A Knife-and-Fork Style Candy Bar + a Giveaway!

Hello Monday!

I had a great weekend...but how is it over?! Yesterday I finally saw The Hunger Games! Though some parts of the book were not quite adapted how I had hoped (or left out completely?), overall I really, really loved this film. I thought it was a really great adaptation of a fantastic book. And I adored the cast.

What did you think of the movie?

I'm really excited today because not only am I talking about decadent chocolate candy bars, but I also have a great giveaway! So happy Monday to you!

When the Main Street Bakery & Cafe sent me one of their signature candy bar desserts to sample (along with some other yummy goodies), of course I said a big, fat yes, thank you!

This 'candy bar' is not your average drug store chocolate bar. It's a thick, rich candy bar that is to be eaten with a knife and fork...kind of like the candy bar that Mr. Pitt dawned in an old Seinfeld episode. Remember that one? And you KNOW I love a pop culture food reference! I was smitten before I even opened the package.

In case you didn't know, you may see my Dexter cupcakes, Giants Superbowl cupcakes, and all of my ideas for a True Blood theme party.

Anyhow.

I have to admit that I'm not really a chocolate-eater. Sure I love a good chocolate cake, but typically not totally interested in chocolate candy or anything too 'chocolatey'. But this candy bar? Ooooh my.

Layers of chocolate, ganache, caramel, krispies and nuts make this a decadent treat that can't just be eaten by one person. It's so rich that it's the perfect dessert to share.

The buttery, soft caramel is the stuff dreams are made of.

Oh and my absolute favorite part? Some sea salt crystals sprinkled on the top. You know I love a sweet and salty combo. And I loved that the little salty flakes actually crunched when I bit into them. Yum.

Though it's not exactly inexpensive ($4 per bar), I really enjoyed this candy bar, especially since it could easily be shared for two people. Main Street Bakery & Cafe is located in Port Washington, NY but fortunately for all of you not in the area...they are generously offering up a box of 6 candy bars to one lucky TAA reader! Now doesn't that make your Monday just a little better?!

To enter the giveaway do one or all of the following for extra entries:

1. Leave a comment below telling me your favorite candy bar of all time.

2. Like The Avid Appetite on Facebook and leave a comment telling me you did (or if you already do!)

3. Follow @theavidappetite on Twitter and leave a comment telling me you did (or if you already do!)

4. Head over to The Main Street Bakery's website and leave yet another comment telling me what other goodies strike your fancy.

5. Like Main Street Bakery & Cafe of Port Washington on Faacebook and leave yet another comment telling me you did.

The giveaway is open until Tuesday 4/3 at midnight. I'll announce the winner on Wednesday and have your goodies shipped out to you just in time for Easter...er, you know, in case you are interested in sharing your winnings ;) Sorry, this giveaway is only open to the continental US.

Hope you have some chocolately daydreams today, friends! Have a great week!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

I've never been a big candy eater.

Believe it or not.

It just doesn't interest me. Mostly.

Only at Easter time do I really get my candy on. The focus of my seasonal candy love? The Reese's Easter Egg.

 

This peanut butter chocolate mound is not your standard peanut butter cup. Oh no. It's oversized and stuffed - I mean, stuffed - with peanut butter goodness. There's really nothing better.

Of course I'm always up for a challenge in the kitchen, so I decided to try my hand at creating some Reester eggs of my very own.

These were super simple and so fun to make. Of course, anything that is dipped in chocolate, in my book, can be a serious drain on the fun logistics-wise. But since this recipe doesn't make a huge amount of eggs (and let's face it, even the sweets lovers out there could only devour one or two of these rich confections), I didn't mind the whole melted-chocolate-in-places-I-didn't-know-exist thing.

These eggs would be so fun to bring to a gathering on Easter Sunday...or to any gathering really. I mean, who doesn't love chocolate, peanut butter and sprinkles? Please find me one person. It won't happen.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs
*Makes 16 large eggs
1 C peanut butter
1 C confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped*
3 C chocolate chips of your choice (I used milk and semi-sweet)
sanding sugar, sprinkles or candy decorating materials of your choice

In a stand mixer, mix the peanut butter until fluffy.

Add the confectioners' sugar, 1/4 C at a time until completely combined. Add vanilla extract and chopped peanuts and mix. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour to chill.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a melon baller or tablespoon, scoop out the peanut butter mixture and form into large egg shapes, placing on the lined baking sheet.

Put the sheet pan in the freezer while you prepare the chocolate.

I made these 2 ways - using semi-sweet morsels, and milk chocolate morsels. Place 1 1/2 C of semi-sweet morsels into a bowl. Heat in the microwave at 15 second intervals, mixing after each one, until melted. Remove the tray of eggs from the freezer. Working very quickly (so that the pb eggs don't soften and fall apart in the chocolate), coat each one in chocolate and place back on the parchment paper. Add sprinkles or sanding sugar after every 2 eggs are dipped as the chocolate hardens very quickly. Repeat with the milk chocolate or any other chocolate of your choosing (extra dark, white, etc), returning the undipped eggs to the freezer for a few minutes while you make the second batch of chocolate.

Let the chocolate harden and enjoy!

So there you have it. The tale of how I recreated my favorite Easter candy of all time. They tasted extremely on point with the original Reese's version, without being quite as processed. And let's face it, sprinkles just make everything better. So what do you think? What is your favorite candy? Have you ever tried to recreate it in your own kitchen?

*I thought that using creamy peanut butter was the way to go, however, once mixed, I realized that the pb mixture was way too smooth. Wanting to emulate a real Reese's pb egg, I decided on a whim to add the chopped peanuts. This process can probably be eliminated by simply using chunky peanut butter, though I cannot vouch for how finely chopped the peanuts will be. I wanted mine to be super fine, so even in the future, I would choose to do it as noted above. However, to make the process quicker and with fewer ingredients, give the chunky pb a try.

Peep Show

Let's face it. It wouldn't be Easter without the candy. As the skies clear here on the east coast (and apparently the warmth is on its way), I can finally get excited about my favorite Spring holiday (and only one, at that). And while I'm not a huge chocolate and candy eater, Easter is one of two times a year that I do thoroughly enjoy a good Cadbury Cream Egg, jelly beans, and my absolute favorite...the Reese's Peanut Butter Egg (they just don't make 'em like this all year round). Since my recent Avid diet has commenced, this year, I'm only sticking to the favorites.

Peeps. The quintessential Easter food and really, the star of the show. Somehow desserts center around marshmallow during the spring, and these little Peep-ers are there for the ride. And is it just me, or do they really taste better stale?

Cadbury Cream Eggs. The commercial hasn't changed since I was a kid and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy when I see it. I'm not sure why, but that rabbit just makes me happy. And the super sweet creamy center of the Cream Egg? Pure sugary pleasure, though I've yet to ever eat more than one per season.

Cadbury Mini Eggs. If you're just not that into the whole egg-looking cream-filled thing, you can certainly find chocolatey solace in the mini chocolate eggs with a sugar coating.

Jelly beans. I don't partake in the Jelly Belly variety, but I have downed about two (small) bags of the Brach's variety. And as Shaun pointed out, somehow, the veritable rainbow of colors in our candy bowl has dwindled to mostly the black variety. Ick.

Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs. Though I always, always enjoy a Reese's, and anything remotely related to peanut butter, Easter is the one time of year that I just need to get my hands on a Reese's Egg. Oversized and overstuffed with peanut butter, unlike the typical Peanut Butter Cup variety, this is the one piece of candy that I do request show up in my Easter basket.

So there you have it...a little roundup of some of my favorite Easter goodies. Though I'll be baking up a storm this weekend (check back next week for my newest concoction), I'll also be indulging my sweet tooth a bit. But what about you? Are you an Easter candy fiend? Which kind do you look forward to all year long?