CHOCOLATE PEEPS FOR EASTER!

"Are You My Mother?"

Of all my childhood Spring Confection memories, PEEPS stand out. My sister and I still buy each other PEEPS around Easter, although we rarely eat the sugary marshmallow-y creatures any more. She buys me purple rabbits; I buy her classic yellow chicks -- the original PEEPS. You see where this is going? I'm a purist, but since this is a Chocolate Blog, I've made room in my Easter PEEPS inventory for Chocolate PEEPS.

So, PEEPS: You love them or hate them. People do all sorts of things with PEEPS, only some of which involve giving them to kids at Easter or eating them straight from the box. For me, it's the elastic quality of the "old" PEEPS that's fun for me--pulling them apart.

Chocolate PEEPS Bunnies off to work in the fields

Chocolate: The ultimate in the ever improving PEEPS. Chocolate-Covered PEEPS are available from the original company in both Dark and Milk chocolate. These are not the small peeps packed together in rows. No, these Chocolate Peeps come in individually wrapped packages, as well as in a three pack. Sadly, in the big ones, the cool sparkly coating of sugar is missing, and I think it would have been a nice buffer between the chocolate and marshmallow to make it stand out from the rest of the chocolate marshmallow candy.

However, the Chocolate Dipped PEEPS do have the sugar. I love the three pack of PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Chicks (both dark and milk chocolate), as well as the Dark and Milk Chocolate PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Mousse Flavored Marshmallow Chicks!

I'm a fan of Chocolate Eggs, and PEEPS has a very fun individually boxed hollow milk chocolate egg with a PEEP chick inside. Maybe it's been around for awhile, but I missed it.

And, just as an aside, Jacques Torres makes fabulous chocolate, and they sell Chocolate-Covered PEEPS. Their name: Chirp'N'Dales. They are adorable. Also, Asher's Chocolates makes Milk and Dark Chocolate Dipped PEEPS.

Other great uses for PEEPS:

1. Make PEEPS S'Mores, especially with the chocolate covered ones.
2. Plop a Chocolate Covered PEEPS down in your Hot Chocolate or Coffee.
3. Decorate cakes or cupcakes with PEEPS.
4. Create Your Own PEEPS Diorama.
5. Bake PEEPS in your brownies!

Want to make your own Chocolate Covered PEEPS using the original PEEPS?

1. Melt some good dark chocolate or milk chocolate (about 16 oz/depending on how many you plan to make)

2. Remove PEEPS from package. I would use Chicks since they're the original, but the other shapes (rabbits, etc) work well.
3. Insert a lollipop stick into the Peep. If you're using the chicks, put stick in the widest part (maybe this is why they're sideways standing up in the packaged ones--and why bunnies work better). 
4. Dip the Peep into the melted chocolate. Two choices: Either cover the entire Peep or just dip one end as you would chocolate covered strawberries. Be sure and let any excess drip off.
5. Put on wax paper covered plate or cookie sheet and freeze or refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

Question? When is a PEEP, not a PEEP? When it's Chocolate-Covered.

Chocolate Dipped Peeps complete the flock!

GRAVEYARD ICE CREAM PIE & GRAVEYARD CAKE: HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween! There are many recipes for Graveyard Ice Cream Pie and Graveyard Cake for Halloween, but I have my favorites. 

This first recipe for Graveyard Ice Cream Pie is adapted from Martha Stewart. She calls it "I Scream" Graveyard Pie.  I use PEEPS' Marshmallow Tombstones instead of the Milano Cookies and candy skulls Martha uses in the original recipe. Want to make this even more chocolatey? Make a Chocolate Cookie Crust instead of graham cracker crust. 

The second recipe is for Graveyard Cake, and the recipe is from Betty Crocker. It uses a cake mix, but if you're a purist, use your own favorite chocolate cake recipe. Once again, I use the PEEPS' Marshmallow Tombstones...and Ghosts. Gotta love PEEPS.

GRAVEYARD ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
16 graham crackers, broken into large pieces
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup roughly chopped chocolate flaky-crisp candy bars, such as Butterfinger "fun size" (about 8)
1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened
1 cup roughly chopped chocolate-coconut candy bars, such as Mounds "snack size" (about 8)
2 tablespoons chocolate chips, melted and cooled
20 chocolate wafers

Directions 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground (you should have about 2 cups). With motor running, add butter in slow, steady stream and pulse until combined. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up side of a 9 1/2-inch pie plate. Bake until crust is dry and set, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in plate on a wire rack, 45 minutes.

In medium bowl, stir vanilla ice cream with wooden spoon until smooth. Fold in flaky-crisp candy bars. With small offset spatula, spread ice cream mixture evenly in crust. Freeze until firm, 1 hour 20 minutes.

Stir chocolate ice cream until smooth. Fold in coconut candy bars and spread evenly on top of vanilla ice cream layer. Freeze until firm, 1 hour.

In clean food processor, pulse wafers until finely ground (you should have about 1 1/4 cups). Spread crumbs on top of pie. With a knife, cut slits for "tombstones" and insert PEEPS Marshmallow Tombstones. 

GRAVEYARD CAKE

Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil’s food cake mix
Water, oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
4 PEEPS® brand marshmallow ghosts
4 PEEPS® brand marshmallow tombstones
1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (10 cookies)

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
Make cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool in pan on cooling rack until completely cooled, about 1 hour.
Spread chocolate frosting on top of cake; place marshmallows around edges of cake.
Sprinkle cake cookie crumbs to look like dirt.
Cut into 5 rows by 4 rows. 

 

PEEPS Pumpkin Patch Brownies

I love PEEPS! I know not everyone does, but even if you don't, PEEPS make great Halloween decorations for your cakes, cupcakes, pies, and pudding cups! Here's a recipe for PEEPS Pumpkin Patch Brownies. And, yes, of course, you can use your own Brownies and Frosting! 

INGREDIENTS 

PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray 

2 Packages (18.3 oz each) Duncan Hines® Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix 

1-1/3 cups vegetable oil 

4 Eggs 

6 Tablespoons water 

8 Chocolate sandwich cookies 

1 Container (16 oz each) Duncan Hines®Creamy Chocolate Frosting 

3 Cups pretzel sticks 

2 PEEPS® Brand Marshmallow Ghosts 

6 PEEPS® Brand Marshmallow Pumpkins 

Fresh mint sprigs 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven 325°F. 

Spray 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. 

Stir both brownie mixes, oil, eggs, and water together in a large bowl until well blended, about 50 strokes. 

Pour into pan. 

Bake 42 to 47 minutes, until toothpick inserted 1-inch from edge of pan comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. 

Remove from pan and cool completely. 

Place chocolate sandwich cookies in a resealable bag, seal, and crush into fine crumbs. 

Place cooled brownies on serving tray. 

Frost top and sides with frosting. 

Place pretzel sticks around the edge of brownies to make fence. 

Top brownie with cookie crumbs to look like dirt. 

Place toothpicks in PEEPS® Marshmallow Pumpkins and Ghosts and stick them into the top of the brownies. 

Use mint sprigs to create vines between the pumpkins. Slice and serve

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE

What are you doing for your Easter Centerpiece?This cake is perfect for your Easter Table: Peeps Chocolate Sunflower Cake.  

Peeps are an important part of the Easter tradition for so many people. I love to use Peeps in desserts. I usually check out the Peeps website for fun Peeps Recipes (and new PEEPS!). Here's an extremely easy Chocolate Sunflower Cake recipe. Perfect for Easter or Spring celebrations.

The recipe below uses shortcuts (boxed mixes and ready-made icing), but you can use your favorite from-scratch cake and icing recipes.

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE

Ingredients
3 packages (5 count each) Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks
1 standard box cake mix – see package for additional ingredients
2 containers of chocolate frosting
1 bag chocolate chips
1 tube green decorating icing with piping tips (optional)

Directions
Prepare cake mix according to package directions for making two 8″ round cakes.
Cut thin slice off the top of each cake to make them level.
Place one round cake on a plate or cake stand and top with chocolate frosting. Place second round cake on top of frosting. Frost entire cake with chocolate frosting.
Place Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks on top of cake around the diameter with their tails facing out. Place chocolate chips on top of cake in a circular pattern.
If desired, use a leaf-shaped tip to pipe green decorating icing at base of cake.

PEEPS EASTER GARDEN CAKE: Peeps Day!

Today is PEEPS Day. Yes, a holiday devoted to the sweets of my childhood, especially at Easter. So, I thought I'd post this darling (and easy) PEEPS Garden Cake. Recipe is from the PEEPS recipe site. The recipe calls for a Betty Crocker cake mix (since it's originally a Betty Crocker/General Mills Recipe), but you can use your favorite cake mix or your favorite chocolate cake recipe and frosting recipe from scratch.

PEEPS EASTER GARDEN CAKE

Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Devil's Food cake mix
Water, oil, and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs  (I use Famous Chocolate Wafers)
1 can (6.4 oz) Betty Crocker green decorating cake icing
8 to 12 PEEPS® marshmallow bunnies (different colored bunny peeps are fun!)
1 can (6.4 oz) Betty Crocker orange decorating cake icing

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray.
Make cake as directed on box for 13 x 9-inch pan. Cool in pan on cooling rack until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
Spread chocolate frosting on top of cake; sprinkle with chocolate cookie crumbs.
Use green icing to make garden rows, using photo as guide.
Insert toothpick halfway into base of each PEEPS® marshmallow bunny. Insert bunnies, toothpick side down, into cake.
Use orange and green icings to make carrots on cake, using photo as a guide.
Cut into 4 rows by 3 rows to serve.

>

CHOCOLATE PEEPS FOR EASTER

"Are You My Mother?"

Of all my childhood Spring Confection memories, PEEPS stand out. My sister and I still buy each other PEEPS around Easter, although we rarely eat the sugary marshmallow-y creatures any more. She buys me purple rabbits; I buy her classic yellow chicks -- the original PEEPS. You see where this is going? I'm a purist, but since this is a Chocolate Blog, I've made room in my Easter PEEPS inventory for Chocolate PEEPS.

So, PEEPS: You love them or hate them. People do all sorts of things with PEEPS, only some of which involve giving them to kids at Easter or eating them straight from the box. For me, it's the elastic quality of the "old" PEEPS that's fun for me--pulling them apart.

Chocolate PEEPS Bunnies off to work in the fields

Chocolate: The ultimate in the ever improving PEEPS. Chocolate-Covered PEEPS are available from the original company in both Dark and Milk chocolate. These are not the small peeps packed together in rows. No, these Chocolate Peeps come in individually wrapped packages, as well as in a three pack. Sadly, in the big ones, the cool sparkly coating of sugar is missing, and I think it would have been a nice buffer between the chocolate and marshmallow to make it stand out from the rest of the chocolate marshmallow candy.

However, the Chocolate Dipped PEEPS do have the sugar. I love the three pack of PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Chicks (both dark and milk chocolate), as well as the Dark and Milk Chocolate PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Mousse Flavored Marshmallow Chicks!

I'm a fan of Chocolate Eggs, and PEEPS has a very fun individually boxed hollow milk chocolate egg with a PEEP chick inside. Maybe it's been around for awhile, but I missed it.

And, just as an aside, Jacques Torres makes fabulous chocolate, and they sell Chocolate-Covered PEEPS. Their name: Chirp'N'Dales. They are adorable. Also, Asher's Chocolates makes Milk and Dark Chocolate Dipped PEEPS.

Other great uses for PEEPS:

1. Make PEEPS S'Mores, especially with the chocolate covered ones.
2. Plop a Chocolate Covered PEEPS down in your Hot Chocolate or Coffee.
3. Decorate cakes or cupcakes with PEEPS.
4. Create Your Own PEEPS Diorama.
5. Bake PEEPS in your brownies!

Want to make your own Chocolate Covered PEEPS using the original PEEPS?

1. Melt some good dark chocolate or milk chocolate (about 16 oz/depending on how many you plan to make)

2. Remove PEEPS from package. I would use Chicks since they're the original, but the other shapes (rabbits, etc) work well.
3. Insert a lollipop stick into the Peep. If you're using the chicks, put stick in the widest part (maybe this is why they're sideways standing up in the packaged ones--and why bunnies work better). 
4. Dip the Peep into the melted chocolate. Two choices: Either cover the entire Peep or just dip one end as you would chocolate covered strawberries. Be sure and let any excess drip off.
5. Put on wax paper covered plate or cookie sheet and freeze or refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

Question? When is a PEEP, not a PEEP? When it's Chocolate-Covered.

Chocolate Dipped Peeps complete the flock!

PEEPS HALLOWEEN RED VELVET LAYER CAKE

I'm very fond of PEEPS, and I love that there are different PEEPS for different holidays. This year for Halloween, PEEPs has Ghosts, Green Monsters, Pumpkins, and Skulls (no tombstones or black cats ?? this year).  

The PEEPS website also has recipes for the different holidays. Here's a PEEPS recipe for a spooky PEEPS Halloween Red Velvet Layer Cake that 'will be the showstopper at your Halloween party!' Frost Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting with a gory red glaze drizzled over and dripping down. Decorate with spooky PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts and red candy to make a scary scene!

As always, you can make your own cake and icing. And, in this case, you can also decorate with other PEEPS, such as Green Monsters, Skulls or Ghosts..probably not pumpkins!

PEEPS HALLOWEEN RED VELVET LAYER CAKE

Ingredients

Baking Spray 

1 pkg (15.25 oz each) Duncan Hines Signature Red Velvet Cake Mix 

1 cup lowfat buttermilk (or water) 

3 eggs 

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1 container (16 oz each) Duncan Hines Cream Cheese Creamy Home-Style Frosting 

12 PEEPS Brand Marshmallow Ghosts 

2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream 

1/2 cup white baking chips 

red food coloring 

1/2 cup HOT TAMALES Brand Candies 

red, black and eye ball sprinkles 

red or white lollipop sticks PEEPS 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round pans with baking spray.

Blend cake mix, buttermilk or water, eggs, and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. 

Pour batter evenly into pans. Bake 24 to 28 minutes, until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes, remove from pans and cool completely. 

Place one cake layer on serving plate and frost the top with about 1/2-cup cream cheese frosting. Tear 6 PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts into small pieces and press into frosting. Top with second cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, leaving the sides of the cake exposed so you can see the red cake through a very thin layer of frosting. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes, until frosting is cold and firm. 

Pour heavy cream into a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave 30 seconds. Pour hot cream over white chips in another small bowl and whisk until smooth. Microwave in 5 second increments if needed to finish melting the chips. Add enough red food coloring gel to dye it bright red. 

Pour glaze over the cold cake and push it to the edge of the cake with an offset spatula so that it drips down the sides. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set the glaze. Place 3 PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts on lollipop sticks and remaining 3 PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts on toothpicks. When glaze has set, insert PEEPS into the top of the cake. Decorate with HOT TAMALES and sprinkles, pressing gently into the glaze. Slice and serve!

PATRIOTIC PEEPS S'MORES

Photo: PEEPS®

I love S'MORES, and these seasonal  PEEPS® Patriotic Vanilla Creme Marshallow Chicks are so cute! This photo and recipe are from my friends at PEEPS®.  Here's something fun for everyone at the Fourth of July barbecue or campfire: PEEPS Patriotic S'mores!

PATRIOTIC PEEPS SMORES!

Ingredients
PEEPS Patriotic Vanilla Creme Marshmallow Chicks
Graham crackers
Chocolate bars
Sprinkles (Red, White and Blue)

Directions
Break graham crackers in half, so you have two squares.
Melt PEEP over fire or low heat.
Layer melted PEEP over square of chocolate, with graham cracker square on bottom
Top S’more with second graham cracker square and drizzle melted chocolate on top
Add patriotic sprinkles, and top off with PEEPS Patriotic Vanilla Creme Marshmallow Chick

Happy Fourth of July!

CHOCOLATE PEEPS FOR EASTER: Bunnies and Chicks, Oh My!

"Are You My Mother?"

Of all my childhood Spring Confection memories, PEEPS stand out. My sister and I still buy each other PEEPS around Easter, although we rarely eat the sugary marshmallow-y creatures any more. She buys me purple rabbits; I buy her classic yellow chicks -- the original PEEPS. You see where this is going? I'm a purist, but since this is a Chocolate Blog, I've made room in my Easter PEEPS inventory for Chocolate PEEPS.

So, PEEPS: You love them or hate them. People do all sorts of things with PEEPS, only some of which involve giving them to kids at Easter or eating them straight from the box. For me, it's the elastic quality of the "old" PEEPS that's fun for me--pulling them apart.

Chocolate PEEPS bunnies going off to the fields

Chocolate: The ultimate in the ever improving PEEPS.  Chocolate-Covered PEEPS are available from the original company in both Dark and Milk Chocolate. These are not the small peeps packed together in rows. No, these Chocolate Peeps come in individually wrapped packages, as well as in a three pack. Sadly, in the big ones, the cool sparkly coating of sugar is missing, and I think it would have been a nice buffer between the chocolate and marshmallow to make it stand out from the rest of the chocolate marshmallow candy.

However, the Chocolate Dipped PEEPS do have the sugar. I love the three pack of PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Chicks (both dark and milk chocolate), as well as the Dark and Milk Chocolate PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Mousse Flavored Marshmallow Chicks!

I'm a fan of Chocolate Eggs, and PEEPS has a very fun individually boxed hollow milk chocolate egg with a PEEP chick inside. Maybe it's been around for awhile, but I missed it.

And, just as an aside, Jacques Torres makes fabulous chocolate, and they sell Chocolate-Covered PEEPS. Their name: Chirp'N'Dales. They are adorable. Also, Asher's Chocolates makes Milk and Dark Chocolate Dipped PEEPS.

Other great uses for PEEPS:

1. Make PEEPS S'Mores, especially with the chocolate covered ones.
2. Plop a Chocolate Covered PEEPS down in your Hot Chocolate or Coffee.
3. Decorate cakes or cupcakes with PEEPS.
4. Create Your Own PEEPS Diorama.
5. Bake PEEPS in your brownies!

Want to make your own Chocolate Covered PEEPS using the original PEEPS?

1. Melt some good dark chocolate or milk chocolate (about 16 oz/depending on how many you plan to make)

2. Remove PEEPS from package. I would use Chicks since they're the original, but the other shapes (rabbits, etc) work well.
3. Insert a lollipop stick into the Peep. If you're using the chicks, put stick in the widest part (maybe this is why they're sideways standing up in the packaged ones--and why bunnies work better). 
4. Dip the Peep into the melted chocolate. Two choices: Either cover the entire Peep or just dip one end as you would chocolate covered strawberries. Be sure and let any excess drip off.
5. Put on wax paper covered plate or cookie sheet and freeze or refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

Question? When is a PEEP, not a PEEP? When it's Chocolate-Covered.

Chocolate Dipped Peeps complete the flock!

 

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE for EASTER

What are you doing for your Easter Centerpiece?This cake is perfect for your Easter Table: Peeps Chocolate Sunflower Cake. This is very fitting this year, too, as it shows support of Ukraine.

Peeps are an important part of the Easter tradition for so many people. I love to use Peeps in desserts. I usually check out the Peeps website for fun Peeps Recipes (and new PEEPS!). Here's an extremely easy Chocolate Sunflower Cake recipe. Perfect for Easter or Spring celebrations.

The recipe below uses shortcuts (boxed mixes and ready-made icing), but you can use your favorite from-scratch recipes.

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE

Ingredients
3 packages (5 count each) Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks
1 standard box cake mix – see package for additional ingredients
2 containers of chocolate frosting
1 bag chocolate chips
1 tube green decorating icing with piping tips (optional)

Directions
Prepare cake mix according to package directions for making two 8″ round cakes.
Cut thin slice off the top of each cake to make them level.
Place one round cake on a plate or cake stand and top with chocolate frosting. Place second round cake on top of frosting. Frost entire cake with chocolate frosting.
Place Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks on top of cake around the diameter with their tails facing out. Place chocolate chips on top of cake in a circular pattern.
If desired, use a leaf-shaped tip to pipe green decorating icing at base of cake.

PEEPS EASTER GARDEN CAKE

Today is PEEPS Day. Yes, a holiday devoted to the sweets of my childhood, especially at Easter. So, I thought I'd post this darling (and easy) PEEPS Garden Cake. Recipe is from the PEEPS recipe site. The recipe calls for a Betty Crocker cake mix (since it's originally a Betty Crocker/General Mills Recipe), but you can use your favorite cake mix or your favorite chocolate cake recipe and icing recipe from scratch.

PEEPS EASTER GARDEN CAKE

Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist Devil's Food cake mix
Water, oil, and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs  (I use Famous Chocolate Wafers)
1 can (6.4 oz) Betty Crocker green decorating cake icing
8 to 12 PEEPS® marshmallow bunnies (different colored bunny peeps are fun!)
1 can (6.4 oz) Betty Crocker orange decorating cake icing

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray.
Make cake as directed on box for 13 x 9-inch pan. Cool in pan on cooling rack until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
Spread chocolate frosting on top of cake; sprinkle with chocolate cookie crumbs.
Use green icing to make garden rows, using photo as guide.
Insert toothpick halfway into base of each PEEPS® marshmallow bunny. Insert bunnies, toothpick side down, into cake.
Use orange and green icings to make carrots on cake, using photo as a guide.
Cut into 4 rows by 3 rows to serve.

PEEPS HALLOWEEN RED VELVET LAYER CAKE: HALLOWEEN!

I'm very fond of PEEPS, and I love that there are different PEEPS for different holidays. This year for Halloween, PEEPs has Ghosts, Green Monsters, Pumpkins, Skulls, and Black Cats (no tombstones this year).  

The PEEPS website also has new recipes for the different holidays. Here's PEEPS latest recipe for a spooky PEEPS Halloween Red Velvet Layer Cake that 'will be the showstopper at your Halloween party!' Frost Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting with a gory red glaze drizzled over and dripping down. Decorate with spooky PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts and red candy to make a scary scene!

As always, you can make your own cake and icing. And, in this case, you can also decorate with other PEEPS, such as Green Monsters, Skulls or Black Cats..probably not pumpkins!

PEEPS HALLOWEEN RED VELVET LAYER CAKE

Ingredients

Baking Spray 

1 pkg (15.25 oz each) Duncan Hines Signature Red Velvet Cake Mix 

1 cup lowfat buttermilk (or water) 

3 eggs 

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1 container (16 oz each) Duncan Hines Cream Cheese Creamy Home-Style Frosting 

12 PEEPS Brand Marshmallow Ghosts 

2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream 

1/2 cup white baking chips 

red food coloring 

1/2 cup HOT TAMALES Brand Candies 

red, black and eye ball sprinkles 

red or white lollipop sticks PEEPS 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round pans with baking spray.

Blend cake mix, buttermilk or water, eggs, and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. 

Pour batter evenly into pans. Bake 24 to 28 minutes, until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes, remove from pans and cool completely. 

Place one cake layer on serving plate and frost the top with about 1/2-cup cream cheese frosting. Tear 6 PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts into small pieces and press into frosting. Top with second cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, leaving the sides of the cake exposed so you can see the red cake through a very thin layer of frosting. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes, until frosting is cold and firm. 

Pour heavy cream into a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave 30 seconds. Pour hot cream over white chips in another small bowl and whisk until smooth. Microwave in 5 second increments if needed to finish melting the chips. Add enough red food coloring gel to dye it bright red. 

Pour glaze over the cold cake and push it to the edge of the cake with an offset spatula so that it drips down the sides. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set the glaze. Place 3 PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts on lollipop sticks and remaining 3 PEEPS Marshmallow Ghosts on toothpicks. When glaze has set, insert PEEPS into the top of the cake. Decorate with HOT TAMALES and sprinkles, pressing gently into the glaze. Slice and serve!

GRAVEYARD ICE CREAM PIE & GRAVEYARD CAKE: HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween! There are many recipes for Graveyard Ice Cream Pie and Graveyard Cake for Halloween, but I have my favorites. This first recipe for Graveyard Ice Cream Pie is adapted from Martha Stewart. She calls it "I Scream" Graveyard Pie.  I use PEEPS' Marshmallow Tombstones instead of the Milano Cookies and candy skulls Martha uses in the original recipe. Want to make this even more chocolatey? Make a Chocolate Cookie Crust instead of graham cracker crust. The second recipe is for Graveyard Cake, and the recipe is from Betty Crocker. It uses a cake mix, but if you're a purist, use your own favorite chocolate cake recipe. Once again, I use the PEEPS' Marshmallow Tombstones...and Ghosts. Gotta love PEEPS.

GRAVEYARD ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
16 graham crackers, broken into large pieces
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup roughly chopped chocolate flaky-crisp candy bars, such as Butterfinger "fun size" (about 8)
1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened
1 cup roughly chopped chocolate-coconut candy bars, such as Mounds "snack size" (about 8)
2 tablespoons chocolate chips, melted and cooled
20 chocolate wafers, such as Famous Chocolate Wafers

Directions 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground (you should have about 2 cups). With motor running, add butter in slow, steady stream and pulse until combined. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up side of a 9 1/2-inch pie plate. Bake until crust is dry and set, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in plate on a wire rack, 45 minutes.

In medium bowl, stir vanilla ice cream with wooden spoon until smooth. Fold in flaky-crisp candy bars. With small offset spatula, spread ice cream mixture evenly in crust. Freeze until firm, 1 hour 20 minutes.

Stir chocolate ice cream until smooth. Fold in coconut candy bars and spread evenly on top of vanilla ice cream layer. Freeze until firm, 1 hour.

In clean food processor, pulse wafers until finely ground (you should have about 1 1/4 cups). Spread crumbs on top of pie. With a knife, cut slits for "tombstones" and insert PEEPS Marshmallow Tombstones. 

GRAVEYARD CAKE

Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil’s food cake mix
Water, oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
4 PEEPS® brand marshmallow ghosts
4 PEEPS® brand marshmallow tombstones
1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (10 cookies)

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
Make cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool in pan on cooling rack until completely cooled, about 1 hour.
Spread chocolate frosting on top of cake; place marshmallows around edges of cake.
Sprinkle cake cookie crumbs to look like dirt.
Cut into 5 rows by 4 rows. 

 

PEEPS PATRIOTIC S'MORES: FOURTH OF JULY

Photo: PEEPS®

I love S'MORES, and these seasonal  PEEPS® Patriotic Vanilla Creme Marshallow Chicks are so cute! This photo and recipe are from my friends at PEEPS®.  Here's something fun for everyone at the Fourth of July barbecue or campfire: PEEPS Patriotic S'mores!

PEEPS PATRIOTIC SMORES!

Ingredients
PEEPS Patriotic Vanilla Creme Marshmallow Chicks
Graham crackers
Chocolate bars
Sprinkles (Red, White and Blue)

Directions
Break graham crackers in half, so you have two squares.
Melt PEEP over fire or low heat.
Layer melted PEEP over square of chocolate, with graham cracker square on bottom.
Top S’more with second graham cracker square and drizzle melted chocolate on top.
Add patriotic sprinkles, and top off with PEEPS Patriotic Vanilla Creme Marshmallow Chick.

CHOCOLATE PEEPS FOR EASTER: Bunnies and Chicks, Oh My!

"Are You My Mother?"

Of all my childhood Spring Confection memories, PEEPS stand out. My sister and I still buy each other PEEPS around Easter, although we rarely eat the sugary marshmallow-y creatures any more. She buys me purple rabbits; I buy her classic yellow chicks -- the original PEEPS. You see where this is going? I'm a purist, but since this is a Chocolate Blog, I've made room in my Easter PEEPS inventory for Chocolate PEEPS.

So, PEEPS: You love them or hate them. People do all sorts of things with PEEPS, only some of which involve giving them to kids at Easter or eating them straight from the box. For me, it's the elastic quality of the "old" PEEPS that's fun for me--pulling them apart.

Chocolate PEEPS Bunnies off to work in the fields

Chocolate: The ultimate in the ever improving PEEPS. Chocolate-Covered PEEPS are available from the original company in both Dark and Milk chocolate. These are not the small peeps packed together in rows. No, these Chocolate Peeps come in individually wrapped packages, as well as in a three pack. Sadly, in the big ones, the cool sparkly coating of sugar is missing, and I think it would have been a nice buffer between the chocolate and marshmallow to make it stand out from the rest of the chocolate marshmallow candy.

However, the Chocolate Dipped PEEPS do have the sugar. I love the three pack of PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Chicks (both dark and milk chocolate), as well as the Dark and Milk Chocolate PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Mousse Flavored Marshmallow Chicks!

I'm a fan of Chocolate Eggs, and PEEPS has a very fun individually boxed hollow milk chocolate egg with a PEEP chick inside. Maybe it's been around for awhile, but I missed it.

And, just as an aside, Jacques Torres makes fabulous chocolate, and they sell Chocolate-Covered PEEPS. Their name: Chirp'N'Dales. They are adorable. Also, Asher's Chocolates makes Milk and Dark Chocolate Dipped PEEPS.

Other great uses for PEEPS:

1. Make PEEPS S'Mores, especially with the chocolate covered ones.
2. Plop a Chocolate Covered PEEPS down in your Hot Chocolate or Coffee.
3. Decorate cakes or cupcakes with PEEPS.
4. Create Your Own PEEPS Diorama.
5. Bake PEEPS in your brownies!

Want to make your own Chocolate Covered PEEPS using the original PEEPS?

1. Melt some good dark chocolate or milk chocolate (about 16 oz/depending on how many you plan to make)

2. Remove PEEPS from package. I would use Chicks since they're the original, but the other shapes (rabbits, etc) work well.
3. Insert a lollipop stick into the Peep. If you're using the chicks, put stick in the widest part (maybe this is why they're sideways standing up in the packaged ones--and why bunnies work better). 
4. Dip the Peep into the melted chocolate. Two choices: Either cover the entire Peep or just dip one end as you would chocolate covered strawberries. Be sure and let any excess drip off.
5. Put on wax paper covered plate or cookie sheet and freeze or refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

Question? When is a PEEP, not a PEEP? When it's Chocolate-Covered.

Chocolate Dipped Peeps complete the flock!

 

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE for EASTER

Time to think about your Easter Centerpiece. Here's the perfect one for your Easter Table: Peeps Chocolate Sunflower Cake. This is very fitting this year, too, as it shows support of Ukraine.

Peeps are an important part of the Easter tradition for so many people. I love to use Peeps in desserts. I usually check out the Peeps website for fun Peeps Recipes. Here's an extremely easy Chocolate Sunflower Cake recipe. Perfect for Easter or Spring celebrations.

The recipe below uses shortcuts (boxed mixes and ready-made icing), but you can use your favorite from-scratch recipes.

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE

Ingredients
3 packages (5 count each) Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks
1 standard box cake mix – see package for additional ingredients
2 containers of chocolate frosting
1 bag chocolate chips
1 tube green decorating icing with piping tips (optional)

Directions
Prepare cake mix according to package directions for making two 8″ round cakes.
Cut thin slice off the top of each cake to make them level.
Place one round cake on a plate or cake stand and top with chocolate frosting. Place second round cake on top of frosting. Frost entire cake with chocolate frosting.
Place Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks on top of cake around the diameter with their tails facing out. Place chocolate chips on top of cake in a circular pattern.
If desired, use a leaf-shaped tip to pipe green decorating icing at base of cake.

EASTER PEEPS: Rabbits, Chicks and Chocolate-Dipped!

"Are You My Mother?"

Of all my childhood Spring Confection memories, PEEPS stand out. My sister and I still buy each other PEEPS around Easter, although she rarely eats the sugary marshmallow-y creatures any more. She buys me purple rabbits; I buy her classic yellow chicks -- the original PEEPS. You see where this is going? I'm a purist, but since this is a Chocolate Blog, I've made room in my Easter PEEPS inventory for Chocolate PEEPS.

So, PEEPS: You either love them or hate them. People do all sorts of things with PEEPS, only some of which involve giving them to kids at Easter or eating them straight from the box. For me, it's the elastic quality of the "old" PEEPS that's fun for me--pulling them apart.

Chocolate PEEPS Bunnies off to work in the fields

Chocolate: The ultimate in the ever improving PEEPS. Chocolate-Covered PEEPS are available from the original company in both Dark and Milk chocolate. These are not the small peeps packed together in rows. No, these Chocolate Peeps come in individually wrapped packages, as well as in a three pack. Sadly, in the big ones, the cool sparkly coating of sugar is missing, and I think it would have been a nice buffer between the chocolate and marshmallow to make it stand out from the rest of the chocolate marshmallow candy.

However, the Chocolate Dipped PEEPS do have the sugar. I love the three pack of PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Chicks (both dark and milk chocolate), as well as the Dark and Milk Chocolate PEEPS Chocolate Dipped Mousse Flavored Marshmallow Chicks!

I'm a fan of Chocolate Eggs, and PEEPS has a very fun individually boxed hollow milk chocolate egg with a PEEP chick inside. Maybe it's been around for awhile, but I missed it. LOL!

And, just as an aside, Jacques Torres makes fabulous chocolate, and they sell Chocolate-Covered PEEPS. Their name: Chirp'N'Dales. They are adorable. Also, Asher's Chocolates makes Milk and Dark Chocolate Dipped PEEPS.

Other great uses for PEEPS:

1. Make PEEPS S'Mores, especially with the chocolate covered ones.
2. Plop a Chocolate Covered PEEPS down in your Hot Chocolate or Coffee.
3. Decorate cakes or cupcakes with PEEPS.
4. Create Your Own PEEPS Diorama.
5. Bake PEEPS in your brownies!

Want to make your own Chocolate Covered PEEPS using the original PEEPS?

1. Melt some good dark chocolate or milk chocolate (about 16 oz/depending on how many you plan to make)

2. Remove Peeps from package. I would use Chicks since they're the original, but the other shapes (rabbits, etc) work well.
3. Insert a lollipop stick into the Peep. If you're using the chicks, do it the widest way (maybe this is why they're sideways standing up in the packaged ones--and why bunnies work better). 
4. Dip the Peep into the melted chocolate. Two choices: Either cover the entire Peep or just dip one end as you would strawberries. Be sure and let any excess drip off.
5. Put on wax paper covered plate or cookie sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. 

Question? When is a PEEP, not a PEEP? When it's Chocolate-Covered.

Chocolate Dipped Peeps complete the flock!

 

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE: Easter

Easter is next Sunday, and here's the perfect cake to celebrate: Peeps Chocolate Sunflower Cake.

Peeps are an important part of the Easter tradition for so many people. I love to use Peeps in desserts. I usually check out the Peeps website for fun Peeps Recipes. Here's an extremely easy Chocolate Sunflower Cake recipe. Perfect for Easter or Spring celebrations.

The recipe below uses shortcuts (boxed mixes and ready-made icing), but you can use any favorite from scratch recipes.

PEEPS CHOCOLATE SUNFLOWER CAKE

Ingredients
3 packages (5 ct. each) Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks
1 standard box cake mix – see package for additional ingredients
2 containers of chocolate frosting
1 bag chocolate chips
1 tube green decorating icing with piping tips (optional)

Directions
Prepare cake mix according to package directions for making two 8″ round cakes.
Cut thin slice off the top of each cake to make them level.
Place one round cake on a plate or cake stand and top with chocolate frosting. Place second round cake on top of frosting. Frost entire cake with chocolate frosting.
Place Peeps Yellow Marshmallow Chicks on top of cake around the diameter with their tails facing out. Place chocolate chips on top of cake in a circular pattern.
If desired, use a leaf-shaped tip to pipe green decorating icing at base of cake.

CHOCOLATE COVERED PEEPS for Valentine's Day!

I know you can buy all kinds of fabulous chocolates for Valentine's Day. I have a lot of favorites, but just thought I'd lighten it up with Valentine's Day 'chocolate' offerings from PEEPS®. 

I've blogged about PEEPS before, and I love that they've expanded their line to include many holidays besides Easter. This season there are Valentine's Day fluffy, cherry flavored marshmallow hearts dipped in and drizzled with chocolate, Strawberry Creme flavored Chicks sitting on a bed of chocolate, and there's even a Chocolate-covered Raspberry Heart. Of course there are other non-chocolate PEEPS' hearts that you can dip yourself in some great dark or milk chocolate.

A few ways to enjoy PEEPS for Valentine's Day!

Eat them the way they are.
Put them in your cocoa or coffee.
Decorate your Valentine's Day presents with them.
Skewer a few Raspberry Hearts and tie it to a gift of Cocoa in a Jar!
Create a diorama using PEEPS!
Stuff a Chocolate Raspberry Heart between two graham crackers, and you have Valentine's Day PEEPS S'mores.
Place a Valentine's Day Peep in a cellophane bag, tie with a ribbon, and give as Valentine's Day cards.
PEEPS are so versatile.

The PEEPS® pictured here:

Milk Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Crème Flavored Chicks
Milk Chocolate Covered Raspberry Heart
Chocolate Dipped Marshmallow Cherries Drizzled in Chocolate. .

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

GRAVEYARD ICE CREAM PIE & GRAVEYARD CAKE: Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! There are many recipes for Graveyard Ice Cream Pie and Graveyard Cake for Halloween, but I have my favorites. This first recipe for Graveyard Ice Cream Pie is adapted from Martha Stewart. She calls it "I Scream" Graveyard Pie.  I use PEEPS' Marshmallow Tombstones, instead of the Milano Cookies and candy skulls Martha uses in the original recipe. Want to make this even more chocolatey? Make a Chocolate Cookie Crust instead of graham cracker crust. The second recipe is for Graveyard Cake, and the recipe is from Betty Crocker. It uses a cake mix, but if you're a purist, use your own favorite chocolate cake recipe. Once again, I use the PEEPS' Marshmallow Tombstones...and Ghosts. Gotta love PEEPS.

GRAVEYARD ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
16 graham crackers, broken into large pieces
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup roughly chopped chocolate flaky-crisp candy bars, such as Butterfinger "fun size" (about 8)
1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened
1 cup roughly chopped chocolate-coconut candy bars, such as Mounds "snack size" (about 8)
2 Tbsp chocolate chips, melted and cooled
20 chocolate wafers, such as Famous Chocolate Wafers

Directions 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground (you should have about 2 cups). With motor running, add butter in slow, steady stream and pulse until combined. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up side of a 9 1/2-inch pie plate. Bake until crust is dry and set, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in plate on a wire rack, 45 minutes.

In medium bowl, stir vanilla ice cream with wooden spoon until smooth. Fold in flaky-crisp candy bars. With small offset spatula, spread ice cream mixture evenly in crust. Freeze until firm, 1 hour 20 minutes.

Stir chocolate ice cream until smooth. Fold in coconut candy bars and spread evenly on top of vanilla ice cream layer. Freeze until firm, 1 hour.

In clean food processor, pulse wafers until finely ground (you should have about 1 1/4 cups). Spread crumbs on top of pie. With a knife, cut slits for "tombstones" and insert PEEPS Marshmallow Tombstones. 

GRAVEYARD CAKE

Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil’s food cake mix
Water, oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
4 PEEPS® brand marshmallow ghosts
4 PEEPS® brand marshmallow tombstones
1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (10 cookies)

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
Make cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool in pan on cooling rack until completely cooled, about 1 hour.
Spread chocolate frosting on top of cake; place marshmallows around edges of cake.
Sprinkle cake cookie crumbs to look like dirt.
Cut into 5 rows by 4 rows.