Snacking can be much improved by thinking outside the cardboard box. Whipping up homemade versions of favorite munchies can allow us to save money, to customize snacks to our tastes and to spare us the food additives stowed away in our favorite packaged treats. And many homemade treats can be made with just a handful of ingredients, most of them probably already in the pantry.
Mastering a repertoire of fresh-baked goodies can forestall the reflexive reach to supermarket shelves. For those who subscribe to New York Times food writer Mark Bittman’s theory that junk food can be eaten as often as cooks are willing to make it at home, these are the recipes that help take some of the guilt out of guilty pleasures without subtracting the convenience from convenience foods.
Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
For the wafers:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder (see note)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup PLUS 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 egg
For the filling:
½ cup butter OR ¼ cup butter PLUS ¼ cup vegetable shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
In a mixing bowl thoroughly combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Using an electric mixer, food processor or plenty of elbow grease, cut in the butter and then the egg. Mix until the dough comes together; this may take several minutes - have patience, it will happen.
On the prepared baking sheets, drop rounded teaspoons or small scoops of the dough spaced roughly 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly, using your fingers or the bottom of a drinking glass.
Bake about 9 minutes or until just set. Cool cookies completely on baking sheets.
Meanwhile, make the filling.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vanilla and sugar; beat until light and fluffy. To assemble the cookies, pipe or scoop teaspoon-size amounts of filling onto a cookie; place another, equal size cookie on top and lightly press to evenly distribute the filling between the wafers.
Continue until all cookies have become sandwiches.
Makes 15 to 30 sandwich cookies, depending on size.
Note: Dutch process cocoa is treated with an alkali to neutralize some of the cocoa’s natural acidity. It has a darker color and richer flavor. Using natural cocoa powder will result in softer, puffier cookies.
Recipe adapted from smittenkitchen.com
Peanut Butter Cups
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chips or chopped, divided use
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup PLUS 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Line a 12-cup tin with cupcake liners.
In a double-boiler or a microwave-safe bowl, melt 8 ounces of the chocolate.
Distribute the melted chocolate among the tin’s 12 cups to just coat the bottoms. If the chocolate doesn’t spread flat, tap the pan (gently, and maybe repeatedly) on the countertop or smooth it with the back of a spoon. Place the pan in the freezer or refrigerator until the chocolate sets, about 15 minutes in the freezer or 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
In a small saucepan, melt the peanut butter, butter and brown sugar together over low heat. Or melt the peanut butter, butter and brown sugar together in the microwave. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar.
Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture into the cups and level the tops; return pan to freezer.
Melt the remaining chocolate and spoon small amounts of it over the peanut butter mixture. Tap the pan on the countertop or smooth with the back of a spoon to flatten.
Freeze or refrigerate until set.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Makes 12 thick peanut butter cups.
Recipe adapted from fifteenspatulas.com/homemade-peanut-butter-cups
Granola Bars
2/3 cup nut or legume butter such as peanut butter, almond butter or sunflower seed butter
½ cup honey
½ cup coconut oil
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups mix-ins such as coconut flakes, dried fruit, seeds (sunflower, chia, pumpkin, flax), chopped nuts or chocolate chips
In a medium saucepan, melt together the nut butter, honey and coconut oil. Stir until incorporated. Add oats and mix-ins and stir until combined.
If including chocolate chips, let the honey mixture cool before adding so they don’t melt.
Spread honey and oat mixture evenly in a 9-inch-by-13-inch pan and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Cut into bars and serve.
Recipe adapted heavenlyhomemakers.com and redandhoney.com
These crackers, traditionally made with a sharp cheddar cheese, provide a great canvas for experimentation with different herbs, spices and cheeses. They can be mellowed with Swiss cheese, sharpened with parmesan and garlic, or spiced up with pepper jack and a dash of cayenne.
Cheese Crackers
8 ounces shredded cheese, such as cheddar, Swiss or pepper jack
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour OR a combination of whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon paprika or other seasoning to taste such as cayenne or garlic powder
2 tablespoons ice water
In a large mixing bowl, beat cheese, butter and salt until soft and thoroughly combined. Add the flour and paprika (or other seasoning) and mix until a dry and pebbly dough forms.
Slowly add water until dough just binds together. Pat the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for an hour or more.
Heat oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Divide the dough in half and roll out each half into thin rectangles about 1/8 inch thick. Using a pastry cutter or knife, cut the dough into 1-inch squares and transfer to baking sheets. Use the tip of a chopstick, bamboo skewer or a toothpick to poke a hole in the center of each cracker. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crackers puff and brown at the edges.
Makes about 5 dozen.
Recipe adapted from Ready- Made magazine
Tater Tots
3 medium potatoes (russets work best, but any variety will work)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for serving
½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste
Desired seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder, paprika or ground red pepper (cayenne), optional, to taste
¼ cup canola oil
Shred the potatoes using a box grater and drain them well, expressing as much excess liquid as possible.
Mix together the grated potatoes, flour, salt, pepper and any other desired seasonings.
Heat oil in a heavy pot.
Meanwhile, roll the potato mixture into 1-inch logs while heating the canola oil in a large pot. When the oil is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on the surface, add tots and fry until golden brown on all sides. Makes about 4 servings.
Recipe adapted from canyoustayfordinner.com
Chocolate-Coconut Candies
1 (14-ounce) bag shredded coconut
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
20 ounces milk- or dark chocolate
Whole almonds (optional)
In a bowl, mix coconut flakes and sweetened condensed milk. With damp hands, mold the coconut mixture into rectangles, and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the freezer until the coconut mounds set, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the chocolate into pieces and melt it, either in a double-boiler or by warming it in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring in between.
Take the coconut mounds from the freezer and, using two forks, dip them one by one into the melted chocolate. Roll to cover; use fork to remove excess chocolate. If desired, nestle a chocolate-covered almond into the top of each candy.
Let set an hour or until the chocolate hardens before transferring to an airtight container.
Makes about 1 dozen full size candy bars.
Recipe adapted from notenoughcinnamon.com
Food, Pages 30 on 02/19/2014