Chocolate Dipped Fruit Pops + Marshmallow Sauce

I've now been sick for 1 week.

Although I still partied like it was my job at my brother-in-law's wedding, I've also been employed by the cough monster. Or 'the mongus' as Shaun likes to call it. I'm so beyond over not sleeping due to Cough Fest 2011. I'm drinking tea, swigging Robitussin and downing cough drops like nobody's business. Luckily, I got an antibiotic yesterday but admittedly, it hasn't helped much in the way of feeling better...yet.

You know what has helped me feel better? Reminiscing about these delicious fruit pops:

I have now made these delicious pops twice, and both times they were gone in an instant. They are so easy to eat and seem so luxurious...yet little do people know how unbelievably easy they are to throw together. I first came up with this concept when I had a hankering for marshmallow dipping sauce. The conversation in my head went a little something like this:

What am I going to make for this party? I really, really need to have some marshmallow dip. It needs to happen.

I'd better get my laundry going...

Ok so what goes with marshmallow dip? Cookies...pretzels...fruit...

I could totally just cut up fruit for the dip. That would work. It's not that fun...but it would definitely work.

What if I put the fruit on a pop? Everyone likes everything better on a pop. Right?

Is that too boring to bring for a party? I have a rep to protect.

Ooh, my kitchen floor really needs to be mopped. Probably not going to happen though.

Maybe I could dip the fruit pops in the marshmallow sauce and display them pre-dipped.

But it probably won't harden. I'd have a runny marshmallow mess. Duh.

You know what does harden? Chocolate.

Yep. Chocolate dipped pops. With marshmallow dipping sauce. It has to happen. Immediately.

So with that in mind, I made these for a barbecue at Shaun's parent's house and later for my cousin Veronica's engagement party. I hope you enjoy them!

Chocolate Dipped Fruit Pops + Marshmallow Sauce
for the fruit pops:
1 container strawberries, tops sliced off
1 pineapple, bark removed, cored and cut into chunks
8 oz. milk or semisweet chocolate pieces or baker's chocolate (depending on how many fruit pcs)
1 tsp canola oil
Lollipop sticks (either thin white cardboard sticks or flat wooden popsicle sticks)

for the marshmallow sauce:
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 C marshmallow fluff
1 C confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

special equipment (for display):
1 long piece of styrofoam
wrapping paper to cover styrofoam

First prepare your display. Wrap up a piece of styrofoam with wrapping paper to make it look pretty. For Veronica's party, we used white and silver 'love' paper since it was an engagement party. You could do so many fun things with the paper! Holidays, birthdays, kids' parties...Keep it near your work station so that the pops can go right into the foam board as you dip them.

To make the pops, cut up all of your fruit. Let rest in a paper towel-lined bowl or dish. This will help dry the fruit so that it won't be too wet when dipping into chocolate.

Next, melt the chocolate. Place chocolate and a bit of canola oil in a bowl. I then heat it in the microwave at small intervals, stirring the chocolate in between each interval until completely melted.

Then, place the popsicle sticks into the fruit and dip in the chocolate. (NOTE: I found that the flat wooden popsicle sticks work best on the strawberries. The thinner sticks tended to go right through the tops of the strawberries. I still made it work, but it was more time consuming and less precise than the previous time when I'd used the flat sticks).

Place the dipped fruit into the wrapped styrofoam board to rest. I used a meat thermometer to 'pre-drill' holes in the board, but the popsicle stick should work well on its own too.

They don't have to be perfect. I like them rustic.

To make the marshmallow dip, beat the cream cheese for 30 seconds in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. Add the marshmallow fluff and beat until combined. Add the confectioners sugar, 1/2 C at a time until completely mixed. Stir in the vanilla extract. Give a few more mixes for good measure. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving. Transfer to a cute bowl and display near the fruit.

Dip the fruit into the marshmallow sauce. It's so good. You can't eat just one. I promise.

So there you have it. A super easy, delicious and semi-healthy dessert. You know, if you don't count the chocolate and marshmallow dip :)

Questions of the Day:

What's your favorite easy yet glam dessert? I love how these pops are seemingly luxurious but are really so easy peasy!

What are your at-home remedies for feeling better? Please send help!

psst...Kimberly's blogging about being unplugged during Hurricane Irene...head over to The Peach & The Pit to share your Hurricane stories!

Layered Oreo Cake Bars

Hi friends!

It's Monday. I'm on detox from the weekend and I'm sadistic. It's only fair that I drag you into my masochistic ways so I'm sharing some eye candy to get you through the day. Can you handle it?

I made these yummy, decadent bars for a dinner party at my aunt's house on Friday evening. It was so fun to spend time with my Dad's side of the family, who we do not see too often (but we're trying to change this!). She has 2 little girls who have stolen both mine and Shaun's hearts since they are just about the cutest little kids ever.

I thought it only fitting to test out a recipe I've been wanting to try for a while now. I always love bringing some kind of bar to parties because I think they are easy to eat and always a crowd pleaser. These were no different. I may have eaten half a tray before I even left for the party. The cakey bar topped with a gooey Oreo layer made these one for the permanent collection.

Layered Oreo Cake Bars
*Adapted from + inspired by Picky Palate
1 box moist chocolate cake mix
1 box moist yellow cake mix
2 sticks of butter, softened
2 eggs
2 sleeves Oreo cookies, slightly crumbled (I use Double Stuff 'cuz the rock the house)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Baking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13x9" baking pan by lining with foil and spraying all over with baking spray (I use Baker's Joy w/flour). Take out 2 mixing bowls. Place the chocolate cake mix, 1 stick of butter and 1 egg in one of the bowls. In the other, place the yellow cake mix, 1 stick of butter and 1 egg. With your hands, mix each one until the cake mix is completely moistened and a dough forms. Press the chocolate cake dough evenly into the bottom of the pan. Repeat with the yellow cake, on top of the chocolate.

Crush the Oreos; I placed them in a plastic baggie and slammed them a few times with the rolling pin. Spread over the top of the yellow cake layer. Pour the condensed milk over top of the Oreo layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool completely. To remove from the pan, simply lift the foil and peel away from the bars. Cut into squares (I cut off the rough edges and ate most of them myself) and serve. Be prepared for them to disappear immediately.

I can think of like 1 million more combinations that would be suitable for these bars.

I can't wait to try them all.

So there you have it. Delicious, decadent, super easy cake bars that are a total crowd pleaser.

Questions of the Day:

Regular Oreos or Double Stuf? (I say Double Stuf all the way!)

Do you take part in the Monday detox? (Somehow, I always feel like I'm detoxing on Monday morning!)

psst...I'm blogging about my cousin's engagement party over on The Peach & The Pit today...check it out!

Pineapple Coconut Dream Bars

I'm back friends! I'm slowly {and reluctantly} getting back into reality, but I'm so happy to be back to regular blogging. I missed you all! I promise this week will be more fun. Starting with these dreamy bars!

The summertime is filled with fun gatherings with friends and family. I love using these gatherings as an opportunity to turn up the creativity on my baked goods. Some of these events have spawned some really fun and delicious treats. Like my pretzel-crusted brownies, chocolate glazed potato chip shortbread, malted chocolate cupcakes and many, many others. So when I still had that jar of unopened virgin coconut oil sitting in my pantry, the creativity wheels started turning. What goes with coconut in the summertime? ...um, Pineapple!

In all honesty, I messed up these bars when I made them. My initial intention was to mix a can of crushed pineapple into the cake batter before baking. About halfway through the baking time, I stopped mid-conversation with Shaun and screamed out...

“I forgot to add the pineapple!”

Needless to say, his assessment of me being a crazy {yet loveable} lady was validated. But that was the whole point of the cake part - to have pineapple.

But as I’ve learned in baking...as long as you don’t screw up royally (like being unable to get your cake out of the pan...or forgetting to add a really major ingredient like baking soda), there is always a way to fix things. I decided to make a pineapple syrup on the stovetop by mixing the crushed pineapple with 1/2 C of sugar. While the cake was cooling, I merely poked holes all over the top of the cake and spooned some of the pineapple mixture onto it. Crisis averted.

They were super moist and fluffy...like biting into a cloud. I know it’s corny, but these pillowy bars are honestly one of the best things I’ve ever made. EVER. The cake is light vanilla with just a hint of pineapple. The frosting. Oooooh the frosting. The coconut oil adds a silky smoothness that I just have not achieved with butter along with just a subtle hint of coconut flavor. It all comes together in one heavenly bar that I really cannot get out of my mind.

Pineapple Coconut Dream Bars
For the pineapple bars:
*basic yellow cake recipe from America’s Test Kitchen
1 ¾ C cake flour (I use Swan’s Down)
½ C whole milk
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into pieces
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, in its own juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13 x 9 inch cake pan. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla together.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With the speed on medium low, beat the butter into the flour mixture. Continue to beat the mixture until it is moist crumbs. This will take about 1 minute.

Beat in all but 1/2 C of the milk mixture. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Turn the mixer to low and beat in the remainder of the milk mixture, about 15 seconds. With a rubber spatula, add the crushed pineapple (or, if you forget, combine the pineapple and 1/2 C sugar on the stovetop until it lightly boils. Prick holes in the top of the cooled cake and spoon some of the pineapple over top).

Once the batter is thoroughly mixed, scrape the batter into the pan using a rubber spatula. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes (or more if not done). Cool and frost.

For the cream cheese coconut frosting:
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, at room temperature
½ stick butter, at room temperature
2-3 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 C confectioners’ sugar
sweetened shredded coconut, for garnish

Beat the cream cheese and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in the vanilla and coconut oil. Beat in the sugar, 1 cup at a time. Beat until light and fluffy.

Carefully spread the frosting all over the cake. Sprinkle the top with the shredded coconut. Cut into squares - the perfect way to serve dessert at a party, in my opinion.

Aren’t they beautiful? I adore the simplicity of the white frosting with the shredded coconut. So chic. And so yummy.

And in this little bar size, it’s perfectly acceptable to eat like 2 or 3. Or 5.

So there you have it. One of my favorite desserts thus far. So what do you think?

What is your favorite summer flavor? Or your favorite flavor combination in general?

psst...Christine-bean is blogging about summer movies over at The Peach & The Pit. Hope you'll head over to check it out!