Peppermint Bark Brownies

Hope you entered the Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Giveaway Contest yesterday. It's not too late. Contest continues until December 2.

The Ghirardelli Chocolate site has a great recipe for one of my favorite holiday treats: Peppermint Bark Brownies. These are great to serve or give away as gifts. I like to give gifts in unique containers, and old tins are my gift giving choice. I collect tins all year at the Flea Market, the White Elephant Sale.. and my own garage. You never know what you'll find where.

I'm not adverse to using mixes, and I like Ghirardelli chocolate, and this packaged mix is really good. Of course, you can always use your own brownie recipe and follow the same steps. Want to make these brownies even more chocolalte-y? Add chocolate chunks to the batter.

Peppermint Bark Brownies

Brownies:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 egg
1- 20 oz package or 1 pouch Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

Peppermint Topping:
2 cups (12 oz) Ghirardelli Classic White Chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup crushed peppermint candy (about 16 hard, round candies)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. For Brownie: In medium bowl, blend together oil, water and egg.
Add brownie mix and stir until moistened.
Spoon batter into lightly greased 13x9x2-inch pan.
Bake 24-26 minutes. Let brownies cool completely.

For Peppermint Topping: 
Place white chips and vegetable oil in small bowl.
Microwave at 50% power for approximately 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
Spread melted white chocolate over cooled brownie.
Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. Let topping set before cutting.

Photo: Ghirardelli Chocolate company

Thanks for Helping Me Change a Flat Last Month: Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Sometimes, my life has days. Real days. Days that make me yearn for chocolate chunk banana bread in sizeable quantities.

Days such as the day six weeks ago, when I had agreed to drive a coworker in DC to and from a surgical procedure, even though I also had a meeting in Rockville all day. My coworker assured me that he could stick around the recovery room and wait for my meeting to finish up, so it appeared this would work. The meeting even wrapped up a few minutes early, and I was on my way to retrieve him from the recovery room after he’d already sat there for a few hours.

And then I found that my car had a flat tire.

Interestingly, I was wearing a skirt suit that cost more than I care to admit, and high-heeled slingbacks. For reference, this is not exactly “tire-changing” apparel. Despite this, I pulled out the jack, tire iron, and spare tire, and got to work.

Then, one fellow from my meeting, who was there all the way from Birmingham, saw me. He stopped, worked with me to get the spare on just so, and we were finished up in less than five minutes. Quite the team we made.

He ran back to Birmingham that night, so I wasn’t able to properly thank him with baked goods. Fortunately, we’ll be at the same meeting in Atlanta this week, so I’ll be able to stash this little thank-you gift in my luggage.

To make this chocolate chunk banana bread, I adapted a recipe from Nick Malgieri’s Bake!, as his was for a 9”x5” loaf pan, and my loaf pans are both 8”x4”. I also incorporated some cinnamon to add a bit of a kick, and replaced the walnuts in his recipe with chocolate chunks because…because…oh seriously, do you need to ask?

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Ingredients (as adapted from Nick Malgieri’s Bake!)

1 ¾ cup flour

½ cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 tsp salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 eggs and 2 egg yolks

1 1/3 cup mashed banana

6 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

10 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (Callebaut semi-sweet 54.5% cocoa)

Start out by combining the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl; set this aside. Whisk the eggs, then the bananas, then the butter, and finally the vanilla, waiting until the previous addition is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Now before combining the wet and dry ingredients, you simply must treat your chocolate well.

To ensure that the chunks remain uniformly distributed throughout the final product, use a trick that I learned at the seminar with Nick Malgieri: take approximately two tablespoons of the dry ingredient mixture, and toss with the chocolate chunks.

This assists the chocolate in rising along with the batter as it bakes.

Now, yes now, you may pour the liquid mixture on top of the dry mixture.

Fold with a spatula until they are mostly incorporated.

Then mix in the prepared chocolate chunks, folding until just mixed. Pour the batter into an 8”x4” loaf pan, butter and bottom-lined with parchment paper.

Bake the loaf at 350° F for 50 minutes, and take note of just how well-distributed those chocolate chunks are near the top of the loaf.

Let it cool, and then wrap it and pack it in your carry-on for Atlanta. To express your gratitude for the speedy tire change.

Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Contest Giveaway

12/2/10 And the Winner of the Peppermint Bark Gift Pack is Mason Canyon! (random generated) Mason, be sure and send me your snail mail address, so I can have Ghirardelli mail you the Peppermint Bark Gift Pack. Congratulations! Thanks to everyone who commented. Check out the Peppermint/Chocolate recipes I'll be posting this month. Have a great Holiday!

 It's no secret that I love Peppermint Bark, but what I haven't mentioned is that at this time of year I stash Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares in my desk. Peppermint Bark is a seasonal flavor at Ghirardelli, so get these while you can. You can buy these wonderful squares in bags, bars or gift tins at several outlets or you can order online.

Win a Gift Pack filled with Ghirardelli Squares Limited Edition Peppermint Bark Comment on this post below why you like Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark--or why you want to try it-- for a chance to win. Winner will be chosen at random.  Be sure and stop back to this post on December 2 to see if you won. At that time I'll post the winning name, and I'll need your mailing address. Gift Pack will be sent directly from Ghirardelli!

And, here's an idea for a holiday treat using Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark. Toss a 1/2 square into a cup of Hot Coffee for a fabulous brew! You'll create a peppermint mocha!

Don't want the coffee, but love the chocolate? Try Ghirardelli Chocolate Peppermint Hot Cocoa!

Today on CyberMonday, 11/29/10,  Ghirardelli has 15% off on Any Purchase. Code: Holidaygift

Tomorrow: Peppermint Bark Brownies

Teuscher Boston: Walnut Gianduja

Everything has to come to an end. Even good things. Even really good things, like a box of chocolates from Teuscher. I won’t be able to write about their truffles, giandujas, or pralines for a while, because this walnut gianduja was the last piece from the box I picked up on my trip to Boston.

As I wrote yesterday, I’m not the world’s biggest walnut fan, and prefer other nuts, like hazelnuts and almonds. Since this gianduja is topped with a gigantic walnut half, the walnut flavor permeates the entire creation, including the smooth, milk chocolate coating.

Inside, the gianduja is sweet, but not too sweet, and carries a definite walnut flavor thanks to the finely-ground bits of walnut blended into the gianduja. While I don’t particularly enjoy walnuts, the incorporation of the walnut offsets the sweet gianduja and milk chocolate coating nicely, so the end result is a gianduja that is sweet, but not overwhelmingly so.

Although I wouldn’t pick this gianduja for my next box because of my own personal preference, those who like walnuts and milk chocolate would likely find this quite pleasing. Now I must figure out when I will get my hands on that next box.

While I don't have a new box in my possession, I do have other great news to report: after all the discussion about using lavender in baked goods, Lauren from Once Upon a Brewhouse has some great ideas, including lavender-scented marshmallows in hot chocolate - you must read about it.

Stuffed Chocolate French Toast

Today is National French Toast Day.

I posted a great recipe last Spring for Stuffed Challah Nutella French Toast, and if you have Nutella on hand, today's the day to make it! 

I also posted a recipe  in 2009 on National French Toast Day for Chocolate French Toast. That recipe calls for Cocoa as the Chocolate, and the cocoa is actually in the batter. It's lovely, and I usually make it with cinnamon bread, so there's the extra taste of cinnamon.

Today I have a totally different recipe for a Stuffed Chocolate French Toast that is more like a French Toast Chocolate Croissant! Using Challah or Brioche is great because they're egg breads, so they're richer. Adds to the flavor!

Stuffed Chocolate French Toast

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
dash of salt
3 tablespoons sweet butter
8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices brioche or challah
4+ ounces dark chocolate, 55-85% cacao,  finely chopped

Preparation:
Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, sugar, and salt in large shallow dish until mixture is combined.
Melt 1-1/2 tablespoons butter in large heavy nonstick skillet or griddle over moderately high heat.
Dip 2 bread slices in egg mixture until lightly soaked, turning once.
Transfer to skillet and reduce heat to moderate.
Sprinkle each slice with a fourth of chocolate and top with 2 more slices of egg-dipped bread.
Press sandwiches gently with a spatula to help slices stick together.
Cook, turning sandwiches over once, until chocolate is melted and French toast is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes total.
Transfer to a plate and keep warm, covered.
Wipe out skillet and make 2 more sandwiches in same manner.

Cut French toast in half and sprinkle with powdered sugar or a bit more chopped chocolate.

Teuscher Boston: Walnut Truffle

Normally, I’m not a big fan of walnuts. Other nuts, like hazelnuts and almonds, appeal to me a lot more, especially in combination with chocolate. This would explain why I’d never sampled the Teuscher walnut truffle before. But folks, I need to provide a review of the full line of Teuscher truffles. You know, for completeness. So I sacrificed. For you, my readers.

I ate chocolate. For you.

What I ate featured a strong, smooth dark chocolate coating with a lingering aftertaste that was fruity and woody in nature.

It also featured a ganache that was robust enough to stand up to the crisp dark chocolate coating, which meant I could bite into the truffle without creating a crumbly mess. Nicely done. From a flavor perspective, the walnut is noticeable but not overpowering, and a little added sugar compliments the walnut, cream, and dark chocolate quite well. Even though I don’t like walnuts very much, I enjoyed the strong texture of the ganache and was pleased that the walnut flavor wasn’t overpowering. I’d consider topping off a box with this truffle in the future, even though it wouldn’t be one of my first selections because of personal preference. Walnut lovers, on the other hand, must try this truffle. Must.

Chocolate Cherry Chunk Meringues

So many holiday recipes, but these Chocolate Cherry Chunk Meringues are sure to please. They're easy to make, and very easy to eat! Recipe from Wendy Kalen, CookingLight, 2004 on Recipe.com.

Meringues are like a little bit of heaven-- Light, Airy and Sweet! These Chocolate Cherry Chunk Meringues don't take long to make, but they take hours to bake, so be prepared! The edges of the meringues are crisp, but the pieces in the center are slightly soft. Don't chop the chocolate too finely or it will completely melt in the meringue. That's why these are called Chunk Meringues!

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHUNK MERINGUES

Ingredients
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

Preparation
Preheat oven to 200º.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw a 14 x 10-inch rectangle on paper. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape.

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high, and gradually add granulated sugar and then powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Add extract; beat just until blended. Fold in cherries and chocolate. Spread batter onto drawn rectangle using the back of a spoon. Score rectangle into 2-inch squares using the tip of a sharp knife.

Bake at 200º for 2 hours. Turn oven off, and cool meringue in closed oven 1 1/2 hours or until dry. Carefully remove meringue from paper. Break into (2-inch) squares.


Photo: Randy Mayor, Cooking Light

Daring Bakers November: Vanilla-Lavender Scented White Chocolate Custard Crostata

As I’ve started getting into food blogs of all sorts over the past year or so, I’ve been amazed by all the community blog activities that go on, both in-person, such as local get-togethers and long-distance meet ups, and virtually, via chats over Twitter and blog groups. Some of these are ad hoc, like the group that Evan, Julie, and Heather threw together for the Macaron Monday challenge. Others, like Tuesdays with Dorie, are regular occurrences. One such group that posts on a regular schedule is The Daring Bakers, which is sponsored by The Daring Kitchen. I was accepted into the super-secret society for November, which means that on November 1, I was able to access the details of the challenge, and had until today to contemplate my approach, craft my creation, and draft my post before the reveal date, which is: today. See my completed product, a slice of vanilla-lavender scented white chocolate crostata.

The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well. If you are interested, she has made a .pdf file with the details of the challenge and the crostata recipe available here.

Pasta Frolla Ingredients

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Grated zest of half a lemon

1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

When I read “cold,” my brain translated that into “frozen,” so I began by cutting the butter into small pieces and freezing it.

I got out one of my favorite things, my food processor, and briefly pulsed together the sugar, flour, and salt before adding the cold butter one chunk at a time, and watched this fine meal form in the bowl.

I then removed the meal from the food processor, placed it in a pile on my counter, and made a well in the middle for the egg and egg yolk mixture.

It was then time to mix this together with a fork. I wondered why Simone didn’t have us simply mix the egg in through the food processor, and I have ascertained that the reason was so that we would make our kitchen counters look like a dough murder scene.

I gathered up the dough, shaped it into a flat disc, wrapped it, and refrigerated it for two hours.

When it was time to put the chilled dough in the 9 1/2” tart pan, I used the technique that I learned from my seminar with Nick Malgieri last month. I broke off 1/3 of the dough and set it aside, and pressed the remaining 2/3 into the bottom of the floured tart pan. I then divided the dough that I had set aside into three equally-sized strips.

It was then time to finish prepping the dough in the tart pan by pressing these along the edges of the tart pan such that the edges were fully covered.

I decided to blind-bake the tart, so I poked the bottom with a fork a few times.

Then I put some parchment paper on top of the dough, and weighted it down with dried garbanzo beans before baking it at 375° F for 10 minutes, and then baking it for another 10 minutes with the beans and parchment paper removed.

I found myself with a crust substantial enough to support something nice and creamy.

This was fortunate, because I was planning on using the vanilla-lavender scented white chocolate custard that I posted about earlier this month.

I used about 2/3 of the prepared custard (2 cups of liquid) in the crostata, and then baked the filled tart for 35 more minutes.

Now that looks nice, but I wasn’t quite done. For the stand-alone custard post, I used purple-tinted powdered sugar for decoration, but for the crostata, I did something a little more elaborate. I started with some plain paper, and then cut out a little freehand design that I thought looked nifty.

I used this as a guide for both purple and uncolored powdered sugar to complete the crostata.
I took this to a meet where I was coaching, and my fellow coaches had no difficulties finishing it off. Thanks, Simone!

Little Miss Muffet Chocolate Cake

Today is National Cake Day! Well, you know I've posted lots of Chocolate Cake recipes over the years, but here's one that's a bit unique and a lot of fun. There's just a bit of tangy-ness in the cake and that gives it a unique flavor.

Little Miss Muffet Chocolate Cake 

Little Miss Muffet, sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
Along came a spider, who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.

This simple and delicious chocolate cake is made with whey, the liquid leftover after making yogurt cheese. Whey contains valuable nutrients, and this recipe puts them to good use. You'll be making yogurt cheese just for the whey to make this delicious treat. Adapted from a Stonyfield recipe for Chocolae Cake. Don't know exactly what whey is or how to get it? Check out the recipe for Making Whey below.

Ingredients
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or stone ground whole wheat)
1 cup sugar
¼ cup DARK Cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup whey  (see instruction for how to make whey below)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl beat the liquid ingredients together. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and mix together until blended. Pour into a greased 8 inch square or round pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with frosting, whipped cream, or by itself.  (Whipped cream is great!)
***

How to Make Whey from Yogurt: The Cheeseslave

Ingredients:
2 cups of yogurt
Equipment:
Strainer
Clean cheesecloth (or thin dishtowel)

1. Set a large steel mesh strainer in a large glass bowl or pitcher (do not use metal) and line it with some cheesecloth or a very thin dishtowel (if you use a thick one, it will soak up too much of the liquid)
2. Transfer the yogurt into the strainer.
3. Let it drip for a few hours. When the dripping slows, tie the cheesecloth or towel to a wooden spoon (or any big spoon) and place the spoon on top of the pitcher to where the towel of yogurt is hanging suspended in the pitcher from the spoon. You can also tie the cheesecloth to a cupboard handle and let it drip into the bowl below.
4. Let it drip overnight.
5. When it is has completely stopped dripping, pour the the liquid whey that dripped into the bowl or pitcher into a clean glass mason jar and store in the fridge. It will keep for about 6 months.
6. The white creamy stuff (Yogurt Cheese) in the towel is similar to cream cheese, and can be used in recipes or spread on toast. It will last a few weeks to a month in the fridge.

Chocolate Cherry Pancakes in a Jar

I love Homemade Mixes in a Jar. I've posted quite a few including this one before during Cherry Season. Mixes are great to give as gifts and good to have around. Saves a little time, and you'll always have the ingredients at the ready. This would be perfect for Holiday guests or for a Holiday gift, so I thought I'd post again.

One thing about mixes is to really pack the ingredients in. Use a tamper, if you have one...except for the dried cherries and chocolate.

You can also substitute dried blueberries or other berries for cherries. I thought Cherries would be great for the Holiday because of their red color.

Chocolate Cherry Pancakes in a Jar

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cherries
2/3 cup dark chocolate chopped into chip size

Layer flour, then sugar, then the baking powder mixed with baking soda and salt in a 1-quart wide-mouth jar.  Add cherries, then chocolate. Seal Jar. Cover jar with burlap or other fabric and tie with raffia or a bow. Attach gift tag with the following instructions:

Chocolate Cherry Pancakes 
Makes 25 pancakes
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sweet butter, melted
Contents of Jar of "Chocolate Cherry Pancakes"
1-1/2 to 2 cups whole milk

Mix eggs and melted butter in large bowl. Add contents of jar. Stir until well blended. Add 1-1/2 cups milk. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened.

Heat griddle or skillet. Pour batter onto hot griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Cook pancakes until golden on both sides.
Enjoy!

Chocolat Moderne: Hazelnut Hysterie Bistro Bar

In addition to the very seasonal Pumpkin Pique-Nique Bistro Bar that Chocolat Moderne sent me last weekend, I was also fortunate enough to receive yet another Bistro Bar – the Hazelnut Hysterie.

Packaged similarly to the Pumpkin Pique-Nique, it also featured the same bar-style blocks with smooth, intense dark chocolate base. The chocolate itself has a subtle coffee taste, and perhaps a hint of a vanilla undertone.

The praline inside is sweet and creamy, features bits of well-roasted, flavorful hazelnuts. There are also some bits of candied hazelnuts scattered throughout, and while they balance well with the dark chocolate bar, they are just a little too big for my liking, though not so much so that I couldn’t appreciate the praline.

The praline was soft, which is how I prefer my pralines, though this resulted in a bit of the thick chocolate bar breaking away from the praline during bites. As with the Pumpkin Pique-Nique, I would also prefer a higher ratio of praline to bar coating, though I’m not sure that’s structurally possible in this bar format. It appears that Chocolat Moderne offers traditional molded chocolates; perhaps those would present the ratio I’m looking for. I’ll have to procure some and try them out.

Chocolat Moderne: Pumpkin Pique-Nique Bistro Bar

Ah, Thanksgiving. We all sit around and talk about what we are thankful for. I’d rather be different. First, here’s an entirely out-of-place picture of the view from my balcony.

The main reason for posting this picture here is to make you jealous of the fact that I see this all fall. Without even having to get dressed.

So back to chocolate. Seems like a good day to go on about something involving pumpkin. Yet I already posted my recipe for vegan pumpkin truffles.

Luckily, Chocolat Moderne sent me a very seasonal bistro bar in that package last weekend: The Pumpkin Pique-Nique.

The bar itself is made of an intense dark chocolate with hints of coffee and a bit of an earthy undertone, and just a bit of added sugar to blend the flavors. This particular chocolate is smooth and melts away very, very slowly, and the chocolate flavor lingers for an appreciable amount of time.

This dark chocolate certainly makes up the majority of the bar, and I could go for a higher filling to coating ratio, but that’s difficult in bar form.

The filling itself has thin bits of roasted pumpkin seeds, which are mostly noticeable via the crunch that they add to the texture. There is a clear sugar and pumpkin spice flavor, composed of what tastes like some nutmeg and cinnamon, though the spice flavor is relatively subtle. There are also little bits of candy mixed in, which are small enough to not overwhelm the praline while adding a bit of sugar. Texture-wise, the praline is just a bit dry, but is substantial enough to stand up to the crisp dark chocolate coating such that biting into the bar is very easy.

This would be a perfect after-Thanksgiving pumpkin-themed treat. But I already made a cake. And already finished most of this bar. Oh well.

Brownie Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches

I've subscribed to Sunset Magazine forever. I love this 'Western' magazine for its home and travel tips and, of course, for the recipes! Over the years the recipes have changed from using heavy ingredients to producing lighter, healthier fare. Chocolate has been a constant, and the writers and editors at Sunset are always discovering new and delicious combinations.

I love ice cream sandwiches, and I've posted several simple recipes. Here's a fabulous twist from Sunset for Mini Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches. Terrific for your guests this weekend, especially if you use Pumpkin Ice Cream! You can even freeze these for up to a week. If you planned to make brownies anyway, this is a great way to elevate them!

Brownie Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 pt. ice cream (any flavor you like--try pumpkin ice cream this weekend!)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium pot, bring 1 in. water to a simmer. Put chocolate and butter in a medium metal bowl and set bowl over pot, being careful not to let bottom of bowl touch water. Heat until chocolate is almost completely melted, then add sugar and eggs and mix thoroughly. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt, then add to chocolate mixture, stirring well. Pour batter into a greased 10- by 15-in. baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

2. Invert brownie sheet onto a work surface and cut into 1 1/2-in. squares; arrange on pan. Freeze brownies 30 minutes. During last 10 minutes, remove ice cream from freezer to soften.

3. Working in batches, scoop 1 heaping tbsp. ice cream onto half of brownie squares. Set remaining squares, shiny side up, on top of ice cream and press gently.

4. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Straighten tops of brownies and trim oozing ice cream with a paring knife if you like. Freeze, covered, up to 1 week.

Photo: Sunset Magazine, Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Holiday Recipe Exchange: Inside-Out Buckeyes for the Butter Theme

Sometimes, inspiration works in funny ways. Sometimes, inspiration causes you to completely turn a recipe inside out. Like I did with these Inside-Out Buckeyes.

But wait. How did I get here? Did this just pop into my head out of nowhere? Sadly, I’m not that creative. You see, this week’s Holiday Recipe Swap theme is butter.

Sweet, wonderful butter, that can really be used in any recipe. I had butter ganache on the brain anyway, after enjoying a Teuscher Buttercrunch truffle, and reasoned that I could use butter ganache as a base for my recipe.

And then I kept seeing recipes for Buckeyes, those chocolate-covered peanut butter confections that are constructed to resemble the nuts of a buckeye tree. Suddenly I realized what I had to do.

I had to make buckeyes with chocolate centers and peanut butter coating. I had to. And I had to call them Inside-Out Buckeyes, because that’s what they are.

If you think this sounds as wonderful as I do...vote for them! Come join the fun at the My Baking Addition and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap Sponsored by Kerrygold.

Alternatively, you could take a stab at making them on your own. Here’s how it goes.

Inside-Out Buckeye Ingredients

16 oz semi-sweet chocolate (El Rey 61% Cocoa Mijao), melted and cooled

8 tbsp butter

4 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp salt

2 10-ounce bags of Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

Obviously, chocolate is a key ingredient. As it is in all recipes here.

Once the chocolate was melted and subsequently cooled, I whipped it together with the butter, slowly mixed in the powdered sugar, and then added in the vanilla and salt.

It was delicious. Trust me. I took the portion that I didn’t eat, and rolled it into balls ¾” in diameter.

Since these were to be inside-out buckeyes, meaning chocolate inside and peanut butter outside, I needed something special for dipping.

Reese’s chips! I’d debated trying to make my own coating out of coconut butter and peanut flour, but grabbing some of these chips and melting them is much easier.

In preparation for dipping the chocolate balls in the melted peanut butter chips, I chilled them and poked toothpicks in them to make dipping easier.

Then, one by one, I rolled them around in the melted peanut butter chips.

I shook off the excess coating, and set them on parchment paper to solidify.

After about an hour, they were nicely set, and ready to eat.

I had to hide these from myself. In the back of the refrigerator. Peanut butter and chocolate are usually a delicious combination, but these things are unreal.

So unreal that you should vote for them as this week’s best butter-themed recipe. Seriously. It’s just not possible to do better than this.