238. Easy Creme Brulee Eggnog Custard

When I think of winter many things come to my mind, but one of them that sticks out in the forefront is eggnog.

Like candy cane ice cream and gingerbread latte's, eggnog is only in the stores at certain times of the year.

In my home, as a kid, when eggnog made it to our fridge we were always given strict instructions of when we could drink it.  My grandparents wanted it to last longer than the few hours we would have consumed it in without the rules.  We were allowed small glasses and it was considered a luxury.

My son and I are the only ones that drink it in my little family. Both my daughters and husband don't like milk.  I think the thick texture and eggy flavor turns them off.  Drake and I buy one small quart bottle and we savor every small glass so that we too can stretch out the small sips of a favored holiday treat.  When that is empty I buy another one.  By the time is all over, we have probably consumed a gallon over two months.

I wish I had a homemade recipe to share but I have not yet found one that I love.  Each year I give it my best effort and spend the time and money buying the ingredients to try another batch of homemade eggnog and each year it does not meet my standards of excellence.

So I buy the best eggnog I can find.  I think this is important.  I have tried the generic brands and I don't think they have the rich flavor and texture that some of the high end brands do.

This recipe came to me by way of my MIL when I first got married.  She knew I enjoyed eggnog and showed me how to make this easy eggnog version of burnt custard.   I have only made it a few times because I always forget about the recipe.

It is only when I sit down with the family box of recipes and look for something new to try that I rediscover some of our oldies, and this is one of them.

The key to cooking the custard is putting the bowls in a water bath.  You can see below that I use a square baking pan and it fits the four small dishes perfectly.  I fill the water almost two-thirds of the way up the side of the pan.

These cute little bowls hold about a third of a cup each.  From this recipe, I was able to get 5 servings.

To make the crisp topping you don't need to add very much brown sugar.  I learned this the hard way one time.  If you add too much then if does not get the crispy shell and has a tendency to burn.

I do make my own brown sugar though and this is a very easy thing to do.  You take 1 cup of plain white sugar and add molasses to it.  I usually start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more if I want the brown sugar to be darker.

Recipe: Easy Creme Brulee Eggnog Custard or Burnt Custard

2 cups of eggnog
2 eggs
1/4 cup of brown sugar (use more if you need too)

Preheat oven to 350.

Warm eggnog in a small pan until tiny bubbles form.  Remove from heat.

In a bowl, beat eggs until thick and creamy.

SLOWLY whip the eggs into the hot eggnog.

Pour into ramekins.  Add water to a baking pan large enough to hold ramekins.  Water in baking pan should only be two- thirds of the way full and do not allow water to over flow into custard.

Bake for 20 minutes and remove.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Turn broiler on, remove ramekins and sprinkle brown sugar over the top of each dessert.

Broil until brown sugar is melted.  Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes to harden.

Serve on a small plate as the ramekins may be hot to the touch.

ENJOY!

  

Hot Fudge Sauce

Recipe Update: 2020 We still use this recipe. This is our go-to hot fudge sauce for all icecream. I have even used it as a chocolate fondue in a flash and served it with pound cake or bananas.


This is the easiest recipe for hot fudge sauce that I have ever made.

My sister n law, Elizabeth, introduced this to our family 20+ years ago and we have used it for more social events than we can count.

We call it A CUP, A CAN and A CUBE.

For those that don't remember the term, CUBE, that is now our current STICK of butter.

This chocolate is best served by the spoonfuls with very little of anything else…LOL  Okay that is just how I eat the hot fudge sauce.

I love it served warm over raspberry sherbet, stirred in a glass of milk or as a fondue for some of my favorite fruits and pound cake.

It's a real treat and something that makes a wonderful gift for neighbors and friends.

Recipe:  Hot Fudge Sauce

1 cube (stick, 1/2 cup) of butter, soft
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

To make your own Sweetened Condense Milk, there is a great recipe HERE from Just as Delish.

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat, melt the butter.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Add the Sweetened Condensed Milk.

Stir well to combine.  The butter will take a minute to incorporate into the sauce.  It will be smooth and silky.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Good for one month in sealed container.

  

Pecan Bars

Sometimes I don't want pie.  

I don't want to make the crust and hope it turns out.  I just want something easy that I can take to family parties that will be easy to eat and enjoyed by others.

This dessert is always well received.  I have made both versions (regular and gluten free) for family and friends.  

The one that gets the most praises is the gluten free.  They love the crust.  The almond meal adds another layer of rich flavor and texture.

I like to add extra pecans so that they are the star of the show.  If you don't have enough, then the bars look a bit naked, if you ask me.  See the picture below of the "Naked Pecan Bars"….boring.  When compared to the image above you can see what I mean.  The three cups in the recipe will give you ample pecans but please feel free to add a few more to your liking.

 

I also made these in small ramekins to see if I could do individual portions.  It worked like a charm.  I find that guest like to have their OWN small dish.  I used a knife to go around the outer edge and they popped right out.  They make the perfect mini pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream balanced on top.

 Recipe: Pecan Bars

Makes 9X13 pan

For the crust:

2 sticks of butter, softened

2/3 cups of packed brown sugar

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour (for gluten free substitute, see below)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

*To make this gluten free, use this conversion: 2 cups of almond meal plus 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of brown rice flour for the regular flour.

For the topping:

1/3 cup of butter

1 cup of packed brown sugar

1/3 cup of honey

2 tablespoons of heavy cream

3 cups of chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9X13 pan with parchment paper or spray individual ramekins with Pam. (see picture)

Combine the crust ingredients. Push into 9X13 pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the crust is cooking, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey and cream in a saucepan. Simmer the mixture for 1 minute and add pecans. Stir to combine.

Remove crust from oven and add the topping. Spreading topping to cover all of the crust. If baking individual size portions, scoop enough filling into each cup to cover crust.

Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove bars and let cool completely in pan. Remove bars by lifting parchment paper out of pan. Cut into squares.

153. Brown Butter Rice Crispy Treats

I am convinced that once you have brown butter, you will never go back to using plain butter.

Ok, so I am exaggerating a bit.  There are a few things that plain butter is best used for, but at the moment I am finding it hard to remember exactly which recipes.  

All I can see are those little brown specks of deliciousness, the aroma of nutty flavors wafting through my house and my teeth sinking into one of the yummiest desserts I have had in a while.

I grew up on Rice Crispy treats.  They were a staple for classroom parties, sleep overs and church bake sales.  

Who didn't like the snap, crackle, pop of this yummy rice cereal?  In fact, I just introduced the cereal to my 5 year old and actually held my ear down to her bowl and gave her instructions to be quiet and to listen.   We laughed and she said she could hear every word.  I could when I was 5 too…LOL

So why not take this treat of my childhood and bring it into the 21st century with brown butter?  I am not the first to have thought of this over the top spin of a simple treat.  I don't know who did it first but all I can say is THANK YOU!

I will warn you that it's near impossible to eat just one.  Trust me I know these things.  

This is not a snack you want to eat frequently..it's called brown butter for a reason, there is a lot of butter in the recipe.  

Recipe:  Brown Butter Rice Crispy Treats with Chocolate

Makes one batch of treats. 

1/2 box of Rice Crispy Cereal or 5-6 cups of cereal

1 bag of mini marshmallows

1 stick of butter, browned

1/2 stick of butter, browned for the top (optional)

1/4 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips (optional)

I used parchment paper to line my pan.  It made removing and cutting the treats so much easier.  If you use a 9X13 your treats will be thinner than what you see in my picture.  I have an odd size pan it's like 7X11.

To brown the butter.   In a large pot, melt your one stick of butter.  With your heat on medium, watch your butter slowly start to turn a caramel color, it will also bubble and foam right before it transforms to the desired brown butter.  I use a spatula to stir the butter so that it does not sit and burn.  The color will get darker and the aroma will become very nutty.  

Remove butter from burner after you have reached the desired color.  You don't want it to burn.

Immediately add your bag of marshmallows and return to the heat set to medium. Stir until they are melted. When the marshmallows have melted, add the cereal.

Dump your cereal into the prepared pan and with buttered fingers or spoon, press the treats into the pan.  I don't like to do this too hard.

At this point you can stop BUT to have the FULL flavor of the brown butter, it needs a bit more.

While those are sitting for a minute, melt the 1/2 stick and brown the butter.

I took a spoon and went for the dark flakes of brown goodness at the bottom of the pan and drizzled them on top of the already prepared crispy treats.

Those brown circles under the chocolate are brown butter spots.

I then melted the chocolate chips in the microwave and used a baggie with a small hole in the corner and piped the chocolate back and forth.  This created a thin layer of chocolate.  You can definitely add more, but I really wanted to taste the flavor of the brown butter more so than the chocolate.

 If you are in a hurry and want one immediately, I would suggest popping them in the freezer for about 10 minutes to cool the treats and firm up the chocolate.  Don't leave them in or they will become very hard (again, I know this from experience…LOL)

  

Peanut Butter Fudge

I grew up with my Grandmother making fudge for every Christmas.  She shared it with her neighbors and friends and family.  When she passed away a year ago, we went through her things and I found this recipe that I had hand written for her.  I must have been 9 or 10 years old at the time and I vividly remember making it often.

The recipe on the left is one that my grandmother had written out in her "short-hand" method, but it was a recipe for Pecan Balls that I had given to her years ago.

With time and many moves, I had misplaced the original recipe and soon forgot about this once treasured treat.  Finding this mixed in with her hand written recipes was very special to me.  I must have learned my short hand approach to cooking from her too, because the recipe with came with only a few instructions.

I thought, what the heck, I am going to make it and see if it is as good as I remembered it to be.  I followed along and supplemented techniques that I had learned along the way and the fudge turned out perfect.

We gave this out this year in our neighbor baskets.  Today I heard a knock on my door and to my surprise there stood Rick, our next door neighbor.  He loved the treats but especially named the peanut butter fudge as being "the best they had ever had".  This made me smile.  He continued to say theat the plate reminded him of his grandmother and something that she would have baked.  I seriously thought I would cry at that moment.

Recipes and food tie families together forever.  Something as simple as a few cookies can easily flood your mind with memories of time gone by…this is a treasured gift to each of us.  I am thankful that my grandmother saved this recipe and that I was able to share it with a friend to remind him of his grandmother.  I hope that in the years to come that my own kids will make this peanut butter fudge with their kids and they will remember me.

Recipe:  Peanut Butter Fudge

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of milk

dash of salt

Cook the above ingredients to a soft ball stage.

Cool and add:

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)

1 cup of peanut butter

1 T. vanilla

Beat until thick…it will be very thick and crumbly looking.

Line your baking dish with parchment paper and butter the inside of the paper.

Pour into a baking dish.  Mine is 7x11.  If you use one that is smaller or larger, this will affect the thickness of the fudge but not the flavor.

Pat down the fudge into the dish.  Use the parchment paper to cover the top and store in the fridge for at least 4 hours before cutting and serving.

Written by Sherron Watson

3 Easy Peppermint Recipes for Christmas

We love peppermint in our home.  We like to drink peppermint tea, especially Iced Tea.  We enjoy peppermint candy canes, peppermint truffles and mints and peppermint dairy creamer (this is our new favorite).  The creamer mixed with your coffee first thing in the morning is like having a jubilee chorus singing "hallelujah"... it's that tasty.  LOL

Over the last week I have played around with a few peppermint, easy and kid friendly recipes for the holidays.

I recently had peppermint bark and was immediately in love.  Why had it taken me so long to find this yummy candy.  I was having a moment and decided to make my own.  Super easy and what a fun gift for the neighbors.

Our next yummy treat is a Peppermint Pretzel Bite.   I first had these at a cute hotdog haus in a neighboring town.  I originally had them the pretzel dipped in cinnamon and sugar.  I thought I had taken a bite out of a piece of french toast, it was really good.  This was my original plan when I set out to make these last week.  As I was preparing the ingredients, I found the baggie of left over crushed candy canes…an IDEA popped into my head.  I could dip them into the candy cane and have a pretty treat.  It worked and they are so more-ish.

Finally, a cookie was to be made.  I saw these cute pink cookies dipped in white chocolate with peppermint sprinkles on them.  They sounded good, but they also looked so pretty!  I set out to make these and discovered that I did not have some of the ingredients and had to improvise.  I was so happy with the result that I will share them with you  too.  Cranberry Pomegranate Shortbread cookies are the perfect blend of sweet and tart….with a snap of peppermint sugar crystals…so good and yummy!

Recipe:   Peppermint Bark

1 cup of dark chocolate chips
2 cups of white chocolate chips or Baker cubes (2 boxes)
candy canes

Have a cookies sheet, lined with parchment paper, ready.  Crush your candy canes by placing 4 in a baggie and using a rolling pin, roll back and forth using your body weight.  You should be able to get very fine or chunky pieces, this is up to you.  I chose to have chunky pieces

Melt your chocolates in two different bowls.  You can microwave the chips in 30 second intervals, stirring each time OR use a bowl onto of a sauce pan with boiling water.  The water only needs to be an inch  and the chocolate should be stirred until melted.  Do not over cook or you will ruin your candy.

Spread the chocolate layer to a thin layer and refrigerate for 15 minutes or until hard.

Melt the white chocolate using the same method above.  Carefully pour the white chocolate over the dark chocolate trying not to melt and swirl the two together.

Sprinkle your candy cane pieces over the white chocolate and gently using your palms, push the pieces into the white chocolate.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until hard.

Remove from fridge and let the chocolate set for an hour.  The candy should peel away from the parchment paper and broken into bite size pieces.

Recipe:  Peppermint Pretzel Bites

1 Bag of Snyder's square pretzels
3 cubes of Baker's white chocolate or 1/2 cup of chips
4 candy canes
cinnamon and sugar mix (option)

Select a shallow bowl to melt your candy in so that when you dip your pretzels, you hands do not get messy. Melt white chocolate by using the microwave method or stovetop.

Crush the candy canes using the baggie and rolling pin method.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Dip a pretzel in to the white chocolate, half way, and then dip pretzel into cinnamon and sugar OR the crushed candy cane.

Place the pretzel on the cookie sheet and place in fridge when full.  Remove after 15 minutes.  These can be stored in a baggie.

Recipe:  Cranberry Pomegranate Shortbread Cookies w/ peppermint sprinkles

Original recipe can be found here by Better Homes and Garden.  I changed the ingredients, but the technique used in the original recipe is the same for both.

1/2 cup dried cranberries, minced finely
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup of fresh pomegranate juice
2 drops red food coloring (optional)

To decorate:

12 ounces white chocolate baking squares
Peppermint sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in cranberries and pomegranate juice. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. Melt chocolate by using the microwave method or stovetop. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off.  Roll edges in peppermint sprinkles. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. 

Written by Sherron Watson

Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Crust

Yesterday was a fun day for my daughter and I.  Her preschool had their first field trip and it was to the pumpkin patch and farm.  She was so excited to see the animals but what she wanted the most, was a pumpkin.  She had it set in her mind that she was going to make a pumpkin pie.

While at the farm, we saw a piggy race, she milked a cow, went on a hayride, was chased by a chicken and picked out her pumpkin.  She talked about the pumpkin and "her pie" all the way home.

You know how it is when you get home after being gone for a few hours, you just want to sit and gather your thoughts for a minute;  NOT my child.   We had only been in the front door a few minutes and she was already planning out her next move.

I think she thought I had a magic wand and this pie would just appear.  She was so sad to find out that I had to actually make a crust, cook the pumpkin and then it had to sit in the fridge for a few hours.   I sometimes wish I had that wand too.

So yesterday was spent making this special pie (cheesecake) for her.  I will be honest and admit that I have not yet found the perfect gluten-free pie crust.  With this in mind, I was a bit nervous at ruining this special event for her.  I remembered that I had bought some gluten-free ginger snaps to make something fun with.  This would be the perfect thing to use those in.

I had to really stretch my brain and think if the ingredients in the cookie would work as a pie crust.  I was not convinced, but, they would work beautifully in a cheesecake.  I started pulling everything out that I thought would make a good crust and whipped it up…it turned out great! 

I then found a cheesecake recipe I liked and started the process of making the cheesecake.  I had to break it to Isabella that the pie (cheesecake) would be ready tomorrow or today (Monday).  I honestly think that I can fool a 4yo into believing that what she is having is pumpkin pie...terrible, I know!!   We shall see…LOL

I could not let this amazing recipe go to the "ball" undressed (so to speak)  she needed adornments and some bling.  What better way to do this than with some homemade caramel sauce and brown sugar whipped cream.  HELLO, sweet thing…YES!  It was really good, and yes I did have this for breakfast this morning…yummilicious to the extreme.  I am not quite sure how to tell if your cheesecake is a girl or a boy, but this one just spoke to me and she is all GIRL just like my 4 yo who will love her "pie".

Recipe:  Gingersnap Crust


2 cups of Gingersnap Cookies ( I used  a gluten-free version that I found at Whole Foods)
1/2 cup of flour ( For gluten-free, use 1/4 cup tapioca starch and a 1/4 cup white rice flour)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. sugar (optional)
2 T. Crisco
4 T. Butter, cold and sliced
1/4 cup ice-cold water

Crush your cookies in a small bag using a rolling pin.  You want your gingersnaps to be very fine crumbs.

In a bowl,  combine flour, salt, gingersnaps, and sugar.

Add the Crisco and butter.  Using your favorite method, cut Crisco/butter into the flour mix.  I like to use a pastry knife.  You can also use two knives or a food processor.

You should have a crumbly mixture.  Add your water and mix.  Do not over mix.

Place the ball of dough on to a piece of plastic wrap and place in the fridge.  It is not necessary to fridge for very long, but it does help the dough to not be overly sticky when pushing it into your spring foam pan.

When ready to use remove crust from wrapper and push into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.  I went up the sides of the walls about 1.5 inches.

Bake this crust for 8 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove from the oven and add filling below.

Recipe:  Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree or fresh pumpkin
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

I used fresh pumpkin for my filling. This is a very easy thing to make. Cut and clean your pumpkin. In a large pot, place a steaming basket. Add 2 inches of water. Place your cut pumpkin into the basket and set your heat to medium-high. The pumpkin should be ready in 15-20 minutes. Scrape the pumpkin away from the outer shell. My small pumpkin provided 3 cups of pumpkin puree. You can freeze the extra or use it in other recipes.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar and beat on high for a few minutes until creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

Add this filling to the prepared crust above. Return to the oven and bake for 1 hour 5 minutes. The center should not jiggle when shaken and the edges should start to crack slightly.

Remove cake and let cool on the counter for 20 minutes. Place cake in the fridge for at least 6 hours. Serve with warm caramel sauce and brown sugar whipped cream.

Recipe:  Caramel Sauce
adapted from Alice Tea Cup

Caramel glaze:

1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream

Place the butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk gently until the mixture is smooth. Just as the mixture comes to a light boil, add the heavy cream and reduce the heat to low. Whisk well for 2 minutes, or until the glaze is thickened and smooth; then remove the pan from the heat.


Recipe: Brown Sugar Whipped Cream 


2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 tsp of vanilla
2 T. brown sugar


In a medium-size bowl add the above ingredients.  With egg beaters, whip until thick.  I love the color the brown sugar gives the whipping cream, especially for this time of year.

Written by Sherron Watson

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

Two weeks ago someone posted that they were making Nanaimo bars and this instantly sent me in search of what this could possibly be.  I found several recipes for this yummy treat and then I found a peanut butter version, well...the original was pushed aside for the peanut butter and the rest is history.


They were absolutely amazing!  My family and I ate the whole recipe in one sitting, which is not hard to do because once you start you cannot stop.

So what is this and where does it come from?  Here is a brief explanation.


Nanaimo ( /nəˈnaɪmoʊ/) (Canada 2006 Census population 78,692) is a city on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It has been dubbed the "Bathtub Racing Capital of the World" and "Harbour City". Nanaimo is also sometimes referred to as the "Hub City" because of its central location on Vancouver Island and due to the layout of the downtown streets which form a "hub" pattern. It is also fondly known as the "Hub, Tub, and Pub City" because of its association with the bathtub racing and the numerous "watering holes" in Old Nanaimo.

So HOW do you pronounce it?  I found some interpretations while trying to figure it out...it's still a mystery to me..LOL


Nah-nye-moe


Nuh-nye-moe 


nan-ah-IM-m-o


I can tell you this, I will keep making this yummy treat regardless of the pronunciation...LOL 


I made my own gluten free graham crackers and they were awesome used in this recipe.  You can sometimes find GF graham crackers at Whole Foods or some specialty shops.  I will post the recipe and pictures I used next week but if you cannot wait until then to make these, use google and you will find several recipes posted.


Recipe: Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars


This recipe was found on the Food Network website. I put my personal notes in red.

Ingredients

Cookie:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used GF Graham Cracker crumbs...see note above) 
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds (I also tried a batch with pecans and they tasted just as good)

Peanut Butter Filling:

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Chocolate Glaze:

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan or casserole with aluminum foil, with long flaps hanging over each edge. I used parchment paper and a circle cake pan and it works great too.

For the cookie: Put the butter in a heatproof medium bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer over medium-low heat. Set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Once the butter is melted, add the sugar and cocoa, and stir to combine. Add the egg and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until warm to the touch and slightly thickened (it should be about the consistency of hot fudge), about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in graham crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan. (Save the pan of water for melting the chocolate.)

For the filling: Beat the butter, peanut butter and confectioners' sugar together in a medium bowl with an electricmixer until light. Spread over the cookie and freeze while you prepare the chocolate glaze.

For the glaze: Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl, and set over the barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. (Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, about 1 minute more.). When cool but still runny, pour the chocolate layer over the chilled peanut butter layer and carefully smooth out with an offsetspatula. Freeze 30 minutes.

To serve, remove from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Pull out of the pan using the foil flaps and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Busy baker's tips: Finished bars can be wrapped in the pan in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month.

Written by Sherron Watson

Pin It