Apple Brown Sugar Tart

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Every now and then someone tries something I’ve baked and finds it so good that they ask me to make it and they’ll pay me for it. This is one of those recipes.

Apple Brown Sugar TartEarlier today we had a huge Thanksgiving lunch at work, and when the sign up sheet went around last week, I of course knew I had to make a dessert. (Trust me, you don’t want me cooking for you.) I hate anything pumpkin related, so when I saw this recipe for an apple brown sugar tart, I was smitten. As you know by now, I love anything with brown sugar. This did not disappointment.

The crust was buttery and held its shape well, and the orange marmalade was a nice touch with the apples. I’m still on the fence about the addition of the tapioca, mainly because it looks weird, but I think it works as a thickening agent. (Can anyone back me up on that one?)

Photos of the process here.

Shell Ingredients
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sweet cream butter
1 large egg

Filling Ingredients
3 apples, approx. 1½ lb., choose between Gala or Pink Lady
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp. orange juice
1 tbsp. instant tapioca
3 tbsp. orange marmalade

Shell Preparation

  1. In a cake or pie pan, toast ½ cup (2 oz.) slivered almonds in a 350° oven until golden, shaking often, about 10 minutes.
  2. In a food processor or bowl, combine almonds, 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, and ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar. Add ½ cup (¼ lb.) butter, cut into pieces; whirl or rub with your fingers until fine crumbs form.
  3. Add 1 egg yolk; whirl or mix with a fork until dough sticks together. Pat into a ball.
  4. Press dough over bottom and up sides, flush with rim, of a 9- or 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable rim.

Filling Preparation

  1. Rinse apples and peel or leave skin on as desired. Core apples and cut into ¼-inch thick slices. In a bowl, gently mix apple slices with 2 tbsp. of the brown sugar, orange juice, and tapioca. Let rest 10 minutes to soften tapioca, then overlap slices neatly in unbaked tart shell.
  2. In a glass-measuring cup, combine remaining ¼ cup of the brown sugar and marmalade. Heat in a microwave at full power in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until marmalade is melted. Evenly spread over apple slices.
  3. Bake in a 350° oven until crust is well browned and apples are tender when pierced, about 45 minutes (mine was done in about 40). Let tart cool on a rack at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool, cut into wedges, with ice cream if desired.

Recipe adapted from Safeway.

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November 23, 2009 | Filed Under Pies/Tarts | 11 Comments 

Oatmeal Mini Pieces Cookies

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Oatmeal Mini Pieces CookiesI discovered these mini Reese’s Pieces at the market last week and immediately decided I had to buy them. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with them though, so when I noticed the recipe on the bag I figured I’d give it a try. I’m glad I did–these are cookies E.T. would devour in a heartbeat.

And as much as I wish E.T. could have eaten them, I was pretty satisfied that my new coworkers (yes, I got a job–a two month freelance gig, but it’s a job!) gobbled them up well before lunch. And I can’t blame them. The cookies are the perfect texture–chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and have wonderful flavor and crunch from the Reese’s Pieces. I’ll definitely be making these again!

Ingredients
2/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/3 cups Reese’s pieces (10 oz pkg)

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet.
  2. Cream shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt. Add alternately with milk to sugar mixture. Stir in oats and candy pieces.
  3. Drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls or #16 scoop onto prepared pan. (I used a medium size cookie scoop.)
  4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 1 dozen cookies. (I got about two dozen using the smaller scoop.)

Recipe adapted from bag of mini Reese’s Pieces.
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Don’t forget you can still win free butter!

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November 10, 2009 | Filed Under Cookies and Bars | 4 Comments 

My Favorite Kitchen Things, Part 1

I’ve been wanting to write a series of posts about my favorite kitchen items for some time now but never got around to it. Then the other day I was approached by the nice people at Challenge Butter (the butter with the elk on the box) asking if I’d like a package of their products. Considering their butter is a product I already use, I figured why not.

Well, I received the package and not only did they give me coupons for free butter (some for me and some for you!), they also sent me OXO and Spice Islands products. Since most of you have never been to my apartment, you don’t know how much I love OXO, especially their cookie scoops, whisks, and storage containers.

The whisks and cookie scoops are padded (and I think ergonomically designed) so when I scoop five dozen cookies from dough that chilled overnight, my hands don’t cramp up. I even have three sizes of the scoop–I use one for small cookies, one for larger cookies, and one for cupcakes. But my favorite product of theirs by far is the storage containers. I have six. And I labeled each one with my label maker because I’m a dork like that. (You would do that too if you had three different kinds of flour in your kitchen in clear containers.) Here, take a look:

My Favorite Kitchen Things, Part I

(My galley kitchen is so small that I had to add a microwave cart for extra storage.) Now, why I love the containers:

  • They’re clear, so you can easily see what is in each container.
  • They’re airtight and the lid comes off with a push of a button (literally). I used to have containers that would cause my kitchen to be covered in flour every time I opened the container; these don’t do that.
  • They’re stackable which is great for people like me with limited kitchen space.
  • They’re more than wide enough to put a large scoop in, so you don’t have to spoon flour into the measuring cup.

What are some of your favorite kitchen tools? What can you not live without? And finally, want a free box of butter? Leave a comment below by midnight EST on Sunday, November 22, 2009 and you will be entered for a chance to win one of three coupons good for a free box of Challenge Butter. U.S. residents only please.

Next in the series: My favorite mixing bowls.
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And in super exciting news, Rachel of Coconut & Lime wrote a cookbook called The Everything Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook and it’s available for pre-order on Amazon now!

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November 8, 2009 | Filed Under Contest, Kitchen Stuff | 16 Comments 

Sticky Buns

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Sticky Buns My first ever job was working at a Mrs. Fields bakery called La Petite Boulangerie while I was in high school. During the summer and on weekends, I would arrive at the bakery at 6:30 in the morning (can you believe they trusted a 16-year-old with keys to the place?) and along with the baker, prepare all the muffins, cookies, and breads for sale. The last thing out of the oven was always the cinnamon rolls and sticky buns, and the smell of cinnamon would permeate the bakery for hours.

On the rare occasion we didn’t sell out of these goodies, I’d bring them home to my family and we’d microwave them before gobbling them up. And every so often, I’d put one aside in the morning and my dad would stop by the bakery for a sticky bun fresh out of the oven. They quickly became one of his favorite treats. So, when I found this recipe I bookmarked it and knew I had to bake them the next time I was at my parents’ house, and I’m so glad I did. The buns are soft and flavorful, and the sticky sauce is the perfect combination of maple and cinnamon. In fact, you may even be tempted to eat it by the spoonful.

Photos of the long yet not difficult process here.

Dough Ingredients
1 large egg yolk
1 c. whole milk (I used lowfat)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange (I omitted this)
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 tsp. (1 package) active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 c. sugar

Sticky Sauce Ingredients
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Egg Wash
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. whole milk or heavy cream (I used low fat milk)

Cinnamon Sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar

Finishing
1 c. whole natural almonds, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped (I used walnuts and put them in the pan with the sticky sauce at the beginning)

First Rise

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, combine the egg yolk, milk, vanilla, zest, and one-third of the flour. Mix on medium speed until it is a smooth paste. Add the butter in pieces and mix to combine.
  2. Change the mixer attachment to a dough hook. Add the remaining flour, the yeast, salt, and sugar and mix on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the dough forms a ball and is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. The dough should be nice and elastic. If it is very sticky, slowly add up to 1/2 cup more flour. (I used the additional 1/2 cup.)
  3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Sticky Sauce Preparation

  1. Generously butter a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon, stirring until it reaches a rolling boil.
  3. Remove from heat and pour into the prepared pan. Set aside to cool.

Second Rise

  1. When the dough has doubled in volume, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a rectangle that is 12 inches wide by 18 inches long.
  2. For the egg wash: In a small bowl, using a fork, whisk together the egg and milk. Using a pastry brush, brush it over the surface of the dough.
  3. For the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over the dough, leaving unsugared the bottom 1 inch of one long side of the rectangle.
  4. Starting at the top edge of the rectangle, roll the dough toward you jelly-roll style and pinch the bottom seam closed. Slice the roll into 12 pieces approximately 1 1/2 inches thick, and place them cut side up about 2 inches apart on top of the sticky sauce in the pan. Spray the buns lightly with nonstick vegetable cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap (or lighly butter one side of the plastic wrap). Refrigerate overnight.

Complete the Buns

  1. When you are ready for the final rise, remove the buns from the refrigerator. Bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil. Place an empty roasting pan large enough to hold the water on the bottom of your cold oven. Pour the boiling water into the pan.
  2. Remove the plastic wrap from the buns. Position a rack in the center of your oven. Place the pan on the rack in the oven (do not turn it on!) and shut the door. The steam of the water will help the buns in their final rise. The buns will just about double in size in 30 to 45 minutes. (If your fridge is on a super-cold setting, the buns may need a little longer to rise. If they need more time, just boil some more water and refill the roasting pan.) When the buns have doubled in volume, remove them (and the roasting pan filled with water) from the oven.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Using tongs, turn the buns over onto a serving dish. Pour the sticky sauce in the pan over the buns and sprinkle with the chopped almonds.

Recipe adapted from Not Microwave Safe.

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October 25, 2009 | Filed Under Bread | 4 Comments 

Halloween and Autumn Recipes

Looking for fun Halloween and autumn recipes? Here’s a few:

Enjoy!

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October 24, 2009 | Filed Under Halloween, Thanksgiving | Comments Off 

Salted Chocolate Caramels

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Salted Chocolate CaramelsI was slightly terrified when I first started this recipe, for two reasons: 1. Hot sugar and I have gotten into fights many times in the past, and I usually end up burned (literally); and 2. The reviews were all over the place. Yet I still made them; I guess I was feeling brave.

And fortunately for me, the caramels were a success. I heeded the advice of some of the reviewers and boiled the mixture to soft ball stage rather than 255 °F like the recipe states, as people were ending up with a glass-like texture by heating that high. (Mine were a little soft after they cooled, but seemed to firm up a bit overnight.) The caramels are chewy but not sticky, and have a nice bite as they don’t stick to your teeth. Flavorwise, the chocolate is not overpowering, and the salt makes these a perfect salty/sweet treat!

(Yes, a thermometer is required to make these. There’s no need for an expensive one, I’ve been using this model for years.)

Photos of the process here.

Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
10 1/2 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), finely chopped
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt such as Maldon (I used coarse sea salt because that’s all I had)
Vegetable oil for greasing

Preparation

  1. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch straight-sided square metal baking pan with 2 long sheets of crisscrossed parchment.
  2. Bring cream just to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, then reduce heat to low and add chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat.
  3. Bring sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, uncovered, without stirring but gently swirling pan occasionally, until sugar is deep golden, about 10 minutes. Tilt pan and carefully pour in chocolate mixture (mixture will bubble and steam vigorously). Continue to boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until mixture registers soft ball stage (235-240°F) on thermometer, about 15 minutes. Add butter, stirring until completely melted, then immediately pour into lined baking pan (do not scrape any caramel clinging to bottom or side of saucepan). Let caramel stand 10 minutes, then sprinkle evenly with sea salt. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours.
  4. Carefully invert caramel onto a clean, dry cutting board, then peel off parchment. Turn caramel salt side up. Lightly oil blade of a large heavy knife and cut into 1-inch squares.

Notes:

  • If desired, additional sea salt can be pressed onto caramels after cutting.
  • Caramels keep, layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper, in an airtight container at cool room temperature 2 weeks.
  • Caramels can be wrapped in 4-inch squares of wax paper; twist ends to close.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious.

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October 16, 2009 | Filed Under Candy | 4 Comments 

Napoletana Pizza

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Napoletana Pizza I love pizza. Thin crust, thick crust, deep dish, whatever. I love it all. This is my second attempt at pizza dough (the first time I made this yummy recipe) and I’m still amazed at how easy it is.

Although this recipe looks daunting with the multiple steps, don’t be scared! It’s fairly simple to make, worth the time, and yields a thin crust with a nice crunch is spots. Top it with whatever you want (I used homegrown green peppers from my balcony garden, among other things), and enjoy your delicious pizza!

Photos of the process here.

Some notes:

  • I used a mixer (first the paddle attachment then the dough hook) and froze all of the dough balls so that I can pull them out and put them in the fridge the night before I want to make pizza. Talk about convenient!
  • I don’t have a pizza stone so I used a regular cookie sheet and baked the pizza at 450F for 7-8 minutes.
  • I had trouble tossing the dough so I rolled it out with a rolling pin.

Ingredients
4 1/2 c unbleached high-gluten, bread, or all-purpose flour, chilled (I used bread flour)
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
1/4 c olive oil
1 3/4 c water, ice cold (40°F)
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting (I used cornmeal)

Preparation, Day One

  1. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a 4-quart bowl. On low speed, stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn’t come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a teaspoon or two of cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50 to 55F.
  2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Using a metal dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you are comfortable shaping large pizzas), You can dip the scraper into the water between cuts to keep the dough from sticking to it. Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan. Mist the dough generously with spray oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag.
  3. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days. (Note: If you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.)

Preparation, Day Two

  1. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator two hours before making the pizza. Dust the counter with flour, and then mist the counter with spray oil. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Let rest for 2 hours.
  2. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone either on the floor of the oven (for gas ovens), or on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.
  3. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, including the backs of your hands and knuckles, in flour and lift I piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss. If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn’t as effective as the toss method.
  4. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other toppings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy. The American “kitchen sink” approach is counterproductive, as it makes the crust more difficult to bake. A few, usually no more than 3 or 4 toppings, including sauce and cheese is sufficient.
  5. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake. If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower self before the next round. if the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone for subsequent bakes.
  6. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.

Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.

Adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice via Perry’s Plate.
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Also, just a reminder that Nosh is participating in the Donor’s Choose social media challenge. Please donate!

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October 3, 2009 | Filed Under Bread, Pizza | 2 Comments 

Donors Choose Social Media Challenge

donorsDuring the month of October, Nosh With Me will be participating in the DonorsChoose.org’s Social Media Challenge! Donors Choose is a charity that that funds classroom projects in public schools, using the Web to match teacher project requests with donors. Nosh With Me has selected two projects to try to fund.

The first project is requesting 27 copies of I Never Saw Another Butterfly, an incredible collection of poems and pictures written and drawn by children in the Terezin Concentration Camp during World War II. The second project is requesting 20 sets of knives for a culinary class in which many of the students are hoping for scholarships to attend culinary schools after high school.

There are many, many, other projects that need funding, and it would be amazing if we could fund the first two and move on to a third, fourth, or fifth! *So, as an added incentive to give to a good cause, all readers who donate via the Nosh With Me giving page will be entered in a contest to win a dozen cookies, baked in the Nosh With Me kitchen! Donating is easy–simply click on the link in the sidebar (over there to the left, then scroll down) and you’re all set. Let’s help some kids! And if you know of a project you think I should add to the Nosh With Me giving page, please let me know.

*U.S. and Canada only.

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September 30, 2009 | Filed Under Blog | 1 Comment 

Milk’s Ooey-Gooey Double-Chocolate Cookies

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Milk's Ooey-Gooey Double-Chocolate CookiesThere’s an amazing bakery/restaurant a couple of miles from my apartment (and also directly across the street from my former Weight Watchers meeting location, how cruel) called Milk. They serve all sorts of salads and sandwiches, but what they do best are desserts, specifically ice cream treats and cookies. My favorite is their coffee toffee crunch ice cream sandwich–a huge scoop of their homemade coffee toffee crunch ice cream sandwiched between enormous Parisian macarons. And if I ever become successful at making macarons, you better believe I’ll put ice cream between them.

In the meantime, I decided to give another Milk favorite a try. These cookies live up to their name–they’re ooey, gooey, and very, very chocolatey. Unfortunately, mine came out kinda ugly and looking absolutely nothing like the ones at the store or in the picture, but they taste pretty damn good and will satisfy any chocolate craving! I’m not a milk drinker, but these cookies were so rich they were screaming “drink milk!” to me. I also think eating them warm with ice cream would suffice too (you can get them like that at the shop).

Photos of the process here. Also, I doubled the recipe because I’m bringing them to a party.

Ingredients
1/4 pound (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet chocolate (chunks or chips)

Preparation

  1. In a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
  2. In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a fork, combine the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Mix just until incorporated and set aside.
  3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
  4. Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in the bittersweet chocolate.
  5. Cover the batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill thoroughly. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  6. Divide the dough into 18 portions. Grease your hands (to prevent the dough from sticking) and shape the portions into balls. Place the balls on a greased, parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving 2 to 3 inches between each.
  7. Bake until the edges of the cookies are just set and the center is still soft, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Place the cookies, still on the parchment, on a rack and cool completely before serving. They will be very soft.

Yields 18 cookies.

Recipe adapted from Milk, via the LA Times.

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September 26, 2009 | Filed Under Cookies and Bars | 7 Comments 

Chocolate Brownies with Caramel Fleur de Sel Swirl

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Chocolate Brownies with Caramel Fleur de Sel SwirlWhomever first thought it was a good idea to marry chocolate, caramel, and sea salt deserves a hug. A HUGE HUG. Even a kiss. And some kind of foodie award. These brownies are amazing! They’re chewy and cakey (think box mix texture), sweet, gooey, and salty. In one word: PERFECT.

Make these now. You won’t regret it!

Note: If you prefer your brownies dense and fudgy, use this recipe and make sure to double the amount of caramel and sea salt.

Photos of the process here.

Ingredients
4 squares unsweetened chocolate (4 ounces)
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
5.5 ounces thick caramel sauce (I used Smuckers hot caramel topping)
3/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch pan.
  2. Melt chocolate and butter over low heat in a large saucepan. Beat in sugar and eggs.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture. Stir in nuts, if using.
  4. Pour half the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Drop half of the caramel sauce over the batter in dollops.
  5. Swirl into the batter. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt. Pour the remaining batter over the caramel and spoon the remaining caramel sauce in dollops over the top. Swirl into the batter and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt over the top.
  6. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the top has a dull crust and a slight imprint remains when touched lightly. Cool slightly and cut into squares.

Recipe adapted from OregonLive.com.

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September 13, 2009 | Filed Under Brownies and Blondies | 8 Comments 

Challah

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ChallahChallah is an egg bread traditionally eaten on shabbat (the Jewish sabbath) that is similar in texture and taste to brioche, but is made without milk or butter. For shabbat, challah is usually braided using three or six strands, and on Rosh Hashana, it’s usually twisted in a circular shape (to symbolize the cycle of a year, as Rosh Hashana is the Jewish new year). And often times the bread is sprinkled with sesame or poppy seeds.

As a kid, I ate my sandwiches on challah or challah rolls. And my mom always used it when she would make us french toast. Seriously, challah makes for the most incredible french toast! But the best way to eat a challah? The way my family does it now–rip into it and tear out the insides, leaving a shell of the crust. Mmm.

This recipe, while time consuming, was pretty simple and oh so good! (In fact, I’m going to make a few loaves for Rosh Hashana later this month.) The bread is soft and chewy with a nice crust and the dough was easy to work with. There’s a lot of sitting and waiting, so it’s best to do it when you have stuff you can complete in spurts while waiting for the dough to rise.

Finally, I halved the recipe (because I was trying out different recipes) but this is so good you should make the full recipe and freeze one loaf.

Photos of the process here.

Ingredients
1 1/2 packages active dry yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil, more for greasing bowl
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon salt
8 to 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Poppy or sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water.
  2. Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading.)
  3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
  4. (I tried this but got entirely too confused and just braided it with three strands, the same way you braid hair.) To make a 6-braid challah, either straight or circular, take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For a straight loaf, tuck ends underneath. For a circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
  5. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
  6. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking. Then dip your index finger in the egg wash, then into poppy or sesame seeds and then onto a mound of bread. Continue until bread is decorated with seeds.
  7. Bake in middle of oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.

Yield: 2 challahs.

Joan Nathan recipe from The New York Times.

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September 11, 2009 | Filed Under Bread, Jewish/Jewish Holiday | 4 Comments 

Outrageous Brownies

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Outrageous BrowniesI feel the need to first tell you that while halving the original recipe, I did more math than I have since my freshman year of college. If the US used weight rather than volume in cooking and baking like the rest of the world, halving recipes would be so much easier. And with that said…

The baking blog world as been proclaiming these the best brownies EVER EVER EVER for years now, so I figured it was time I try them for myself. They are super rich, incredibly moist, and have a great texture, but–and I know I’m in the minority here–they’re not my favorite. And they’re definitely not one bowl brownies like my go-to recipe. However, I bagged them up and gave them to friends and I don’t think anyone left even a crumb, so I know other people liked them.

Has anyone else tried these? What did you think?

Photos of the process here.

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces plus 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee powder (I omitted this)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/8 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus 1/8 cup, divided
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups diced walnut pieces (I omitted this)

Preparation

  1. Preheat over 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
  2. Melt together the butter, 8 ounces chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla, and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.
  3. Stir together 1/2 cup of the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 6 ounces of the chocolate chips with 1/8 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.
  4. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into squares.

Recipe adapted from Food Network.

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August 26, 2009 | Filed Under Brownies and Blondies | 8 Comments 

POM Velvet Cake

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POM Velvet CakeA few months ago, the nice people at POM sent me a ton of POM juice to try out. Not being a juice fan (I much prefer the fresh seeds), I decided to try one of the many recipes on their site that uses the juice. And as soon as I saw the recipe for this cake, I knew it must be made. Come on, who wouldn’t get excited about “velvet cake” that doesn’t using food coloring?

And it’s good. Unfortunately, aside from a barely noticeable red hue, the POM juice didn’t do much for the color, and the flavor is that of…chocolate cake. I noticed that instead of a couple of tablespoons of cocoa powder like most red velvet cakes, this recipe calls for 3/4 cup. No wonder it tastes so chocolately. But fortunately for me, chocolately means good!

Cake Ingredients
juice from 1 large POM Wonderful pomegranate* or 1/2 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup half-and-half

Icing Ingredients
1 cup arils from 1–2 large POM Wonderful pomegranates (Pomegranates aren’t in season, so I skipped this)
12 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 lb. confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cake Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Prepare fresh pomegranate juice.*
  3. Line the bases of two round 9” x 2” baking pans with either parchment or wax paper. Grease paper but do not line or grease sides of pans.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in mixing bowl and set aside.
    In a separate mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes at medium speed.
  5. To the bowl with the butter mixture, add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Add vanilla extract.
  6. Pour half-and-half into a large measuring cup and add in vinegar and pomegranate juice; stir.
    Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix on low speed, alternating with the half-and-half and ending with flour. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
  7. Divide batter into cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cakes test done using a toothpick inserted near the center. The toothpick should be free of wet batter when withdrawn.
  8. Allow cakes to rest in cake pan for 15 minutes or until pans are cold to the touch.
  9. Invert cakes onto a cooling rack.

Icing Preparation

  1. Score 1–2 fresh pomegranates and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranates under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)
  2. Blend cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl.
  3. Add vanilla. Beat at medium speed.
  4. Add confectioner’s sugar and salt. Beat until fluffy.
  5. Place one layer of cake on a cake plate and spread with one third of the icing.
  6. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of arils.
  7. Cover with second layer of cake and ice with remaining icing.
  8. Garnish with remaining arils.

* For 1 cup of juice, cut 2–3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.

Recipe from POM Wonderful.

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August 22, 2009 | Filed Under Cakes and Cupcakes, Frosting | 4 Comments 

Chocolate Chip Shortbread

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Chocolate Chip ShortbreadHey there! I’m here and still enjoying funemployment (while looking for a job). Since I don’t have my 100+ guinea pigs at an office anymore, I haven’t been trying out new recipes, hence the lack of posts. And in addition to not wanting to eat three dozen cookies by myself, it’s been super hot here and the thought of turning on my oven made me cringe. Fortunately, the weather has cooled down (a tiny bit) and I decided to give a simple recipe a shot.

This shortbread is good, but not spectacular. My favorite is still the brown sugar version I made earlier in the year. Like good shortbread should be, these cookies aren’t very sweet, are chewy, and have crispy ends. However, I feel like they’re missing something–maybe more salt. Disappointing!

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (I was out of mini chips so I chopped up regular sized ones)

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in vanilla and add flour and salt.
  4. Stir in chips.
  5. Divide dough in half.
  6. Press each half into an ungreased 8 inch round pan.
  7. Bake 12 minutes or until edges are golden.
  8. Score each shortbread with sharp knife into 8 even wedges, but do not cut all the way through.
  9. Leave in pans and cool on racks for 10 minutes.
  10. Invert onto racks and cool completely.
  11. Break into wedges.

Recipe from Recipezaar.

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August 7, 2009 | Filed Under Cookies and Bars | 5 Comments 

Peppermint Patties

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Peppermint PattiesI came across this this recipe and immediately got it in my head that I would make peppermint patties for my dad, nevermind the fact that I had no dipping chocolate in the house. So, off I went to Surfas, where I also bought THREE POUNDS OF SKOR BITS (why? I don’t know) and returned home ready to make candies, only to discover I was out of corn syrup. Not about to go to the market now, I searched the web and came across a corn syrup-less recipe and decided to give it a go.

These are minty, chewy, and delicious and taste just like a York peppermint patty. Would I make them again? Hell no. While I love to eat chocolate, I am horrible at dipping things in it. In fact, I ended up using a pastry brush to brush the chocolate on because I had trouble digging the first patty out of the chocolate after it fell in. So you see, I have absolutely no chance of ever having a career as a chocolatier. Unless ugly dipping styles become popular, then I’d be highly successful.

Ugly photos of the messy process here.

Ingredients
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips or dipping chocolate
2 teaspoons shortening (I used dipping chocolate so I omitted this)

Preparation
In a large mixing bowl, combine condensed milk and peppermint extract. Beat in enough confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, to form a stiff dough that is no longer sticky. Form into 1 inch balls, then place on waxed paper and flatten with fingers to form patties. Let patties dry at room temperature two hours, turning once.

In double boiler over low heat, melt chocolate with shortening, stirring often. Dip patties, one at a time, into chocolate by laying them on the tines of a fork and lowering the fork into the liquid. (Or say screw that and use a brush to coat them, like I did.) Let cool on waxed paper until set.

Recipe adapted from All Recipes.

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July 1, 2009 | Filed Under Candy | 8 Comments 

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