Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
6 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whish together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips. Do not over-stir. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Recipe adapted from:
Rombauer, Irma S., Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker. Joy of Cooking. New York: Scribner, 1997. page 781.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Butter Cream Filling
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
1 1/4 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
3 squares semi-sweet chocolate (3 oz), melted and cooled
2 tbsp. cornstarch, sifted
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sifted self-rising flour
For the butter-cream filling:
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
To make the cookies:
Beat the butter and sugar together until lightened in color and texture. Beat in the melted chocolate, then stir the cornstarch in. In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, and add to the chocolate mixture in three parts, mixing after each addition. Spoon the batter into a ziploc bag, and cut off one corner. Squeeze the batter in spirals onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Cool the cookies completely.
To make the butter cream:
Beat together the butter and the vanilla extract. Beat in the powdered sugar. Spread the butter cream on top of the cookies and make sandwiches.
Source:
Atkinson, Catherine, Juliet Barker, Carol Tennant, et al. Simple Chocolate: Step-by-Step. San Diego, CA.: Thunder Bay Press, 2001. Page 54.
For the cookies:
1 1/4 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
3 squares semi-sweet chocolate (3 oz), melted and cooled
2 tbsp. cornstarch, sifted
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sifted self-rising flour
For the butter-cream filling:
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
To make the cookies:
Beat the butter and sugar together until lightened in color and texture. Beat in the melted chocolate, then stir the cornstarch in. In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, and add to the chocolate mixture in three parts, mixing after each addition. Spoon the batter into a ziploc bag, and cut off one corner. Squeeze the batter in spirals onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Cool the cookies completely.
To make the butter cream:
Beat together the butter and the vanilla extract. Beat in the powdered sugar. Spread the butter cream on top of the cookies and make sandwiches.
Source:
Atkinson, Catherine, Juliet Barker, Carol Tennant, et al. Simple Chocolate: Step-by-Step. San Diego, CA.: Thunder Bay Press, 2001. Page 54.
Pistachio and Strawberry Cream Pie
Ingredients:
1 pre-made graham cracker crust
1 box pistachio instant pudding mix
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp confectioners sugar
1/2 carton sliced strawberries
1/2 cup granola
Directions:
Make the pistachio pudding according to package instructions, using 1 3/4 cups milk. Pour the pudding into the graham cracker crust, and let set in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Beat the heavy whipping cream with the sugar until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream on top of the pudding. Layer the sliced strawberries on top of the whipped cream. Sprinkle the granola on top.
1 pre-made graham cracker crust
1 box pistachio instant pudding mix
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp confectioners sugar
1/2 carton sliced strawberries
1/2 cup granola
Directions:
Make the pistachio pudding according to package instructions, using 1 3/4 cups milk. Pour the pudding into the graham cracker crust, and let set in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Beat the heavy whipping cream with the sugar until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream on top of the pudding. Layer the sliced strawberries on top of the whipped cream. Sprinkle the granola on top.
Walnut Brownies
These cake-like brownies have a very rich chocolate flavor. I used unsweetened chocolate when I made them, but I think in the future I will use semi-sweet chocolate to make them sweeter.
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
5 squares semisweet Baker's chocolate (5 oz)
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup mayonnaise, room temperature
1 cup chopped walnuts
Confectioners sugar, for dusting on top
Optional Chocolate glaze:
4 squares semi-sweet Baker's chocolate
3 tbsp unsalted butter1 tbsp water
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt together the chocolate squares, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of cold water. Stir continuously until the mixture is smooth. Do not allow to boil.
Whisk together the flours and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the mayonnaise and 1/3 of the chocolate mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Mix in the rest of the chocolate mixture. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
Pour the batter into a greased square baking pan, and bake for 1 hour. Take the cake out of the oven and let cool.
For the chocolate glaze:
Melt 3 tbsp of butter and 4 squares of semisweet chocolate with 1 tbsp of water in a small saucepan over low heat. Let the glaze cool, and spread over the brownies. Dust the brownies with confectioners sugar.
Source:
Atkinson, Catherine, Juliet Barker, Carol Tennant, et al. Simple Chocolate: Step-by-Step. San Diego, CA.: Thunder Bay Press, 2001. Page 76.
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
5 squares semisweet Baker's chocolate (5 oz)
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup mayonnaise, room temperature
1 cup chopped walnuts
Confectioners sugar, for dusting on top
Optional Chocolate glaze:
4 squares semi-sweet Baker's chocolate
3 tbsp unsalted butter1 tbsp water
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt together the chocolate squares, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of cold water. Stir continuously until the mixture is smooth. Do not allow to boil.
Whisk together the flours and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the mayonnaise and 1/3 of the chocolate mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Mix in the rest of the chocolate mixture. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
Pour the batter into a greased square baking pan, and bake for 1 hour. Take the cake out of the oven and let cool.
For the chocolate glaze:
Melt 3 tbsp of butter and 4 squares of semisweet chocolate with 1 tbsp of water in a small saucepan over low heat. Let the glaze cool, and spread over the brownies. Dust the brownies with confectioners sugar.
Source:
Atkinson, Catherine, Juliet Barker, Carol Tennant, et al. Simple Chocolate: Step-by-Step. San Diego, CA.: Thunder Bay Press, 2001. Page 76.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Rhubarb Upside-Down Muffins
Ingredients:
For the rhubarb:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. oramge zest
1 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
For the muffins:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick)butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a muffin tin.
To make the rhubarb topping:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Stir in the orange zest over medium heat. Add the rhubarb, and cook over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the rhubarb from the pan with a slotted spoon,and let cool on a cookie sheet. Cook the remaining syrup until it is reduced to 1/2 cup, then pour into a glass measuring cup. Pour about 1 tsp. of syrup into each muffin cup, followed by the rhubarb.
To make the muffins:
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In a separte bowl, mix the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy and lightened in color. Gradually add the brown sugar, then add the granulated sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
With a rubber spatula, fold in 1/2 of the flour mixture, followed by the sour cream. Fold in the remaining flour mixture and the milk.
Pour the batter over the rhubarb in each muffin cup. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the muffins from the oven, and let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Invert the pan onto a plate and let rest for another 5 minutes. Remove the pan and let the muffins cool.
Source:
Walter, Carole. Great Coffee cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins, and More. New York: Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2007.
For the rhubarb:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. oramge zest
1 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
For the muffins:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick)butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a muffin tin.
To make the rhubarb topping:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Stir in the orange zest over medium heat. Add the rhubarb, and cook over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the rhubarb from the pan with a slotted spoon,and let cool on a cookie sheet. Cook the remaining syrup until it is reduced to 1/2 cup, then pour into a glass measuring cup. Pour about 1 tsp. of syrup into each muffin cup, followed by the rhubarb.
To make the muffins:
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In a separte bowl, mix the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy and lightened in color. Gradually add the brown sugar, then add the granulated sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
With a rubber spatula, fold in 1/2 of the flour mixture, followed by the sour cream. Fold in the remaining flour mixture and the milk.
Pour the batter over the rhubarb in each muffin cup. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the muffins from the oven, and let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Invert the pan onto a plate and let rest for another 5 minutes. Remove the pan and let the muffins cool.
Source:
Walter, Carole. Great Coffee cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins, and More. New York: Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2007.
Dried apricot and pineapple muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar, blended in a food processor until fine
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots, soaked in a bowl of hot water for 1/2 hour until plunp
1 1/2 granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix the butter and the orange and lemon zests with an electric mixer until the butter is lightened in color. Add the sugar gradually, 2 to 3 tbsp. at a time. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour in three parts, alternating with the yogurt, until just blended. Fold in the pineapple and apricots. Fill each muffin cup about halfway with the batter, and sprinkle the top of each muffin with sugar. Bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Remove from oven and cool.
Source:
Walter, Carole. Great Coffee cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins, and More. New York: Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2007.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar, blended in a food processor until fine
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots, soaked in a bowl of hot water for 1/2 hour until plunp
1 1/2 granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix the butter and the orange and lemon zests with an electric mixer until the butter is lightened in color. Add the sugar gradually, 2 to 3 tbsp. at a time. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour in three parts, alternating with the yogurt, until just blended. Fold in the pineapple and apricots. Fill each muffin cup about halfway with the batter, and sprinkle the top of each muffin with sugar. Bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Remove from oven and cool.
Source:
Walter, Carole. Great Coffee cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins, and More. New York: Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2007.
Shortbread Surprise Bars
I arrived at this recipe by accident. I was trying to make a recipe that I saw on the Food Network, which had a layer of shortbread, followed by a layer of caramel, then a layer of chocloate. Unfortunately, I burned the caramel beyond redemption. As a substitute, I layered the shortbread with blackberry jam sprinkled with chopped nuts, followed by the chocolate.
Ingredients:
For shortbread:
1 stick butter cut into small cubes
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
about 1/4 cup blackberry jam
1 tbsp lemon juice
about 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used a combination of almonds and walnuts, but any kind will do)
10 ounces semi-sweet Baker's chocolate
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the flour sugar and salt in a food processor, and pulse once. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is just combined. Pour the mixture in a greased square baking pan, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the shortbread from the oven and cool completely.
Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl set on top of a pot of boling water. Stir in the powdered sugar.
While the chocolate is melting, mix the blackberry jam and lemon juice together, and spread over the shortbread. Sprinkle the blackberry jam with a layer of chopped nuts.
Carefully spread the melted chocolate over the chopped nuts. Cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until the chocolate hardens. Remove from the refrigerator, and cut into squares.
Source: Claire Robinson, "Millionaire's Shortbread" http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/millionaires-shortbread-recipe/index.html
Ingredients:
For shortbread:
1 stick butter cut into small cubes
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
about 1/4 cup blackberry jam
1 tbsp lemon juice
about 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used a combination of almonds and walnuts, but any kind will do)
10 ounces semi-sweet Baker's chocolate
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the flour sugar and salt in a food processor, and pulse once. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is just combined. Pour the mixture in a greased square baking pan, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the shortbread from the oven and cool completely.
Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl set on top of a pot of boling water. Stir in the powdered sugar.
While the chocolate is melting, mix the blackberry jam and lemon juice together, and spread over the shortbread. Sprinkle the blackberry jam with a layer of chopped nuts.
Carefully spread the melted chocolate over the chopped nuts. Cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until the chocolate hardens. Remove from the refrigerator, and cut into squares.
Source: Claire Robinson, "Millionaire's Shortbread" http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/millionaires-shortbread-recipe/index.html
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