Caramel Peanut Butter Bars

Sometimes I crave peanut butter and these Caramel Peanut Butter Bars are delicious.  They almost taste like a sundae without the ice cream and of course you can add the ice cream.  They freeze well and make an excellent afternoon treat with coffee or tea.

I use boxed cakes for convenience. Consisting of flour, sugar, and leavening cake mixes provide a shortcut to many desserts.  The possibilities are endless with a boxed cake mix.  I don’t know if nonna would agree, but I am sure she is looking down and laughing.  Today the cake mix helps to make the crust.  This recipe is so good, your guests will be shocked when they find out that it all started with a boxed cake mix.

Now, make your own caramel sauce. This is an easy recipe with many uses.  I use this for ice cream or to dress cakes.  It has 4 ingredients and you simply cook it for a few minutes.  Refrigerate it and use as needed.  You can double or triple the recipe.

Another one of my favourite squares https://recipesatmytable.com/limoncello-cheesecake-blondies/

For more delicious sauces see https://www.brit.co/ice-cream-topping-recipes/

Ingredients

• 1 white or yellow cake mix
• 1 cup of quick oats
• 2/3 cups of creamy peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 batch caramel sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 brick of cream cheese
• 1/2 a cup each of white chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips

Caramel Sauce

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup each of milk and cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla

Process

In a small pan place the brown sugar, butter, milk and cream.  Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes until thickened.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla.  You can do this ahead of time and let it cool.  I usually let it cool overnight.

I preheat my oven to 350 F and I grease a 13. X 9 inch baking pan.  Take the cake mix and introduce the oats.

 

  Now cut in the peanut butter until the mixture is crumbly. I used a fork to bring it all together.   Beat the egg and milk and add it to the bowl.  Mix together. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the mixture .

 

Press the remaining mixture into the pan.

Soften the cream cheese and beat until fluffy with an electric mixer.  When fluffy, introduce the caramel sauce and beat.

Pour the and spread this mixture over the crumb base.

Use the reserved peanut butter mixture and sprinkle over the the cream cheese layer.

Follow with the chocolate chips and place in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.  The centre should be set.

Cool and cut into bars or squares.  YUM!!

 

 

 

 

 

Retro Chocolate Pudding Cake

You know my theory, “what’s old is new”, and my Retro Chocolate Pudding Cake comes to the table even in the summertime.  This pudding cake is very versatile.  Today I have fresh blueberries and I could make parfaits as dessert.  You can use any fruit and use it to in between as a layer.  Of course summer means ice-cream at our house. In the end we have it sliced with fresh blueberries, ice cream and whipped cream. This make a small cake, but I have doubled the recipe and put it in a 9 X 13 pan.

I think these easy recipes came about to enjoy.  On Terrance Avenue in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario I made many of these desserts.   My mother-in-law Erika Solski made this recipe often for the kids.  It was written on one of her recipe cards. This recipe was easy to make ahead and after a long day teaching, supper was always a hit.  Always remember, be creative and yummy food for the family doesn’t have to be complicated.  These ingredients are at-hand in your pantry and the assembly is quick.  Make ahead and enjoy cold or warm-up it up: the choice is yours.

Don’t forget my other retro-cake : https://recipesatmytable.com/espresso-chocolate-mayonnaise-cake/

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup  cocoa powder
• 2 cups boiling water

Process

I place the four, baking powder, sugar and cocoa in a bowl and mix them.

In a small bowl, I melted the butter and added the milk. Then I poured the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix.  This will be a stiff batter.

Take a greased 9 inch square pan and put in the batter.  I use a piece of plastic wrap to smooth it out. If you double the recipe, you use a 9 X 13 pan.  

 

Put the kettle on to boil and place the brown sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa powder in a bowl.  Pour in 2 cups boiling water and mix.

Now gently pour the hot mixture over the cake base.  Do not mix.

Place into a 350 F oven for 40 minutes. Remove and let cool. You have sauce on the bottom and cake on top.

I cut a piece and flip it upside down. See the pudding.  

Then I decorate with ice cream, blueberries and whipped cream.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Chocolate Marbled Ring

With a few simple ingredients from my pantry this Easy Chocolate Marbled Ring comes together. Many of us are intimidated by baking, but the truth is the simpler the better.  Most of my recipes are versatile and my nonna knew that they could go from the family table to a guest table.  Always make sure your ingredients are at room temperature and gather them ahead of time.  Make sure you preheat the oven, otherwise the cake won’t rise properly.  And always let the cake cool-down for at least 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.

For me simple is good.  This type of cake is great as a breakfast treat.  No cake won’t make you put on extra pounds, but be careful with your portions.  LOL  Italians are known to eat sweats at breakfast.  When I go to Italy in the summertime, I usually eat more, but weigh less.  I love the way we eat in Italy.

This cake also makes a great afternoon snack and to serve it for company add fruit, ice cream, whipped cream with Baileys, etc.  I am always telling you to adjust the recipes and make them your own.  My mom does a version of this cake that is out of this world.  This in no way stands up to hers, but it makes me feel closer to her as I eat a large chunk with my morning espresso.  So, however you choose to eat your cake, enjoy it!!

This recipe makes a small ring enough for 10 people.  You can double the recipe for a larger ring that is thicker and serves more.  Just adjust the cooking time by about 10 minutes.

It’s summer, don’t forget my https://recipesatmytable.com/simple-ice-cream-cake/

Ingredients

• 1 generous tsp oil or butter for greasing the pan
• a large ring cake pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cups butter (softened)
• 3 eggs ( slightly beaten)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Process

Generously grease the pan and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 325.  In a large bowl sift the flour and baking powder.

Add the sugar, butter, and eggs.  Beat until smooth.  The batter will be thick.  Place half this batter in another bowl.

In a small bowl blend the 2 tbsp cocoa with the 2 tbsp cream.

Combine the cocoa mixture into one of the bowls with batter.

To the other bowl add the vanilla.

Using a large serving spoon, alternate spoonfuls of each batter into the cake pan.Using a knife, lightly swirl the batter to produce a marbled effect.

Place in the oven for 40 minutes.  Check and it may need another 10 minutes depending on your oven.

Let it cool for 10 minutes. 

Then turn it onto a wire rack until completely cooled.

It will look simply divine dusted with some icing sugar.