Whole Wheat Bread with Wheat Germ and Rye

Posted on November 21, 2012 by sparecake

Looking through the ridiculous collection of flours and wheat products in the kitchen the other day, I decided to look for a bread recipe to use up some of the ingredients we only had a little bit left of. This bread worked perfectly, and is really tasty – we went through the first loaf in a day.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/3 cups warm water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 cup rye flour
  • 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
  • 3 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, honey, melted butter, and salt, and stir with a rubber spatula.

Mix in the rye flour, wheat germ, and 1 cup each whole wheat and white flours.

Using the dough hook, mix in the remaining flours on lo speed until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. After adding so much flour, I expected this dough to be much more dry than it was.

Knead just enough to be sure the dough is evenly soft and smooth, then transfer to a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled, about an hour.

Gently punch down the dough and divide into two equal pieces. Lightly press each piece into a rectangle about an inch thick and the height of your bread pans. Roll each rectangle into a log, and place seam-side down into greased 9X5″ bread pans. Cover, and let rise until almost doubled, 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, then bake the risen loaves until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 205 degrees, or the bread sounds hollow when turned from the pan and tapped on the bottom. Turn both loaves immediately out of the pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.

The rye and wheat germ give this bread an interesting taste, without it being a gross “healthy” taste.

I’ll be submitting this recipe to YeastSpotting.

Whole Wheat Bread with Wheat Germ and Rye

From The Best Recipe by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated.

  • 2 1/3 cups warm water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 cup rye flour
  • 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
  • 3 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, honey, melted butter, and salt, and stir with a rubber spatula. Mix in the rye flour, wheat germ, and 1 cup each whole wheat and white flours.

Using the dough hook, mix in the remaining flours on lo speed until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. After adding so much flour, I expected this dough to be much more dry than it was. Knead just enough to be sure the dough is evenly soft and smooth, then transfer to a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled, about an hour.

Gently punch down the dough and divide into two equal pieces. Lightly press each piece into a rectangle about an inch thick and the height of your bread pans. Roll each rectangle into a log, and place seam-side down into greased 9X5″ bread pans. Cover, and let rise until almost doubled, 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, then bake the risen loaves until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 205 degrees, or the bread sounds hollow when turned from the pan and tapped on the bottom. Turn both loaves immediately out of the pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Posted in Bread | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies

Posted on November 19, 2012 by sparecake

This weekend was the last Granite State Wheelmen ride for the season (for the Salem group anyway), and we finished off the ride with a pizza party. I brought these cookies, and at least one person said she’ll be making them soon! They’re pretty delicious, and taste reasonably close to Thin Mints (although with a different texture).

I originally found the recipe looking for a dessert to help use up some bread flour, so…that is the kind of flour they call for. They also use Andes Mint baking bits, which I just learned are made by Tootsie Roll Industries. Weird.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 12 ounces Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips (one bag is 10 ounces, so be sure to get two)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter, shortening, and sugars.

Beat in the egg, then the vanilla and second yolk.

Add the dry goods and beat on low until just incorporated. Add the Andes bits and continue mixing on low until evenly mixed in.

Scoop dough by rounded teaspoons and roll into balls. Place balls on ungreased baking sheets.

Cook until the edges look set, though the middles might not yet, about 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I got about 4 dozen cookies out of the recipe, which is good because everyone keeps eating them!

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies

  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 12 ounces Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter, shortening, and sugars. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla and second yolk. Add the dry goods and beat on low until just incorporated. Add the Andes bits and continue mixing on low until evenly mixed in.

Scoop dough by rounded teaspoons and roll into balls. Place balls on ungreased baking sheets and cook until the edges look set, about 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

No-Sharing Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on November 16, 2012 by sparecake

Like I mentioned Monday, the new cookie cookbook I just got has a bunch of indexes, including one that lets you pick recipes by batch size. Because we’ve already got a pile of desserts sitting around my mom’s house, I went for a tiny batch recipe that just makes three (fairly huge) cookies.

Yeah I’d eat that.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, room temperature (just eyeball 2/3 of the way between 4 and 5 tablespoons)
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon water
  • 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place a rack on the center shelf.

Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and both sugars.

Add the yolk, water, and vanilla and beat on low until combined.

Using a spoon or spatula, stir in the dry mixture until just combined. It may seem like it’s too dry to come together, but keep stirring and eventually it will.

Stir in the chocolate chips and divide into three portions. Shape into balls and flatten slightly, to more like pucks, on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees, then lower the heat to 325 and bake another 5 to 8 minutes, until cookies appear set.

Let cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

These were chock full of chocolate, and big enough that one was a solid dessert. Even better, perhaps, served still warm with some vanilla ice cream?

No-Sharing Chocolate Chip Cookies

From The Daily Cookie.

  • 3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon water
  • 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place a rack on the center shelf.

Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add the yolk, water, and vanilla and beat on low until combined. Using a spoon or spatula, stir in the dry mixture until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and divide into three portions. Shape into balls and flatten slightly on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees, then lower the heat to 325 and bake another 5 to 8 minutes, until cookies appear set. Let cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Chocolate Mousse Ice Cream with Brownies

Posted on November 14, 2012 by sparecake

On Monday I made some healthy vegan brownies. They were gross, and were thrown out. I then made some normal vegan brownies, which were good but half of them ended up getting crushed. What to do when life gives you crushed brownies? Crushed brownie-ade, obviously!

Ingredients:

  • 2 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips (of your favored sweetness)
  • 3-4 brownies

If you’re going to want your brownies to be in larger chunks in the ice cream, cut them into pieces and freeze for several hours before starting the ice cream.

Put the remaining ingredients in a blender in the order listed (starting with the cream).

Blend until the chocolate chips have been cut up into small pieces and everything is well mixed, 30-45 seconds. Don’t just blend indefinitely after that, as you’ll probably start making butter at the bottom of the blender after a few minutes, and that’ll be a gross pain to clean.

Chill in the refrigerator until cool. Since the cream and eggs probably came out of the fridge recently, a half hour should be plenty. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. At 20 minutes, add the frozen brownie chunks, or crumble in room temperature brownies, and continue freezing a further 5 minutes. Transfer to a tupperware or other container.

Eat right away, or place in the freezer for several hours to firm up further. Even once well frozen, this remains a really smooth, easily scoopable ice cream with a great mousse-y flavor.

A perfect dessert to combat a chocolate craving, and a fabulous way to resuscitate some smooshed brownies.

Chocolate Mousse Ice Cream with Brownies

  • 2 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 3-4 brownies

If you’re going to want your brownies to be in larger chunks in the ice cream, cut them into pieces and freeze for several hours before starting the ice cream.

Put the remaining ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend until the chocolate chips have been cut up into small pieces and everything is well mixed, 30-45 seconds. Chill in the refrigerator until cool.

Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. At 20 minutes, add the frozen brownie chunks, or crumble in room temperature brownies, and continue freezing a further 5 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Checkerboard Cookies

Posted on November 12, 2012 by sparecake

Last week I got The Daily Cookie, a new book by the lady that does Cookie Madness. (If you don’t follow her blog, check it out!) It’s pretty fabulous – a holiday or story for every day of the year, and a cookie that fits that theme. What I like best, though, are the indexes in the back, that break the recipes up by batch size, pan size, simplicity, and a few other metrics. Super convenient! The one thing that book wasn’t prepared for, though, was my step-mother’s house, where I went to stay for several days right after receiving the book. The cabinets were pretty bleak (not even an empty box of baking soda), so I was flipping for a good long while before I found something I had the ingredients for. What I eventually settled on was a half batch of the checkerboard cookies (all there was flour for).

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg (ugh, halving that!)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon whole or 2% milk

Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

Cream the butter and powdered sugar using your stand mixer’s paddle attachment.

Beat in the vanilla, egg, and salt, then add the flour and beat on low until combined.

I couldn’t find the paddle attachment – you want it to avoid this giant ball up in the whisk.

Divide the dough in half, and set one half aside. Add the cocoa and milk to the other half and beat in on low, or knead in by hand until evenly colored. Pat both halves of the dough into 6 1/2″ squares on the lined sheet.

Yours should be about twice as wide/tall. Because I was only making a half batch, I needed one to be larger than the other to eventually get an odd number of pieces to press together, but you’ll want both colors to be the same size.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least half an hour.

Using a sharp knife, cut each square into nine equal strips. Arrange three strips, alternating colors, next to each other. Stack a second layer, with the colors reversed, and a third layer, back to the original pattern.

Again, only making half, so fewer pieces.

Press together fairly firmly, so that all the internal edges appear to be meeting closely. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until very firm, at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with a rack on the center shelf. Wonder what the dog is doing in the kitchen, as she totally knows better.

Cut the dough-log into 1/4″ slices and place about 1″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets. (I used parchment, so sue me.)

Bake one sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes, until set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I thought these were fun looking, and really easy for something that looks a bit complicated. As soon as I post this, though, I’m off to try another recipe with the resources of a kitchen actually capable of sustaining human life. Yay cookies!

Checkerboard Cookies

From The Daily Cookie.

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon whole or 2% milk

Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

Cream the butter and powdered sugar using your stand mixer’s paddle attachment. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and salt, then add the flour and beat on low until combined. Divide the dough in half, and set one half aside. Add the cocoa and milk to the other half and beat in on low, or knead in by hand until evenly colored. Pat both halves of the dough into 6 1/2″ squares on the lined sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least half an hour.

Using a sharp knife, cut each square into nine equal strips. Arrange three strips next to each other, alternating colors. Stack a second layer, with the colors reversed, and a third layer, back to the original pattern. Press together firmly, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate until very firm, at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with a rack on the center shelf. Cut the dough-log into 1/4″ slices and place about 1″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes, until set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

GISHWHES

Posted on November 9, 2012 by sparecake

From last Tuesday through Monday night this week I took part in GISHWHES, the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen. It was fabulous and stressful and fun, but most of all it was time consuming. I cooked a few things during that time, but they mainly came out mediocre and not worth sharing. Instead, here’s just a taste of the ridiculous things my GISHWHES team accomplished:

I shopped for diamonds in a cheeseball wig.

Squashes were jogged in.

A seaweed bouquet was given.

Post office employees hula hooped.

Nyssa’s hair got amazing.

Mary Kate gave a safety demonstration on a bus.

Nyssa and Alex made a scandalous grammar-laden video.

Alana (I think?) made a pretty seriously impressive triceratops out of maxi pads.

Someone’s dad wore a cucumber kilt.

Some ravens were treated to some Poe.

A claymation ark was launched.

Eve was seduced at a bus stop.

THE BEST Misha Collins fansite ever was created. (has sound)

Snakes were…tolerated.

I made a mosaic.

Tons of other stuff happened too, thanks to my glorious team:

Can’t wait for next year! If you want to participate… well, you’ve missed it this year. Start googling “gishwhes” next fall!

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Vegan Maple Brown Sugar Cookies

Posted on November 7, 2012 by sparecake

Whipped these up pretty quickly yesterday, and thought they were quite good! Definitely a handy one to have in the back of your mind for that day when you neeeed cookies but are out of milk or eggs or something. They don’t taste vegan, whatever that means, and are pretty firm on the outside, with a softer middle. I hope to hear around Thursday night if they ship well… (I don’t have many vegan friends. If you’re reading this, my friend, and vegan, there’s a good chance you should check your mail tomorrow.)

Ingredients:

  • 7 ounces canola oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the oil, syrup, and vanilla, then whisk in the sugars.

Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly moistened.

Stir in the chocolate chips, then form portions of dough into balls slightly smaller than golf ball sized. Flatten to roughly 1/2″ thick in your hands, and place each on one of the lined sheets.

Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, then cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Heck yes, one bowl recipes! The maple flavor’s light, but with the sugars these are a good amount of sweet to balance the dark chocolate. I like ’em!

Vegan Maple Brown Sugar Cookies

  • 7 ounces canola oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the oil, syrup, and vanilla, then whisk in the sugars. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly moistened, then add the chocolate chips. Shape portions of dough into balls slightly smaller than golf ball sized, then flatten to roughly 1/2″ thick in your hands, and place each on one of the lined sheets.

Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, then cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Apricot Glazed Chicken

Posted on November 5, 2012 by sparecake

Here’s the chicken recipe that brought about that recent potato salad. They were a good combo, I thought!

Ingredients:

  • 2 chickens, cut into pieces
  • One 12-ounce jar apricot preserves
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 12 to 15 medium dried plums (prunes)
  • A few pinches of salt
  • 20 grinds of freshly ground pepper
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 20 to 30 sage leaves

I had been thinking that cutting chickens seemed like too much effort, and I would just get a bunch of chicken breasts, but it turns out they sell chickens, cut into pieces. How convenient!

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place the chicken pieces in a large roasting pan skin side up. If you don’t have one huge enough to hold it all, use two 9X13″ dishes.

Stir together the preserves and vinegar in a bowl and spread over the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining ingredients around the pan.

I had forgotten the preserves and asked a friend to grab some on her way over, so this chicken’d already cooked a little bit when I put the preserve mixture on it.

Roast until the tops of the chicken pieces are browned, and the juices are clear if you stab the thicker pieces. The recipe I was following said 35-40 minutes, but I found it took closer to 70! Just keep checking, and don’t start eating until any pink in the center of the chicken is gone.

Part of this delicious meal!

I find it pretty funny that prunes have been sort of rebranded as dried plums. Dried Plums: Not just for grandparents anymore!

Apricot Glazed Chicken

From Cookstr.

  • 2 chickens, cut into pieces
  • One 12-ounce jar apricot preserves
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 12 to 15 medium dried plums (prunes)
  • A few pinches of salt
  • 20 grinds of freshly ground pepper
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 20 to 30 sage leaves

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place the chicken pieces in a large roasting pan skin side up. Stir together the preserves and vinegar in a bowl and spread over the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining ingredients around the pan.

Roast until the tops of the chicken pieces are browned, and the juices run clear. Start checking around 35 minutes, but expect more like an hour.

Posted in Dinner | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Butterfinger Bark

Posted on November 2, 2012 by sparecake

Here’s one I feel I should share right away so that you can go out tonight and grab some clearance candy corn on the way home tonight! Don’t worry if you hate candy corn, this actually tastes more Butterfinger-y than candy corn-y. It’s delicious!

Ingredients:

  • 20 ounces chocolate, divided
  • 5 cups candy corn
  • 1 1/2 cups peanut butter

This kind of hollow-in-the-middle packaging is totally a scam.

I used bittersweet chocolate for this, I suppose milk chocolate would be more ‘authentic.’

Line a large baking sheet with nonstick foil and set aside.

Melt half of the chocolate carefully on the stove or in the microwave. Spread the melted chocolate over the foil, covering about an 11X15″ area, but don’t worry about being too precise. Just get it spread fairly thin.

Refrigerate for at least ten minutes, until the chocolate is firm.

While you wait, measure out the peanut butter and have it ready. Place the candy corn in a big bowl and microwave for 1 minute, then stir. After a minute, it won’t look like anything has happened yet, but continue microwaving, now in 30 second increments, and stir after each.

Most of the way there…

When the candy corn’s completely melted and smooth, quickly stir in the peanut butter, stirring until evenly mixed. Spread over the chocolate.

About the right color, too, I think!

Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then melt the remaining half of the chocolate, and spread over the top.  Refrigerate another 20 minutes.

Cut into pieces (this takes some buffness), and share with people you like, like the bike mechanic that just make your bike all spiffy again!

A solid post-Halloween treat!

Butterfinger Bark

From Cookies and Cups.

  • 20 ounces chocolate, divided
  • 5 cups candy corn
  • 1 1/2 cups peanut butter

Line a large baking sheet with nonstick foil and set aside.

Melt half of the chocolate carefully on the stove or in the microwave. Spread the melted chocolate over the foil, covering about an 11X15″ area, then refrigerate for at least ten minutes, until the chocolate is firm.

Measure out the peanut butter and have it ready. Place the candy corn in a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Continue microwaving, now in 30 second increments, and stir after each time. When the candy corn’s completely melted and smooth, quickly stir in the peanut butter, stirring until evenly mixed. Spread over the chocolate, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Melt the remaining chocolate and spread over the top of the candy corn layer.  Refrigerate another 20 minutes, then cut into pieces.

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Crunchy Mint Fudge

Posted on October 31, 2012 by sparecake

Every once in a while I’ll make something like Double Stuff Oreo Chocolate Chip Shortbread that uses up the Oreo filling but not the cookies. Five+ months later and it’s probably time to clear the bag of Oreo cookie’s out of the freezer… What better way than by adding them to chocolate?

Ingredients:

  • 48 Oreo cookies (just the cookie, not the filling)
  • 3 cups dark chocolate chips
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • dash salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup mint chocolate chips

Line an 8X8″ square pan with parchment or nonstick foil. Cover the bottom with 16 of the cookies in a four by four pattern. Set aside.

Combine the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and salt in a medium pot over low heat.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and mint chocolate chips. Continue stirring until the vanilla is evenly mixed in, not worrying if the mint chips fully mix in.

Spread half the mixture over the bottom layer of cookies, then top with a second layer of 16 cookies.

I seriously misjudged what half was, and could have covered the bottom layer of cookies more thoroughly.

Spread the remaining half of the fudge over the second layer of cookies, and top with the remaining 16 cookies.

Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Cut into chunks, and use to make everyone around you fat.

A satisfactory fate for those Oreos! Yum. Oh, I liked this level of mint-y-ness, but I suppose if you wanted a breath mint level of mint, you could change some/all of the vanilla out for mint extract. Do so at your own risk!

Crunchy Mint Fudge

  • 48 Oreo cookies (just the cookie, not the filling)
  • 3 cups dark chocolate chips
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • dash salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup mint chocolate chips

Line an 8X8″ square pan with parchment or nonstick foil. Cover the bottom with 16 of the cookies in a four by four pattern. Set aside.

Combine the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and salt in a medium pot over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and mint chocolate chips until the vanilla is evenly mixed in, allowing some mint chips to remain incompletely melted.

Spread half the mixture over the bottom layer of cookies, then top with a second layer of 16 cookies. Spread the remaining half of the fudge over the second layer of cookies, and top with the remaining 16 cookies. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours, then cut into pieces.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments