Cake Mix Double Chocolaters

No, I'm not suddenly a boxed cake mix advocate, but check out how quickly and easily you can make yummy chocolate squares!!

Cake Mix Double Chocolaters
1 package (two layer size) devil's food chocolate cake mix
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine, melted
1 package chocolate chips of choice (I used semisweet)

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.
Mix all ingredients together well and bake for 25 minutes.

Super Rich Cookie Brownies

These brownie cookie bars may be super rich and super sweet, but they are also completely vegan! It just goes to show vegans can eat rich and decadent treats as well.

Brownie Base
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups granulated (white) sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup oil
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Hazelnut Filling
Maple Cookie Mix
1/3 cup flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Mix all brownie ingredients together and spread in a 9x9 inch pan.
Heat together hazelnut paste and sugar to a boil. Spread over brownie as evenly as possible.
Top with spoonfuls of cookie batter, which will spread out during baking.
Top with almonds.
Bake for 25 minutes until set.

Ferrero Rocher Bars

Happy World Nutella Day 2016! In past years, I have gone all out making multiple nutella-based treats. Sometimes I just go on nutella sprees and make nutella goodies throughout the year. If you type 'nutella' into the search bar of my blog, you will find many, many recipes and creations!

Nutella, the delicious chocolate hazelnut spread that goes well with nearly any sweet thing, deserves to have its very own day to celebrate it. In case you are wondering, no, commercial nutella is not vegan, but it is very easy to make homemade vegan versions. I even made one here: http://bexysbakingblog.blogspot.ca/2014/02/homemade-vegan-nutella.html. You can also buy vegan versions. For world nutella day this year, I made these chocolate hazelnut bars. They are not made with actual nutella, but rather are made with the ingredients of nutella; chocolate and hazelnuts. This saves a step of making your own nutella, and also makes these bars vegan, gluten-free, and delicious!

Ferrero Rocher Bars
2 cups ground hazelnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup maple syrup reduction
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegan caramel sauce
1 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x13 inch rectangular pan with parchment paper. Mix together the first five ingredients together well. Pour into the pan. Drizzle the caramel sauce over top. Sprinkle with the nuts and salt. Bake for about 30 minutes. The middle will still seem almost runny, but the edges will begin to look set. Do not try to cut these until they cool completely. I stuck my pan in the freezer before cutting to firm them up.

These squares turned out quite ooey gooey and sticky, but I LOVED the taste. My taste testers told me the taste just like those delicious Ferrero Rocher (chocolate hazelnut) chocolates, and I agree! A disclaimer: I came up with these bars on a whim, and really didn't measure ingredients. Therefore, I cannot guarantee the success of this recipe - it's really just estimates. Sometimes random experiments turn out the best, if you can get them to work out!!!

Pumpkin Gingerbread Blondies

A while ago I ate a `gingerbread white chocolate blondie`and it was delicious. Better than gingerbread cookies - it was sweet and rich and comforting. But also very sweet and very buttery. I liked the idea of a somewhat different holiday treat though, and decided to try to recreate a healthier, vegan version of the treat. I cam up with a pumpkin version, where the pumpkin provides the moisture and texture, but not too much flavor - that`s what the ginger and molasses are for. I can`t call it a brownie, because there is surprisingly no chocolate, but I can call it tasty. 

Pumpkin Gingerbread Blondies
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup raisins
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 Tablespoons sugar or brown sugar or coconut sugar, optional
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
2 Tablespoons oil (optional) can also sub applesauce
up to 2 Tablespoons water or non-dairy milk, optional, use only if mixture is very dry
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325◦F. Line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine first ten dry ingredients.
In a separate small bowl, combine remaining wet ingredients.
Add the wet to the dry and mix well.
Spread batter in prepared pan evenly and bake for 15 minutes until set. Cool before cutting and serving.

Optional ingredients will add extra flavor and richness, but can be omitted for a healthier version. I also made a quick frosting for these, colored green by avocado, which I will share the recipe for soon.

Peanut Butter Energy Bars

This is another energy bar recipe I developed, which is high in protein and full of flavor and texture. The dominant flavor here is definitely peanut butter, but a different type of nut butter could be used if preferred. Likewise, ingredient substitutions could be made - such as chocolate chips for the raisins and chopped nuts for the sunflower seeds. 

Peanut Butter Energy Bars
2 cups granola or multigrain cereal mix
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup pitted dates
water, to cover
1 1/3 cups smooth natural peanut butter
1/3 cup smooth almond butter
2/3 cup honey

Place the granola, oats, flax, raisins, seeds, and spices in a large bowl and mix well.
In a large saucepan, bring the dates with just enough water to cover them to a boil. Boil for a few minutes until dates soften, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the peanut butter, almond butter, and honey and heat until melted and smooth.
Pour this mixture over the dry mixture in the bowl and stir to coat. Press this mixture into a parchment-lined 9x13-inch rectangular pan. I find it easier to use your hands to mix and press this mixture. Refrigerate for several hours until firm, then cut into bars. 

Coconut Molasses Spice Bars

Coconut Molasses Spice Bars
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch rectangular pan.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, then the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the remaining ingredients, mixing well. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
Bake for about 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

These squares are a fine, not-too-sweet, easy to eat spicy treat eaten as is, but becomes something special when frosted with a simple icing - vanilla glaze, cream cheese, maple frosting, or even chocolate fudge frosting.

Chocolate Chip Fudge Bars

If you are looking for the easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe ever, this is it. Actually, it's more like one giant chocolate chip cookie. Cut it into squares and have chocolate chip cookie squares. These are actually better than your typical chocolate chip cookie, despite having only five ingredients and taking only five minutes to put together. These are sort of like a chocolate chip fudge bar, moist, sweet and chocolaty. I would also refer to it as chocolate chip cookie fudge.

Chocolate Chip Fudge Bars
2 cups butter, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch rectangular pan.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together well until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Stir in the flour, then the chocolate chips. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes until bars are no longer doughy. 

Cocoa Pumpkin Bean Energy Bars

This is a healthy, sneaky energy bar recipe. It contains all good things and tastes sort of like a fudgey brownie. I added in cranberries and walnuts for more texture. The base of these bars is a puréed can of beans, providing protein and fiber, along with pumpkin (which you can't taste) and peanut butter. Honey and applesauce add sweetness and cinnamon and ginger add spice. You can indulge in these tasty treats that are easy to make.

Cocoa Pumpkin Bean Energy Bars
1 can (540mL) white beans
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons smooth natural peanut butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats (processed, if desired, for a smoother texture)
2 Tablespoons unsweetned cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor, process the beans until smooth. Add in the oats if desired for a smoother texture. Blend in the remaining ingredients in the order given. Mix well. Bake for about 30 minutes until bars are set. They will still be soft. Cool completely and refrigerate before cutting.

Mint Nanaimo Bars

I have always been a pretty big fan of the classic nanaimo bar. I am not sure why the combination of a nutty, chewy base, a sweet, creamy filling, and a rich chocolaty topping is so good, but it always seems to be a hit! This is one of those cases where you hesitate to mess with a good thing, but there are several yummy variations, usually involving a different flavoring in the filling such as mint, cherry, or pineapple. I also made a ‘reverse’ nanaimo bar once, where the filling was chocolate and the base and topping were vanilla. The filling can be died green to identify it as mint, if desired, but I didn’t bother with the added dye. This version is extra minty because the use of mint chocolate chips ensures a hint of mint in each layer.

Mint Nanaimo Bars

BASE

1 cup mint chocolate chips

½ cup butter or hard margarine

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup flakes coconut

FILLING

2 cups icing (confectioners’) sugar

¼ cup butter or hard margarine, softened

2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon mint (peppermint) extract

green food coloring, optional

TOPPING

¾ cup mint chocolate chips

2 teaspoons oil

BASE: In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and butter over medium heat. Stir in the crumbs and coconut. Press firmly into a greased or lined 9x9 inch square pan. Chill.

FILLING: Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Spread evenly over base. Chill.

TOPPING: Melt chips and oil together. Spread evenly over filling. Chill until set but not too hard, then cut into bars.

Dark Chocolate Mocha Brownies

Dark Chocolate Mocha Brownies
6 Tablespoons oil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour (white or whole wheat)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups dark chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line an 8x8-inch square pan.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and oil/ Beat in the coffee and vanilla. Beat in the sugar. Stir in the flour and baking powder, then fold in the chocolate. Bake for 30-40 minutes until set but still moist. So fudgey and yummy - they need no icing.

These have a slightly different taste and texture for a brownie - dark and delicious with a hint of coffee. They have a fudgey middle with a firm, cake-like exterior. 

Coconut Squares

Coconut Squares
2 large eggs
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch rectangular pan.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Beat in the sugar. Stir in the flour, soda, and salt, then the coconut. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake for about 20 minutes until set and light golden. 

This is a simple, chewy bar for coconut lovers. It can be enriched with some chopped nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips added in if desired. It may also be topped with an icing for added decadence. 

Peanut Butter Cereal Bars

These bars could constitute as breakfast - chock full of three types of cereal and some peanut butter, but the addition of brown sugar and corn syrup makes them incredibly rich and sweet enough for a dessert. Whenever you enjoy them, you can have them ready in less than 15 minutes!! Feel free to use whatever cereal you have on hand as well. Unfortunately, this recipe is so simple and delicious, I didn't get a chance to photograph the ones I made!

Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 cups corn flakes cereal
1 cup bran cereal
1 cup oat O's cereal

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt together the peanut butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the cereal. Press evenly into a greased 9x13 inch pan.

Marmalade Bars

Marmalade Bars
4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter or hard margarine, softened
2 large eggs
2 cups orange marmalade

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch rectangular pan.
In a large bowl, crumble together all ingredients except the marmalade until well blended. Press two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared pan.Spread evenly with the marmalade, then crumble remaining crust over top. Bake for about 25 minutes until light golden.

This is sort of similar to the recipe for jam bars, except the crust is more tender and crumbly and doesn't require the fuss of rolling and cutting. I bet this recipe is great with any type of jam, and would be especially tasty with a homemade jam filling.

Fudgey Cranberry Dark Chocolate Brownies

This is one of the ultimate brownie recipes for brownie and chocolate lovers (me). Even those who are not in love with brownies will enjoy these. Since they are not mixed much, and ingredients are folded in, this creates a very fudgey and dense brownie. Yet these brownies definitely hold up well. This batch makes a big panful of tall brownies, so you get a lot from one batch. They contain some dried cranberries to give them a little festive feel, but these can be omitted or replaced with chopped nuts, or chocolate chips for a double chocolate brownie. The cranberries do not impart a strong flavor or texture though, they sort of "melt" into the chocolate. I often use whole wheat flour for chocolaty items such as brownies because you cannot detect the difference and it makes them slightly more nutritious. These need no icing, but an icing colored with cherry juice would add even more festive color to these and make them sweeter. 

Fudgey Cranberry Dark Chocolate Brownies
300g dark chocolate, chopped, use as dark as you wish, depending on your personal preference (I used a mix of 90%, 72% and caramel 60%)
200g butter, cubed
1/4 cup dark chocolate syrup, optional
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated (white) sugar (may want to scale this up or down depending on the type of chocolate used)
1 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
2 cups sweetened dried cranberry, dusted lightly in flour

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan.
Bring a small pot halfway full of water to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Place the chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl that will fit the pot, and melt, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Once melted, stir in the chocolate syrup and cool slightly.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until smoothly blended. Beat in the sugar until thick and dissolved, do not overbeat. Beat in vanilla. Temper this mixture with some of the chocolate, then fold all of the chocolate in.
Fold in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Then fold in the cranberries. Do not overmix.
Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. 

Christmas Chip Squares

Christmas Chip Squares
1 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups Christmas chips (like chocolate chips, but red, white, and green colored)

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the granulated sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chips.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. 

This square recipe is really just chocolate chip cookie dough baked in a pan and eaten in bar form. They are made festive by the use of colored chocolate chips, which are not chocolate flavored, but are still sweet and tasty. For the off-season, just replace with your favorite type of chips - milk chocolate, dark chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, mint, etc.

Chocolate Crispy Christmas Squares

This is a spin on the traditional crisp rice cereal squares. Extra texture comes from the addition of oats and coconut. The squares are given a holiday theme by using colored shredded coconut and crisp rice cereal, both are available in red, green, and white colored mixes for the holidays. Of course you can use regular as well, especially if it isn't Christmas time. These squares also have a mellow chocolate flavor. 

Chocolate Crispy Christmas Squares
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup shredded, colored coconut
1 1/2 cups Christmas crisp rice cereal
1/4 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and marshmallows until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Press evenly into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Let stand briefly to firm up before cutting. 

Fruit Squares

Fruit Squares
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups red and green glacé cherries, chopped
3/4 cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light colored and thick. Beat in the sugar, then the vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt, followed by the fruit. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes until set and light golden.

Some people love fruitcake, some don't, and others find it too much of a bother to make. This square recipe combines some of the flavors of fruitcake into a handy little bar. It is not quite as dense and dark as a regular fruitcake would be, but more light, refreshing, and chock full of fruit. A perfect addition to a tray of holiday sweets.

Buttertart Bars

Rich, sweet, buttery buttertarts are great all year round, but they seem to be especially popular around holiday times. Though buttertarts are not particularly difficult to make, the forming of each individual tartlet can be tedious and time-consuming. These bars are a great way to get all of the flavor of buttertarts in a convenient, handheld bar. The crust is a rich and buttery shortbread crust instead of the typical pie crust, which I think pairs even better with the filling.

Buttertart Bars
CRUST
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
FILLING
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup golden corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan.
CRUST: Crumble all ingredients together well. Press evenly and firmly into prepared pan.
FILLING: Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. beat in the corn syrup and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Sprinkle the raisins evenly over the baked crust. Pour the filling over top. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until almost set. Cool until set before cutting.

Pumpkin Pie Streusel Bars

This is one of those recipes that tastes like pumpkin pie, but is not in pumpkin pie form. This is in bar form, which is quicker and easier to bake and eat. The crust is not a traditional crust either, but a cake mix mixture which is very simple and quick, and is also used for the streusel. And of course, the filling tastes just like pumpkin pie!

Pumpkin Pie Streusel Bars
1 white cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter or hard margarine, divided
1/4 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, divided
1 can (approximately 3 cups) pumpkin pie filling
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch rectangular baking pan.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup cake mix, 1/4 cup of the butter, the sugar, and the cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine remaining cake mix, 1/2 cup butter, and one egg. Press this firmly into prepared pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin pie filling, two eggs, and milk. Pour over bottom. Sprinkle with streusel mixture.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until set. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Confetti Squares

Chocolate Peanut Butter Confetti Squares
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 packages (250 grams or 8 ounces each) miniature multi-colored marshmallows

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips until melted. Allow to cool until bottom of pan is cool enough to handle, then stir in the marshmallows.
Pack mixture evenly into a 9x13 inch rectangular pan lined with foil. Cool, then refrigerate and store in the fridge for easier cutting and storage.

These may not look like much from the photo, but they are a really quick, easy, and tasty square recipe. They are no-bake, and come together and are ready to eat in merely minutes. The pleasing flavors of chocolate, peanut butter, and marshmallow are popular among youngsters. You could always use white marshmallows, the squares just won't have that 'confetti' appearance. These squares really remind me of the squares our neighbors used to send us over every year at Christmastime. They were essentially the same, but used butterscotch chips instead of chocolate chips, giving a slightly different but rich flavor. Though never something I would have though of making myself, I greatly looked forward to receiving these squares every year. I finally decided to make a similar square recipe myself, for others. Similarly, you may use all chocolate chips of any type, all butterscotch chips, a mixture of the two, or even peanut butter chips.