Raising the Bar
Candy stars in decadent desserts
Those heart-shaped boxes of silky, sumptuous confections beckoning from big chains in Durham to gift shops in Raleigh put me in the mood for…chocolate!
My passion for the sweet stuff led me to wonder: Could I put a luxurious twist on familiar flavors, intensifying the richness of candy bars by baking them into the complex, layered tastes of desserts? Put simply, could I dress up the average candy bar for Valentine’s Day?
Americans indulge in 12 pounds of chocolate a year. And yes, fancy bars with premium ingredients that proclaim their cacao percentages have brought a world of new passion to connoisseurs. High-end chocolate is the fastest growing part of what will be an $18 million chocolate market by next year, according to Packaged Facts, a market research group.
Gourmet adventures aside, my fave is still the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, the No. 1 selling candy in America, which in my personal opinion achieves the perfect harmony of two sensational gems of creamy goodness. Its maker is Hershey’s, the largest North American manufacturer of confections.
Headquartered in the chocolate-perfumed town of Hershey, Pa., the nostalgic and comforting brand brings us Milk Duds, Almond Joy, Kit Kat and other iconic candy bars. Making it even more irresistible, the company’s largest shareholder is a trust that oversees a school for underprivileged children, which was founded by the man who turned out the first bar in 1900 — Milton Hershey.
Start your mouths watering as you luxuriate in the timeless pleasures of the most-craved flavor — luscious, velvety smooth chocolate — in the Hershey’s recipes I picked out that use its candy.
Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip Muffins
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa or Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
Powdered sugar (optional)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups.
Stir together applesauce and oats in small bowl; set aside. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add applesauce mixture; blend well. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and cinnamon, if desired. Add to butter mixture, blending well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.
Bake 22 to 26 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool slightly in pan on wire rack. Sprinkle muffin tops with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve warm.
Yield: 12 to 15 muffins
Hugs and Kisses Crescents
1 package (8 ounces)
refrigerated quick
crescent dinner rolls
24 Hershey's Kisses Milk
Chocolates or Hershey’s
Hugs Candies
Powdered sugar
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Separate dough into 8 triangles. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
Place 2 chocolates at wide end of each triangle; place an additional chocolate on top of other two pieces. Starting at wide end, roll to opposite point; pinch edges to seal. Place rolls, pointed side down, on ungreased cookie sheet. Curve into crescent shape.
Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; sift with powdered sugar. Serve warm.
Yield: 8 crescents.
Note: Leftover crescents can be reheated in microwave for a few seconds.
Coffeebreak Cookies Bars
6 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars (1.55 ounces each)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Mounds Sweetened Coconut Flakes
1 cup walnut pieces
Vanilla Drizzle (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap and coarsely chop chocolate bars; set aside.
Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into butter mixture. With wooden spoon, work chocolate-bar pieces, coconut and walnuts into mixture. (Dough will be stiff.) Press mixture in ungreased, 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until edges are golden brown. (Don’t overbake.) Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Drizzle Vanilla Drizzle over surface; allow to set. Cut into bars.
Yield: About 24 bars.
Mini Kisses Butter Pecan Bars
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups (10-ounce package) Hershey’s Mini Kisses Milk Chocolates, divided
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, divided
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-inch-square baking pan.
Beat butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in medium bowl; beat in flour. Stir in 3/4 cup chocolates and 1/4 cup pecans; spread evenly into prepared pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned; remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle remaining 1 cup chocolates over top. Let stand 5 minutes or until chocolate softens. Spread evenly with knife. Immediately sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup pecans over top; press gently. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
Yield: About 16 bars.
Peppermint Pattie Fudge Bars
16 or 17 small (1-1/2 inch) York Peppermint Patties, divided
1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 cookies)
1/2 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Additional powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon water
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap and coarsely chop Peppermint Patties; set aside. Stir together cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on bottom of ungreased, 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
Beat sweetened condensed milk, flour, remaining 1/4 cup cocoa, egg, vanilla and baking powder in large bowl until well blended. Spread evenly over prepared crust. Set aside 2 tablespoons Peppermint Pattie pieces; sprinkle remaining pieces over filling.
Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Sprinkle cooled bars with additional powdered sugar.
Place reserved Peppermint Patties and water in small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium (50%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until patties are melted and smooth when stirred. Immediately drizzle over bars. Allow drizzle to set. Cut into bars.
Yield: 36 bars.
Chewy Peanut Butter Blossoms
About 48 Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolates
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups all-purpose biscuit baking mix
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 1/4 cup sugar
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
Beat sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter in large bowl until smooth. Add baking mix and vanilla; blend well. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until very lightly browned (don’t overbake). Remove from oven; immediately press chocolate piece in center of each ball. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container.
Yield: About 48 cookies.
Caramel Nut Bundles
20 Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolates filled with Caramel, divided
1 can (8 ounce) refrigerated quick crescent dinner rolls
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup pecan, walnut or peanut pieces
3/4 teaspoon water
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Unroll dough; separate into 8 triangles.
Spread melted butter on each triangle. Place 2 chocolates at wide end of each triangle; sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon nut pieces. Take dough on one side of wide end and pull up and over chocolate pieces, tucking under chocolate and nuts. Pull dough from remaining side up and over chocolates and dough, tucking under. Continue rolling pastry-covered chocolates toward opposite point. Place rolls on ungreased cookie sheet with smooth side up.
Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, place remaining chocolates and water in small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium (50%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at medium an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolates are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Drizzle over warm pastries. Serve warm.
Yield: 8 pastry bundles.
Note: Leftover pastries can be reheated in microwave for a few seconds.
Chocolate Meltaway Brownie Bites
48 Hershey’s Kisses Chocolate
Meltaway Milk Chocolates
2/3 cup butter or margarine,
softened
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa or Hershey’s Special
Dark Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Powdered sugar
Remove wrappers from chocolates; place in freezer while preparing and baking cookies.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, water and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until well blended. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Gradually add to sugar mixture, beating on low speed until blended. Cover; refrigerate dough about two hours or until firm enough to handle.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 48 small muffin cups (1-3/4 inches in diameter) with paper or foil baking cups or lightly spray with vegetable cooking spray. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place in prepared muffin cups.
Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until cookie surface is set. Cookies will appear soft and moist. Don’t overbake. Cool about 5 minutes on wire rack. Dust cookie tops with powdered sugar. Press frozen chocolate piece into surface of each cookie. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Yield: About 4 dozen cookies.
Peanut Butter Cup Fudge
30 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures
1-1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup (5-ounce can) evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups (11.5-ounce package) Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Line 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Remove wrappers from peanut butter cups. (Wrappers are easier to remove if candies are placed in freezer for about 15 minutes.)
Cut each cup into quarters; set aside.
Combine sugar, evaporated milk and butter in heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring constantly, 5 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in marshmallows, milk chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until marshmallows are melted. Add peanut butter cup pieces; stir quickly to distribute candy pieces throughout mixture. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Remove from pan; peel off foil. Cut into squares. Store tightly covered in cool, dry place.
Yield: About 2-1/4 pounds fudge.
No-Bake Chocolate Cake Roll
1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
3 tablespoons cocoa, divided
1 cup milk
1 tub (8 ounces) frozen, non-dairy whipped topping, thawed and divided
1 package (9 ounces) crisp chocolate wafers
Hershey’s Hugs Candies and Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolates
Combine pudding mix and 2 tablespoons cocoa in small bowl. Add milk; beat on low speed of mixer until smooth and thickened. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping, blending well.
Spread about 1 tablespoon pudding mixture onto top of each chocolate wafer; put wafers together in stacks of 4 or 5. On foil, stand wafers on edge to make one long roll. Wrap tightly; refrigerate 5 to 6 hours.
Sift remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa over remaining 2-1/2 cups whipped topping; blend well. Unwrap roll; place on serving tray. Spread whipped topping mixture over entire roll. Remove wrappers from candies; place on roll to garnish. To serve, slice diagonally at 45-degree angle. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert.
Yield: About 12 servings.
Rhapsody Chocolate Cake
1 Hershey’s Special Dark Bar, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, Symphony Milk
Chocolate Bar, or Hershey’s Symphony Milk Chocolate Bar With Almonds &
Toffee Chips (6.8 to 8 oz.), broken into pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan.
Stir together chocolate bar pieces, butter and boiling water until chocolate is melted.
Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl; gradually add chocolate mixture, beating until thoroughly blended. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla; blend well. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Drizzle Vanilla Glaze over cake.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings.
Rich Heath Bits Cheesecake
Vanilla Wafer Crust (recipe follows)
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 container (8 ounces) dairy sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups (8-ounce package) Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits, divided
Prepare Vanilla Wafer Crust. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat on low speed until blended.
Pour half of cheese mixture into crust. Reserve 1/4 cup toffee bits for topping; sprinkle remaining toffee bits over cheese mixture in pan. Spoon in remaining cheese mixture.
Bake 1 hour or until filling is set. Cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle reserved toffee bits over top. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely; remove side of pan. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecake.
Yield: 12 to 16 servings.
Peanut Butter Cup Crumble Cake
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
38 to 40 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures
One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Remove wrappers from peanut butter cups; cut each cup into 4 pieces. Prepare One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting. Reserve 1/3 cup frosting; frost cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle peanut butter cup pieces over frosting. Place reserved frosting in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium (50%) 15 seconds or until pourable; drizzle over cake. Allow drizzle to set.
Yield: 12 to 16 servings.
Frosted Whoppers Candy Milkshake
1/2 cup Whoppers Malted Milk Balls
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 cups vanilla ice cream
Place candies and milk in blender. Cover; blend until candies are finely chopped. Add ice cream. Cover; blend until thick and speckled with chocolate. Serve immediately.
Yield: Two 8-ounce milkshakes.
Chocolate Bar Chocolate-Filled Cupcakes
Chocolate Bar Filling (recipe follows)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2/3 cups cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 (1.55 ounces each) Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars, broken into sections
Prepare chocolate bar filling.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups.
Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Spoon 1 level tablespoon filling into center of each cupcake.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake portion comes out clean. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Top each cupcake with chocolate bar piece.
Yield: About 2-1/2 dozen cupcakes.
