Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

Does anyone else out there have a sister or brother who can read your mind?  Are you so close that surprises are ruined because they seem to think exactly what you are thinking and then ask for it.   Case in point: My sister loves peanut butter cups, so I had this great idea to make her peanut butter cup ice cream for Easter dinner. Great idea right, guess what happened? She text me a few days before I started making it with the following "We are waiting for our peanut butter cup homemade ice cream." Ha, of course she did.  Surprise ruined.  Oh well, that won't stop me from making it as part of my new bi-weekly ice cream obsession.   Ice cream heaven here we come......

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

No low fat here

                                                                            INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups mini peanut butter cups

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Add egg yolk and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and whisk together.   Set aside  

2) Combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt in a sauce pan and whisk together.

3) Slowly stir in peanut butter, milk and cream, heat over medium-high heat whisking constantly until milk begins to boil and the liquid begins to thicken. 

4) Temper in the hot liquid into the egg yolk, by pouring a small amount into the egg yolk, whisk as you pour to combine and prevent the egg yolk from cooking.    Once combined add in the rest of the mixture, whisking all together.  

5) Cover the mixture with saran wrap, directly on the liquid to prevent a film from forming.  Let the mixture chill for several hours

6) Follow your ice cream maker instructions for final freezing - mine is 20-30 minutes. Add the mini peanut butter cups at the end of this stage depending on your instructions.  This is the last 10 minutes for me.

7) Once it has completed its cycle in your machine, transfer it to a container for storage in the freezer.   The ice cream is best frozen for a few hours.

Addiction getting stronger, can not fight it! Another ice cream success.  This ice cream is a peanut butter lovers dream.  There are no words,  other than two.  Make it.

MEG's RATING: D-EEEEE-LICOUS!!

Can't have peanuts try :  Coffee Ice Cream or Vanilla Frozen Yogurt with Mini Eggs

How to make homemade chocolate hazelnut spread a.k.a "Nutella"

This post is for my friend Sebastian.  A few weeks back  I made the Banana Nutella Whoopie Pies for him.  This came about after our trip to Roatan where he brought his own Nutella and made banana Nutella waffle sandwiches.   Clearly he is a die hard fan and always has a jar on hand.    I thought it would be nice to surprise him with a homemade jar of his very own.    With only a few ingredients and a food processor: rich, smooth and creamy Nutella is at your fingertips.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200 grams hazelnuts
• 140 grams milk chocolate, melted and cooled
• 160 grams bittersweet/dark chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 1/2 cup milk powder
• 2 tbsp agava nectar
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F.  Roast the hazelnuts in the oven for about 10-15min until fragrant.  Watch carefully so they do not burn.    Remove from the oven and rub with a dish towel or cloth to remove as much of the skins as possible.

2) Combine the milk, milk powder, agave nectar and vanilla in a saucepan. Whisking constantly, bring to a boil and remove from heat.
3) Place the toasted hazelnuts in a food processor and blend until a smooth paste is formed, as if you were trying to make peanut butter

4) Add the remaining ingredients and continue to blend until combined and smooth. 

5) Store in an airtight jar and enjoy.    If you want the mixture to be very smooth and remove some of the nutty texture you can run the mixture through a sieve before jarring.   I did not, I wanted to leave some of the texture in. 

I will tell you one thing I was quite happy that the recipe yielded a jar and a half as Sebastian might have had to pry this from my hands.  I really enjoy knowing the idea of homemade spreads are not far out of reach.    This recipe has a stronger hazelnut flavour than actual Nutella and was not quite as sweet.  It was still however, smooth, spreadable and delicious.

MEG's RATING: D-EEEE-LICIOUS

I received this picture from Sebastian a few days later.

Ode to the Mini egg or Eggie - Part 3

I actually wasn't going to do a part three, at least not until my post Easter chocolate stock up.   Luckily I had some free time this morning before work and I happen to make it to a few stores.  Do you think I bought enough?  I am unsure (wink, wink).    I will let you do the counting but I stopped after 10.   Eighty percent of those bags have already made their way to the freezer, hidden underneath several items so sneaky Brad doesn't eat them like the Christmas peanut butter cups that have magically disappeared. Don't be surprised if you see me bake something with Easter eggs in July.

Anyway, I went out for dinner two weeks ago with some old co-workers and I was mentioning my new appreciation for Eggies.   One of them had no such appreciation, she was a Mini Egg fan all the way.  A week later she emailed me with a request for some Mini Egg cupcakes for her Easter dinner.   I jokingly said I would perform a secret switch and trick her with some Eggies to she if she really knew she difference.  Sneaky but I never did it.   Her request was vanilla cupcakes with chocolate icing and chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing, both with some mini eggs on top.   To add even more Mini Egg intensity I chopped up some and added them in the vanilla cupcakes.  End result: super cute Easter cupcakes for dessert.

Sadly I never baked any extras for myself to enjoy but I will admit I did snack on several mini eggs.
Here is the end product.  Now if only she would send me a picture of her adorable son, Ronan eating a cupcake so I could add him to my blog.

Individual Apple Crumbles

Another holiday dinner,  which always means I must make apple crumble for Dad.   Every time I make it I try to think of some small tweak I can make just to try something new. My sister, a few friends and I took a trip to the U.S last weekend, when I go I always make my way to Target or Walmart and head straight to the baking aisle to look for anything I can't find in Canada.  This trip I found unwrapped mini caramel balls.  Fantastic, these will be a great addition to this years crumble.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 ramekins

Apples

• 3 large apples (500 grams - when peeled, cored and chopped)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 4 tbsp caramel balls

Crumble

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked oats
• 1/4 cup all bran
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter plus 1-2 tbsp for dusting ramekins, cut in small cubes   

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 425F.  Peel, core and chop the apples into a medium dice

2) Toss with the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Set aside

3) Make the crumble :  Combine the oats, brown sugar, all bran, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix together. 

4) Add in the butter, mixing with your hands to combine coating the butter.  The oat mixture will darken as the butter becomes incorporated. 

5) Spread the remaining butter on the bottom and sides of the ramekins.  Place about 1/4 cup of apples in the bottom of each ramekin.  Add 1/4 cup of crumble on top and mix in slightly with the apples.

6) Place one tablespoon of the caramel balls on top of the apple/crumble layer and repeat with another layer of crumble and apples and again with any apples and crumble remaining ensure all apples are covered with the crumble.

7) Place the ramekins on a baking tray, bake at 425F for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 375F and bake for another 25 minutes. 

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

The caramel balls were a wonderful addition. The apples were not too soggy and the crumble was sweet and crunchy.  Apple crumble is just one of those warming, comforting desserts. It will always be a family favorite at my house.

MEG's RATING : D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!!

Ode to the Mini egg or Eggie - Part 2

It is hard to go through an Easter season without seeing nest cookies with Mini Eggs/Eggies in them.   These cookies are classic and very cute.  Most people tend to make these using the haystack recipe using won ton noodles similar to my giant basket - Cake eggs in a Haystack basket.    I decided to make these little nests using a no bake oatmeal coconut cookies instead.   Just as easy to make,  easier to handle and shape and just as delicious.   The hard question is what chocolate egg to use.    Do I use Cadbury Mini Eggs or Hershey's Eggies?    In the past I have been a die hard Mini egg fan, no compromise possible.  After Christmas I went to buy my 50% off candy and only Eggies were available,  I was pleasantly surprised.    Eggies are quite good, they are a bit bigger than Mini eggs with the same great melt in your mouth milk chocolate and crunchy outer coating.  I now found myself to be milk chocolate candy coated egg neutral, a statement I never thought I would make.

What is your preference?  Are you a die hard to one or the other or can you be converted?

NO BAKE OATMEAL COCONUT COOKIES
- Thanks Mom for the recipe

INSTRUCTIONS:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 5 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cup granulate sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
• 3 cups instant oatmeal
• Bag of Mini eggs or Eggies

INGREDIENTS:

1) Combine butter, milk, cocoa powder, salt and sugar in a sauce pan. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved 

2) Remove from heat and add coconut, vanilla and oatmeal - leaving 1 cup of oatmeal out, incorporating and covering all coconut and oatmeal. Add the remaining oatmeal if mixture, any additional if the mixture seems to wet. 

3) Scoop a heaping tablespoon on to a sheet with silpat and form into a ball and press down with the back end of a tablespoon to create an indent where the mini eggs/eggies will sit.  

4) Place 3 or 4  in the dent while still wet so that the mini eggs/eggies stick to the cookie as it dries. 

5) Refrigerate or put in a cool place to set and dry.

So easy and full of chocolate and nutty goodness.  They are also made with oats which makes them  healthier than your traditional cookie. Right? (wink, wink).   These cookies are great to make with kids, no baking and fun to put together.  You can also rest easy when all they want to do is snack on the batter, or you can just let them enjoy eating all the mini eggs/eggies in the process.  This recipe is no doubt a 5 E rating.  Just for the record I used Eggies this time around. 

MEG's RATING: D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!   

Ode to the Mini egg or Eggies - Part 1

I think if you were to ask people what is there all time favorite chocolate bar or treat, Mini eggs or Eggies would be high up on the list.  I know they are in the top 3 for me, along with Twix and Skor. The next few posts I am going to focus on using mini eggs/eggies into different treats, as they will also be sadly hard to find post Easter.  Thankfully Cadbury decided to sell Mini Eggs all year round catering to my chocolate fix.   Today's blog incorporates my new favourite kitchen tool - the ice cream maker attachment.   After my first successful attempt two weeks ago of Coffee ice cream, I now have the need to try so many more flavours.  I tend to however prefer frozen yogurt over ice cream when given the option so I though I would try that instead this time around.   This recipe uses Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt.  If you haven't tried Greek yogurt in general I highly recommend it, along with having an excellent amount of protein, Greek yogurt is creamy and tangy and a great compliment to fruit and oatmeal.  This recipe has few ingredients and is quick to put together, aside from the freezing time.

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt with Mini Eggs or Eggies

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups plain 0% fat Greek-style yogurt
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup mini eggs, chopped

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• INSTRUCTIONS:
• 
  
• 1) Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. 
• 2) Whisk in yogurt, buttermilk, and vanilla and chill until cold about 3 hours.  

• 
  
• 3) Pour the mixture in your ice cream maker or attachment and follow maker instructions.   I used the kitchen aid attachment mixing on low for about 20-25 minutes, adding the mini eggs for the last 10 minutes.  Use a spatula to mix and scrape down the sides if needed. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to firm up.

This frozen yogurt is definitely tangy and quite different from frozen yogurt in the stores.  If you are a big fan of Greek yogurt you will enjoy this.  The sweetness of the mini eggs offset the tanginess of the yogurt and give some more texture and crunch.  Different from the coffee ice cream when this was frozen it was really frozen and scraping out became a bit difficult.    Take it out of the freezer about 15 minutes before you want to eat to allow it to soften so it can be scooped.

MEG's RATING : D-EEE-LICIOUS


Stay Tuned for Mini Eggs/Eggies - Part 2

Brioche=Heaven

It is 10:30pm and I am lying in bed consumed by the smell of the fresh loaf of bread I took out of the oven 15 minutes ago.  I am fighting with every inch of my body to not walk down the stairs and slice into the warm loaf.    The smell is rich, buttery and fresh.  Fight, fight, I remind myself. 

There is nothing better than a loaf of bread, except for one thing; a fresh homemade loaf of bread.   Making your own bread however can be intimidating and scary.   As with most baking, bread is very technical and precise.   Ingredients need to measured and temperatures need to be monitored.   There are different kinds of flours, fats, and yeasts with processes including proofing, kneaded and rising.  Scared yet?  Don’t be.   You don’t need to be an artisan baker to make bread if you know a few simple tips.

The ingredients

Breads begin with four basic ingredients; flour, water, salt and yeast.   Flour is the key component to bread providing the strength and structure to the bread through gluten development.    Water or other liquids also directly affect the breads structure.  Yeast is responsible for texture and flavor.  The more time the yeast has to ferment the greater the flavor development.    Salt helps to control the fermentation process and provide additional flavor.  Additional ingredients such as sugars and fats can give breads a more delicate texture and soft crust, such as brioche or challah.

The stages

The beginning of any recipe begins with scaling and mixing the ingredients.   The ingredients are blended together on low speed to form a wet sticky dough.  You continue to mix at a moderate speed to develop the gluten and distribute the yeast forming a uniform smooth dough.  If you don’t have a stand mixer this is where you would knead the dough for several minutes, folding the dough over itself forming the smooth dough ball. The second stage is fermentation; the dough is left double in size by placing it in a large bowl lightly covered to allow for expansion.   Some recipes will ask for the fermentation to occur twice, “punching” down the dough allowing it to double again.   Stage three which requires scaling, shaping and proofing the dough.  Proofing is a continuation of the fermentation process where the dough doubles even further after the dough is in its desired pan or shape.     Once the dough has doubled again you move to the final process, baking.  

BRIOCHE

(adapted from fine cooking)

• 1 lb. 2 oz. (4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar 
• 3 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast, preferably Red Star brand 
• 2 tsp salt 
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature, plus 1 large egg wash 
• 1/4 cup skim milk, room temperature
• 1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature  
• 8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, softened 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Make the dough:  Combine the buttermilk and milk and microwave for 10 seconds.  Measure the temperature of the milk after, you want the temperature in between 95-105F.   Add the yeast and 1/2 tsp of sugar for the yeast to feed on.  This will activate the yeast. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar and salt on low speed until combined. Add 4 of the eggs and the yeast/milk mixture and continue mixing on low speed to combine until just the dough is just coming together. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and hook if needed.  Mix until the dough becomes firm and elastic, about 2 minutes more. 

2) Add the Butter:  Add half of the cubed butter, a few pieces at a time while mixing on medium low.   Un-attach the dough hook and give the dough a few kneads by hand to incorporate any butter.  Reattach the dough hook and add the remaining butter similar to the first addition of butter. Once all of the butter has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium and mix for 4 minutes. Scrape as needed.  continue to mix until the dough is smooth, soft, and shiny, about 4 minutes more.  Resist the urge to add extra flour, or the brioche may be tough.

3) Fermentation: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  The dough may be moist and sticky.  Lightly flour your hands and knead the dough a few times folding it over itself a few times.  Placing the seam to the surface, smooth out the dough forming a loose ball, that will spring back if lightly pressed. 

Place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Not too tight allowing room for dough expansion.  Place the dough in a warm, draft free place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hour.   I often turn my oven to warm (170F) then turn it off a while I am kneading the dough so that it cools down slightly.   I then place my covered dough in the oven.

4) Fermentation part 2:  Repeat step 3 after you have lightly punched down the dough.   Shaping the dough to go in the baking pan.  Place the dough in pan, covered with plastic wrap and allow to double again. 

5) Keep an eye on your dough, if you store it in the oven,  remove it and place in on your counter while  you preheat the oven to 375F.    Mix together 1 egg and 1 tbsp of water to create the egg wash.  Using a pastry brush, spread over the loaf. 

6) Bake about 20-25min, loaf will be golden on top.  Let cool on a wire rack.

Brioche is heaven!  It is light (well maybe not light on the waist), flaky, buttery and melts in your mouth.   It is the M&M's of bread.   It's not the best sandwich bread, but it's great for snacking, french toast and tea.  This bread is great for weekend company and even better for Easter brunch. Enjoy!


MEG's RATING : D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!

Cupcake Trio

A group of fourth year marketing students at McMaster University spent the last semester creating a marketing plan for my baking business.   Oddly having taken the course myself almost 10 years ago, between working full time, taking courses and baking there is very little time to develop a business plan for the future.   Working with these students yields several benefits : 1) It’s free,  2) The amount of research/time they put into this 3) Fresh young eyes coming up with new ideas, who may be my target audience and 4) free publicity.     I met some of the students at the beginning of the year to answer any questions they had and where I wanted my business to go.   They were really great, very thorough and interested.  Fast track several months later we are now at the end of the semester,  the students have completed their paper and now have to present the plan to their marketing class.  I didn’t want them to go in to the presentation empty handed so I offered to bake them some cupcakes for the class.  I wanted to make sure they had a few different flavours so I put together a cupcake trio - Vanilla, Chocolate and Coconut. 

For the chocolate cupcakes I used my One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes .  It's a quick and easy recipe with intense chocolate flavour.   Instead of using a star tip like I did before I used a large plain circle tip and made the little balls on top.  I also used half of a Nestle milk chocolate hazelnut bar, chopped finely and added on top of the icing. Adding a bit of crunch and nuttiness. 

VANILLA CUPCAKES

(Adapted from Billy's Bakery)

INGREDIENTS:

Makes about 15 cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature in 1-inch cubes
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla paste
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Butter cream icing:

• 1/2 cup butter 
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1-2 tsp milk, if needed
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup purple chocolate, melted and cooled

Fondant flowers for on top

• 1/2 cup white fondant
• Silver dragees
• Daisy cutters

INSTRUCTIONS:

1)Preheat oven to 325F- convection.  Line cupcake pan with paper liners and put aside.

2) In your stand mixer bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined using the paddle attachment. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour and starting to form small beads

3) In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, slowly add the wet mixture, scraping down the sides of bowl if needed.  Beat until ingredients are incorporated and do not over beat.
4) Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, edges just turning brown, 15-17 minutes.


Icing: 
1) Beat butter and shortening until whipped and creamy.  Add some of the shortening and vanilla and beat on low, increasing speed as the sugar become incorporated.  Repeat until all the icing is whipped in. 
2) Add in the melted chocolate and beat to incorporate.
3) Add the icing to a large piping bag with the star tip.   Swirl the icing on to each cupcake.  


Fondant Flowers: 
1) Using colour gels/paste and dye about 1/2 cup of white fondant to whatever colour you choose. 
2) Roll out the fondant, using confectioner's sugar for dusting.
3) Using a medium and small daisy cutter, cut out as many flowers as needed and place the small and large together using a tiny dab of water.  Add the silver gold dragee to the center.

LEMON COCONUT CUPCAKES
(Adapted from Canadian Living)


INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut, sweetened (I pulsed 1/4 cup finer in my stand mixer processor)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract

Cream Cheese Icing

• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut

INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Preheat oven to 350F or 325F convection.  Line 12 cups with paper liners.
2) In a medium bowl combine the flour, coconut, lemon, baking powder and salt.
3) In your stand mixer bowl or a large bowl, beat butter and sugar in a bowl until light and smooth.
4) Add eggs one a time, beating on low after each to incorporate.   Add vanilla/coconut extracts and beat on low until just combined.

5)  Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk while mixing on low.  Start and end with the dry ingredients, using 3 additions.
6)  Spoon the batter equally into the 12 cups.  Bake for about 18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean, edges just turning brown.
7) Let cupcakes cool on a wire rack before decorating.  Cupcakes can be stored overnight in a sealed container or in the freezer for two weeks.

Cream cheese icing
1) Beat butter and cream cheese in a bowl until whipped and smooth.  Add confectioners sugar and extract and beat until creamy and all sugar is incorporated.
2)  Spread a generous scoop of icing on top of the cupcake and spread using an offset spatula.   Place all the iced cupcakes on a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch excess coconut.  Sprinkle the flaked coconut on top of the cupcakes.

Cupcakes are so fun to play with. You can experiment with so many different things, icings, colours, flavours , toppings.  You may never see the same thing twice.    All of the recipes turned out really well.     I struggled for a long time to find a vanilla cupcake recipe I really liked, this one is it.  It is never fail, same with the chocolate. Both of them are very easy.   

This was the first time I tried the coconut recipe and it beat expectations.  The cupcake was moist and fluffy.  Adding the lemon really heightened the coconut experience.  They are a great combination together.   It is also impossible to go wrong with cream cheese icing in any fashion.
I am glad I could put these together for the students after all the hard work they did.  I am really looking forward to what they have put together.   

MEG's RATING: D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!

Cake eggs in a chocolate haystack basket

I can't even tell you how excited I was to make this dessert.  Once I got it in my head that I was going to do this, I was pumped and then very anxious to see how it would turn out.   For some reason,  I love baking with easter chocolate.  Maybe it's the colours or simply how the chocolate and candy eggs can be incorporated in so many different ways. Easter baking is too much fun!  You can probably expect to see quite of lot of great chocolate egg desserts in the next three weeks.  I was originally thinking I would just make the little cookie haystack nests with mini eggs sitting on top but then realized I could bring this dessert to a whole new level.   This is centerpiece worthy, colourful, pretty and completely edible.  My co-workers didn't even want to crack in to it because it looked to beautiful too eat.   Don't worry eventually we all dived into it.









Cake egg pops in a Haystack basket

INGREDIENTS:

Cake Pop:

• Your favorite prepared cake - I had left over chocolate cake in my freezer.   I used about 850 gr. 
• Your favorite icing - 250 gr
• Coloured chocolate
• Candy sticks or wooden skewers

Haystack Cookies

• 3 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate  (your preference)
• 2 cups butterscotch chips
• 4-5 cups (500 grams)  of chow mien noodles, slightly crushed
• 1 1/2 cup praline peanuts

Basket peices

• Edible grass
• Easter jelly beans

INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Make the cake pops.  Crumble up the cake and mix it together with the icing until all incorporated.

2) Form the cake into eggs either free hand or using an egg mold.  Put them in the fridge or freeze to set the shape before dipping. 

3) Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips over a double boiler.  Stir to mix together and incorporate,  until completely melted.

4) Once completely melted add the chow mien noodles and peanuts and stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula to ensuring you are covering all the noodles and peanuts with the chocolate.

5) Layer a large bowl with parchment (I used a wooden salad bowl so it was a bit flatter),  placing some of the chocolate noodles on top of the parchment pressing down to form a bowl.  Continue to add some more noodles on the edges to create the sides of the bowl.  Let the chocolate set in the fridge for an hour or on the counter for a few hours until dry.

6) Coat the cake eggs :  Melt the coloured chocolate in a double boiler.  Ensure you have a enough so that you can dip or roll the cake egg.   Remove a few cake eggs at a time from the freezer and insert a candy stick or wooden skewer through the large end of the egg.  Going in approximately half way up the way.   Dip the egg into the chocolate, allowing extra chocolate to drain off, tap off any excess.   Place the egg pop to dry in some Styrofoam or dried flower foam.

7) Once both the bowl and eggs are set place some edible grass (which I found at the bulk barn) in the bottom.  Place the cake eggs and some jelly beans inside of the bowl in the arrangement of your choice.

This was fantastic in so many ways.  How can you not like cake, covered in chocolate in a cookie bowl also covered in chocolate.   It is fun to pick out your favorite coloured egg and then even more fun to break apart the nest and eat the pieces.   Decorate your easter table with this beautiful colourful dessert your family will love it.

MEG's RATING : D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!