrigerate, and chill 8 hours.

5) Melt remaining 2/3 cup chocolate chips in top of double boiler; gradually stir in whipping cream. Stir over low heat until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and spread over cheesecake. Chill thoroughly.

Yum! Making the cheesecake is almost as fun as eating it and adding in the chocolate chips is a fun way to let kids help with this recipe. The fun is unlimited, but the slices aren’t. Luckily, you can make this recipe more than once! Enjoy!

Gardening Cupcake Design Recipe

I love gardening. It’s a fun outlet and making things from nothing (plants from seeds, cakes from flour and eggs, etc) has always been a passion for me.

I stumbled across these cupcakes yesterday and found them to be so adorable! Although they do take more work than my usual recipes the end product just looks so creative and professional!

As much as I love gardening, these cupcakes would make a fantastic addition to any farmer’s market or bake sale. Don’t let the directions or the ingredient list scare you.

These gardening cupcakes really do take the cake! It takes a while to make them, but what farmer ever planted and harvested at the same time? Give these cupcakes the patience they need and you’ll be happy you did.

Check these out in Woman’s Day magazine or on their site! (Click the blue link to be automatically directed.)

What a fun idea! For this garden scene, you’ll make….

-Radishes
-Peas
-Carrots
-Lettuce
-Signs
-Shovels

This gardening cupcake recipe will surely be a hit at the next party. Even those of you who don’t really care for gardening can benefit from these cupcakes! We all like sweets and cupcakes so what are you waiting for? Grab a shovel and dig in!

Chocolate Molten Cake Recipe

It’s a chocolate molten cake, but they’re made famous by the name of “choco-hoto-pots” and I can give a big thanks to Ms. Oprah for shedding the light on these decedent treats.

This recipe was on The Oprah Winfrey Show many years ago, but I have stuck with it ever since it was created. This recipe is like a brownie, with a warm molten center. The white chocolate chips are a great touch as well!

The first time I made these cakes, my best friend and I were having a “Girl’s Night In”. We wanted to pop in a movie, but needed a snack to go with the movie. We were fresh out of popcorn so I thought quick and ripped out my recipe for these lovely chocolate molten cakes.

They turned out wonderfully and it wasn’t long before the rest of my family came into the kitchen wondering what delicious chocolate dessert was being concocted! Now-a-days, my best friend and I still love making these tasty treats and it’s our staple recipe!

Yield: 4 servings (4 small ramekins)

Ingredients:

• Butter (for ramekins)
• ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 stick butter; unsalted
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cups sugar (superfine works best)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Place baking sheet in an oven preheated to 400°. Butter four 2/3-cup ramekins and set aside.

2) Using a microwave oven or double boiler, melt together the semisweet chocolate and the butter. Set aside to cool.

3) In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sugar and flour. Add cooled chocolate mixture, and mix until blended. Fold in white chocolate chips.

4) Divide mixture evenly among ramekins and place on baking sheet. Bake until tops are shiny and cracked and chocolate beneath is hot and gooey, about 20 minutes.

5) Place each ramekin on a small plate with a teaspoon and serve, reminding children that ramekins and chocolate are hot.

I hope your chocolate molten cakes turn out as amazing as mine do. People say that chocolate can actually make you feel more relaxed and at ease. Hey, after one bite of these choco-hot-pots, I would absolutely have to agree!

Brownie Twist Cheesecake Recipe

If you are like me, then when dessert time rolls around, you have a hard time choosing just one…will it be a brownie or cheesecake?

Well, fellow dessert-lovers, have no fear! I have just the dessert for you! This chocolate cheesecake, with a brownie twist, is a wonderful compromise to your dessert dilemma. Read more

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