chocolate

French Silk Pie

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: French Silk Pie! If you’re a chocolate lover…and I suspect that you are, join me on this decadent chocolate trail of passion. The charismatic power of chocolate may be a mystery to every man out there, but serve up a taste of this incredible creamy silk and others will follow! French Silk Pie has become my Signature Dessert; it’s that legendary!

FRENCH SILK PIE

Ingredients for Crust:

1/4 cup butter, melted

25 vanilla wafers, crushed

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions for Crust:

Preheat oven to 300°. Combine butter, wafers, and pecans until crumbly. Reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish. Press remaining crumb mixture into an 8-9″ pie plate. Bake 15 minutes. Let cool. 

Ingredients for Filling:

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons cocoa powder 

2 tablespoons oil

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions for Filling:

For best results, use a food processor to get the luscious results. Cream together butter and sugar. Add cocoa powder and oil. Blend well. THIS NEXT STEP IS CRITICAL. Add one egg and beat for 4 minutes. Add the second egg and beat for 4 minutes. Add the third egg and beat for 4 minutes. Finally add the teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat 30 seconds. Pour the filling into the crust. Garnish with reserve crumb mixture. Chill before serving. 

Confetti Corn Flake Cookies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Confetti Corn Flake Cookies! Who wants to turn your day into a party? Me, that’s who. Have a pinwheel of fun when you make a batch of these crunchy sweet drop cookies that never touch the oven. Cook them on the stovetop in just a few minutes. Make this an after-school game plan with the kids and grandkids. As they lick the chocolate morsels from their nimble fingers, they’ll sing your praises!

CONFETTI CORN FLAKE COOKIES

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Karo syrup*

1/2 cup pure honey*

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

4-5 cups corn flakes

1 cup assorted dark chocolate, white chocolate, and butterscotch morsels

*1 cup of Karo syrup can be used, omitting honey OR 1 cup of honey can be used, omitting Karo syrup. Karo gives the cookies a “glossy/shiny” finish. 

Instructions:

Over medium heat, combine the Karo syrup, honey, and sugar in a 4-quart pan. As it comes to a rolling boil, stir vigorously. Remove from heat and add the peanut butter, stirring until smooth. Gradually add corn flakes being careful not to crush them. Mix well. Gently blend in a portion of assorted morsels, saving some to use as topping. Line two baking sheets with waxed paper. Drop cookie mixture onto waxed paper by spoonfuls. Top with assorted morsels. Let cool before serving. 

Xmas Pizzelle Cookies

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Festive Food Gifts: Xmas Pizzelle Cookies! I’m obsessed with food that has eye appeal. That’s one reason I was drawn to pizzelles, a traditional Italian waffle cookie. I could make you crazy by telling you we’re going to make them from scratch, but hey, my time is in high demand just like yours. Besides, since I don’t own a pizzelle iron, sometimes it’s better to leave things to an expert. I’m here today to save you time when someone suggests a Holiday Cookie Exchange. Pick up a package of Classic Italian Pizzelles on your way home from work, dip the cookies in melted chocolate, and sprinkle with nuts. You can thank me later when you’re sitting back relaxing with a glass of wine. 

XMAS PIZZELLE COOKIES 

Ingredients:

7-ounce package Vanilla Flavored Pizzelle Cookies

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 ounces pistachios, chopped

Instructions:

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine semisweet chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Heat in microwave on 50% setting for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat in 30-second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth. Dip half of each pizzelle cookie into melted chocolate. Sprinkle both sides with chopped pistachios. Place on baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. 

Traditional English Toffee

Eating My Way Through the Holidays. Festive Food Gifts: Traditional English Toffee! So often we have those cherished childhood memories of homemade candy and cookies that accompanied holiday celebrations. They stick with us for life. I can remember being in eighth grade and determined to replicate a batch of my mother’s English Toffee. I waited for her to go into town and then pulled out her secret recipe. You know, the ones scratched on a 3.5”x5” card. More often than not, they showed a list of ingredients with instructions that simply said, “Bake at 350° for 30 minutes”. Let’s face it, that’s pretty vague compared to what we explain nowadays. As you can imagine, I melted the butter along with the brown sugar and stirred. And stirred. And stirred. So how come it wasn’t turning into this crisp crunchy texture of rich golden butter that fueled my addiction? What could I possibly be doing wrong? There was nothing written on the card to correct this runny, gooey mess. Alas, I scraped it all into the trash, washed the pan, and plopped myself at the kitchen table with my Algebra book. She walked in, smiled, and never said a word. 

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH TOFFEE 

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans, chopped 

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Butter a baking sheet. Spread pecans in a single layer in the center. Heat butter and brown sugar to boiling in a heavy saucepan, stirring constantly. Boil over Medium heat, stirring constantly, for 7 minutes. Immediately spread mixture over pecans on baking sheet. Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot mixture. Place a cookie sheet over pan until chocolate chips are melted. Spread melted chocolate over candy. Refrigerate until firm. Break toffee into pieces. 

White Chocolate Lavender Berry Scones

Eating My Way Through the Holidays. Festive Food Gifts: White Chocolate Lavender Berry Scones! Butter and Buttermilk, two main ingredients that lasso the moon. This is not your ordinary pastry. It’s not a doughnut. It’s not a muffin. It is a flavorful raised vessel for smearing on more butter. Granted, the American version may be filled with fresh fruit and chocolate chips, but hey, it’s all good. And since I was doing it my way, I went one step further and added a lavender glaze on top. There’s no way I’m going to be accused of making a dry-as-dust scone. I’m living with a man who conjures up that image whenever he hears the word “scone”. I believe for now, I’m okay with him thinking that way. More for me!

WHITE CHOCOLATE LAVENDER BERRY SCONES

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

4 tablespoons cold butter, grated

1 egg, room temperature 

3 ounces buttermilk, plus more for brushing 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

3/4 cup fresh blackberries 

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Ingredients for Lavender Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar 

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons dried lavender buds

Fresh mint, for garnish 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Add the grated butter; toss with flour mixture. Add the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Stir just until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in blackberries and white chocolate chips. Turn the dough onto a floured surface; then pat into squares. Cut into equal triangles. Place formed dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Brush tops with buttermilk. Bake until golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Rotate baking sheets halfway through. Allow the scones to cool slightly. To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon dried lavender. Stir until smooth. Drizzle scones with lavender glaze. Garnish with remaining lavender buds and fresh mint leaves. Serve warm with butter. 

No-Bake Lime Coconut Truffles

Eating My Way Through the Holidays. Festive Food Gifts: No-Bake Lime Coconut Truffles! Here’s a festive treat that satisfies the desire for something sweet enough without the overkill. This time white chocolate becomes the confectionery of choice. Instead of nuts, candied ginger and lime zest become key ingredients to complement the tropical tones of coconut. One might suggest these truffles resemble tiny snowballs, if not for the lime zest. To serve, simply place each truffle in a fluted foil or paper candy cup and arrange on a decorative platter. It promises to bring “Oohs” and “Ahhs” as a crowd-pleaser. 

NO-BAKE LIME COCONUT TRUFFLES

Ingredients:

1 cup white chocolate chips

2 cups sweetened coconut, shredded 

1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon lime zest, grated

1 1/2 teaspoon lime juice

Lime zest, for garnish 

Instructions:

Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl on 50% for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until completely smooth. Mix in sweetened shredded coconut. Fold in crystallized ginger and lime zest. Add lime juice to the mixture. Form into 16 small mounds. Garnish with more lime zest. Chill until set. 

Peanut Buster Oreo Perfection

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Peanut Buster Oreo Perfection!  This icebox treat will satisfy every craving you have, as long as it’s for something cold, salty, and sweet. The Oreo cookie crust is amazing! The layer of fudge nestled between natural vanilla bean ice cream and fluffy light whipped cream is a lip-smacking delight for the palate. The best advice I can give you is… SHARE. Otherwise, you’ll be tempted to eat the entire pan. 

PEANUT BUSTER OREO PERFECTION 

Ingredients:

1 package of Oreo cookies

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 gallon vanilla bean ice cream

12 ounces of hot fudge sauce

1 cup Spanish peanuts

8 ounces of frozen whipped topping

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease bottom of 9″x13″ pan. Crush 24 Oreo cookies and mix well with the melted butter. Spread into the bottom of the pan making a thin, even layer. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Slice the ice cream and place in an even layer over cookie crust. Pour the hot fudge topping over the ice cream. Sprinkle peanuts over fudge sauce. Spread the whipped topping over all. Crush two more Oreo cookies and sprinkle lightly as garnish. Freeze overnight. Enjoy the perfection!

M&M Blonde Brownies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: M&M Blonde Brownies! I promise I did not make up the name of this dessert. Blonde Brownies have been around as far back as my childhood, and probably longer. I’m of the generation that had some form of dessert after supper, every single day. And it was totally guilt-free. I might also mention, nothing was super-sized back then either. And we played outside until dark. But I digress. Back to the blonde brownies. Basically they are not made with melted chocolate or cocoa powder.  Between the brown sugar and warm butter, the results are a soft, chewy, sweet dessert bar that tastes Yumolicious. Be creative: add chopped walnuts, caramel drizzle, a scoop of ice cream, or white chocolate morsels. Taste the batter and see. You’ll be hooked. 

M&M BLONDE BROWNIES

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup M&M* candies

Mini chocolate chips, optional

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9”x9” pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. Warm butter over medium heat; do not burn. Add brown sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Whisk thoroughly. Slowly add the butter mixture to the flour mixture. Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Stir until combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Top with M&M candies. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until light brown and a tester comes out clean. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top, if desired. 

*I receive no recompense for mentioning this product.

Xylocarp Coconut Bars

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Xylocarp Coconut Bars!  Although it’s not typically a word in my vocabulary, I discovered the word xylocarp means “a fruit, such as a coconut, having a hard woody pericarp.”  Bingo! It’s the answer to my alphabet challenge when I get to this letter. Everyone is already aware coconut has health benefits. Some even classify it as a superfood. Personally, I just like the taste of it. It can magically transport me to a tropical island with swaying palm trees and hypnotic reggae music. Ahhhhh. 

XYLOCARP COCONUT BARS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 1/3 cups of coconut, flaked

1 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ baking pan lightly with nonstick oil. Pour butter in pan to cover the bottom. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over butter. Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk to form another layer. Top evenly with chocolate morsels, coconut, and pecans. Press down firmly. Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool thoroughly before cutting.