Category: Dessert

Brendan’s Blondies with Pecans and Chocolate Chips

Servings: 2 doz
Preheat: 350°
Cook Time: 25 min
Source: Bon Appetit / July 1998

Ingredients
2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
10 Tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
2 lg eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (about 4 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup chopped pecans (about 3 ounces)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Mix flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in medium bowl. Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Remove saucepan from heat. Add sugar and whisk to blend. Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually stir in flour mixture (batter will be thick). Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans.
Bake blondies until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Cool blondies in pan on rack. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.) Cut into squares and serve.

Kahlúa Fudge Bites

Servings: —
Preheat: 325°
Cook Time: 30 min
Source: Fine Cooking 68, pp. 65
recipeNotes: I don’t frost these brownies
These are very chocolatey and rich, which is why I like
to cut them into smaller, bite-size squares.

Ingredients
9 oz (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
3/4 lb (1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter; more for the pan
3 oz (1 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch- processed)
3 cup very firmly packed light brown sugar
4 lg eggs
2 Tbsp coffee-flavored liqueur (I use Kahlúa) or 1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 Tbs. light corn syrup

Directions
Tip: For the best results, measure your flour by weight instead of volume. (1 cup of all-purpose flour equals 4-1/2 oz.) If you don’t have a scale, be sure to use the proper technique when filling your measuring cups

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 325° F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt to blend. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Whisk in the brown sugar until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until just blended. Whisk in the coffee liqueur along with the last egg. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few small, moist clumps sticking to it, about 30 minutes. (Don’t over bake, or the squares won’t be Fudgy.) Transfer the pan to a rack to let cool completely.

Make the chocolate glaze:

In a medium bowl, melt the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a microwave or over barely simmering water, whisking until smooth. Pour the glaze onto the center of the cooled, uncut fudge bars. Using an offset spatula, spread the glaze evenly to cover completely. Refrigerate until the glaze is set, about 30 minutes. Cut into 1-inch squares.

Lemon Squares – Carol

Servings: —
Preheat: 325°
Cook Time: 50 min

Ingredients
1 Cup butter
½ cup xx sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
//
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
4 tbs flour
¼ cup lemon juice
½ lemon rind

3 qt glass baking dish

Directions
Mix butter, sugar, flour & salt. Press into pan.
Bake for 25 minutes at 325 degrees

Mix eggs, sugar, lemon & flour.
Bake 20-25 min at 325 degrees.

Cool on a rack, chill before cutting

Mocha Toffee Bars

Servings: —
Preheat: 350°
Source: The Gourmet Cookie Book

Ingredients
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of boiling water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup salted roasted cashews, chopped

Directions
In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter, add the brown sugar, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the yolk, add the vanilla and the espresso mixture, a little at a time, beating, and beat the mixture until it is combined well. Add the salt and the flour, beating, and beat the mixture until is combined well. Spread the batter evenly in a jelly-roll pan, 15% by 10% by 1 inch, and bake it in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it pulls away slightly from the edge of the pan.

Spread the chocolate, melted, evenly over the baked layer and sprinkle the cashews over it. Let the mixture cool in the pan on a rack, cut it into 48 bars, and chill it for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chocolate is firm.

RECIPE NOTES

1. To offset the sweetness of these bars, we recommend substituting bittersweet chocolate for the semisweet.

2. Butter the pan, line it with two crisscrossed sheets off oil, and butter the foil.

Raspberry-Peach Cake

Servings: 8-10
Preheat: 350°
Source: From Fine Cooking 80, pp. 68
To draw out flavor from less than perfectly ripe fruit, toss it with a little extra sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Ingredients
6 oz. (1-1/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pan
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. table salt
6 Tbs. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature; more for the pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup plain yogurt

For the topping:
1/2 large, ripe peach or nectarine (about 3-3/4 oz.), halved and cut into very thin slices (aim for 1/16 inch)
3/4 cup (3-3/4 oz.) fresh raspberries
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9×2-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with a parchment circle cut to fit the pan, lightly flour the sides, and tap out the excess.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until well blended and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until just blended, and adding the orange zest and vanilla with the second egg. Using a wide rubber spatula, fold in half the dry ingredients, then the yogurt, and then the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the topping:
Combine the peach slices, raspberries, sugar, and flour in a small bowl. Using a table fork, mix the ingredients to evenly coat the fruit and lightly crush the raspberries. After the cake has baked for 15 minutes, slide the oven rack out and scatter the fruit evenly over the top of the cake, working quickly. Continue baking until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, another 25 to 30 minutes.

Let the cake cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Using a dry dishtowel to protect your hands, lay a rack on top of the cake pan and, holding onto both rack and pan, invert the cake. Lift the pan from the cake. Peel away the parchment. Set a flat plate on the bottom of the cake and flip the cake one more time so that the fruit is on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

From Fine Cooking 80, pp. 68
September 1, 2006

Chocolate Apricot Babka

Servings: 2 loaf babkas
Prep Time: 2 hrs
Inactive Prep Time: 5 hrs
Source: “The Art of the Dessert,” by Ann Amernick

Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH:
2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 oz or 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast, or 1 cake (0.6 oz) fresh yeast
1/2 cup whole milk at room temp
1/2 cup eggs (whole eggs or just yolks)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, preferably high fat, at room temp, plus
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Flour for dusting
CHOCOLATE-APRICOT FILLING:
6 oz ( 3/4 cup) apricot preserves
3/4 cup dry poundcake crumbs
2 oz unsalted high-fat butter, melted
4 oz good bittersweet chocolate
STREUSEL TOPPING:
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced and chilled.

Directions
1. To make dough, combine flours, salt and all but 1 tablespoon sugar in mixer fitted with dough attachment and mix on medium speed. In a small bowl, stir yeast with one tablespoon warm water and reserved tablespoon sugar just until sugar and yeast have dissolved. Reduce mixer speed to low, add yeast mixture, milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat until dough is shiny and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Add one stick butter by spoonfuls until thoroughly incorporated, then beat on low speed for about 5 minutes. When finished, dough should be silken and rich like very thick ice cream. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. When dough has doubled in size, after 2 hours, flour a cutting board and your hands. Then push dough down on board, cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight.

3. To make filling, purée apricot preserves in a food processor until smooth. In a small bowl, combine cake crumbs, preserves and butter; mix until smooth. Set aside. Grate chocolate by hand in large holes of a box grater or in a food processor. If using a food processor, pulse into large chunks. Set aside.

4. To make streusel topping, in a small bowl mix flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add cold butter and using your fingers, mix together until crumbly. Set aside.

5. To assemble, line one Bundt pan or two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, not letting paper come more than 1 inch above top of pans. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle.

6. Using a metal spatula, spread half the apricot filling over dough within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with half the grated chocolate. Beginning with long side, roll dough up tightly and fold in ends. Twist babka lengthwise to create a spiral, holding one end of babka in each hand. Place twisted babka in half the prepared Bundt pan or in a loaf pan, pressing dough firmly into pan. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Brush babka top with melted butter and sprinkle with half the streusel. Repeat with second half of babka dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let loaves rise at room temperature until they reach top of pan or about doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

7. Heat oven to 350° and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Allow babka to cool for 30 minutes before cutting. Slice babka and serve.

Lucy’s Chocolate Minis

Servings: 3 doz
Preheat: 350°
Source: Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-your-mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich
Richer than a cupcake but lighter than a brownie. These two-bite chocolate cakes are perfect just as they are, but you can also doll them up with frosting. Don’t substitute standard-size muffin pans, because they don’t bake properly as full-size cupcakes.

Ingredients
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (4 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp natural nonalkalized
cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
14 Tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
4 oz bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), coarsely chopped
1 1/3 cups (9.33 oz) sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 lg eggs

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (no more than 62% cacao), finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
Line 3 miniature cupcake pans with 12 cups each. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

Place the butter and chocolate in a medium to large heatproof bowl set directly in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until the chocolate and butter are melted and quite warm to the touch. Remove the bowl from the water bath. Whisk in the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well to blend each before adding the next. Add the flour mixture and whisk just until smooth and blended, not longer. Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the batter into each muffin cup-the batter will come almost to the top of each liner. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Rotate the pans from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking. Cool the cakes on a rack. May be kept in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Stir gently until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool the ganache at room temperature (without stirring) until it is thick enough to spread or pipe. May be covered and refrigerated for at least 1 week.

To soften chilled ganache, set the bowl in a larger bowl of hot water or microwave on low for a few seconds at a time until soft and spreadable. Spread about 2 1/2 teaspoons of ganache between two 1 1/2- to 3-inch cookies or pipe into thumbprint cookies.

Chocolate Sauce – Brendan

Servings: —
Prep Time: 10 min
Everybody knows that the best dessert in all the world is Chocolate Sauce over Vanilla Ice Cream, preferably Haagen-Dazs. This chocolate sauce is also used for ice cream desserts such as Pears Belle Helene.

Ingredients
1 C of high-quality whipping cream, not ultra pasteurized
1 C of Nestle’s dark chocolate chips, or a higher-quality semisweet chocolate, or 3 oz semisweet chocolate mixed with 1 oz unsweetened, or semisweet chocolate mixed with bittersweet chocolate, cut up. It is not necessary to gild the lily with expensive chocolate unless you have an over-indulgent palate and heavy pocketbook.

Optional:
liqueur: 1 tbs.
strong fresh coffee: 1 tbs.
vanilla: 1 tsp
almond flavoring: dash

Makes 2 cups

Directions
Using a heavy bottomed pot, stir the cream with a wire whisk until it just barely shows bubbles around the edge.

Gradually add the chocolate, stirring continuously for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool, or pour it over ice cream and eat immediately.

Lighter Lemon Bars

Servings: 16 (2-inch) bars or 25 smaller bars
Preheat: 350°
Source: Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy by Alice Medrich
Tart lemon filling sits atop a crunchy cornmeal cookie, instead of rich shortbread crust. Superbly tart and tangy, which is just the way I like them.

Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST
2/3 cup (3 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1.375 ounces) yellow cornmeal
Pinch of salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup (2.33 ounces) sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon nonfat yogurt
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE TOPPING
2/3 cup (4.625 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
Grated zest of 1 large lemon, preferably from an organic or unsprayed fruit
1/2 cup strained lemon juice, preferably from an organic or unsprayed fruit
1/4 cup (1.125 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

EQUIPMENT
An 8-inch square metal baking pan, the bottom and all 4 sides lined with foil. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

Directions
To Make the Crust
Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or fork.
In a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at high speed for about 1 minute, or until the mixture begins to form a mass. Beat in the egg yolk, yogurt, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Scrape the bowl and beater. Knead the mixture briefly with your hands to be sure all of the flour is incorporated.
Press the dough evenly into the pan. Prick it all over with a fork. If the pan is lightweight, place it on a baking sheet to prevent the crust from burning on the bottom. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the surface is deep golden brown.

To Make the Topping
While the crust is baking, whisk the sugar with the eggs and the egg white until well blended. Grate the lemon zest directly into the bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice. Whisk in the flour.
When the crust is brown, turn the oven temperature down to 300°F. Slide the rack with the pan out and pour the topping over the hot crust. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until it barely jiggles when you shake the pan gently back and forth. Cool on a rack. Chill before cutting into squares.
Serve cold (my favorite) or at room temperature, dusted with powdered sugar. May be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.

Cranberry Streusel Shortbread Bars

Servings: 3 doz
Preheat: 325°
recipeNotes: The best of Fine Cooking Cookies No. 23 101 bdest-ever recipes, tips, tricks and more
Tangy cranberries and an ultra-rich buttery crust make these bars a decadent treat.

Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST & STREUSEL:
10 1/2 oz. (1 cup plus 5 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to just warm
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. table salt
2 large egg yolks
14 1/4 oz. (3 cups plus 3 Tbs.) unbleached all-purpose flour

FOR THE CRANBERRY TOPPING:
One 12-oz. bag fresh or frozen cranberries, picked over, rinsed, and drained
1 cup granulated sugar

Directions
Make the crust: Line a straight-sided 13×9-inch metal baking pan with foil, letting the ends create an overhanging edge for easy removal. In a medium bowl, stir the butter, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the salt. Whisk in the egg yolks. Stir in the flour to make a stiff dough. Transfer about 2 cups of the dough to the prepared pan, and press the mixture evenly into the bottom. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes (or freeze for 5 to 7 minutes) until the dough is firm.
Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and another near the top. Heat the oven to 325°F.
Bake the dough on the center rack until the crust begins to set but does not brown at all on the edges (the center will not be firm yet), about 20 minutes. While the crust bakes, prepare the streusel and the cranberry topping.
Make the streusel: With your fingers, combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the reserved dough until crumbly. The mixture should hold together when pressed, but readily break into smaller pieces.
Make the cranberry topping: In a medium saucepan, bring the cranberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium high and continue to boil until the liquid is reduced to a thick syrup, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes-the syrup will continue to thicken as the mixture cools.
Spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the hot crust. Scatter the streusel over the cranberries (don’t crumble the streusel too much or the texture will be sandy). Increase the oven temperature to 350°F and bake the bars near the top of the oven until the streusel is golden and set about 25 minutes. (Baking the bars at the top of the oven helps the streusel brown faster without over-browning the crust.)
Set the pan on a metal rack to cool until the crust is completely firm, at least 1 hour. (For faster cooling, put the bars in the fridge once the pan is no longer piping hot, or even outside in winter.)
When the bottom of the pan is cool, carefully lift the bars from the pan using the foil sides and transfer them to a cutting board. Separate the foil from the bars by sliding a spatula between them. Cut the bars into 1 3/4 inch squares. They will keep at room temperature for one week.