Triple Chocolate Toffee Fudge

A treat for adults!

There are actually more than three kinds of chocolate in this fudge, but "Multiple Chocolate Toffee Fudge" didn't quite have the same panache. This obscenely decadent indulgence - which was a tremendous hit at a friend's recent potluck gathering - features milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate (technically not "chocolate," but ...), mini chocolate chips, chocolate frosting ... sigh. Rich and luscious, one or two pieces will definitely suffice; so it's great for a party, where everyone tastes a bit of this and a bit of that.

The recipe for this fudge is probably the easiest one I have, shared with me years ago by a friend. In its most basic form, there are only two ingredients: chocolate chips and chocolate frosting. No need for candy thermometers, no intimidating temperatures or stages to gauge. Melt together two ingredients, then let them set. Make it more festive as you see fit with add-ins and decorations: crushed cookies or pretzels, sprinkles, dried fruit, nuts, whatever.

Keep the ingredients on hand at all times, and you're ready for last-minute invitations, guests, or gift-giving ... or for spontaneous cravings!


Triple Chocolate Toffee Fudge

1 16-ounce can chocolate fudge frosting
1 12-ounce package milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup chocolate toffee chips
1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Line an 8"x8" baking pan with foil, letting the edges extend over the pan, then grease the foil.

In a small saucepan, melt together the frosting and the milk chocolate chips over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth; pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and toffee chips, pressing lightly. Refrigerate until set.

Melt the white chocolate chips, then use a fork to drizzle the white chocolate over the fudge. Let set.

Using the extended edges of the foil, pull the fudge from the pan. Pull sides of the foil down and trim edges from the fudge to get clean lines. Cut into 1" pieces, and place into decorative paper cups for serving.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Jefferson Market and Cakery

Craig has a sweet tooth. His makes my own infamous one hang its head in shame.

So it didn't take a lot of work to persuade Craig to join me at Jefferson Market and Cakery one afternoon for coffee and treats. Not a full meal, admittedly; but then, one doesn't always require a full meal. Sometimes one just requires a bit of comfort and a little something delicious. These desserts were perfect.

For less than $5 per person - our mandatory Frugal Floozie Friday budget - I was able to enjoy the gorgeous Red Velvet cupcake pictured above plus a cup of coffee: $1.75 for the former, $2 for the latter (a small one). Rich frosting, tender cake ... a lovely snack.

Craig chose the beautiful Berry Bar for $3.50 - a crisp crust, a thin layer of custard, ripe fruits, and a crumbly topping.  A bit sweet, a bit tart, and entirely wonderful!

Coffees and chai range in price from $2-2.75. Now that Spring is here and cool drinks are desired, both lemonade and iced tea cost only $2.

You can also buy sandwiches, ranging in price from $6.99-7.99; they're served with house-made chips. One of these could be split, making sure to save room for one of the amazing pastries, and you could still come in under our mandatory budget.

Jefferson Market is a bright, friendly place that offers free wi-fi and a warm welcome to loiter while talking or working. And it's such fun to peer behind the back counter to watch the artists at the Cakery creating unique masterpieces for special events; they make such gorgeous celebration cakes!

Jefferson Market. As its own website says, "Cafe, Cakes ... Bliss!"

Jefferson Market and Cakery
609 West Jefferson
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-665-6666
Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday Brunch: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.



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Vernors Cupcakes for the Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are playing in the World Series tonight. They beat my Yankees in a 4-game sweep in the American League Championship Series last week.

Of course, having grown up in New York City, but having spent the past 34 years in Michigan, my interest was piqued in the ALCS: this wasn't just my favorite game, but a match-up of my two favorite teams. I'd be happy no matter which one moved on to the big show!

But I have to admit, I was really rooting for the Tigers ... :)

Because even someone as verbose and effusive as I am can't adequately describe what this means to Detroit.

In New York, it's expected that an enormously talented and exorbitantly costly team will take its division, earn a pennant, and not just get to - but win - the World Series. When this doesn't happen, there is no worse city in which to endure the fans' wrath.

In Detroit, however, there is great happiness when a trip to the postseason comes, rather than a sense of entitlement. There is enormous pride, and nothing is taken for granted. That the Tigers took down, and shut down, the force that is the Yankees was something everyone hoped for and talked about and celebrated. People who aren't particularly interested in baseball even found themselves watching the games and cheering. The enthusiasm was contagious.

New York has split loyalties: Yankees fans, Mets fans, and those who still haven't forgiven the Dodgers for leaving Brooklyn. But in Detroit, there's one team. And the entire city - the entire state - is so thrilled for them!

Often, there's not good news coming from Detroit. But throughout the postseason, visitors and viewers have also seen a new city - one with a vibrant arts scene, a thriving farmers' market, fabulous restaurants, urban gardens, and renovated neighborhoods that hip kids in their 20s and 30s are moving into and revitalizing. All of this will be on display as Detroit welcomes the World Series, and the world.

This trip to the final round of the postseason wasn't a fluke - the spot was earned. This was a matter of hard work, not mere luck. The Tigers have come back from some dismal days, just as their city itself is doing.

Remember, as the famous Chrysler ad, "Imported From Detroit," states:

This isn't New York City or the Windy City or Sin City,
and we're certainly no one's Emerald City.
This is the Motor City. And this is what we do.

We play baseball. We sweep a team whose payroll tops $200 million and which features many future Hall of Fame members. We bring hope and joy to a city that deserves - and needs - it.

And we represent the American League in the World Series tonight ... :)





Vernors Cupcakes

Vernors is a sweet, spicy ginger ale made in Detroit.  It's only fitting to make a treat for tonight's game using this iconic product that represents the vitality of the city!

Cupcakes:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 3/4 cup Vernors
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 15 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and ginger. In a measuring cup, combine the Vernors, butter, vanilla, and eggs; whisk together.

Pour liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir to combine. Divide the batter among the lined cups, and bake for 20 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Frosting:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup Trader Joe's cookie butter
• 3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 7 tablespoons Vernors

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and cookie butter. On low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar; then beat in the Vernors.

Spread frosting over cupcakes.

Makes 15 cupcakes.

Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

My friend Haran wrote to me awhile ago, telling me that his girlfriend, Nikki, was putting together a cookbook to raise money for NAMI - National Alliance on Mental Illness - and he went on to explain what it is.

Well, little did he know that I've been involved with the group because a number of my very dearest loved ones over the years have been diagnosed with mental illnesses (from depression to anxiety to bipolar disorder, and more), and NAMI is a resource so valuable that my usually verbose self can't adequately describe it. I even served briefly as a support group moderator, though unfortunately my schedule has become too chaotic to maintain that level of activity right now.

NAMI has groups for those who've been diagnosed, as well as for their family and friends. It offers support, understanding, compassion, friendship, and an entity so elusive sometimes, when mired in a crisis with a loved one or distraught over a recent frightening diagnosis ... it offers hope.

So I was thrilled to be asked for contributions to the cookbook, as well as honored and grateful to be able to give back even a bit of what NAMI has given to me.

The cookbook has just been published, and it's fabulous! Not only is it fun to recognize names of friends who also sent in recipes, but it's great to flip through and find an extraordinary number of tempting goodies that are all calling to me at once. I want to make this appetizer, that soup, this other entree, and - of course! - desserts.

How to choose? What to choose? Well, for once - an exceptional rarity, given my famous indecisiveness! - this was easy. I needed a dessert recipe to serve for an evening of watching football. It needed to be quick, easy, and a sure-fire hit. And if I could make something from a friend's recipe, even better.

And so, I chose Nikki's Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting because ... well ... what could be better? "Banana," "cake," "peanut butter," and "frosting" - some of my very favorite words in the English language! I did toss in a few chocolate chips, just 'cause. Do you really need a reason to justify chocolate chips?

If you'd like a copy of Whatever It Takes: NAMI Metro Cookbook, please let me know; I'll put you in touch with Nikki for ordering. The book costs an amazingly reasonable $10 plus $3 shipping if you don't live in Ann Arbor. (If you live here, Nikki has very graciously offered to deliver the book personally.) Your contribution will help the branch which serves Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb counties - suburbs of Detroit, for those not 'round here.

But far more importantly, your contribution will help individuals who are my family, my friends, my neighbors, my community ... people who have illnesses that can be debilitating and disabling, but people who also have extraordinary abilities and unbelievable courage. Yes, sometimes a mental illness can impact a life severely; other times, you might never know someone has been diagnosed.

NAMI offers support, and it also seeks to fight the misconceptions - fears, confusion, ignorance, and stigma - that people diagnosed with mental illness can often face. One of my own personal pet peeves in that regard, for example, is hearing the word "schizophrenic" when speaking of a person with schizophrenia - never, ever let someone's diagnosis be what defines a human being. And never set limits, presuming that a mental illness will prevent someone from living a full and fabulous life.

But I'll get off my little soapbox now, and go eat cake. Really good, moist cake with extra frosting - I couldn't resist!

Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
(slightly adapted from Nikki Fitlow's recipe)

Cake:

• 2 medium bananas
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/8 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Frosting:

• 2 cups Cool Whip, thawed
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• dusting of cocoa powder, if desired

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8"x8" baking pan.

In a small bowl, mash together the bananas, lemon juice, and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and brown sugar; beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add egg and beat on "high" for 2 minutes until very light and fluffy.

Add half of flour mixture, and beat on "low" until combined. Add bananas, and beat until combined. Add rest of flour mixture; beat until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, until a tester comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Let cool completely.

Combine Cool Whip and peanut butter; spread over cake. Dust with cocoa powder, if desired.

Makes 9-12 servings, depending on serving size.

Fluffernutter Cupcakes

This Saturday is National Fluffernutter Day. I've never been a fan of the famous sandwich, I have to admit; so I determined to make a treat that honored the coupling of peanut butter and marshmallow, but without actually spreading the two onto pieces of bread.

So I baked some moist peanut butter cupcakes, which are wonderful for any occasion at any time of year; these have a great distinctive flavor, rather than only a bland hint of the key ingredient. And then I took a basic vanilla frosting and mixed some marshmallow creme into it.

These treats are non-dairy, since I brought them in to work and one of my co-workers is allergic to milk products. You could easily substitute butter and half-and-half, if food intolerances are not a concern.

But whether you can eat dairy products or not, or whether you like Fluffernutter sandwiches or not, these cupcakes are exceptionally good. My co-workers raved about them, which made me very happy. And I devoured two of them all by myself, so I can personally vouch for them!

Fluffernutter Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Wip non-dairy cream substitute
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350F. Place paper liners into a 12-cup muffin tin.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shortening, peanut butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and Wip. Stir in the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda; combine well.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool completely on a rack.

Frosting:
1 16-ounce container vanilla frosting
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme

Combine frosting and marshmallow; spread onto cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Frugal Floozie Friday -- The Cupcake Station

It's Frugal Floozie Friday again, and this is Part 2 of my adventures with my BFF Wendy and her daughter Alison. Last week's episode featured a lovely dinner at Jerusalem Garden; this week, we'll continue our saga with dessert at The Cupcake Station.

Our original intent had been to take advantage of the Friday special: 25-cent frosting shots. For just $1, the three of us could get quite a good sugar rush going! We were giddy -- and likely quite annoying, for which I'll publicly apologize -- as we happily bounced like pinballs from one end of the counter to the other trying to pick our flavors. By the time we were done, we had confused the situation sufficiently that we found ourselves with 5 shots rather than 4 ... oh, woe is me!

But our plan didn't last very long, because who could resist cupcakes when they look so pretty, so inviting, so seductive???

And then, as we waited for the rest of our order to be ready, Alison decided that a chocolate-nut-oat bar also looked enticing ... so we added it to the pile: 3 cupcakes, 1 dessert bar, and 5 frosting shots. This is what the scene looked like before we delved in, in the midst of dividing the portions:


Now, first of all, I have to say that I can't even remember the last time I ingested this much sugar! And this isn't the sort of activity to engage in on a regular basis, but it was a lot of fun for a girls' night out. And yes, between the three of us, we polished off virtually everything except for the last crumbs and the last schmears of frosting. To quote a good friend: "Urf."

But I digress ... this is Frugal Floozie Friday, and I need to tell you about the frosting shots! These are a tremendous value - well within the mandatory budget of $5 or less per person - and the portions are very generous. And it's just fun to eat frosting; cake is really just a vehicle for the sugar fix, after all.

Customers can choose any flavor from the entire repertoire which, of course, really makes things much more difficult - it causes brain paralysis! But here's what we finally settled on (left to right, top to bottom ... arranged, as Alison pointed out, "like the Olympics, but better!"):

- Chocolate
- Peanut Butter
- Cherry
- Vanilla Latte
- Marshmallow

I could happily have eaten an entire cake's worth of the Vanilla Latte frosting, as it was smoother than butter and tasted very much like coffee ice cream - subtle flavoring, rather than strong and insistent. The chocolate was very rich, with a hint of the intensity of dark chocolate. The marshmallow frosting was very light, and was good despite being more reminiscent of vanilla than of Fluff.

The peanut butter flavoring wasn't overpowering, either; in fact, in the chaos of our table we lost track of which flavors we were trying among the tan/white varieties, and kept wondering why the vanilla frosting had a hint of nut flavoring ... and then we realized it was the cream-colored peanut butter one. It, too was quite good - it would be perfect with a chocolate cupcake. The only flavor that had leftovers was the cherry, which was a gorgeous color and intensely flavored, but simply couldn't compete with my favorites.

With cupcakes costing only $2.75 and even jumbo cupcakes costing $5, The Cupcake Station clearly offers a multitude of Frugal Floozie Friday options even if you expand beyond the frosting shots.

The only thing missing from our feast was a cold glass of milk ... :)

The Cupcake Station
116 E. Liberty Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-222-1801


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Frugal Floozie Friday: Food and Fun for Five Dollars or Less ... Really!!!

Oops!

This morning, I posted my recipe for Honey Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting ... and, well, 'twould seem that there's a problem with the frosting. Hmmmm ....

Here are the instructions I gave earlier:

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, melted and cooled a bit
1/4 cup milk
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Make the frosting: Beat together the butter and the brown sugar. Alternately add milk and confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth with each addition. Spread the frosting onto the cakes.

I took these notes straight from my recipe files, and I know I've made the frosting before; so why did something go wrong today???

I'm a pro-active kinda girl, so I baked the cupcakes ahead of time so that I could freeze them and then just defrost them for Rosh Hashanah. But I needed one for this photo op, so I used some leftover buttercream frosting just to make one cupcake look pretty.

So today -- after a VERY stressful and rather miserable day -- I defrosted the rest of the cupcakes for tomorrow's dessert, and I set about making my caramel frosting. This would be therapeutic for me, right??? Groan ....

First the sugar wouldn't melt. So I added about 1 or 2 tablespoons of water (in all honesty, I just dribbled it from the faucet into the saucepan) and then the sugar liquified ... except for a number of chunks that wouldn't melt, wouldn't smush, wouldn't blend in, wouldn't cooperate at all. Oh, well -- I left 'em in.

But when I poured even the cooled mixture over the butter, everything melted. Add the confectioners' sugar ... and stare down at brownish liquid. Add some more confectioners' sugar ... now stare down at tan-ish liquid. Add virtually every scrap of confectioners' sugar in your cupboard ... and watch it clump up. Add a touch of half-and-half (because you have a 19-year-old son who drinks a gallon of milk every day and didn't leave any for you) and finally watch the frosting become creamy ... with the exception of the little brown sugar nibs.

So, how does it taste??? That is, of course, a key component. It tastes fabulous! The little sugar nibs add some texture and character, though I'd have preferred smooth frosting. And the cupcakes will be okay. But I just wanted to be sure everyone knew that they'd have to either tinker with what I wrote or simply use a favorite frosting recipe of their own. I couldn't, in good conscience, just let folks try this as it was written and then wonder what they'd done wrong ....

Yoo Hoo -- I've Got Honey Cakes!

My very dear friend Marilyn volunteers at the library we have where I work; and in sorting through the collection one day about a year ago, she found a priceless treasure hiding behind other books on a shelf -- The Molly Goldberg Cookbook, written by Gertrude Berg and Myra Waldo. And because she loves me and knows that I would cherish such a precious item, Marilyn let me borrow it first ... or, rather, let me be the first to borrow it in about 40 years!

People in my parents' generation (folks in their 70s/80s, that is) remember the radio and t.v. shows called "The Goldbergs," featuring the actress Gertrude Berg who played Molly. There is a fairly recent documentary (which, unfortunately, I still have yet to see) called "Yoo Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg!" which showcases Gertrude “and the massive appeal and influence of (her) Jewish American … character.” Molly was quite the yenta -- “lovingly meddlesome," a stereotypical warm-hearted bit of a busybody -- in an increasingly assimilated family trying to retain its identity. And the cookbook Gertrude wrote in her character's name displays that generosity of spirit in abundance.



My favorite aspect of the cookbook is not the food, but rather the kibbitzing at the beginning of each section or accompanying some of the recipes:

“I find that sometimes my daughter is walking around the house without her head. I don’t have to ask the trouble, I know already there’s a boy someplace.”

“She says she got the recipe from her aunt that lives in Oslo and I got my recipe from my grandmother that lived in Nishnii Novgorod and that’s not in Norway. So what’s the distance between the two towns? I’ll tell you exactly. Three doors down the hallway. I live in 5C and Mrs. Wiersma lives in 5F, that’s the distance ….”

“Some nights I have a previous with the P.T.A. [sic] And on those days Jake stays late at the factory, so I prepare this recipe for him to cook when he gets home …. There’s supper all good and hot and tasty - at least I haven’t had a complaint yet, but maybe that’s because Jake is so glad to see me home at long last.”

It seemed appropriate for Rosh Hashanah to try one of Molly's recipes -- a good traditional, old-fashioned recipe for my favorite Jewish holiday. And so I settled upon Honey Cake, but baked the batter into cupcakes instead.

The recipe was very straightforward, coming together just as expected. The cakes turned out beautifully, and were perfect topped with the crowning glory of a caramel buttercream frosting (my own concoction). Jeremy gave these rave reviews! They're a perfect sweet treat to usher in the new year ... :)

Honey Cakes with Caramel Frosting

Cakes:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold coffee
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1-3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped fine, toasted lightly

Frosting (see notes in next post, entitled "Oops!"):
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, melted and cooled a bit
1/4 cup milk
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Make the cakes: In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and the sugar until light in color. Mix in the coffee, honey and oil. Stir in the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and nuts. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.


Make the frosting: Beat together the butter and the brown sugar. Alternately add milk and confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth with each addition. Spread the frosting onto the cakes.

Makes 12 honey cakes.