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Best Magic Cookie Bars Recipe

April 30, 2012 Leave a Comment

I had great incentive to development a ‘best’ magic cookie bars recipe.  Namely my husband, mother and best friend loves them!  And after tasting way too many mediocre (at best) magic bars – I knew what I had to do to improve them.

Keys to success: 1) The graham cracker base needs to be moist and flavorful.  That means using the right amount of melted butter and adding a bit of brown sugar to liven up the graham taste. 2) Using enough sweetened condensed milk to create a creamy, luscious texture and taste and for the toppings to have something to adhere to.

I make mine in a 9″ x 13″ cake pan – I’m almost always assured some leftovers (which freeze beautiful).

Magic Cookie Bars

Makes one 9″ x 13″ pan of magic cookies bars.

  • 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 8 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 (14 oz), sweetened condensed milks (you’ll use 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cans)
  • 1 1/ cup sweetened, flaked coconut
  • 1 1/2 milk chocolate chips (or a bit more)
  • 1 1/2 semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (or a bit more)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray 9″ x 13″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Melt 1 stick (8 Tbsp.) butter.  Place the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar in a medium bowl.  Add the melted butter.  Mix thoroughly so the cracker mixture is well blended/moistened.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and pat it in place making, sure that the layer is even.
  3. Starting on one side of the pan, pour the sweetened condensed milk up and down in lines.  Ensure that the milk fills in any empty space between the lines.  You should be able to cover at least one half of the pan from one can of milk.  Repeat with the remaining can of milk until the entire pan is covered with sweetened condensed milk.  You will, most likely, not need to use the entire contents from the second can.
  4. Sprinkle the coconut evenly over the entire pan.  Repeat with both of the chocolate chips – trying to fill in gaps as you go along.  Once covered, gently press the toppings into the sweetened condensed milk.
  5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes; remove from oven.  Let cool for several hours (until the chocolate chips are firm. To hasten the cooling process you can put them in the fridge.).  Cut into squares and serve.

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Best Lemon Bar Recipe

April 23, 2012 Leave a Comment

These luscious lemon bars really are the best that I’ve ever had. What makes them ‘the best’? Several things: 1) a flavorful shortbread base that isn’t overcooked. 2) a moist, rich and succulent lemon layer (too often the lemon part of a lemon bar is dry and overcooked), and 3) a scrumptious sweetened sour cream topping.

These lemon dessert bars are also delicious without the sour cream topping; if you would prefer you can skip this last part.  (You can also top the lemon layer with a little powdered sugar if you’d like).


Best Lemon Bar Recipe
Makes one 9″ x 13″ pan of luscious lemon bars.

Crust:

  • 1.5 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest (optional)

Filling:

  • 4 extra large eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2.5 Tbsp. flour

Topping:

  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.  Coat a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray, preferably one formulated for baking that has flour in it.
  2. Combine flour and powdered sugar in a large bowl.  Cut in butter until crumbly (you can do this with a pastry blender or with a hand mixer, stand mixer or food processor. You just want to process the dough until the butter pieces are the size of a pea or a tad smaller).  Add the lemon zest if using.  Pat into greased 13 inch by 9 inch by 2 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 10- 12 minutes.  You just want to start the baking process here – you don’t want to fully cook the crust at this point.  So try to take them out before they edges are browned (that usually happens around 14-17 minutes). Remove from oven.
  3. Meanwhile, in mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients; mix well.  Pour over hot crust.  Bake for 14-17 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown at the edges.  Remove from oven. NOTE: Not overcooking the filling is crucial to having a luscious lemon bar.  The top should be  set but not golden brown – that would be overcooked and the center will be dry with too much of a crisp browned top.
  4. While the lemon layer is baking, combine topping ingredients in medium bowl.  Spread over filling.  Bake 7-9 minutes longer or until the topping is set (it should not brown).  Cool on wire rack.  Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  Cut bars before serving.  (Left overs can be frozen).

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Graham Cracker Bars – Old Fashioned Goodness!

March 19, 2012 Leave a Comment

A friend at Eat.at introduced me to this recipe and it brought me back to childhood snacking on graham crackers.  But these are oh-so-much better!  Why?  They have a chewy center reminiscent of pecan pie filling but not as sweet. And they are a snap to make with the food processor.

The only thing I would do next time is add 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips to the filling to make them chocolate graham cracker bars – YUM!

Graham Cracker Bars (adapted from a LA Times Top Ten Recipe of 2009)

Makes a 9″ x 13″ pan of bars

Crust:

  • 2 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 3/4 cup  butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into ¼” slices
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9×13” pan with non-stick cooking spray (preferably one formulated for baking).
  2. In the bowl of a food processor add the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and flour and pulse until the butter is finely chopped and the crumbs are moist. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Bake at 350º until the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes (check after 10 minutes).
  3. While the crust is baking make the filling (see below).

Filling:

  • 2 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 4 extra-large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup pecans
  1. Place the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and baking powder into the food processor and mix until the sugar is well blended. Add the graham cracker crumbs and the pecans, and pulse 2 or 3 times to incorporate (you don’t want to chop up the nuts too finely).
  2. Pour the mixture over the baked crust and return to the 350º oven until the filling is dark-golden on top and jiggles slightly when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely. Refrigerate until cold, so that it’s easier to cut into bars. When cold sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

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Valentine’s Day Party Bites – Dessert Style!

January 13, 2012 1 Comment

Here at Diva Entertains, we are planning a series of “Party Bite” blog posts in upcoming weeks, and today is the first in that series… and it’s a Valentine  DESSERT “party bites” post!  So… the post is brought to you by chocolate, red velvet and truffles, with a few more yummy things thrown in just for fun!

And to save time, I’m just going to provide links and images, since the photos speak for themselves

Hot Chocolate Truffle Balls, from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.  Totally easy – totally fun!  Drop them in some hot milk for a fabulous flavor explosion.  Or eat ‘em straight up – either way these are winners!

From Smuckers, Strawberry Angel Cookies.  A very easy recipe that uses a angel food cake mix.  Although the recipe calls for sugar free preserves (which is great if your on a low sugar diet), I made them with the real deal!


From Peace of Cake, Red Velvet Cookies:  So simple (use a red red velvet cake mix)…so good!  Cream cheese is one of the 5 (yes, only 5!) ingredients so you know it is going to be good!

From Baking Bites, Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies.  Need we say more?

From The Curvy Carrot, Cherry Chocolate Kisses:

And last but not least, super, SUPER easy Heart Shaped Cupcakes.  (how to make the heart shape – use whatever cupcake recipe you’d like)

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Millionaires Shortbread

December 26, 2011 1 Comment

So I’m guessing these are known as millionaire shortbread because they are so decadently rich!  The base is rich, buttery shortbread then topped with a caramel-like filling and topped with a luscious layer of chocolate ganache.

I first heard of this caramel shortbread when browsing through the cookbook “Baked: New Frontiers in Baking” but the recipe was a tad fussy so I streamlined it a bit.  Further – I wanted a more decadent chocolate layer to top these bars so I swapped out theirs with my favorite.  Don’t be put off if the instructions look long – I’ve just put a lot of  detail in them.

Some also refer to these as dulce de leche bars.  It doesn’t matter what you call them – they are fantastic no matter what the name:)

Millionaire Shortbread

Shortbread Layer:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 large egg yolk

Caramel Filling:

  • 28 ounces sweetened condensed milk (two 14 ounce cans)

Chocolate Ganache Glaze:

  • 12 oz. semis sweet chocolate (chocolate chips are fine to use)
  • 8 oz. heavy cream

Make the shortbread first:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray the bottom and sides of a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the sugar and the butter together.  Then add the two cups of flour, one cup at a time, until well combine.  Add the egg yolk and beat until just combined (you don’t want to over beat).
  3. Tip the bowl so that the dough falls into the prepared pan – if it scatters through the pan that’s great.  Because now you are going to spread it to an even thickness on the bottom of the pan which, because this dough is sticky, can be a tad difficult.  To make it easy put your hand into a clean plastic bag and pat the dough into place.  If it is still sticky, spray your ‘gloved’ hand with non-stick cooking spray – that will do the trick.  Then prick the shortbread with a fork to prevent it from puffing while it bakes.
  4. Bake the shortbread for 20-22 minutes, or until it is golden brown (or for a tad softer shortbread remove when just the edges are beginning to brown).  Let cool completely.

Make the caramel filling:

  1. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a large microwave safe bowl.  Cook on 50% for 2 minutes.  Stir briskly and microwave again on 50% for 2 more minutes.  Now cook on 30% power for 4 minutes.   Stir briskly (do not worry if the milk appears to look seized in between microwaves – brisk stirring will return it to a smooth mixture!).  Cook another 30% for 4 minutes, then stir briskly. Do this to 2 to 3 more times (for a total of 20 – 22 minutes) until the mixture is very thick and caramel colored (make sure you stir until smooth).
  2. Pour the smoothed filling over the cooled shortbread and place the pan in the refrigerator until cool, about 2 hours.

Make the chocolate glaze:

  1. In a medium-sized saucepan bring the 1 cup of heavy cream to a boil.  As soon as it boils turn off the heat and remove from heat.  Add chocolate immediately.  Let stand 5 minutes, then mix thoroughly until chocolate is well blended and smooth.
  2. Pour mixture over caramel shortbread.  Refrigerate until set (3 to 4 hours).
  3. Can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered for up to 4 days.  Leftovers freeze beautifully!

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Peanut Butter Apple Cookie Bars

October 24, 2011 1 Comment

A friend posted a link to this recipe and I was so taken with them that I made them immediately.  Something about combining peanut butter, apples and brown sugar – it sounded so delish.  And like the *perfect* fall sweet treat.  And I wasn’t disappointed – they were scrumptious!  Moist and full of flavor.  Give ‘em a try!

Peanut Butter Apple Cookie Bars adapted from a recipe found at Two Peas & Their Pod website

For the bars:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups peel & diced apple (I prefer Granny Smith when baking)

For the peanut butter glaze:

  • 2  cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch pan and set aside. (I use a non-stick cooking spray formulated for baking – it has flour added to it).

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter, until creamy and combined. Set mixture aside to cool.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the peanut butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Then whisk or beat in 1 cup of flour, the baking soda, baking powder, and salt.   Once combined, add the remaining cup of flour.  Fold in the diced apples.

4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading the batter evenly to the edges of the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and the edges are slightly browned. Remove bars from oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.

5. While the bars are cooling, make the peanut butter glaze. In a medium bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar, milk, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk or beat until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars.  Let harden. Cut into squares and serve.

 

This post linked to:  Mangia Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, and Mingle Monday.

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Candy Bar Caramel Bar Cookies – Delicous!

September 26, 2011 3 Comments

Aren’t these caramel bar cookies absolutely fabulous looking!  Topped off with pieces of your favorite candy bar (shown here with Milky Way chunks).   This divine recipe comes to you from a fabulous baker and a new guest blogger of mine,  Danielle at Hugs and Cookies Blog (she calls them her “Milky Way Madness Bars” – gotta love that!).

Danielle’s recipe is easy and straightforward and will result in a decadent, rich bar cookie that will be an instant hit.  And you decide what candy bar you’d like to top these caramel bars with  (Snickers, Mars, Milk Way, Reeses, etc – the sky’s the limit!!).

Candy Bar Caramel Bar Cookies (adapted a tad from Hugs and Cookies Milky Way Madness Bars)

Makes one 9″ x 13″ pan of bar cookies

Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup plus  2 Tbsp. confectioners sugar
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  1. Beat all ingredients together until crumbly and combined and pat down evenly in a 9″ x 13″ pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. (Alternatively you can line the pan with non-stick foil).  Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes until edges just start to brown.

Caramel Layer:

  • 40 caramel (from a bag of individually wrapped caramels)
  • 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  1. Microwave for 1 minute on high.  Stir, and then keep microwaving at 30 second increments (stirring in between) until the mixture is smooth.

Candy Bar Topping

  • 1 bag mini size candy bars.  Cut the mini’s into 4 slices each, however, if using larger candy bars just cut into small pieces.

To Assemble:

  • While the crust is baking, prepare the caramel layer and chop up the candy bars.
  • Let crust cool 5 – 10 minutes and then pour on the caramel layer and spread evenly across the cookie base.  Place the candy bar pieces on top of caramel to decorate and chill completely before cutting.  These are very easy to cut when very cold and should remain in the fridge until ready to eat (caramel will get too gooey if left out).

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Divine Chocolate Chunk Bars

September 12, 2011 1 Comment

Here’s another fabulous recipe from my friend Lizzy at That Skinny Chick Can Bake blog.  Why are these chocolate chunk bars divine?  Because like Lizzy,  I’m all for recipes that go the extra step to make the result a bit richer and moister than the traditional recipe.  And this recipe achieves it by adding an extra egg yoke to the batter (I always throw an extra yoke into my cake batters) and using a combination of white sugar and granulated sugar.

Lizzy adapted this recipe from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe – I love this magazine! If you’ve never read one you may want to pick it up at a bookstore – each recipe is a cooking lesson!

Important note from Lizzy: “Instead of using 2 cups of a variety of chocolate chip flavors as called for in the original recipe, I turned these into chocolate chunk bars.  That way I could sneak some of my favorite white chocolate into the mix. I’ve always like my chocolate chip bars slightly underdone...maybe my it’s due to my love of cookie dough, but they’re just moister, chewier when not cooked the full 28 minutes.”  You, of course, can use any combination of chocolate chunks that you want – or just one type of chocolate!

Divine Chocolate Chunk Bars

Makes a 9″ x 13″ pan of bar cookies

  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups chocolate chunks (I chopped a 4-ounce Ghirardelli white chocolate bar, a milk chocolate bar, and a semi-sweet chocolate bar)
  1. Preheat oven to 325º.  Line a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick foil or regular foil sprayed with cooking spray.
  2. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar.  Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix well.  Fold in the dry ingredients with spatula or wooden spoon being careful not to over mix.  Fold in chocolate chunks.
  3. Spread dough evenly into pan.  Bake 24-28 minutes, till golden brown.  Cool in pan, then using foil to remove bars from pan, and cut to serve.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars – No Bake!

November 22, 2010 Leave a Comment

Diva Entertains Rice Krispie

I didn’t grow up with Rice Krispie Bars – it’s a rather new experience for me.  But now that I’ve had it I can understand why it has a large following (some have served them at their wedding!).

This version is a tad more sophisticated and includes peanut butter, roasted peanuts and chocolate in the recipe.  My tasting panel (family, friends and associates) gave these a big thumbs up!  And they are really easy to make.  The oven doesn’t come into play.  The only tricky part of the recipe is that the ‘krispy’ portion of the recipe is a tad hard to work with because it is so sticky.  But follow the  directions below and you’ll have the recipe completed within 30 minutes!

This recipe easily doubles (make it in a 9″ x 13″ pan) and leftovers (if there are any) can be frozen for future use.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars (adapted from ‘Everyday Food, summer 2010′)

Makes 16 cookies

  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter (more if using to butter the pan)
  • 4 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (natural recommended*)
  • 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
  • 6 cups puffed rice cereal (Rice Krispies)
  • nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil, for pressing
  • 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, melted
  • 1/4 cup chopped, roasted salted peanuts
  1. Spray or butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
  2. In a large pot, combine marshmallows, peanut butter, butter and salt.  Cook over medium heat, stirring, until melted, about 4 minutes.  Add cereal and stir to combine.
  3. With a wooden spoon greased with cookie spray or oil, press half the cereal mixture into a dish.  Spread the melted chocolate on top and then the chopped peanuts on top of that.  Repeat with remaining cereal mixture.
  4. Store in airtight container, up to 3 days.

*You can now purchase ‘no-stir natural’ peanut butter which is ideal for baking.

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Chocolate Caramel Bars with Chocolate Chip Cookie Base

September 16, 2010 Leave a Comment

Diva Entertains Chocolate Chip Caramal Bars

I love the combination of chocolate and caramel bars and made up this recipe for my nieces and nephews.  Although there are several steps to it, none are complicated.  And leftovers freeze beautifully!

I like the chocolate chip cookie base to be a bit soft and chewy (melted butter in a chocolate chip recipe makes a chewier cookie) so I cook it for about 22 minutes.  But you may want to leave yours in a few minutes longer if you like yours a bit more done/crunchy.

Diva Entertains Chocolate Chip Caramal Bars 1

Chocolate Caramel Bars with Chocolate Chip Cookie Base

Cookie Base:

  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1  1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In medium bowl add sugar and melted butter.  Beat with an electric beater (or a stand mixer).  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until blended.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except chocolate chips, and blend until incorporate.  Add chocolate chips and mix in.
  3. Add batter to a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan.  If you are having trouble spreading it, simply run a spatula (or your hands) under cold water, shake off excess, and then pat in.  Bake for 22 – 27 minutes until top is very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the cookie base comes out clean.

Caramel Layer

  • 42 caramels, unwrapped
  • 1/4 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbsp. flour
  1. While bars are baking, put caramels and evaporated milk in a heavy pot.  Stir on lowest setting until melted.  When melted and mixture is well blended add the butter and stir to blend.  Then add flour, stirring to blend.
  2. Pour caramel over bars, spreading to cover bars completely.  Let cool for at least 30 minutes, until caramel appears to have hardened somewhat.

Chocolate Ganache Layer

  • 4 oz. heavy cream (whipping cream)
  • 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
  1. Pour heavy cream into medium pot (you can use the same pot the caramel was made in.  No need to wash it first).  Bring to a boil and then turn off heat.  Add chocolate chips to pot and shake so that chips are covered with cream.
  2. Let stand for 5 minutes.  Then stir until well blended and the mixture is dark brown and smooth.
  3. Pour over caramel layer and use knife or spatula to smooth over entire pan. Chill 6 hours or overnight before serving.

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