Candy Crush Your Dessert

Please note: Eileen Goltz is a freelance kosher food writer. The Orthodox Union makes no endorsements or representations regarding kashrut certification of various products/vendors referred to in her articles, blog or web site.

Did I ever mention that I liked chocolate? Or how I’m obsessed candy bars? Or did I happen to drop a hint or two that cookies and cakes are some of my best friends? If you’re familiar with me and what I like to eat it will come as no surprise that I often combine these items to the delight of my family and the dismay of my hips.

This past week, when I had the occasion to purchase a gigantor humongus industrial sized bag of candy bars for a bar mitzvah event I was catering, I knew to a certainty that there would be leftovers. Some might call them “planned overs” but I’d rather call it what it is: me not being able to resist anything that smacks of a bargain at Costco.

The event was well attended but not surprisingly I still have quite a few of  those  5000 candy bars left. While I typically give readers these types of recipes around Chanukah and  Purim, when candy is everywhere, I found myself discovering some untried combinations of candy, cookie and cake that I couldn’t resist sharing.  In fact, if you’re planning a light dairy meal for any of the upcoming holidays like say, Yom Kippur break-fast (and trust me they’ll be here sooner than you know this year) these recipes are the perfect end to a long day of davening.

Rolo Over, This Dessert is Perfect (dairy)

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cold coffee (left over is just fine or instant coffee mixed with hot water)
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1½ cups flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 oz. chopped Rolos® candy
• About ½ can sweetened condensed milk (approx.)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil (leave extra hanging over the edge to use as handles to remove the cooked bar), spray the foil with nonstick spray and set the pan aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large glass bowl in the microwave.  Add the egg, sugars, coffee and vanilla to the melted butter and whisk vigorously to combine.
3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and stir with a wooden spoon just until mixed. Do not over mix.
4. Set aside about 2/3 cup dough and put the remaining dough out into prepared pan. Press the dough into the pan then smooth the top.
5. Sprinkle the Rolo pieces evenly over the top of the dough. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top of the Rolo’s and dough. Then crumble the remaining dough over the top of the sweetened condensed milk.
6. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until center is just about set. Do not over bake. This bar cookie will firm up as it cools.
7. Cool for at least 3 hours before removing the bar from the pan with the foil handles.

Can be made up to a week in advance and kept in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 4 months.

Recipe submitted by Paula Angelano Chicago IL

Blondie Peanut Butter Cups Brownies (dairy)

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Small pinch of salt
• 1 stick melted butter, melted
• ¾ cups brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ cup chocolate chips, plus more to scatter on top
• 6 to 10 Reese’s peanut butter cups (you will want to have enough to fill the pan)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl combine the  flour, baking powder and salt together. Mix to combine.
3. In another bowl combine the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg. Whisk to combine.
4. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and fold in most of the chocolate chips.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and then place/push Reese’s peanut butter cups randomly around the mix. Scatter the remaining chocolate chips on top.
6. Bake for approx 30 mins or till the top is golden and the sides are pulling away from the pan.

Modified from foodlibraian.com

Candy Bar Croissants (dairy or pareve)

Yields 8 croissants

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls or puff pastry*
• 1 Tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 plain milk or pareve chocolate candy bars (1.55 ounces each), broken into small pieces
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 Tablespoons sliced almonds

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Put a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet (you can grease it if you prefer). Unroll crescent roll dough; separate into triangles. Brush the top with the butter.
3. Arrange candy bar pieces and some of the almonds evenly over triangles then roll them up from the wide end. Place point side down on the prepared cookie sheet.
4. Brush the top of the rolled up croissant with the beaten egg and sprinkle the remaining almonds on top.
5. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Cool on a rack and serve slightly warm.

Note: you can use puff pastry instead of the crescent rolls, you just need to cut your own triangles.

Mint Pattie Brownies (dairy or pareve)

Yields 32 pieces

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. unsweetened chocolate
• 2 sticks butter or  margarine (plus more for greasing the pan)
• 2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
• 5 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon powdered instant coffee
• 3¾ cups sugar
• 1-2/3 cups sifted flour
• 1½ (14- or 15.4-oz.) bags chocolate-covered peppermint patties, wrappers removed (dairy or pareve)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil leaving extra over the edges to be used as handles to remove the brownie when it’s done. Grease the foil with additional butter.
2. In a large microwavable bowl combine the 8 oz. of unsweetened chocolate and the butter. Microwave just until the butter melts and then whisk the chocolate and butter together.
3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs with the vanilla and almond extracts, salt, instant coffee, and sugar and beat for 10 minutes. Lower the speed and add the chocolate mixture and beat just until the mixtures combine. Add the flour and nuts and beat just until combined. Do not overmix.
4. Pour half the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Place the mints all over the top of the batter. They should be touching. You may need to break or cut some mints to fill in the spaces on the edges. Pour the remaining chocolate mixture over the top of the mints and then smooth the top.
5. Bake for 20 minutes then flip the pan back to front and cook another 15 minutes. Do not bake any longer than the time allotted. The brownies firm as they cool.
6. Let cool to room temperature then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before you attempt to cut it.
7. Remove the brownies from the pan with the foil handles. Use a big heavy knife with a very sharp blade. Cut the brownie into quarters. Cut each quarter in half, cutting through the long sides. Now cut each piece into 4 bars, cutting through the long sides. (These are better in narrow bar shapes than in squares.)
8. Pack in an airtight box or wrap individually in clear cellophane, wax paper or foil.

These freeze perfectly and can be served very cold or at room temperature.

Modified from Maida Heatter’s Brand-New Book of Great Cookies by Maida Heatter

© Eileen Goltz candy bar 13

The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.