Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe has become one of my favorite go to recipes for that sinful dessert. Ridiculously easy, this recipe is rich and delicious with chocolate and peanut butter running throughout. Best of all, no oven is needed, so your kitchen can stay cool and so can you, especially with temperatures on the rise. This is the perfect dessert to make for a potluck or a party. Everyone will be asking for more!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Nigella Lawson

1/2 cup dark brown sugar {packed}
2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter {divided}
1 3/4 cups creamy peanut butter
10 ounces milk chocolate chips
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate {chopped}

Cut a piece of parchment paper big enough to line a standard sized brownie pan, with a bit of overhang. Grease the brownie pan & lay in the parchment paper.
Combine the brown sugar, confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup butter & peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Blend until smooth. Dump the mixture out into the pan & press it down, making it an even as possible.
Melt the chocolates & 2 tablespoons of butter in a double boiler, or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water. Stir occasionally to combine. Spread the melted chocolate over the peanut butter base & smooth out the surface.
Put the pan in the refrigerator, until the chocolate is set. Remove the bars from the pan by lifting on the overhang of parchment paper & slice into squares using a sharp knife. It may help to warm the knife under hot water to get through the hard chocolate layer more easily. The bars are very rich, so 1" squares would be a good size.

Suggestion: Try using different flavors of peanut butter to mix it up! There are so many different kinds out there, from white chocolate to cinnamon raisin, to more!

Ooey Gooey Molten Chocolate Cake

Wow, it's been over a month since my last post! I guess I've been busy traveling across the globe, getting over being sick, and tying up some loose ends in my life, but now I'm back and have so much more time in my life to cook and bake and bake bake bake! Soooo looking forward to trying so many different creations.

I decided that my first post back would have to be pretty special and indeed it is! This recipe is my new obsession and I seriously can't find anything wrong with it. Make this ooey gooey molten chocolate cake if you want to impress someone. They'll never know that it's super easy and takes hardly no time at all. This rich, decadent, amazing chocolate cake is for sure a crowd pleaser and a recipe you'll keep coming back to!

Ooey gooey molten chocolate cake by Gordon Ramsey from My Sweet Life

Serves 4

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
• 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa, to dust
• 4 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), in pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 325° F. Grease 4 large ramekins with butter, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Cut a small, square piece of parchment and place in the bottom of the ramekin and grease with butter, then dust liberally with cocoa.
2. In a small bowl set over a saucepan of hot water, slowly melt the chocolate and butter. Remove bowl from heat and stir until smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Using an electric whisk, whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, and sugar together until pale and thick. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk just to combine.
4. Sift the flour over the mixture and using a large metal spoon gently fold in.
5. Divide the batter between the ramekins and bake for 12 minutes.
6. Turn the chocolate cakes out onto warmed plates and serve immediately.

Suggestion: You can totally use a cupcake pan for this if you don't have ramekins, just beware that the centers will be extremely gooey, but who ever said that was a bad thing??? :)

This is no Reese's!

It's summer and it's hot! Every time I step in the kitchen I secretly dread turning on that oven. But as usual, I was craving something sweet, so I thought, why not use the freezer? Yep, it is possible to create a decadent, sinful, delicious dessert with the help of just your freezer. How do dark chocolate (full of antioxidants and can lower blood pressure) peanut butter cups sound? Delicious, right!? These have you leaving the kitchen cool as can be and asking the question, "What's a Reese's?".

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 12-15 mini peanut butter cups

12 oz. any kind of chocolate you like (I prefer dark chocolate)

1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter (try crunchy for a twist)

1/4 cup crushed graham crackers

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Melt the chocolate in a pan over low heat being sure to continuously stir until all of the chocolate is melted. Place mini cupcake liners in a mini muffin pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the melted chocolate on the bottom and sides of the mini cupcake liners. Be sure that there is a good coating, as this will be the base of the candy. Place the muffin pan in the freezer for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate sets.

While the chocolate is setting, mix the peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, and crushed (very fine) graham crackers in a bowl.

Remove the muffin pan from the freezer and place about a teaspoonful of the peanut butter mix into each cup. Press down on the peanut butter mix, so that it spreads a bit. With a spoon, pour more melted chocolate on the top of each cup, so that you can no longer see the peanut butter mixture.

Place back into the freezer for 20 minutes to set, and then remove to enjoy some decadence in a tiny little package!

Suggestion: This is no Reese's! Be creative and try different combinations of ingredients. White chocolate with a raspberry peanut butter filling, dark chocolate pecan, or whatever you seem to be craving. Have fun with it!