4 Of The Best Pandemic Sweet Treats
There’s no need to feel like a prisoner while you’re at home barricading yourself in. Everyone needs a treat — and these sweet and savory recipes are the perfect pandemic sweet treats that will keep you and your family satisfied. Not to mention occupy yourself as you bake away in the kitchen, providing much-needed sweet treats that help to save everyone’s sanity.
I like to spoil myself (who else is going to do it), so I almost always have a nice cup of coffee and a sweetie in the afternoon. Some favorites include chocolate chip cookies and fudge brownies, but there’s a whole world of sweet treats out there.
If citrus is more your thing, there’s a recipe for a gluten-free lemon almond torta that’s sure to hit the spot. They could even double as a sweet breakfast item. With a little bit of time on your hands to prepare, you can also whip up a batch of deliciously rich and sweet kitchen sink bars. Named after the city in British Columbia where they originated, Nanaimo bars are made with graham crackers, brown sugar, butter, chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut.
Recipes For Pandemic Sweet Treats
You’ll have to try this, but the best pandemic sweet treats are the ones that you can make yourself. They’re also easy snacks to take to work when things are opened back up.
Continue reading to find recipes for Lemon Almond Polenta Torta, Kitchen Sink Bars, Nanaimo Bars, and Super Duper Turtle Brownies.
LEMON ALMOND POLENTA TORTA
Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 cup blanched almonds
- 1-1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 large lemon well washed
- 1/2 cup fruity and fragrant olive oil also used to grease the pan
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Beaten Ricotta Cream
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9" round cake pan, line it with parchment paper round, also greased.
- Mix together salt, cornmeal, baking powder, and set aside.
- In a food processor, grind almonds and sugar to make a coarse flour.
- Cut the lemon into quarters, pick out seeds. Add lemon pieces to the processor and process.
- Add olive oil, milk, eggs, and almond extract and process for a minute or two to combine well. Add cornmeal mixture and pulse briefly to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 55-60 minutes until golden, fragrant, and slighly moiste in center.
- Let cake cool. Run a knife around outside edge and invert onto a cake plate. Sift confectioner's sugar over top.
- Serve with beaten ricotta cream and berries if available.
KITCHEN SINK BARS
Ingredients
- 12 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1-2 cups graham cracker crumbs equivalent to about one pack of graham crackers
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 oz peanuts
Topping
- 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add a layer of graham cracker crumbs to a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Bring the butter, honey, brown sugar, and heavy cream to a boil. Add vanilla, salt, and peanuts.
- Pour mixture over layer of graham cracker crumbs. Add on another layer of GC crumbs on top of that.
- Melt butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and chocolate chips together either over low heat on stovetop or simply in the microwave.
- Pour topping over last layer of GC crumbs.
NANAIMO BARS
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup fine coconut
- 1/2 cup walnuts, finely ground
Middle Layer
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp vanilla custard powder
- 2 cups icing (confectioner's sugar)
Topping
- 2/3 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 4 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9×9" pan.
- Place all the crust ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat at medium speed just until thoroughly combined.
- Press mixture into pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, cream together ingredients for middle layer. Beat together until light and fluffy. Spread over bottom layer once it is cooled.
- Gradually melt together ingredients for topping. Either over low on stovetop or in the microwave. Allow to cool slightly but still remain runny. Spread over middle layer.
- Use a very sharp knife to cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator up to l week. Great for freezing as well.
SUPER DUPER TURTLE BROWNIES
Ingredients
- 1 bag 14 oz or less caramels
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cups cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350'F. Use a 9” x 13” pan, greased.
- Melt caramels slowly, over low heat, stirring frequently.
- Melt butter and beat with sugar, cocoa, milk, and vanilla.
- Add flour salt & baking powder to butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and half of the pecans.
- Pour 2/3 of batter into greased pan. Pour caramel mixture over brownie batter.
- Sprinkle remaining pecans over the top. Spoon the rest of brownie batter over top and spread out.
- Cut thru brownie batter with butter knife to marblelize caramel.
- Bake 25-30 minutes and remove from oven to cool appoximately l hour. Do not overcook as this will make them too hard to cut. Cool completely (sometimes in the refrigerator) before cutting.
Find Anne’s pottery work available at the Co-op as well as online through TAUNY in Canton.
Check out more recipes on the Potsdam Food Co-op blog.
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