Chocolate Fig Truffles

If you guys follow my instagram you'll notice I have a have a major summer fling with figs. I just can't get enough of that plump fruit and literally track each individual fig as it grows on my humble tree. Unfortunately the season (and my crop) is short lived and I'm left dreaming of the fruit throughout the rest of the year. Enter dried figs. Although not as amazing, they are still REALLY good and can fill in for their superiors 11 months out of the year.

This is a ridiculously healthy "dessert". It's the perfect treat with coffee or tea and the sweetness hits all the right spots without being decadent and heavy. I make a batch of these and keep them in a cute box in the pantry and they stay fresh and delicious for a couple months. 

The combination of flavors will really have you cautious (fig, ginger, orange zest and honey?), but proceed with confidence because these flavors compliment each other fabulously. It goes without saying that chocolate makes everything better, and in this case it rounds out the other strong flavors and makes them flow. I really love these :)

Try dipping the chocolate in nuts to customize to your liking! I like to use pistachios and honey roasted almonds. I'll even add some chopped candied orange peel to the nut mixture. So delish.

Makes 16 truffles

Ingredients

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-1/8 cup crystallized ginger (use 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger if you must substitute OR use candied orange peel)

-2 cups dried figs

-2 tablespoons honey

-1/2 teaspoon orange zest

-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate, pick your preference)

Optional: chopped nuts to dip truffles in

To make

------------

-Using a food processor, pulse the crystallized ginger until it breaks down until smooth. Add the dried figs, honey, orange zest, cinnamon and vanilla then continue processing until the whole mixture is a smooth paste. You may have a few chunks of figs remaining, which is OK. Taste the filling and adjust sweetness. The other flavors will become stronger after a few hours of sitting together).

-Prepare a tray lined with parchment paper. Scoop a scant tablespoon of filling and form into a ball. Repeat the process until you have used all of your filling. If you have the time, refrigerate (or freeze briefly) until the filling is firm. This makes it easier to roll them but is not a necessary step. 

-Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in your microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring briefly until all the chocolate is melted and smooth.

-Dip each truffle into the chocolate and tap off the excess chocolate. If using chopped nuts, place them in a small bowl and dip the top of each chocolate covered truffle. Place on the parchment paper and continue the process until all the truffles are dipped. If you run out of chocolate, melt some more and continue dipping!

-Leave the truffles undisturbed until the chocolate has set.

-Store tightly covered at room temperature (or if the weather is hot, refrigerate).

-Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger on the Food Network*

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Try these chocolate date bars next!

Chocolate Date Bars

For a savory twist on figs, check this pizza out! 

Balsamic Fig and Arugula Pizza

No-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars

This is one of those awesome treats that doubles as breakfast (oats and banana) and dessert (chocolate) with a special ingredient that ties them both together (thanks peanut butter!).

Whenever I can I like to brown the butter I use in recipes to give a depth of flavor and make my kitchen smell awesome in the process. The caramel-y and nutty notes of the browned butter are absorbed nicely by the oats and these bars don't end up feeling too healthy that way.

It's always a bonus when you can skip the step of baking, and by browning the butter and using the same pot to cook the oat mixture, these only require 1 pot to prepare. Less dishes and no baking time means you can get to eating a lot faster, and I don't know anyone who minds that ;)

Some days we'll grab these on the way out the door in the morning as breakfast, some afternoons they come in handy as a snack between meals and they're an awesome ready dessert to enjoy after dinner. I've served them for brunch and included them in school lunches. They last a while in the fridge and still hold up great flavor and texture, so give these a try and let me know what you think!

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients
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-4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
-3 cups old fashioned oats
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium sized RIPE bananas)
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1/2 tablespoon cinnamon powder
*optional: add 1 tablespoon flax or chia seeds to give these a nutritional boost*

-1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-1/2 cup peanut butter

-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)


To make
------------
-Heat a pot and add butter. Let the butter melt and whisk over medium heat until the butter foams and turns a light brown color. You will be able to smell a toasty and caramel like flavor, that is when your butter is browned. Be careful not to burn the butter.
-Add the oats, brown sugar, salt, mashed banana, vanilla and cinnamon powder (plus optional flax or chia seeds) to the pot of browned butter and cook the mixture for 3-5 minutes, until the oats are soft and have partly broken down.
-Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. Reserve 1 cup of the oat mixture and press the rest of the oat mixture into the pan, making sure to pat it down into an even layer. I butter the back of a silicon spatula and use it to press down the oat mixture. Place the pan in the freezer to firm up the bottom layer while you prepare the chocolate.
-Using the same pot you used to cook the oat mixture (make sure its empty) add the chocolate chips and peanut butter and cook on the lowest heat until the chocolate is melted and they are mixed together. Spread the chocolate mixture over the oat layer and smooth out to even.
-Using the reserved oat mixture, dallop in pieces over the chocolate. Alternatively (this is how I make it but it is a little more difficult), butter you hands and take chunks of the reserved oat mixture and flatten with the palm of your hand. Carefully lay the flattened pieces on top of the chocolate until you have covered the entire surface. Sprinkle with optional mini chocolate chips
-Cover and refrigerate or freeze until the mixture is firm. In my freezer it takes less than an hour.
-Cut into 4 rows diagonally and horizontally and serve.
-Enjoy and tag #savvychef in your instagram pictures to share :)

Try these other popular oat bar recipes! 

Raspberry Oat Bars

Nut and Seed Granola Bars

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Cookies n' Cream Oreo Bars

I've got a good one for you today. 5 ingredients (I'm even generously counting the salt and vanilla in this number!) + 10 minutes = HAPPY HAPPY eaters!

There's no baking required, and no special tools! I love these bars for so many reasons. Here are a few:

1) They're made with Oreo cookies. Enough said.
2) They have marshmallows, which makes them a fancy version of a Rice Krispy Treat.
3) There are no complicated ingredients required, meaning you can throw them together in the spur of the moment.
4) They travel very well. No refrigeration or special care is needed. Take them with you anywhere!
5) Probably my favorite reason to love them...kids can make these and get their hands dirty in the process! Anything that gets the kids in the kitchen gets a thumbs up in my book!
6) It should go without saying that these TASTE INCREDIBLE! ;)

My sister, the same one behind these addictive cookies, made these one day into a bark-like form. I was skeptical because they were very thin, but the flavor was REALLY yummy, so I begrudgingly ate more but complained about how they looked. Then my other sister re-made them, but about 1000000% thicker, and they were just as good but now way too rich and heavy. This is where I came in and evened them out into what we all consider the perfect ratio of thickness, sweetness and indulgence.

Feel free to add mini-marshmallows when you add the Oreo cookies for extra texture in your bars. I've also made these with flavored Oreo cookies (the most recent trial was mint Oreo) and they're all good!

Makes about 16 bars

Ingredients
----------------
-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-14 ounces marshmallow cream
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-26 Oreo cookies (2 sleeves from large package)

To make
------------
-Line a 7x11 inch pan (or 8x8) with parchment paper and butter the pan and paper, making sure to butter the sides of your pan.
-Heat a pot on the stove and add butter. Once butter is melted add the marshmallow fluff, vanilla and salt. Stir until everything is mixed together. (I use a silicon spatula so the mixture doesn't stick to my spoon).
-Remove the pot from the heat. Roughly crush Oreo cookies with your hand and put them into the pot. Stir them into the marshmallow mixture until all the cookies are well coated with the marshmallow.
-Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top to make sure it is even.
-Allow the cookie bars to cool, then cut into desired sizes and serve. Store leftovers tightly covered at room temperature.
-Enjoy!

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Reader favorites! Try some other bar recipes:

Smore's Bars

Chocolate Date Bars

7 layer cookie dough bars

Cookie Butter Rice Krispies

Biscoff Cookie Butter Rice Krispies

My favorite kind of baking/cooking revolves around throwing things together with no regard to recipes or measurements...kind of hard to cook like that when you've got a food blog and success depends on proper recipes and measurements...but every once in a while I abandon reason and go with the flow of my energy. The problem is when the creation is so yummy it must be shared and I haven't got a clue how to recreate it! Usually in baking, measurements are really a must, but these cookie butter bars are a lot more forgiving. Recreating them was easy because there is no risk of underbaking, overbaking, etc.

I LOVE these bars because at heart they're just a rice krispy treat...except so much more sophisticated. The addition of cookie butter alters the whole texture into something soft and chewy, with proper structure and shape. They last a while and even taste better a few days after being made, which makes them an ideal candidate for a prep ahead dessert. Another bonus? These ingredients can easily be pantry staples since nothing is refrigerated, which means you pull out
the ingredients and work with what you have.

 Little kids can even make these on their own by microwaving the ingredients instead of melting them over stove top. Recently my 10 year old has been asserting her independence by looking up her own recipes online and refusing any assistance in the kitchen, and I've noticed a lot of her search terms start with "kid-friendly/one bowl/easy" and its gotten me thinking of ways to simplify my *easy* recipes.

If you love marshmallows, these are for you! If you love cookie butter, these are really for you!

Yields between 24-48 squares, depending on how you cut them up

Ingredients
---------------
-1/4 cup butter
-14 ounces marshmallow fluff
-1 cup creamy cookie butter or biscoff spread
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-7 cups rice krispy cereal
-1/3 cup salted caramel chocolate chips + 1/2 teaspoon oil (OR use extra white chocolate chips)
-1/3 cup white chocolate chips + 1/2 teaspoon oil
-1/4 cup crushed Biscoff or Speculous cookies (about 2 cookies)

To make
-----------
-Line a 9x13 (for thick rice krispies) or 11x15 rectangle pan with parchment paper and butter/spray parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray. You can use whatever size you have or split the mixture into 2 pans if you don't have anything big enough.
-Heat a large non-stick pot over medium heat and add butter. When the butter is melted, stir in marshmallow fluff, cookie butter/biscoff spread, salt and vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy.
-Remove the pot from the stove and stir in rice cereal. Mix until all the cereal is well coated with the marshmallow mixture.
-Being careful not to burn  your hands, pour the rice krispies into the buttered pan and press down firmly until you have packed the mixture down into an even layer. I spray a silicon spatula with non-stick spray to help out during this step. The proper texture to these bars depends on packing the mixture down tightly, so work those biceps!
-In a a small bowl, mix the salted caramel chips and oil in 20 second increments and stirring between until smooth and melted. Using a fork or a ziplock bag with the bottom edge snipped slightly, drizzle the mixture on the rice krispies.
-Repeat the step above for the white chocolate chips.
-Crush the cookies and sprinkle them all over the rice krispies. Wait for your chocolate to harden and slice and serve!
-Enjoy!

*I enjoy these when I make them a day ahead because the mixture softens into a delicious bar. I keep them out for about 4 days (tightly sealed) then transfer them to the fridge. They still taste AMAZING a week later!

Try these other popular no-bake bars! I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do!

Smore's Bars! 

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Strawberries n' Cream Trifle

Everything in trifle form is better, especially when the cream layer is this tasty. Think cheesecake meets shortcake with a generous dose of strawberries and you'll understand how amazing this strawberries n' cream trifle is.

This is a great dessert when entertaining because it tastes BEST when its eaten about 2 days after making...overnight refrigeration is a minimum for great flavor. If you try to serve this right after assembling each of the layers will stand on their own, but if you let it set overnight then the cream softens the cake and the strawberries sweeten the whole trifle up...my  mouth is watering as I type this!

I've been making trifles ever since I first started baking and have been through many, MANY versions...at this point I try my best to keep the ingredients as natural as possible. Pudding mixes taste great and are easy to use, but they're not that healthy and are used to mimic the flavors of the real thing...so go ahead and use the real stuff to make your dessert wholesome and delicious without the extra use of preservatives, I promise, it doesn't take much more time and you'll feel better about what you're putting in your body!

Serves about 12

Ingredients
---------------
-8 ounces softened cream cheese
-1 can sweetened condensed milk
-8 ounces cool whip (or make your own by whipping 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla)
-24 ounces of pound cake (typically 1.5 loaves)
-2 pounds fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed and cut into slices (about 4 cups)

*OPTIONAL: sometimes I like to alternate a layer of butter cookies instead of the pound cake. In this case you will only need 16 ounce loaf of pound cake and 1/2 pound butter cookies. It really emphasizes the shortbread flavor in the trifle and the texture of the cookies after being refrigerated is soft yet dense and incredibly satisfying.

To make
------------
-Using an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese (to soften quickly microwave in a bowl for 15 seconds), then add sweetened condensed milk and blend until well mixed and there are no lumps of cream cheese. Add the cool whip (or whipped cream) and mix together.
-Slice the pound cake into 16-20 thin slices.
-Wash, remove the stems and slice the strawberries into slices (about 4 slices per strawberry).
-In a trifle bowl (or another deep bowl) place a layer of pound cake slices to cover the bottom. You may need to break some of the slices up to make them fit.
-Spread about 1-1 1/2 cups of the cream topping and then add a layer of strawberries.
-Repeat this process until you have used up all of your pound cake, ending with a layer of strawberries. I usually end up with 4 layers.
-If you have any extra cake (or butter cookies) crumble it on top of the top layer before adding the strawberries.
Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.
-Serve and enjoy!

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Looking for more trifle inspiration? Try my decadent and heavenly chocolate trifle heath bar cake...it ranks as one of my favorite indulgences!

Chocolate Trifle Heath Bar Cake

Mamuniyeh: Brown Butter and Mozzarella Cream of Wheat

I'm excited to share another classic Syrian breakfast dish with you guys. When we were kids my mom would call this 'candy' and we were thrilled to eat candy for breakfast...we gobbled it right up and I really appreciated the sweetness in the meal. As an adult my mouth waters at the salty and cheesy complexity that the mozzarella adds. Serve this hot and fresh as soon as its ready and you'll watch with giddy anticipation as the cheese stretches from the serving dish all the way to your plate.

Mamuniyeh is a decadent dish that will warm you up in the morning. Making it involves a bit more butter and sugar than how I normally start my day so when I make this its either for a brunch or a treat for the kids. This dish's saving grace in terms of health is that Semolina is a fine wheat...so hey, complex carbs and all ;) It's quick and easy and the last time we ate it a few days ago my 10 year old made it from A to Z with minimal assistance. The sizzle of the toasted semolina when it hits the sugared water is fun to hear and it literally goes from a soupy mixture to smooth and creamy perfection in about a minute.

Serves 4

Ingredients
--------------
-5 cups water
-1 1/4 cup sugar
-4 tablespoons butter
-1 cup semolina
-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, to be divided
-1 tablespoon cinnamon powder

optional:
-any salty cheese to be eaten on the side

To make
-----------
-In a saucepan combine water and sugar on medium heat until the mixture boils. Stir to help dissolve the sugar into the water.
-While the water and sugar are heating, place butter and semolina in a skillet on medium heat. (**OPTIONAL: Brown the butter before adding the semolina for a hint of caramel in the Mamuniyeh. To do this, melt the butter over medium heat and whisk until it turns brown and releases a nutty fragrant smell. Immediately lower the heat and add the semolina to toast.**) Move the butter around and melt it while gently stirring it with the semolina. Continue to saute the mixture until the semolina has browned into a golden color instead of the pale yellow it was. Keep stirring it around to avoid burning it! You may need to lower your heat as it starts to color.
-When the semolina has browned and the water/sugar mixture has come to a roiling boil, carefully add the toasted semolina into the boiling water. It will sizzle as it drops in and may slightly foam up, I love this part!
-Reduce the heat to low and stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Turn off the heat and mix it for a minute, it will thicken up into a porridge.
-Place into a serving bowl and top with extra shredded cheese and sprinkle with cinnamon powder.
-Serve hot with a cup of tea and enjoy!

I buy the semolina from Middle Eastern markets

Perfectly toasted semolina and ready to be dropped into the sugared water!

 Looking for more sweet breakfast recipes? Here are a few of my personal favorites!

PB Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

Vegan Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

Raspberry Oat Bars

Skinny Banana Oat Muffins

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Peanut Butter Oreo Truffles

The only thing better than chocolate? Chocolate + peanut butter. Peanut butter lovers rejoice at this addition to the classic Oreo balls, and peanut butter haters are also pleasantly surprised at how well the flavors mix together. My daughter refuses to eat anything with PB but makes an exception for these truffles. Don't be discouraged if you're completely anti the peanuts, I've included the measurements for traditional Oreo truffles as well.

These are easy to make and are a good activity to involve kids in the kitchen because there is no stove top or oven required to make them. The hardest part about making these truffles is not eating the mixture before its complete, because it really tastes that good! The flavor of the Oreo mixture intensifies the longer it mixes with the cream cheese, so these are a GREAT dessert to make ahead of time! You can even keep the mixture in your freezer (as a whole portion of dough or pre-sized balls) and just dip them in chocolate when you're ready to serve.

A variation to dipping the mixture in milk chocolate is to use white chocolate chips. It tastes incredible...however white chocolate is annoying to work with and if the Oreo truffles are not super firm when you dip them in the chocolate the truffle dough will mix with the white chocolate as you dip them. Milk chocolate is much easier to dip, so for the sake of ease I've included the measurements for that here. When I have extra time I like to dip half my truffles in milk chocolate and half in white for the variety and color contrast :)

Ingredients
--------------
-36 Oreos (chocolate wafer cookies filled with cream)
-8 ounces cream cheese ( I always use reduced fat)
-2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
-1/4 teaspoon vanilla
-1/8 teaspoon salt (if using salted peanut butter don't add extra salt)
**You can make regular chocolate Oreo truffles by reducing the amount to 30 Oreos with 8 ounces cream cheese and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Leave out the peanut butter and salt**

-1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (my favorite brand is Guittard)
-1 tablespoon vegetable oil

-1/3 cup peanut butter chocolate chips (I usually buy the Reese's brand or buy them during the winter season from Trader Joe's)
-1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil (I've found it takes more oil to make peanut butter chocolate chips smooth than it does for regular chocolate chips)

To make
------------
-Using a food processor (not necessary but this will give you the smoothest texture) grind the Oreos until they turn into a fine crumble. Add cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla and salt and pulse the mixture in your food processor until smooth and well mixed. Place mixture in your freezer for about 30 minutes to set. You can leave it in your food processor bowl or transfer it to something else if you like to add more dishes to your sink ;) (Alternatively you can skip this step of freezing the mixture if you're pressed for time and move on to the next one, but your shaped truffles may not be as smooth because the soft mixture is sticky and messy).
-Remove your Oreo mixture from the freezer and shape into balls using a tablespoon scoop. Place the rounded truffles on a tray lined with parchment paper and refreeze for another 30-60 minutes until the truffles are firm.
-Place milk chocolate chips in a bowl with vegetable oil and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth and melted.
-Remove frozen truffles from the freezer and dip each ball in the chocolate and gently remove with a fork and tap off the excess chocolate, then place on the parchment lined tray. Repeat the process until all your Oreo truffles are coated. As the truffles start to come to room temperature dipping them will get messier, so try to work as fast as possible.
-Place the peanut butter chocolate chips with the vegetable oil in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring every 30 seconds until well melted. You may need to add more vegetable oil to get a smooth consistency. This mixture needs to be thinner than the milk chocolate coating. Place the melted peanut butter chips in a ziploc bag and close tightly, letting out the extra air. Snip the bottom of the bag and drizzle neatly across each truffle, until your truffles are all coated.
-Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. These keep well for about a week.
-Enjoy!

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