Caramel and Gooey Chocolate Bars

I found on these on the veggies and yoga website. They look amazing!! Can't wait to eat them :)

http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/02/caramel-and-chocolate-gooey-bars.html

Caramel and Chocolate Gooey Bars (Gluten Free with Vegan option)

Makes 16 bars

3/4 cups butter, melted

1 1/2 cups whole rolled oats

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, optional*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

35 caramel squares (or 2 cups caramel sauce)

2/3 cup half-and-half or cream

Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing for overhang (do not make this recipe unless you line your pan with foil) and spray the foil down very well with cooking spray. Note: Do not select a jellyroll type pan because the recipe bubbles up and higher sides are needed to prevent spillover. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. To the melted butter add the oats, brown sugar, baking soda, flour*, one teaspoon vanilla, and stir to combine. Pour just over half the oat-butter mixture (about 60%, eyeball it) into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, spread it evenly with a spatula, and bake for 9-10 minutes. The mixture will bubble up and foam considerably while baking. Watch it closely and the sides will show a bit of browning at about 9-10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let it rest and cool for 3 minutes, and then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top in an even layer.

While the mixture is baking, unwrap the caramels and place them in a medium-sized saucepan that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Add the cream to the caramels and melt over medium-high heat, stirring nearly continuously to prevent scorching or boiling. It may take 5 minutes for caramels to completely melt. After mixture has melted, is smooth and combined, turn off the heat and add one teaspoon of vanilla, using caution because the vanilla will likely bubble up a bit, and stir to incorporate.

Pour the melted creamy caramel mixture over the top of the oat mixture that has been topped with chocolate chips. It will be very soupy, this is fine. Take the remaining half (40%) of the oat-butter mixture and sprinkle it as evenly as possible over the top, using a spatula to gently spread the oats within the “caramel soup”. Place pan on top of a cookie sheet as a precaution for spill-over and bake for 14-16 minutes more, or until sides of the mixture are beginning to brown (Look closely in order to discern “browning edges” from the overall brown color of the caramel mixture when it’s baking; they’re very similar but distinct enough to differentiate). The mixture will be bubbling quite intensely while baking and watch it for signs of spilling over. Remove pan from the oven and allow it to rest and completely cool on the countertop before attempting to slice the bars (at least two hours) or you can expedite the process by placing the pan in the freezer or refrigerator until sufficiently cool enough to slice (but not frozen). Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freezer, and freeze extras for up to 3 months. I stored these bars in the freezer because they were so gooey and they never froze solid (all that butter).

Notes: *I did not add flour to the bars as they are shown here and they are incredibly gooey and are hard to keep in a “neat” bar form, which only matters if you’re trying to take pictures of them or transport them. If you prefer something less gooey and sticky and more portable, add 1/2 cup flour. If you do not have caramel squares, you could use 2 cups of caramel sauce for ice cream and the thicker and richer, the better; however, I have not tested the recipe with caramel sauce. Oats are a gluten free grain but use certified GF if necessary and take care the caramels used are GF. To make the recipe vegan, use margarine in place of butter, cashew cream (1/4 cup cashews, soaked, and blended with 3/4 cup water) or another nut-based or vegan milk in place of the cream, and use vegan caramels.

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German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake

From Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Ingredients:

For the German Chocolate Cake Layers:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 3/4 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teas baking powder
• 1/2 teas baking soda
• 3/4 teas salt
• 1 cup hot coffee
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teas pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled

For the Coconut Pecan filling:

• 1 1/3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teas pure vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 1/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped coarsely

Preparation:

Make the German Chocolate Cake Layers:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dish with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

Sift the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium mixing bowl. In a small bowl, wish together the coffee and buttermilk.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat to incorporate. The mixture will look light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee/buttermilk mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the melted chocolate.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack and remove the pans and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.

Make the Coconut Pecan Filling:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread half of the coconut evenly across the pan and place in the oven for 5 minutes or until the coconut begins to brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar, butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, and egg yolks. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. After the mixture begins to boil and thicken, remove from heat and stir in the toasted coconut, regular coconut, and pecans.

Place the pan over an ice bath (a large bowl fitted with ice) and stir the mixture until cooled.

Assemble the Cake:

Place on cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread one third of the filling on top. Add the next layer, trim and frost with one third of the filling, then add the third layer. Trip the top and frost with remaining filling.

The cake will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 2 days.

My cat enjoyed this cake, and so did the people that received samples long before she got her chops on it. The chocolate cakes were rather rich and moist (and in my mind would stand as a good base for any type of layered chocolate cake). The pecan coconut filling/frosting was amazing. Sweet, sticky and delicious (for those of you as immature as me, giggle freely). This cake was amazing, but maybe I am missing something, what makes a German Chocolate Cake a German chocolate cake?

http://passthesushi.com/german-chocolate-cake

Chocolate S'mores Cake

So, finally, we get to the best part. The celebration cake! I asked myself what cake I would like to have for my own little blog birthday, and my mind started to wander. I thought of all the possible cakes out there, and then I tried to push the envelope. I came up with this S’mores Cake. I have seen S’more cupcakes, but I have never seen a cake like this before!

I used my favorite dark chocolate cake recipe (which NEVER disappoints!) and created a brown butter graham cracker layer (as good as it sounds!) and dark chocolate fudgy ganache frosting. And last, but certainly not least, the marshmallow frosting which was piled on top and lightly toasted. At the risk of sounding a little too pleased with myself (lol!) it was spectacular!!! My whole family devoured this cake on Oscar night. It is admittedly high-maintenance, but if you have a special occasion coming up- I couldn’t recommend a more fun and delicious cake!

Happy Birthday Little Blog…

S’more Cake, serves 10-12

Brown Butter Graham Cracker Crust
18 large grahams (the rectangle)
½ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
12 Tbs butter

Melt the butter and cook on low until the butter is a golden brown.

In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers with the sugar and the salt until the crumbs are really fine. Pour the crumbs into a medium bowl.

Pour the butter over the graham crackers and gently mix together until it is a uniform damp crumb.

Prepare three 8″ rounds with parchment paper rounds and non-stick baking spray.

Divide the graham cracker crumbs between two of the three prepared pans, pressing them down firmly with a spatula. Set aside

Dark Chocolate Cake
2 cups boiling water
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup soft unsalted butter
2-1/4 cup white sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
2-3/4 cups AP flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put the coco powder in a small bowl, and pour the boiling water on top of it.

Whisk the water and coco together until smooth, and then set aside until cooled.

In a mixing bowl or standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

Add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time until they completely combined.

Sift all of the dry ingredients together.

Gently add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and half of the chocolate. Mix to combine.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients and mix into a smooth batter.

Divide the batter evenly between the three pans. Two of them, gently spread over the graham crust.

Bake the cake layers about 25 minutes, but keep a close eye on them because every cake is different.

Let the cake layers cool.
*** Note. I cooked the two graham-chocolate layers with an “even cake layers” strip around them so that they would turn out more flat. The third cake layer I left alone because I wanted it to puff up and be domed for the top of the cake.

Ganache
2 cups heavy cream
1lb dark chocolate pieces

In a small pot, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate pieces and let sit about 5 minutes.

Whisk the ganache until smooth and shiny. Set Aside.

Cover a cake plate in a few strips of parchment or wax paper.

Turn out one of the cake rounds with the graham crust onto the parchment covered cake plate, graham layer up.

Put a large dollop of ganache on top of the grahams.

Spread evenly.

Follow with another layer.

Finally top with the third round which is just cake.

Refrigerate, at least 15-20 minutes.

Marshmallow Frosting
3 egg whites at room temperature
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup karo corn syrup
2 Tbs water
1 TBS vanilla bean paste

In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk the eggs and salt until pale and frothy.

Meanwhile, heat the sugar, corn syrup, water and vanilla paste. Heat over medium flame until the sugar is dissolved and just simmering, about 5 minutes.

With the mixer on medium speed, add a tiny bit of the hot sugar mixture to the egg whites at a time. (Temper the eggs- don’t scramble them!)

Eventually all of the sugar will be added and then turn the mixer up to high. Beat the mixture on high for about 5 minutes or until very stiff and shiny.

See the gorgeous flecks of Vanilla Bean Seeds?!

While the marshmallow frosting is mixing, frost the cake. (Take it out of the fridge first!)

With the remaining ganache, which should be stiff and the texture of a glossy frosting, frost the cake in a smooth, even layer.

Then remove the parchment, revealing a nice clean cake plate!

Ideally, pipe a layer of the marshmallow frosting on the top of the cake and then glop the rest on top in a big mound.

Using a kitchen torch, (maybe obviously, my torch was sadly out of butane- so I tragically used matches. Slow and a little dangerous- but effective) brown the marshmallow frosting.

Slice and Enjoy!!

http://www.heatherchristo.com/cooks/2011/03/01/smores-cake/