Meredith, Andrew, and special guest Melanie Mijares show viewers how to make a variety of candy snacks, many of which will be featured at the Coffee House bake sale.

Be sure to stop by East’s Coffee House on January 23rd, 2010. The event will be from 7-10 pm, and all proceeds will go to NJ Cares, an institute dedicated to helping children who have suffered from child abuse.

For more recipes and ideas, go to www.bakerella.com

Recipes:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles (courtesy loveandoliveoil.com)
Makes approx. 3-4 dozen.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

14 oz dark chocolate candy coating

Directions

Beat butter and sugars and in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add soymilk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.

When dough is firm enough to handle (it may help to lightly flour your hands), form dough into 1″ balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate candy coating in a double boiler or in microwave according to package directions. Using forks or a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap fork on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week (though good luck making them last that long).

Cake Balls (courtesy of bakerella.com)

Ingredients
1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

Directions
1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

homemade cream cheese icing:

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 stick butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
heaping 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 cup granulated sugar

Directions
-beat all ingredients together in mixer until thick and creamy

No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Balls
Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 ripe bananas
2tbsps butter
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, combine the oats, sugar and cocoa. With clean hands, mix in the water, vanilla, bananas and peanut butter.
heat butter in a skillet until it caramelizes slightly and then add to batter.
Wash hands, then roll the dough into balls 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Roll balls in confectioners’ sugar until thickly coated.
Chill 20 minutes before serving.