Candy

Sheet Pan Halloween Candy Bark

October 28, 2016 by mollygilbert520 2 Comments

Happy Friday, peepsicles!

We’ve only got a few days until Halloween, so I thought you might like a SUPER easy and festive weekend baking project — candy bark! All dressed up for hallow’s eve.

The only ingredients we need for this gem of a treat are some chocolate chips of your choosing, a handful of Reese’s Pieces (some for the bark, some for your face, you know the drill) and a boatload of Halloween-ish sprinkles. Sprankles. And some candy eyeballs, probably, for spooks and giggles.

This might be the simplest recipe I’ve ever posted, so get your sheet pans out and get barking.

Grab the recipe (along with accompanying video) HERE! #sheetpansuppers #4eva

Happy Halloween!

Cutest Macaroon Easter Nests

April 3, 2015 by mollygilbert520 3 Comments

I’ve been so preoccupied with dealing with all of the boxes in our house (the boxes, my god, the boxes! Let it be known that moving is just a lesson in setting up/breaking down boxes,) and lamenting the fact that, due to said boxes (and the chaotic state of our new home, in general), it doesn’t seem like I’ll be able to pull off a Seder for Passover this year, I almost forgot that it’s Easter weekend, too!

(#Jew…ish.)

My lovely in-laws are hosting Easter on Sunday and, because they know what’s what, they’ve put me in charge of dessert. I had big plans to make Deb’s raspberry macaroons and maybe even a flourless chocolate cake in a nod to the (begrudgingly neglected, by me) Passover holiday, but then I saw these little munchkins on Martha Stewart’s instagram and that was that.

I mean, HOW CUTE are these guys?

The facts: they only use 4 ingredients (plus a bit of chocolate and mini eggs, for decorating). They take less than 30 minutes to bake. They are a bonafide excuse to buy a big bag of miniature chocolate easter eggs.

So WHAT are you waiting for? Easter weekend baking project — begin!

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Eggnog Marshmallows

December 23, 2014 by mollygilbert520 4 Comments

Make your own mallows! Plain vanilla is an option, but we can make ones that smack of eggnog so WHY NOT?

Nogmallows? It’s just two days until Christmas, after all.

Are you ready? I am READY. We spent last week doing all manner of Seattle Christmas things; we trimmed our little tree, baked (and then ate, but mostly that was just me) all of the cookies, saw the last showing of the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s classic Nutcracker (made famous by Maurice Sendak-designed sets), and were lucky enough to gather with family and friends a few nights in a row for general merriment and reverie.

But today it’s off to Hawaii we go! For sunshine, surf and sand. And poke. YES!

Will it be weird to spend Christmas in 80-degree weather? Maybe. Will it be kind of great? Probably. Can we still make marshmallows and drown them in hot chocolate?

YEP!

I’ll be back with a few nuggets of ~~wisdom~~ things and some recipes soon, so check back on Thursday, but in the meantime you can find cookies here, and also: HAPPY ALMOST MARSHMALLOW CHRISTMASTIME! I’m thankful for you and hope you have the merriest of the merry this holiday.

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Chocolate Candy Bark

December 17, 2014 by mollygilbert520 8 Comments

It’s just over a week until Christmas, so I wanted to personally deliver this holiday Mollygram directly to you! Let’s make some chocolate bark together:

Did you get all that? Here’s the recipe (from #sheetpansuppers!), just in case.

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Party Figs

August 22, 2013 by mollygilbert520 7 Comments

These figs like to party. Which is good because next week is my 29th birthday.

29! Almost aaaaalmost 30! Not that I’m rushing. Let’s bust out the sprinkles. Or, as my sister’s first grade student calls them, “them sprankles.” To me, nothing says PARTY like rainbow sprankles. Sprinkles. They’re like the tiny party hats of the food world. Only more flattering and without that uncomfortable rubber-band chin strap.

Party figs! They’re the best of both worlds. Sophisticated elegance (fresh figs) meets lowbrow nostalgia (white chocolate and rainbow sprinkles). Eating them is like seeing Grace Kelly at the Dairy Queen. Or “The Situation” at Buckingham Palace?

Similes aside, I think you’ll want to make these before fresh figs disappear (a.k.a soon). Sweet in both flavor and appearance, they make a playful end to a late-summer dinner gathering, or else just a fun and colorful snack. Either way, it’ll be a p-a-r-t-y.

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Cocoa Date Truffles

February 8, 2013 by mollygilbert520 5 Comments

For you! Just in time for Valentine’s Day. I’m setting you up with a date.

I saw that eye roll, missy. Don’t worry! This date won’t be boring or bland or jealous of your Days-Of-The-Week underpants. Nope. This date is sweet and adorable and unexpected. Also, this date smells like chocolate. (Is it just me or does anyone else think I’ve just described the perfect date?)

(Just checking.)

Alright. I’m tired of date puns. Let’s just talk about truffles, okay? I won’t lie to you — if you’re looking to get your deep dark chocolate on this Valentine’s Day, these little babies won’t cut it. They just won’t. Why? Because these truffles are made primarily with dates, not chocolate. True, they’re rich and luscious and yes, they do take a tumble with some cocoa powder, but I’m just trying to tell you straight — dates are no replacement for chocolate.

If you’re looking for some true chocolate action on the 14th, get into this Flourless Chocolate Cake, or whip up a Brownie Berry Tart. Maybe make some Devil’s Food Raspberry Drip Cakes? Chunky Peanut Butter Brownies? Ooh, or World Peace Cookies! Chocolate Heart Sandwich Cookies with Whipped Espresso Ganache? The point is, we’ve got options.

These Cocoa Date Truffles are something different. They keep us on our toes. They’re sweet and decadent, dark and yielding, fudgy in texture and complex in flavor. And so clever, what without any added sugar and all. (I love sugar, but I’m just saying.) (I also really love parentheses today, apparently. Apologies.)

Try it out! Put yourself out there for a date. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised (and like, totally fall in love and have babies and puppies and stuff).

(Sorry. I’m stopping now.)

(Seriously.)

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Owl Cakes

October 25, 2012 by mollygilbert520 12 Comments

I mean…

Do I even need words for these? How dang CUTE is he?

I could just eat him up. Which, in fact, is exactly what I intend to do. So.

Sorry I’m not sorry.

Here’s a checklist for owl cakes of your very own:

cupcakes (from scratch or some sort of box mix, no judgement here)
frosting (I will only sort of judge you if you use pre-made frosting)
Oreo cookies (for owl eyes)
Reese’s pieces or M&Ms (orange for beaks, brown or green or blue for eyeballs)

The little kiddos and I made these in cooking class today; they are, I think you’ll agree, a real hoot. Happy almost-Halloween!

Salty Caramel Thyme Dip

October 4, 2012 by mollygilbert520 3 Comments

I’ve been wanting to tell you about this caramel recipe for awhile, but then it was suddenly upwards of 90 degrees here and I was too busy panting my way up the stairs (four flights, come on!) and standing directly in front of the table fan. Which took hours, you understand.

But! The caramel. It is good. And now it’s starting to feel appropriately fall-ish here in the Bay. I’ve got sunflowers in miniature vases and miniature pumpkins on the coffee table. I’m into miniatures, apparently. Also caramel.

Do you say cah-rah-mel? Car-mel? What’s the appropriate pronunciation, anyway? It’s probably best to just eat it, and leave the pronouncing to someone else. Is what I always say.

This caramel is for dipping and dunking and eating straight off the spoon. The thyme gives it a subtle and pleasant earthiness, and the addition of cream cheese (a happy accident, the result of not having any heavy cream in the refrigerator and needing a suitable replacement) results in a creamily thick, smooth, and subtly tangy caramel. Car-mel. Whatever. Lay off.

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Salty Rosemary Toffee Crunch

December 2, 2011 by mollygilbert520 14 Comments

‘Tis the season, and all that. Isn’t it? Everyone’s favorite. The season of Christmas trees, candy canes, shiny bells and baubles.

So, um, I’ll just say it. It’s rough to be a Jew in December.

Here, two haikus I wrote to express my feelings this month:

You drink hot cocoa
Wait for fat man in red suit
I fake not caring.

You with your cookies
Justin Bieber sings carols
Me, Chinese take-out.

In truth, I’m not a very good Jew. I mean, I sort of switch hit, this time of year. No offense to Hannukah, but Christmas is just more fun. Sorry, Grandpa. I’m not trying to make any sort of religious statement here; all I’m saying is that I probably bake more Christmas cookies than anyone else with a menorah. I’m okay with it.

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Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows

October 19, 2011 by mollygilbert520 7 Comments

Those things up there? They’re springy. Stickyish. Sweet and sugared, square and bouncebouncebouncy. Those, my friends, are marshmallows.

They’re actually Halloween-themed marshmallows, on account of they’re orange. That’s on account of the food coloring which, of course, is on account of the upcoming jack o’lanterned holiday. So, you know. Themes.

I’ve been wanting to make my own marshmallows for awhile now. When I worked in the kitchen at Liddabit Sweets, I made marshmallow all the time – sticky, gooey stuff we’d spread as filling for some sick (like, si-hiiiick, in a good way) candy bars, but until now I’ve never tackled the at-home marshmallow set. Now that it’s done, it’s going to be a thing. I’m pretty sure of it. I’ve got long lists of mallowy flavors in my head, so I’m just saying: consider yourself warned.

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