Our first recipe here on Dorm Room Delights was peppermint bark, and it is still one of our favorites. Chocolate barks are ridiculously easy to make using an electric kettle, and can be customized with infinite combinations of toppings. For this thanksgiving season, we decided to make a fall themed recipe for chocolate bark. This is a combination of Reeses pieces, pretzels, white chocolate, and cranberries held together with a layer of semisweet chocolate. Could it get any better?
Picture
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • handful pretzels
  • handful Reeses pieces
  • handful of dried cranberries
  • handful white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
  • Form an open rectangular box out of aluminum foil (should be similar in size to a standard chocolate bar)
  • Melt semisweet chips in a double boiler
  • Pour melted chocolate into foil and spread evenly
  • Layer toppings on bark
  • Place in refrigerator and cool until chocolate has hardened
 
What is puppy chow? No, it is not dog food. It is a delicious sugary treat that happens to have a striking resemblance to the brown processed squares dumped in the food bowls of canines around the world. Although it is unclear why anyone would want to associate animal food with this sweet snack, the alternative is no better; Chex cereal brand makes this treat and sells it under the name "Muddy Buddies". 
Despite the unfortunate names, puppy chow or Muddy Buiddies are a super easy and delicious treat that can be made in many varieties. Classic puppy chow is Chex cereal that is first coated with mixture of melted chocolate and peanut budder, and then tossed in powdered sugar. Variations of puppy chow can be created by coating the cereal in anything that melts well, like white chocolate or Nutella, and tossing in various powders: red velvet cake mix, or a cinnamon powdered sugar, for example.
This is a recipe for classic puppy chow, but feel free to experiment in your dorm room and come up with your own flavor combination.
Picture
INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 Cups rice Chex cereal
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1/4  cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3/8 cups powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
  • In double boiler, melt chocolate and peanut butter
  • Pour over Chex cereal, and stir until cereal is completely coated
  • Move chocolate covered cereal into a tupperware container
  • Add powdered sugar, and toss until sugar is evenly distributed

 
It has been more than a year since we last updated Dorm Room Delights. In that time, we were busy sophomores who were too pressed for time to come up with new recipes for the site.  Now, as mature Juniors who have completely mastered our classwork and extracurriculars, we are ready to come back to the blogging world. 
When we took a look at the old site, we realized that it needed some serious sprucing up.  To start, we've changed the overall design and layout, with a more image based recipe page and simpler navigation. In addition, we have decided to go through the old recipes and save the best ones, re-make the slightly less successful recipes, and come up with exciting new creations. Here goes!  

INDOOR S'MORES BARS

There are a million recipes for s'mores bars floating around the internet. Obviously, the combination of chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows is delicious. But, the truly irresistible feature of good, old fashioned s'mores that you make by the campfire is the contrasting textures. Melted chocolate with crunchy graham crackers and gooey marshmallows combine magically in your mouth.  
The challenge of creating an indoor s'mores dessert is capturing these varied textures. I have seen s'mores brownies where chefs add marshmallows to brownie batter and bake it over a graham cracker crust, but in that case the texture of crust and brownie is too similar....and where is the melted chocolate?
Here at Dorm Room Delights, we have made a s'more (using just our electric kettle) that has all of the textures and flavors of an honest to goodness campfire s'more. How did we do it? Simple, we kept a graham cracker in its purest, crunchiest state, layered it with a mixture of marshmallows and melted chocolate (to prevent the chocolate from hardening completely), covered that layer with plain melted marshmallows, poured chocolate over the top, and sprinkled with marshmallows and crushed graham crackers. The crunchy graham cracker base and hard chocolate layer top form a sandwich around the chewy inner layers in the same way graham crackers sandwich a real s'more. 
If we haven't convinced you that this is almost as good as any s'more out there, all you'll have to do is give it a shot. Here's the fantastically simple recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 Graham cracker
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:
  • Wrap single graham cracker with aluminum foil
  • Melt 1/4 cup marshmallows and 1/4 chocolate together in double boiler
  • Spread over graham cracker base
  • Melt remaining 1/2 cup marshmallows
  • Spread over cooled chocolate layer
  • Melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips
  • Pour over top
  • Sprinkle with marshmallows and graham cracker crumbs
  • Cool in refrigerator for 30 mins and enjoy!
 
There is something incredible about the magical combination of melted marshmallows, chocolate, and crunch graham crackers. S'mores are classic campfire treat, but many have tried (and failed) to make a comprable indoor version. The gooey perfection that is so vital to a s'more cannot be achieved by simply pouring melted chocolate over a few marshmallows that have been sprinkled on a graham cracker. 
So, how did we make an awesome no-bake, no-fire s'more with our limited equipment? How did we at dorm room delights accomplish what so many others have failed to do? The secret is a combination of 4 layers: a graham cracker base, a chewy chocolate/marshmallow layer, a gooey melted marshmallow layer, and a hard melted chocolate layer topped with crushed graham cracker and marshmallows. The variety of textures mimics an authentic s'more, because the marshmallow/chocolate layer hints of freshly melted chocolate and elevates the entire s'mores bar.
Although the bowl of the double boiler needs to be washed for each layer, the time spent washing equipment is just the right about of time for the freshly poured hot layer cool. All in all, this is an awesome recipe that uses common ingredients on our blog (graham crackers from our no-bake cheesecake, semisweet chocolate chips from all of our various chocolate recipes, and marshmallows- which go perfectly with our fantastic hot chocolate!)
Ingredients:
  • 3/4 C Marshmallows
  • 3/4 C Chocolate Chips
  • 1 Graham Cracker
Instructions:
1. Lay the graham cracker down in tinfoil and fold the foil into a square.
2. In the double boiler, melt 1/4 C of marshmallows.
3. Add 1/4 C of the chocolate chips to the melted marshmallows and continue double boiling until the mixture is combined and has an almost fudgey consistency.
4. Press this mixture onto the graham cracker and let it sit. 
5. Melt the rest of the marshmallows and pour them over the chocolate-marshmallow mixture.
5. Melt the rest of the chocolate and do the same. 
6. Sprinkle some whole marshmallows and crumbled graham crackers over the bar and let it cool in the fridge. 
7. Cut and enjoy!
 
This is a recipe that we’ve been meaning to try for quite some time. It is a perfect dorm room recipe, because it only needs a mini-fridge and two ingredients: whipped cream and chocolate wafer cookies.        The cookies are layered with whipped cream to form a roll, which is then covered with more whipped cream. The log is placed in a fridge overnight, and when it comes out, it has become a delicious chocolate and vanilla cake. The wafer cookies absorb moisture from the whipped cream and puff up into thick, cake-like layers. This is seriously something that you have to see to believe.
Next time you are out buying snacks, you should grab a box of ‘Famous Chocolate Wafers’, some whipping cream, and try this recipe out for yourself. It will blow your mind and your taste buds!
Ingredients: 
10 wafer cookies
1 cup whipped cream (we made our own using 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 tbsp powdered sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Directions:
1.     Spread about 1 tbsp whipped cream over each chocolate cookie
2.     Assemble cookies into a stack
3.     Turn stack on its side and completely cover with whipped cream
4.     Refrigerate overnight
5.     Cut diagonally into slices to show off chocolate layers 
 
Ice cream pie is an incredible creation. Delicious ice cream combined with a sweet, crunchy crumb crust- what is not to love? Especially when you top it with hot fudge sauce :)
If your mouth is watering, don't waste a second. Grab some oreos and go forage a cup of soft serve from the dining hall. This is so easy to make that you have no excuse.
If you want to add a toch of excitement to the pie, serve it with this incredible fudge sauce. We whipped it up with some condensed milk and chocolate chips that were left over from our cookie-dough truffles.
Sure to impress, and sure to please, this pie is a winner. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Ice cream pie:
6 oreos/ chocolate sandwich cookies
1 cup soft serve from dining hall (f)
Fudge Sauce:
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup condensed milk
handful semisweet chocolate chips
Directions Ice Cream Pie:
1. Using a spoon or the back of a fork, crush oreos into small bits
2. Let ice cream warm a little, and spoon into crust
3. Freeze immediately and wait a few hours before serving
For the Fudge Sauce:
1. Combine chocolate chips, condensed milk, and butter in bowl of double boiler
2. Stir until melted, and pour over ice cream pie
 
The genius who created oreos should be given a medal. Honestly, do you know anyone who genuinely dislikes those chocolate, creamy sandwich cookies? Especially since there are so many varieties: vanilla oreos, inside-out oreos, double-stuffed oreos, not to mention all of the knock-off versions (like our preferred brand: JoJo's from Trader Joe's.)
Oreos are not only delicious, but quite useful for baking. They can be blended in a food processor and used to make a chocolate cheesecake crust (check it out with our ice cream pie), dipped in peanut butter like the movie Parent Trap, or mashed up with cream cheese to make oreo truffles!
Oreo truffles are tiny bites of perfection. Just imagine the tang of cream cheese frosting mixed with sweet chocolate flavors, combined with the crunchy texture of the oreo crumbs...
Actually, don't imagine anything. Make your own! These truffles are super easy, fast, and simple. Go for it!
Ingredients:
12 oreo cookies (any brand of sandwich cookies will work)
5 tablespoons cream cheese (f)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Mash oreos in large bowl
2. Mix in cream cheese until combined
3. Form into 8 balls, refrigerate 15 mins
4. Melt chocolate over double boiler
5. Dip balls in chocolate, refrigerate 30 mins or until chocolate coating has hardened
 
Home made chocolate fudge is one of the miracles of mankind. Dense, chocolaty, and smooth- this desert is a great way to beat the depression of this grey, rainy night. 
Made with condensed milk (left over from our No-Bake Cheesecake and our Vietnamese Iced Coffee) and walnuts, this recipe is simple, but effective. 

Ingredients
:
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 5 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter (f)
  • 10 walnuts* (chopped)
  • splash vanilla extract
  • *walnuts may be omitted 
Directions:
1. Fold aluminum foil into a rectangular tray
3. Combine chocolate, condensed milk, and butter in bowl of double boiler
4. Stir until all ingredients are melted and mixture is smooth
5. Add in vanilla and walnuts
6. Stir together and pour in prepared aluminum foil
7. Sprinkle with walnuts and refrigerate
 
The only thing better than a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie is chocolate chip cookie dough. Who doesn't love a spoonful of raw cookie dough? Now, imagine that spoonful covered in melted chocolate! Win? We think so.
This recipe is designed to be eaten raw, so we eliminated the eggs from traditional cookie dough, and added condensed milk left over from our no-bake cheesecake
Ingredients (makes 16 balls)
  • 1/4 cup softened butter (f)
  • generous 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup condensed milk
  • 1/2 pack (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk or dark chocolate for dipping balls
Instructions:

 1. Mix butter and sugar.
 2. Add vanilla
 3. Mix in 1/2 cup flour
 4. Add condensed milk
 5. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup flour
 6. Stir in chocolate chips
 7. Spoon into balls and refrigerate 3 hours
 8. Melt dipping chocolate in double boiler
 9. Drop dough ball in chocolate, and cover
10. Cool until chocolate shell hardens

 

Finals period is an odd time on every college campus. Every day is a 15 hour stretch with nothing to do except study, nap, and worry about the impending doom of finals. But in all honesty, who can really study non-stop all day long? Not us! 

Instead, we are going to take advantage of this finals period to take a shot at some of the more time consuming recipes that we've been thinking about.
This is a recipe for a refrigerator chocolate mousse cake. It is rather involved, because you need to whip eggs, whites, and cream. But the results are well worth the time involved. With shortbread cookies for the crust, and a delicious chocolate filling, this cake is a perfect way to spend your study break :)

Ingredients
  • 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3 tbsp coffee (very dark)
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
  • about 12 short bread cookies
                                                                  Instructions:
Picture
1. Line three round containers with aluminum foil and then line those with the cookies; we used shortbread that was to thick to leave much room for the mouse, so we shaved them down a bit.
2. Place the chocolate in a double boiler and melt.
3. Beat egg yolks until they lighten in color and then beat in sugar.
4. Add the vanilla, coffee, and melted chocolate, beat until combined.

5. Beat the egg-whites until they hold peaks.
6. Fold in the whites until combined.
7. Whip the heavy cream and fold them in.
8. Pour the mouse into the cookie-lined containers and refrigerate.