I have another #Choctoberfest2019 for you today! My Tombstone Bark is so easy to make, and it is perfect for your children to help with! I thought of making these Tombstones one day when I was driving down a country road here in North Carolina. There are many areas where the family cemetery was, and still is, a very common sight. They are often located on the family farm, sometimes near the road, and although most of them are very well tended, some are often neglected and have broken tombstones. And at night, they can be very scary looking! Which made me think of Halloween and treats and after a few streams of thought, I came around to these Tombstones!
Tombstone Bark (makes 6 tombstones) (printable recipe at end of page)
Tombstone Mold approx 2 pounds Milk Chocolate Royal Icing (I have included my recipe below) 3 oz. Warm Water 2 1/2 tablespoons Meringue Powder 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar 1.12 lbs Powdered Sugar Black Decorating Color Autumn Leaves Mix- edible decor Skeleton Bones-edible decor
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until completely melted and creamy.
Pour the chocolate into the tombstone molds.
Pick up the molds just above the table and lightly drop them several times. This will even out the chocolate in the mold, and eliminate bubbles. Set in refrigerator until set up. It takes at least 30 minutes.
Make the royal icing by mixing together the warm water and the meringue powder. Use a whisk to mix until it is frothy and thick...about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds. Pour in all the confectioners sugar in to the bowl and mix on low for a full 10 minutes. Pour into a containers with a good lid to keep it fresh. It will store for approx. 30 days.
Take 3-4 tablespoons of the icing and place in a small bowl. Add a little bit of black food color into the bowl, and mix until it is a light gray. If you make it too dark, add some more frosting to lighten it up. Add a teaspoon of water to thin it.
Use a small paint brush and spread the grey icing around the tombstone to give it an old, worn look. Let dry.
Once the front is dry, turn it over and pipe a medium size dot of frosting onto the back bottom of the tombstone.
Add one of the bones to the frosting and adjust it so that it will stand up. Let dry.
I cut a few of the tombstones to make them look like they are eroded, and I added a few bones to come up from the ground, and some leaves for effect! Happy Haunted Halloween!
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until completely melted and creamy.
Pour the chocolate into the tombstone molds.
Pick up the molds just above the table and lightly drop them several times. This will even out the chocolate in the mold, and eliminate bubbles. Set in refrigerator until set up. It takes at least 30 minutes.
Make the royal icing by mixing together the warm water and the meringue powder. Use a whisk to mix until it is frothy and thick...about 30 seconds.
Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds.
Pour in all the confectioners sugar in to the bowl and mix on low for a full 10 minutes. Pour into a containers with a good lid to keep it fresh. It will store for approx. 30 days.
Take 3-4 tablespoons of the icing and place in a small bowl. Add a little bit of black food color into the bowl, and mix until it is a light gray. If you make it too dark, add some more frosting to lighten it up. Add a teaspoon of water to thin it.
Use a small paint brush and spread the grey icing around the tombstone to give it an old, worn look. Let dry.
Once the front is dry, turn it over and pipe a medium size dot of frosting onto the back bottom of the tombstone.
Add one of the bones to the frosting and adjust it so that it will stand up. Let dry.
I cut a few of the tombstones to make them look like they are eroded, and I added a few bones to come up from the ground, and some leaves for effect!
#Choctoberfest is an annual recipe-sharing event. I'm joining other food bloggers from around the world to create delicious chocolate recipes. This year, over 70 bloggers are joining together for a week full of chocolate cakes, pies, cookies, puddings, tarts, candies, and more. You can follow along by searching for the hashtag #Choctoberfest on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. Or, simply follow any of the participating bloggers listed below.
We also have some awesome sponsors, who make #Choctoberfest possible every year. Our sponsors have banded together to put together a delicious prize pack worth over $400! Here's what you get if you win! (Scroll down to enter.)
Candy Gift Pack from blog host Triple Chocolate Kitchen, which includes 180-pack of Lindt LINDOR Chocolate Truffles (dark, milk, and white). Triple Chocolate Kitchen organizes #Choctoberfest, as well as posting chocolate recipes throughout the year.
Chocolate and Cocoa Gift Pack from Divine Chocolate, which includes a variety of high-quality fair trade chocolate bars, cocoa powder, and Divine Chocolate swag. Divine Chocolate's baking line consists of three premium quality flavors ranging from 55% to 100% cocoa for a wide variety of delicious desserts. Their chocolate products are made with 100% cocoa butter and are non-GMO and Vegan Society Certified.
$100 Nordic Ware Gift Card and 40 Pounds of Granulated Sugar from Imperial Sugar. They are currently hosting their annual Scary Scramble, featuring delicious fall-inspired recipes using Imperial Sugar's high-quality sweeteners. Imperial Sugar has been a kitchen staple for over 175 years!
Collagen Fuel™ Drink Mix Gift Pack from Primal Kitchen. The ingredients in these drink mixes help support hair, skin, and nails. Their chocolate version has organic, fair-trade cocoa and coconut milk powders, with no wheat, soy, or dairy ingredients.
Cracker Gift Pack from Mary's Gone Crackers. The lucky winner will get to try a variety of crackers, many of which pair well with chocolate (check their recipe page for ideas!). Mary's products are vegan, cruelty-free, and organic.
Alkaline Water Pack from Perfect Hydration. Wash down all those delicious chocolate desserts with Perfect Hydration water. This 9.5+ pH alkaline water helps to effectively restore and rebalance the body to optimum pH levels. This water goes through a 9-stage filtration process, has no added sodium, chlorine, or fluoride, and is packaged in recyclable BPA-free bottles.
Kitchen Conversions Chart and Etsy Gift Card from Moonflower Mountain. Winner chooses the colors for this flower-adorned conversion chart, which makes it easy to double any recipe or convert from cups to tablespoons.
Don't forget to enter to win! Ok, let's get started with Choctoberfest2019!!!
These Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls are the perfect treat to add to your gift giving boxes and tins this holiday season! They are easy to make, and they can be frozen, so if you are interested in making things ahead of time, you will want these in your gift baskets! I used a vegan peanut butter, a vegan powdered sugar, and a bittersweet baking chocolate from the sponsor of todays post, Divine Chocolate! #MakeSomethingDivine This bar is seriously good! It is made with all natural ingredients, no artificial flavors, and 100% pure cocoa butter. Find out more about them at @DivineChocolateUSA on Facebook and Instagram and @DivineChocUSA on Twitter! Also check out the Divine Chocolate web site for recipe, stories, and business info!
Chocolate Vegan Peanut Butter Balls (makes 1 dozen ) (printable recipe at end of page)
1 cup Vegan Peanut Butter 1 cup Sugar 1 5.3 ounce Divine Bittersweet 70% Cocoa Bar
Take 1 cup of granulated sugar and place it in a blender. I used a brand that is vegan. Beat the sugar for at least 2 minutes. Stop and check for grittiness. You are making powdered sugar from the granulated sugar, so there is no gritty feeling aloud. Beat again for at least another minute, then check again. Mine took approx. 3 minutes. It will look just like above.
Stir in the 3/4 cup of powdered sugar with the 1 cup of Vegan Peanut Butter.
It should look like this when you are done. Cover and refrigerate. You can even freeze it if you want quicker results.The peanut butter being cold is your friend in this recipe. It really helps with handling the peanut butter.
Chop the Divine Bittersweet Baking Chocolate into small pieces so it will melt quicker and evenly. Heat on low heat to melt.
Once melted, add 1 tablespoon of the powdered sugar and mix, then taste. I added 2 tablespoons for this recipe, but you might like it differently. Mix sugar and chocolate together.
Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, make the peanut butter and powdered sugar into a ball. Place on wax paper and freeze for a few hours or overnight.
Dip peanut butter balls into melted chocolate and powdered sugar mix. Place on tray with wax paper and freeze.
Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy! This is the first vegan recipe I have every made, so if I have made an error in the vegan area, please kindly let me know.
Here are some interesting facts about Divine Chocolate that you will want to know: I used the bittersweet chocolate to cover my Peanut Butter Balls, but Divine Chocolate's baking line consists of three premium quality
flavors ranging from 55% to 100% cocoa for a wide variety of delicious
desserts. Check them out by clicking the link above. Also, as a baker, I love that because Divine Chocolate is made with with 100% pure cocoa butter it has an amazing melting point! It melts beautifully and evenly and it is a pleasure to work with! I encourage you to use their products. You will love them! Scroll down for a printable recipe, and don't forget to join the giveaway fun! Good luck!
Chocolate Vegan Peanut Butter Balls
Yield: 1 dozen
Author: The Freshman Cook
ingredients:
1 cup Vegan Peanut Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 5.3 ounce Divine Bittersweet 70% Cocoa Bar
instructions:
How to cook Chocolate Vegan Peanut Butter Balls
Take 1 cup of granulated sugar and place it in a blender. I used a brand that is vegan. Beat the sugar for at least 2 minutes. Stop and check for grittiness. You are making powdered sugar from the granulated sugar, so there is no gritty feeling aloud. Beat again for at least another minute, then check again. Mine took approx. 3 minutes. It will look just like above.
Stir in the 3/4 cup of powdered sugar with the 1 cup of Vegan Peanut Butter.
It should look like this when you are done. Cover and refrigerate. You can even freeze it if you want quicker results.The peanut butter being cold is your friend in this recipe. It really helps with handling the peanut butter.
Chop the Divine Bittersweet Baking Chocolate into small pieces so it will melt quicker and evenly. Heat on low heat to melt.
Once melted, add 1 tablespoon of the powdered sugar and mix, then taste. I added 2 tablespoons for this recipe, but you might like it differently. Mix sugar and chocolate together.
Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, make the peanut butter and powdered sugar into a ball. Place on wax paper and freeze for a few hours or overnight.
Dip peanut butter balls into melted chocolate and powdered sugar mix. Place on tray with wax paper and freeze.
Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar before serving.
This blog post is part of the #FlavorsofFall event.
This event is sponsored, although this particular post is not.
On my sponsored posts all opinions are mine, and I may have received
product for writing the post.
One of my favorite #Flavors of Fall is not one flavor at all, but several yummy ones, that when put together, make a caramel apple! What about you? For some reason apples taste better in the fall months, although I eat them year round. The same with caramel. Caramel becomes a necessity for me in the fall, and although I try to limit the amount of it that I eat, when fall appears, the apples and caramels seem to jump right into my shopping basket!
Today I took my two favorite fall flavors and tossed in some chocolate, and came up with these Chocolate Apple Crisp Hand Pies! They are bursting with caramel apple flavor and it all comes together in a chocolate crust! I hope you like these!
Apple Crisp Hand Pies (makes 6 pies) (printable recipe at end of page) 1 box store bought refrigerated pie crust rolls 3-5 teaspoons Cocoa Powder 4-6 teaspoons cold water 3 tablespoons granulated Sugar Seasoning 1/2 cup granulated Sugar 1 teaspoon Nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon 3 strips of Lemon Zest 4-5 Granny Smith Apples Crisp Filling 1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar 2 tablespoons Butter 2 tablespoons Flour 2 tablespoons Oatmeal Caramel Filling/Dough 15-20 Caramel Squares 1-2 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream 1-2 teaspoons melted Butter
Unroll the refrigerated dough. Bring it to room temperature.
I started to mix the dough with my hands, but that was not going to work for me. You can do it this way if you want. Just place some of the chocolate on the dough and start kneading it until it becomes all together. I used a food processor, and it was much easier on my hands. As you are incorporating the cocoa powder, add the sugar. You may want to add more sugar than I did.
If you make this the night before it is an easier recipe. Just wrap the dough and set it in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready to pull this all together, start mixing the sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon zest together in a bowl. You could mix this together the day before also.
Peel and chop the apples. Mix the seasoning with the apples.
Mix together the crisp filling ingredients.
Roll out the chocolate dough. This is not a picture of the dough for this recipe. For this recipe I made the dough 3x4". I rolled the dough to 1/4" thick.
Use a double boiler to melt the caramels.
Once the pie crust pieces are cut, place some of the apples, the crisp filling and the melted caramel on top. Place a small line of melted butter around the edges.
Top with another piece of cut dough.Crimp the edges. The butter will help keep the dough together. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Drizzle with caramel!
These Apple Crisp Hand Pies are a fun recipe to make and enjoy, and a great way to celebrate fall! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Scroll down to
see what all my blogging friends made for today's
#FlavorsofFall celebration! Don't forget to enter the giveaway! You can find the entry form below!
Welcome to Flavors of Fall where we celebrate all things associated with fall like squash, apples, pecans, sweaters, football; you get the idea! Ellen from Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures have gathered 24 bloggers who have over 100 recipes they’re sharing this week in celebration of cool weather and sweatshirts. We hope you find many must make recipes so get your pinning, tweeting, and sharing fingers ready!
Founded in 1993 in Door County, WI, Door County Coffee and Tea Company
is a small family owned business. Roasting a variety of flavors for 26
years, one winner will receive three full pot bags of all of their fall
flavors. 21 bags in all! Their mission through the years has been to
produce high quality, best-tasting coffee using only Specialty Class 1
Arabica coffee beans. Combine that with superior roasting technology and
you get a wonderfully even and perfect roast every time and that means
the perfect pot of coffee. A $40 value.
Originally founded as the West Texas Pecan Nursery in the late 1800's,
Millican Pecan is now in 5th generation ownership. Located in San Saba,
TX, the family continues the tradition of pecan farming while also
branching the business into the online world. The family also enjoys
educating people about pecans. One winner will receive The Tower of
Treats Gift Tins. The tower includes 3 decorative gift tins stacked on
top of each other. The bottom tin includes our 2 lb. Chocolate Pecan
Sampler, the middle tin is our Flavored Pecan Sampler and the top tin is
a 8 oz. tin of Milk Chocolate Caramillicans (similar to Turtles). An
$80 value.
Apple Crisp Hand Pies
Yield: 6 pies
Author: The Freshman Cook
ingredients:
1 box store bought refrigerated pie crust rolls
3-5 teaspoons Cocoa Powder
4-6 teaspoons cold water
3 tablespoons granulated Sugar
Seasoning
1/2 cup granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
3 strips of Lemon Zest
4-5 Granny Smith Apples
Crisp Filling
1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Flour
2 tablespoons Oatmeal
Caramel Filling/Dough
15-20 Caramel Squares
1-2 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
1-2 teaspoons melted Butter
instructions:
How to cook Apple Crisp Hand Pies
Unroll the refrigerated dough. Bring it to room temperature.
I started to mix the dough with my hands, but that was not going to work for me. You can do it this way if you want. Just place some of the chocolate on the dough and start kneading it until it becomes all together. I used a food processor, and it was much easier on my hands. As you are incorporating the cocoa powder, add the sugar. You may want to add more sugar than I did.
If you make this the night before it is an easier recipe. Just wrap the dough and set it in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready to pull this all together, start mixing the sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon zest together in a bowl. You could mix this together the day before also.
Peel and chop the apples. Mix the seasoning with the apples.
Mix together the crisp filling ingredients.
Roll out the chocolate dough. This is not a picture of the dough for this recipe. For this recipe I made the dough 3x4". I rolled the dough to 1/4" thick.
Use a double boiler to melt the caramels.
Once the pie crust pieces are cut, place some of the apples, the crisp filling and the melted caramel on top. Place a small line of melted butter around the edges.
Top with another piece of cut dough. Crimp the edges. The butter will help keep the dough together. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Drizzle with caramel!
Two (2) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. The #FallFlavors bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway. Entries will be verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter giveaway. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #FallFlavors posts or entry. Thank you to our sponsors Millican Pecan and Door County Coffee and Tea for providing prizes.
Valentine's Day is the day I became engaged to my husband, which makes it one of my favorite days of the year. I would love to say that every year we go all out and celebrate like crazy, and although we have done that a lot of years, most of the time life gets in the way and it becomes just another busy day. So this year, as part of my plan to make Valentine's Day, extra special, I thought it was time to make these Double Chocolate Caramel Cookies. These cookies taste amazing! The caramel flows from the chocolate heart, and mixes with the chocolate cookie for an awesome, creamy chocolatey taste that you will love, and won't be able to forget. Plus, they make a great gift for your special someone!
Double Chocolate Caramel Cookies
(printable recipe at end of post) 6 ounces Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate 3/4 cup Butter 1 cup Sugar 2 Eggs 1 3/4 cup Flour 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder Caramel Baking Chips (3 per cookie) Creamy Caramel Chocolate Hearts
Microwave the chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 min, or until butter is completely melted. Stir butter and chocolate together until chocolate is completely melted.
Stir in sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time. Mix until completely blended.
Combine the flour and baking powder together, and add it to the bowl. Mix well. The dough will be very soft. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Use a 1 ounce scoop to make balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Add 3 caramel chips to each ball of dough.
Reroll the dough to incorporate the chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
While the cookies are baking, remove the appropriate number of caramel candies from their foil.
Place a caramel heart on each cookie immediately upon removing them from the oven. Enjoy warm, or place in a tin for gift giving!
Check out these fun and tasty recipes from my blogger friends!
Microwave the chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 min, or until butter is completely melted. Stir butter and chocolate together until chocolate is completely melted.
Stir in sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time. Mix until completely blended.
Combine the flour and baking powder together, and add it to the bowl. Mix well. The dough will be very soft. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Use a 1 ounce scoop to make balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Add 3 caramel chips to each ball of dough.
Reroll the dough to incorporate the chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
While the cookies are baking, remove the appropriate number of caramel candies from their foil.
Place a caramel heart on each cookie immediately upon removing them from the oven. Enjoy warm, or place in a tin for gift giving!
