Congo Bars

For as many yummy recipes my mother had in her arsenal, there were a few complete misses—the one that first comes to mind are her Congo Bars.  It was like a challenge for my mom, I suppose, to finally conquer the recipe and make it work.  Ultimately, the recipe won.  There was no cracking it in her lifetime.  They never came out right--but you know, that never stopped my mom from trying.  She made these all the time. 

Just to clarify things a bit…. 

Congo bars fit into the category of brownies and blondie—the difference being the addition of toasted coconut being added to the dough along with chocolate chips and nuts.  The bars should have the same consistency as their counterparts.  

So, what was wrong with my mom’s recipe?  The end product never cooked evenly.  The edges were break-a-tooth rock hard while portions of the center were undercooked and doughy. .. and the bottom overbrowned or burnt.  Now, I even tried to make the same recipe with the same result—so it wasn’t my mom—the recipe she had was a bad one.  After researching a bit, the recipe we meticulously followed had issues.  Subsequently, I chucked said recipe and found a new one.  

Cook’s Illustrated’s version:

Congo Bars

How Congo Bars are supposed to look.

• 1 cup pecans (or walnuts), toasted and chopped
• 1.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted (+ ¾ cup coconut, toasted to sprinkle on top--optional)
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 TBSP unsalted butter (1.5 sticks), melted and cooled (No substitutions!) 
• 1.5 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 tsp vanilla extract ( I know, it’s a lot)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips—(may use milk chocolate chips or butterscotch—or blend all three together). 

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread nuts on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer nuts to cutting board to cool; chop coarsely and set aside. Toast the coconut on same rimmed baking sheet, stirring 2 to 3 times, until light golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.  

Fit two pieces of aluminum foil into a 13 by 9″ baking pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.  Stir melted butter and brown sugar together in medium bowl until combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Using rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix.   Fold in chocolate, coconut, and nuts.

Turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula.  Sprinkle with toasted coconut.  

Bake until top is shiny, cracked, and light golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes; do not over bake. Cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove bars from pan by lifting foil overhang and transfer to cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Homemade Marshmallows

Thinking about gift giving?  Here's an idea... a package of homemade marshmallows coupled with a jar of your favorite homemade hot cocoa mix. These puffy squares o' bliss are absolutely delish!  If you never had the homemade variety, you just don't know what you are missing.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water, divided
• 3 (.25 ounce) packages unflavored gelatin
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cornstarch--divided
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar--divided

Directions

1. Oil the sides a 9x13 baking dish (not the bottom) and line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit. . Cut another piece of parchment to cover, set aside.  Blend cornstarch and confectioner's sugar together in a bowl, mixing well.  Sift 1/4 cup of this mixture on top of parchment lining the bottom of the pan. It's important to sift to eliminate any lumps.  
2. Place 1/2 cup of water in the bowl of an electric mixer, and sprinkle gelatin on top of water to allow gelatin to bloom.
3. While gelatin is soaking, combine 1/4 cup of water, corn syrup, and sugar in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil the mixture hard for 1 minute.
4. Pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin mixture and beat on high for about 8 minutes with electric mixer OR until the mixture is fluffy and forms stiff peaks. Add vanilla extract, and beat just until blended.
5. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared baking dish, using an oiled spatula to smooth the top of the candy.  Sift another 1/4 cup cornstarch/powdered sugar over the surface of the marshmallow. Cover the candy with the reserved parchment, and press down lightly.

Allow the marshmallow candy to rest for 4 hours or overnight. Mix together cornstarch and confectioner's sugar in a shallow dish. Using a pizza cutter that has been either oiled--or dipped in hot water, cut the marshmallow candy into strips 1 inch wide, then into 1 inch squares. Dredge the marshmallows lightly in the cornstarch mixture and store in an airtight container. 

This is where the creativity plays the ace.  

Some of my all-time favorite customized versions of this candy are:  

• Toasted Coconut--coconut extract + toasted coconut sprinkled on top.
• Chocolate--cocoa powder
• Peppermint--Peppermint extract with or without crushed peppermint candy sprinkled on top.  (For visual appeal, as soon the candy is panned up, adding red food coloring then marbling the color with a butter knife throughout the candy. 
• Lemon--lemon extract
• Raspberry--Raspberry extract with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips on top.  

Imagination is the limit.  

Colored sugars, sprinkles, etc can also be used.  

Experiment! 

Grandma's Popcorn Balls

 Like Rice Krispy Treats, but not really... 

Ingredients: 
9 cups popped popcorn
1/2 cup butter
1 (10 ounce) package large marshmallows
6 tablespoon fruit flavored gelatin mix, any flavor

Directions:
Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. In a sauce pan, melt butter and marshmallow over low heat. stir in gelatin. Pour over popcorn. Toss to coat. When cool enough to handle, lightly butter hand and quickly shape into balls.



Modifications: Depending upon flavor of gelatin used, candy or other complimentary mix-ins can be added.

The BEST Rolled Sugar Cookie EVER!!

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Sifted powder sugar for rolling

 Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on surface sprinkled with powdered sugar to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven or until edges of cookie start to brown. Cool completely. 

Other ideas...  

Add 1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candy to dough.  Shape into 1 inch balls, then flatten with the tines of a fork using  cross-hatch pattern--like typically seen on peanut butter cookies.  Cook as directed above.  Note:  you'll need to use parchment paper to line cookie sheets for this. 

Cookie Candy Corn...
Divide cookie dough into three parts--or simply make three batches of dough. 

Using past food colors, color one part yellow and another orange.  The last third, leave uncolored.

In a waxed paper lined loaf pan, press yellow dough into the bottom--distributing dough equally.  Press orange dough on top of yellow dough, then press the uncolored dough on top.  Remove pressed dough from pan, cover and chill for 2-3 hours. 

Once chilled, slice dough 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick then cut each slice into triangles.  Bake as directed. 

Gather up scraps and gently knead into a ball allowing colors to marbleize, but not blend.  Roll into 1 inch balls.  Roll balls in orange sugar crystals.  Bake as directed.

Got any other ideas?  Please share them!