I love fudge, however, it’s no secret that it can be difficult to make. Like all candy-making, the weather (especially the humidity) can effect the outcome.

And then there is the temperature and the hard boil vs soft boil stages, using a candy thermometer, etc. It can all be a bit time consuming, and the end result is quite often less than stellar, even if you follow the directions!

So, when I saw this super easy fudge recipe in my Costco newsletter, I had to give it a try. First of all, I have to say that I typically don’t get my recipes, or my eating tips, from Costco, but it was a Paula Deen recipe, so I felt fairly confident it would be a winner. And, it was! With only a handful of ingredients, you can whip up a batch of this fudge in no time. And it was a yucky, rainy day at my house no less!

It’s super smooth and creamy, with plenty of salted peanuts to add some texture and crunch. It’s really the easiest, and quite possibly, the best chocolate fudge I have made.

I know technically, fudge season has passed, but who said you can only make fudge in December?

Easy Chocolate-Peanut Fudge

I used dark chocolate chips, but semi-sweet or milk chocolate would also work great! Also, I think you could substitute any nut for the peanuts, if you prefer.

• 2 cups chocolate chips (that’s one 12-ounce package)
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup salted peanuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil so that the foil hangs over the edges of the pan; grease the foil with butter, oil, or cooking spray.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate and milk, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until completety melted. Add peanuts and vanilla and stir to combine.
3. Using a rubber spatula, pour into prepared pan, smoothing the top if necessary. Allow to cool slightly and then refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Remove the fudge from the pan by lifting the foil. Peel foil back and place on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into 64 1-inch pieces. Store in the fridge in an airtight container or bag.

 

*I linked this recipe up to Sweets for a Saturday (the recipes aren’t all gluten-free, but there’s lots of tasty treats to admire anyway).

Desserts, Holidays & Special Occasions gluten free fudge, no marshallow fudge

The chocolate truffle. Need I say more? Well, probably not, but since this is a blog post, I feel compelled to.

Seriously though, a truffle is basically ganache rolled into a bite-size piece of goodness. They are incredibly rich, amazingly smooth, and really expensive at your favorite bakery or chocolate shop. However, they are really easy to make at home, and a surefire way to impress all the chocolate lovers in your life.

If you have never made a ganache, it is deceptively simple. If you can heat cream and stir, you’re set.

You let the ganache cool, so that it is firm enough to roll and voila, you have truffles. They are remarkably easy, however you can’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Well, chocolatey to be exact. Yes, rolling chocolate is a messy job. You could wear gloves I suppose, but I think it would ruin the fun a bit.

I love the flavor combination of chocolate & coconut, so that is the version of truffles I created here. Although there is really no reason you couldn’t substitute your favorite flavoring/extract for the coconut one in the recipe. And of course you could roll the truffles in coco powder or chopped nuts if you prefer.

I have to repeat what all the pastry chef and cookbook authors always say about ingredients, using high-quality chocolate will result in better tasting truffles. It’s true. But in reality, chocolate and cream is hard to mess up. I typically use Guittard brand chocolate (it’s all gluten-free), but I recently encountered some Scharffen Berger chocolate on sale and stocked up; so that is what I used. And, no surprise, they were really, really good.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Happy gluten-free baking (and eating, of course)!

Coconut Truffles

If you have coconut oil, that will provide a more concentrated flavor, so I would less (maybe a 1/2 teaspoon or so).

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1 pound bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 cups toasted coconut, gently crushed with your hands, for rolling into
• parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet

1. To make the gananche, place the cream, butter, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, swirling/tilting the pan to cover the chocolate. Let stand about 5 minutes; add the extract, then stir or whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
2. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish (I use a 9×13 pan). Place in refrigerator to thicken; this will take at least an hour (I simply left it overnight).
3. Using a melon baller, small ice cream scoop, or measuring spoon, form the ganache into small balls (depending on preference somewhere between 1/2-1 inch size); you’ll have to use your hands to roll them. Place the truffles on a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. If they are not perfectly round at this point, don’t worry, they will be slightly easier to roll after setting a few minutes on the sheet.
4. After the truffles had all been rolled, I went back and gently re-rolled the ones that weren’t so round and pretty shaped, before giving them a roll in the toasted coconut. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Desserts, Food Gifts, Holidays & Special Occasions chocolate truffles, coconut truffles, gluten free truffles

Peppermint bark is a simple and delicious holiday treat. In fact, I can’t believe people buy the stuff, it’s so easy to make.

Although I typically make mine with white chocolate and peppermints (or candy canes), I keep seeing it in catalogs and stores with both dark and white chocolate layers. And of course I had to give this version a try.

My family gave this Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark two thumbs up. I made the layers of chocolate thin, so each bite wasn’t overwhelming; however, it is still pretty sweet.

Making Peppermint is super easy, in fact I think it’s one of the best holiday recipes to make with the kids. From crushing candy canes, to breaking the final product into bite-size pieces, this recipe provides plenty of hands on kitchen fun.

And even though this recipe is super simple, I think it’s pretty and tasty enough to share with family and friends.

And for some reason, I really want to crush this stuff up and sprinkle it on a big bowl of ice cream. Just a thought

Here is the first chocolate layer, spread fairly thin.

And here is the finished product.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark

This is one of those recipes that doesn’t actually have to be measured accurately to work, so it’s a great treat to make with the kids.

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chocolate chips (or chocolate melts)
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips (or white chocolate melts)
• about 1/2 cup crushed candy canes or hard peppermint candies (I place them in a sealed plastic bag and smash with a rolling pin)

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the semi-sweet chocolate in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring as needed.
3. Using a rubber spatula or table knife, spread the chocolate evenly across the prepared baking sheet. I made this layer really thin, but you can spread it to your desired preference. Refrigerate or freeze the chocolate layer until firm (about 5-10 minutes in the freezer or a bit longer in the fridge).
4. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the white chocolate in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring as needed. Pour the white chocolate over the hardened chocolate layer and spread carefully to evenly coat (some of the dark chocolate was showing through, but I didn’t stress too much). Immediately sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies over the white chocolate layer and return to the freezer or fridge to harden. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container (we like to keep it in the fridge).

Cooking With Kids, Desserts, Food Gifts, Holidays & Special Occasions gluten-free holiday candy

If you are looking for a quick and easy holiday candy, this Cranberry Pistachio Bark recipe might be just what you need.

With cranberries and pistachios, I think this bark is very festive and quite tasty. Personally, I love the sweetness of the white chocolate paired with the slightly salty pistachios, but you could use unsalted pistachios if you prefer.

With only a few ingredients, quality ingredients are the key. I am not typically a fan of melting wafers, almond bark, etc for candy making, however I do love Guittard Chocolate Wafers (and Guittard products are all gluten-free). These wafers are designed for melting and melt so much easier and smoother than typical chocolate chips.

I am able to find the Guittard chocolate and white chocolate wafers in the bulk section of one of my local stores (WinCo) for significantly less than suggested retail. So it might be worth checking any stores in your area that carry bulk foods.

Cranberry Pistachio Bark

If you use white chocolate baking chips in place of the wafers, be sure to add a tablespoon or more of shortening or oil before melting, so the chocolate will melt smoothly.

• 1 pound white chocolate melting wafers
• 1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
• 1 1/4 cups shelled pistachios (I used roasted, salted pistachios)

1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper, parchment, or a silicone mat.
2. In a microwave-proof bowl, microwave the chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring as needed, until melted and smooth.
3. Add 1 cup of cranberries and 1 cup of pistachios to the chocolate and stir until combined. Pour onto prepared pan, spreading with spatula or knife; top with remaining cranberries and pistachios.
4. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. Break into bite-size pieces before serving.

Cooking With Kids, Desserts, Food Gifts, Holidays & Special Occasions cranberry bark, gluten free christmas candy

Although there are numerous versions of pumpkin pie, it seems to me that there are basically two main recipes. There is the one with evaporated milk and the other with sweetened condensed milk. Most other pumpkin pies appear to be some sort of adaptation from one of these two basic recipes.

Having made both, I have to say that I am a fan of the sweetened condensed milk variety. Not only is the flavor better, but I find the texture of the pie to be more appealing as well. This recipe is my adaptation of the pumpkin pie recipe from the back of my pumpkin can.

Although I do like a basic pastry crust, this year I decided to break with tradition (at least our tradition) and bake the pumpkin pie in a graham cracker crust. I used this recipe for the crackers; which of course aren’t true graham due to the gluten, but they do taste like a great homemade graham cracker. And with teff and sorghum, they are about as healthy as any gluten-free graham cracker will ever get.

The combination of pumpkin and the cracker crumb crust was delicious. Not only was the taste complimentary, but the textures as well. The crunchy crust with the smooth and creamy filling paired extremely well together.

My pie got a bit over browned, so you might want to watch your pie a bit more closely than I did towards the end of cooking time.

Pumpkin Pie

• 1 pie shell (I used a graham-cracker type crust, using these crackers)
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 425. If using a pastry crust, line bottom of a 9-inch pie plate with crust and trim and flute edges OR prepare a graham-type cracker crust and allow to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together pumpkin, pie spice, and salt. Add milk and eggs and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes or until filling is browned and set. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack before serving. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

 

Desserts, Holidays & Special Occasions gluten-free pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie with condensed milk