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Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Every now and then a recipe comes along that is just so darn delicious that you wonder where it’s been your whole life! This is such a recipe!!

The combination of brown butter, and a gooey cookie dough consistency make recipe one to be reckoned with…just when you thought a cookie couldn’t get any more delicious…along comes my good friend Nutella, to make it even more amazing!!

Disclaimer: You may want to eat far too many of these in one sitting – I strongly suggest you share these with your friends, or trouble will ensue.

I used this recipe on a Cup of Jo, by Monique at Ambitious Kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2 cups dark brown sugar (light brown sugar works too)
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
16 tbsp Nutella (1 cup)
Sea salt for sprinkling

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper. (A 7 x 11 inch pan will also work well.)

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. The butter will begin to crackle and foam. Make sure you whisk consistently during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan; continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. It is VERY important to let the butter cool. Please do not skip this step.

With an electric mixer, mix the brown butter and sugar until thoroughly blended. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined, smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined. Gently fold in all of the chocolate chips.

Divide the cookie dough batter in half. Spread half of the dough onto prepared pan, patting towards the edges. Try to make sure that the batter is evenly distributed; it’s going to seem like a thin layer but they will bake up and be glorious.

Drop Nutella by tablespoonfuls on top of first layer of cookie dough. You’ll want to do this all around the pan, leaving a small amount of space on the edges. Next, spread Nutella with a spatula so that it’s in an even layer on top of the cookie dough. Top Nutella with remaining batter, making sure Nutella is completely covered. Tip: I drop a handful of cookie dough in different areas on top of the Nutella, then use my hands to pat the cookie dough into an even layer.

Bake for 23 to 27 minutes, or until edges begin to turn a slight golden brown. I like to underbake mine a little so they stay gooey and soft in the middle. Sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before cutting into bars.

If you love these, I also recommend trying these brown butter chocolate chip cookies, stuffed with Nutella!!

Dairy free cacao thickshake

So it’s taken me several attempts to spell “Cacao” correctly….no, it isn’t a spelling error, it’s just a healthier and less refined version of our good friend cocoa (Who knew!?).

Now that I’m taking a temporary break from my good friends butter, saturated fat and refined sugar, I’m on a quest for heathy but delicious recipes. If you’ve read my blog for a while now, you’ll be well aware that I do enjoy a good unhealthy treat, but it’s time for me to put the mod in moderation!!

After one too many Nutella milkshakes, topped with Nutella Donuts (Yes, they exist), I’m off the baked goods (hell, for a good few days at least!!). Today I made this delicious alternative, which is dairy free, contains no refined sugar or sweeteners, and is naturally sweet and creamy!! Perfect as a post workout shake, or as a healthy desert!!

Ingredients:

Two tablespoons Cacao powder (I used Blackmores – it’s not cheap, but you only need a small amount per serve)
1 large banana (frozen)
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 cup coconut almond milk (I used Almond Breeze) – you can use plain almond or the milk of your choice if you prefer.
1 handful of ice

Blend to combine – the consistency should be nice and thick!!

This was legit delish! Do try it!! Do you have a favourite healthy smoothie recipe? I would love to hear it!!

Matcha Smoothie Breakfast Bowl

It’s official….I’ve finally eaten too many baked goods!! After eating one too many Nutella Stuffed Cookie Bars yesterday, my stomach ached and my chest burned!! Yes, I do enjoy a good cookie/brownie/slice of cake/croissant etc, but I need to tone down the baking for a while…and have decided to experiment with some super healthy recipes with no added sugar or dairy!! I’ll be featuring some superfood recipes to help me get back on track with clean eating!! Don’t worry though, there will still be plenty of baking recipes in between – after all, life is all about moderation right!?

Yesterday I took a trip to The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea bar, and picked up a bag of Matcha tea. Matcha is finely ground green tea, which is packed full of anti-oxidants – even more so than regular green tea!! It has a delicious flavour, and as it’s in powder form, is a great superfood to add into smoothies and even in baking for a hit of green tea flavour!!

So this morning I got experimenting with the blender, and made this absolutely delicious Matcha Smoothie Bowl, which is packed full of goodness and completely refined sugar and dairy free!!

Firstly, before making this, I peeled and chopped up some bananas and pears, and put them in the freezer!! I wanted the consistency of this smoothie bowl to be thick enough to scoop up with a spoon. I used Almond Breeze Coconut and Almond blend in place of milk, but you could use regular almond or plain coconut if you prefer!!

Ingredients:

1 large frozen banana
1 frozen pear
1 cup baby spinach
1 teaspoon matcha powder
1/2 cup coconut almond milk (I used Almond Breeze brand – So Good also make a Coco Almond Blend)
Berries, flaked almonds and chia seeds (for topping)

All you need to do is blitz together all your ingredients in a blender or magic bullet, then top with whatever you like (I used frozen raspberries, chia seeds and flaked almonds).

This truly was delicious!! The sweetness of the banana and pear compliment the green tea flavour and the spinach adds an extra nutritious twist – a great way to sneak more vegetables into your day!! It’s honestly so sweet that there is no need to add in honey!

Have you tried Matcha? Would you try this breakfast bowl? If you’re in a rush, you can always add some extra coconut almond milk to water it down, so you can drink it like a regular smoothie!!

Orange Sponge Cake with Chocolate Filling

It’s freezing cold in Sydney today, so what better excuse would there be to crank up the oven and get baking?

I’ve never actually made a humble sponge cake before, so I thought I’d give it a whirl!! I did a twist on the classic victoria sponge by adding some orange to my cakes, and filing it with chocolate instead of jam and cream…..good decision….very good decision!

This is probably one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made – you can have it mixed and in the oven in minutes.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

4 eggs
225g/8oz caster sugar
225g/8oz self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
225g/8oz soft butter
Orange zest
Juice of half an orange
Addition 2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 pack dark chocolate melts
Icing sugar for dusting

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
Grease 2 x 6 inch baking pans with butter or olive oil spray, then dust with flour
Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl with an electric hand mixer, then add orange zest, sifted flour, and baking powder and continue mixing to combine.
Bake for 25 minutes until golden, and coming away from the edges of the pan – they should be springy to touch.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer onto wire racks
Mix the juice of half an orange with 2 tablespoons of caster sugar. Lightly brush the juice mix over each cake (this will make them moist, and extra orangy)
Melt chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water!!
Spread chocolate over the top of one cake, then layer the second cake on top. Dust the top cake with icing sugar.

Pure citrusy goodness!! Do you enjoy a classic sponge cake!?

Almond Butter and Chocolate Energy Balls

So as you know, the majority of the recipes on Pop Therapy contain ample quantities of sugar and butter….so today you will be surprised to see a refined sugar and butter free recipe!!

“Jem, what’s become of you!? You’ve changed man!” I hear you say…..but don’t you worry, it’s the delicious sweetness of DATES that make these babies delicious!! They’re healthy, and completely addictive….and don’t worry…I still dipped them in chocolate to finish, so they’re not too healthy, in case you’re thinking of tuning out right now.

To make these completely dairy free, you can leave out the chocolate, or use dairy free choc chips!

I used this recipe from the Butter Half, worlds punniest food blog!

Ingredients:

1 cup dates, pitted
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 cup almond butter
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (for melting)
1/2 cup crushed coconut flakes

Method:

1. In a food processor, blend the dates and coconut oil together until smooth. Add in almond butter, dark chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix until smooth and the mixture resembles dough.

2. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet or plate covered with parchment paper.

3. Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl, over a simmering saucepan of hot water, being careful that your bowl does not touch the water. Dip the top half of the energy bite into the melted chocolate, then dip into the crushed coconut. Allow to set for 10 minutes, then chill in refrigerator in a sealed container.

Whilst they’re not the prettiest, I assure you, they sure taste good!! What’s your favourite healthy treat recipe?

Orange and Poppyseed Bundt Cake

What better to do on a rainy day than to bake (and subsequently eat) a delicious orange and poppyseed bundt cake!!

“What is a bundt cake,” you ask? A bundt cake is made in a bundt (or kugelhopf) pan, and has a big hole in the middle, which means you can make a super delicious cake without the middle being undercooked.

I’ll never make a regular cake again!! After making this chocolate espresso funfetti bundt cake, and now this delight, Im a bundt cake nut!!

This was delicious and easy to make…and yes, if anyone is wondering, that is a lemon lurking in the background, but it was purely for decorative purposes….I just ran out of oranges!!

I used this recipe.

Ingredients:

Melted butter, to grease
125ml (1/2 cup) fresh orange juice
130g (1/2 cup) Greek-style natural yoghurt
60g (1/4 cup) poppy seeds
250g butter, at room temperature, chopped
270g (1 1/4 cups) caster sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated orange rind
4 eggs
340g (2 1/4 cups) plain flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 orange
150g (1 cup) pure icing sugar
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice, extra

Method:

Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a 25cm (top measurement) kugelhopf pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Combine the orange juice, yoghurt and poppy seeds in a small bowl.
Use an electric beater to beat the butter, caster sugar and orange rind in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until just combined.
Sift the flour and baking powder over the egg mixture. Add the yoghurt mixture and use a large metal spoon to fold until just combined. Spoon mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Use a zester to remove the rind from the orange. (Alternatively, use a vegetable peeler to peel rind from the orange. Use a small sharp knife to remove white pith from the rind. Cut rind into thin strips.) Combine the icing sugar and extra orange juice in a bowl until smooth. Pour over the cake and sprinkle with the orange rind. Set aside for 20 minutes or until the icing is set.

Pure bundt deliciousness!! Now I just need (another) coffee to have with this and my day will be complete!!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies

Peanut butter and chocolate is a seriously delicious combination!! I recently made these chocolate dipped peanut cookies with pretzels, and now am on the peanut butter bandwagon (sorry to all our peanut allergic friends!)!!

I used this recipe from a Cup of Jo. The recipe is by Abbey Rodriguez from The Butter Half! It was really simple and I had these ready in under 30 mins!! The only thing I changed was adding a sprinkle of sea salt (why not!?).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cups butter
1/3 cup water
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup white sugar (for dipping) and sea salt for sprinkling
1 bag dark chocolate melts

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Beat sugar, peanut butter and butter until fluffy. Blend in water, egg and vanilla.Next, add oats, flour and baking soda. Mix well. Shape the cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Place them on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar (wet the glass, then dip in the sugar!!). Add a sprinkling of sea salt. Bake 10 minutes.

While cookies are baking, boil a small saucepan of water. Sit a heat-safe glass bowl on top of the saucepan and melt the chocolate (make sure your bowl does not touch the water). Stir constantly until smooth.

Remove cookies from oven and top each with 1/2 teaspoon of chocolate. Allow them to cool and set for 10-15 minutes.

These cookies were loved by both adults and babies alike!! Whilst they’re not exactly health food, the addition of oats makes them slightly more nutritious (I tell myself these things…).

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Espresso Funfetti Bundt Cake

Nothing spells fun like sprinkles!! Today I purchased a Bundt cake pan….which is basically a regular cake pan, with some cool shapes in it, and a hole in the middle!!! Best $20 I ever spent… this cake is the bomb!! It’s Lachy’s birthday, so chocolate cake was called for!! This cake was so good that I’m currently trying to find people to visit and eat it, so that we don’t eat the whole thing!!

I used this recipe from Joy the Baker – but made a couple of small tweaks…I made a simpler ganache (because I was too lazy to add additional ingredients), and brushed the cake with a wash of orange juice and castor sugar before icing, for added moisture!!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon brewed coffee
3/4 cup Dutch cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups, plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted

For the Ganache:

1 pack dark chocolate melts
1/2 cup of thickened cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius
Grease a 10 inch Bundt Cake Pan
To make the cake batter: Put brewed coffee and cocoa powder in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat and let come to room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment, mix together sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs and egg yolk on low speed for about 1 minute.
Add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract and mix on low again for another minute.
Add the flour and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add the cooled cocoa mixture and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.
The batter will be very loose (it’s super liquidy, but don’t worry, it will work!!). Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan and then invert onto a cooling rack.
Make the ganache, by placing your chocolate and cream into a heat proof bowl. Place the heat proof bowl above a simmering saucepan of water, making sure your bowl does not touch the water!! Stir regularly, until mixture is runny and glossy. Ice cake quickly before your ganache goes hard!!

Add sprinkles!!

This made a great birthday cake for Lachy…and was enjoyed by all…especially Dash, who has now learned how to ask for “more cake!”

The texture of this cake is amazing…this is my new favourite chocolate cake…and the coffee flavour makes it even better. Have you made a bundt cake before? I can’t wait to make some other delicious bundt cake flavours!!

Nutella Swirled Banana Bread

So I had a fruit bowl full of bananas….and a jar of Nutella staring me in the face… what better to do, then combine them into the ultimate NUTELLA SWIRLED BANANA BREAD (I feel like this banana bread deserves capital letters).

I recently made the best ever brown butter chocolate chip cookies stuffed with Nutella, and am seriously on board the Nutella baking bandwagon… a few google searches would reveal that I’m not the first one to dream up such an amazing banana bread!!

I used this recipe from Zoe Bakes. It was so darn good, half the loaf was gone in minutes!! The recipe makes two loaves, but you can halve the recipe if you don’t trust yourself to have two of these in the house.

Ingredients:

Makes 2 loaves

3 large or 4 medium (2 cups mashed) bananas, yellow with brown speckles
1 cup brown sugar, packed
250 grams unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups self raising flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup Nutella

Method:

Pre-heat over to 180 degrees Celsius
Grease two loaf tins and line with baking paper
Mash the bananas with a potato masher, so they still have some small lumps, set aside.
Combine the sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla and mix with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer. Whisk together the flour and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar/butter mixture, just until smooth. Add the bananas and mix just until they are combined.
THEN COMES THE MAGIC – microwave your nutella for about 20 seconds until soft (or you can stand the jar in hot water).
Drizzle about two thirds of the Nutella over the mix, and gently fold it through, being careful not to stir too much, as you want to retain a marbled effect.
Pour the mixture into your loaf tins
Drizzle the remaining Nutella over the top of the banana bread.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean

Pure deliciousness!!! Serve with…more Nutella!!!

Do you have any Nutella recipes you would like to share? Are you on the Nutella Bandwagon?

White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookies

If you haven’t already noticed, I’ve been on a cookie bender the past few weeks….Sydney weather has been horrible, so what better to do at home than to bake cookies!! I’ve never been a massive white chocolate fan, but these cookies are seriously amazing…the white chocolate and macadamia combination, along with the saltiness of these cookies is just divine!! So divine, that I’m about to deliver a batch of these cookies to my neighbours before I eat them all!!

I used this recipe from Donna Hay, but made a couple of tiny tweaks including the addition of greek yoghurt, and chilling the dough for an hour before baking.

Ingredients

150g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (175g) brown sugar
¾ cup (165g) white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
1 tablespoon greek yoghut
1½ cups (225g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder, sifted
½ teaspoon table salt
250g white chocolate, chopped
150g macadamia nuts, chopped

Method

Place butter, brown and white sugars and vanilla in an electric mixer and beat for 8–10 minutes or until pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg, beating well to combine. Add yoghurt and beat through.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat on low until a dough forms. Fold through the chocolate and nuts.
Chill dough for one hour. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F).
Roll 2 tablespoons of the dough into balls at a time and flatten slightly. Place on lightly greased baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing room to spread. Bake for 15–18 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on trays before serving.

And that’s it….pure deliciousness!! They also remind me of the cookies you get at Subway!! Is anyone else a closet Subway cookie lover!?