Oatmeal Fudge Bars

I made these and I can't stop eating them...chewy and sweet.  Highly recommend.  Got the recipe from Taste of Home, presented here without all the pictures and extraneous information.

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

350°F

Crust and topping

1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 c brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups quick-cooking oats (can grind/chop rolled oats in a food processor)

2-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

 

Filling

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

2 c chocolate chips (1 package)

2 T butter

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

 
Preheat oven.  Grease a jelly roll (10x15) well. 

Make dough: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Mix all the dry ingredients and add slowly to the butter mixture.  Press 2/3 of the dough into the greased pan. 

Make filling:  Combine milk, butter, chocolate chips and salt and melt over low heat, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla and walnuts.  Pour over the bottom layer.

Top with remaining dough, dropping in small blobs all over the top.

Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool thoroughly and cut into squares.

Chocolate and Orange Tart

 Chocolate and Orange Tart

This was inspired by the leftover ganache from the Bûche de Noël -- I had enough left to make two of these tarts so I made one as a gift and another as dessert.  The original video and written recipes are here.  However, I made this crust from Smitten Kitchen because it's a press in crust and super easy.

Shortbread Crust

375F
30-40 minutes

In food processor, pulse together until butter is the size of oatmeal flakes with some larger pieces:

1 1/2 c (195 grams) flour

1/2 c (60 grams) confectioners sugar

1/4 t salt

9 T frozen unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Add and blend until just mixed.

1 egg

Dump into a 9" tart pan.  Press up the sides and along the bottom.  Cover tightly and freeze for at least 30 minutes.   Preheat oven to 375.  Press a piece of buttered foil over the shell and bake the shell on a cookie sheet for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil and if it has puffed up, press it down with the back of a spoon.  Bake an additional 10 minutes or so, until it's nicely browned.  Cool completely and remove from the pan.

Orange Curd

Prepare the oranges:

3 oranges

Pare about 1/4 of the peel of one orange, then cut into small strips for a garnish. Zest all three oranges.  Squeeze the oranges to get 1/2 c orange juice.  

Beat the eggs and then mix in a small pan with the orange peel and juice:

1 egg yolk

1 egg

3/4 c (150 grams) sugar

1 1/2 t corn starch

3 T (40 grams) butter

Heat at medium low, stirring until butter melts and the sugar is dissolved.  Cook 18-20 minutes until it has thickened to the consistency of custard and coats the spoon nicely.  Pour through a sieve to remove small pieces of peel (don't skipped this!).  Cool for 15 minutes and pour into the cooled shell.  Cover and chill for two hours.

Ganache

Pour hot cream over the cocoa, allow to sit to melt chocolate then stir to mix.

9 T (130 ml) heavy cream, hot

4.6 oz (130 grams) bittersweet (70% cocoa) chocolate finely chopped

Pour ganache over the cooled tart and spread evenly.  Garnish with orange strips.  Keep refrigerated.