Red velvet cookies and cream muddy buddies

I was late to the muddy buddy party.  By decades.  Then the other day, while assembling goodies for my sister as part of a post-surgery recuperation package, I stumbled across cookies and cream muddy buddies. And I bought them. And proceeded to eat nearly a third of the bag on my subway ride home (and then toss the remainder of the bag in the nearest garbage can. Self control is clearly not my strong point.). Needless to say, I was hooked.

Lately the shelves have been stocked with fun and interesting flavored Oreos (case in point: cinnamon bun, red velvet, "filled cupcake"), and in my post-Valentine's day brain, I started thinking up muddy buddy flavors of my own.  Like red velvet cookies and cream!  Conveniently, I had purchased packages of all three new (techniically red velvet was available last year, seasonally) flavors, but had only cracked open the cinnamon bun ones to try (they're delicious, and I'm already working on a recipe for those!).  I had originally planned to dip the red velvet ones in white chocolate for Valentine's Day, but lost track of time, and so they were just sitting around.

These buddy buddies are delicious!  I loved the red velvet flavor mixed with the cream cheese flavor (from the filling) and the hint of vanilla from the coating.  Absolute perfection!  At least I won't have to worry too much about self control, since I will be shipping (most) of these off to work with B tomorrow!

Red Velvet Cookies & Cream Muddy Buddies
Adapted from this recipe

Ingredients:

6 cups chex cereal (I used corn)
12 oz white almond bark (I used white vanilla CandiQuik)
20 Red Velvet Oreos
1/2 cup powdered sugar (I ended up needing a little more)

Directions:

Put cereal in a large bowl.

Process the Oreos in a food processor until fine (my preferred method) or place in a sealed ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin.

Melt CandiQuik (or almond bark) in it's tray (or a microwave safe bowl) and microwave in 30 second increments.
Stir.
Continue microwaving and stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.

Pour melted CandiQuik/almond bark over cereal.
Stir carefully to coat it.

Immediately add the ground Oreos.
Toss/Stir to coat.
Next, toss on the powdered sugar and mix until coated.

I placed mine on a wax paper lined baking sheet so that the CandiQuik could dry.
I felt mine needed a little more powdered sugar, to I added 1 Tbsp at a time until all of the muddy buddies were coated in powdered sugar.

Oreo bark

I made that espresso bark the other day (to rave reviews!) and it got me thinking....bark is good.  And fun.  And easy!  Plus it's really tasty and looks so nice without having to put in so much work (unlike having to beautifully pipe icing or glaze or use the perfect cookie cutter).  And as I was crunching on some of those leftover scraps of chocolate wafers, I started thinking of all the delicious ways I could make barks.  I mean I've made my famous peppermint bark before, and that Halloween bark, and then that espresso bark, but the espresso bark was the first time I'd seen cookies sandwiched between two layers of chocolate.  Which was kinda the opposite of an Oreo, which wasn't a big coincidence, since I had been thinking of a way to make Oreo bark.

So with those two ideas I started coming up with a plan.  It is based on the espresso bark, but I've changed the proportions a little to make it my way.  And I have to say, this came out amazingly!!  Just a few Oreos go a long way in this bark, since the chocolate wafer layer gives it another Oreo-like dimension without actually adding more Oreos (although, frankly, a layer of Oreos instead of chocolate wafers would just up the Oreo factor even more....food for thought for the next batch!).

Oreo Bark
Based on this Espresso Bark, originally found here

Ingredients:

16 oz white chocolate, chopped, and divided in half
11-16 chocolate wafers
5-6 Oreos, ground in food processor, until fine crumb
6-10 Oreos, chopped roughly (I cut some into sixths and some into ninths, to get big chunks in varying sizes)

Directions:

Line a 9x9 inch baking dish with parchment paper (using an 8 x 8 pan would work well, too, since I didn't let mine go all the way to the edges).

Finely chop the 5-6 Oreos in the food processor until they are a fine crumb.
Roughly hand chop the remaining Oreos.
Set aside.

Place 8 oz of white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.
Slowly melt the chocolate (using 30 second intervals if using the microwave), stirring occasionally, until glossy and smooth.
Remove from heat and add 4 Tablespoons of the ground Oreos to the white chocolate, adding 1-2 Tbsp at a time and mixing well until all distributed.  (Add more Oreo crumbs, if desired, but I thought this was the right amount.)

Pour the Oreo-White chocolate mixture into the prepared pan.
Spread with an offset spatula, so that it is in an even layer.
Top with a single later of chocolate wafers, cutting some into smaller pieces to fit, if needed.
Chill in the fridge until set, about 25 minutes.
Remove pan from the fridge and let it warm to room temperature while moving on to the next step.

Place remaining white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.
Slowly melt the chocolate (using 30 second intervals if using the microwave), stirring occasionally, until glossy and smooth.
Pour melted white chocolate over the wafer layer.
Carefully spread it with an offset spatula into an even layer.
Sprinkle with chopped Oreos (and any remaining fine Oreo crumbs, if you want -- I left them off).
Chill in the fridge until completely set, about 1 hour.

Carefully lift the parchement paper out of the pan.
Place bark on a cutting board.
Trim away any ragged edges.
Use a sharp knife to cut into squares (or triangles, or "break" it into ragged pieces, like I remember bark having...but make them small because these are sweeeeet and rich!).
Store leftovers (if any) in an airtight container at room temperature.

Halloween treat #4: Spooky graveyard chocolate cupcakes

These were my original idea for a Halloween treat.  The idea that prompted the once-a-week Halloween treats that have graced the blog (some a little belated...oops!) this month.

Chocolate cupcakes...chocolate buttercream....covered in crushed Oreo "dirt" -- with the addition of ghoulish, spooky, totally Halloween-y bright green chocolate bones!  This was my vision.  I just had to make it happen!

I started with the chocolate bones.  A year or two ago I had purchased a Wilton candy mold with skeleton shapes.  It had been in my baking/craft closet since then just dying (haha...bad pun) to be used...and this was the moment.  I thought I had the original idea to make bright green chocolate bones when, on a recent trip to Michaels, I had come across some vibrant green candy melts.  When I fished the mold out of the closet, to my surprise, the packaging had those same bright green bones on it. So either great minds think alike, or my subconscious had stored that idea of green chocolate bones for over two years...

But I digress.  I started with the chocolate bones.  I made them two days before and let them set up in the fridge.  Since most of the cavities in the mold are long and skinny, I actually used a disposable piping bag with just the tip of the corner cut off to fill them.  Genius move, I tell you!  It was so easy and wasn't the least bit messy!  I just melted the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave at 30 second intervals until melted and then transferred it to the piping bag.

Next up were the cupcakes.  I wanted chocolate cupcakes since I was going for a dirt/ground/graveyard feel.  Same reason I chose chocolate icing, although any color or flavor would work since they're coated in finely ground Oreos to really make it look like diet.  Then, I strategically put the chocolate bones into the icing at different angles and viola, graveyard cupcakes!!

Spooky Graveyard Cupcakes

First, start with the chocolate bones....make them...

Then, make the cupcakes...

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
From Brown Eyed Baker
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used semisweet since the store didn't have bittersweet.  They're basically the same thing anyway).
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F (325F if using a nonstick pan).
Line standard-sized muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a medium heat proof bowl.
Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water, and heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted.
Whisk until smooth and combined.
(...or you could microwave the mixture at 50% powder, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted.  Which is exactly what I did.)
Set aside to cool until just warm to touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in another bowl to combine.
Add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated.
Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.
Sift about 1/3 of the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.
Whisk in sour cream until combined.
Sift the remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is thick and fully incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners.
Bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on a wire rack until they are cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
Place cupcakes on a wire rack.
Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes

Then, make the icing.....I used chocolate buttercream:

Chocolate Buttercream
Originally from here

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioner's (pwodered) sugar
1/2 cocoa powder (I used about 1/6 cup dark cocoa powder and 1/3 cup regular cocoa powder)
1/2 tsp table salt
2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp almond extract (I use vanilla)
4 Tbsp milk or heavy cream

Directions:

Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed.
Turn off the mixer,
Sift 3 cups of powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl.
Turn mixer onto low speed until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed into the butter.
Increase the speed to medium and add vanilla, salt, and milk/cream.
Beat for 3 minutes.
If frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar/if it needs to be thinned out, add additional milk/cream by 1 Tbsp at a time.

Then, make the Oreo "dirt"...

20+ Oreos

Pulverize the Oreos in a food processor until they look like dirt.

Put Oreo "dirt" crumbs in a bowl.

Assemble the Cupcakes 

Pipe the icing onto the cooled cupcakes.

Put them in the fridge for a few minutes, so that the icing isn't too mushy.

Coat the icing in Oreo crumbs.

I usually roll the cupcake at an angle to get the edges covered in the crumbs, and then use my hand to pat some of the crumbs on top.

Put them back in the fridge for a few minutes (not more than 5).

Strategically -- and artistically, and spookily -- place the bones into the icing.

I liked mine coming out at an angle.  You could also rest them on top of the icing, if you'd like, but they won't stick well since there will already be Oreo crumbs on it.

Keep in fridge until about 30-45 minutes before serving.

Birthday chocolate covered Oreos

It's not a secret that I love to bake.  Especially for my friends.  And even more so when it's for an occasion.  Sometimes they make requests and sometimes they just say I should "bring whatever you want."  But no matter what it is I make, I always find joy in baking something for someone, and then delivering it to them.

So for my friend's birthday, she requested some chocolate covered Oreos.  Oreos are easy enough to coat in chocolate, and I do it all the time with Oreo Pops.  But recently I had bought a cute little chocolate covered Oreo mold with onesies on it (I actually made them for my friend when she told us she was expecting a baby girl), and then soon thereafter I had gone back and bought a plain one and one that said "Happy Birthday" on it (they were supposed to be used to make favors for B's birthday party, but that didn't happen).  I decided to use the molds this time since it is the summer in NYC and I figured that the chances of the chocolate melting would be slimmer because the chocolate is thicker.

I used the plain molds and used two different kinds of chocolate - dark and milk (I ran out of time, but planned to also make some white chocolate ones) - and then needed to choose what I was going to use to decorate them.  I could've left them plain, but what fun is that for a birthday treat?  I could've drizzled them with different colored chocolates, which would be pretty but also, not all that festive.  Rainbow sprinkles would be pretty and festive, but possibly a bit overboard, since I had a bunch of other things with rainbow sprinkles that I was bringing (more on that in later posts).  I ended up by affixing a little sugar decoration on top of each one.

Chocolate Covered Oreos

What you'll need:

Oreos (you can use golden or regular, flavored or plain, and even double stuffed....which is my go-to!)
Chocolate (in whatever variety(ies) you'd like....milk, dark, and/or white chocolate)
Sprinkles, sugar decorations, or melted and slightly cooled chocolate.

What you'll need to do:

Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals to make sure that you don't burn it.
Place 1 Tbsp melted chocolate into each well of the mold.
Shake the mold side-to-side to distribute the chocolate evenly over the bottom of each well.
Bang the mold on the counter once or twice to release the air bubbles.

Place one Oreo in each well on top of the chocolate.
Gently push the Oreo into the chocolate but not too hard that it hits the bottom of the mold.
Gently spoon about 1/2 Tbsp of melted chocolate on top of each Oreo.
Share the mold side-to-side again to distribute the chocolate.
You may need to add more chocolate to cover the Oreo as it will fall down the sides.
Band the mold on the counter once or twice to release the air bubbles.
You may need to add a little more chocolate if there are lots of air bubbles and the chocolate level falls again.

Place molds into the fridge and allow them to harden, mine take about 3- minutes, but I leave them in for an hour just to make sure.

Remove the mold from the fridge.
Invert the mold and remove each of the chocolate-covered Oreos.

Decorate them to your liking.
Use a little melted chocolate to adhere sprinkles or sugar decorations, or drizzle melted chocolate over the Oreos.

When done, place back in the fridge until serving.

I chose to place mine in individual plastic bags and tie them with festive ribbon for my friend's birthday.

Nutella cheesecake cupcakes

I'm a sucker for Nutella.  I think it's absolutely delicious.  I love the silky chocolate and the hazelnut flavor.  I get that it's not for everyone, but I'm a big fan.

So when I saw a recipe for Nutella Cheesecake Cupcakes (or as I've been calling them, individual Nutella Cheesecakes), I knew I had to make them.  Enter the Jewish holiday of Shavuot and the consistent cheesecake recipe conversations at work, and I knew now was as good a time as any to try out the recipe.  Plus, they have an Oreo crust.  And then they're supposed to be topped with fresh whipped cream, so basically it's triple yumminess in one personal little cheesecake!

The original recipe suggested topping them with chopped hazelnuts, chopped chocolate, and/or chocolate sprinkles. I, however, had my own ideas...a drizzle of slightly melted Nutella and some square milk chocolate flakes that I had bought a while ago.  I thought simplicity would work in my favor on this one.

Nutella Cheesecake Cupcakes
From Cooking Classy

Ingredients:

12 Oreos (regular, not double-stuffed), finely crushed
1 1/2 Tbsp salted butter, melted (I used unsalted butter and just a pinch of salt)
6 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
12 oz cream cheese, well softened (use full fat)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk (preferable whole or 2%...I used cream since my milk was old)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Nutella

For the Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Chopped, toasted hazelnuts
Chopped chocolate
Chocolate sprinkles
Slightly melted Nutella

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with papers.

Using a fork, blend together the crushed Oreos and butter.
Divide the mixture evenly between 12 muffin tins, about 1 heaping Tbsp in each.
Press crumbs into an even layer (I use the bottom of a shot glass).
Bake in the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool while preparing the filling.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour.
Add in cream cheese and, using an electric mixer, whip just until smooth.
Add in eggs.
Add in milk, sour cream, and vanilla and mix until just combined.
Add Nutella and mix until just combined.
Tap the bowl forcefully against the countertop about 30 times to release some of the air bubbles (I started doing this but found that it was noisy and that there weren't many air bubbles in my batter, and I stopped after about 10 times.).
Divide the mixture among the muffin cups, pouring it over the crusts and filling each cup nearly full, about 1/4 cup.  I had extra batter.

Bake in the 325 oven for 20-24 minutes until centers only jiggle slightly.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to roomer temperature for 30 minutes.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap or foil and transfer to the fridge and chill 3 hours.

Make the sweetened whipped cream.

In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream on high with an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form.
Add in powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
Add whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream, hazelnuts, chopped chocolate or sprinkles, or slightly melted Nutella.  Add the toppinsg within a few hours of serving.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge until serving.

Oreo surprise cupcakes

Almost everyone loves Oreos.  And almost everyone loves cupcakes.  So it's always fun to combine the two into one treat!  Like "Death by Oreo" (mini) Cupcakes....or Triple Oreo Yellow Cake Cupcakes.

This time, I went for what I call "Oreo Surprise" Cupcakes.  From the outside, it just looks like a simple vanilla cupcake with vanilla icing, topped with a sprinkling of some chopped Oreos (I really wanted to finely crush the Oreos and coat the entire dome of icing in Oreo crumbs a la the rainbow cupcakes, but I was too lazy and didn't want to make my food processor dirty, so I just crushed them with a hammer....I'm serious).  But when you bite inside, there's an Oreo in the bottom!  SURPRISE!

The background: I wanted to make a cupcake that was vanilla-vanilla without being boring (if you've read this blog before, you should know how I feel about vanilla).  But I didn't want to lose the vanilla flavor (the triple Oreo yellow cake cupcakes have crushed Oreos in the cupcakes as well as the icing).  So I stuck with the clever idea of using an Oreo in the bottom, but leaving the vanilla/yellow cake cupcake alone.  I have to say the finished product is great if you want to spice up a plain old vanilla cupcake with barely any added energy.  But if you're looking for the super-Oreo-y flavor, stick with the Triple Oreo Yellow Cake Cupcakes (or if you're like me a favor chocolate, the "Death by Oreo" ones).

Cupcakes 
From none other than Smitten Kitchen

I halved the recipe and ended up with 24+ cupcakes

Ingredients:

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (480 grams) cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 grams) table salt
2 sticks (1 cup, 1/2 pound or 225 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (400 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk (475 ml), well-shaken

24 Oreos (I used double stuffed, since that's what I had)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 12-cavity cupcake pans with paper liners.  
Place one Oreo in the bottom of each cupcake liner.

Sift together the dry ingredients EXCEPT for sugar in a medium bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition.
At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled).
Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.

Bake until golden on top and cooked throughout (the cupcakes took about 17 minutes, give or take a few).

Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes.

Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
From SavorySweetLife

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened (but not melted!)

3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED (I used 3 cups)

¼ teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (I used heavy cream, since thats what I had....and only ended up using 2 Tbsp)

Food coloring, optional

Several Oreos, crushed (or pulverized in a food processor, which was my original goal)

Directions:

Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed.
Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn mixer to the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of cream and beat for 3 minutes. 

If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

Assemble the cupcakes

Pipe vanilla icing onto the cupcakes.
Sprinkle the top of the cupcake with crushed Oreos.

Chocolate covered Oreos

Almost every time I go into the baking store, I end up leaving with (at least) one thing I didn't anticipate buying when I walked in.  The last time was no exception (I left with two "surprise" purchases).

B and I got a later lunch near the store, and after lunch we parted ways...him to run some errands, me to run some errands of my own, including a trip to the baking store to buy some cupcake containers for the Margarita Cupcakes for Cinco de Mayo.

While inside, something ended up catching my eye, and I came across some chocolate-covered Oreo molds.  They looked like regular chocolate-making molds, but instead had deep circular wells with little designs at the bottom. And one of them had onesies!  It was a sign, since a good friend of mine had recently told me she was expecting. So I picked up the mold and figured I'd end up putting it to good use to make treats or favors for her baby shower (it's going to become part of a long standing tradition of me baking for her life events, like her bridal shower, bachelorette party, her WEDDING cupcakes, her first anniversary, her 30th birthday (these AND these)...and several other birthdays...but I digress).

But the other day she found out she's having a girl!!  So when we made dinner plans with another friend on Sunday night for Monday, I came in from my Mother's Day celebration and whipped up a few of those chocolate covered Oreos with pink onsies on them to bring to dinner (I even made one for her to bring home to her husband).  * P.S. I'm totally going to spoil that little girl :). *

I think they ended up turning out adorable!  The coating of chocolate is a little thicker than I'd generally put on a hand-dipped chocolate-covered Oreo, but I love the look of the chocolate onesie on it (my other option was to hand dip Oreos in chocolate and then adhere one of these sugar onesies.  

(Of course, as is the case with all of our lives, we got busy and dinner got pushed back...but these were too cute not to share [dont worry - I already showed them to her first ;-)])

Monster brownies

I worked late on Tuesday.  I have a the day off on Wednesday and scheduled a dentist appointment smack in the middle of the day (in Westchester).  And on top of all of that, I decided that Wednesday (well technically starting in the morning) would be the perfect time to do a 1-day juice cleanse (after I baked these brownies late Tuesday night).  The brownies spent all of Wednesday taunting me from the kitchen counter as I photographed them while drinking a slew of fruit-and-veggie only cold pressed juices.

So what do I decide to do?  Bake something extremely decadent.  Because there's nothing like deciding to do a 1-day juice cleanse to make me want to bake something extremely gluttonous...like Monster Brownies with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, mini M&Ms, and chopped Oreos!!  And then bring them to the dentist's, because there's nothing better to bring to a dentist than a sugar-loaded baked treat, right?

I actually saw the recipe for Monster Brownies a while ago, and thought that they'd be great to use those leftover chips and toppings I have around the apartment.  For this batch I used leftover Oreos from the Oreo pops I made for my friend's bar's 2nd birthday.  Leftover peanut butter chips from the cookies I made for the baby shower in January.  And some leftover chocolate chips from those other brownies I made last month.  And then I added some extra mini M&Ms that I had bought for another cookie but still hadn't ever gotten around to making...

Monster Brownies
From Bake or Break

Ingredients:

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used semisweet)
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups total of your favorite add-ins (chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, M&Ms, nuts, pretzels, crushed cookies, coconut, chopped candy bar, etc.) -- I ended up using 1/2 cup each of mini M&Ms, peanut butter chips, and chocolate chips.  Instead of measuring out the chopped Oreos, I just cut 7 double stuffed Oreos roughly into 9 pieces.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Grease a 9 x 13" pan.  I used a spray.
Line the pan with parchment or aluminum foil, leaving about a 2" hangover on both short ends.  I also did another piece of parchment paper perpendicular to that one.
Grease the lining.  Again, I used a spray.

Place chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave in 30 second intervals until butter has melted and chocolate melts when stirred.
Stir until smooth.
Set aside to cool slightly.

Whisk together floud, baking powder, and salt.
Set aside.

Beat sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
Add the chocolate-butter mixture, mixing until combined.
Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
Stir in add-ins.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evently.
Bake 25-30 minutes, or until set and a pick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.

Allow to cool in pan for about 10 minutes.
Using the overhanging liner, lift brownies out of the pan.
Cool completely before cutting into bars (really follow the directions -- let them cool completely).

Woodrow's turns 2!

My friend's bar, Woodrow's, turned two yesterday!!  Not to brag or anything, but I was there for the soft open, opening night, the first birthday, and again the second birthday parties.  And countless other nights, too, but that's another story...

For the first birthday, E and I baked a cake at the bar and decorated it with golden details and a giant "W."  This year, sticking with the golden theme, I made 4 dozen Oreo pops for the occasion.  I decorated them with gold sugar, gold dragees, a few "2"s, and some I just sprayed gold.  I have to say, I had a lot of fun making them, and I couldn't think of a happier even to make them for!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Woodrow's!!  Here's to many, many, many more!!

Want to know how to make Oreo pops?  Check out the details here.

Cookie dough Oreos

So about a week ago, I started seeing new Oreo flavors popping up.  It started on Instagram, and shortly thereafter I saw them on Facebook.  So it should be no surprise that when I went to Target later that day to pick up some stuff, I checked out the Oreos on the shelf.  Sure, they had double stuff, and some kind of lemon Oreo, and then there were also mint ones, and a few other flavors (have you seen the triple-decker ones with 3 cookies and a layer of regular and chocolate cream?  Well those were there, too).  But out of sight?  The two new flavors I had been seeing on those Instagram and Facebook feeds.  Cookie dough and marshmallow crispy (!!!).  (Later, after I had made the dough for these cookies and was starting the blog post, I saw that they were slated to come out on February 3rd, which was, incidentally, the night I made the dough.  I even thought about stopping at Target on my way home from work on February 3rd, but with the snow and the subways running so bizarrely, I decided against it.  Bad move on my part.  I'll had to wait a few more days to check them out.)

So despite the fact that I have a ton of Oreo-themed recipes on this blog (things with Oreos - such as these, this, and even these - as well as homemade Oreos), I don't particularly love Oreos.  I think it's the cream, since I do love the crunch of the uber-chocolately cookie when the cream has been strategically removed.

Since I couldn't get my hands on the Oreos in the store, I kinda wanted to make these when I saw them online at work that fateful day a few days ago.  Homemade cookie dough Oreos.  Sounded pretty good to me.  And the gross weather outside (New York City got 4.3 inches of snow, although it seems like a lot more) made it easier for me to justify coming home from work, relaxing a little, and then baking (rather, making cookie dough to bake tomorrow).  Plus I really wanted to see if the cookie was actually really close to an Oreo cookie.  Imagine what fun I could have with a(nother) great roll-out chocolate cookie!

Honestly, I found the filling to be insanely sweet, and wasn't a super huge fan of it.  I'm sure if I played around with it a little, I might be able to decrease the sweetness while still making it taste like cookie dough, but I didn't do that this time.

All I can say?  Oh.  My.  Gosh!  These cookies are AMAZING.  I love that they're so intensely decadently chocolatey.  I have a feeling I'll be making the cookies again soon....very soon!

Homemade Cookie Dough Oreos
From Love & Olive Oil

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 ounces (1 cup) semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder -- I had intended to use my Dutch cocoa, but I ended up using dark cocoa powder, simply because it was easier to reach in my kitchen.  I thought they came out delicious!
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the filling:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and sugar until combined.
Whisk in the vanilla and melted chocolate.
Add the egg and whisk until incorporated.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda.
Stir flour mixture into the chocolate mixture, using your hands if needed to form a smooth dough, using your hands if needed to form a smooth dough.  I used a large whisk and it worked beautifully.
Divide the dough into two (I ended up dividing into 3), and either roll each piece to 1/4 inch thick between two pieces of waxed paper, or roll into two 2 1/2 inch diameter logs.  I opted for the rolling method.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 325F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Cut dough logs into quarter inch thick slices, or cut out 2 1/2 inch circles from the dough sheets.  My circle cookie cutter is about 1.5 inches, so that's what I used.
Arrange on prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between cookies.
Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are set and just starting to darken around the edges.  Since my cookies were smaller, I had to eyeball them a little.  I ended up baking them for just under 9 minutes.  The dough is SO dark, I honestly don't think you'll see them "darken around the edges."

Prepare filling:
Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Mix in flour, salt, and vanilla extract on low speed until incorporated.
Add cream and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add more cream if necessary to achieve desired consistency.
Stir in chocolate chips.

Assemble cookies:
Spread or pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling onto underside of half of the cooled cookies.
Top with remaining cookies.
Press lightly to adhere.

Cookies will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to one week.
Let come to room temperature before eating.

Triple Oreo-yellow cake cupcakes

My sister gets back from her nearly 8-month trip TODAY.  I can't wait!!  I am so excited to see her (the last time I saw her was in Thailand in January/February).

My sister's one request was that we go out for Asian food tonight in Chinatown.  So as soon as she lands, goes through customs, and gets picked up by my parents, they will head over to my sister's favorite restaurant for soup dumplings, where my other sister, B, and I will meet them for a welcome home dinner.  And, being the baker that I am, I couldn't show up to a welcome home celebration without a baked good.

 Just over a year ago, I made mini "Death by Oreo" cupcakes.  There are Oreos 3 ways, with some chocolate cupcake to hold them together.  My sister - who loves Oreos - doesn't love chocolate and at the time had requested that I make her the same cupcake with yellow cake instead of chocolate.  Well today, her request has been answered.

"Welcome Home" Triple Oreo-Yellow Cake Cupcakes

Cupcake recipe here
Icing and assembly here (substituting the above cupcake recipe for the "chocolate cake recipe" listed in the link)

Notes:

1. I halved the cupcake batter recipe.  I got 24 cupcakes.
2. I iced 19 of the cupcakes and had extra icing.  I'm pretty sure I would be able to ice 24 cupcakes with one single batch of icing.

Oreo pops, Disney-style

March 5th is my friend's daughter's 3rd birthday.  This year, she (the almost 3-year old, not the mom) chose a Minnie Mouse theme for her party.  Although I'm not going to make it to the actual party this year (it's a Sunday, and it's my Sunday to work), I couldn't not supply some Minnie Mouse-themed treats for the party. 

I discussed with my friend R what I'd make for the party.  We decided on Oreo pops for the kids, and some mini cupcakes (for the adults) to supplement the party-supplied "kids only" cake.  But that post will be up later...

I went to my trusty baking store to buy some Minnie Mouse sugar decorations for the Oreo pops, as well as a few other goodies, and bought out the last 3 packages.

When it came time to make the Oreo pops, I saw some bright pink and white striped paper straws that I had bought for my friend's 30th birthday party, but that were never used.  I cut them in half and used them instead of lollipop sticks for half of the Oreo pops.

Then, I did what I always do with Oreo pops....I wrapped them in clear bags and tied them with (bright pink) curling ribbon, curled the ribbon, and voila! adorable Minnie Mouse-themed Oreo pops!

Now, I've made Oreo pops a bunch of times in the past.  This post seems to be the best at how I did it, along with other sites that have directions.  It also happens to be that that post will take you to what I made for this same little girl for her 2nd birthday!

Candy cane Oreo pops

I don't often impulse shop, but a week or so ago I impulse bought a package of Candy Cane Oreos. 

I'm not really sure why.  I don't like Oreos.  But regardless, I bought them.  Then I got home and wondered what I was going to do with them.  Oreo pops, I mused, would be the best.  And with the holidays coming up, I decided I'd decorate them with crushed candy canes.  (Click here for the original Oreo Pops post.)

They looked so pretty before I even dipped them!

Candy Cane Oreo Pops

Ingredients:

Candy Cane Oreos (or any type of Oreo)
CandiQuik Vanilla coating
Lollipop sticks
Candy canes, crushed (I usually use a hammer, but this time I used a can of soup and it worked wonderfully)

Cellophane lollipop bags
Baker's twine

Edible gifts

December is a month of gift giving.  Christmas, Channukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years...and I'm sure several more than I'm forgetting.  So I'm going to try to make my recipes and blog posts for this month about edible gifts to make and give.  To hosts or hostesses when you're invited to a party, to friends, to make for a cookie exchange, to doormen and mail people, or to bring to a potluck.  There will be cookies, candies, snacks, and other treats.  Please stay tuned over the next month to get some great edible gift ideas.  And, if you have any thoughts, suggestions, or recipes you'd like to try, leave them in the comments section below.

Happy Holidays, whichever you celebrate, and a Happy New Year!

30th birthday Oreo pops

Besides 3 varieties of mini cupcakes, I also made chocolate covered Oreo pops for my friend L's 30th birthday party.  As I may have mentioned before, her favorite color is pink, so when it came to making the Oreo pops, I debated making milk chocolate-covered Oreos with pink 30s versus pink-dyed white chocolate with 30s on them.  The answer was easy - both!

The 30s are made of rolled fondant.  I let it harden a little bit and then sprayed it with pink edible food spray.  Then, I let them dry again.  I affixed them to the Oreo pops when the chocolate/CandiQuik was still wet.  I also used pink nonpareils and coarse pink sugar to decorate the pops.

Just two notes - (1) I didn't use white chocolate, I used vanilla flavored CandiQuik.  (2) When coloring white chocolate or vanilla CandiQuik, make sure you use powdered food coloring.

All the yummy desserts set up!