Tag: Dessert

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.

Butterscotch-Topped Gingerbread with Sautéed Apples

Servings: 12+
Preheat: 300°
Butterscotch-Topped Gingerbread with Sautéed Apples This gingerbread is super moist with a dense crumb. Because it cooks at such a low temperature, the baking soda must be activated by the acid in the molasses and the heat of the boiling water before the cake is baked.

Sauté apples for a quick and delicious topping for ice cream, cake, or crêpes. The gingerbread above is a perfect match for a fantastic dessert that blows people away and yet is made in ten minutes. When sautéing apples, slice them thinly so they’ll cook through on the inside in the time it takes the outside to turn golden brown. But you can also serve sautéed apples with vanilla ice cream for a fantastic dessert that blows people away and yet is made in ten minutes.

Ingredients
FOR THE BUTTERSCOTCH:
3 oz (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
FOR THE CAKE:
12 ½ oz (2 ¾ cups) cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
4 oz (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 tsp plus 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup molasses
1 ½ cup boiling water
2 lg eggs
FOR THE TOPPING:Sautéed Apples
Yields enough to top 1 cake, about 2 cups.
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp sugar
1 ¾ lb apples (ab 4 medium), peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions
Butter and flour the sides (not the bottom) of a 9-inch round cake pan that’s 3 inches deep, tapping out the excess flour. To make the butterscotch, in a small saucepan, melt the 6 Tbsp butter and the brown sugar together, stirring for a smooth mixture. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and swirl it to cover the bottom.

Heat the oven to 300°F.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves; set aside. Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; set aside.

With a fork, stir 1 tsp of the baking soda vigorously into the molasses until the molasses has lightened somewhat and has changed in texture; this can take a minute or two. Add the molasses to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on medium until completely combined. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp baking soda to the boiling water. On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the water to the butter-molasses mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix until just smooth, . Finally, add the eggs one at a time, mixing to combine after each addition. The batter will be very thin.

Bake until the center of the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean, about l hour . Let cool 5 min. and then invert the cake onto a serving plate. Let cool for an hour before serving; the cake will still be warm, which is how it’s best.

Just before serving, sauté the apples. In a large skillet, melt the butter and sugar. Increase the heat to medium high and add the apples; cook, tossing frequently, until browned, about 5 min. Let them cool slightly. Top the cake with the warm apples and serve with some whipped cream, if you like.

Butterscotch Pecan Sauce

Servings: 1 Cup
Source: 8/79 Gourmet

Ingredients

Directions
In a saucepan combine 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, ¼ cup light corn syrup, 3 tablespoons butter, and a inch of salt and bring the mixture to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring and washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides with a brush dipped in cold water until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer the syrup, undisturbed, swirling the pan, for 3 minutes, remove the pan from the heat, and stir in ½ cup chopped toasted pecans, 1/3 cup heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Serve the sauce warm over coffee or vanilla ice cream. Makes about 1 cup.”

Buttermilk Chocolate Layer Cake

Servings: 10
Preheat: 350°
Source: Gourmet 4/1993
recipeNotes: if using double walled cake pans, bake at 325.

This is the GOOD chocolate cake recipe. Frosting is excellent, but makes enough for 2 cakes.

Ingredients
For the cake layers
2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp double-acting baking powder
1½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1¾ cup granulated sugar
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 lg eggs
For the frosting
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
8 oz whipped cream cheese
5 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
a 1 lb box confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Make the cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Into a bowl sift together the flour, the salt, the nutmeg, the baking soda, and the baking powder. In another bowl stir together the buttermilk and the vanilla. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the chocolate, and beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture in batches alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Divide the batter between the pans, smoothing the tops, and bake the cake layers in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool in the pans on racks for 30 minutes, turn them out onto the racks, and let them cool completely.

Make the frosting: In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the cream cheese until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the chocolate, the confectioners’ sugar, and the vanilla, and beat the frosting until it is combined well.

Assemble the cake: Arrange 1 of the cake layers on a platter, spread one third of the frosting on the top, and top the frosting with the remaining cake layer. Spread the top

Anise Biscotti

Servings: —
Preheat: 325°

Ingredients
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp anise seeds
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3 lg eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2tsp. vanilla

Directions
Coarsely crush anise seeds with edge of a heavy plate or by pulsing in an electric spice/coffee grinder.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt into a bowl. Beat together eggs and sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until batter ribbons with beater is lifted, 8 to 10 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until combined well, then fold in anise seeds.

Spoon half to batter into pastry bag, then pipe batter onto 1 baking sheet to form 3 by 2 inch rectangles about 1 inch apart. Pipe remaining batter onto second baking sheet in same manner. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes total. Reduce oven to 325F.

Cool rectangles on sheets on racks just until they can be handled, about 5 minutes, then cut diagonally into ¾ inch-thick slices. (There will be end pieces.) Bake slices, a cut side down, on ungreased baking sheets in upper and lower thirds of oven, turning biscotti over and switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to racks to cool.”

1-2-3-4 Cake

Servings: —
Preheat: 350°
Cook Time: 25 min to 33min
recipeNotes: Two 8- or 9-inch layers

This cake is called l-2-3-4 because it is a very old recipe and people could remember the ingredients by the numbers without having to write it down. This is what we make for birthday cakes. It is very good plain, or with lemon curd and fresh violets.

Two 8- or 9-inch layers

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temp
2 cup sugar
3 cup cake flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Recipe says to bake 25 min.

Directions
Turn on the oven to 350°F. Measure all the ingredients and get organized before you begin to make the batter. The butter should be soft. Cut it into small pieces, and put in a large bowl. Measure the sugar and set aside.

Sift the cake flour, scoop into a measuring cup, scrape a knife across the top of the cup to level it, and measure 3 Cups. Put the flour in a separate bowl. Measure level teaspoons of the baking powder and add to the flour. Measure the salt and add to the flour. Mix together.

Separate the eggs. Put the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Have the vanilla ready, and measure the milk and set aside.

Butter the insides of two 9-inch cake pans. Rub a small amount of butter all over the inside; don’t miss the corners. Then put a tablespoon or so of flour in the pan and turn it all around so the pan is completely dusted with flour. Turn the pan upside down, and tap the edge on the table to let the extra flour fall out.

Now everything is ready to make the batter. Beat the butter with a wooden spoon or in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat again until very fluffy and light yellow. This is what it means to cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks and beat them in briefly. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix it in well.

Next add the flour and milk in parts. Sift about half of the flour over the butter mixture and lightly stir it in. Exchange the spoon for a large rubber spatula, and pour in about half the milk. Use the spatula to gently mix the milk into the batter. Sift over the rest of the flour and stir it in. Pour in the rest of the milk and gently mix it in.

The last step is to beat the egg whites and fold them into the batter. Put the egg whites into a very clean metal bowl, and beat with a whisk or mixer. They will gradually thicken and get very white as you beat in air bubbles. When the whites are very fluffy and will hold a soft peak shape when you lift up the whisk, they’re ready.

Scoop up some of the whites with the spatula, add to the batter, and very gently stir them in. This will lighten the batter and make it easier to fold in the rest of the whites. Then pour the rest of the whites onto the batter and begin to fold them in. Folding is more delicate than stirring. Use the spatula to lift up some of the batter from the bottom of the bowl and fold it over the whites. Turn the bowl a little and fold again. Do that just until the egg whites are mixed in. The air bubbles in the whites will give the cake a light and delicate texture.

Divide the batter between the cake pans, and put in the center of the oven to bake for about 25 minutes. When the cakes are lightly browned, and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, they’re done.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

You can cut the recipe in half to make a single layer cake. Or a full recipe will make 32 cupcakes-fill the papers half full.