Thursday, March 24, 2016

Speckled Robin's Egg Easter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

I love making these egg shaped cookie dough truffles on Easter! Dipped in pastel colors, they are such a fun and festive treat!
This year, I went monochromatic with a speckled robin's egg blue. I love how they turned out!



For the original recipe see here, from the Wine and Glue blog: Easter Egg Cookie Dough Truffles

You make an egg-free raw cookie dough batter, with sweetened condensed milk. These are not a health food, folks.
Form into egg shapes and freeze or refrigerate to harden (I do freezer for about 20min in the egg-shapes, instead of fridge overnight. Ain't nobody got time for that!), then dip in colored candy melts or white chocolate with food coloring.


I used Ghirardelli white chocolate chips and added a teaspoon of coconut oil to 1 bag of chocolate chips, melted over a double boiler. The oil helps it stay soft longer, while you dip, plus coconut oil hardens when chilled, so it helps make a nice shell.  I added about 6 drops of blue food coloring until it was the right shade of pastel blue.


For the speckles, you'll need a clean paintbrush and cocoa powder. Plus water and/or vanilla extract, or both, to thin.
See the tutorial HERE and HERE
Basically, just flick the brush gently in one hand against the first finger of your other hand and it will make little speckles. I didn't say you wouldn't speckle your whole counter and kitchen, as well!  Put down some parchment paper!



Ta da! You have some adorable Easter treats!

You can make these any shape and color for a year-round dessert, too!






Monday, March 14, 2016

St Patrick's Day Brownies with a Naturally Green Mint Buttercream Frosting

It is almost St. Patrick's Day! Where America adds green food dye to everything haha.
I love me a themed event! But, I do try to avoid artificial food coloring where I can these days.
Luckily, a bit of spinach juice adds the perfect green hue to this mint buttercream!! I swear, there is no spinach flavor at all!




It is so easy! Just blend a small handful of spinach in a high speed blender, adding just enough water until it turns into a thickness somewhere between a puree and a juice. A high speed blender like a Vitamix will pulverize any spinach flecks.  Set that aside and use as food coloring in the frosting!





You can use any brownie recipe for these! I prefer one that is more "fudgy" than "cake-like".

And I always add chocolate chips!

I have included a couple of my favorite brownie recipes to choose from below.


Brownies Option 1 - Fudgy, Simple, Easy!
Brownies Option 2 - Fudgy
Brownies Option 3 - "Best Ever"
Brownies Option 4 - Clean
Brownies Option 5 - "Better Than Boxed"


Whip up this buttercream frosting while the brownies completely cool.


Green Mint Buttercream Frosting


1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract (I find Peppermint much nicer than Mint. Mint tastes like gum.)1 Tbsp spinach juice

Whip butter with an egg beater or stand mixer for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
Gradually add in powdered sugar, and beat 2 more minutes.
Add extract and juice, to taste, and to color, adding more if desired.
If consistency gets too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Spread the frosting onto cooled brownies.




Melt chocolate chips and a splash of milk in a double boiler, or slowly, stirring often, in the microwave, until smooth.

Drizzle over the frosted brownies by dipping a fork into the chocolate, and very quickly drizzling it over the pan.

Chill in the refrigerator for several minutes, if desired, to get a cleaner cut.


Enjoy this festive St. Patrick's Day, or anytime!!, treat!









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