sunflower butter Archives

Dark Chocolate Sunflower Butter Truffles

December 2, 2013 · by Ari · 14 Comments

Rich and intense dark chocolate sunflower butter truffles are perfect treat to bring to a Christmas party, and make a great edible gift! Vegan, gluten-free and filled with intense chocolate flavor!

I have a confession. After the first round of making these truffles, I officially swore off truffle making forever. Not because I wasn’t in love with them, but because I’m, um, a little…slow on the learning curve. At least with things like this. I don’t have that whole hand-eye-coordination thing, and tasks that require care and patients are realllllly not my thing.

Then I tasted them. And I ate my words…in the form of an entire batch of truffles. Totally worth it.

So I did, in fact, make them again. andagainandagainandagain. Each time it got easier, and by the most recent batch, I even referred to it as “enjoyable” and “therapeutic”. WHO AM I???? It turns out, once you get the hang of it, they really don’t take that long. So pour yourself a glass of wine, put on your favorite holiday movie, and enjoy the process, because once you are finished and you take your first bite, I guarantee you will fall in love.

These truffles are so rich, and decadent. The deep flavor of dark chocolate mixed with creamy, nutty sunflower butter, topped with intense Dutch cocoa powder–it is a chocolate lover’s dream.

**Note: All photos on this post were taken by my husband. I made these last year before I was exclusively taking the photos for my site. I could make them again (they are so good), but his photos are gorgeous, so I decided to keep them. 🙂

Dark Chocolate Sunflower Butter Truffles

Prep Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen

Serving Size: 1 truffle

Dark Chocolate Sunflower Butter Truffles

Rich and intense dark chocolate sunflower butter truffles are perfect treat to bring to a Christmas party, and make a great edible gift! Vegan, gluten-free and filled with intense chocolate flavor!

Ingredients

12 oz dark chocolate, melted
1/3 cup sweetened condensed coconut milk, at room temperature (can sub regular sweetened condensed milk)
1/3 cup sunflower butter

For coating:

6 oz dark chocolate, melted
Approx 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder for dusting (or Hershey's Special Dark)

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the 12oz melted dark chocolate, sweetened condensed coconut milk and sunflower butter until well combined. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and use a small spoon or extra small cookie scoop to transfer chocolate mixture in approx 1/2" balls. If they don't look perfect and round right now, don't worry! Once all of the mixture has been transferred, refrigerate for 1 hour. You can stick them in the freezer as well.
Once the truffles have chilled, roll each truffle in your hands until round and smooth. Melt 6 oz dark chocolate in a wide shallow bowl. Pour 1 cup cocoa powder in a similar wide and shallow bowl. Use a fork to roll each truffle in melted chocolate until fully coated then in cocoa powder. Once truffle is fully coated, use your fork to gently place it back onto lined baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator or freezer.

http://www.arismenu.com/dark-chocolate-sunflower-butter-truffles/

Sunflower Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

January 11, 2013 · by Ari · 16 Comments

SOMEONE’S GETTING MARRIED TODAY!!!!!

Noooo, not me silly gooses. I already have a real husband and a New York Husband, and that is plenty. Plus, you know I said some vows to my Kitchenaid…

Ummm, I know what you’re thinking, but it’s totally normal to have two human husbands and one appliance. And everyone says vows to their favorite kitchen appliance, okay?

Sunflower Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

This is one of the most pointless food pictures I’ve ever taken. It shows you nothing about the actual cake, but for some reason I just love it.

Today my beautiful, wonderful friend Jen is getting hitched! I flew in to NYC late last evening, and today I’m road tripping down to Virginia for the wedding. It’s a long story, but the extra states saved me a night’s hotel fair, and earned me some extra time with NY Husband, so it’s well worth the extra travel. Jen is one of the most giving, loving people I have ever met, and I can’t wait to be a part of her special day!

I figured since today was extra special, I would do something I never do and post a CAKE! I very rarely make real cakes. I’m much more of a cupcake girl. I like the built in portion control of a cupcake, because lord knows I will break out a fork, and eat the entire cake if left to my own devices…

One time, I made Steve a red velvet cake for his birthday. Of course, this was before I knew how to cook, like at all, so it came from a box. I forgot the eggs (which is pretty typical for me), and the cake, although delicious, was a crumbly mess. This was also pre-weight-loss for both of us. We each ended up grabbing a fork, and almost completely devouring this double layer cake. It was really cute, I swear.

I can’t promise you that you will not have the same problem here, because this cake is GOOD. The edges browned and got slightly crispy while the middle stayed perfectly gooey and soft. The cake isn’t overly sweet to balance out the rich, chocolatey icing, and the white chocolate chips throughout create a perfect flavor balance. In basic terms, it tastes kinda like a HUGE, soft peanut butter cookie with white chocolate chips, that’s covered in rich chocolate cream cheese frosting. Except, it’s a cake. A cake I can get behind. Now, please pass me the fork.

Sunflower Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

yield approx 16 servings

1/4 cup apple butter
2/3 cup sunflower butter (or any nut butter you have on hand will work)
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
dash salt
3/4 cup brown sugar,packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

12 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 and 1/4 oz dark chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Line the bottom of a 9-10″ springform pan with parchment paper. Spray edges and parchment paper well with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl. whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat together apple butter, sunflower butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until well combined. Beat in egg. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold in white chocolate chips.
Transfer dough to prepared pan, and use a piece of sprayed parchment paper to gently press into an even layer.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, until lightly golden. The center should be set, but soft. Cool completely in pan.
Once cooled, run a butter knife along the inside to release any areas that are stuck, then open springform, and transfer cake to your preferred frosting area.
To make frosting, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla extract. Add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating on low speed, followed by cocoa powder. Increase to medium speed and add melted chocolate. Beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl often. Slowly, add almond milk 1 tbsp at a time until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
Frost cooled cookie cake completely, and serve.

Salted Chocolate Chip Sunflower Butter Cookies

October 5, 2012 · by Ari · 4 Comments

My recipes always have the loooooongest titles. I’m not the type of person that can just say “Sunflower Cookies” and call it good. That does NOT explain these cookies. The have sunflower butter and dark chocolate chips and a SALT!

If you are one of those people that doesn’t like sweet and salty, then I’m pretty sure we can’t be friends. It is my very favorite thing. When I saw these, I just about died. Also, I sweat a lot which makes me crave salt, and I’m sure knowing my sweating habits makes you realllllly hungry. No? Weird. Maybe an other picture of awesome sweet and salty cookies will revive your appetite.

I’ve been making lots of vegan desserts lately. As I was stalking all the pins that come from my site (seriously, I have a problem), I noticed that a lot of people were labeling my recipes as vegan, and I was like “Whaaaaa???? I don’t think so….”, but then I looked and realized that a lot of them are, or are super easily adaptable. I don’t really use butter very often, and I use a liquid egg substitute a lot, but a flax egg, or corn starch egg works just as well. So now you plant lovers can eat lots of cookies also. And trust me, you want to eat these cookies.

I don’t know about you, but I think sunflower butter might be the best nut butter. I should know. I am, like, a nut butter connoisseur. I could do one of those blindfold tests where you put out different types in front of me, and I could probably tell you the nut and the brand. Maybe I should be embarrassed? I’m not.

Sunflower butter has the perfect texture and flavor for cookies. And spoons and fingers. Or at least the TJ’s brand does. I love it so much, I won’t try anything else. I don’t mess with a good thing. When I find something I like, I REALLY like it, and become quickly obsessed with how it’s THE BEST THING EVER, but really…I think this is. The only thing better might be making my own, which is on my list. Yes, I have lists. SO MANY. Each of them overflowing with the many things I want to make, and some crazy ramblings for my brain. It’s kind of like this blog on paper with no pretty pictures.

Anyway, back to the cookies. It’s pretty easy. Dough, baking sheet, salty goodness…

I would actually recommend smushing them down slightly less than this. I made a couple with the left over dough and I left them puffier, and I actually liked those even more! Not that I wasn’t ridiculously eat 8 cookies a day obsessed with these just as they were 😉

I loooooove the way these ones look on their cute little silpat.

Salted Chocolate Chip Sunflower Cutter Cookies

yield approx 1.5 dozen

1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup apple butter
1 cup sunflower butter
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs corn starch
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup mini dark chocolate chips
coarse sea salt for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the apple butter, sunflower butter, sugars and vanilla until smooth.
In a small bowl, whisk together corn starch and water, then beat into sunflower butter mixture.
Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Fold in chocolate chips.
Using a small cookie scoop, drop dough onto lined cookie sheet. Use an extra piece of sprayed parchment paper to slightly flatten each dough ball. Generously sprinkle sea salt over cookie dough (about a pinch per cookie).
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until just golden. Do not overbake. Let cookies stand on sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sunflower Butter Cocoa Crispy Treats

August 13, 2012 · by Ari · 3 Comments

You may remember me stating my recommitment to healthy eating with a focus on whole foods with a short list of understandable ingredients. If you know me even a little bit, you know that I definitely didn’t mean I’d be giving up on dessert! Some say breakfast is the most important meal of the day; I say it’s dessert. We can agree to disagree. Luckily, I returned home to Phoenix to this awesome package from Annelies at Attune Foods.

I was super excited to try both cereal, but it was the Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice that really caught my eye. They have a very small list of natural ingredients.

And they have more protein than any rice cereal I’ve ever label stalked.

As a kid, I was obsessed with rice crispy treats. Legit obsessed. My mom didn’t make them. She doesn’t really bake. There are some things (cookies, cupcakes) that you can buy at the store, and they will do the trick, but have you tried the store bought rice crispy treats?! Gross. Even Little Kid Ari knew those were no bueno.

LOOK!!! Big Kid Ari can make her OWN rice crispy treats!! Okay, I’ll stop talking in the third person now. Sorry, that was weird. I guess I just got really excited. It’s one of my all time favorite desserts we’re talking about, and we all know I get a little crazy about food. So does Clementine. It’s like I’ve genetically transfered my food agression to my mini dachshund. I believe that’s totally possible.

Okay, okay, maybe not genetically, but parentally. Or something like that. Wait, how did we get here? Oh yeah, if you tried to steal my Sunflower Butter Cocoa Crispy Treat, I would probably growl and give you the stink eye while all of the hair on my head would stand up straight to let you know that we had crossed the line from playing to fighting.

Wow. Sometimes I say such strange things that I even weird myself out. It’s okay, though. I make awesome desserts. That’s why Steve married me. I’m convinced.

Now, I want to tell you about how ridiculously easy these are to make. I spent about 5 minutes. Maybe 6. Then they cooled for a couple of hours while I caught up on trashy reality tv. Let’s be real, I’m lazy and the less work I have to do, the better! Also, I washed a total of a pot and a spatula. I hate dishes. If I had a million dollars, I would throw away every dish I dirtied and immediately buy new ones.

I love this recipe because, not only is the cereal made from only real foods, but the bars are as well. They’re vegan (if you use agave, or if you’re one of those vegans that eats honey), gluten-free, and only require 4 ingredients. I hate to be one of those cliche healthy living bloggers that talks about how much more satisfying real food is, but these bars satisfy my sweet tooth with just a tiny 1″ square. Maybe that’s your normal dessert portion size, but I think we’ve covered the fact that, for me, dessert portion is generally as big as my head. I love sugar. It’s a problem I’m trying to curb, but until then I think I can be happy eating small satisfying treats like these.

And fro yo. Obviously.

Sunflower Butter Cocoa Crispy Treats

Inspired by Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

yield approx 32 bars

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey or agave
1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (preferably TJ’s brand–it is by far the best, in my opinion)
3.5 cups Erewhon Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice Cereal

Directions:

Spray a square 8×8 baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan, whisk brown sugar and honey/agave over medium high heat until thoroughly combined and no sugar lumps remain–about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a spatula, stir in sunflower butter until well combined. Slowly add in cereal one cup at a time stirring constantly with a spatula until cereal is evenly coated.
Transfer to prepared pan and press with wax paper until evenly spread. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set and cool. Once they’ve cooled, feel free to leave them out to be stored at room temperature.

Thanks again Annelies for the awesome package!!