Paula Deen's Chocolate Trifle

The same episode I was watching when Paula Deen made the cheese biscuits featured here, she also made this cookie chocolate trifle. I have been waiting for a good excuse to make this and when we had our dinner party last week I thought it was the perfect opportunity. Oh my! It is definitely decadent and so good and feeds a crowd.  The 5 adults and 2 kids didn't even make a dent and I took it the next night to a BBQ and we still didn't finish it off. 

It is so, so good!  Paula Deen serves this in her Lady and Sons restaurant.

Today's Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 pound light brown sugar

2 cups self-rising flour

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups chopped peanuts, plus more for layering

    -(I did another cup for layering)

8 oz. chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut, optional (unsweetened)

2 (3.4) oz. packages cook-and-serve chocolate pudding mix

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Chocolate sauce, for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.

Beat together the eggs and butter.

Add the brown sugar, and then gradually add the flour and mix well. 

Stir in the vanilla.

Fold in the nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut, if using.

Spread the batter in the 9x13 pan and bake for 50-55 min.  Cool.

The original recipe calls for 25-30 min., but my middle was gooey

after that amount of time and 55 total min. worked better. 

While the brownie is cooking.  Make the whipped cream and pudding.

For the whipped cream beat together the cream and powdered sugar.

When it's pretty stiff then you know it's done.

Make the pudding according to the package and let cool.  Why cooked

pudding instead of instant?  The only reason I can think of is because

it's thicker and probably won't make the brownie as soggy.  I wouldn't

substitute the instant in this dessert.

Once the brownie has cooled, crumble into chunks.

Scatter 1/3 of the brownies into a glass bowl

(a trifle bowl if you have one).

Spoon half the pudding over the brownies.

Spoon half the whipped cream over the pudding and scatter another

one-third crumbled brownie.  Sprinkle with some chopped peanuts.

Spoon the remaining half pudding and whipped cream, and sprinkle

with some more peanuts.  Layer the remaining one-third brownie and

drizzle with chocolate sauce (optional).

I did not use the chocolate sauce - it is rich enough as it is and

decided to add the last layer of peanuts on top of the top layer of

brownie instead of underneath it.

This dessert is sure to impress!

Chocolate Trifle Printable Recipe Link

Chocolate-Caramel Bars

I am totally serious when I say these are the BEST bar cookies I've ever made or eaten.  Now I haven't made trays and trays of bar cookies, but when a whole dinner party (us + 2 families) all love them and your husband's co-workers love them, then you know it's one darn good bar cookie.  I am chomping at the bit for a good excuse to make them again.  I can't for us or I'll pretty much eat them all, which would be good for my tummy but not good for my waistline.

You know you want to try them!

Today's Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1 cup flaked coconut (unsweetened)

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

20 vanilla caramels, unwrapped

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  For crust, in a medium bowl, stir together

flour and brown sugar.  Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until

mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Press into bottom of an ungreased

9x13 pan.  Bake for 15 min. 

See these nice and coarsely chopped pecans - yum!  If you don't have

pecans then I'm sure walnuts would work.  I'm even wondering how

peanuts or pistachios would work out.

Sprinkle pecans and coconut over the hot crust.

I found this flaked - unsweetened coconut in bulk at whole foods for

$1.99 a pound.  Do you know how much coconut it takes to make a

pound?  TONS!  I bought probably 2 cups or so for $.42.  Also, if you

have a WinCo near you they don't have the right coconut in bulk, but

they have caramels and probably pecans.  I've started shopping in the

bulk quite a bit there and it saves me tons of money!  Just a few tips

I wanted to share.

Why unsweetened coconut?  It is already sweet enough as it is and I

also think the sugar in the sweetened coconut might make it burn. 

The unsweetened adds a nice but not overpowering coconut flavor. 

My husband loves to add it to his shakes (meal replacement shakes

not regular high calorie ice cream shakes) so we use it there too.

Meanwhile, for filling in a small bowl, combine sweetened

condensed milk and vanilla.

Carefully pour over pecans and coconut, spreading evenly.  Bake

for 25-30 (I did 25) minutes more or until filling is set. 

Cool in the pan on a wire rack - off the stove for 10 min.

Who knows what happens in the oven, but that filling turns into some

magical caramel gooeyness that is so lovely.  The edges were a little

brown when it came out so I was scared I burned it, but you know

what?  It was my favorite part I think ~ but I am partial to

crunchiness.

A close-up of the yumminess right out of the oven.

In a small saucepan, combine caramels and milk.  Cook and stir

over medium-low heat just until caramels are melted.

Doesn't this caramel look lovely and so smooth?  It takes a bit of

patience so don't rush it!

Drizzle caramel mixture over filling.

Sprinkle with chocolate pieces.  Cool completely.

Even after sitting for about 3 hours the chocolate pieces weren't

firming up.  I put them in the fridge for about an hour and then

got them out about 1/2 hour before we ate them.  Perfect!



I so want to make another pan right now and go eat it all myself!

Chocolate-Caramel Bars Printable Recipe Link





Dessert: Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies

I realized yesterday that I didn't have very many desserts (or any?) on here yet and who doesn't LOVE desserts?  Jordan had made some Chocolate PB Cookies a few weeks ago, but they were pretty cakey tasting so I set out to find a different recipe.

I am the kind of person that likes my cookies to be soft and fluffy.  The key to this is not overcooking them (obviously), but we have found that if you HALF the amount of butter then they end up fluffier.  I did see it on a cooking show once, the more butter you have the more the cookies will spread.  If you like thin flat crisp cookies then just add the full amount of butter and cook the maximum of time and they'll be perfect.

You can also make these with white chocolate chips or any flavor of chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, etc.).

One last thing about cocoa powder - it does make a difference.  If you only have a regular brand from the store and you don't want to buy something else these will work just fine.  If you want spectacular chocolatey tasting cookies either buy Penzey's Dutch processed high fat cocoa or any other dutch processed cocoa.   Read here on how dutch cocoa is different than regular cocoa. 


Today's Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter or

  ½ cup butter + ½ cup applesauce

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups peanut butter, white or milk chocolate chips

  (1 package chocolate chips)





Preheat your oven to 350.

Grease your cookie sheets - personally I use silpat sheets
to cover my cookie sheets.  I've had them for about 12 years
and they are in the same perfect condition.  They are pricey
about $40 for 1 at Williams & Sonoma (I've seen them
at Bed, Bath & Beyond too), but well worth it
(have you worn the same pants for 10 years?).  They
help your cookies turn out perfectly and are non-stick.

Cream together the butter and sugars until nice and fluffy.
Add the applesauce here if you are using.
(you can't even taste it)

 

Add eggs one at a time.

Until you have a nice smooth texture.

Mix together the cocoa, flour, baking powder,
baking soda and gradually add to butter/egg mixture.

Stir in the chips.  I used a medium scooper for all of
my cookies so they are nice and uniform.
 
Bake for 8-10 min.  I found 9 min. to be the

perfect time for my oven.



Yum-o!  This got high marks from everyone in the family.

PB Chocolate Cookies Printable Recipe Link