The Baked Brownie. The famed Baked brownie.
Oprah says it’s one of her favorite things. America’s Test Kitchens says its their favorite brownie. I don’t put much stock in Oprah, but America’s Test Kitchens are pretty much like the bible when it comes to all things kitchen. I check their reviews before any other recipes, and before I buy any kitchen equipment or new ingredients. So, if it’s their favorite brownie, I need to take a serious look. Has been on my Amazon wish list for what seems like an eternity. There is a great explanation in the book about how the Baked brownie recipe came to be, which is a great read. They have a good bit of height given that they don’t have any leavening agents, so they aren’t thin, gooey and smooshed like some brownies (this is a good thing). Three years ago: Outrageous Brownies. No-Bake Cookies. Perfect for those moments when you are desperately craving something sweet and chocolatey, but don’t have a lot of time (or patience) to make a full-blown batch of cookies.
I must really live under a rock sometimes (I know, I said this when I made the coconut macaroons, but I swear it’s true!) Because although I had heard of no-bake cookies from my time spent surfing food blogs, I had never had them before! Well, now I might be in trouble. These mounds of sugary, peanut buttery, chocolate goodness are incredibly addicting. They take only minutes to make and if you’re really desperate and don’t want to wait for them to set, you can eat the mixture straight from the bowl – no raw eggs to worry about! As soon as I took my first bite of these I immediately thought that they tasted like the icing for the Texas Sheet Cake that I love so much. These really are as easy as they sound, and a great recipe to make with kids if you have any little hands eager to help in the kitchen.
Homemade Peanut Butter Cups. There is absolutely no question about where my heart lies when it comes to candy.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Reese’s Pieces are it for me. (I know, huge shocker.) Reese’s cups were my favorite Halloween candy as a kid and they were what my Chief Culinary Consultant bought me to celebrate liberation from a quarter-life-peanut-allergy-crisis a couple of years ago. So it’s only natural that I immediately cozy up to recipes like buckeyes and peanut butter cup bars. One of the most wonderful things about blogging is receiving emails from my readers. These are really super simple to make, and don’t require special equipment.
First up, line your mini-muffin tin with paper liners… Then roll the peanut butter mixture into balls, then flatten then slightly… Add some melted chocolate to the bottom of the paper cups, then refrigerate everything… Next up, drop a peanut butter filling on each chocolate base… Finally, cover everything up with more melted chocolate. So, so delicious.