Sugar Cravings. . .

Over the weekend I had a craving for something sweet and decided I would make something.  I went to my trusty Pinterest and found a recipe for homemade Twix bars.  Yes, I made them.  They are not as easy to make as the recipe sounds.  As par for the course and my baking, things did not go just right.

This is the shortbread layer, it did not do exactly as it should have.  I need more work on this part.

This is the homemade caramel and it was very good.

This is the caramel spread over the shortbread.

This is the finished product.  The shortbread did not set up just right but it was good.  I need more practice with this one.  

The Shortbread 

1 1/4 cup  all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup butter softened

Caramel

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp corn syrup

Chocolate

2 cups chocolate chips

1 tsp vegetable oil

For the shortbread you combine your dry ingredients and then cut your butter into the dry.   It will form a crumb mixture.  Then you press it into a 9X9 pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool.

The Caramel, add butter to a medium sauce pan and melt over medium heat.    Stir in your brown sugar to dissolve.  Add corn syrup and SC milk then bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and keep stirring for 2 minutes.  When it starts to thicken pour over your shortbread.  Allow to cool.

Once your caramel has cooled mix your chocolate and oil.  This recipe called to do this in the microwave but all of my microwave safe glass dishes were dirty so I did mine on the stove in a sauce pan and it did just fine.   Let your chocolate cool just a bit before pouring over your caramel and shortbread.  I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil and it took my chocolate a little longer to set up.  

My kids loved this and it did not matter one bit to them that the shortbread did not stick together.  

I have been making meatballs this morning so stay tuned to hear about that tomorrow.  

Christmas Baking continues

Note:  if you are baking for others and bake early, you really should deliver early.  If you do not, you will end up like me,  baking again because you ate all of your goodies.   Ughhhhh
Yes, I admit it I love my sweets.  Today I will be making Hello Dollys and Pecan Sandies and I am going to make a wine cake.  The wine cake recipes come from my sister-in-law.   They are heavenly!  There is a white wine cake that is spicy and a blackberry wine cake that is fabulous.  The blackberry wine cake is a favorite of mine and Big T.  We had a get together at my in laws and my sister-in-law had made her blackberry wine cake.   Everyone had finished eating and was in the den relaxing.  I need to give you a little background before I finish the story.  Big T was in the 5th grade, so he was involved in the DARE program at school.  The DARE program teaches the kids about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.  When Sprat went through the program I got a lecture every time I had a glass of wine, which was not very often.  With Big T going through the program he also felt it necessary to add his two cents worth on my having a glass of wine.  I always told them when I had anything to drink I was not driving.   I cook with wine and beer regularly but I do not drink that often, just so you know.   With the back story out there back to our family get together. Big T came by me about three times with his plate full of blackberry wine cake.  I decided I would mention to him that the cake was made with wine (alcohol) just to give him a taste of what he had done to me.  His reply is typical Big T.  He said, "it's ok mommy I am not driving."    My boys do crack me up.

Here is your recipe for the Blackberry wine cake.

1 box of white cake mix

4 egss

3/4 cup oil

1 cup blackberry wine

1 3oz pkg of blackberry fusion jello

Mix all of this and put in an oiled bundt pan and bake at 325 for 60 minutes or until cake is done.

you can do a glaze to go on top with 1/2 cup of blackberry wine and 1/2 cup of sugar warmed to blend.  Pour over cake after it has cooled just a bit.   Let it sit for about 15 minutes before you try to turn it out.  

This is one of our favorites.  

Christmas Goodies. . .

Christmas just would not be the same without some Hello Dollys (7 layer cookies).  My mom has made these since I was little.  They are the best ever cookie and to me they sing Christmas.  I am fixing these today and maybe some butter cookies.  The butter cookies are not really Christmasy but I do love them.  The butter cookies are from my sister.  She used to make these all the time when she was in college.  I have had a little bit of a craving for both of these.    Let's do the Dollys first:
1 stick of butter melted in a casserole dish
1 1/2 pkgs. of graham crackers crushed
1/2 bag of chocolate chips
1/2 bag of butterscotch chips
1/2 bag of white chocolate chips
1 can sweet and condensed milk
1/2 bag of flaky coconut
1/2 pkg of pecans chopped

After you have melted the butter in the casserole dish sprinkle the cracker crumbs in the bottom then layer all of your ingredients and top with sweet and condensed milk.  Bake at 350 25-30 minutes or until brown and bubbly.  With my oven pre heated it only took 25 minutes. 

Here is the butter cookie recipe:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1egg

2 1/2 cups flour

1tbsp vanilla

2tbsp orange juice

Cream butter, egg, sugar, vanilla and OJ then add flour mix well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  It can be left overnight.   When ready to bake let the dough warm up just a bit.  I make balls and  flatten them.  Bake 400 for 6-10 minutes.  

Stay tuned tomorrow may be more baking, baking is kinda crafty right.