Nutella At Home

I made homemade vegan nutella once. But it didn't turn out quite as I had wanted it to. It was tasty, but not as smooth and decadent as commercial nutella. I decided to try again

I first processed toasted (peeled) hazelnuts in  my food processor to form a smooth hazelnut butter. This did not take as long as I had anticipated because hazelnuts are a fairly oily nut. I did this as a separate step to make the finished butter more smooth and less gritty. I set that aside, then cooked some dates in water until they were very soft (if you have good, fresh dates, this step may optional). Then I puréed these separately to form a date paste. I then combined the two together in my food processor, adding some unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract, coconut milk, and melted coconut butter so added smoothness, flavor and to thin. Process until smooth, and enjoy!


The hazelnut to date ration depends upon how sweet you would like your nutella. If you prefer a sweeter, more decadent nutella, use a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup, agave, or glucose. Melted chocolate also makes for a more decadent nutella, though keep in mind these options will make the nutella less of a nutritious, vitamin-rich nut butter and more of an occasional dessert. You can use any type of milk, and omit the coconut butter or use your favorite oil.
This is a much more nutritious version of the commercial nutella - which is very high in sugar and fat. This spread can be used just as much as any natural nut butter, and contains a pleasing hint of chocolate!

Naturally Sweet Chocolate Icing

Naturally Sweet Chocolate Icing
1 cup pitted dates (the fresher and softer, the better)
warm water
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
That's honestly it!

Soak the dates in enough hot water to cover them. If you have really fresh and soft dates and a good food processor, this step may not be necessary if you don't have the time, but it does help. Aim to soak for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better - even overnight.
Drain the dates, reserving the liquid. Add dates and cocoa to a food processor, along with some of the liquid - begin with 1/4 cup. Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides and adding more liquid if necessary.

The amount of water you add to this depends on how fresh the dates are, and what consistency you are looking to achieve. If you want a fudge-like texture, you will hardly need any icing, but if you want a thin texture to glaze a cake, add more water. 

The dates provide all the sweetness and texture this icing requires! But you would never guess, the icing is very sweet, it doesn't even taste like a dark chocolate glaze. Be sure to blend until very smooth, as you can see from my picture, I don't have the best food processor, but even then the icing is still amazing. I am extremely impressed with this - I was eating it by the spoonful, and liked it more so than I like chocolate mousse or chocolate fudge. Yum!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Muffins

This is a muffin recipe I came up with, trying to mimic the flavors of a chocolate peanut butter cup. I began with a basic double chocolate muffin recipe, then added some peanut butter to it and peanut butter chips, and made a chocolate peanut butter filling to make them extra rich. These are large, chocolaty muffins with a soft crumb, a smooth filling, and a crisp topping, and they are especially tasty (and messy) warm. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Muffins
MUFFINS
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
3 Tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
FILLING AND TOPPING
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 Tablespoon chocolate milk

Preheat oven to 375◦F. Grease or line one 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
FILLING: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt all ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.
MUFFINS: In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, peanut butter, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in the sugar. 
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add to the liquid ingredients and mix until just moistened. Stir in both chips. 
Use half the batter to fill each muffin cup half full. Make a small dent in the center and place a teaspoon of filling in each. Cover with remaining batter, enclosing filling completely. 
Bake for about 20 minutes, until muffins are firm and spring back lightly when touched. A toothpick inserted where there is no filling should come out clean.
TOPPING: If you happen to have any leftover filling, it is perfect for topping the muffins to give them a little more flavor and pizzazz. If needed, gently reheat it to make it thinner, then either drizzle or spread over the muffins. 

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.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Chocolate Crackle Cookies
1 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
1 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 1/2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
In a large bowl, cream the butter and both sugars together well until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
Stir in the baking powder, salt, and cocoa, then the flour.
Scoop dough by tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for about ten minutes. Cookies should be just set, but leave to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes to firm up.

This is an easy cookie recipe I invented while deciding to make classic chocolate chip cookies, then changing my mind as the recipe progressed. They turned out quite well - soft and quite chocolaty. Sort of cake-like and pleasing, and a nice change from the standard choco chip. 

Cocoa Butter Pecan Cake

I have never made a butter pecan cake before. I’ve seen it in the boxed mixes, but never really had or made an authentic one. I received a request for one, and began looking up recipes. Of course being the chocoholic I am, I decided to enrich my version with a touch of cocoa as well. If you prefer a plain butter pecan cake, simply replace the cocoa with ¼ cup additional flour.

Cocoa Butter Pecan Cake

 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans

2 cups granulated (white) sugar

8 large egg whites

2 teaspoons almond extract

3 cups cake/pastry flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Melt the two Tablespoons of butter. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet, drizzle with the melted butter, and toast, stirring often, for about 20 minutes until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, leave oven set to 350◦F. Grease and flour your pans (three 9-inch round pans or tank cake pans or whatever).

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the almond extract.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Stir into the butter mixture in three additions, alternately with the milk in two additions, beating until just combined. Fold in the pecans.

Bake for about 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before turning out to cool completely.

I really liked how this butter pecan cake turned out – it has a buttery flavor without being greasy. It is chock full of pecans that provide lots of flavor since they are toasted, and add texture to the cake without being crunchy. Because of the use of many egg whites, the cake is fluffy in texture – just be sure not to overmix, a no-no for cakes contrary to popular belief. Try butter pecan cake for a little something different or for pecan lovers!

Petite Parfait

Not too long ago I whipped up two quick, petitie individual parfaits. I don't know if they exactly qualify as a parfait, as they were not really layered in a tall dish, but rather in a small heart-shaped bowl, but that was all for presentation and sentimental purposes. The parfait mixture was relatively simple - mostly plain, fat free Greek yogurt, a spoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, a dollop of creamed honey, a dab of smooth natural peanut butter, and a hint of vanilla extract. This made a quick and relatively healthy chocolate mousse. It isn't sweet and airy like a regular chocolate mousse, but takes a fraction of the time and a fraction of the cost to make, and is probably much better for you. It certainly is a perfectly acceptable substitute. Then I dressed up the mousse with some leftover chocolate shapes and shavings, a few fresh raspberries, and I piped "I love you" on the parfaits with a little leftover simple sugar icing I had.

This is a perfect small and light dessert to end off a heavier meal or to enjoy late at night when you just need a small chocolate fix. The mousse recipe is quick to make if you have all ingredients on hand and you may make as much or as little as needed. It is very versatile and can be dressed up with fresh fruit, nuts, cake, cookies, etc. In addition, you can control how 'dark' chocolate the mousse is by the amount of cocoa and honey used. Alternately, maple syrup or agave nectar could be used instead of honey without much flavor change. 

Coca Mocha Icing

Coca Mocha Icing
2 cups icing sugar, approximately
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/2 cup boiling water

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cocoa until blended. In a mug, mix together the vanilla, coffee, and water. Gradually add this to the sugar mixture, stirring until smooth, until icing is of desired consistency. You may not need all of the water or you may need to add some more icing sugar. 

This is a sweet and thick chocolate glaze with a mild coffee flavor. To make a lighter glaze, decrease the amount of cocoa. To make a darker glaze, add some more cocoa or some more coffee for a stronger flavor. This icing does not need to be refrigerated since it contains no perishable ingredients. However, because it contains no fat, it is not as easily spread and is not ideal for piping. 

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine, cut into cubes
1 cup boiling water
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place the oats and butter in a large bowl, Pour water over top and let stand for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. 
Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease an 8x8 inch square pan.
Add eggs, sugar, and vanilla to oat mixture. Add remaining ingredients. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

This is a really quick and easy snack cake recipe, but the name can be deceiving - it certainly isn't breakfast food! It is not overly sweet and decadent, but tasty and moist, with the flavor of dark chocolate. You may need to add a splash of milk to the batter. Next time I am sure my mother will add some chocolate chips as well. 

Very Nutty Oatmeal

This is another Overnight Oatmeal recipe. There are several others on this blog, and I love them because they are tasty, hearty, and nutritious, and really quick to make and are prepared in advance. The other recipe variations can be found by typing "overnight oatmeal" into the search bar on this blog (I don't want to link them all in this post as it would be too long). 
This recipe is especially hearty because it is high in protein and contains heart-healthy fats due to all of the tasty nuts and nut butters in the recipe. Of course the types of nuts can be changed as desired. This breakfast is a complete breakfast in a bowl and very filling - it got me through a rather tedious and demanding math exam this morning. 

Very Nutty Oatmeal
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 Tablespoon ground nuts (or flaxseed)
1 Tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon whole natural almonds
1 Tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup almond milk
2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 Tablespoon natural smooth peanut butter
1 Tablespoon natural almond butter

In a jar or bowl with a lid, measure the first nine dry ingredients, then stir or shake to mix. Add the milk, applesauce, and peanut butter and mix well. Place in the refrigerator overnight, then heat or enjoy cold topped with the almond butter. 

M&M Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

This is a new cookie recipe my mother decided to try making for Christmas this year. Though they aren't particularly Christmas-themed cookies, they are a colorful addition to a Christmas cookie tray. They could be made more festive if only red and green candies are used (packages of those are available to buy - you don't need to sort through the colors yourself!). This cookies are very chocolaty, rich and soft and delicious. I myself am not a huge candy fan, but the candies soften in these cookies and don't make them crunchy. My mom made the cookies fairly small and got about four dozen of them, but they can be made larger and flatter if you wish. They can also be baked shorter or longer for chewier or crisper cookies, and chopped nuts may be added if you wish. The recipe comes from a magazine clipping.

M&M Ultimate Chocolate Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or hard margarine, softened
1 cup granulated (white) sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup miniature candy coated chocolates 

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
In a separate medium bowl, stir together the next four dry ingredients. Gradually add to the butter mixture. Stir in candies.
Drop dough by rounded half tablespoons two inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just set - cookies will be soft. 

Espresso Mocha Swirl Loaf

Espresso Mocha Swirl Loaf
1 Tablespoon instant coffee powder
3 Tablespoons boiling water
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine, softened
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup granulated (white) sugar
2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir together the coffee and water, set aside to cool, then stir in the cocoa.
Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, yogurt, and milk. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Beat in the sugar. Beat in the remaining ingredients, beat well for one minute. 
Divide batter in half. Add the coffee mixture to one half. 
Place three spoonfuls of each batter into the bottom of the pan, alternating flavors. Repeat this for two more layers, ensuring chocolate batter is on top of vanilla and vice versa. Gently swirl the batters together with a knife.
Bake for about an hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

This is a fairly easy snack loaf to make. It has a nice coffee flavor, but not too much of a chocolate flavor. The swirled flavors make it look pretty. It is light and fluffy and can be served in a variety of ways, or simply as well with a steaming mug of espresso. 

Chocolate Buttercream Prinzregenten Frosting

I wish I could give you an exact recipe for this frosting, because when I made it for this torte, it turned out amazing. Very rich, very chocolaty, and the perfect frosting for this torte if I do say so myself. I am not even sure is even I could duplicate this frosting, as I simply eyeballed amounts. However, I will try to give some guidelines to follow. It is nothing fancy or special, just simply delicious.

Ingredients
soft margarine
unsweetened cocoa powder
icing sugar
2% milk
vanilla

Put a little margarine in a small bowl, and mix in some cocoa. I used quite a bit of cocoa, because I really like chocolate. Use about a tablespoon or two of margarine, and as much cocoa as you can while still being able to stir the mixture. Stir in some icing sugar alternately with some milk, until you reach your desired amount or desired "shade" of icing. For example, for a darker chocolate flavor like I did, use a greater proportion of cocoa and less icing sugar. Stir in a splash of vanilla.

To assemble the torte: One cake layer, spread gently with a layer of frosting, repeat for all four layers. Pipe borders or rosettes around and on top of the cake if you wish. Heat a little additional frosting in the microwave briefly to warm it and thin it, then drizzle it over the cake. 

Halloween Haystacks

I know, I am a day late. I actually made these cookies yesterday, but I had to share my jack-o-lantern yesterday. So here is today's post. Haystack cookies are popular, no-bake cookies. They are often cookies beginner bakers start with, since they are so quick and easy. From start to eating, they only require about 20 minutes. This batch makes about 30 cookies, depending on size, but could easily be doubled or halved. 

Shapes don't work put the greatest with this dough, since it isn't one that's rolled out and cut, but I attempted anyway. From top to bottom, these are supposed to be a spider, an owl, and a bat. It's the thought and creativity that count!

Halloween Haystacks
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
scant 2 cups granulated (white) sugar
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

Line a baking sheet with foil. 
In a medium saucepan, bring the butter, milk, cocoa, and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and quickly stir in oats and coconut. Drop spoonfuls quickly onto prepared baking sheet. Chill until firm, they don't take long. Speed up the process by putting them in the freezer. 
For Halloween cookies: Drop the mixture on the sheet and spread into your favorite Halloween shapes!

Overnight Almond Oatmeal

Overnight Almond Oatmeal
1/2 cup oats
1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon almond butter
1-2 Tablespoons raisins or chopped dates
1/2 cup milk of choice

Put everything in a bowl or jar and stir well. Store in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, the mixture should be thickened like oatmeal and ready to eat. It may be enjoyed cold, or heated if desired.

This is a nutritious breakfast that is quick to throw together the night before  and is ready to grab and eat in the morning. There is a lot of variation that could be done with this of course, but the principle is oats and liquid, which "cooks" overnight in the fridge. The raisins or dates add some sweetness, especially the dates which will caramelize overnight. The cocoa adds a hint of chocolate, the almond butter adds protein, and the milk adds nutrients. Even if you are not an oatmeal fan, you may enjoy this dish!

Chocolate Carrot Mini Cupcakes

What to do with some extra carrots? They are always great in a cake, muffins, or cupcakes! In fact, you barely even notice the carrot in this recipe, as it is masked by the chocolate  Chocolate, carrot, caramel, and apple may not seem like a typical combination, but it works really well. The caramel icing is from yesterday's post. I wrote the carrot cake recipe from memory, as I no longer have the copy of it, so I hope I have remembered it accurately!

Chocolate Carrot Mini Cupcakes
1 cup all-purpose (white) or whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup oil
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots

Preheat oven to 375◦F. Grease or line mini muffin tins (or use regular-sized - Pictured are some of each).
In a large bowl, mix together the first six dry ingredients.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together the four liquid ingredients. Add the liquid to the dry and mix. Stir in the carrots.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake for about 15 minutes for mini cupcakes or about 20 minutes for bigger cupcakes. 
Let cool slightly before icing.
NOTES: Recipe can also be baked in a 9x13 inch rectangular pan for about 30 minutes.
To make a regular cake, replace the cocoa with an equal amount of additional flour.

To decorate: I placed a smear of caramel frosting on each (doesn't need to be artfully spread) and a small piece of green apple. Extra caramel and green apple make a great snack!

Chocolate Banana Soft Serve

This is a great way to make homemade "ice cream" without an ice cream maker. It also doesn't require the old-fashioned way of placing cream in a bag in a bag of ice and shaking for hours. Technically speaking, this isn't ice cream, as it contains no milk ingredients. I guess it would be considered a sorbet. It certainly is reminiscent of ice cream, and a lot lighter and healthier. I could eat a lot of this. The bananas need to be ripe and frozen for the best flavor and texture in this dish. Without sugar, it takes like a banana dark chocolate ice cream, but if you aren't fond of dark chocolate, sweeten or serve with caramel or hot fudge sauce on top. This is quick and easy, and you'll be enjoying some homemade soft-serve in just a few hours! 

Chocolate Banana Soft Serve
3 overripe frozen bananas
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
sugar, agave, honey to sweeten, as desired

Place all ingredients in a food processes and process until smooth. This should only take a few minutes. Then transfer to a shallow container and freeze overnight or until firm. 

Mocha Choco Oat No-Bake Cookies

I wouldn't necessarily call these "healthy cookies" but they are better for you than most typical cookie recipes. They are also a lot faster and easier to make - an added bonus. They contain a nice dose of chocolate, a nice flavor of coffee, and the nutrients of whole-grain oats. They are made with coconut oil, a healthier alternative to butter or margarine. The amount of sugar could probably be reduced, but I recommend using the full amount first, then adjusting to suit your tastes. Perhaps honey or agave would work too. I found the idea for these cookies on a healthy dessert recipe site.

Mocha Choco Oat No-Bake Cookies
1/2 cup old-fashioned (or quick) oats 
(or use 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons oat flour)
3/4 cup quick oats
1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon granulated (white) sugar
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grind the 1/2 cup oats in a blender until it resembles flour.
In a medium bowl, mix together the first seven dry ingredient. Stir together the liquid ingredients separately, then add to the dry, mix well. Roll into balls and refrigerate until firm.
The yield depends on how big and how flat you make them. I got 13 round cookies. One of these cookies is enough to give you a nice pick-me-up in the mid-afternoon! 

Christopher's Graduation Cake

Here is the cake I made for my brother's graduation party. I began with my signature chocolate cake recipe, a double batch baked in a fifteen inch round cake pan. I also whipped up a big batch of my signature vanilla buttercream. I dirty iced the cake, briefly chilled it to let it set, and topped it with a second coat. Then I tinted the rest of the icing  royal blue (except for a tiny bit of white set aside for touch-ups). This blue is the university color, and in order to achieve such a deep blue I used some royal blue gel food coloring. Much easier than using 50+ drops of blue liquid dye, and it doesn't thin out the icing either. I put a rope border around the bottom edge, and a simple star border around the top. Then I piped "Congratulations Christopher!" (free-handed too) using a larger open round tip, to really make it pop. I also added two blue X's for the university symbol.  On the top and bottom of the cake, I put my candy clay figures from the other day: a graduation cap and a diploma. Again, I kept the cake simple, but in many cases, simpler is better. 
Congratulations to Christopher and all graduates of 2013!

Coconut Marshmallow Mud Cake

This Coconut Marshmallow Mud Cake is a favorite dessert of my brother's, and loved by the entire family, it is a specialty of my mother. It's also a special treat because it seems elaborate (though really isn't), and we don't get to have it very often, it was always reserved for special occasions. We refer to it as Mississippi Mud Pie, though it isn't really a pie, and I'm not sure how Mississippi is involved. Nevertheless, it is chocolaty, fudgey, and deep, rich, and delicious. Even if you are not a fan of one of the ingredients, such as coconut, nuts, or marshmallows, you will appreciate them and what they contribute to this dessert! The photo doesn't do this dessert the justice it deserves. Here is the process:

LAYER #1
A rich, fudgey chocolate brownie layer baked in a 9x13 inch pan. Contains cocoa, shredded coconut and chopped nuts, if desired.

LAYER #2
A jar of marshmallow fluff is spread over the base as soon as it comes out of the oven.

LAYER #3
A rich chocolate icing is dolloped over the marshmallow fluff while the brownies are still warm. 
The icing can be spread in a single, smooth layer over the marshmallow fluff, but this is quite difficult to achieve. As an alternative, the icing may be swirled with the marshmallow with the top of a butter knife, as if making a marble cake or cheesecake. We much prefer the latter option, as not only is is easier, but we think the swirls of chocolate and marshmallow look really pretty too!

Serving options:

• We have never tried them warm from the oven. My guess is they would be delicious but extremely messy, soft, and difficult to cut.
• Allow them to cool to room temperature, then try. Still messy but not quite as bad.
• Refrigerate them until firm, and enjoy cold. Much easier to cut.
• These should be stored in the fridge, but allow to come to room temperature before serving.
• Take a square straight from the fridge and reheat it in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds. It warms the brownie and melts the topping a little, without being too messy. This is my favorite way to eat them!