Baking Inspiration

NO BAKE COOKIES

total time: 10 minutes | makes about 18-20 cookies
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 5 minutes, cool a couple hours, until cookie is firm and not sticky

Note: Baking emulsion can be found at select cooking and baking supply stores, online, or Michaels baking section.

• 1 stick real butter (1/2 cup)
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup milk /or unsweetened almond milk
• 1/3 cup Hersey’s coco powder
• 2 ½ cups of instant oatmeal
• 1/3 cup of peanut butter /or almond butter
• ½ raw pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 tablespoon almond baking emulsion extract (can use vanilla)
• Large cookie sheet lined with wax paper

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
Place raw nuts on cookie sheet and toast in oven 6-10 minutes until they’re fragrant and golden brown. Place in bowl and set aside to cool. Chop nuts when safe to handle.

Preheat stove to low-medium.
Melt real butter, sugar, and milk in medium size pot until mixture reaches a boil. Keep stirring and do not leave unattended, the sugar will burn. Reduce heat to low and simmer for a minute. Turn off stove, and add in the rest of ingredients. Mix well. Be careful as mixture is hot. Use a large mixing spoon to dap some mixture onto the wax paper. I make my cookies into 2×2 inch blob so I can fit several into my gift giving containers. Best part about these cookies is they don’t have to look perfect. Keep spooning out mixture onto the wax paper until it is all gone. Allow the cookies to cool a couple hours, until cookie is firm and not sticky.

BUCK EYES

total time: 45 minutes | makes about 30-35 pieces

Note: Baking emulsion can be found at select cooking and baking supply stores, online, or Michaels baking section.

• 1 stick real butter (1/2 cup)
• 2 cups peanut butter /or almond butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon almond baking emulsion extract (can use vanilla)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup maraschino cherries, cut into bits dried on paper towel (optional add)
• 4 cups of rice crispy cereal
• 1 package of chocolate almond bark, 6-8 squares
• Gloves for rolling buck eye balls
• Toothpicks for dipping buck eye balls
• Wax paper, a large mixing bowl, and medium size tray
• First line your medium size tray with wax paper. You will be using this tray to lay the buck eye balls on after you roll them.

Put on gloves and grab large mixing bowl. Mix with hands: real butter, peanut butter, powder sugar, sea salt, and almond extract (or vanilla). Fold in rice crispy cereal and dried maraschino cherries bits, and mix well. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on lined tray. Keep rolling balls into all the mix is gone. Discard gloves. Place tray in fridge for 10-20 minutes until balls get cold, this will make it easier to dip into the chocolate.

Melt chocolate in a microwave safe glass bowl for 1 minute and stir. If clumps then melt for an additional 30 seconds and stir, until chocolate is smooth. Remove the tray with buck eye balls from the fridge to start dipping!

Tear another sheet of wax paper to lay the dipped balls on. Take a toothpick and stick in the center of a ball, carefully dip into the melted chocolate, and Do Not fully coat. Leave a small circle of the ball visible (see picture below), lightly shake off excess chocolate and place ball on wax paper to harden. These babies are called a buck eye for a reason! Repeat until you have coated all the balls. They should harden fairly quickly since we cooled them in the fridge. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE COVERED TURTLES

• total time: 45 minutes | makes about 30-35 pieces
• 1 bag Lancanster soft caramels
• 12 ounces bag raw pecans, toast them
• 1 package of chocolate almond bark, 6-8 squares
• 1 package of white almond bark, 2 squares
• Pinch of salt for each turtle
• Wax paper

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
Place raw nuts on cookie sheet and toast in oven 6-10 minutes until they’re fragrant and golden brown. Place in bowl and set aside.

Use a cup or flat surface to press down each caramel into a 1 ½ inch circle. Next you will take 4 whole toasted pecans, and arrange all for corners to touch, making an “X” shape. Gently press down the flattened caramel over the pecan cross so it lightly sticks. Repeat until you have used all the caramels, and space about an inch apart on the wax paper.

Next melt chocolate in a microwave safe glass bowl for 1 minute and stir. If clumps then melt for an additional 30 seconds and stir, until chocolate is smooth.

Spoon over some chocolate over the caramel “turtle shell” and let the chocolate fall onto the pecan “turtle” legs. Wait until turtles are hard so we can decorate them with the white chocolate and sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt.

Repeat steps above to melt the white chocolate. Use a fork to decorate the turtles. Dip the fork in the melted white chocolate, until some peaks hang on each fork point, and make an “X” shape on top of each turtle, now sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt. Repeat until you have finished all the turtles. Let the chocolate harden, and you are done! These turtles are so divine, and everyone will enjoy the sweet and savory combination!

Holiday Rose Molded Chocolates

total time: 5 minutes | makes about 10 chocolate pieces

Note: Amount of pieces depends on the mold you are using. Molds can be found at select cooking and baking supply stores, online, or Michaels baking section.

• 1 package of white chocolate almond bark
• Holiday themed sprinkles, use two colors
• Rose candy mold – I bought mine from Michael’s

Melt chocolate in a microwave safe glass bowl for 1 minute and stir. If clumps then melt for an additional 30 seconds and stir, until chocolate is smooth.

Sprinkle in a pinch of your holiday themed sprinkles into the bottom of each mold. I use two colored sprinkles for a nice festive look. (Red & Green, Blue & Gold, Blue & Brown).
Use a spoon to place some melted chocolate into each rose mold. Once tray is filled, gently move tray so melted chocolate settles smooth in each mold. Place tray in freezer for 1-2 minutes, until chocolate is hard. Pop out chocolates and place in bowl. Repeat steps until you get the desired amount of pieces.

These holiday rose molded chocolates are fast and easy to make. They add festive color to any treat bar at the holiday party, and will make any treat box merrier.

My little taste tester approved the goodies for packing! Now it’s time to package these babies and give the gift of homemade lovetreats.

The Line Up!