Cinnamon and Sugar

Dark-Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles

It’s always a delight to pick up the first book in a brand new series and the cover of ASKING FOR TRUFFLE by Dorothy St. James drew me in… a chocolate shop, a cute dog, and a southern location! The protagonist, Charity Penn (who goes by Penn), was abandoned twice in one day as a newborn infant. Raised in her distant grandmother’s household by staff, she’s learned to shield herself from emotional hurt. As a result, she’s “prickly as a porcupine” and not quite like other cozy mystery protagonists. However, I thought Penn had a unique voice that was a bit self-deprecating, a bit snarky, and definitely world-weary. It gives the reader a different perspective as the story unfolds in the town of Camellia Beach which Penn describes as a rundown, shabby town where “only a bulldozer could fix a town as broken as this one.”

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While Penn may be prickly, Ms. St. James creates other lovable characters to surround her and I was charmed by the two elderly women who run The Chocolate Box, Bertie Bays and Miss Mabel. I loved the time Penn spent with them in the chocolate shop and drooled over the descriptions of the candies. However, Penn didn’t arrive in Camellia Beach to learn to make chocolates. She came in search of why her friend “Skinny” was murdered at the shop and who would do such a thing to him. Especially after the police insist that it was a druggy situation gone bad. Knowing Skinny wouldn’t be involved in that, Penn decides she must find the truth. In addition to the murder plot, there is a strong subplot surrounding Penn and The Chocolate Box. Ms. St. James has a magical way with words that brings magic to the story without it being paranormal. As a result, I felt that Penn found a place that she could grow in both self-confidence and respect for herself and I look forward to seeing what the author has in store for her.

The Chocolate Box is full of delicious candies and fortunately for the reader, the author includes several delectable recipes at the back of the book. Ms. St. James has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Dark-Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles… which were so incredibly yummy I almost didn’t want to take the time to let the candy set and form into truffle balls! The recipe is very simple to make and didn’t require fussy tempering or difficult steps, which I greatly appreciated. I had to force myself to share some of the truffles with a few friends and the first thing they said after tasting was “Do you have any more?” and then, “You need to make this again, soon!”

Amazon Synopsis

When Charity Penn receives a letter saying she won a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina complete with free cooking lessons at the town’s seaside chocolate shop, The Chocolate Box, she’s immediately skeptical. She never entered any contest. Her former prep school friend offers to look into the phony prize―only to end up drowned in a vat of chocolate.

Struck with guilt, Penn heads to the southern beach town to investigate why he was killed. But as wary as she is of the locals, she finds herself lured into their eccentric vibe, letting her defenses melt away and even learning the art of crafting delicious chocolates. That is, until delight turns bittersweet as she steps straight into the midst of a deadly plot to destroy the seaside town. Now, only Penn’s quick thinking and a mysterious cask of rare chocolate can save the town she’s learning to love.

A special thanks to Dorothy St. James for offering a hardcover copy of ASKING FOR TRUFFLE for one lucky winner! Contest ends Monday, September 18, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and is open to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Dark-Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles

(So simple even Charity Penn can't ruin this recipe)

Ingredients

3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
7 ounces 70% or higher fair trade dark chocolate bars, coarsely chopped*
1/4 cup heavy cream
60 whole roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Instructions

Mix the sugar, cocoa, and salt in a bowl.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted.
Add cream and the sugar/cocoa mixture. Stir until creamy and smooth.
Pour into a square dish. Cover and refrigerate for several hours until chocolate is set.
Remove chocolate from the refrigerator.
Use a teaspoon to scoop out chocolate.
Roll into bite-sized balls with a hazelnut at the center. They might be hard to roll at first, but as the chocolate warms to room temperature, it will become easier to work. If chocolate becomes too soft, return to the refrigerator for a few hours.
Roll balls in cocoa powder. Serve immediately or store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Tips

*For a little extra crunch, use chocolate bars with nibs added or toss a small handful of chocolate nibs into the melting chocolate.
If the truffle candy sticks to your hands too much while rolling, liberally dust your clean hands with cocoa powder then try again.

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Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room Blueberry Muffins

I was smitten with the first book in Vicki Delaney’s Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series so when I had the opportunity to read the second book, BODY ON BAKER STREET, I jumped at the chance. This new book captured my interest and imagination as quickly as the first release and her protagonist, Gemma Doyle, is a character that is as unique as they come.

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Gemma owns Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in West London, Cape Cod. When she receives a last minute request to host a book signing for famous author, Renalta Van Markoff, she can’t pass up the opportunity. However instead of having a successful event, Renalta falls dead during the signing and all signs point to murder. Gemma is overtly observant, although her people skills could use some work… but it does lead to some humorous situations. She uses her skills to correctly surmise what people have been doing, almost channeling Sherlock Holmes, which provides clues to the reader as they turn pages.

Vicki Delaney proves herself to be a master at creating a tension-filled story with a twisty-turvey plot that had an unexpected surprise ending. I couldn’t put the book down and stayed up far too late to read the very last page… but it was worth it. The setting in West London and the book shop is delightful and the descriptions had me wanting to book a flight and go for a visit. Gemma has several good friends, despite her quirks, and they provide a nice support system. I look forward to the next book in this charming series!

Gemma’s best friend, Jayne, owns Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, which is attached to the book shop. She serves up delectable treats and afternoon tea that will leave the reader drooling! While there aren’t any recipes in the book, Vicki created one for Blueberry Muffins and has allowed me to share. When discussing what recipe to put on my blog, Vicki indicated that she was making 150 blueberry muffins for her daughter’s wedding breakfast! Congrats to the happy couple! That alone made me want to try these yummy muffins. I ended up making a double batch for my granddaughter’s birthday slumber party and Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room Blueberry Muffins were a hit with all the girls!

Amazon Synopsis

Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson are busy managing the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium on Baker Street and adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room in anticipation of the store’s upcoming book signing with the illustrious Renalta Van Markoff, author of the controversial Hudson and Holmes mystery series. But during the author Q&A session, dedicated Sherlockian Donald Morris verbally attacks Renalta and her series for disgracing Sherlock’s legacy, only to be publicly humiliated when the author triumphantly lashes back and gains the upper hand. That is until Renalta collapses on the table―dead.

Donald insists he didn’t do it and pleads to his friends to clear his name. Fortunately, Gemma and Jayne have no shortage of suspects between author’s bullied personal assistant, her frustrated publicist, the hapless publisher, a handsome rare book dealer, an obsessively rabid fan, and a world of other Sherlock enthusiasts with strong objections to Renalta’s depiction of the Great Detective. It’s up to the shrewd sleuthing duo to eliminate the impossible and deduce the truth before the West London police arrest an innocent man in Body on Baker Street, the second Sherlock Homes Bookshop mystery.

A special thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Vicki Delaney for offering a hardcover copy of BODY ON BAKER STREET for one lucky winner! Contest ends Friday, September 15, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and is open to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries

Topping

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Generously butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. You may also line with cupcake wrappers.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Working over the bowl, toss blueberries in a fine sieve with about 1-1/2 teaspoons flour mixture to lightly coat; set aside the flour mixture and the blueberries.
In the bowl of an electric mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
With the mixer on low speed, add reserved flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add milk, beating until just combined. Do not overmix.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries.
Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.
For topping mix together 1/4 cup sugar and nutmeg. Sprinkle sugar mixture on top of muffin batter.
Bake, rotating pan halfway though, until muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes before serving.

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Booksweeps Contest & Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

I’m so excited to be a part of the Booksweeps contest! You can download 50+ books and/or excerpts for free right away! Plus you will have a chance to win a Kindle or Nook along with gift cards. You can read the first 5 chapters of A GAME OF DECEIT for free, and since I can’t give the entire book away to everyone (see below for a bonus giveaway from me), I’m leaving the e-book price at $0.99 until the end of this contest, 9/11/17.

Click on the link to enter: https://booksweeps.com/summer-thrills-50-free-mysteries-thrillers-short-stories-and-more/

https://booksweeps.com/summer-thrills-50-free-mysteries-thrillers-short-stories-and-more/

I’m offering a $10 Amazon gift card for one lucky winner! Use the Rafflecopter link below to enter. Contest ends 9/11/17.

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Purchase links:

Amazon: https://goo.gl/8muPuf
Nook: https://goo.gl/Q6uVZP
Kobo: https://goo.gl/28Nsdo
Apple: https://goo.gl/sVzo6B

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A father’s disappearance never solved, a mother’s secret taken to the grave, a daughter deceived…

Kathryn Landry thinks her life is just about perfect. She is the owner of a successful interior designer business in Newport Beach, California, and she has an attentive, supportive husband. But her world comes crashing down when her husband, Neil Landry, vanishes without a trace… in a situation almost identical to the disappearance of her father twenty years before.

With her father’s disappearance still a mystery, Kathryn is skeptical that the detective assigned to her case will be able to find her husband. Determined to uncover the truth, Kathryn is plunged into a world of politics, high-priced call girls and wealth. As she begins to search for her husband, a decades-old secret her mother took to the grave threatens to destroy all she holds dear. Caught up in a web of betrayals and deceit, and not knowing who to trust, Kathryn must find a way to survive as she discovers the past has a way of repeating itself.

Editorial Reviews

“…Davis deftly keeps readers as up in the air as Kathryn throughout this well-crafted tale. An impressive thriller by an author worth following.” – Kirkus Reviews

“In A Game of Deceit author K. A. Davis offers up a taut, edge-of-your-seat suspense novel that will make you lock the doors, close the blinds, and wonder who you can truly trust. Don’t miss this great debut from Ms. Davis.” – Paige Shelton, New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers’ Market, Country Cooking School, Dangerous Type, and Scottish Bookshop mysteries.

“In A Game of Deceit, K. A. Davis has crafted an emotional suspense with a taut, satisfying ending that should delight any fan of Mary Higgins Clark.” – Daryl Wood Gerber, Agatha Award-winning author of three cozy mystery series and the stand-alone suspense novels, GIRL ON THE RUN and DAY OF SECRETS.

“Sly, sexy and spellbinding, A Game of Deceit grabs you in the first chapter and doesn’t let you go until its breathtaking finish. Debut author K. A. Davis creates a riveting tale of betrayal, family, suspense and murder.” – Jenny Kales, author of The Callie’s Kitchen Mystery series

“A Game of Deceit is a marvelous read packed with action, suspense and intrigue. I couldn’t put it down!” – Catherine Bruns, USA Today Best Selling Author of the Cookies & Chance mysteries

“With so many fascinating twists and turns in the plot, the reader becomes entangled in the threads of intrigue and is glued to the pages until the exciting finale. This is a well-written suspense novel that is sure to satisfy those who love a good mystery infused with intrigue and the elements of risk and danger.” – Susan Sewell for Readers’ Favorite

More Praise for A Game of Deceit

“The pace is fast, heart pounding and at times I found myself unable to catch my breath. I loved this book, it was an emotional ride for Kathryn Landry and for me the reader as well. This story is a must read for suspense lovers.” ~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

“In this book, you are thrown for loops and turns that make you breathless, and eager to know who did it.” ~Bibliophile Reviews

“There is a new author in town that can send shivers down your spine with intrigue, secrets and characters that explode off the pages.” ~Texas Book-aholic

“This book kept me guessing. Just when I thought I knew where things were going, I’d be thrown for a loop. This was a book that I didn’t even try to guess as I read. I just sat back and let the author take me for the ride.” ~A Cozy Experience

“As I read the book I found myself framing hypotheses and then revising them again and again, flip-flopping in my suspicions right along with Kathryn as the story progressed.” ~Cassidy’s Bookshelves

“This is a quick read detective case; with mystery, bullets, secrets and a little bit of love!”
~Varietats

Lilah’s Raspberry-Almond Deep-Dish Coffee Cake

I’m excited to be helping Julia Buckley celebrate the release of PUDDING UP WITH MURDER, the third book in her Undercover Dish Mystery series. Lilah Drake provides private catering to people in the town of Pine Haven who want to take credit for cooking a particular dish themselves, but either don’t have the time or the talent to do so. Discrete is Lilah’s middle name but that’s gotten her in trouble in the past and may cause potential problems in this new book. I love, love the premise of series. How clever to have someone cook a dish so that someone else can take credit?!?! And so many mentions of delicious dishes! It also gives the protagonist an “in” with a variety of townspeople who she otherwise wouldn’t come in contact with.

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While this is the third book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. A new reader won’t be lost as there is a bit of backstory mentioned. However, previous books sets up the scenes for Lilah’s blossoming romance with Detective Jay Parker. It’s very entertaining that Lilah met him via his mother, Ellie, who uses her catering service and claims the dishes as her own. Even her grown children think she’s an amazing cook. There is an undercurrent of romance throughout the book that is cute at times and also sweet but perhaps that’s because the season is spring and everyone is twitterpated. It does not detract from the plot and instead, provides a nice backdrop to the murder mystery.

When Lilah accompanies Ellie to a 65th birthday party for Ellie’s next door neighbor, little did she know that the birthday “boy” would drop face first into her dish of rice pudding during the party, poisoned to death. Lilah feels a bit responsible since the man just ate her pudding and starts asking some questions and listening to the gossip going around town. The author provides plenty of suspects via the victim’s many adult children and the book deftly explores the theme of parent/child relationships, especially as they age. The threads of the plot and subplots are skillfully interwoven to provide a very surprising and suspenseful ending… one that I didn’t see coming at all! And as I read the last page, wondered just how long I have to wait for the next book to release!

Being a caterer, Lilah prepares many yummy dishes and the descriptions will make you hungry! Fortunately, Julia has provided several recipes at the back of the book and has graciously allowed me to share Lilah’s Raspberry-Almond Deep-Dish Coffee Cake. Using both fresh raspberries and raspberry jam, this coffee cake mixes up quickly without much fuss making it a perfect choice for breakfast or brunch tables.

Amazon Synopsis

Secret chef Lilah Drake has a killer casserole to deal with in the latest Undercover Dish mystery from the author of Cheddar Off Dead….

Customers trust Lilah Drake to keep her mouthwatering meals under wraps, but when a millionaire meets his untimely end, some sinister secrets become the main course. . . .

Spring is right around the corner, and with the warmer temperatures come plenty of food requests from Lilah Drake’s covered-dish clients. Lilah pulls out all the stops with a sweet new casserole for the birthday party of Marcus Cantwell, a wealthy curmudgeon who has some angry ex-wives and more than a few enemies.

When he’s found facedown in Lilah’s casserole, it’s anyone’s guess as to who might have wanted the old man dead. A possible new heir to Marcus’s fortune adds some unexpected spice to the investigation, but Lilah fears that the old adage is true, and “the proof is in the pudding.”

A special thanks to Julia Buckley for offering a print copy of PUDDING UP WITH MURDER for one lucky winner! Contest ends Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Lilah's Raspberry-Almond Deep-Dish Coffee Cake

Ingredients

For the filling:

1/4 cup light brown sugar
a handful of fresh raspberries
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1-1/2 teaspoons butter, cut into small pieces

For the coffee cake:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds

For the glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract
2 pats butter, softened

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Grease and flour an 8-inch square glass casserole dish (OR use a larger one, but double the ingredients; I use a Pyrex 10 x 15-inch dish that my mother gave me, but then I double the recipe to feed more people.) OR, line an 8-inch round cake tin with parchment paper.
Mix raspberry jam, brown sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons butter, and 1 teaspoon of flour along with some of the raspberries in a bowl. Keep this on hand for later in the recipe.
Next, find a larger bowl to combine all of the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt).
Mix your melted butter with the eggs and add the teaspoon of vanilla.
Add the egg and butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Put half the batter in your pan. Take your raspberry mixture and carefully spoon it, as evenly as possible, onto the batter. Then put the rest of the batter on top.
Find your sliced almonds and sprinkle these in a pleasing arrangement across the top of the batter.
Set your timer for somewhere between 23 - 28 minutes, but only remove from the oven when a fork inserted into the center of your cake comes out clean. If you double the ingredients you may need to bake longer.
Combine the glaze ingredients; if they become stiff, add tiny amounts of water or milk until the frosting is the desired consistency.
Drizzle the glaze over a warm (but not hot) cake.
Serve with fresh raspberries, whipped cream, a pot of tea or coffee, or all of the above.

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If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

I was provided a copy of this book with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Buy a Friend a Book Day

I’m celebrating BUY A FRIEND A BOOK DAY
with a giveaway!

Winner’s choice of either a print copy or an e-book copy of A GAME OF DECEIT plus a flash drive.
Use the Rafflecopter link below to enter by September 5, 2017. Good luck!

A father’s disappearance never solved, a mother’s secret taken to the grave, a daughter deceived…

Editorial Reviews

“…Davis deftly keeps readers as up in the air as Kathryn throughout this well-crafted tale. An impressive thriller by an author worth following.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A Game of Deceit is a marvelous read packed with action, suspense and intrigue. I couldn’t put it down!” – Catherine Bruns, USA Today Best Selling Author of the Cookies & Chance mysteries

More Praise for A Game of Deceit

“In this book, you are thrown for loops and turns that make you breathless, and eager to know who did it.” ~Bibliophile Reviews

“There is a new author in town that can send shivers down your spine with intrigue, secrets and characters that explode off the pages.” ~Texas Book-aholic

“This is a quick read detective case; with mystery, bullets, secrets and a little bit of love!”
~Varietats

Salted Caramel Fudge

From the perfect title to the adorable cover with a sweet doggie that looks like one of my friend’s furbaby, OH FUDGE by Nancy Coco captured my attention from the very first page which starts off with a bang. The author takes the reader on rollercoaster of a ride with Allie McMurphy, owner of McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop on Mackinac Island. The murder becomes personal when Allie’s cousin, Tori, is found standing over the dead body with her fingerprints all over the weapon. To make matters worse, Allie hasn’t seen her cousin for a very long time and there’s angst between the two women after Tori feels slighted out of inheriting the family’s McMurphy Hotel. Allie wants to believe in her cousin’s innocence but Tori seems to be hiding something which prompts Allie to get involved. The delicate balance between estranged family relationships is explored and you can’t help but hope a solution is found for the two young women.

In addition to a mystery full of suspects, the author includes humor to keep the reader entertained. I enjoyed the repartee between Allie and her best friend, who plans events for her hotel and shop. I was also amused when Allie comments on the accent her California aunt has when visiting Mackinac Island. Being born and raised in California, trust me, we truly believe the rest of the country has accents and we are accent free…lol! There is also some sweet romance and could there be a wedding in the mix? You need to read OH FUDGE to find out!

Be prepared to crave chocolate while reading this book – you’d better have some on hand! Nancy Coco provides many yummy fudge recipes and they’re all on my list to try. I chose to make Salted Caramel Fudge because 1) it sounds incredibly delicious – I love dulce de leche! 2) This recipe is both quick and easy to make and 3) Apparently fool-proof, which is a good thing because I’ve had the unfortunate happenstance of fudge recipes turning super grainy. And let me tell you, Salted Caramel Fudge did not disappoint… in fact, it exceeded my expectations and instead of sharing the goodies with a few friends, I kept most of it for myself! And as soon as I finished that off I contemplated making another batch…

Amazon Synopsis

Life is always sweet in Allie McMurphy’s delectable fudge shop. But murder can make things unpleasantly sticky . . .

A DEADLY CONFECTION

After Allie inherited her family’s McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop, cousin Tori moved off to California in a bitter huff, and the two haven’t spoken since. So to have her cousin reappear on Mackinac Island without warning is a big surprise—but not as surprising as finding her standing over a dead woman impaled with a garden spade in the Mackinac Butterfly House. Butterflies may be free, but Tori won’t be for much longer—unless the cousins can bury the hatchet and work together to catch a killer who’s taken flight. Because when it comes to family, blood is thicker than fudge . . .

A special thanks to Nancy Coco for offering a print copy of OH FUDGE for one lucky winner! Contest ends Saturday, September 2, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Salted Caramel Fudge

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup dulce de leche
Sea salt flakes

Instructions

In a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl, microwave the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips on high for 1 minute.
Let sit for 1 minute and stir. If chips are not all melted, microwave another 30 seconds.
Add vanilla and pour into a buttered 8-inch square pan, lined with aluminium foil.
In a separate bowl, microwave the dulce de leche just until pourable: 0 - 20 seconds. Pour over chocolate fudge.
Use a cold butter knife to swirl the caramel. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Cool completely. Cut into 1-inch squares and enjoy!

Tips

Be aware that a package of dark chocolate chips may not contain 2 cups. Measure before starting the recipe.
Next time I make this, I will add some toasted pecans to the top since it's reminiscent of turtle candies!