I love the flavor combination found in turtle candies – nuts, caramel, and chocolate. I am always looking for new ways to put them together, creating interesting and fun treats for my friends and family.
For me, there is no better captive audience for my cooking and baking than a room full of screaming, fist-pounding big eaters, like the kind we get during football season. I love creating a buffet of food that is geared for grazing and nibbling. Nothing can be bigger than a bite or two because everyone has to be able to yell during the game. A wide variety of delicious and filling comfort foods, nothing fancy, is what will make everyone happy.
Melted chocolate that looks like waves on the ocean – Surf’s Up!
Before we get to today’s dessert, let’s talk savory bites for a sec. The Touchdown Tater Tot Nachos I just posted would be absolutely perfect for game day – and I will be making them often this season! Chips and dips are always popular as are platters of pre-made sandwiches or a crockpot of chile, pulled pork, or other taco filling with all the fixings. And because I want to be in the living room with everyone instead of stuck in the kitchen cooking all day, pre-planning is essential.
I usually start about a week ahead. I find out who is coming and whether they have any dietary restrictions or foods they don’t like. Then we do the menu planning and The Artist gets his say – is he in the mood for something specific? I can build the menu around that. Mostly items that can be served at room temperature and a couple of warmed or hot recipes. Keep it simple and think of things that people can serve themselves!
Look for foods that can be wholly or partially prepared ahead and kept in the refrigerator. Then you only have to assemble and heat if needed. Baking a ham or roasting a turkey and setting them up with dinner rolls and condiments gives everyone the chance to make their own mini sandwiches. Both meats can be left out at room temperature for quite a while. Filling and satisfying, the perfect snack! If you don’t have time to make them, go hit your local Honeybaked Ham and let them do the work!
Now let’s get to the best part of the meal – DESSERT!!
Like turtles, this combines a sweet caramel-flavored crust, balanced by the savory nuts and light bitterness of the chocolate. Even though you may be tempted to use milk chocolate, resist that urge and stick with the darker chocolates. They will help cut the sweetness and give you a much more satisfying dessert.
This is one of the easiest treats to make. Bake the bottom layer, create a really easy caramel layer by melting butter and brown sugar together, pour it over the bottom, bake until it caramelizes, sprinkle with chocolate chips and let the heat melt them. Then a quick spread with a spatula and dessert is done.
Make these chocolate-caramel treats a couple of days ahead and cut into bars. Then pile them on your serving platter, wrap them tightly with plastic and store them in the fridge until the morning of your party. Bring them out to warm up – dessert is ready whenever your guests show up!
One of the best desserts for a game-day crowd is bar cookies. They can be eaten like a cookie but have a topping that is similar to pie. Sort of a best-of-both-worlds dessert. If you like sweet, indulgent desserts, these cookie bars are for you!
Happy Chocolate Monday!
Jane’s Tips and Hints:
If you have people coming who have nut allergies, you can switch to one that they can eat. You can’t leave them out entirely because you need them to bulk up the crust layer.
Gluten-Free Tips:
Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend along with almond meal to replace the wheat flour. If your blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, add 1/4 tsp and mix it into the dry ingredients.
- Crust
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or for gluten-free, use
- ..1 cup gluten-free flour blend + 1 cup almond meal or hazelnut meal
- ..1/4 tsp xanthan gum if your GF blend does not contain it
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
- 2 cups sliced almonds or coarsely chopped pecans
- Topping
- 2/3 cup butter
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Set out a 9x13-inch baking pan; no need to butter it. To make it easier to get the dessert out, make a parchment sling - line the pan with parchment allowing the ends to hang over opposite sides of the pan.
- Prepare the Bottom Layer: In the bowl of your standing mixer beat the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the flour (or gluten-free ingredients), brown sugar, and salt. On low speed, beat 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Scrape the bowl and beater and mix another 30 seconds.
- Dump this mixture into the 9x13-inch pan and using your hands, pat this mixture evenly onto the bottom. Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the crust. Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove pan from the oven; leave the oven on.
- Make the Top Layer: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cook, stirring, until entire surface is bubbly. From this point, cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and pour it over the nut-covered layer in the pan, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula.
- Return the pan to the hot oven and bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until the entire surface is bubbly. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the top with the chocolate pieces. Let it stand 2 to 3 minutes to allow the chocolate to mostly melt and then use the offset spatula to spread the melted chocolate over the caramel topping. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool thoroughly.
- To Serve: Lift the dessert out of the pan using the parchment "handles". Set it on a cutting board. Use a long sharp knife to cut into 48 bars (4 strips lengthwise & 12 strips crosswise for 48 pieces. To get 12, divide in thirds, then each third in half, then all pieces in half again). Serve the cookies at room temperature.
- Yield: about 48 bars
Create a New Tradition Today!
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Thank You!
rachel @ athletic avocado
this combo of chocolate and caramel has my heart! These look drool-worthy!!! 🙂
Jane Bonacci
Trust me, you won’t be able to eat just one, LOL!