We’re really spoiled at my office. We have a Keurig machine and 2 Nespressos with a built-in milk foamer; there’s no excuse to go to Starbucks ever.

That being said, there are certain drinks I always crave, like sweet lattes with rich caramel sauce swirls. Even if it’s not worth standing in line 20 minutes and shelling out $5, it’s certainly worth taking the time to make it at home for pennies and an infinite supply.

I’m not a pumpkin-spice fanatic, but I do love the earthy flavors in coffee, especially mixed with rich, buttery caramel. I tried Ina Garten’s caramel sauce last year, loved it, and vowed to make it again and again. This was the first time I made it since then(oops). It’s amazing that a little salt and spice changes the flavors completely. This could go in anything from coffee to oatmeal to even squash. 

I don’t recommend using a candy thermometer for this because by the time you have it calibrated right the caramel will burn. It’s best to just watch it closely, use your judgement, and buy an extra set of ingredients because it’s the easiest thing in the world to mess up the first time(but worth giving it a second try!).

Pumpkin Spice Caramel Sauce(Adapted from this recipe)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 1 1/2 cups):

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Combine and mix the sugar and water in a medium-sized pot.
2. Bring the sugar water to a rolling boil and maintain. Once the water is boiling make sure not to touch it with a utensil.
3. While the water is boiling, mix the vanilla and cream in a cup.
4. Watch the sugar water carefully as it changes from white to a soft green to a hazelnut. When it turns a reddish-brown, remove quickly from the heat. Don’t let it get to a solid brown or the sugar is too burnt.
5. Off the heat pour in the cream and vanilla extract. Stand back as it sizzles and may splatter.
6. Once the caramel’s calmed, return it to the heat and start stirring as it’s just below boiling point. The caramel will have clumped and hardened.
7. Continue stirring until the clumps have dissolved into the cream and it’s an even color and consistency.
8. Remove from the heat and add in the spice and salt. Continue mixing as it cools to get the clumps of spice out.
9. Once cooled, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

If there’s one candy that can rival my love of chocolate and peanut butter, it’s peppermint patties. As soon as I made my egg-shaped Reese’s cups, I wondered why no one ever does the same with peppermint patties?

The ratio of filling to chocolate coating is a little ridiculous here; if you’re not a fan of super sweet desserts, this probably isn’t for you. I am, however, so I thought these were great. The chocolate coating certainly could have been prettier but it’s mostly my fault for hastening the process; this works best if you let the patties freeze well before being coated.

Easter Egg Peppermint Patties

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes a dozen):

• 2 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons agave nectar(or any liquid sweetener)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons water
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil, softened or melted
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 8oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, sweetener, water, coconut oil and extract completely until it forms a dough-like consistency.
2. Break off pieces of the filling and roll it into a log in your hands. Gently press down until the shape resembles an egg. Lay this on a non-stick surface and repeat with the rest of the filling.
3. Refrigerate the filling until it’s cold and hard—about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a double-boiler.
5. Cover the filling eggs on both sides and all around in the chocolate. Try to work quickly since the filling will soften the longer it’s out and near the chocolate. Lay the eggs on a non-stick surface one by one.
6. Once you’ve used all the chocolate and filling, refrigerate the eggs until the coating hardens. These will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

These are like after dinner mints on steroids. I could never choose between these and Reese’s cups. Thankfully, we live in a world where no one ever has to.

This week I made brownies for the first time in months. MONTHS. Who am I? The thing is these aren’t even for me; I’m still trying to get in better shape for marathon training. The last thing I need on my plate(literally) is brownies.

I’m not saying I didn’t steal a taste, but as soon as these were cooled, cut, and photographed I sealed them up to bring to the Healthy Living Summit to share with friends and this girl for hosting me for a night. If you’re going, too, please find me and say hi. I’ll be the one trying to buy friends with brownies.

 I made these by modifying my outrageous triple chocolate brownies recipe and—dare I say?—I like these better. Cooked they taste the same but the raw batter is much more delicious since it doesn’t have that funky gluten-free flavor to it. And it requires no special flour/starch blend, just plain old almond flour. Since I always keep these ingredients on hand, I can tell this will be my new go-to brownie recipe. 

Almond Flour Brownies

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 8 x 8 pan):

• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup sugar*
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules(optional)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 7oz semisweet or bittersweet baking chocolate, divided OR 3/4 cup chocolate chips

*You can replace the cane sugar in this recipe with 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons of liquid sweetener like maple syrup, honey, agave, or corn syrup. 

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together the almond flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, melt together 4 ounces of chocolate or a scant 1/2 cup chocolate chips with the butter.
4. While the chocolate is melting, beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and coffee granules if using.
5. Slowly pour the melted chocolate and butter into the egg/sugar mixture while whisking until fully incorporated. Don’t go too fast so that the raw eggs don’t cook upon contact.
6. Add the chocolate mixture in with the dry ingredients and mix completely.
7. Pour the batter in an 8 x 8 pan.
8. Sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate and gently press it into the batter.
9. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Let these cool completely before cutting in.

The first time I made these I took them out of the oven after only 25 minutes. 2 hours later I cut in to a gooey and basically raw center. Oops. I stuck them back into the oven and—of course—got distracted, baking them a little too long and burning the tops of the ones towards the back. The lesson is bake as I say, not as I do.

How can you have thick and creamy chocolate mousse with just chocolate and water? It seems impossible. But as soon as I stumbled on this blog post making exactly that I had a hunch I would make it and love it. It’s a little difficult technically but completely worth the end result. Following through with all of the prep work makes the active part easier.

This is one of those recipes where you’ll want to use good chocolate. You know, the Ina-Garten-only-uses-good chocolate. Since the recipe is primarily chocolate and water, all the flavor comes from the chocolate. You certainly don’t want to make this with chocolate chips. I used Callebaut baking chocolate and it came out fine. If I were making this to really impress someone(say for a Valentine’s Day dessert) I would use Vahlrona.

Chocolate Mousse With Kahlua(a variation on this recipe)

Ingredients(Makes 3-4 servings):

• 265 grams good quality bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup minus 2 Tablespoons warm water
• 2 Tablespoons Kahlua
• 3 Tablespoons cane sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder*

*I added this at the very end to help thicken the mousse up. I might have needed it because water from the ice bath slipped into the chocolate bowl. If as it’s cooled the chocolate mousse doesn’t seem thick enough, add this in. Otherwise the recipe is fine without it.

Additional notes:

• Watch this video before starting for an actual portrayal of how the chocolate should look after each step.
• Since the proportions are very important for this recipe, it’s best to weigh all the ingredients out on a kitchen scale before starting including the liquids.
• Use a large plastic bowl with a wide bottom when whisking the emulsion so that the chocolate is shallow and will cool down faster.

Start by measuring out and mixing together the water, Kahlua, and sugar.

In a double-boiler or microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate down completely.

Prepare an ice bath in a larger bowl for the chocolate and move the melted chocolate to a bowl in the center of the ice bath.

In the ice bath, whisk together the chocolate and alcohol mixture. Continue mixing softly and smoothly for 5-10 minutes as the chocolate cools to keep the mousse emulsified as it cools.

If after a while the chocolate mixture is still rather thin, add in the 2 extra tablespoons of cocoa powder and whisk them in making sure not to leave any clumps.

Once the mousse has come together, spoon it in to servings bowls. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

It’s hard to imagine something so creamy being made with only chocolate and water. This makes for an easy recipe to pull out and impress with on special occasions; I’ll definitely be committing it to memory.