Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats

Even the thought of turning on my oven when the temps climb to over 90 degrees makes me start to sweat. Tiny droplets form on my upper lip and I feel like someone is holding a lit match to my skin.

Oppressively hot weather causes a problem for bakers since baking usually requires the oven to be on for periods of longer than twenty minutes. If you're baking a few batches of cookies or prefer to bake one sheet at a time like I do, your oven could be on for well over an hour which either means your A/C is working overtime or your kitchen temperature rises to something feeling like hell.

To combat the steamy kitchen syndrome, or SKS as I like to call it, I went in search of some no-bake cookie recipes. I found some on Martha's website and while I don't classify these as cookies, they will do in a pinch to satisfy a summer sweet tooth.

This recipe for Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats is prepared on the stove top using a single burner for about 6 - 7 minutes. The treats remind me of the Rice Krispie Treats I used to make as a kid, with Mom's help of course. Martha has kicked it up a notch by adding dutch-processed cocoa powder to the marshmallows and bittersweet chocolate on the top.

I liked these because I could really taste the deep chocolate flavor and they didn't seem overly sweet to me. Mike enjoyed them too, but he said the crisps looked like lentils. As usual, he's right. I couldn't get Rice Krispies at Whole Foods, so I substituted with the Whole Foods, 365 Organic brand of Brown Rice Crisps which do in fact resemble lentils.

Crispy Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bag (10 1/2 ounces) mini-marshmallows
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
6 cups crisp rice cereal
1 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Line bottom of and 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang. If using foil, spray lightly with non-stick spray.

In a large saucepan (approx. 4 qt.) combine butter, marshmallows, and cocoa. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until melted, about 6 minutes. Sir in rice cereal. Press rice mixture into prepared pan. Wetting fingers with cold water will allow you to combat the stickiness of the marshmallows. Re-wet fingers as needed.

Drizzle with melted chocolate. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into 16 bars.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Variations:
Add 1/2 cup of dried fruit such as cranberries or cherries.
Crush up peppermint candies or add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract.

Melting Marshmallows on the Stovetop















Cookie press rating: 3.5 cookies (out of 5)

Some other no-bake cookie recipes:

Peanut-Butter Granola Bars

Coconut-Pecan Cereal Bars

Coconut-Chocolate Patties

Accordion Cookies

I had never heard of Accordion Cookies before I received this recipe from one of my faithful blog readers. The foil is folded like the paper fans we all used to make in grammar school on the final days of school in June when it was blistering hot and no one was thinking about learning anything, except the way to the town pool.

The dough is easy to make. The recipe calls for walnuts, but you could use pecans, hazelnuts chopped fine, or almonds. Try substituting nuts for dried cranberries or add a little lemon zest to give the cookies a new twist.

Spoon the dough into each fold being sure not to overdo it. As the dough cooks, it spreads quite a lot into a cookie that looks very much like biscotti. The outer layer is crisp while the inside is soft, creating a nice juxtaposition of textures.

These cookies would be fun to make on a rainy afternoon with your kids or grand kids. Top each scoop of dough with sprinkles or M&M's for a fun and tasty treat.

I really like these cookies because they are fun to make and they taste great to boot. They freeze well and hold their interesting "V" shape. I gave my friend Victor a few and he called them "remarkable" and limited his friend Eileen to only three before cutting her off! Don't worry Victor, the recipe makes enough to share without limits.

And thanks to Deb J. for sending me the recipe. I love to try new cookies so if you have a recipe, send it along to my email address which is listed in the About Me section of this blog.

Cookie press rating: 3.75 cookies (out of five)


Accordion Cookies

Ingredients
2 sheets (approx. 1 yard) heavy-duty foil
1 1/2 sticks butter (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1) Heat oven to 325°F. Fold 1 sheet of foil in half lengthwise. Then fold the double thickness foil crosswise into 1-inch pleats to make an accordion-pleated pan. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with second sheet of foil. Spray foil lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

2) In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour and salt; mix well. Stir in walnuts. Drop rounded teaspoonful of dough into catch of foil. (Dough spreads during baking to form 2 1/2 to 5-inch long cookies)

3) Bake for 18 to 26 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies from foil and cool completely on rack.

4) Turn foil over for second baking. Repeat with second sheet of foil.

If desired, baked cookies can be sprinkled with powdered sugar or frosted with a powdered sugar glaze.

Dough Prior to Baking













Gently Remove Cooled Cookies With a Butter Knife














The Final Product