no bake peanut butter chocolate crispy bars

oh dear it's been a while since i've updated! probably because i pretty much never go on the computer at home anymore. i used to spend a ton of time on the computer so it's a weird shift i guess. i've become super obsessed with reading.

well i've always been a reader, but while i was in school i felt guilty for reading so would rarely read anything. but since i finished school last summer, got my ereader and discovered good reads, i have been devouring books like no other!

i read before work, on my breaks at work, after work, while in the car driving to the grocery store (with my husband driving of course, though i'd be lying if i told you that i've never thought about reading while being stuck in traffic on the highway coming home from work), and pretty much anywhere i can. i've read around 100 books in the last 9 months. (though i've also stopped watching as much tv as it gets in the way of my reading time!!)

now that the weather in vancouver is finally starting to feel like summer, i have to remind myself to put my ereader down and go out for a walk or hike.

i suppose these are a healthier rice crisp style bar (and are vegan), but when you can't stop eating them like me then they become less healthy?? i think ate most of the pan myself. i love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate and crunchiness from the rice crisps. this is a great summer treat because you don't have to turn on the oven and you eat them cold!

if these sound good, you might also like:
chocolate coconut snowballs
cocoa nibbles
peanut butter squares with milk chocolate and oats
marshmallow crunch brownie bars

no bake peanut butter chocolate crispy bars
adapted from oh she glows

makes 16 squares

1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder
3 cups crisp rice cereal
1/2 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

fudge topping
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
1 cup all-natural peanut butter

prepare an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

in a pot on the stove over low-medium heat, whisk together the brown rice syrup, vanilla, almond milk and cocoa powder. stir and heat until mixed and smooth.

put the rice crisps in a large bowl, and pour the brown rice syrup mixture over top. quickly stir together, then add the 1/2 cup chocolate chips. spread the mixture in the prepared pan. smooth and press down. put it in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

make the fudge topping next. melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds. remove and stir. if not melted, microwave for another 15-30 seconds. remove and stir until smooth, then add in the peanut butter. stir until smooth.

remove the pan from the ferezer and pour the fudge over top, spreading evenly. put the pan in the refrigerator or freezer to firm up (about 45 minutes in the freezer or longer in the refrigerator). cut into squares.

5 Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Chews

I have a giant bag of brown rice crisp cereal so I'm always looking for things I can make with it. These no bake chocolate peanut butter chews are really easy to make and a great chocolatey snack to have in the freezer when you want something sweet. Just don't bring out the whole container of them when you're watching TV otherwise you might eat 4 before you know it like I did!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Coconut Raspberry Walnut Bars
Sunny Jungle Bars
Cocoa Nibbles
Granola Bars

5 Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Chews
Adapted from Oh She Glows

Makes 6-7

1/4 cup smooth all-natural peanut butter
3 tbsp organic brown rice syrup
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp chocolate chips
1 cup brown rice crisp cereal

In a medium sized bowl, stir together all ingredients except rice crisps. Microwave on high for 35-45 seconds. Stir well and immediately stir in the rice crisp cereal, until all rice crisps are coated.

Wet hands thoroughly and shape the mixture into golf ball sized balls. With wet hands, press mixture together firmly into balls so it will hold. Place the balls onto a plate or tray and freeze for 5 minutes. You can keep these chews in the freezer or fridge.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

Every time I go to post about a cake I've made, I always think "I really should make cakes more often!" Yet I seem to make them fairly infrequently. Maybe I should set up some sort of challenge for myself like one new cake a month or something, hmm. I made this chocolate peanut butter mousse cake when we had some people over for dinner and we really liked it. Chocolate wafer crust, topped with a layer of peanut butter mousse, which is topped with a layer of chocolate mousse, which is then topped with bittersweet chocolate glaze. I was scared the mousse layers might deflate but they seemed to hold their own. I wish I'd taken a photo of a slice of the cake because it cuts very nicely, but at that point I just wanted to eat it! The cake is really rich so a thin slice is enough. Though if you have leftovers in your fridge, a thin slice might turn into many thin slices.

The only caution I have with this cake is that the bittersweet chocolate glaze has you add vanilla extract to the chocolate/cream mixture, and once I added the vanilla it made the chocolate kind of lumpy. It tasted fine and set up okay, but I wouldn't add it next time.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Rich Chocolate Cheesecake
Chocolate Volcanoes
Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake
Chocolate Pots de Creme

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
Adapted from The Cake Book

Makes on 9 inch cake, serving 10

Chocolate Wafer Crust
1 1/2 cups (180 g) Nabisco Famous chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Peanut Butter Mousse
5 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups (144 g) confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups heavy cream

Chocolate Mousse
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3.5 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I added this but wouldn't next time)

Make the crust
1. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9x3 inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs with the melted butter until combined. Pat the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Refrigerate the crust while you make the peanut butter mousse.

Make the peanut butter mousse
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter at medium-low speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until well blended. Add the peanut butter and salt and mix until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and set aside.

3. In a clean mixer bowl, using the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream at high speed until soft peaks form. Gently fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until almost blended. Fold in another 1 1/2 cups of the whipped cream until completely blended.

4. Scrape the mousse into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate while you make the chocolate mousse. Cover the remaining whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the chocolate mousse:
5. Place the chocolates in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. (Leave the chocolate in the food processor.)

6. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. With the food processor running, pour the hot milk through the feed tube, and process until the chocolate is completely melted. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla extract, and process until blended. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl.

7. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold one-third of the reserved whipped cream into the mousse. Fold in the remaining cream until completely blended. Scrape the mousse onto the peanut butter mousse layer. Loosely cover the cake and freeze for at least 1 hour, until firm.

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze
8. Place the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor and process just until finely ground. (Leave the chocolate in the food processor.)

9. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate to the pan. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the glaze is smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the glaze to a small bowl. Let cool for about 10 minutes before using.

Glaze the cake
10. Run a sharp thin-bladed knife under hot water and wipe dry, then run the knife between the cake and the side of the pan to release the cake; reheat the knife as necessary. Remove the side of the pan. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, trying not to let it drip down the sides, and, using a small metal spatula, spread the glaze evenly over the top of the cake.

11. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving.

12. To serve, slice the cake with a hot knife, wiping it clean between each cut.

Store in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for up to 3 days.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I know I know, I said I would never share another peanut butter cookie with you and that all my peanut butter cookie needs were fulfilled, but how could I resist trying out these peanut butter cookies that Dana posted about? She said that she doesn't think she's ever had a good peanut butter cookie and that these were so much better than any she's ever had. I had to try them!!

The results? Delicious of course - chewy and thin. And you know what? E isn't really big on peanut butter cookies either but he loved these. BUT you know what else? My brother who is the extreme peanut butter cookie lover wasn't particularly enamored with them. So I'm not sure what to make of that, but I do know I'll make these again. Also, I used to make peanut butter cookies often when I was younger and I don't remember ever rolling them in or topping them with sugar (nor do I think they should be) so why do so many recipes seem to want to do that now? And why don't I own the Baked cookbook yet??

If peanut butter cookies don't interest you, how about this photo of Abby trying to steal my apple?

If these sound good, you might also like:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows
Peanut Butter Waffles
Peanut Butter Truffles
Peanut Butter Squares with Milk Chocolate and Oats

Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from Baked (found on Dana Treat)

Makes about 24 cookies

Note: The dough has to be refrigerated for 3 hours before baking. I didn't realize that so was in a rush to bake them. Don't be silly like me.

1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together until fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. The mixture will look light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and peanut butter and beat until just incorporated.

Add half the flour mixture and mix for 15 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat baking mats.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared sheets, at least 2 inches apart. With the palm of your hand, very gently press each cookie down so it forms a very tall disk shape. Do not press too hard and do not press it flat.

Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with granulated sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies just begin to brown.

Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the individual cookies to the rack to cool completely (although they are delicious warm).

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

I brought these peanut butter filled chocolate cookies to school and lots of my classmates loved them and wanted the recipe! Which always makes me happy. Filled cookies are always fun and these ones are really yummy. Of course they're more time consuming than a regular drop cookie but they're only a tad more difficult. You just roll out the peanut butter balls, then wrap them with the chocolate dough. I didn't like how the chocolate dough got a bit crispy around the edges, but maybe I overhandled the dough. I've also made a similar cookie years ago by Martha Stewart - it's a softer cookie with a more hidden peanut butter center, as it isn't shaped like a cute little UFO!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Cowboy Cookies
Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies
Chocolate Chunk Malt Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows
Adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

Makes 2 dozen cookies

For the chocolate dough:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tbsp nondairy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

For the filling:
3/4 cup natural smooth peanut butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tbsp nondairy milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir together until just mixed.

2. Make the peanut butter filling: In another mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together peanut butter, powdered sugar, 2 tbsp of the milk, and vanilla to form a moist but firm dough. If peanut butter dough is dry and crumbly, stir in the remaining tablespoon of milk. If dough is too wet knead in a little extra powdered sugar.

3. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats.

Shape the cookies:
1. Create the centers of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter dough into 24 balls (try dividing dough in half, then each part in half again and roll each portion into six balls). Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, flatten into a thin disc, and place peanut butter ball in the center. Fold the sides of the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter center and roll into a smooth ball between your palms. Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. If you want you can flatten cookies slightly (I didn't).

2. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and let the cookies stand for 5 minutes before moving them to wire racks to complete cooling.

Tofu and Broccolini in Peanut Sauce

It's really hard for me to decide what my favourite kind of sauce is - freshly made pesto, peanut sauce, or a good (emphasis on the good, because most restaurant ones are not) alfredo sauce. I have a feeling I might have to pick peanut sauce though. Or pesto. But today I have a peanut sauce recipe to share with you so we'll focus on that.

I have my current favourite peanut sauce which I've made many times and love, but I'm still open to trying different variations. This one has hoisin sauce in it. I thought I hated hoisin sauce but it turns out I really love it. And peanut butter + hoisin sauce is really yummy. This makes a great weeknight meal paired with some brown rice. I used broccolini and red peppers, but use whatever you have. Carrots, snowpeas, broccoli, zucchini - anything is delicious covered in peanut sauce. The only thing about this recipe is that we didn't find there was quite enough sauce so next time I'd 1.5x the sauce. But then I love saucy things.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Seitan
Pear and Curry Pasta
Indian Stir Fried Cabbage
Szechuan Tofu Triangles in Triple Pepper Sauce

Tofu and Broccoli in Peanut Sauce
Adapted from Canadian Living

1 pkg (425 g) firm tofu
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tsp oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups broccolini, chopped
2 sweet red peppers, diced
2 green onions, chopped

Pat tofu dry with paper towel; cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Set aside.

In small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water, peanut butter, hoisin sauce, and vinegar; set sauce aside.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry tofu and garlic until tofu is golden, 3 minutes.

Add broccolini and red pepper; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp (25 mL) water; cover and steam until broccolini is tender-crisp, 1 minute. Add peanut sauce; cook, stirring, to heat through, 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions.

Peanut Butter Waffles

I love waffles. I've discovered they make a great snack so I freeze them and then toast them when I want some. These peanut butter waffles are excellent - not too sweet and definitely peanut butter-y. They're kind of "heavy" or dense - maybe somewhere between a waffle and a biscuit? I'm not sure how to describe it but they're really good and I will definitely make them again!

This picture is from around Christmas time. I need to take more Abby photos!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Gingerbread Waffles
Maple Pecan Muffins
Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

Peanut Butter Waffles
Adapted from Vegan Brunch

Makes 4 six-inch round waffles or 6 four-inch square ones

3/4 cup natural peanut butter
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp oil
2 cups soy milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

Preheat your waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl, mix together peanut butter, maple syrup, and canola oil until well combined. Separately, mix together the milk and cornstarch in a measuring cup and add to the batter along with the vanilla.

Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until the batter is relatively smooth.

Spray the waffle iron with cooking spray and cook waffles according to manufacturer's directions.

Peanut Butter Truffles

Chocolate truffles - another thing I can cross off my list of things I wanted to make! And another thing that for some reason seems scary or difficult but is actually one of the easiest things ever. Can you heat cream and peanut butter, pour it over chopped chocolate, add butter, refrigerate and then scoop into balls? Super easy and very well received. The truffles had that wonderful yielding chocolate ganache texture, mmm. I rolled most of them in chopped roasted, salted peanuts but because the truffles are so soft, I'd recommend coating them in chocolate first and then rolling them in nuts (or not).

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Chocolate Cookie Bark
Peanut Butter Fudge
Rich Chocolate Cheesecake
Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

Peanut Butter Truffles
Adapted from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book

Makes about 5 dozen truffles

I'd recommend dipping the truffles in melted chocolate before rolling them in nuts.

12 ounces best quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 cups roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped, for rolling

1. In a small pot over medium heat, stir the heavy cream and peanut butter until the cream is steaming and tiny bubbles have formed along the edges. Do not boil. Whisk until smooth.

3. Pour the hot peanut butter cream over the chocolate to cover completely. Set aside for 5 minutes, and then whisk until smooth.

4. Whisk in the butter to the still-warm chocolate mixture until smooth.

5. Refrigerate uncovered until the truffle base is firm enough to scoop, at least 2 hours. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the truffle base, and form into balls by rolling them around quickly in your hands.

6. Place the chopped peanuts in a shallow soup bowl. Roll each truffle in peanuts to cover.

The truffles are best eaten at room temperature. They keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

"The" Peanut Sauce

This is basically the best peanut sauce ever and I'm so incredibly happy that I came across it. I'm done trying out other recipes - this is the one! It's full of flavour, perfectly peanut-y, and it has a nice consistency that's not too thick so it evenly distributes over everything. And you make it in a blender or magic bullet. So easy, so good. You must make it. That's pretty much it! Check out Julie's original recipe to see the different options you can choose for each ingredient. She makes peanut sauce so simple and approachable! Oh by the way, of course you can do whatever you want with the sauce but I just stir fried up a ton of vegetables and tofu and ate it with noodles or rice with the sauce on top. Healthy and so tasty.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Soba Noodles with Zucchini Ribbons
Fried Rice with Scallions, Edamame and Tofu
Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta

Peanut Sauce
Adapted from Dinner With Julie

1/4 cup coconut milk (or I've used water if I didn't have it)
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or jar and whiz or shake until smooth. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it. Makes about a cup.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Will you be bored if I share a peanut butter cookie recipe with you? What if it's a really good peanut butter cookie recipe that I plan on making again? I'd say this is the last peanut butter cookie recipe I'll be posting (well I've only posted one before) because between this one and my other two favourites, and a yummy healthier version, my peanut butter cookie needs are fulfilled. If you've yet to find your peanut butter cookie love, try out this recipe. I'd expect your cookies to be less flat as I think my butter was too soft.

I never tire of photos of stacks of cookies! I love how they look.

Some of you might have noticed that in the baking recipes I post, I usually put how many grams of flour I used. I know there are "official" sources out there that say 1 cup of all purpose flour weighs 120 grams (but actually some sources say 140 grams and other weights in and around there so what is "right"?). And I tried that method for a while, but my baked goods weren't turning out the way they used to, the way I liked them. So I went back to measuring flour the old way, and just recording how much I use each time (which seems to be pretty consistent). I guess I could go through my recipes and see how much I like 1 cup of flour to weigh in baking, but for now I'll just note in each recipe how much I used.

Do you have any favourites from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook? I've liked the things I've made but haven't used the cookbook that much so would love any suggestions you have!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Monster Cookies
Peanut Butter Squares with Milk Chocolate and Oats
Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used 168 g.)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (for sprinkling) sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisscross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies. Lightly sprinkle cookies with sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins

As I've mentioned before, I get kind of sick of banana loaf, banana muffins, and bananas in baking in general - not because I don't like bananas (I eat one pretty much everyday) but because I guess they're not exciting to me anymore. However, I've been obsessed with the idea of peanut butter and banana in a muffin together. So I made these muffins which are exciting, fairly healthy and excellent. They're really moist, don't have a too distinct whole wheat flavour, and the banana and peanut butter flavours are well balanced.

Abby loves laying on her back and sprawling out like this. When we walk by she'll roll over a bit to reach out her paw to try and grab us.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Roast Banana-Pumpkin Breakfast Bread
Banana Crunch Muffins
Mom's Banana Apple Bread
Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffins

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins
Adapted from Baking Bites

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (207 g)
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup mashed banana (about 2 med.)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup light buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, mashed banana, peanut butter and buttermilk until very smooth, making sure all egg has been well-incorporated. Pour into flour mixture and stir until no streaks of flour remain.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin, filling each just about up to the top.
Bake for 16-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Remove muffins from tin and cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12.

Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Seitan

I've made baked seitan before, which was really delicious. But have never tried "regular" seitan. I've never seen it for sale in grocery stores here (except for maybe this really spongey slightly scary looking thing at an Asian grocery store). So I finally made it myself! And it was most exciting. And easy to make. I think I still prefer the baked seitan but this simple boiled seitan is more versatile because it's not really flavoured. While I enjoyed it, I don't think it's something I'd make all the time because I'm just as happy with tofu. I used the seitan in a dish from Vegan with a Vengeance - cold udon noodles with peanut sauce and seitan. Can't go wrong with noodles, peanut sauce and vegetables!

Random Abby photo! I love how her back legs are just splayed open.

I think this recipe is infinitely adaptable. Use tofu or tempeh or some other meat alternative instead of seitan. Use spaghetti, fettucine, or rice noodles instead of udon noodles. I used some kamut udon noodles which were good and I loved that they were made with kamut but they're expensive so I won't get them often. And use whatever your favourite vegetables are or whatever you have in the fridge.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Soba Noodles with Zucchini Ribbons
Honey-Mustard Marinated Tofu
Sunflower Rice Bowl
Lemon Miso Tofu & Eggplant

Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Seitan
Adapted from Vegan with a Vengeance

Next time I think I'd put less maple syrup in the peanut sauce. Isa thinks the temperature of the ingredients is really important (warm seitan, cold noodles & vegetables, room temperature sauce) but personally I'd just eat the whole thing either hot or cold. Either way it'll be good. I chopped the vegetables and put together the plate as suggested but next time I'll chop all the vegetables up rather than into strips, and just mix everything together in a pot (so this is how I've written the recipe). I much prefer a plate of food that's easy to eat! And mixed together so I can get a bite of everything rather than one long piece of red pepper or something.

For the peanut sauce:
2 tsp peanut oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp minced ginger
1 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground coriander
2/3 cup smooth all natural peanut butter
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp Asian chile sauce or hot sauce

For the seitan:
1 pound seitan (2 cups) sliced into thin (1/4 inch) strips (Recipe below)
2 tsp peanut oil
1 clove garlic
2 tsp soy sauce

To serve:
10 ounces udon noodles
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 long english cucumber, diced
2 cups mung bean sprouts
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup green onions, chopped

Make the peanut sauce:
In a small saucepan, saute the garlic and ginger in peanut oil over low-medium heat. Add the water, soy sauce, and coriander and bring to a boil. Add the peanut butter and turn the heat to low. Whisk well until the peanut butter and oil are combined. Mix in the maple syrup, vinegar and chile sauce. Remove from heat. If you want to eat the noodles cold then let the sauce cool, otherwise you can warm the sauce back up later.

For the noodles:
Meanwhile, prepare your udon noodles according to the package directions. Drain them and if you want to eat this dish cold, rinse them with cold water. Let them rest in the colander and prepare the seitan.

Saute the seitan slices in the peanut oil for 5 minutes on each side or until the seitan is browned and yummy. Then saute with the garlic for a minute, sprinkle with the soy sauce, and saute again for 30 seconds or so.

To serve:
Mix the vegetables, noodles, sauce, sesame seeds and seitan together.

Simple Seitan
Adapted from Veganomicon

Makes 1 pound

1 cup vital wheat gluten flour
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 cup cold vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated on a microplane grater

Broth
8 cups cold water plus 3 vegetable bouillon cubes, or 4 cups broth plus 4 cups water

Mix together the gluten flour and yeast in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the veggie broth, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic. Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until most of the moisture has been absorbed and the wet ingredients are partially clumped up with the dry ingredients. Use your hands to knead the mixture for about 3 minutes, until the dough is elastic. Divide with a knife into 3 equal pieces and then knead those pieces in your hand just to stretch them out a bit.

Prepare the broth
Fill a stockpot with the water and broth (or bouillon cubes), and add the wheat gluten pieces. Cover and bring to a boil but watch carefully; you don't want it to boil for very long or the outside of the seitan will be spongy. Try to catch it as soon as it boils and then lower the heat as low as it will go so that it's at a low simmer.

Partially cover the pot so that the steam can escape and let simmer for an hour, turning the seitan occasionally. Turn off the heat and take the lid off; let sit for 15 minutes.

Remove from the broth and place in a strainer until it is cool enough to handle. It is now ready to be sliced up and used. If you have extra seitan, store in the cooking liquid in a tightly covered container.

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

I immediately fell in love with this chocolate peanut butter cake when I saw it on Smitten Kitchen. Serious drool. I had to make the cake and I had to get Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes! This is the only cake I've made from this cookbook so far but check out The Cake Slice Bakers who are working their way through it, one cake a month.

So is this cake as good as it looks? For the most part, yes. It's a very rich cake, as even my sugar/chocolate addicted sister in law (who I made this cake for) admits. Overall people liked it, but it wasn't a personal favourite of mine. The cake was extremely moist and soft, and really easy to make - though I like my cakes more dense. Both the amount of peanut butter frosting and chocolate-peanut butter glaze might have been a bit too much (as you can see by the mass amounts of chocolate on the top and sides of the cake!) I'd use less next time. And I preferred eating this cake cold.

I'm looking forward to trying other cakes from this cookbook, particularly the triple lemon chiffon cake, maple walnut cake, cappuccino chiffon cake, chai cake with honey-ginger cream, dulce de leche cake, and the Halloween sweet potato cake. And those are just my top picks!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
German Chocolate Cake
Rich Chocolate Cheesecake
Elvis Fluffernutter Cake
Tiramisu Cake

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Adapted from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes

Makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake; serves 12 to 16

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Peanut Butter Frosting (recipe follows)
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper.

2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely.

4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula or knife, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

1. In the top of d double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. While whisking, heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Peanut Butter Squares with Milk Chocolate and Oats

A lot of people loved these peanut butter squares - I think due to the crazy yummy peanut butter icing (which is really similar to the icing used on the Elvis fluffernutter cake I made last year). The bar itself was okay. Overall, the square was just okay for me - which was kind of a disappointment because the recipe comes from the Rebar cookbook (a personal favourite) but since lots of others liked it (and asked for the recipe) I'm sharing it with you. I think the squares would be good with no icing, and with added coconut and maybe peanut butter chips.

The background of these photos looks so blue (whereas it should be more white-ish) - anyone know how I can fix this (ie. with Adobe)?

If this sounds good, you might like:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones
Chocolate Scotcheroos
Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters
Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Squares with Milk Chocolate and Oats
Adapted from Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook

Makes 12 squares

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz (120 g) milk chocolate, chopped into large chunks

Icing
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp soft butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8" x 8" pan and set aside. Cream together the butter, sugars and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

2. Combine the oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add this to the butter/peanut butter mix and stir well. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Spread into the prepared pan and bake 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Prepare the icing by creaming together the peanut butter, butter and vanilla. Blend in icing sugar. Stir in cream until you get a nice spreading consistency, using more if necessary.

4. Cut into 12 squares.

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

These are the most addictive baked good I've made in a long time. Not that a lot of other things I've baked haven't been delicious but these were just deadly. Not only are the flavours delicious (chocolate + marshmallow + peanut butter) but the texture combination is great too. Fudgey brownie, gooey marshmallow, chocolate peanut butter with rice krispies. I'm really hungry for dinner right now so I can't think of much else to say about these - just know that your life is incomplete without them.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Oreo Crunch Brownie Bars
Chocolate Scotcheroos
Hello Dolly Bars
White Chocolate Brownies

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars
Adapted from Buttercup Bakes at Home found on Nosh With Me & Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Note: Most marshmallows contain gelatin (an animal product). You can get vegan marshmallows but apparently they're hard to find. Alternately, you can use marshmallow fluff which does not contain gelatin.

Brownie Ingredients:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients:
1 bag mini marshmallows (I think mine was 7 oz)
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter.

In a medium pot, melt the chocolate, butter, and 3/4 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips on medium heat. Stir occasionally while melting. Set aside and cool for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside. In a large bowl, place the eggs and whisk thoroughly. Add in the sugar and vanilla. Stir the melted ingredients into the egg mixture, mixing well. Stir in the dry sifted ingredients and mix well. Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the corner of the pan comes out with moist crumbs.

Remove the brownies from the oven, and immediately sprinkle the marshmallows over them. Return the pan to the oven for 3 more minutes.

While the brownies are baking, place the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat, add the cereal,and mix well. Allow this to cool for 3 minutes or so.

Spread the mixture evenly over the marshmallow layer. Refrigerate until chilled before cutting. Cut into 24 bars.

Chocolate Scotcheroos

I can't believe it's been a week since I last updated! I thought I was being so good staying on top of updating my blog more often. Time seems to be going by so quickly, especially now that I've also taken up a habit of going to the gym almost daily. Not to say that's stopping me from eating baked goods...

Don't worry, no kittens were fed sugary things during this photo shoot. (Or ever for that matter.) She just gets very curious about all food.

I read about scotcheroos on David Lebovitz's blog a while ago and then one day recently just had to make them. I'd never heard of them before but I'm sure for some of you they're a regular thing. They're super easy to make and a great alternative to the regular rice krispy square (plus no marshmallows with gelatin, for you vegans/vegetarians out there). My boyfriend tried them, thought they were okay, so I took most of them to give away to my classmates while he took a few to work to eat. After eating a few more, he regretted me taking them to school because he really fell in love with them. As for me, I liked them but not a super favourite. Worth trying though, if for no other reason than to say scotcheroo many times!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Rich Chocolate Cheesecake
Hello Dolly Bars
Quintuple Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Fudge Souffle Bars

Chocolate Scotcheroos
Adapted from Kellogg's

1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1. Place corn syrup and sugar into pot. Cook over medium
heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to
boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Add Rice Krispies. Stir until well coated. Press mixture into 8x8 inch pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in 1-quart saucepan
over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over cereal mixture.
Let stand until firm. Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars when cool.

Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

I thought I would have a chance to update again before Christmas to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! But I was frantically trying to get through my Christmas baking (cookies to give as gifts, Christmas eve dessert and brioche for cinnamon rolls on Christams morning) and pack them all up then deliver them. I'm never making and delivering Christmas cookies on the 23rd and 24th again! From now on it will be done the week before. (And of course it doesn't help that I want the cookies to be as fresh as possible when I deliver them so I leave the baking to the last possible minute.) Despite the stressful times, I'm not sick of baking and want to go bake something right now but our freezer is full of things so I feel like I shouldn't. I could however go through my new and old baking books and pick out the next recipes to try! Anyway, I hope you all had a good Christmas with lots of yummy food and were able to relax and enjoy everything.

So onto the cookies! I made these a while ago and really liked them. They're soft and buttery with slightly crispy edges. And they are no ordinary oatmeal cookie - they have peanut butter, chocolate chips, cinnamon and nutmeg. The cinnamon really adds something different and delicious to the cookies, though could of course be easily omitted if that's not your thing. I would omit the nutmeg next time because it's not a personal favourite spice - maybe I'd add cloves instead? I also want to try adding coconut to these.

If these sound good, you might also like:
Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Chunk Malt Cookies
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Britta's Peanut Butter Cookies

Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters
Adapted from Baking: From My Home To Yours

I halved the recipe and it made 40 small cookies. The recipe below is for the full batch.

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips. If you have the time, cover and chill the dough for about 2 hours, or for up to 1 day. (Chilling the dough will give you more evenly shaped cookies.)

If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press the chilled balls gently with the heel of your hand until they are about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes. The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula - they'll firm as they cool.

Repeat with the remaining dough.

Elvis Fluffernutter Cake

As soon as I saw this cake on Lynn's blog, I saved the recipe thinking I would make it for my stepdad at some point, as he is a big Elvis fan. Plus the cake sounded like something fun and a bit different (banana cake with chocolate chips sprinkled on top, peanut butter marshmallow filling, and peanut butter icing - all sprinkled with chopped peanut butter cups). Well when my stepdad's birthday came around, I asked him what kind of cake he wanted and he said cheesecake with some kind of sauce. Yea I could've made that for him but what about the fluffernutter cake?? I told him about it but he said no I want the cheesecake. But then I sent him the link to Lynn's post and he changed his mind.

I didn't really like this cake, which is odd for me because usually I can find something I like about most things I bake. Everyone else on the other hand, loved it. Really loved it. Some people said it's their favourite cake I've made - even my mom who is against chocolate chips in banana bread and never eats peanut butter cups.

You can see in this picture my typical "stick all the frosting on top!" tactic. I really don't intend to do this but somehow it always happens. Must work on that.

I've started to put the cakes together a day or so before we eat them but the resulting cakes are drier. I know for some cakes (or maybe all cakes?) people say that if you let it sit for a day it will taste better because the flavours meld, but I'm not really convinced.

Other cakes I've made:
Caramel Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese White Chocolate Icing
Perfect Party Cake (Lemon, Raspberry, Coconut)

Elvis Fluffernutter Cake
From All Recipes then adapted by Foodaphilia and adapted again by Cookie Baker Lynn and by me

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 mashed bananas, about 1 cup
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Chopped up peanut butter cups for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans. Fit the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Grease and flour the whole pan.

2. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating just to combine. Stir in vanilla and mashed bananas.

4. Pour batter evenly between the two cake pans. Sprinkle the mini chips over the top of the batter. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

5. Let pans cool for 10 minutes on a rack. Carefully invert layers onto a plate, peel off the parchment paper, then carefully put back on the rack to finish cooling.

Frosting

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, room temperature
1 cup of smooth peanut butter
4 cups of powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 cup marshmallow fluff

With an electric mixer cream together the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time.

Place 1/3 of the frosting into a separate bowl and fold in the marshmallow fluff until completely incorporated.

Frost the top of the first layer with the marshmallow frosting. Top with the second layer. Frost with the rest of the frosting and sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups over the top, pressing them into the frosting slightly.

Peanut Butter Fudge

I saw this recipe on Lynn's blog during the time I was deciding what cookies to make for Christmas. She said how insanely addictive it was and with the name "killer crack peanut butter fudge" how could I not try it? I wasn't sure I'd like it but I had to make it.

My boyfriend was excited to hear that I was making fudge, and then he saw the ingredients as they were going into the pot. But once you taste it, your brain just forgets about that because it's so good. And it's really easy to make. If only all fudge could have this smooth and melty texture (instead of being grainy or like something between a brownie and fudge).

While I, my family members and a couple of friends were big fans of this fudge (even one person who said he didn't like fudge then tried it and really liked it), it was still too sweet for others. That's to be expected with fudge though - you do have to love sweet stuff. And yes this fudge is very peanut butter-y in the most perfect way. I'll make this fudge again and now I want to try making different types of fudge. Oreo cookie fudge? Ohh what about dulce de leche fudge, if that would even be possible.

Killer Crack Peanut Butter Fudge
Adapted from Cookie Baker Lynn

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup (160 mL) evaporated milk
1 cup peanut butter
1- 7 oz (198g) jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a pot. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove from heat. Add the peanut butter, stirring until melted.. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla; beat until well blended.

Spread in a buttered 9 x 13 pan. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate. Cut into squares when firm.**

**I cut them when they weren't completely cooled, which was about an hour or two after I finished making them. I'd leave them ideally overnight before cutting them. I think that's why my fudge doesn't look very smooth on the sides.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

First off, thank you to all the lovely people that have been commenting on my posts! I haven't had a chance to visit all of your blogs yet since finals are starting to suck away more of my time, but I will definitely be visiting them. Now on to the food! I came across these peanut butter chocolate chip scones on Baking Bites and was immediately intrigued. Many months ago my friend mentioned a peanut butter bagel, and ever since then I've been dreaming of peanut butter bread-y things, so I knew I had to make these.

They're incredibly easy to make and turned out just perfectly. Crispy outsides, soft insides, a cross between a scone and a biscuit. The scones aren't as peanut butter-y as a cookie would be but the taste and smell are definitely there. And who doesn't love chocolate chips in baked goods? The dough is made in a food processor (how much easier can it be than that?) and uses milk instead of cream so I can feel slightly good about eating them. And some of the all purpose flour can easily be replaced with whole wheat flour, without changing the texture.

The recipe is written to make 16 mini scones, which I didn't realize at first. If I had then I might have just cut them into bigger pieces but I'm glad that I didn't. Making them mini means more crispy edges, which I love, and a perfect little size treat. And even better, the edges on the scones stay crispy until the second day (whereas usually I find scones will become completely soft the next day).

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones
slightly modified from Baking Bites

Makes 16 scones.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp paking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
10 tbsp butter, cold and cut into 10 pieces
4 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 1/8 cup milk (1 c + 2 tbsp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Pulse to combine. Add butter and peanut butter and pulse a few times, until mixture resembles very large, coarse crumbs. Add mini chocolate chips.

Combine milk and vanilla extract. With the motor of the food processor running, pour in milk. Stop when the dough starts to come together into a ball. Try not to run the food processor any more than necessary.

Divide dough into three or four pieces and pat each piece into a circle on a lightly floured surface. Cut each circle of dough into 4 or 5 pieces, to make 16 triangular scones. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 16-20 minutes at 400F, until light golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container if not eating right away.
The scones are best within two days of baking.

Notes: Make sure not to add too much milk otherwise the dough will be too wet. When mixing the dough in the food processor, stop it periodically to make sure that everything is mixing properly (I found that the dough was gooey on the bottom and crumbly on top if I didn't stick a spatula in there and mix things up).