This recipe was from a Beekman 1802 newsletter a few years back. When I lost the original email and my google searches only resulted in 404 errors, I contacted Beekman and they were gracious enough to send me the recipe.
Ingredients:
Pastry dough for single crust pie.
¾ stick unsalted butter
1 cups packed light brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
¾ cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange flavored liqueur
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup pecans
1 cup hazelnuts, roasted in 400F oven for 7 minute until toasted.
1 teaspoon coarse finishing salt
Preheat oven to 350F.
Roll out pastry dough on floured surface to 12″ round. Place into 9″ pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a ¾” overhang. Fold over edge and crimp. Chill in refrigerator or freeze for 20 minutes.
Melt butter in medium heavy saucepan. Add brown sugar and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Add maple syrup and corn syrup, whisking to combine. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, ¼ teaspoon salt, and liqueur.
In separate bowl, gently beat eggs. Add liquid sugar mixture to eggs and stir.
Remove crust from freezer, put pecans and hazelnuts in pie shell and gently pour liquid mixture over them. Sprinkle surface with coarse salt.
Bake for 40-50 minutes until set. Cool and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
https://beekman1802.com/
Showing posts with label sweets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sweets. Show all posts
Tuesday
Apple Cider Caramels
My go-to fall treat. It's before everyone is sugared out with holiday confections and these are unique and extremely flavorful. I also like that they're on the soft side.
Ingredients:
4 cups apple cider
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (fun fact: I've also used homemade pumpkin spice and it's nice too)
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks (tbh, I've used salted butter, and it's fine if you cut down the sea salt a tad)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
Neutral oil for the knife
Boil the apple cider in a 3- to- 4- quart saucepan over high heat until it is reduced to a dark, thick syrup, between 1/3 and 1/2 cup in volume. This takes about 35 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Line the bottom and sides of an 8- inch straight- sided square metal baking pan with parchment.
Ingredients:
4 cups apple cider
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (fun fact: I've also used homemade pumpkin spice and it's nice too)
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks (tbh, I've used salted butter, and it's fine if you cut down the sea salt a tad)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
Neutral oil for the knife
Boil the apple cider in a 3- to- 4- quart saucepan over high heat until it is reduced to a dark, thick syrup, between 1/3 and 1/2 cup in volume. This takes about 35 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Line the bottom and sides of an 8- inch straight- sided square metal baking pan with parchment.
Stir the cinnamon and flaky salt together in a small dish.
Once you are finished reducing the apple cider, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, sugars, and heavy cream. Return the pot to medium- high heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side, and let it boil until the thermometer reads 252 degrees, only about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, stirring constantly.
Immediately remove caramel from heat, add the cinnamon-salt mixture, and give the caramel several stirs to distribute it evenly. Pour caramel into the prepared pan. Let it sit until cool and firm—about 2 hours.
Once you are finished reducing the apple cider, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, sugars, and heavy cream. Return the pot to medium- high heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side, and let it boil until the thermometer reads 252 degrees, only about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, stirring constantly.
Immediately remove caramel from heat, add the cinnamon-salt mixture, and give the caramel several stirs to distribute it evenly. Pour caramel into the prepared pan. Let it sit until cool and firm—about 2 hours.
Once caramel is firm, transfer the block to a cutting board. Use a well- oiled knife to cut the caramel into squares. Wrap each one in waxed paper or glassine, twisting the sides to close. Caramels will be somewhat on the soft side at room temperature, and chewy/firm from the fridge.
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen
Wednesday
Superior Cinnamon Rolls
I have used a different cinnamon roll recipe in the past. They are good, but these are easier and they are so light and fluffy! This makes 24 rolls, but I have halved it and they were still fine.
Mix and let sit for 15 minutes:
3 1/2 c. warm water
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
6 T. yeast (yes, that really is tablespoons)
Then add:
1 T. salt
3 eggs (when I halved, I used 2 eggs)
10 1/2 c. flour
Mix together for 10 minutes, then sit for 10 minutes. Oil countertop, dump out dough. Divide in half. Press one half out into rectangle. Spread with ¼ c. melted butter and then with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up tight, but not too tight. Divide into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Let rise. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400.
Cinnamon-Sugar
1c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
Frosting
1 cube butter >> or swap out partially for cream cheese, my preference
2 dashes salt
2 t. vanilla
6 c. powdered sugar
milk added to get to the consistency you prefer
Mix and let sit for 15 minutes:
3 1/2 c. warm water
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
6 T. yeast (yes, that really is tablespoons)
Then add:
1 T. salt
3 eggs (when I halved, I used 2 eggs)
10 1/2 c. flour
Mix together for 10 minutes, then sit for 10 minutes. Oil countertop, dump out dough. Divide in half. Press one half out into rectangle. Spread with ¼ c. melted butter and then with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up tight, but not too tight. Divide into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Let rise. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400.
Cinnamon-Sugar
1c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
Frosting
1 cube butter >> or swap out partially for cream cheese, my preference
2 dashes salt
2 t. vanilla
6 c. powdered sugar
milk added to get to the consistency you prefer
Via Pinterest
Sunday
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Ingredient:
3 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 by 8 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk oats, spices, and salt together. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over oats and stir well, until all of the oats are moist. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Evenly press oat mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The pumpkin keeps the bars moist, so make sure they are golden and set-you don't want them to be under baked. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut into bars. Remove from pan and let cool completely.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 by 8 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk oats, spices, and salt together. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over oats and stir well, until all of the oats are moist. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Evenly press oat mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The pumpkin keeps the bars moist, so make sure they are golden and set-you don't want them to be under baked. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut into bars. Remove from pan and let cool completely.
6. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-granola-bars/print/
Cherry Pie Filling
This is what I use to make pies from my backyard montmorency cherry tree.
Ingredients
4 cups fresh tart cherries
1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 tablespoon almond extract
Your favorite pie crust or pie dough recipe for 2 crust pie
From Food Network
Ingredients
4 cups fresh tart cherries
1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 tablespoon almond extract
Your favorite pie crust or pie dough recipe for 2 crust pie
From Food Network
Cinnamon Mini Donuts with Browned Butter Glaze
I made these at Easter. Mmmmm
Ingredients
For the donuts:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with a teaspoon of white vinegar added)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs butter, melted
For the Browned Butter glaze:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Make the donuts:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease mini donut pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
In a small bowl, stir together the butter milk, egg, and butter.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated.
Using a pastry bag fill the donut pans about half full. More than that and you won't have any discernible donut holes. Bake for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Make the glaze:
While the donuts are cooling in the pan, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until it browned, about 8 minutes.
Pour the butter into a small bowl and whisk in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Dip the donut tops (slightly warm or cool) in the glaze and enjoy.
With my mini donut pans this makes about 5 dozen.
Ingredients
For the donuts:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with a teaspoon of white vinegar added)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs butter, melted
For the Browned Butter glaze:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Make the donuts:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease mini donut pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
In a small bowl, stir together the butter milk, egg, and butter.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated.
Using a pastry bag fill the donut pans about half full. More than that and you won't have any discernible donut holes. Bake for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Make the glaze:
While the donuts are cooling in the pan, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until it browned, about 8 minutes.
Pour the butter into a small bowl and whisk in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Dip the donut tops (slightly warm or cool) in the glaze and enjoy.
With my mini donut pans this makes about 5 dozen.
Adapted from Buns in My Oven
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
For the cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
In large bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.
In bowl of stand mixer cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add dry ingredients and milk, alternating until well combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
Mix in pumpkin puree.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
Once cupcakes are completely cool frost with Cinnamon Cream Cheese icing.
For the icing:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
In bowl of stand mixer beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well combined.
Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
Add vanilla and cinnamon and mix until combined.
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
In large bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.
In bowl of stand mixer cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add dry ingredients and milk, alternating until well combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
Mix in pumpkin puree.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
Once cupcakes are completely cool frost with Cinnamon Cream Cheese icing.
For the icing:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
In bowl of stand mixer beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well combined.
Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
Add vanilla and cinnamon and mix until combined.
From the Cake Blog
Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
A grown up version of a childhood classic.
From Smitten Kitchen.
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
10oz marshmallows
6c rice krispie cereal
heaping 1/4 tsp coarse salt
Melt butter in large, high sided pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly until it browns and smells nutty. Remove from heat and dump in marshmallows. Stir until smooth. There should be enough residual heat to melt all the marshmallows, but if not, you can put it back on the burner on low.
Add salt and cereal and stir well. Pour into a buttered 8x8 pan and push flat with buttered hands or a silicone spatula. Allow to cool and cut into squares.
From Smitten Kitchen.
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
10oz marshmallows
6c rice krispie cereal
heaping 1/4 tsp coarse salt
Melt butter in large, high sided pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly until it browns and smells nutty. Remove from heat and dump in marshmallows. Stir until smooth. There should be enough residual heat to melt all the marshmallows, but if not, you can put it back on the burner on low.
Add salt and cereal and stir well. Pour into a buttered 8x8 pan and push flat with buttered hands or a silicone spatula. Allow to cool and cut into squares.
Butterscotch Sauce
This sauce is for drizzling on ice cream, pound cake, poached pears or what have you. The longer you cook it the thicker it will be. Following these recipes on a light boil I got a pretty loose sauce when cool.
Yield: About 2/3 to 3/4 cup sauce
Yield: About 2/3 to 3/4 cup sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons, 2 ounces or 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (about 109 grams) packed dark or light brown sugar (I used dark)
1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) flaky sea salt (or 1/4 teaspoon regular salt), plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract, plus more to taste
Melt butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, cream and salt and whisk until well blended. Bring to a very gentle boil and cook for about five minutes, whisking occasionally.
Remove from heat and add one teaspoon of the vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Dip a spoon in the sauce and carefully taste the sauce to see if you want to add additional pinches or salt or splashes of vanilla. Tweak it to your taste, whisking well after each addition. I ended up using a full teaspoon of flaky salt and the listed amount of vanilla to get a butterscotch sauce with a very loud, impressive butterscotch flavor but the strength of your vanilla and intensity of your salt may vary.
From Smitten Kitchen
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons, 2 ounces or 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (about 109 grams) packed dark or light brown sugar (I used dark)
1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) flaky sea salt (or 1/4 teaspoon regular salt), plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract, plus more to taste
Melt butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, cream and salt and whisk until well blended. Bring to a very gentle boil and cook for about five minutes, whisking occasionally.
Remove from heat and add one teaspoon of the vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Dip a spoon in the sauce and carefully taste the sauce to see if you want to add additional pinches or salt or splashes of vanilla. Tweak it to your taste, whisking well after each addition. I ended up using a full teaspoon of flaky salt and the listed amount of vanilla to get a butterscotch sauce with a very loud, impressive butterscotch flavor but the strength of your vanilla and intensity of your salt may vary.
From Smitten Kitchen
Brown Butter Layer Cake
This cake is made with a vanilla bean frosting and is meant to be topped with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. The recipe is also from an Australian blog, hence the measures in grams.
Makes a 4-layer 6" or a 3-layer 7", 2-layer 8" cake
For the brown butter cake:
300g (2 & 2/3 sticks) butter (I used salted, add 1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted)
360g (approx 2 & 1/2 cups) plain/all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
240ml (about 1 cup) milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
330g (approx 1 & 1/2 cups) granulated sugar (I used caster/superfine)
4 large eggs
Prepare the brown butter ahead of time as you will need to chill it:
Place butter in a small saucepan on low-medium heat and stir until it melts completely.
Continue cooking, stirring frequently until the milk solids turn brown and the butter smells nutty, about 5 minutes longer (or as long as it takes to turn golden brown). Take care not to burn (it will continue to brown even after you remove it from the heat, so take it off early).
Scrape the melted butter and browned bits into small bowl and chill until solidified (about half an hour in the freezer, an hour or so in the fridge). When ready to make cake, remove from the fridge long enough that the butter is soft enough to be beaten with an electric mixer.
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease four 15cm (6 inch) or three 18cm (7 inch) or two 8 inch round cake tins. Line the base of the tins with baking paper.
Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix milk and vanilla together in a measuring jug.
Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat sugar and brown butter in a large bowl until blended. Increase speed to high and beat well until very pale and creamy, at least 5 minutes.
Reduce speed to medium low, add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Alternately add flour mix and milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture (I did it by adding 1/4 of of the dry mixture followed by 1/3 of the wet mixture at a time). Beat until smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with a spatula.
Pour equal amounts of mixture into prepared tins and bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the outside is golden, about 30-35 minutes (will vary depending on your cake tin size). Take cake not to overbake or cake will be dry.
Cool in tins for 15 minutes, then carefully turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely. Can be stored in an airtight container overnight if you want to prep the cakes a day ahead.
400g salted butter (add 1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted), softened
600g icing sugar (confectioner's sugar), sifted
1/3 cup milk
2 vanilla bean pods, seeds scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste)
Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high.
With the mixer on low, gradually add icing sugar and mix until incorporated.
Add vanilla bean seeds and milk and beat on high until very pale and fluffy.
Place first layer of cake on your cake stand or plate. Spread a layer of icing over the top of the cake, using an offset spatula. Sandwich with another layer of cake and then repeat with remaining cake layers.
Crumb coat cake and then chill cake for about 30 mins.
Cover cake with the remaining icing and chill again for another hour before pouring salted caramel over the top of the cake.
Keep cake chilled in the fridge, remove 30 mins before serving to allow it to come back to room temperature.
Frosting Recipe
Although my default preference is generally cream cheese frosting, I needed a mint frosting for a mint chocolate chip cake for my sister's birthday celebration. This was light, fluffy and not cloyingly sweet. I'll definitely use it again. I also used this site's recipes for frosting tints. Turns out, 10 drops of blue and 10 drops of green makes a convincing mint chip color.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) butter, cut into 24 pieces and softened at room temperature
In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and is thick enough that it starts to become difficult to easily whisk. This could take anywhere between 5-10 minutes, depending on your stove, heat, etc. It should bubble quite a bit at the end (be careful of the splatters) and thicken considerably.
Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and cool to room temperature – this is extremely important! If it is even slightly warm, the frosting won’t beat up properly. I put mine in the bowl of my Kitchenaid stand mixer with the paddle attachment and let it run on low speed for a while to assist in the cooling. I did drop it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes, but make sure you have it at room temp before you start. If you try to proceed with the rest of the recipe and the mixture is too cold, the butter won’t absorb into the frosting like it should.
Once the frosting is completely cooled to room temperature (it should have no hint of warmth at all!), beat the mixture with the vanilla on low speed until it is well combined, about 30 seconds (a stand mixer will work best for this). Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat the frosting until all the butter has been incorporated fully, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and let the mixer work it’s magic. Beat the frosting for five minutes, until it is light and fluffy.
Variations:
Chocolate Version: Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt mixture in the first step. Once the frosting has been mixed for five minutes and is light and fluffy, mix in 3 ounces of semisweet chocolate that has been melted and completely cooled to room temperature
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) butter, cut into 24 pieces and softened at room temperature
In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and is thick enough that it starts to become difficult to easily whisk. This could take anywhere between 5-10 minutes, depending on your stove, heat, etc. It should bubble quite a bit at the end (be careful of the splatters) and thicken considerably.
Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and cool to room temperature – this is extremely important! If it is even slightly warm, the frosting won’t beat up properly. I put mine in the bowl of my Kitchenaid stand mixer with the paddle attachment and let it run on low speed for a while to assist in the cooling. I did drop it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes, but make sure you have it at room temp before you start. If you try to proceed with the rest of the recipe and the mixture is too cold, the butter won’t absorb into the frosting like it should.
Once the frosting is completely cooled to room temperature (it should have no hint of warmth at all!), beat the mixture with the vanilla on low speed until it is well combined, about 30 seconds (a stand mixer will work best for this). Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat the frosting until all the butter has been incorporated fully, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and let the mixer work it’s magic. Beat the frosting for five minutes, until it is light and fluffy.
Variations:
Mint Chip: Rather than vanilla, add 2.5tsp mint extract instead. Then add finely chopped dark chocolate before frosting the cake.
Chocolate Version: Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt mixture in the first step. Once the frosting has been mixed for five minutes and is light and fluffy, mix in 3 ounces of semisweet chocolate that has been melted and completely cooled to room temperature
Saturday
Cherry Lemonade Donuts
These are wonderful baked mini donuts
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1/2 cup cherry juice
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp lemon juice
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1/2 cup cherry juice
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp cherry juice
1 – 2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and position a rack in the center. Butter and flour your mini doughnut pans and set them aside.
Cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until it's light and fluffy. Add the eggs and blend them until they're just incorporated. Mix in the 1/2 cup of cherry juice.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt then combine it well with the cherry mixture until the color is smooth.
Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a round tip with the batter and pipe it carefully into the prepared mini doughnut pans. I found that filing each circle about 2/3 – 3/4 of the way makes perfect mini doughnuts. Filling them any more than that will create shrunken or non-existent doughnut holes.
Bake them for about 5 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown and the tops are matte and springy to the touch. Don't be afraid of under-baking, be more afraid of over-baking. Gooey doughnuts can be fixed with a little more oven time and crunchy burned doughnuts can't. Allow the doughnuts a few minutes in the pans to cool off before flipping them out onto a cooling rack. The pan may need a few encouraging taps, but they should come out easily.
In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, cherry juice and powdered sugar until you get your desired consistency. When stirred, the glaze should leave swirls on the surface that disappear slowly but are not permanent. If the swirls disappear almost instantly, you need more powdered sugar. Dip the top of each doughnut in the glaze, give it a few taps then set it on a rack to drip and set. For easy cleanup, place a piece of wax paper under the rack to catch all the drips. Enjoy!
1 – 2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and position a rack in the center. Butter and flour your mini doughnut pans and set them aside.
Cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until it's light and fluffy. Add the eggs and blend them until they're just incorporated. Mix in the 1/2 cup of cherry juice.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt then combine it well with the cherry mixture until the color is smooth.
Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a round tip with the batter and pipe it carefully into the prepared mini doughnut pans. I found that filing each circle about 2/3 – 3/4 of the way makes perfect mini doughnuts. Filling them any more than that will create shrunken or non-existent doughnut holes.
Bake them for about 5 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown and the tops are matte and springy to the touch. Don't be afraid of under-baking, be more afraid of over-baking. Gooey doughnuts can be fixed with a little more oven time and crunchy burned doughnuts can't. Allow the doughnuts a few minutes in the pans to cool off before flipping them out onto a cooling rack. The pan may need a few encouraging taps, but they should come out easily.
In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, cherry juice and powdered sugar until you get your desired consistency. When stirred, the glaze should leave swirls on the surface that disappear slowly but are not permanent. If the swirls disappear almost instantly, you need more powdered sugar. Dip the top of each doughnut in the glaze, give it a few taps then set it on a rack to drip and set. For easy cleanup, place a piece of wax paper under the rack to catch all the drips. Enjoy!
London Fog Layer Cake
This is a delightful cake. I made it with cream cheese frosting with a vanilla bean added, but your preference of vanilla frosting would be fine too.
Ingredients:
2/3c milk
4 early grey tea bags
2 whole eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.25c + 2Tbs cake flour (160g)
1c sugar
2.25tsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
1/2c butter, room temp
blue or purple food coloring, if desired
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line two 8" round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk until simmering. Remove from heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the milk to cool completely.
Whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Add the butter and cooled milk to the dry ingredients. Beat on low until well-blended. Raise the speed to medium and beat for another minute.
Add the egg/vanilla mixture in three additions, beating well after each addition. If desired, beat in food coloring.
Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
Ingredients:
2/3c milk
4 early grey tea bags
2 whole eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.25c + 2Tbs cake flour (160g)
1c sugar
2.25tsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
1/2c butter, room temp
blue or purple food coloring, if desired
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line two 8" round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk until simmering. Remove from heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the milk to cool completely.
Whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Add the butter and cooled milk to the dry ingredients. Beat on low until well-blended. Raise the speed to medium and beat for another minute.
Add the egg/vanilla mixture in three additions, beating well after each addition. If desired, beat in food coloring.
Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
Chocolate Salted Caramel Layer Cake
This recipe comes in several steps. Make the cake, make the caramel, make the buttercream, assemble the cake, make the ganache. Phew!
CHOCOLATE CAKE
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Oil and flour three 8-inch baking tins. Begin by filling a sauce pan with water. Set it on high heat until it boils. While you are waiting for the water to boil, whisk to gather the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda until it is completely blended. You can begin to add in the wet ingredients, starting with the oil and milk. Continue beating in each egg, one at a time, into the mixture. Next beat in the vanilla .
Ok, remember that boiling water? Beat 1 cup of boiling water into the batter. THE BATTER WILL BE REALLY THIN, don't worry! Immediately fill you cake tins with the batter and put it in the oven.
If making cupcakes, bake for exactly 18 minutes, no more, no less. If making cake, start by checking them at 22 minutes, and continue to check on the cakes using the "stick a for in it test". My cakes usually take between 25 and 30 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter and vanilla; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add 1⁄2-3/4 cup of the caramel (to taste) and continue mixing until combined.
CHOCOLATE CAKE
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Oil and flour three 8-inch baking tins. Begin by filling a sauce pan with water. Set it on high heat until it boils. While you are waiting for the water to boil, whisk to gather the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda until it is completely blended. You can begin to add in the wet ingredients, starting with the oil and milk. Continue beating in each egg, one at a time, into the mixture. Next beat in the vanilla .
Ok, remember that boiling water? Beat 1 cup of boiling water into the batter. THE BATTER WILL BE REALLY THIN, don't worry! Immediately fill you cake tins with the batter and put it in the oven.
If making cupcakes, bake for exactly 18 minutes, no more, no less. If making cake, start by checking them at 22 minutes, and continue to check on the cakes using the "stick a for in it test". My cakes usually take between 25 and 30 minutes.
SALTED CARAMEL SYRUP (this gets added to the buttercream)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 stick of butter, softened and cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Sea salt to taste
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 stick of butter, softened and cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Sea salt to taste
In a medium saucepan with high sides, combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/2 cup water. Stir the mixture gently so you don’t slosh any of it up the sides of the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and continue stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high, stop stirring, and allow the mixture to boil. Once it begins to turn a rich caramel color (if you don’t want to eyeball it, take the caramel to 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer), remove it from the heat, add the butter and cream, and a generous amount of sea salt and stir until combined.
SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
1½ cups sugar
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1⁄3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄3 cup plus 2 tablespoons Salted Caramel Sauce (above), at room temperature
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1⁄3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄3 cup plus 2 tablespoons Salted Caramel Sauce (above), at room temperature
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter and vanilla; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add 1⁄2-3/4 cup of the caramel (to taste) and continue mixing until combined.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING
Ingredients:
12 oz. good quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup very hot water
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
Pinch of salt
Sea Salt for finishing
To make the chocolate ganache frosting, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and water and stir until smooth. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, gradually blend in the melted and cooled chocolate until well incorporated. Blend in the cocoa powder-water mixture until smooth.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
To assemble the cake, level the cake layers if necessary. Place one of the cake layers on a cake board or serving platter. Top with half of the caramel buttercream and smooth in a thick, even layer. Place a second cake layer on top and smooth the remaining salted caramel buttercream over that. Place the final cake layer on top. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate frosting and smooth with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, sprinkle with sea salt.
To make the chocolate ganache frosting, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and water and stir until smooth. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, gradually blend in the melted and cooled chocolate until well incorporated. Blend in the cocoa powder-water mixture until smooth.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
To assemble the cake, level the cake layers if necessary. Place one of the cake layers on a cake board or serving platter. Top with half of the caramel buttercream and smooth in a thick, even layer. Place a second cake layer on top and smooth the remaining salted caramel buttercream over that. Place the final cake layer on top. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate frosting and smooth with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, sprinkle with sea salt.
Monday
Marshmallows
Fun to make for home or gifts and delicious in hot cocoa.
Ingredients:
1/4c powdered sugar
1/4c corn starch
vegetable oil (for pan)
2 - 1/4oz envelopes of gelatin
1.5c granulated sugar
2/3c light corn syrup
Sift together powdered sugar and corn starch and set aside.
Brush the bottom of an 8x8 inch pan with vegetable oil and then cut a piece of parchment, approximately 8x12 to cover the bottom and 2 sides with overhang. Place in pan and brush the parchment with oil too.
Dust the bottom of the pan with about half your sifted sugar/corn starch and set aside.
Fill stand mixing bowl with 1/2 cup cool water and sprinkle with gelatin.
Meanwhile, in a medium pot with a candy thermometer attached, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup and 1/2c water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium and cook until you reach soft ball stage at 240*. Remove from heat.
Turn on stand mixer and beat gelatin on low for about 30 seconds. Then slowly pour in sugar syrup down the side of the bowl with mixer running. After everything is poured in, increase mixer speed gradually (I found I needed 1-2 min at at least two higher speeds to get to the highest speed without splashing everywhere).
Beat on high until doubled in volume and thick and ribbony - about 12-15 minutes.
If adding extract, do so in the last 30 seconds or so. I used scant 1tsp peppermint extract.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Use wet fingers to smooth out surface and sprinkle remaining powdered sugar/corn starch over the top. Let rest, uncovered in a cool and dry place, for 4 hours or overnight.
Invert marshmallow to a cutting board. Use a pastry brush to brush off powdered sugar mix and reserve on cutting board for dipping the newly cut edges in, as well as dusting the knife before and between cuts.
Variations:
For coffee marshmallows, dissolve 6 Tbs instant espresso in 1c boiling water. Set aside to cool to room temp and then substitute where water is called for.
For chocolate marshmallows, mix 6 Tbs cocoa and 3 Tbs hot water until a smooth paste is formed. Add to gelatin mixture before adding syrup. Also add 1/4c cocoa powder to sifter when doing powdered sugar and corn starch.
From Country Living magazine
Ingredients:
1/4c powdered sugar
1/4c corn starch
vegetable oil (for pan)
2 - 1/4oz envelopes of gelatin
1.5c granulated sugar
2/3c light corn syrup
Sift together powdered sugar and corn starch and set aside.
Brush the bottom of an 8x8 inch pan with vegetable oil and then cut a piece of parchment, approximately 8x12 to cover the bottom and 2 sides with overhang. Place in pan and brush the parchment with oil too.
Dust the bottom of the pan with about half your sifted sugar/corn starch and set aside.
Fill stand mixing bowl with 1/2 cup cool water and sprinkle with gelatin.
Meanwhile, in a medium pot with a candy thermometer attached, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup and 1/2c water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium and cook until you reach soft ball stage at 240*. Remove from heat.
Turn on stand mixer and beat gelatin on low for about 30 seconds. Then slowly pour in sugar syrup down the side of the bowl with mixer running. After everything is poured in, increase mixer speed gradually (I found I needed 1-2 min at at least two higher speeds to get to the highest speed without splashing everywhere).
Beat on high until doubled in volume and thick and ribbony - about 12-15 minutes.
If adding extract, do so in the last 30 seconds or so. I used scant 1tsp peppermint extract.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Use wet fingers to smooth out surface and sprinkle remaining powdered sugar/corn starch over the top. Let rest, uncovered in a cool and dry place, for 4 hours or overnight.
Invert marshmallow to a cutting board. Use a pastry brush to brush off powdered sugar mix and reserve on cutting board for dipping the newly cut edges in, as well as dusting the knife before and between cuts.
Variations:
For coffee marshmallows, dissolve 6 Tbs instant espresso in 1c boiling water. Set aside to cool to room temp and then substitute where water is called for.
For chocolate marshmallows, mix 6 Tbs cocoa and 3 Tbs hot water until a smooth paste is formed. Add to gelatin mixture before adding syrup. Also add 1/4c cocoa powder to sifter when doing powdered sugar and corn starch.
From Country Living magazine
Saturday
English Toffee
After some searching, this is the toffee recipe I landed on for the holidays. It takes some patience and lots of stirring, but the results are delicious!
Ingredients:
1lb granulated sugar
1lb butter, unsalted
3oz water
1tsp salt
1tsp vanilla extract
1lb chopped almonds
1.5lbs bulk dark chocolate, not chips
Combine sugar, butter, water and salt in a heavy saucepan. Over medium high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Using a candy thermometer, keep stirring constantly until temperature reaches 298 degrees. When it reaches temperature, take off heat, add vanilla and stir well to combine. Then immediately pour out on a silpat. Using an offset spatula, quickly spread to desired thickness. You can either leave as one big sheet or score break lines in the toffee as it begins to cool. To score, oil a chefs knife with canola or safflower oil and repeatedly mark lines in toffee as it cools. Edges will cool first, so be strategic.
When cool, wipe excess butter off the toffee with a paper towel. If you scored the toffee, break it up for dipping. If you left it as a sheet, you'll coat it entirely with chocolate, then break into shards.
To temper chocolate (the easy way), chop chocolate finely and put in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Reserve a good sized chunk of chocolate for the last step. Microwave in 15-20 sec bursts, stirring for 15-20 sec after each time. When the chocolate has only a few small lumps after a microwave burst, add the reserved chunk and stir for a minute or more. All the small lumps should melt and the chocolate should thicken. Your larger chunk will not, it's there to add the right crystals and cool your chocolate. Now your chocolate is tempered.
Either dip the individual pieces and lay on parchment or pour chocolate on the sheet of toffee and spread with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and allow to cool completely. Reserve any leftover chocolate by pouring onto parchment to cook and then wrap in plastic.
Ingredients:
1lb granulated sugar
1lb butter, unsalted
3oz water
1tsp salt
1tsp vanilla extract
1lb chopped almonds
1.5lbs bulk dark chocolate, not chips
Combine sugar, butter, water and salt in a heavy saucepan. Over medium high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Using a candy thermometer, keep stirring constantly until temperature reaches 298 degrees. When it reaches temperature, take off heat, add vanilla and stir well to combine. Then immediately pour out on a silpat. Using an offset spatula, quickly spread to desired thickness. You can either leave as one big sheet or score break lines in the toffee as it begins to cool. To score, oil a chefs knife with canola or safflower oil and repeatedly mark lines in toffee as it cools. Edges will cool first, so be strategic.
When cool, wipe excess butter off the toffee with a paper towel. If you scored the toffee, break it up for dipping. If you left it as a sheet, you'll coat it entirely with chocolate, then break into shards.
To temper chocolate (the easy way), chop chocolate finely and put in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Reserve a good sized chunk of chocolate for the last step. Microwave in 15-20 sec bursts, stirring for 15-20 sec after each time. When the chocolate has only a few small lumps after a microwave burst, add the reserved chunk and stir for a minute or more. All the small lumps should melt and the chocolate should thicken. Your larger chunk will not, it's there to add the right crystals and cool your chocolate. Now your chocolate is tempered.
Either dip the individual pieces and lay on parchment or pour chocolate on the sheet of toffee and spread with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and allow to cool completely. Reserve any leftover chocolate by pouring onto parchment to cook and then wrap in plastic.
Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
Someone posted a link to ths on FaceBook, so I gave it a try. The original recipe can be found here.
Ingredients:
For the cheesecake filling
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
For the cookie dough
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To prepare cheesecake filling
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and salt until smooth. Mix in egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla - cover and place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
To prepare the cookie dough
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar and salt until creamy and combined. Mix in egg yolk until incorporated. Gradually add flour and mix just until combined.
Scoop out level tablespoons worth of the dough and roll into balls. Place balls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Using the handle end of a thick wooden spoon make an indentation in the center of each ball.
Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully use your thumb (or the end of the same wooden spoon) to press the middle of the cookies back down, remaking the indentations. You want a pretty large indentation so you can have enough filling. Place cookies back into the oven, rotating them from their original position, and continue to bake until slightly golden around the edges, about 7 minutes.
Remove cookies from the oven and fill the indentations with the cheesecake filling. I piped in the filling to keep the edges clean, but you could use a teaspoon. Place back into the oven and bake for 7 more minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cook completely.
When cool, place cookies into the refrigerator to chill before serving.
Makes about 32 cookies.
Ingredients:
For the cheesecake filling
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
For the cookie dough
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To prepare cheesecake filling
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and salt until smooth. Mix in egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla - cover and place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
To prepare the cookie dough
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar and salt until creamy and combined. Mix in egg yolk until incorporated. Gradually add flour and mix just until combined.
Scoop out level tablespoons worth of the dough and roll into balls. Place balls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Using the handle end of a thick wooden spoon make an indentation in the center of each ball.
Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully use your thumb (or the end of the same wooden spoon) to press the middle of the cookies back down, remaking the indentations. You want a pretty large indentation so you can have enough filling. Place cookies back into the oven, rotating them from their original position, and continue to bake until slightly golden around the edges, about 7 minutes.
Remove cookies from the oven and fill the indentations with the cheesecake filling. I piped in the filling to keep the edges clean, but you could use a teaspoon. Place back into the oven and bake for 7 more minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cook completely.
When cool, place cookies into the refrigerator to chill before serving.
Makes about 32 cookies.
Wednesday
Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies
So I occasionally shy away from Martha Stewart recipes since they can be unnecessarily complicated, but these cookes came together very easily. That said, the individual ingredients are spendy (how can dried cherries be so spendy??) Regardless, they are tasty!
Ingredients:
Directions:
http://www.marthastewart.com/318628/tories-cherry-chocolate-chunk-cookies?czone=food/best-grilling-recipes/side-dishes-and-desserts¢er=276943&gallery=274281&slide=259496
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups oats
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I simplified by using dark chocolate chips)
- 1 cup toffee pieces (I used Heath bits)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour and baking soda.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing. Add the egg; mix on high speed to combine. Add the vanilla; mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and mix on low speed until well combined. Add the oats, cherries, chocolate, and toffee pieces; mix to combine after each addition.
- Spoon a heaping tablespoon of dough onto a lined baking sheet. Repeat, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies until golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.
Monday
Chocolate Covered Seafoam
This recipe reminds me of two things - the Crunchie candy bar you can buy in Britian and the candies from See's my Dad used to buy for himself at Christmas. This adaptation is fun and pretty easy. And it makes a ton!
Ingredients
75 grams honey (1/4 cup)
140 grams light corn syrup or glucose (1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon)
400 grams sugar (2 cups)
20 grams baking soda (3 1/2 teaspoons)
1# tempered chocolate
Lay out a large silpat on the counter.
Combine the honey, corn syrup and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan--one large enough to allow the mixture to quadruple in size (which it will do when you add the baking soda at the end). Moisten the mixture with enough water so that there are no dry patches of sugar - about 1/4c- then wash down any stray sugar crystals that might be clinging to the side of the pan.
Set the pan on high heat and cook and cook and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 300 F and is a light amber color. While the mixture is cooking, do NOT stir it at all. Don’t worry about it mixing properly, it will do that on its own when it starts to boil.
When the honeycomb is sufficiently cooked, take the pan off the heat. Dump in all of your baking soda and whisk vigorously until it is well combined; while you whisk, the honeycomb will foam up dramatically. After the soda is whisked in, gently pour the mixture out onto a silpat and allow to cool completely, about one hour.
Once cool, break into smaller pieces and dip in the tempered chocolate. Honeycomb is hygroscopic, meaning that it sucks in moisture from the air, leaving an unprotected initially crisp candy sticky and gooey in a matter of hours, so coat fully.
Adapted from http://seattlest.com/2007/02/13/seattlests_answer_to_violet_crumble_.php
Ingredients
75 grams honey (1/4 cup)
140 grams light corn syrup or glucose (1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon)
400 grams sugar (2 cups)
20 grams baking soda (3 1/2 teaspoons)
1# tempered chocolate
Lay out a large silpat on the counter.
Combine the honey, corn syrup and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan--one large enough to allow the mixture to quadruple in size (which it will do when you add the baking soda at the end). Moisten the mixture with enough water so that there are no dry patches of sugar - about 1/4c- then wash down any stray sugar crystals that might be clinging to the side of the pan.
Set the pan on high heat and cook and cook and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 300 F and is a light amber color. While the mixture is cooking, do NOT stir it at all. Don’t worry about it mixing properly, it will do that on its own when it starts to boil.
When the honeycomb is sufficiently cooked, take the pan off the heat. Dump in all of your baking soda and whisk vigorously until it is well combined; while you whisk, the honeycomb will foam up dramatically. After the soda is whisked in, gently pour the mixture out onto a silpat and allow to cool completely, about one hour.
Once cool, break into smaller pieces and dip in the tempered chocolate. Honeycomb is hygroscopic, meaning that it sucks in moisture from the air, leaving an unprotected initially crisp candy sticky and gooey in a matter of hours, so coat fully.
Adapted from http://seattlest.com/2007/02/13/seattlests_answer_to_violet_crumble_.php
Fleur de Sel Caramels
I have a crush on my new candy thermometer. I used a Barefoot Contessa recipe but made the serving pieces much smaller. Man, Ina Gartner must have good teeth! These are lovely little party gifts, or Xmas stocking stuffers.
Ingredients
Vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fine fleur de sel, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil or a bit of butter.
In a deep saucepan (6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don't stir -- just swirl the pan.
In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.
When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.
Very carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate until firm. I sprinkled my salt on the caramel when it was still a little soft and pressed it in a bit. When the caramel is cool, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into bite sized squares. It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with veggie oil.
Then wrap the candies in glassine or parchment paper individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.
Foodnetwork.com
Ingredients
Vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fine fleur de sel, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil or a bit of butter.
In a deep saucepan (6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don't stir -- just swirl the pan.
In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.
When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.
Very carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate until firm. I sprinkled my salt on the caramel when it was still a little soft and pressed it in a bit. When the caramel is cool, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into bite sized squares. It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with veggie oil.
Then wrap the candies in glassine or parchment paper individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.
Foodnetwork.com
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