Super Easy Mother's Day Dessert Array
If you are stumped as to what to make your mother on Mother's Day, I came up with this simple array of goodies that you can make in under a few hours with stuff that you already have in your home.
Now, if you are not a fan of chocolate, these ideas probably will not be for you, but I know my mom and grandma well, so I knew they would enjoy these goodies immensely (and spoiler alert, they did!). My grandma is a huge fan of chocolate covered pretzels, so I knew that I just had to make some for her, and they are so easy to make too. As long as you have some chocolate and pretzels, you can make them in minutes.
For these pretzels, I used Ghirardelli dark melting chocolate which can easily be melted in the microwave. Just simply put them in a bowl, uncovered, and microwave for 3o second increments, stirring after each one. Once the chocolate is smooth, you can dip your pretzels in and place on a plate to further decorate and dry. You could melt the chocolate in a double broiler, but honestly that is too much work. To make dipping even easier, you can melt the chocolate in a tall cup and simply dip the pretzels rods right in. Make sure to tap the tip of the pretzel back and forth in the chocolate to stop the dripping before you try and move it to prevent any messes. The same goes for the smaller pretzels. Just drop the pretzels into a bowl of chocolate and completely cover them. Then use a fork to get them out and tap the fork on the side of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate.
After all the pretzels were on the plate, I use Wilton Candy Melts (I find mine at my local Michael's) in different colors to drizzle them on top. Those melts can also be simply placed in the microwave just like the Ghirardelli chocolate to be melted. The one issue I have with these melts is that they dry up really fast, so my suggestion is that you either work really fast, or you just melt and use one color at a time. To drizzle, I think it is best to use a fork and to simple shake the fork in a horizontal motion to get the perfect drizzle. Make sure you have a lot of room for this because drizzling can get messy and it requires greater arm movement than you would think in order to get the candy moving and spreading just right.
I also made some homemade chocolates for my mom, so instead of spending money on Godiva, I was able to use what I had in the cabinet to make a simple treat in under twenty minutes. I also used Ghirardelli melting chocolate for this, but by no means do you need use this kind of chocolate. Use whatever brand you have or feel most comfortable with, but I enjoy the taste of this chocolate the most and I find that it melts the easiest as well. I poured the melted chocolate into a silicone ice cube tray until each cube was about half way full. Then I took the tray and taped it against the table until the bottom of each cube was completely covered and level. Let the chocolate set for a minute or so until putting in your filling. I used a variety of different fillings for these chocolates such as peanut butter (a personal favorite), Nutella, raspberry jam, apricot jam, and caramel. Place the filling in the center of each cube and completely cover it. Then place the tray in the fridge for about 20 minutes, and the chocolates should pop right out.
The blondies were also very simple to make. Once I had all the ingredients measured out, it only took about ten minutes to mix, and about forty-five minutes to bake. Whenever I am baking, I usually use a basic recipe and add and alter it to suit my taste. Sometimes I use more than one to see what each one did and how each product came out. Ultimately, these came out to perfection, and I can't wait to make them again.
1 1/3 cups butter (unsalted, or use salted and add salt only a pinch of salt)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup bread flour
1 cup cake flour
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Beat eggs and sugars until super fluffy. This may take up to five minutes on med-low speed. Add eggs and extract, then all of the dry ingredients until just combined. Then, by hand stir in the coconut and chips. Spread mixture into a greased 9x13 pan, covered with parchment paper (don't spray the parchment, just the pan), and make sure there is enough of an overhang to be able to lift the bars right up out of the pan once cooled. When I made these they took too long to bake all the way through, so I suggest 35-40 minutes at 325 degrees F, or when they are golden brown and don't jiggle when you shake the pan. Let cool for five minutes, then lift the bars out of the pan to cool for ten more minutes before cutting and serving. I promise you, one of these won't be enough as they are sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Once you have gotten all of your goodies together, make a plate for mom to thank her for all she has done for you. I'm sure any or all of these treats are sure to put a smile on her face.
Happy Mother's Day!
