Fruit and Nut Chocolate Bark

I made this back in December, it was some of the goodies for the holidays.  It's a quick easy item to make.  give it a try.

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips 
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips 
3/4 cup roughly chopped nuts, I used pecans and walnuts 
1/2 cup chopped dried fruit, I used apricots and cranberries golden raisins

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place the dark chocolate chips in a microwave safe glass bowl or measuring cup. Heat for 1 minute, at 50% power, stir and heat an additional 30 seconds, stir again until smooth. Pour the chocolate across the lined baking sheet and spread it out with a spatula. 

Wipe the bowl clean and repeat the melting process with the white chocolate chips. Pour the white chocolate over the dark and use the end of a spoon or a spatula to swirl the two chocolates together. Sprinkle with the chopped fruits and nuts. Let the chocolate harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Cut the bark into pieces once it has set. Store at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator. Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and Always Remember to Find the Time to do ALL the Things You L♥ve,
Donna

Peanut Brittle (microwave)

This is a very simple, quick candy to make so please give it a try.  I always make this at Christmas Time and it's always a big hit.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups spanish peanuts
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBL butter
1 tsp baking soda
cooking spray and wax paper

Direction:
Line a large rimmed cookie sheet with wax paper and spray with cooking spray.  Spray a wood spoon too (makes for easy clean up).  Set aside
In a Large glass bowl mix corn syrup and sugar and microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Remove and stir in peanuts and butter, return to microwave and cook for another 4 minutes.  Remove and add vanilla and baking soda (careful it might bubble up)  BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE THE BOWL IS EXTREMELY HOT!!   Spread onto baking sheet and let cool.  Break into pieces when cool, enjoy and store in sealed container for up to about a week.

thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the thing You L♥ve.
Donna

Dark Choclate Caramel and Pretzel Bark

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• I made this back in December as part of my goodies I give to friends.  It's really tasty and will satisfy a quick chocolate craving.  Has just enough satlyness to it too.  

• 24 salted pretzels
• 24 caramels, unwrapped
• 14 oz dark chocolate bar, chopped and divided ( I would recommend a great-quality eating chocolate like Lindt or Ghirardelli)
• 6 Tbsp coconut milk or heavy cream

Directions:

1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with wax paper.
2. Melt 10 oz of chocolate and 2 Tbsp coconut milk in double boiler or in microwave until smooth.
3. Melt caramels and 2 Tbsp coconut milk in double boiler or in microwave until smooth.
4. Spread the melted chocolate in a ¼-inch layer over the wax paper. Press the pretzels down into the chocolate firmly. Drizzle the melted caramel over the pretzels. Place baking sheet in the freezer for 5 minutes.
5. Melt remaining 4 oz of chocolate with 2 Tbsp coconut milk in double boiler or in microwave until smooth. Drizzle lightly over cooled bark, then return to freezer for more 5 minutes.
6. Chop into chunks and serve. Can be sealed in an airtight container and stored at room temperature for 7-14 days.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things You L♥ve.

Donna

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

This is another OMG recipe.  These are wonderful, they take a bit of time but it's mostly waiting time. I made these Thursday (10/28) in between all my errands that day.  You really need a scale for this one to get all the measurements right.  The chocolate is the important part.  My daughter visited one of her friends that night and took her one of these.  The lady told her they were out of this world and wanted to know if I was interested in selling them.  WOW maybe yet another side job.  :-)

This recipe calls for candy coating, which stays hard at room temperature. You can use real chocolate, but you will want to temper the chocolate  so that these soft truffles have a hard outer shell. Like many truffle recipes, this recipe requires several extensive chilling periods, so be sure to plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time. Printable recipe Ingredients: 1 large pkg fresh raspberries (or 1 package (10 oz) frozen raspberries, thawed 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1 lb semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 3/4 cup cream 2 tbsp light corn syrup 1 lb chocolate candy coating, for dipping *2 squares white chocolate *I used Gherdeli ) optional You can see a bit of the ganache peeking out of the truffle on the right. Preparation:   Cook the raspberries until they break down, add about 3 TBL white sugar,  strain to remove the seeds.  This takes about 15 minutes on med/low heat. (If using frozen raspberries place the raspberries in a blender or food processor, and process them until they are liquid. Pour the raspberry puree into a small saucepan through a strainer or cheesecloth to remove the seeds.)  Add the powdered sugar to the raspberry puree and heat it over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it is thick and syrupy and reduced by about half. Remove the puree from heat and set aside for now.  Place the chopped chocolate into a large bowl. Place the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges, but do not allow it to come to a full boil. Once simmering, pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and allow it to sit for a minute or two to soften and melt the chocolate.  Whisk the chocolate and cream together gently, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and homogenous. This is your “ganache.” Add the corn syrup and raspberry puree to the chocolate mixture, and whisk it all together. Cover the surface of the ganache with cling wrap, and refrigerate until it is thick enough to scoop, at least 3 hours.  Cover a baking sheet with foil or waxed paper. Using a candy scoop or teaspoon, scoop the ganache into small balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Once all of the ganache is scooped, freeze the balls for 2 hours or until firm.  Place the candy coating in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in one-minute increments until melted, stirring after every minute to prevent overheating. Stir until the coating is completely smooth. Allow the coating to cool until it is barely warm. Do not let it start setting up, but let it cool down so that it does not melt the truffle fillings.  Using dipping tools or a fork, dip a truffle into the chocolate. Bring it out of the chocolate and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the dipped truffle back onto the baking sheet and repeat with remaining truffles and chocolate.  Place the truffles in the refrigerator to set the candy coating for about 30 minutes. If desired, you can melt red candy coating (or tint white coating with red candy coloring) and drizzle a small amount over the truffles decoratively.  Chocolate Raspberry Truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. These would make wonderful Christmas gifts to give to your children's teachers,  neighbors or whomever you might want to give a small gift to during the holidays, they would pair well with some homemade cookies.  I have lots of those recipes too.  :-) Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU love. Donna