Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Go Bananas for Speculoos

Speculoos Banana Bread




For The Bread


  • 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup of your Speculoos cookie butter
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar

For The Optional Streusel

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, slightly softened and cut into pieces


Make The Bread


  1. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). 
  2. Line an 8x4 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both sides to act as "handles". Grease parchment paper and set aside. 
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, stir together your mashed bananas, speculoos spread, canola oil, egg, vanilla, and sugars.
  5. Add the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Don't overmix! Batter will be slightly lumpy. 
  6. Spread batter into prepared pan.


Make The Streusel


  1. In a small bowl, combine all streusel ingredients. Using a fork, cut the butter evenly into the dry ingredients. 
  2. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the unbaked loaf.
  3. Bake bread for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown before the bread is done baking, place aluminum foil loosely over the bread and finish baking.
  4. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. 
  5. Loosen the edges of the pan with a knife and using the parchment "handles" life the bread and remove from the loaf pan. 
  6. Transfer bread to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.


Blondies Have More Fun

Caramel and White Chocolate Chip Speculoos Butter Blondies 



Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 12 - 16 Blondies

INGREDIENTS


  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup Speculoos cookie butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup store-bought soft chewy caramels, chopped
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS


  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
  2. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8×8 baking pan. 
  3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. 
  4. Beat in egg, cookie butter, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. 
  5. On low speed, stir in salt and flour, then the caramels and white chocolate chips.
  6. Pour into buttered baking pan and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, until golden brown on top and set in the middle.
  7. Let cool in pan on a cooling rack, then cut and serve warm.


Tuesday, June 20, 2017

You'll Want a Bite of This Bark

Speculoos & Caramel Chocolate Cookie Candy Bark



Serves 10

Ingredients


  • 18 oz dark chocolate, divided
  • 8 oz white chocolate or almond bark
  • 2/3 cup Speculoos spread, divided
  • 1/4 cup caramel bits
  • 12 Speculoos cookies, broken into pieces
  • 1/2 cup Salted caramel sauce 
  • Sea salt for sprinkling, optional


Instructions


  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper..
  2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 8 ounces of the dark chocolate. 
  3. Using a rubber spatula, spread chocolate in an even layer onto lined baking sheet. 
  4. Place in the fridge while you prepare the next layer.
  5. In another microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate and once completely melted, stir in 1/3 cup Speculoos spread. Stir and combine well. 
  6. Spread melted white chocolate mixture over the first dark chocolate layer. 
  7. Place caramel bits and 6  Speculoos cookies broken into pieces on top. Return to the fridge and prepare final layer.
  8. Melt the remaining 10 ounces of dark chocolate completely. 
  9. Stir in 1/3 Speculoos spread and combine. 
  10. Spread chocolate mixture over the white chocolate layer and top with remaining cookie chunks. Drizzle salted caramel sauce over the top (as much as desired). 
  11. You can also sprinkle on additional sea salt, if you want.


Notes

Candy Bark will keep up to 2 weeks stored in an airtight container in your fridge.