Is it date night tonight? Maybe you're planning on putting the kids to bed as soon as, and attempting to watch a movie one-eyed under the duvet? Whatever type of night you're planning, it feels like a night for a bit of indulgence, are we right?
We've got 3 tried-and-tested sweet treats you can make RIGHT NOW. And thank us later.
1. No-bake snicker slices
Ingredients
- 2 cup milk chocolate melts
- 145 g smooth peanut butter
- 200 g white marshmallows
- 1 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 400 g jersey caramels
- 1/2 cup thickened cream
- 1/2 cup peanuts
Here's how
Line a 28cm x 18cm slice tin with baking paper.
Put 1 cup of the chocolate melts plus 3 tablespoons of the peanut butter into a heatproof bowl. Microwave for one minute, stir and heat again for another 20 seconds or until it's all smooth and melted.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the base of the pan and put it in the freezer for about five minutes, or until it's set.
In a clean bowl, place the marshmallows and microwave them for one minute (or until melted.) Stir in 1/4 cup of peanut butter and add the icing sugar.
Stir the marshmallow mixture with a wooden spoon until it all combines to form a sticky dough. Press the dough onto the top of the first chocolate layer.
Sprinkle that layer with peanuts and press them in with your fingers.
Put the caramels and cream into a saucepan and melt over a medium heat until it is all smooth and combined. Pour the caramel layer on top of the sticky marshmallow dough layer.
Put it in the freezer for about five minutes, or until set.
In a heatproof bowl, melt the remaining 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons of peanut butter in the microwave. Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the set caramel layer.
Refrigerate it for 10 - 15 minutes, or until set. Cut it into bars and eat it.
2. Peanutbutter caramel cloud cake cups
Ingredients
200g dark chocolate
125g unsalted butter
50g smooth peanut butter
4 jumbo eggs, separated
175g caster sugar
Caramel
200g caster sugar
30g butter
40g peanut butter
5g sea salt
Toasted peanuts (and honeycomb if you can get it) to serve
Here's How
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line the base of a 23cm spring form cake pan. Add the butter and chocolate to a saucepan and place over low heat and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Add the peanut butter and sugar and cook until sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the egg yolks and stir vigorously to incorporate.
Add the eggwhites to the bowl of an electric whisker and whisk until medium peak. Add about a third of the eggwhite to the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then gently fold through the remaining eggwhite, trying not to beat the air out of it. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes or until it has risen and collapsed. You want the edges to hold but some slight movement in the centre. Leave the cake to cool in the tin and don't worry if it sags in the middle - this is what we want!
For the caramel, place the sugar in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and cook until the caramel is a dark amber colour. Carefully stir in the butter and salt to slow down the colour progression. Remove pan from the heat. Using a long-handled spoon, carefully add the cream and peanut butter in a few additions, standing back to avoid hot caramel splatters. Leave caramel in the pan overnight, or pour into sterilised heatproof jars and leave to cool. Salty caramel will keep in the pantry for 2-3 weeks.
Crumble the cake into serving glasses and top with a dollop of caramel. Scatter over extra peanuts and broken honeycomb and serve. Alternatively, you can layer as much as you like - just go slow, this is rich.
3. Gooey quinoa healthy chocolate brownies
- ½ c quinoa (uncooked)
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ c coconut sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 2 eggs (or flax eggs)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
Cook your quinoa according to package directions, and let cool completely.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper.
Start by adding your quinoa to the food processor, and blend until a paste forms.
Next add the rest of your ingredients to the food processor, and continue to blend until everything is incorporated.
The brownies will be quite thin in texture, but they should not be too liquid.
Pour your brownie mixture into the pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool, cute into 12 pieces, and enjoy!
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week (if they last that long!)