WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY BARS

 

today i am teaming up with ghiardelli & the feed feed for ghirardelli's #BAKINGDAY featuring all things chocolate! i wanted to create a decadent holiday dessert that uses ALL the chocolate! well.. almost all the chocolate. so i'm taking cranberry bars to a whole new level. adding festive christmas ingredients like crunchy macadamia nuts & spicy nutmeg, then topping it with a creamy pure white chocolate ganache. i finished it off by drizzleing it with some dark chocolate. dark chocolate is good for you, so by drizzleing it with dark chocolate these are now healthy! if you prefer milk chocolate, switch it up. hell, put both! anything goes here. happy baking day:)!

ingredients

for the bars

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup raw sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, plus more for topping
  • 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
  • 1/2 cup ghiardelli white chocolate, chopped

for the ganache

for the drizzel

directions

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • in a large mixing bowl add melted butter, sugar, egg & vanilla. stir until well combined.
  • in a separate bowl sift flour, baking powder, salt & nutmeg. add to wet ingredients.
  • stir in cranberries, macadamia nuts & white chocolate chunks.
  • line a square baking dish with parchment paper & add dough. bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness & size of pan.
  • remove from oven & let cool while you make the ganache.
  • for the ganache, using either a double boiler or the microwave melt the white chocolate. stir in cream & mix until smooth. pour over the cooled cranberry bars & sprinkle with cranberries.
  • drizzel with melted dark chocolate, milk chocolate or both!
  • slice & serve.

like what you see? get it here. measuring cups | wooden spoon | cutting board | santuko knife | linens | pour bowl | plate

thank you so much to ghirardelli for sponsoring this post! & to the feed feed for helping organize the ghirardelli #bakingday! all opinions are my own. i  love my chocolate. check out the other baking creations on ghuiardelli's instagram!

GINGERBREAD WAFFLES + BOURBON SALTED CARAMEL

 

the winter holidays are the perfect time to cozy up at home & stay in bed.. orrrrr let someone else sleep in while you make them a special christmas breakfast in bed! today on west elm's blog front + main i am sharing my recipe for the perfect gingerbread pumpkin waffles, topped with get your hot cakes rye whiskey caramel sauce & the coziest of breakfast in bed settings (faribault wool plaids & coyuchi bedding, yes please!). get the recipe here!

PEPPERMINT BARK CHOCOLATE & VANILLA CAKE

 

BARK YEAH!!! i have teamed up with my friends over at the feed feed & william sonoma to create the ultimate holiday cake. throughout the next week or so, feed feed editors will be sharing peppermint bark creations. it made the most sense to me to make a cake, because.. cake! the contrasting vanilla & chocolate layers are inspired by the peppermint barks dark chocolate & white chocolate layers. the cake is also infused & topped with loads of bark, because when it is the holiday's there is no such thing as too much chocolate. check out what my fellow feed feed editors have created for the 12 days of peppermint bark creations over at the feed feed!

ingredients

for the vanilla cake

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups raw sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup william sonoma peppermint bark, chopped

for the chocolate cake

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups raw sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup dutch process cococa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup william sonoma peppermint bark, chopped

for the ombre frosting

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4-5 cups icing sugar, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

directions

  • for the vanilla cake: in the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and sugar. add the eggs and butter until light and fluffy. mix in vanilla and oil until combined. in a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. gradually add to stand mixer at low speed. once the flour is JUST combined into the wet ingredients, add the milk. stir in peppermint bark. divide batter equally into two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans. bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cake bounces back to touch.
  • for the chocolate cake: in the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and sugar. add the eggs and mix until light and fluffy. mix in vanilla, peppermint extract and oil until combined. in a separate bowl sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. gradually add to stand mixer at low speed. once flour is JUST combined into the wet ingredients, add the milk. stir in peppermint bark. divide batter equally into two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans. bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cake bounces back to touch.
  • for the frosting: add all ingredients except cocoa powder in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes. separate frosting into three bowls (the plain should have the most frosting reserved because of the crumb coat): keep one plain, then mix cocoa powder by the tablespoon into the remaining two. Use your discretion on the color, adding more or less cocoa powder to create the contrast you like best.
  • to decorate: begin with a white frosted crumb coat layer and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. next, begin with the darkest chocolate frosting at the bottom, followed by light chocolate, followed by white. add some chopped peppermint bark to the top and serve!