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Eat More Bar Extravaganza

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Homemade treats are always the best, especially when they are a better copy of a commercial sweet! While I’ve never been a fan of Eatmore candy bars (too sugary), this version has become an indispensable part of our family’s annual Christmas cookie tray tradition.

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Year after year, but

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I love making them in Epicure’s Perfect Petites Silicone Cookware as it gives it the perfect shape and makes it super easy to pop them out! I used to cut them into bars, but they never looked so scrumptious.

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Eatmore Bars

Ingredients

1/2 Cup smooth peanut butter

1 Cup golden corn syrup

1 3/4 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/4 Cups rolled oats

2 Cups dry roasted peanuts

 

Method

  1. Pulse oats in a food processor until small flakes (but not oat flour)
  2. Chop peanuts, but agin, not to a dust
  3. If not using silicone cookware, grease a 10″ x 6″ pan
  4. In a saucepan, bring peanut butter and corn syrup to a low boil and stir well.
  5. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips and mix until melted
  6. Add oats and peanuts and mix them in
  7. Pour into pan or scoop into silicone cookware
  8. Chill to harden (thaw for five minutes, then slice into bars, if using a pan)

Do you have a favourite store bought indulgence that you’ve made better at home?

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Gingerbread Spice Cookies

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Forgiveness is important, especially in baking. I love this cookie dough because it lets me get away  with a LOT: flavouring, tearing, re-rolling, flour substitutions, over baking. I’ve never made a bad batch and that’s why I’ll keep using this recipe until there are Food Replicators in every kitchen (then I’ll program it in).

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The most recent variation was for a Kids Cooking Class featuring Festive Treats, so I amped up the cheer with Epicure Gingerbread Spices. You can keep it plain vanilla (as long as you use the good stuff) or add your favourite spice blend.

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Gingerbread Brown Sugar Thins

Ingredients

2 1/4 Cups (270g) all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 Cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (213 g) packed dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 TBS Epicure Gingerbread Spices

Method

Preheat oven to 300F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or reusable non-stick baking mats.

Mix flour, salt and spices together

Beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla until light in colour and texture (about 3 minutes in a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed). Then add flour mixture gradually to make a smooth dough. Press dough into a smooth flat disc.

Break the dough into 4 roughly equal pieces and roll each one out on a lightly floured surface until 1/8 inch thick.

Dip cookie cutters into flour and cut out shapes. Arrange cookies at least 1 inch apart on the sheets. Scraps can be gathered, rested for 5 minutes and re-rolled.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes (lift one up and check that it’s firm). Cool on sheets for 3 minutes then move to cooling racks until room temperature.

Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days unrefrigerated.

The dough can also be kept in the fridge, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days. Let it warm up before rolling out.

Decorate if you desire or keep them plain! Do you have a favourite cookie cutter shape? I love heart-shaped cookies any time of year.

 

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