Baked Nutty Truffles

These baked nutty truffles are soft and chewy, so chocolatey, perfect for your Valentine or special people you love. If you don’t have a heart-shaped pan, use a mini muffin pan. It’s all good. 

A few weeks ago we needed an outing and since restaurants unmasked still aren’t feeling safe, we headed out to Target. Our nearby store was recently renovated so we wanted to check it out. 

While I was aimlessly roaming the aisles, I came across a heart-shaped  mini cupcake pan on a random shelf nowhere near kitchenware. Fortunately, there was working price check scanner one aisle over. When I scanned the barcode, it told me the price ($12.99) but also that the item was out of stock. Au contraire, I said to myself and anyone else who happened to hear me, I hold one in my hand! I took that as a sign that I should buy it. 

It’s made out of silicone but has a metal frame inside which makes it sturdier than plain silicone bakeware which bends in half so easily. That said, I still put it on another baking pan before putting it in the oven.

Baked Nutty Truffles

I used sweetened condensed coconut milk for this recipe. It adds a subtle coconut flavor to the baked truffles. If you can’t find it though, replace it with dairy condensed milk. The truffles will still be delicious! This recipe is adapted from one on the Betty Crocker website. 

Ingredients

For the baked truffles:

2 oz or 56g semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter, plus more for the baking pan

7 oz or 198g sweetened condensed coconut milk

1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur

1 1/4 cups or 156g flour

1/4 cup or 30g chopped almonds

about 1/4 cup or 40g dark chocolate morsels 

For the icing:

1/2 cup or 63g powdered sugar

1-2 teaspoons milk

Candy sprinkles for decorating, if desired

Method

Lightly toast the chopped almonds in hot pan over a medium flame for just a few minutes, until they are golden. Shake the pan frequently to stop the almond pieces from scorching on one side. 

In large microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butter uncovered on medium (50%) 2 minutes, stirring once, until melted. 

Stir in the condensed milk, liqueur, flour and nuts. 

Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your mini muffin pan or mini heart pan by greasing it with a little butter.

Shape dough by tablespoons around two chocolate morsels. 

Press the mixture into the spaces in the buttered baking pan. Continue until all 16 holes are well filled. 

Bake 13-15 minutes or until the dough is shiny on top and set but still soft. 

Cool for 20 minutes then remove from the baking pan to a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the icing.

To make the icing, mix together both ingredients, adding just enough milk to make it piping consistency. 

Pipe some lines on the little hearts and immediately add sprinkles, if using, so they stick to the icing. While I was searching through my box of sprinkles, I came across a small jar of red hearts so I pressed one of those on each as well. 

These would make a pretty little gift for someone special. If you don’t have a decorative box or plate, cover a square of stiff cardboard with foil and tape the bottom to secure. Add a paper doily, if you have one. If not, just wrap with cling film. No bow necessary because the pretty truffles show through!

Enjoy!

It's Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes with heart! Our host is Rebekah from Making Miracles and she introduced the theme thusly: "You gotta have heeearrrttttttttt!! Happy almost Valentine's Day! Interpret this literally or figuratively. Is your recipe full of the love you poured into it, does it actually contain some type of heart, or is it heart-shaped? Be creative!" Check out all the recipes with heart below.

• Palatable Pastime: Antipasto Salad 
• Food Lust People Love: Baked Nutty Truffles 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Crispy Veg Heart Cutlet 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Hearts of Palm and Avocado Salad 
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Heart Shaped Garlic Knots 
• Making Miracles: Heart Shaped Pizza Pocket 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Heart Shaped Raspberry Rolls

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Crunchy Everything Bagel Breadsticks #BreadBakers

These Crunchy Everything Bagel Breadsticks are made with everything bagel spice mix inside and out. Baked until golden and crispy, they are the perfect accompaniment to your favorite cocktail or glass of wine. 

Anyone who has ever tried to top a bagel, bun or even cupcake with seedy things or decorative sprinkles knows that a quite a few are going to bounce off and onto your countertop or tray. And, ugh, floor. That’s just the way it works no matter how much egg wash or icing you slather on first.

I know I have often regretted the waste when my sprinkle colors or seeds got mixed up and I had to sweep them up and discard. It made me really happy to learn recently that avoiding that waste is how young bakery worker David Gussin and his boss Charlie started to make everything bagels, by using up the leftover mixed toppings from each day’s baking. Brilliant, right? And, oh so popular!

According to an article in USA Today on January 15, 2022 - which happened to be National Bagel Day - everything bagels are the third most popular, right after blueberry and cinnamon raisin. 

My favorite bagel is cheddar and jalapeño, but I do like using everything bagel spice mix for other things, especially crispy baked goods. It adds some extra crunch and flavor that is most welcome. 

Crunchy Everything Bagel Breadsticks

My particular bag of everything bagel spice mix came from The Spice House in Chicago and was a gift to my daughter from a close friend. I highly recommend it because it’s not too salty, which some mixes can be. Of course, you can use your favorite brand. 

Ingredients

For the dough:

3/4 cup or 180ml lukewarm water (about 125-130°F or 51-54°C)

1 teaspoon active-dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 cups or 250g strong bread flour, plus more if needed

1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning

Drizzle olive oil for the dough bowl

For baking:

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon everything bagel seasoning

Method

Put the yeast and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Pour in the warm water and give it a stir. Set aside for a few minutes. It should start to get foamy on top. If it does not, your yeast is dead and you will have to buy more and start over.

Add the flour and spice mix to the yeast mixture and mix well to form a soft dough.

Using the dough hook on the stand mixer, or kneading by hand against the counter, knead the dough until it forms a smooth, slightly tacky ball that springs back when you poke it, 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough sticks to the bowl or your hands, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s easier to work with.

Avoid adding too much flour if possible. This is the sort of thing that can change with your flour and the humidity in the air. 

If you're planning to make the breadsticks today, then give the dough a rise. Clean out the mixing bowl, coat it with a little oil, and transfer the dough back inside. 

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, in a warm place. When my kitchen is cold, I fill my sink partially with hot water and stand the bowl in it. 

Alternatively, you can store the dough in the fridge and make the breadsticks the next day. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When you are ready to bake, take the dough out of the refrigerator about half an hour before you start rolling and shaping the breadsticks.

Line a large baking pan with baking parchment and preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the breadstick dough into a 16x8 in or 41x20cm rectangle. 

Cut it into twelve strips lengthwise and twist into breadsticks. They are going to look pretty rustic but that's part of their charm so don't stress about it. Transfer them to your prepared pan as you make them.

Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with everything bagel spice mix. 

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and crunchy, about 21-24 minutes. Keep a close eye on them and turn your pan around occasionally so they cook evenly. 

Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

The second Tuesday has come early this month but as usual it’s time for my Bread Baker friends to share their recipes with you. Our theme, as you might guess from the titles below, is breadsticks. Many thanks to our host, Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories. 

• Blueberry Crumble Sticks (Twists) from A Messy Kitchen
• Cinnamon Breadsticks from Passion Kneaded
• Crispy Rye and Caraway Breadsticks from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Crunchy Everything Bagel Breadsticks from Food Lust People Love
• Easy Biscuit Breadsticks from Palatable Pastime
• Heart "Beet" Sticks from Magical Ingredients
• Seeded Breadsticks from Sneha's Recipe
• Sourdough Grissini with Parmesan and Black Pepper from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Sourdough Soft Breadsticks from A Day in the Life on the Farm

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

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Chicken Rice Congee – Instant Pot

Chicken Rice Congee is savory comfort food, easily made with an Instant Pot, on the porridge setting. You can serve it plain but the toppings turn this simple dish into something special. 

This is actually the third congee recipe that I’ve shared in this space and all I can tell you is that it’s one of my favorite dishes. I first enjoyed congee in South East Asia as a wonderful addition to many hotels’ breakfast buffets. 

For those buffet breakfasts, I’m guessing leftover rice was used because congee is a great way to turn leftovers into another comforting, nutritious meal. It’s basically rice cooked until mushy in water or stock and it could not be simpler to make. For this recipe, I used my Instant Pot but you could also use a slow cooker like I did for this shiitake congee or a normal pot on the stove as I did for a congee variation using oats instead of rice. Who knew oat dishes could be savory? We licked our bowls clean!

Chicken Rice Congee – Instant Pot

Traditionally the rice for congee is cooked with water but I like to use stock instead for a much richer flavor. I use extra long grain rice because that’s what I have on hand but any white rice will work. The add-ons can be simple: just some soy sauce and green onions or go whole hog and offer your family all of the suggested “to serve” items.

Ingredients

For the congee:

1 1/2 cups or about 290g rice 

8 1/3 cups or 1.5L water + 2 chicken stock cubes (or use chicken stock)

2 in or 5cm knob ginger

8 oz or 225g boneless, skinless chicken breast

To serve, options:

Chopped spring onions

Crispy fried shallots/onions (These can be purchased in most Asian stores, in a small plastic tub. Store in refrigerator to keep them from turning rancid.)

Salted or normal boiled eggs, cut in quarters

Pan-fried raw peanuts, salted

Crispy anchovies

Soy sauce

Sesame oil

Method

Peel your ginger and cut it into little matchsticks. If you are using water and stock cubes, heat 1/3 cup or 80ml of the water and dissolve the cubes in it. 

Put the rice in the Instant Pot and add in that intense stock cube flavored water.  Give the whole thing a good stir. 

Add in the rest of water. Submerge the chicken breast. 

Cook on the porridge setting, which is 20 minutes.

Leave to naturally release pressure for 15 minutes, then carefully open the vent to release rapidly. I use a folded towel to cover the vent then open to block the steam. 

Fish out the chicken breast and shred it with two forks and add it back into the pot. 

If you find your congee thicker than you’d like it, simply add more water. I ended up adding another cup or cup and a half. Conversely, if you find your congee thinner than you’d like, cook it on low sauté until some of the liquid evaporates. 

Serve the chicken rice congee in bowls and let people add the condiments they would like. 

Enjoy!

It's Sunday FunDay and today we are celebrating Hot Breakfast Month by sharing some of our favorite recipes for warming breakfasts that are a treat in cold weather. Check out the links below. Many thanks to our host, Mayuri of Mayuri's Jikoni.

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Apple Cinnamon French Toast Bake 
• Food Lust People Love: Chicken Rice Congee 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Egg Burji 
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Fluffy Pancakes 
• Our Good Life: Garlic Basil Sausage with Herbed Scrambled Eggs 
• Sizzling Tastebuds: Kodo Millet Crepes (Varagu Arisi Dosai) 
• Palatable Pastime: Sweet Breakfast Rice 
• Making Miracles: Toad in the Hole Bacon Breakfast Sandwich 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Tomato & Peas Poha

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Super Fudgy Brownies

These super fudgy brownies are a chocoholic’s delight! Serve them with a glass of cold milk for the perfect afternoon snack or with a small espresso for dessert. 

As I’ve mentioned in this space many times, at least twice a year we make banana cream pie since it’s my husband’s favorite sweet treat. Unlike a custard pie that is topped with meringue, banana cream is served with a heaping helping of whipped cream. This means that after cooking the egg-yolk rich vanilla custard, you are left with four lonely, unused egg whites. 

I’m always on the lookout for recipes to use up those four whites. When I came across one for brownies on The Luna Café calling for exactly FOUR EGG WHITES, I couldn’t resist trying them. 

Super Fudgy Brownies

This recipe is adapted from one on The Luna Café. The original author says she tried the recipe with just egg whites and with whole eggs and the only egg white version is lighter and better. I haven't tried both ways but we certainly loved them. 

Ingredients

3/4 cup or 170g unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan

6 oz or 170g unsweetened baking chocolate, roughly chopped 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/4 cup or 30g unsweetened, Dutch process cocoa

4 large egg whites, cool room temperature

1 cup or 125g unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups or 337g sugar

Method

Set a rack in the upper middle of the oven and preheat it to 375°F or 190°C. Prepare a 9x9-inch or  23x23cm baking pan by buttering it and adding flour to coat or by lining it with baking parchment.  

In a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. Remove butter from the heat, stir in chopped chocolate until melted.

Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the vanilla, espresso powder and salt. Set aside to cool. 

While waiting for the butter-chocolate mixture to cool, combine the sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder in the bowl of your stand mixer or another large mixing bowl. 

Using your stand mixer or electric beaters, whisk while adding in the 4 egg whites. This is definitely easier in a stand mixer but if you don't have one, enlist the help of a friend or family member who can pour as you beat. 

Mix on medium speed for a full 5 minutes, until the mixture is somewhat thickened, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times in the process.

Add the lukewarm butter-chocolate mixture and mix well to incorporate.

Sift in the flour.  

Mix on slow speed until the flour is completely incorporated, scraping the bowl down with a spatula occasionally. Beat for a full additional minute to help activate the gluten. 

Spoon the thick batter into the prepared baking pan then spread it out evenly. 

Turn the oven down to 350°F or 180°C and bake the brownies for around 35-40 minutes, turning the pan halfway through to make sure it is baking evenly.

Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. To serve, cut into squares with a serrated knife.

Enjoy! 

It’s the first Wednesday of the month so that means I’m joining my Foodie Extravaganza friends to celebrate a random food holiday. This time it’s National Snack Food Month! Check out the links below. Many thanks to our host, Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories. 

• Beetroot Hummus from Magical Ingredients
• Bread Pizza Margarita from Sneha's Recipe
• Hot Corn Dip with Bratwurst from Palatable Pastime
• Nutty Chocolate Hearts from A Day in the Life in the Farm
• Spicy Spanish Olives from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Super Fudgy Brownies from Food Lust People Love

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays by cooking and baking together with the same ingredient or theme each month. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board.

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Blackberry Mini Muffins #MuffinMonday

These Blackberry Mini Muffins are tender and fluffy with lovely bursts of flavor and color from the chopped fruit. Somehow 22 mini muffins always disappear quicker than 11 full-sized muffins!

For a change the other day, I decided to pop into Aldi to see what was on special only to discover that their 6 oz or 170g punnets of blackberries were only 85 cents! I bought 10. We love blackberries in bread, tarts, jam, cake, cocktails and, of course, muffins so how could I resist?

I immediately froze them single file on metal trays and then piled them into plastic bags and popped them back in the freezer where I will find them whenever I feel like adding blackberries to something tasty. I am feeling very smug right now. 

Blackberry Mini Muffins

If you have the time, freezing fresh blackberries first makes them much easier to chop up and lots less messy! Put them on a metal tray overnight in the freezer and then take them out just as you are ready to mix them into the dry ingredients. 

Ingredients for 22 mini muffins:

1 cup or 125g flour

1/4 cup or 50g sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup or 85g chopped blackberries 

1 egg

1/4 cup or 75g Greek yogurt

1/4 cup or 60ml milk

2 tablespoons canola or other light oil, plus extra for the pan 

Method

Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C and prepare your mini muffin pan by lining it with little paper muffin cups or brushing the inside with oil. 

In large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Chop the blackberries and put them in the dry ingredient bowl.  

Stir to coat them with the dry ingredients.

In smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, milk and oil.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient and fold until just combined. 

Divide the batter between your mini muffin cups. 

Bake in the preheated oven about 12-15 minutes or until the muffins are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Leave them to cool for a few minutes then remove them from the pan and cool on a wire rack. 

Enjoy!

It’s the final Monday of the month so that means it’s time for Muffin Monday! Check out all the great muffins we are sharing below. 

• Blackberry Mini Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Breakfast Oatmeal Muffins from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Choco Peanut Butter Oat-Millet Muffins from Magical Ingredients
• Mini Chocolate & Banana Muffins from Making Miracles
• Morning Glory Muffins with Vanilla Cream Cheese from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Protein Packed Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Sourdough Red Velvet Muffins from Zesty South Indian Kitchen

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

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