Sweets for a Saturday #95

Fall is in the air with your Top 5!!!

1.  Spiced Cranberry  Bread - Sumptuous Spoonfuls

2.  Cranberry Pistachio Fudge - Chocolate Chocolate and More

3.  Pumpkin Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting - Sweet Southern Blue

4.  Pumpkin French Toast - Six Sisters' Stuff

5.  Peanut Butter White Chocolate Slabs - Lemon & Thyme

 

The Rules:

1. Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your treat.
2. Please leave a link back to this post in your post or Grab My Button.
3. Share your delicious sweets from this week. If you've made more than one during the week, feel free to link them all up.
4. Leave me a comment telling me that you've linked up.
5. Please visit at least two others and comment on their wonderful additions to this party.

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Sweets for a Saturday #94

1.  Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies - The Farm Girl Recipes

2.  Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake - Searching for Spice

3. Peanut Butter Cake Cookies - Lamberts Lately

4.  Lemon Brownies - Simply Sweet n' Savory

5.  Apple Butter Monkey Bread - Life's Simple Measures

The Rules:

1. Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your treat.
2. Please leave a link back to this post in your post or Grab My Button.
3. Share your delicious sweets from this week. If you've made more than one during the week, feel free to link them all up.
4. Leave me a comment telling me that you've linked up.
5. Please visit at least two others and comment on their wonderful additions to this party.

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Rocky Road Cookie Cups

A while back, I went on a total cookie cup spree.  I tried out idea after idea for new flavors and twists and thoroughly enjoyed each one.  Along the way, I created these Rocky Road Cookie Cups - a deliciously chocolatey cookie cup filled with even more chocolate, marshmallows, and some almonds.  Crunchy, chewy, chocolatey - who could ask for anything more?  They may not look very Christmas-y, but hey, chocolate is good anytime!   Here's to Week 7 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats! 

  

Rocky Road Cookie Cups (created by Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

1 c. salted butter, at room temperature (if using unsalted, add 1/2 tsp. salt)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda

mini marshmallows
chopped almonds
mini chocolate chips
melted chocolate, for drizzling

Cream the butter with the sugars. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Mix in the cocoa powder. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and mix to combine.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease mini muffin tins. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full with the dough. Bake for 10 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean. If the cookie cups have risen above the muffin cups, simply use a spoon to flatten them down so they are level with the muffin cups.

While still warm, make a well in the center of each cookie cup with a small spoon or your finger.  Put a few mini marshmallows into each cookie cup along with some mini chocolate chips and chopped almonds.  Put the cookie cups back into the oven for a minute or two, just until the marshmallows have slightly melted.  Remove from the oven.  Chill the muffin tins in the fridge for 30-60 min. before removing the cookie cups.

When cooled, drizzle with the melted chocolate.  

Ultimate Chocolate Frosting

Do you ever have one of those baking days where literally everything goes wrong?  For instance, this past weekend, I experimented with a couple of new ideas for pull-apart breads, a pineapple one and a lime blackberry bread.  Coming out of the oven, they were all golden brown and fluffy.  I pulled off a couple pieces and reveled in the taste.  I was about to consider it a job well done, when . . . I noticed that halfway through, they were still doughy.  That was bummer number one.

That same day, I attempted to make some banana cupcakes.  I had planned to frost them with peanut butter frosting and chopped peanuts.  In my mind, I just knew they were going to be so good.  Well, that thought lasted until the moment I took them out of the oven and tried one.  The banana flavor was good, but they were the gummiest things I have ever seen.  Not to mention the fact that when I tried to peel the cupcake wrappers off them, half the cupcake came off with them.  *Sigh*  Into the trash they went.  Bummer number two. (btw - if you know of a good banana cupcake recipe, feel free to share). 

I decided to try one last recipe before the day was over - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes.  Okay, surely redemption was on its way here.  I took them out of the oven, nibbled at the top, and they were fluffy, moist, and deliciously chocolatey.  Now we're talking!  Then, I cut one open.  Instead of the gooey, raw cookie dough center that I should have seen, I was greeted by this:

That's right.  What you're seeing is a BAKED cookie dough center.  Seriously???  You've gotta be kidding me.  How in the world did I mess up again?  Have I lost my baking mojo?  Was it time to turn in my apron?


I decided a chocolate chip cookie in the middle of a chocolate cupcake wasn't a bad thing (these cupcakes still got rave reviews from my co-workers) and I decided to go ahead and frost them.  That is when my baking day made a complete 180 degree turn for the better because I created what I believe to be the Ultimate Chocolate Frosting, hands down.  The secret?  A lot of chocolate and some chocolate ice cream.

Not only is it super chocolatey, but it also sets up perfectly.  No need to chill it in order to get it to harden.  No more frosting slipping off of your cupcakes.  No more worries about spending your time and effort to make beautifully piped decorations only to have them collapse.   It's rich and velvety smooth on your tastebuds and will have you wanting more.  Looks like my baking mojo hasn't left me after all.      

Ultimate Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
(created by Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
4 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 - 2 c. powdered sugar (depending how chocolatey you want it)
1/2 - 2/3 c. chocolate ice cream, slightly softened

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave.  Stir in the butter until it melts and is combined with the chocolate.  Beat in the powdered sugar.  Add the chocolate ice cream.  At this point, your frosting may start to seize (freeze) up due to the coldness of the ice cream.  Just put it in the microwave for about 10 seconds and it will turn creamy and spreadable.

Use to frost your cupcakes or a cake.  But, be aware that this frosting does set up quickly, so work fast (or, you could probably put it back in the microwave to soften it again).   

Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes

Note:  If you aren't going to eat the frosting right away, you should probably refrigerate it since it contains dairy products. 

P.S.  By the way, those chocolate cupcakes (with the exception of the cookie centers I goofed on) were also fantastically good.  I think it's gonna be my go-to chocolate cake recipe from now on. 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Noelle's blog, "An Opera Singer in the Kitchen."  Like her, I also love to sing and cook, so it was like finding a kindred spirit.  But, she doesn't just sing as a hobby, she actually performs.  How cool is that!

Her vocal talent is equally matched with her skills in the kitchen and I thoroughly enjoyed perusing through her recipes.  But, the one thing I kept focusing on was PUMPKIN!  I have a love affair with it and so I couldn't stop oohing and aahing over the choices on her blog - Fluffy Pumpkin Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Cake, and Pumpkin Scones.  But, I knew I was done for when I saw her Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.  Usually, I only make cinnamon rolls during Christmastime, but I was perfectly willing to make an exception for these.

 

What I love is that Noelle's recipe uses less butter than others I've seen (which means less fat and calories).  As I say, a little less guilt goes a long way.  But, I promise that you will NOT miss it at all.  Oh no, these rolls are every bit as delicious and decadent as any other.  Plus, you've got that lovely spice, the pretty orange color, super fluffy, soft bread, and a cream cheese icing which is truly the icing on the cake.  Plain cinnamon rolls move over.  Make way for pumpkin!

 

Thanks Noelle for making all my pumpkin-y dreams come true.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
(adapted from An Opera Singer in the Kitchen)

1/4 c. warm water, not hot, about 110 degrees)
1 pkg. (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1/3 c. warm milk (I used Greek yogurt)
1 egg
3/4 c. pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned
1 Tbsp. melted butter
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I used 1 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. ground ginger (I used 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (I used 1/2 tsp.)

Filling:
3 Tbsp. buttery spread, softened
1/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 1/4 c. pecans (I left these out due to allergies)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. milk (I used Greek yogurt)

In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften. Let rest for 5 minutes before stirring. Add milk, pumpkin, butter, egg, brown sugar, and spices.  Stir in 2 cups of the flour and beat vigorously for 2 minutes.

Gradually add remaining flour, a little at a time, until you have a dough stiff enough to knead. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

Put dough into an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl, set aside. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16" x 12" rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough and then sprinkle with the sugar mixture.  

Roll the dough into a log the long way; it'll stretch to about 20" long as you roll. Using a piece of dental floss, cut the log into 1" slices.  Place slices in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan (or in two 8 or 9 inch round cake or pie pans). Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. 

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven. Bake the rolls till they're brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20-30 minutes.

While rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting.  Beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and milk until well combined.  Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until well mixed and desired consistency is reached.

Frost warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting and serve immediately  

Notes:

1. I doubled the amount of spices in the dough and would probably triple them next time.  
2. The original recipe calls for all-purpose flour and whole wheat white flour.  I just used all-purpose flour since that's what I had. 
3. I made half the recipe and got 9 rolls. 

Sweets for a Saturday #93

1.  Pumpkin Poppers - The Royal Cook

 
2.  Raisin Applesauce Bars - Semi-Homemade Mom

 
3.  Oreo Cookie Casserole - Carolina Heartstrings

 

 
4.  Halloween Candy Bark - Hun What's for Dinner

5.  Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie - Jazzy Gourmet Cooking Studio

 

The Rules:

1. Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your treat.
2. Please leave a link back to this post in your post or Grab My Button.
3. Share your delicious sweets from this week. If you've made more than one during the week, feel free to link them all up.
4. Leave me a comment telling me that you've linked up.
5. Please visit at least two others and comment on their wonderful additions to this party.

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White Chocolate Lime Shortbread Bars

Can you believe we're already at the halfway point of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats?  Before you know it, it's already gonna be Thanksgiving and then Christmas really will be just around the corner.  But, I'm happy just enjoying the moment and these bars are perfect for doing just that.

 The filling was originally made with lemons, but I used limes instead and I don't really notice any difference.  I think the best part about these bars is that awesome crumbly shortbread topping.  Seriously, it's buttery, crunchy, melt in your mouth good and, even better, there is a lot of it on these bars.  I decided to drizzle mine with some white chocolate and that added just the right touch.  Fall may be here and winter just around the bend, but these refreshingly tart bars will help you hold onto the sweet summery feeling for just a little longer.  

White Chocolate Lime Shortbread Bars (adapted from Keep it Sweet)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2  cups granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Filling:
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. grated lime zest
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

white chocolate (for drizzling)

Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. 
Sift flour; set aside.  Beat butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy; mix in vanilla until will combined.  Stir in flour just until combined. 

Press half of the dough into prepared dish and bake for about 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Chill the rest of the dough in the fridge.

When bottom layer is done, set aside to cool and prepare filling.  Whisk together eggs, sugar, zest,juice, and flour; pour over crust.  Bake crust and filling for 20-25 minutes or until filling is starting to set.  Remove from oven and top with remaining dough but crumbling dough into pieces and distributing evenly over filling.  Bake the bars for 20-25 minutes or until top of crumbs is golden brown. Let cool, then drizzle with melted white chocolate, if desired.  Store in the fridge.