CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MACAROONS
From Mistletoe & Macaroons: A Coral Cove Christmas Romance
recipe adapted from The Bite-Sized Baker.
This is the best macaroon recipe I have ever tasted.
I hope you enjoy these confections with an espresso and a Coral Cove Romance!
(Photo to come after I make my next batch!)
Ingredients:
Chocolate Macaroons:
1 cup powdered sugar
½ cup almond flour
3 tablespoons Hershey’s dark chocolate cocoa powder
2 egg whites, room temperature
5 tablespoons sugar
Peanut Butter Buttercream:
½ cup salted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 ½ tablespoons whole milk
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup dark chocolate miniature chocolate chips
Instructions:
Macaroons:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Have a pastry bag with a plain tip ready.
Blend the powdered sugar, almond flour and cocoa powder together until there are no lumps.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold their shape.
Add the sugar to the egg whites and beat for two minutes until firm.
Fold the dry ingredients into the mixture.
Place batter into the pastry bag.
Pipe the batter onto the baking sheets in one-inch circles, keeping them about one-inch apart.
Rap the baking sheets firmly to flatten the macaroons.
Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Cool macaroons completely before removing from baking sheet.
Buttercream:
Whip butter and vanilla for three minutes or until fluffy.
Add powdered sugar and mix thoroughly.
Pour in milk slowly until it reaches a soft consistency.
Mix in peanut butter and miniature chocolate chips.
Creating Your Masterpieces:
Spread the buttercream mixture on the inside of half of the macaroons after the cookies have completely cooled.
Place a second macaroon on top of each to complete the confection.
Best when eaten a day later, after the flavors have had a chance to mingle.
Makes approximately two-dozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Macaroons to enjoy during the holidays. I hope you enjoy the extra crunch the miniature chocolate chips provide. I’ve always believed you can’t have too much chocolate! As Lorenzo would say, “Buon appetito!” And a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!
CREEPY CAULDRONS
Original Recipe by Cadia Cox
From Double Shot of Love: A Coral Cove Halloween Romance
It was a ton of fun coming up with this recipe for Double Shot of Love! I wanted to have a dollop of spookiness with a dash of espresso, in honor of Jack! I first tried this recipe as Melanie originally created it in the book—with tabasco—and true to Jack’s reaction, they were unbearably hot! It turns out that adding fresh espresso to the filling was the secret ingredient this recipe needed! Hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients:
16 small two-bite brownies
1/3 cup vanilla frosting
2 tablespoons green ready-to-decorate icing
1 teaspoon fresh espresso (optional, but delicious!)
16 gummy worms, cut in half
16 gummy spaghettis, cut in various lengths
40 edible candy eyes
Additional edible decorations as desired (ghosts, pumpkins, etc.)
16 thin pretzel sticks
Pieces of thin black licorice laces cut to 3 inch lengths (optional)
*To form the cauldrons, hollow out each brownie with a small knife or spoon leaving about ¼ inch around the edges.
*In a separate bowl, mix the vanilla frosting and ready-to-decorate icing. Add the icing in small amounts to achieve the ghoulish shade of green you prefer.
*Add the espresso to the frosting mixture. Be sure not to add too much espresso as it thins the filling.
*Spoon the filling into each cauldron until the frosting is level with the top of each brownie.
*Decorate by adding gummy worms, gummy spaghettis, candy eyes, and any other edible decorations you’d like.
*Add a pretzel stick to each cauldron for the stirrer.
*Bend the licorice laces into the shape of a handle and insert one lace into the sides of each cauldron, and add spider legs if you like to make it extra spooky (I added a few spider cauldrons in the photo)!
Makes sixteen Creepy Cauldrons to enjoy during the holiday! Happy Halloween!
HEART’S DESIRES
(A touch of chocolate heaven!)
Original Recipe by Cadia Cox
From Heart’s Desire: A Coral Cove Valentine Romance
I wanted to create something extra special to be at the heart of Cassandra meeting her soulmate. Amaretto flavoring reminds her of Nicholas, so I included a touch of almond extract which also creates a wonderful aroma in your kitchen! In addition, toffee bits and chocolate round out the smooth flavor of these confections! Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 cup milk chocolate toffee bits (Heath)
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter, salted
1 teaspoon coconut oil (solid, if possible)
Dash of cayenne pepper
Dash of sea salt
½ teaspoon almond flavoring
Edible heart-shaped decorations
½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
Grind toffee bits in a food processor until they become a powdery consistency.
In a separate pan, melt the dark chocolate chips over low heat.
Add butter and coconut oil to melted chocolate and stir over low heat until dissolved. The mixture will thicken. Remove from heat.
Add cayenne pepper, sea salt, and almond flavoring into the batter and mix thoroughly. The batter will become just a bit thinner.
Stir in toffee powder and mix thoroughly.
Place a spoonful of mixture into heart-shaped candy molds.
Refrigerate for two hours, then remove chocolates from molds.
Add edible decorations to chocolates.
Sprinkle a few grains of pink Himalayan salt on top of each chocolate, if desired.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Makes approximately three dozen small Heart’s Desires, with a bit left over for licking the bowl—my favorite part of baking! Enjoy!