Category: Dessert

Cornmeal-Currant Biscotti

Servings: —
Preheat: 350°
Makes 2 ½ to 3 dozen biscotti Among pastry lovers, Venice is known for its cookies, and among the best known are these cornmeal-currant biscotti called zaleti, Venetian for “”little yellow things.”” in northern Italy cornmeal is a common ingredient in desserts, and in Venice, zaleti are as common as chocolate chip cookies are in the States. Traditionally made in diamond shapes, they also can be made like classic biscotti- i.e., sliced and twice-baked; see last paragraph.

Ingredients
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
I stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
1 cup plump currants (or raisins)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°E Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

Put the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a rubber spatula to blend. Add the butter to the bowl and, working with your fingertips or a pastry blender, rub the pieces into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Don’t worry if there are a few lumps; you’ll work them out as you knead the dough later. Stir in the currants.

Whisk the egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, and vanilla together in a small bowl, then, with your fingers or a rubber spatula, stir them into the flour mixture. At this point, the dough won’t come together in the bowl and it may seem a little dry, but if you pinch a bit between your fingers, it will hold together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly folding the dough over onto itself a few times, until smooth. Cut the dough into 4 pieces and shape each piece into a 12-inch-long log. Press down gently on the logs with your palms to flatten them slightly and then cut the logs on the diagonal every 1 ½ inches to make 7 or 8 diamonds from each log. Transfer the diamonds to the prepared pan. Since the ends of the logs will not form perfectly shaped diamonds, set the scraps aside, and then, after all the logs have been cut, gather them together and shape them into a mini-log. Flatten the log, angle each end by pressing it with the back of your knife, and cut into diamonds.

Baking the Cookies Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are a light golden color, firm to the touch, and just slightly puffed. Check after 5 minutes to see if the bottoms of the biscotti are browning too quickly; if so, slip a second baking sheet under the first one. Slide the cookies, parchment paper and all, off the baking sheet and onto a rack to cool. (To make classically shaped biscotti, see last paragraph.)

Storing Diamond shaped cookies will keep for up to a week in an airtight tin or plastic container-, twice-baked biscotti will keep for about a month similarly stored.

Classically Shaped Biscotti After the dough has been kneaded, cut it in half and shape into 2 logs, each about 12 inches Long. Flaten the togs slightly-they should be about 1/4 inch high-and place on a parchment-tined baking sheet. Bake the togs in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are firm to the touch and just a little puffed. Let cool completely, then use a thin sharp serrated knife to carefully cut them into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Lay the cookies on parchment-tined baking sheets and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until they’re lightly toasted. The biscotti may still be a bit soft, but they’ll crisp as they cool. Coot the biscotti on the pans. (Makes 5 to 6 dozen.)

Chocolate-Chunk Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans and Dried Cherries

Servings: 2 doz
We like these cookies made with pecans and dried sour cherries, but walnuts or skinned hazelnuts can be substituted for the pecans, and dried cranberries for the cherries. Quick oats used in place of the old-fashioned oats will yield a cookie with slightly less chewiness. If your baking sheets are smaller than the ones described in the recipe, bake the cookies in three batches instead of two. These cookies keep for 4 to 5 days stored in an airtight container or zipper-lock plastic bag, but they will lose their crisp exterior and become uniformly chewy after a day or so.

Ingredients
1¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (6¼ ounces)
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp table salt
1¼ cup rolled oats , old-fashioned, (3½ oz) 1 cup toasted pecans (4 ounces), chopped
1 cup dried tart cherries (5 ounces), chopped coarse
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks about size of chocolate chips (ab ¾ cup)
12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1½ sticks), softened but still cool
1½ cup packed brown sugar (10½ ounces), preferably dark
1 lg egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
1. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 350°. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. In second medium bowl, stir together oats, pecans, cherries, and chocolate.

3. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until no sugar lumps remain, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl; with mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oat/nut mixture; mix until just incorporated. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

4. Divide dough evenly into 16 portions, each about ¼ cup, then roll between palms into balls about 2 inches in diameter; stagger 8 balls on each baking sheet, spacing them about 2½ inches apart. Using hands, gently press each dough ball to 1 inch thickness. Bake both baking sheets 12 minutes, rotate them front to back and top to bottom, then continue to bake until cookies are medium brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will seem underdone and will appear raw, wet, and shiny in cracks), 8 to 10 minutes longer. Do not overbake.

5. Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire rack 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Servings: 4 doz
Source: Fine Cooking No. 23 Best of Fine Cooking
The texture of these simple-to-bake cookies is like a delicate yet fudgy brownie.

Ingredients
4½ oz. (1 cup) all-purpose flour
½ cup natural or Dutch-processed cocoa
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. table salt
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) vegetable shortening
½ cup packed brown sugar, sifted free of lumps
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
About ¼ lb. (3/4 cup) chopped walnuts

Directions
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment or foil. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy. Add both sugars, beating until well combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Mix in the nuts.

Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of batter about 1½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. (After 5 minutes, switch the pans from top to bottom and rotate them from back to front for even baking.) The cookies will puff up and then settle down slightly when done. Let cool on the baking sheets on a rack for a few minutes. With a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Tipped Pecan Bars

Servings: —
Preheat: 350°
Source: From the International Cookie Cookbook by Nancy Baggett
There are many versions of this super-rich bar cookie around the United States today. Some recipes specify cutting the bars into diamonds, others into squares or rectangles. In this version, the cookies are thinnish rectangles with a narrow end dipped in a glossy chocolate glaze.

Ingredients

SHORTBREAD
3/4 cup all-purpose or unbleached white fiour
I tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 CUP (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1-to 1 ½ tablespoons light cream

PECAN TOPPING
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon light cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

CHOCOIATE GIAZE
1 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate
1 ½ ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 teaspoons solid vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon honey

Directions
To prepare shortbread, thoroughly stir together flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add butter and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or forks until the’mixture resembles coarse meal. Add I tablespoon cream and toss until well distributed and dough begins to bind together when pressed into a ball. If necessary, add more cream by teaspoons until a dough forms, but do not overmoisten. (Alternatively, combine dry ingredients and butter in food processor bowl fitted with a steel blade and process in on/ off pulses until the mixture resembles coarse meal, being careful not to overprocess. Add I tablespoon cream and process in on/off pulses until dough begins to hold together. Add a bit more cream if needed to bind dough, but do not overmoisten.)

Turn dough into an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan and press out toward edges to form a smooth, evenly thick layer.

Place in the center of the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove shortbread from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

To prepare the pecan topping, spread pecans in a large baking pan and toast, stirring several times for 5 to 6 minutes. Place butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat and heat until melted and bubbling. Simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes, adjusting heat if necessary and being careful not to burn butter. Stir in brown sugar, honey, and granulated sugar. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Add toasted pecans, cream, and vanilla and stir until well combined. (The proportion of nuts to sugar-butter mixture will seem high but it is correct.) Spread pecan mixture evenly over shortbread.

Return to the oven and bake at 350° for 20 to 22 minutes, or until topping is bubbly and golden brown. Remove baking pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool to warm before cutting. (If dough is too warm when cut bars will be crumbly; if it’s too cool, it will be too firm to cut easily, so check frequently.)

Carefully cut into 16 equal squares with a sharp knife. Then, cut squares in half to form rectangular bars. Using a spatula, transfer bars to a wire rack set over a sheet of waxed paper.

To prepare glaze, combine semisweet and unsweetened chocolate, solid shortening, and honey in a small, heavy saucepan and warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and runny; be careful not to burn. Working quickly before glaze cools and stiffens, dip one narrow end of each bar into glaze. Return bars to rack and let stand for at least 45 minutes, or until the glaze sets.

Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. Bars may be frozen if desired. Keep refrigerated after thawing.

Makes 32 2-by-l-inch bars.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

Servings: 8-10
Source: Fine Cooking June/July 2003 pg 51

Ingredients
FOR THE CHOCOLATE BISCUITS:
10 oz (ab 2¼ cups) all-purpose flour
1½
ounces (ab ¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder, such as Droste
¼ cup granulated sugar; plus about 3 Tbsp for sprinkling
1½ Tbsp baking powder
¾ tsp table salt
4½ oz (9 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into sm pieces
6½ oz semisweet chocolate, grated or finely chopped (the food processor works well); more for garnish
1¼ cup heavy cream; plus about 3 Tbsp for brushing
1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
FOR THE STRAWBERRIES:
5 cup 1/8-inch-thick strawberry slices (from about 3 pints)
1 to 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, depending on the sweetness of the berries
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
1½ cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
¾ tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions
Make the biscuits: Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Toss with a fork to combine. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or a fork until the largest pieces of butter are the size of peas. Add the grated chocolate and toss to combine. Combine the cream and vanilla in a liquid measure. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the cream into the well. Mix with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened and just combined; it should look shaggy and still feel a little dry. Gently knead by hand five or six times to pick up any dry ingredients remaining in the bottom of the bowl and to create a loose ball.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it into an 8-inch square, ¾ to 1 inch thick. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and trim about ¼ inch from each side to create a neat, sharp edge (a bench knife or a pastry scraper works well, or use a large chef’s knife, being sure to cut straight down). Cut the dough into 9 even squares (about 2½ inches square) and spread them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. With a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, brush each biscuit with a thin layer of cream and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake until the biscuits look a little dry and are mostly firm to the touch (they should spring back slightly when gently pressed), 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the strawberries: Toss the berries with 1 tablespoon sugar and taste. If they’re still tart, sprinkle with another 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar. Let sit at room temperature until the sugar dissolves and the berries begin to release their juices, at least 30 minutes but no more than 2 hours.

Whip the cream: Pour the cream into a cold mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until it begins to thicken. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and, using a whisk, continue to beat by hand until the cream is softly whipped or until the whisk leaves distinct marks in the cream; it should be soft and billowy but still hold its shape.

Assemble the shortcakes: While the biscuits are still warm, split them in half horizontally with a serrated knife. For each serving, set the bottom half of a biscuit on a plate. Scoop about 1/2 cup of the berries and their juices over the biscuit. Add a generous dollop of whipped cream and cover with the top half of the biscuit. Top with a small dollop of cream and any garnish the recipe calls for.

Garnish with some grated chocolate and a berry or two and serve.

Make-ahead tips

FOR THE BISCUITS: I prefer to serve the biscuits warm-not hot-from the oven, but you can make them several hours in advance. (You can even bake the biscuits a day ahead, or freeze them for up to three months, although their texture will suffer slightly.) Just before serving, reheat the prepared biscuits in a 200°F oven until warmed through.

FOR THE BERRIES: You can slice the berries hours ahead of time and refrigerate them. Half an hour before assembling the shortcakes, toss the berries with the sugar and let them sit at room temperature.

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: Underwhip your cream and refrigerate it, covered, until ready to serve. Then use a whisk to finish whipping.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Servings: 36
Source: Fine Cooking No. 23 Best of Fine Cooking
Chopping your own chocolate into chunks gives the pieces a welcome lack of uniformity: some bites yield especially big “”chips.”

Ingredients
9½ oz (2 cup plus 2 Tbs.) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp table salt
½ lb (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temp
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp very firmly packed light brown sugar
2 lg eggs
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
9 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2½ oz milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt to blend. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl again. With the mixer on low speed, slowly blend in the flour mixture until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Fold in the chopped chocolate with the spatula, making sure all the flour and butter are thoroughly combined.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the edges and slightly soft in the center, about 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 1 minute before transferring them to a rack to cool.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for to three days.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Servings: —
Preheat: 325°
Source: Gourment, 3/1994
This dough produces a crisp cookie with oats for added texture.

Ingredients
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
I tsp salt
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 lg eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cup (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and oats. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in vanilla. Beat in flour mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto buttered baking sheets and bake cookies in batches in middle of oven 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool cookies on racks.

Cookies keep in airtight containers 5 days. Makes about 72 cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cake

Servings: —
Preheat: 325°

Ingredients
1/2 lb butter
4 eggs
2 2/3 cup cake flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 pk. of choc. chips (8 Ounces) grated or 1 box of semi-sweet squares grated

Directions
Preheat Oven to 325° Bake for 45 Minutes

Separate eggs, beat egg whites and refrigerate

Cream yolks, butter, sugar and vanilla Add milk, flour and 3/4 of the chocolate shavings Fold in egg whites

Pour batter in 9 X 13 pan and then put remaining shavings on.

Chewy Brownies

Servings: 16
Added flour helps to give these brownies their chewiness. It’s important not to over bake these or they’ll dry out.

Ingredients
4 oz (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter; more for the pan
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 ½ cup sugar
Scant ¼ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 lg eggs, at room temp
4 ½ oz (1 cup) flour
2 Tbsp natural cocoa (not Dutch-processed)

Directions
Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square pan, line the pan bottom with parchment (or waxed paper), and then butter the parchment. In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove the pan from the heat; cool slightly. Stir in the sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, stirring each time until blended. Add the flour and cocoa; beat until incorporated and the mixture is smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top is uniformly colored with no indentation and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean, with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 35 to 45 min. Set the pan on a rack until cool enough to handle. Run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan and then invert the pan onto a flat surface and peel off the parchment. Flip the baked brownie back onto the rack to cool completely. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.

Yields sixteen 2-inch squares.

Peach and Blueberry Galette

Servings: 8
Preheat: 350°
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Source: http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/peach-blueberry-galette.aspx
This rustic fruit tart is the perfect vehicle for ripe summer blueberries and peaches. The crust is free form—it just gets folded over the filling and then baked. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche.

Ingredients
For the crust

6-3/4 oz (1-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, more for rolling
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
5-1/2 oz (11 Tbs.) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2″” dice
1 lg egg yolk
3 Tbsp whole milk

For the filling

1 lb peaches, peeled and cut into 1/2″” slices (ab 2 cups)
3/4 lb blueberries, rinsed and picked through (ab 2 cups)
1/4 cup light muscovado sugar or light brown sugar
2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of table salt
1 lg egg, beaten
2 Tbsp demerara sugar

Directions
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at low speed. Add the butter to the flour. Mix until the flour is no longer white and holds together when you clump it with your fingers, 1 to 2 minutes. If there are still lumps of butter larger than the size of peas, break them up with your fingers.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and milk, and add to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together, about 15 seconds; the dough will be somewhat soft. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, press it into a flat disk, wrap it in the plastic, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes before rolling out.

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the filling & roll out the dough. In a medium bowl, toss the peaches and blueberries with the muscovado sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.

Lightly flour a large work surface and roll out the dough to a 12- to 13-inch round. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Arrange the fruit in the center of the dough, leaving about 1-1/2 inches of space around the perimeter of the dough empty. Fold the outside edge of the dough over the fruit, making occasional pleats. Brush the crust with the egg. Sprinkle the demerara sugar evenly over the dough and fruit.

Bake the galette until the crust turns a light brown and the filling bubbles, about 50 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into wedges and serve warm.