Nitin's "Snow Storm in April" Bars

I seriously think this is the easiest dessert I have ever made that didn't involve a mix. My coworker Nitin wanted something with chocolate and coconut for his birthday. I really wanted to make him my Mandy's Candy bars which are always a hit, but that seemed like a cop-out. Then I stumbled on this recipe and couldn't resist. Could four ingredients really taste that good? You betcha! What a little gem this recipe turned out to be!

You're probably wondering about the name of these little guys. On the day I brought these bars to work (4/18), we were treated to a very strange day for weather. Throughout the day we had hail, ice pellets, little snow flakes, giant snow flakes, freezing rain, sideways rain, about 10 minutes of sunshine, and flurries. By the time I went to bed we had about 8 inches of heavy, wet snow outside (that's my birdbath!) . I'm not saying these bars caused the crazy weather, but it was an interesting coincidence...

Chocolate Coconut "Snow Storm in April" bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips (If you don't like or have any white chocolate chips, just increase the semisweet chocolate chips by 1/4 cup)

Optional Topping
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut or other nut of your choosing

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving extra so it hangs up and over the edges of the pan. Spray the paper with some Pam or butter lightly.

2. Combine milk and graham cracker crumbs and mix together until well combined. I used my stand mixer on medium speed for about a minute, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl once.

3. Add coconut and mix until well combined. Scrape bowl.

4. Add both chocolate chips and mix on low speed just until they are well combined.

5. Pour into prepared pan and spread until even (batter will be very thick). Bake for 30 minutes. Be careful not to over bake them.

6. If you want to add the topping, when bars are done, remove pan from the oven and scatter the chocolate chips over the top, if desired. Let it sit for about a minute, until the chocolate is melted and spread the chocolate around the surface until the top of the bars evenly covered. While the chocolate is still warm, sprinkle coconut over the top. Let the bars cool completely and then put in the fridge until you're ready to cut them.

7. To cut them, use the parchment paper to pick them up and out of the pan. (Note: If you don't have any parchment, you can just grease the pan and hope for the best. These can be a little tricky to get out of the pan without the aid of the paper.) Using a very sharp knife, cut bars into the desired length. Store in an air tight container.

Yield: 1 batch made about 20 smallish one-bite bars
Would I Make This Again? Yep. It's a great recipe. Very easy to put together and would be a good recipe for kids to make. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Daring Bakings March Challenge: Perfect Party Cake

A month or so ago I was trolling around the internet, reading (and lusting) over baking and cooking blogs, when I came across one that was a Daring Bakers Blog member. Curious to learn more, I clicked on the hyperlink and found myself scrolling through a limitless blog roll of baking blogs all around the globe. I was in awe!

I read the history about how the group got started and what was involved in becoming a member of the group. I liked what I read, so I quickly fired off my “Pick me! Pick me!” email to Lis and Ivonne. Within a day I received my welcome email and was officially on the mailing list. I couldn’t wait for my first challenge!

On March 1, I received an email outlining my mission; it was a cake recipe by Dorie Greenspan called the “Perfect Party Cake”. While there were some rules regarding the recipe that I absolutely had to follow, there was still a lot of room for creativity. For me this was a good thing because I can never seem to make any recipe without putting my mark on it in some way.

I couldn’t wait to make this cake. I wanted to do something really fun and different with the cake but in the end decided to stay true to the traditional party cake concept. The only thing I changed in this recipe was substituting black cherry preserves for the raspberry (my husband loathes raspberries) and adding the ingredient of lemon curd. The lemon curd just seemed like a really good addition to the lemon cake and lemon flavored buttercream. I also made one mini cake for my son, who detests coconut.

Since Easter was coming and I knew this was a cake to be shared, I decided to make the cake as the main event at my Easter brunch. My mother-in-law came, along with a few close friends; and of course my husband and my son were there as well.

One thing I really liked about this recipe was the author’s writing style. Dorie writes like she’s talking to you, not just in the stereotypical cookbook tone. For example, she is very specific as to how long to mix ingredients together, which I appreciated. For me this is really helpful because sometimes I really worry that I’m over mixing ingredients. Turns out I probably under mix most of the things I make.

My first baking challenge was not free of mishaps. I added an extra stick of butter to the cake batter by mistake. It wasn’t until I started to make the buttercream that I realized that I was missing a whole stick of butter and by then it was too late. The cake was already in the oven. The good news is that it didn’t seem to hurt the cake at all. I’m really curious to know what it would have tasted like had I left it out! The other mistake I made was that I banged the pans of batter on the counter before I put them in the oven to remove the air bubbles. This was some silly technique that I learned in seventh grade home economics. It occurs to me after rereading the recipe that perhaps having all those air bubbles would have helped the batter to rise more in the pan (my cakes were shy of an inch in height before I cut them in half). I’ll think twice before I ever remove the air bubbles from the pan again!

This was a cake that did not disappoint! While the cake didn’t look as pretty as I would have liked (next time I’ll do a crumb coat before I add the coconut), it really tasted great. The cake was soft and moist, with just the right hint of lemon flavor, and with a beautiful white color. The buttercream wasn’t too sweet and it complemented both the flavors and texture in the cake.

I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this experience as a Daring Baker member. I am already looking forward to next month’s mission!


Perfect Lemon Party Cake
Baking: From My Home to Yours
By Dorie Greenspan

Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

Buttercream
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling/Finishing
2/3+ cup raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable (I used Hero brand’s black cherry preserves)
1 ½ cups of your favorite homemade lemon curd. The recipe I used can be found here (Note: this is not in the original recipe.)
About 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Getting Ready
Center a rack in the oven and preheat 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To Make the Cake
1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
3. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
4. Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
5. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
6. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, and then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
7. Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
8. Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
9. Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
11. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.
12. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

To Make the Buttercream
1. Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
2. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat.
3. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.
4. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.
5. Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.
6. During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
7. On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla.
8. You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

To Assemble the Cake
1. Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half. (I used this tool. In my opinion it worked a lot better than a knife.)
2. Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.
3. Spread it with one third of the preserves.
4. Top the preserves with about a one-third to one-half cup of lemon curd
5. Cover the curd with about one-quarter of the butter cream.
6. Top with another layer, spread with preserves, curd, and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam, curd, and have buttercream leftover).
7. Place the last layer cut-side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top.
8. Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.

Serving
The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but I think it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room – not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.

Storing
The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well – it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.

Yield: I was able to get about 14 slices out of this cake, but they were on the small side.

Would I Make This Again? Definately!! 5 out of 5 stars.

Nanaimo Bars: A "Goto" Recipe

In every job there are those that I like to refer to as the "Gotos". These are the people that you "go to"when you need to get something done right or if you have a question; they will always have the right answer or know who does. I knew Amy was a Goto within a few hours of starting my job. I didn't even know what she did, necessarily but I could hear her talk to the constant flow of people at her desk or calling her on the phone, I knew she was the real deal. Once I started working on projects my suspicions were confirmed. "We should check with Amy on that," I hear repeatedly, and so I did.

With a cheerfulness that was a little contagious, she'd answer my questions in a way I could understand. She's been really awesome to work with. Not only that, after we discussed our mutual love of baking and I shared my blog address with her, she had told me that she was reading my blog and liked it. Ding! Ding! Ding! Huge brownie points! Her coolness factor was now in the stratosphere.

About a month ago I found out her birth date and told her I'd love to make her something to celebrate her day. I was pumped! But then, when I got back from Hawaii she told me she was leaving and coincidentally her last day was also on her birthday! *sigh* While I'm very excited for her and her new job, I, and several others, wished she would stay. Amy, you'll be missed!

For her double special day, she eventually decided on Nanaimo Bars. I knew just the Goto recipe too, which I guess is fitting. I have no idea where I got this recipe as I copied out of a book some time ago and never thought to include the name of the book anywhere. What I love about this recipe is that everything is from scratch, except the graham cracker crumbs. The filling does not use custard powder at all and nor should any self respecting Nanaimo Bar recipe! Seriously, if you're in that much of a hurry to make something that you need pudding mix or custard powder, don't bother making these. It's just not fair to the Nanaimo Bar.

When I made this recipe, I made it in stages. First the made the crust and then drove my son to his baseball game. I dropped him off and then headed back home and made the filling, which was about an hour before our two-hour yearly homeowners association meeting. It was then that I found out that I was out of cornstarch and didn't have time to go to the store to get some. During my search for the cornstarch in my pantry, I came across a bag of tapioca flour that I didn't even know I had. On the back it had clear cornstarch substitution information! Lucky me! What I found was that tapioca powder is gluten free (maybe there's gluten free graham crackers out there and this entire recipe could be made sans gluten!?) and that is binds even better than cornstarch. It made the filling quiet thick which made it easier to cut. When I got home from the HOA meeting, I made the chocolate sauce layer. Being forced to take my time in making this dessert was key. The layers really have to be well chilled or the entire dessert will suffer.

This recipe also taught me how to cut a dessert bar in such a way that looks appetizing. Usually I rush though this part and then the bars look messy and cracked. Slowly down, using a very sharp knife, and cleaning off the blade after each cut is key. Anyway, I digress.

Amy, I hope you have a great birthday and enjoy your new job. I really have enjoyed getting to know you and working with you. I'll miss hearing your laughter and seeing your big smile around the office. I know it will just be a matter of time before you're a Goto person in your new position too.

Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into several pieces
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutched process is best)
1/4 cup of sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (or run through the food process until fine)

Middle Layer
3 ounces white chocolate chips or a bar finely chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into several pieces
4 tablespoons tapioca starch or 2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons milk
2 egg yolks
pinch of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Top Layer
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Bottom Layer
Line a 8x8 or 9x9 with two long strips of parchment or wax paper that extend over the sides of the pan. This makes it so much easier to get the bars out of the pan.

In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and walnuts until its mixed together really well. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the butter, cocoa powder, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Cook, whisking constantly, for about five minutes. Add to the coconut, graham cracker, and walnut mixture, being sure to mix the really well (don't be afraid to use your hands).

Pat the crust mixture into the prepared pan, being sure to keep it level and packed down (I like to use the bottom of a juice glass to smooth and push the crust down). Refrigerate for at least an hour so that it gets really firm.

Middle Layer
Before you start making the filling, take the crust out of the frig. Pull the wax paper up and out of the pan a little, just to ensure it's easy to remove. This will help a lot later on. Put the crust back in the frig.

Set a medium sauce pan filled half way with water and bring to a very low boil. While you're waiting for the water to bowl, combine the tapioca starch, milk, egg yolks, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to mix.

Place a large metal bowl over the top of the boiling water so as to create a double boiler. Melt the butter and white chocolate in the bowl and stir together until well combined. Take the crust out of the frig and put it somewhere close by.

Add the tapioca flour, milk, egg yolk and slat mixture to the butter and white chocolate mixture, being sure to whisk together vigorously. Continue whisking the mixture over the simmering water for about 5 minutes (mixture will thicken). Whisk in the vanilla and then the powdered sugar until smooth and even (the mixture will be really, really thick). Working quickly, pour the white chocolate custard into the cold crust and smooth the top as best as you can. Refrigerate again for at least an hour or more.

Top Layer
Set a medium sauce pan filled half way with water and bring to a very low boil. Place a medium bowl over the top of the boiling water so as to create a double boiler. Melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate in the bowl and stir together until well combined and smooth.

Take the crust and custard out of the refrigerator. Run a sharp knife around the perimeter and slowly lift the wax paper up and out just a bit. (This is yet another attempt to keep the crust and custard from sticking to anything in the pan. This makes it SO much easier later when you need to cut the bar.) Leave the pan on the counter.

Working quickly, pour the glaze over the filling. tilting the pan and spreading the chocolate to evenly coat. (Tip: When you have all the chocolate in the pan, hold the plan firmly in both hands and shake the pan vigorously back and forth on the counter. This helps to create a smooth surface of chocolate. However, if the chocolate has set at all, this technique doesn't work -- I leaned the hard way :-)

Refrigerate for at least twenty minutes until the chocolate is solid.

Cutting the Bars:
Gently pull up on the waxed paper and remove the bars from the pan. They should come out easily. Peel the waxed paper down so you can clearly see the three beautiful layers. Using a very sharp, non-serrated knife, cut small strips off each of the four sides, creating a very clean square.

Determine the size of the bars that you want to cut. I have a normal school ruler that's a foot long and about an inch wide. I used this to measure the rows and columns that I wanted to cut. Using the tip of the knife, slowly score the chocolate with the desired size, then come back to cut. Don't rush it! Take your time and slowly cut through to the bottom layer, using firm pressure. This will keep the chocolate on the top layer intact. If you go to fast or don't clean the knife between cuts, the chocolate will crack and you'll get the crust mixed in with the other layers.

Yield: 1 batch made about 20 bars
Would I Make This Again? Yes! This is one of the ones you pass down. 5 out of 5 stars.

Little "Triple Coconut Cream Pie" Thingies

Michelle told me that she heard about this recipe while listening to the radio one day and had wanted to try it. After hearing the name of the recipe, I knew it had to be pretty incredible. I've eaten at several of Tom Douglas's restaurants and have never been disappointed. Daliah's Lounge is probably my favorites, although I really enjoy Etta's too.

This was the first recipe of Tom's that I have ever made. It's a bit elaborate and time consuming, but it wasn't too scary. Since I was making it for Sugar Shock Friday and needed to share it with folks at work, I wanted to be able to serve it easily. My first goal was to try and "mini-fy" (is that a word?) the recipe as so as to make it more practical for feeding a crowd. That's where the mini-tart idea came from....that and I just really seem to be into tiny, bite sized food. :-)

I bought a silicone baking pan (my first one!) because I thought a traditional metal pan would be too difficult to work with. Although the silicon pan worked perfectly fine (and removal of the tarts was super easy), the metal pan actually worked just as well.

Note: The crust recipe yields 1 (9") pie crust or about 12-16 mini-pie crusts. I doubled the crust recipe recipe and ended up with 35. The cream filling and whipped cream yields enough to generously fill one 9" pie or 35+ tarts. If you decide to only make one batch of mini-pie crusts, I would half the coconut cream and whipped cream.

Triple Coconut Cream Pie
Adapted from a recipe that I found at CottageLiving.com

Coconut Crust
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, packed
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Coconut Cream Filling
2 cups whole milk
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, packed
1 vanilla bean
2 large eggs
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, chilled
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar

Garnish
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut “chips” (large-shred coconut) or 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (I use Let's Go Organic brand)
1 (4- to 6-ounce) bar white chocolate, shaved

1. Prepare Crust
Pulse first 5 ingredients in a food processor 6 to 10 times or until mixture is crumbly. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until dough holds together when pressed between fingers. (Dough will not form a ball or even clump together in processor—it will be loose.)

Turn dough out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; press into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

For 9" crust: Roll dough 12- to 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming excess to a 1- to 11/2-inch overhang. Turn dough under along rim of pie pan, and flute edges. Chill at least 1 hour before baking.

Preheat oven to 400°. Place a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper in pie crust, extending over edges, and fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; discard foil and beans, and return pie crust to oven. Bake for 14 to 17 more minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven, and cool completely on a wire rack.

For mini tarts: Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a mini muffin tray with Pam. (not Pam with Flour, just plain Pam) Roll dough out to a normal, even thickness. Cut with a round cookie cutter that's slightly larger than the size of the top of the mini muffin cup.

Using a mortar or your fingers, push the dough down into the cup so it's laying flatly at the bottom of the cup. If the dough seems thin, take a small ball of dough and push it down into the bottom of the cup.
Bake one tray at a time in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the mini pie shells and cool on wire rack.

2. Prepare Coconut Cream Filling
Combine milk and 2 cups sweetened coconut in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and scrape seeds into milk mixture. Add pod. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture almost comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

Whisk together eggs, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until well blended. Gradually whisk about 1/3 cup milk mixture into egg mixture; pour back into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 4-6 minutes or until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Whisk 3 more minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat; add butter, and whisk until melted. Discard vanilla pod. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and place entire bowl in a larger bowl of ice water. Stir occasionally until mixture cools. Remove medium bowl from ice bath, and place plastic wrap directly on surface of mixture; chill 4 hours or until cold. (Mixture will thicken.)

Fill baked Coconut Pie crust with pastry cream, smoothing surface. For mini tarts, each tart can hold about 3 teaspoons.

3. Prepare Toasted Coconut Topping
Preheat oven to 350°. Spread coconut chips on a baking sheet, and bake at 350° for 7 to 8 minutes or until golden, stirring twice. (Keep an eye on them as they can go from white to burnt quickly!) Cool.

4. Prepare Whipped Topping
Beat whipping cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually increase speed to high, and beat until soft peaks form.

5. Pie Assembly - Yey!
Pipe or spoon whipped cream over pie(s). Sprinkle toasted coconut and white chocolate curls over the pie(s). Cover pie and store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie crust or about 12-16 mini-pie crusts (I doubled this recipe and ended up with 32)
Would I Make This Again? Overall, this was a pretty good recipe. I could see this being the star of an Easter dessert menu. 4 out of 5 stars.

Mandy's Candies

Mandy has given more thought to her birthday treat than anyone else I know. She's considered a lot of options over several months. Some of possible selections were Baklava, Lemon-Coconut Macaroons, and a Lemon-Coconut Tart. But then the topic of graham crackers came up and how much she loves coconut and then hazelnuts and I got inspired by this recipe I found on Epicurious. She took one look at it and gave me the green light to make it.

I adapted it (as usual) as I found it to be extremely versatile. Here's how I made them:

24 plain graham crackers (or any kind of non-savory flavored cracker. Saltines are wonderful)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
11.5 oz bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate (I used Guittard)
1 cup hazelnuts, chopped
3/4 cup of unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 25 x 17 x full sheet pan pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang at each end. (Note: the recipe on Epicurious said to use foil and I ended up peeling tiny pieces from the bottom of the candy. Baaad idea.)

In a separate, smaller pan (a brownie pan works great), spread the coconut out in an even, single layer. Bake, stirring after 5 minutes or so, until the coconut becomes an even golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. Increase the oven's temperature to 375F.

Line bottom of pan with graham crackers (it will be a tight fit and you'll need to break a few in half. Set aside.

Melt butter in a 3-4 quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then add brown sugar and salt and cook, whisking, until mixture is smooth and combined well, about 2minutes. Pour over crackers, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and bubbling, about 10 minutes.

Scatter chocolate chips evenly over crackers and bake in oven until chocolate is soft, about 1 minute. Remove pan from oven and gently spread chocolate evenly over crackers with offset spatula. Sprinkle nuts evenly over chocolate and cool crackers in pan on a rack 30 minutes.

Refrigerate overnight or freeze for 15 minutes.

Carefully lift crackers from pan by grasping both parchment paper, then peel it from the. Break crackers into serving pieces.

Note: Crackers keep, chilled and layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container, 2 weeks...but they'll never actually last that long. One whiff of these babies and they disappear!


The smell of this sweet concoction alone makes it worth making. It seems so incredibly good!

Happy Half Birthday Eve Mandy! I hope this was everything you had hoped it would be

Yield: This will serve several. Depending on how you break up the candy, you could potentially get 50 servings out of it.
Would I Make This Again? Yes! This dessert, in my humble opinion is an All-Star! 5 out of 5 stars.

David's Most Amazing German Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes

Last year David said he'd like a carrot cake but because he's vegan, I got very nervous and ended up buying him one from PCC. Everything changed this year when my boss, Nick, let me borrow Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule. The recipes weren't scary and I already owned most of the ingredients. This year I would not wimp out!

One afternoon when David was walking past my desk I handed him the cookbook. "Pick anything. Choose whatever you want," I said proudly. "I'll make it!" David looked a little giddy, "Really? Wow. " A few hours later he surrendered and said everything looked good and gave me his blessing to pick whatever I wanted to make. With Nick's prodding I decided to make the Basic Chocolate Cupcake recipe with the German Chocolate frosting.

The recipe, as basic as it was, was a bit viscous. I was sure that I had done something wrong and they wouldn't look like the pictures in the book. But after exactly 18 minutes at 350F, they were perfect. And the frosting was easy and probably the best Coconut Pecan frosting I have ever had. The only mistake I made was that I didn't make enough! I made two dozen and probably should have made double that. Everyone loved them!

Happy Birthday David! Thank you for helping me face my vegan baking fears. Now I want to make every recipe in this cookbook! Oh and out of respect for the authors and copyright laws, I've decided not to post the recipes that I used. I just don't feel that it's right. You can find this book at Amazon, any bookstore, or at your local library. Be sure to check it out!

Traci's Almond-Chococonut Bars

Traci's birthday falls on a Friday the 13th this year, but the only thing scary about it is the amount of calories I managed to fit into her dessert! She said she would like something that resembled an Almond Joy candy bar and it didn't matter what it was. She just wanted it to have coconut, chocolate, and almonds as part of it's ingredients.

I checked around the web and a few cookbooks and eventually settled on a recipe in the Cake Doctor's Chocolate Lovers cookbook called, "Joy of Almonds" Bars. Unfortunately I made a tiny error when I was at the grocery store and ended up buying condensed milk instead of evaporated! So I had to scramble and get creative. I ended up tweaking the dessert and I think it came out pretty good. It's definitely Almond-Joy-ee!

Happy Birthday Traci - I hope you enjoy your dessert!

Almond Chococonut Bars

• 1 box of Devil's food cake cake mix
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Prepare as indicated on the box but add the almond extract at the same time you add the eggs. Pour into prepared jelly-roll pan. Bake at 350F for about 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean. Cool. Keep the oven on.

• bag of sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 can of condensed milk
• 20 big marshmallows

Put the condensed milk into a small medium sized saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Stir often so that the bottom of the pan doesn't burn and turn the milk into caramel. Add the marshmallows and continue mixing until the marshmallows are completely melted. Add the coconut and mix well. Spoon the coconut mixture over the cooked the cake and put it back in the oven for 8 minutes. Cool. (Turn off oven) .

• 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of chopped almonds

In small bowl, melt chocolate chips in the microwave for a minute at a time and mix well. Continue until completely melted. Drizzle over bars. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.