Archive for the ‘Easy Bar Desserts’ Category
Super Simple Toblerone Fudge
You Only Need 10 Minutes to Make This Creamy Fudge!
Growing up, my mom made all sorts of delicious homemade desserts, but she never experimented with fudge. I guess that’s why when I pick out easy and quick recipes, fudge is always forgotten…until now! I came across a super simple recipe for Toblerone Fudge on Kraft Canada’s website, and I thought it would be the perfect addition to my holiday cookie tray. Best of all, you only need 4 ingredients and 10 minutes to put it together, making for some stress-free baking this holiday season! The Kraft Kitchen Experts are even kind enough to recommend some techniques that will ensure the smoothest and creamiest fudge…I added their notes below. Your guests will be impressed! Enjoy!
TOBLERONE FUDGE
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (not margarine)
3/4 cup canned regular FULL FAT evaporated milk (2% or fat free will not work)
1 bar (400 g) TOBLERONE Swiss Milk Chocolate, broken into pieces
LINE 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, with ends of paper extending over sides. Mix sugar, butter and evaporated milk in large saucepan.
BRING to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Make sure that you bring to a boil on MEDIUM heat. Bringing the mixture to a boil too quickly on HIGH heat will cause the butter to rise to the top. Boil 5 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until completely melted. Pour into prepared pan.
REFRIGERATE 3 hours or until firm. Use paper handles to remove fudge from pan; cut into squares. Keep refrigerated.
How to Easily Cut the Fudge: When cutting fudge, carefully wipe the knife blade between cuts with a clean damp towel. This prevents the fudge from building up on the blade, ensuring clean cuts that leave the edges intact.
Easy Granola Bars
It Takes 20 Minutes To Bake This Healthy Treat!
I always like having a granola bar in my purse for those times when my hunger pains strike and I need something quickly. The downside to store-bought granola bars is all the sugar that goes in them, so I decided to make my own so that I could control the ingredients. I found this recipe for Easy Granola Bars at Allrecipes.com and it takes about 20 minutes to bake…very easy and quick! Plus I love how you can put pretty much anything you want in them. I modified this recipe according to what I had in my kitchen. Instead of almonds I used sunflower seeds; instead of dried cranberries I used goji berries…which I recently learned are a great antioxidant. So play with this recipe as you like and let me know what fun flavour combinations you come up with. Enjoy!
EASY GRANOLA BARS
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sweetened condensed milk, butter, coconut, almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries with your hands until well blended. Press flat into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, depending on how crunchy you want them. Lightly browned just around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars. Let cool for 5 minutes, cut into squares then let cool completely before serving.
Easy Mound Bars
6 Simple Ingredients Make These Coconut & Chocolate Bars!
My favourite chocolate bar is Bounty (or Mounds which tastes the same). I just love the creamy coconut filling wrapped inside the chocolate coating. So when I found this recipe for Mound Bars on Allrecipes.com I just had to try it, all the while hoping it would at least resemble the delicious flavour combination of my chocolate bar. This recipe begins with a graham cracker crust, which of course differs from the original bar…hmm I wondered how that would taste. Then comes a layer of coconut, sweetened condensed milk and chocolate. And finally it was time for my taste test. The result was a delicious crumbly crust, the sweet taste of chocolate and the best part…the creamy coconut flavour that I love! If you enjoy the mix of chocolate and coconut together like I do, you’re going to love this easy and quick dessert. Enjoy!
EASY MOUND BARS
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups flaked coconut
1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 Tbsp butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter or margarine. Mix and pat into the bottom of one 9×13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle flaked coconut over hot crust then pour the condensed milk evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes.
In a pan, melt butter together with chocolate then spread over the top of the cooked bars. Let cool and cut into squares.
Disappearing Marshmallow Brownies
These Gooey Treats Can Be Prepared in 15 Minutes!
This is a fun recipe from Allrecipes.com that I’ve made a few times and my family LOVES! The marshmallows really do disappear…and you can see them burst and melt away if you’re patient enough to watch. The kids will love making and eating this sweet dessert…which is both easy and quick! It took me about 15 minutes to prepare and about 23 to bake. I’m never patient enough to cool them thoroughly before I take a bite…but they’re delicious both warm and cool. I also love how versatile this recipe is, because I substituted semi-sweet chocolate for the butterscotch and it works really well too! Everyone will be thanking you for this delectable delight! Enjoy!
DISAPPEARING MARSHMALLOW BROWNIES
1/2 cup butter
1 cup butterscotch chips (I used semi-sweet chocolate)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used white chocolate chips for colour contrast)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.
Using a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butterscotch chips and butter together in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the melted butterscotch chips, then the flour, baking powder, and salt until smooth. Stir in the marshmallows and chocolate chips last. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes in preheated oven. Cool, and cut into squares.
Springtime Lemon Bars
These Sweet & Slightly Tart Treats Are Ready In 1 Hour!
With spring in the air, I wanted to share a lemon recipe that makes me think of the sunshine! These are my favorite Lemon Bars! I’ve baked several lemon square recipes in my search for the perfect one. Some were too tart, or not lemony enough. And some were too thin and fell apart to the touch. Well, my search ended when I found this amazing recipe from Allrecipes.com! The bars are sweet, with just the right amount of lemony tartness, and they hold together very nicely…which is important for presentation. These are truly “Bake Sale” worthy! I especially love how this dessert is easy and quick…using only 7 ingredients and taking only 15 minutes to prepare! Plus, it makes a nice big batch that could last days, if you restrain yourself! Enjoy and let me know what you think!
BAKE SALE LEMON BARS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar for decoration
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
Combine the flour, 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until slightly golden.
While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust.
Return to the preheated oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into squares and enjoy!
The BEST Easy Date Squares
Prepare These Thick & Delicious Squares in 1 Hour!
I walk around my neighborhood a lot, which really works up my appetite so when I get hungry MOST of the time I buy a date square. It is my favorite sweet snack to give me energy when I’m out. First of all you can get them anywhere, Starbuck’s, local bakeries, and even the grocery store. Second of all, they’re sweet and delicious! I figure that I’m eating fruit and oatmeal so it’s got to be a healthy snack, right? Well, today, for the first time ever, I decided to bake a homemade batch of date squares and it was so simple! I found the recipe at JoyofBaking.com, and although it calls for a food processor, which I don’t have, I found an alternate way, plus it cut back on my dish washing. When I made the date filling in the saucepan, I used a potato masher to smooth out the lumps. Then, when making the oatmeal crust, I used my clean hands to incorporate the butter into the dry mixture. This dessert was easy, quick and even better than the ones I buy at the store. And they even smell amazing while they’re baking! I think you’re going to thank me for this one. Enjoy!
THE BEST EASY DATE SQUARES
Date Filling:
3 cups (400 grams) pitted dates
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Oatmeal Crust:
2 cups (200 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup (140 grams) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (160 grams) light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (226 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Date Filling: Place the dates and water in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the dates are soft and have absorbed most of the water (about 5 – 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature and then puree in your food processor until smooth or use a potato masher. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter (or use a non stick cooking spray) an 8 x 11 inch (20 x 28 cm) or a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Oatmeal Crust: In the bowl of your food processor, place the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Pulse to combine. Then add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the base of the prepared pan.
Spread the dates evenly over the oatmeal crust. Sprinkle the remaining dough evenly over the top of the dates. Bake for about 30 – 40 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool. Once the squares have cooled, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator at least one hour or until firm enough to cut easily into squares.
These will keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to a week. Makes about 20 – 2 inch squares.
Easy Irish Creamy Fudge
A Simple Fudge to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Although this day was traditionally celebrated by Irish Christians, it’s nice to know that now-a-days it’s a holiday that anybody can celebrate! And not only can you show your Irish spirit by wearing green, but you can also celebrate by eating Irish food! Since this is a site for desserts easy and quick, there won’t be any Lamb Stew or Corned Beef recipes here, but I did find a simple dessert that’s perfect for this day…Irish Creamy Fudge! Food Television Host Anna Olson shared this recipe on her show Sugar, and though I have yet to try it, I don’t think you can go wrong with this! I love the flavor of Irish Cream liqueur and combined with the sweet, sugary taste of fudge, I imagine this is a melt-in-your-mouth heavenly dessert. Enjoy your Irish day!
IRISH CREAMY FUDGE
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup Irish Cream liqueur
2 1/4 cups icing sugar, sifted
Grease an 8-inch square pan and line with parchment paper so that it hangs over the sides.
Stir evaporated milk, brown sugar, white sugar, butter and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, and cook until 238 °F (use a candy thermometer to gauge). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and Irish Cream and scrape into a bowl or mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed or electric beaters, add in the icing sugar in three additions, mixing well after each addition. Scrape fudge into prepared pan and let cool completely before slicing.
Strange But Delicious Cracker Treat
Transform Crackers into Chocolate Treats in under 30 Minutes!
When I tried this recipe several years ago, I thought it sounded really weird…weird because it’s made with soda crackers and chocolate. What a strange combination, I thought…until I tried them! When I made them again today, I fell in love all over again. The butter and sugar mixture transforms the crackers into sweet crunchy toffee goodness. The chocolate on top makes these taste like the candy bar Skor. Most importantly this recipe is the epitome of desserts…easy and quick! You can make these in under 30 minutes! Even though you’re supposed to wait until the chocolate cools and firms up, I couldn’t wait and still found them sweet and delicious when they were warm…although a little messy. I used toffee bits instead of walnuts because I didn’t have any…it worked out great but I think nuts would be even better. Let me know what you think!
SODA CRACKER COOKIES
35 soda crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (I used toffee bits)
1 cup packed brown sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 15 x 10 inch baking pan with foil and grease it well. Line the pan with soda crackers.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and cook stirring it until it dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Immediately pour mixture over the soda crackers.
Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble. Drop the chocolate chips over the hot cookies and let it set for a few minutes. Spread the chocolate evenly. Sprinkle with nuts. Let cool, then cut into bars.
Baking Tips for Brownies
How to Bake the Perfect Brownie for You!
For the most part, brownie desserts are so easy and quick to make. They require only a few simple ingredients and they bake in one pan for a short period of time. But I find that with brownies you never know what kind you’re going to get! I mean, will it be fudgy, chewy, or cake-like? Well, I recently got a great email from Bakespace.com that explained the tricks to getting the type of brownie texture you’re looking for. Check it out!
WHAT MAKES A BROWNIE A BROWNIE?
While the classic brownie recipe includes just a few ingredients (butter, sugar, chocolate, eggs, and flour), brownies can come in all shapes, sizes and flavors. Here are a few popular varieties:
FUDGE BROWNIES are made with less flour and no leavening (baking powder). Melting the butter rather than creaming it with sugar yields denser, fudgier brownies.
CAKE-LIKE BROWNIES contain less butter and more flour than fudge brownies, as well as a bit of baking powder, to make them softer and lighter. Often the softened butter is creamed with the sugar rather than melted with the chocolate. Many cake-like recipes call for a splash of milk, which also gives brownies a light texture.
CHEWY BROWNIES get their texture by modifying two ingredients: an extra egg (or two) and a combination of different types of chocolate, such as unsweetened and semisweet. Combining these ingredients with a few tablespoons of cocoa powder helps round out the flavor and thicken the texture for a rich, satisfyingly chewy result.
BLONDIES are really butterscotch bars made with brown sugar, butter, and eggs (and usually nuts as well), but no chocolate. Blondies typically have a cake-like texture.
Easy Butter Tart Squares
Only 15 Minutes to Prep This Tasty Butter Tart Alternative!
One of my all-time favorite sweet treats is butter tarts…especially the ones my mom makes. She makes her own thick, flaky pastry from scratch…which isn’t easy or quick. If a recipe requires a homemade pastry crust I usually avoid it…I mean, I don’t even own a rolling pin! But I did find an easy and quick alternative to the traditional butter tart…it’s Butter Tart Squares which I found on Allrecipes.com. I once tried a similar recipe years ago from the same site which didn’t turn out well, but this one is a winner! It has all the taste of a butter tart without the hard work. I find these taste best when stored in the refrigerator…I added that detail to the directions. As well, I added raisins to the mix but left out the coconut…but next time I will try both. Please let me know how well you think these compare to the traditional kind. Enjoy!
BUTTER TART SQUARES
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar (I only used 1cup which was plenty)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup flaked coconut (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9×9 inch baking pan.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven. Crust should not be fully cooked.
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs and remaining brown sugar. Combine the oats, salt, and baking powder. By hand stir into the egg mixture along with the vanilla. Mix in raisins and coconut, if desired. Spread the mixture evenly over the partially baked crumb layer in pan.
Bake 20 minutes more. Cool, and cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.