Coconut Butter "Fudge"

This three Ingredients "fudge" makes you feel pretty healthy and is super easy to whip up. You can change the colors for almost any occasion. 

Found the original recipe here. 

Coconut Fudge

Just 3 main ingredients

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Milk (or milk alternative) 
1/4 Cup Honey (or agave nectar)
2 cups Coconut Butter 
(optional: Food Coloring and Homemade Sprinkles)

Blend together then color

Directions:
Mix the Milk, Honey and Coconut Butter in a blender till smooth. I then separated the mix into two bowls to get the two tone look. I mixed in four drops of red food coloring into one of the bowls and mixed till it was all one color.

Then press the colored mixed into a foil lined, (trust me it makes it a lot easier to take out. I guess parchment could work too) 9x9 pan. I used a knife to spread the white mixture evenly on top. This is the time to add some sprinkles as well.

Refrigerate for about an hour or more, till it is set and firm to the touch. Lift out of pan and cut up.

Set in to Pan

Gluten free twix bars

I made these for my Aunt  who is gluten intolerant and hasn’t had a twix bar in years. So I found this recipe here: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/thousand-dollar-bars-recipe

And modified it a bit. These are really great snack to share with friends and this recipe makes a lot. 

Twix Bars 

Ingredients: 

shortbread layer

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups All-Purpose Flour (I used Pamela's gluten-free flour)

caramel layer

1 1/2 cups caramel, cut into small chunks

3 tablespoons heavy cream

chocolate layer

2 cups chopped milk chocolate or dark chocolate, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven 300 F. 

Beat together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add in flour and keep beating on medium speed till it all comes together. 

Butter a 9” X 13” pan or line it with parchment paper (I’ve done both now and they both work well). Then press the dough into the pan with lightly floured fingertips. Prick the crust all over with a fork to prevent air bubbles. 

Bake the crust for 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top. 

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before the caramel layer. 

Caramel Layer

Melt the caramel chunks with the heavy cream in a saucepan on low heat. When the caramel is smooth (free of lumps, this can take about 5 minutes or less) pour it over the cooled crust and spread out evenly. Then allow the whole thing to cool completely in the refrigerator, till the caramel is firm. This may take about 30 minutes. 

Chocolate Layer

At this step you have some choices you can choose to cut the caramel and crust layers into small strips (like the size of twix bars) or leave it in the pan. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 50 seconds then remove and stir. Put back in the microwave  for 10 second intervals till all the chocolates are melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate on top of the caramel. Or if you have cut it into strips dip them into the chocolate (you might need more chocolate if you choose to dip). 

Let cool (can take 30 minutes in the refrigerator) and cut up and serve.

Perfect Gluten Free Pie Crust

A great pie crust can make or break a pie. I find that since I've learned how to make a great crust I judge pies much more harshly now. It is not homemade in my opinion unless it has a flakey and fresh crust. So here are some of the things I've learned making gluten free pie crust, because this can be tricky. 

Ingredients: 

Amounts for only one pie crust bottom. Double for two, or if lattice topped. 

1 3/4 cups Pamela's Bread Mix

1 stick (8 TBSP) Butter (cold)

3 or 4 TBSP cold water (very cold is best)

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Cut up the butter into pea sized pieces. Add in bread mix and slowly add water while stirring, till dough comes together. 

Place wax paper on to large cutting board. Lay dough into paper and flatten with palm. Add another piece of wax paper on top and roll out dough to desired size and thickness.

Peel off top paper and invert into a lightly greased pie dish. Peel off second sheet and fix crust edge. I just use my thumb between my index and middle finger to get the wavy edge seen below. (Chill dough for 30 minutes if dough is too soft.) Poke the crust with a fork on the bottom several times to avoid air bubbles. Bake unfilled crust on bottom oven rack for 28-30 minutes***.

***However if you are planning to fill the pie with something that needs to be cooked, only place the crust in the oven for about 5 minutes. Then take it out, fill, and bake to the pie directions instructions.***

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

So I made these Pink Champagne Cupcakes on Valentine's day. These ones are gluten free too. It was fun to make since I had to drink the leftover champagne of course since you can't re-cork it. I also made buttercream frosting to go with these. It was my first time making buttercream frosting. My friends liked the frosting, but honestly I am not a fan. I am much more partial to cream cheese frosting. I ended up giving these to my friends, or what was left after I ate them with the leftover champagne that is. 

Original idea found on pinterest: http://www.reneequeen.blogspot.mx/2012/01/pink-champagne-cupcakes.html

Cake recipe inspired by: http://pamelasproducts.com/yellow-cake-2/

Buttercream frosting: 

http://unsophisticook.com/best-buttercream-frosting-recipe/

Ingredients for Cupcakes:

3 eggs, separated

4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)

2 1/4 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 1/4 cup pink champagne

4 drops of Red food coloring 

Buttercream frosting Ingredients:

1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened

4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3-5 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Separate eggs. Whip the whites until stiff.

In a separate mixing bowl, soften butter, add Pamela’s Mix and white sugar. Blend for 1 minute on medium speed until the butter is distributed throughout. Add 1/4 cup milk with the vanilla flavoring and almond flavoring, mix for 1 minute on medium. Add the remaining 1/4 cup milk with the egg yolks, mix together on medium for 1 minute. Fold in stiff egg whites. Add in the champagne and food colors, mix till color is distributed throughout. 

Pour into cupcake pan lined with baking cups. Do not fill more than 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes. Do not open the oven door while baking. Cakes are done when it springs back to the touch. Pop out the cupcakes, and leave until completely cool. 

When ready make the Buttercream frosting (maybe while the cupcakes are cooking). 

Beat softened butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes.

Then add sifted confectioner's sugar and stir on low until incorporated.

Add vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream to the mix. Beat on medium-high for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides once or twice.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, frost them! I added candy hearts for decoration. 

Salted Caramel Cake Truffles

These bite sized cake truffles require no baking and have a great taste. The rolling of the cake around the caramel does take awhile to complete, but its worth the time! I brought these in to work for the solstice and pretty much everyone loved them! Except for the girl who is allergic to chocolate. Worst allergy ever, right? 

Sea Salt on the outside, caramel on the inside! 

Ingredients: 

3 cups Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Pamela's gluten free mix) 

3 Tblsp. Honey 

3/4 cups Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 bag of Caramels 

Melting Chocolate

Sea Salt  

Directions: 

In a mixing bowl combine Cake Mix, Honey and Sweetened Condensed Milk, and stir to combine.This mixture should be quite solid and not runny, but not so dry that you can’t mold it into balls. If you find that your mixture is a little too runny, add a touch more cake mix. If it’s a little too dry, add more sweetened condensed milk/honey.

After you've made the dough, cut the caramels into quarters. Roll the dough into a ball with a piece of caramel in the center. 

Lay parchment paper down on a cookie sheet or pan.

Melt the dipping chocolate, and dip the chilled cake batter balls into melted chocolate. After the balls are dipped in chocolate, place on parchment paper and sprinkle sea salt on top. 

Place truffles in freezer or fridge to set up.

Yields: 40 to 50 truffles depending on size preference. 

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free)

So I found some form of this recipe on pinterest. I originally tried this with Chocolate Almond Butter from Trader Joe's and it fell a little flat, like literally! They ended up like some kind of brittle rather than a cookie. If you want to try plain Almond butter, please let me know how it goes. I frankly don't want to waste more Almond Butter figuring it out.

Anyway these are quick and very delicious for the peanut butter lover like myself! You could definitely try adding in chocolate chips too!

**Side note: Please excuse my bad photo quality. I only had my camera phone that day.

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar (best to do half white and half brown)
1 egg







Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F

Stir together peanut butter, eggs and sugar in a medium bowl. Mix until well combined, to the point that you can form them into nicely mixed cookie balls. Lay them out, with some room between them, on a cookie sheet. I used wax paper to keep the cookies from sticking.

Pop them into the oven and bake them for only 12 minutes or so. You want them to be a golden brown on the edges. Transfer them to a cooling rack and you have some very quick and easy cookies ready to go!

Enjoy!

Black Bean Brownies by Sugarboy (Gluten Free!)

 So my dear grandfather, probably the main reader of this blog, wanted to add a recipe. Since he is my biggest supporter, and I pretty much learned most of my baking skills from him, why not? 

If you are gluten free, or just want an alternative "healthy" brownie I REALLY recommend you try this. The cocoa real covers up the taste I promise! I tried it out, with sugar, on my roommates and they tasted no bean flavor to the brownies. As long as you have a blender, you can whip, or rather blend, these up in a jiff!  

These are Brownies are Sugarboy approved!
(photo by sugar boy) 

So here are Sugarboy's (yes that is my grandpa's name) Black Bean Brownies:  Hey, I found the most amazing recipe, (actually, it is a combination of several recipes I saw online).
 The cool thing is that they are made without any flour or sugar, (Grandpa's diet/Aunt Kim's diet), and it uses a whole can of black beans for healthy fiber.

Everything you'll need!

---------------------------------------------------

BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

Everything you'll need!
1 can black beans, drained  and rinsed.
2 eggs. (or 4 egg whites)
3 Tbs. olive oil.
1 tsp. vanilla.
1/2 cup granulated Splenda, (or real sugar)
1/4 cup + 1 TBS. unsweetened cocoa.
1 tsp. baking powder.
pinch of salt.
(You will need a blender as well)

Photo by Sugarboy

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F

Blend beans, eggs, olive oil, and vanilla in a blender until smooth.

Mix sugar (or substitute), cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Then beat the two mixtures together.

 Put in greased 8x8 glass pan and Bake @350 for 20 minutes.