Sangria Party Week 2: Desserts by Regina

Welcome to Foxes Love Lemons Sangria Party Week 2014! I had such a great time throwing a backyard sangria party last year that I decided to do it again! Stay tuned all week for details about party planning, sangria recipes, appetizers, dinner and desserts!

My sweet friend Regina carried on her tradition of making all of the desserts for the sangria party. I’m SO HAPPY and thankful that she does this! Without her, my guests would likely be eating popsicles for dessert. But Regina loves baking, and she even took the day before the party off of work so that she could bake to her heart’s content.

She had one friend request something with caramel and another request some type of cookie. Since last year’s ritz cracker ice cream sandwiches were such a big hit, she also decided to make us another frozen treat. Here’s all of the truly amazing things Desserts by Regina made us this year:

Carmelitas from Averie Cooks – Oh my gosh, these things. They’re kind of like a Snickers bar mixed with a cookie bar. I’m so glad Regina cut them into tiny little squares, because that meant I could eat more of them. If you want a decadent dessert that everybody you know will lose their sh*t over, MAKE THESE.

Lemon Bars – In what I’m sure was a nod to my lemon-loving ways, a batch of lemon bars appeared and I was a happy camper. Made from a family recipe, these had flaky crust and nice tart lemon action going on. Regina and I spent a portion of the party debating the merits between real lemon juice and ReaLemon juice, and we both agree that real lemon juice is the way to go, always. If you love lemon bars, be sure to check out my version with a poppyseed crust.

Infamous Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Crepes of Wrath (adapted from The New York Times) – I’m kind of a devotee to my standard chocolate chip cookie recipe (the Nestle Tollhouse recipe with 1 stick of butter instead of 2), but these were actually the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever tasted. When Regina told me that she had to make the dough and then let it sit overnight, I thought it sounded 1.) crazy and 2.) like too much work. But it’s really neither of those things and totally worth the extra time spent to rest the dough. These were perfectly crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside. Perfectly perfect in every way. Oh, and there was a sprinkling of sea salt, which improves every dessert.

Peanut Butter Banana Bonbons from Joy The Baker – Regina totally killed it this year, because every single thing pretty much blew my mind, including these. I may or may not *still* be eating the leftovers that are in my freezer. These are layers of banana and peanut butter, frozen and dipped in chocolate and nuts, then frozen again. Warning: Regina did say these were a pain in the butt to make, muttering peanut butter in a piping bag several times. Glad she did all the work and I got to do all the eating.

Thanks so much for joining me for Sangria Party Week 2014! It truly is one of my favorite weeks of the year, and I love getting to share it not only with my friends who can attend, but all of you as well. Thinking of throwing your own sangria party and have questions? Ask away in the comments. I’m happy to help!