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Friday, February 12, 2010
4 fast, no-fail chocolate recipes for your valentine
I’m feeling guilty lately because I haven’t blogged in a few weeks. Been too, too busy with daughter’s spelling bee, son’s confirmation, sick 4-year-old, the Super Bowl (it’s a national holiday!), etc., etc.
But now Valentine’s Day preparations have kicked into high gear at our house, and I felt compelled to share a few of my favorite chocolate recipes.
Need a quick gift? Take 15 minutes out of your day and whip up one of these no-fail confections. No candy thermometer needed, I promise.
Chocolate-dipped Strawberries
Go to grocery store and buy a big carton or two of red, ripe strawberries and a tub of Saco Foods’ Dolci Frutta hard chocolate shell (about $3).
Go home. Wash berries and dry them well with paper towels.
Follow directions on the Dolci Frutta’s microwaveable container to melt chocolate, stirring at intervals (takes about 2 minutes).
Dip fruit into the chocolate and let dry on wax paper till hardened. Voila!
(I have also used Trader Joe’s Pound Plus dark chocolate bar — for a lactose-intolerant friend — and a small hunk of Gulf Wax in a double-broiler to achieve the same effect, although this method is more labor-intensive. The big bar is a bargain at under $4.)
Note: If you run out of berries, dip dried apricots, raspberries, raisins, pretzels … anything tastes better smothered in chocolate.
Buckeye Bars (compliments of Theresa Cox)
As good as dipped buckeyes in a fraction of the time!
2 cups peanut butter
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 stick softened butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
Mix above until somewhat creamy/smooth. Press into a 9X13 pan.
Topping
12 oz chocolate chips (your preference of semisweet or milk, I use semisweet)
1 stick butter or margarine
Melt chocolate chips and butter or margarine in microwave … careful not to burn. I microwave 20 seconds at a time stirring in between. Usually after the third time chips and butter are melted.
Pour over peanut butter and refrigerate till set. Slice into small squares and enjoy.
Note: Do not, under any circumstances, use a product called Brownulated Sugar. Your candy will taste like sand!
Rolo Pretzel Cookies (from RecipeZaar.com)
These taste like Take 5 candy bars! And mini twist pretzels resemble hearts, so they’re perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients
96 miniature pretzels
48 Rolo chocolates
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place unbroken mini knotted pretzels in one layer onto a cookie sheet.
Unwrap the Rolos and place one on top of each pretzel.
Slide the cookie sheet into the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes (until Rolos get shiny, but still hold their shape.
Take cookie sheet out of oven.
Place another unbroken pretzel on top of each Rolo and press down.
Place cookie sheet in freezer for 10 minutes or more for chocolate to reset.
Scrape pretzels off cookie sheet with spatula.
Note: DO NOT try to slide Rolo Pretzels off of cookie sheet if chocolate isn’t set — the chocolate will smear all over the place (really, I tried it).
Mecca’s Butterscotch Candy
These are dreamy — Thanks, sis!
2 bags butterscotch chips
1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
Mix in bowl till shiny and microwave 1 minute at a time on half power, mixing between intervals, till chips are melted — about 3 minutes.
Add about 8 ounces of cashew pieces and stir well.
Spoon into small paper or foil baking cups. Let set, then store in an airtight container.
So there you have it: LucyB’s magic chocolate arsenal.
Make them for bake sale, a classroom treat, or for your well-deserving hubby or little sweetheart. Or even better, with your little sweetie — someone’s got to unwrap all those Rolos, you know.
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