Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

It was my birthday this past weekend.

The months leading up to it were tinged with this feeling of dread, but when I woke up in the morning on the day of, I didn't feel any different. I'm still not impressed about the number itself but I haven't suddenly become old or noticed new wrinkles, and there hasn't been a moment that I felt sad or depressed.

I was too busy baking triple chocolate cupcakes with an obscene amount of rich, fudgey frosting and a velvety ganache filling, in any case.

Do halve this recipe unless you have quite a few people to share these with. They are terribly decadent and just one is almost too much chocolate, in my opinion!

For the chocolate curls, see the Annie's Eats link below the recipe title; she gives a fabulous mini tutorial - I'm still practicing!


Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
Annie's Eats
Makes 32 cupcakes

cupcakes:
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature

ganache filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, room temperature

frosting:
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
9 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups icing sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and the sugar over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally to combine, until the butter is melted. Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed for 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is cooled. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture and beat until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, beating just until combined.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let stand about 1 minute. With a whisk, gently stir the chocolate and cream together in small circles. When the ganache has become smooth, whisk in the butter 1 piece at a time until incorporated. Transfer the bowl to the freezer or refrigerator to chill and thicken the ganache a bit. Whisk every 5-10 minutes to help it cool evenly. Once the mixture is slightly thickened and no longer runny, you are ready to fill the cupcakes.

To assemble the cupcakes, cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake with a small paring knife. Cut off the pointed end of the cone and discard (or eat) so you are left with a cap of cake to cover the filling. Drop a spoonful of ganache into the center of each cupcake and recover the hole with the cap.

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Set aside to cool until just barely warm. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate and then the sour cream. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Frost cupcakes immediately.

To make the chocolate curls, warm the block of chocolate just slightly (heat in 5-second intervals in the microwave – be careful not to melt). Use a vegetable peeler to create chocolate curls. Top cupcakes with curls immediately. Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it workable.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Martha Stewart's Crisp & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

One cannot live by one cookie recipe alone.

Or that's what I think now, at least. I used to be on a very serious chocolate chip cookie recipe quest. It was my goal to find the recipe, the recipe that would trump all others and make my cookie jar the one that all the neighborhood kids wanted to dig into.

The Jacques Torres recipe I posted about at Gotta Little Space remains the best recipe I've tried to date; I've made it countless times and it's my go-to recipe for dependable chocolate chip cookies.

However! When I see other chocolate chip cookie recipes, I still glance at them and if I'm interested, I'll give them a try.

Such was the story of these cookies.

Overall, they're a basic chocolate chip cookie. They deliver as promised: crispy edges and chewy centers. Try them straight out of the freezer; in my opinion the flavor and texture improves after a bit of a chill.

Crisp & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 20
Martha Stewart

2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Preheat oven to 350F. Beat butter and sugars on medium high speed till light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add in flour mixture. Beat till combined, then mix in chocolate chips.

Drop 3 tablespoons worth of dough onto parchment lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake till golden around the edges but still soft in the middle, about 15 minutes.

Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Martha Stewart's Crisp & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Over at Gotta Little Space, I have a 100 Things To Make list. When I first created that list, I asked for suggestions from friends and blog readers. My husband requested peanut butter chocolate chip cookies - and here they are.

I love them. They are just barely peanut buttery and combined with the dark chocolate chips I used, make for a delicious cookie. Their texture is similar to that of a traditional peanut butter cookie - almost crumbly but held together by a bit of chewy.

My husband feels they need more of the peanut butter flavor so the next time I make them I'll be upping the peanut butter content, but I think they're perfect just the way they are.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipezaar
Makes 3 to 4 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325F. Line at least 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Cream butter till smooth. Add peanut butter and both sugars; beat until well combined. Add eggs and beat well. Add flour and baking soda gradually till combined. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Scoop cookie dough onto parchment lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Bake about 15 minutes or until cookies are just firm around the edges - do not overbake or brown the tops, they will be too crunchy. Cool completely on wire racks.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Honey Buns

The name of these sticky buns has been making me smile all day long - and giving some of my Twitter contacts a good laugh as well.


There isn't anything to poke fun at with these, though. They're the best non-cinnamon buns I've ever tasted - moist, tender and the flavor! oh my. If you can believe it...there's a mere two tablespoons of sugar in the entire recipe.

I've been waiting to make these sticky buns for quite some time. My mother in law gave me a jar of locally made cranberry blackberry honey for my birthday last June and I hadn't had a recipe to use it in till recently. I needed to wait a little while longer, too, in order to find crème fraîche - thankfully discovered at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago. I have attempted to make my own without luck. Any tips?

Since I typically don't get up before eight o'clock on my husband's days off, several hours of rising and baking combined won't work for us. So I started this dough the night before, sliced them into rounds (use dental floss - no more squashed buns!) and deposited them into their honey butter bath and slid the pan into the fridge for the night. In the morning, I started the oven preheating and put the pan (remove plastic wrap) on top of the stove to finish the rising process while the oven preheated - I gave them thirty minutes before placing them in the oven.

The honey buns only took forty minutes to bake in my gas oven, so watch them closely. Mine started to brown at the thirty minute mark so I covered them loosely with aluminum foil and let them bake another ten minutes, when the honey butter started to bubble.

Right after pulling them out of the oven I inverted them onto a foil lined baking sheet and drizzled them with the remainder of the cranberry blackberry honey - I used the entire jar for this recipe, but it was worth it. They need no other adornment; the final splash of honey is more than enough. These buns are sticky, sweet without being overly so and the bread is unbelievably moist and tender; the crème fraîche and mascarpone mixture absorbs right into the bread giving it a pleasant but again not overpowering tang.


While they are best still warm from the oven, I ate my second after it was completely cooled and it was still delicious. Reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave if desired!

Honey Buns
Martha Stewart
Makes 9

For the dough:

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1/3 cup honey, any type
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 to 6 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
vegetable oil, for bowl

For the filling & topping:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey, any type, plus more for brushing and drizzling
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (make your own - it's easy!!)
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional - I did not use)

Make the dough:
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Whisk milk, butter, eggs, honey, salt and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed. Add yeast mixutre and whisk 1 minute. Switch to dough hook and reduce speed to low. Add 4 cups flour. After flour is mixed in, raise speed to medium and continue kneading.

Add remaining flour, a half cup at a time, mixing until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Raise speed to medium high and knead for another 10 minutes. You can also knead by hand until smooth, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is very smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Set aside in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Make the filling & topping:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in honey, corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer then remove from the heat. Let cool. Combine mascarpone and crème fraîche in a bowl.

Punch down the dough and turn onto lightly floured surface. Divide into 3 portions. Roll each into a ball. Freeze 2 portions for up to three months, thawing in refrigerator before use. Roll remaining dough into a 10x13 1/2 inch rectangle. Brush lightly with honey, spread mascarpone mixture evenly on top, leaving a 1 inch border. Sprinkle with pecans if using. Starting on 1 long side, roll dough into a log. Pinch along seam to seal. Cut into nine 1 1/2 inch thick slices.

Pour honey mixture into an 8 inch square baking pan. Place buns, cut sides down, into pan, 3 to a row. Let buns rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 30-40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F. Place oven rack in lower third. Bake buns, rotating halfway through, until browned and bubbling, about 1 hour. Set pan on wire rack on baking sheet and immediately invert buns onto rack. Drizzle with honey and serve warm.

Honey Buns

Cocoa-Nana Bread

A night or so ago, I noticed a few bananas in my fruit basket had changed to the over ripe and bake-with category, and made a mental note to bake something with them the next day. As it turned out, later that evening, a post came up in my RSS reader: this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was for a chocolatey banana bread - my over ripe banana problem solved.

This loaf is as dense as they come, thick with chocolate and banana flavors - and perfect with a cold glass of milk. My Cocoa-Nana Bread took an extra 15 minutes to bake through, so be sure to test the center of the loaf with a thin knife rather than judging doneness by the clock alone.

Cocoa-Nana Bread
Dorie Greenspan
Makes 1 loaf

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1/2 cup store-bought chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other. (This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from over baking.)

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute, until softened. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. At this point, the batter may look a little curdled -- it's okay. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low speed, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tent to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40 to 45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 to 75 minutes) or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding. Invert and cool to room temp right side up.

Cocoa-Nana Bread

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

It feels as though I'm always on the prowl for a new chocolate chip cookie recipe. This one is good - but we felt as though two teaspoons of coarse salt was a bit much. My husband thought the cookies were too big, I disagree.

The mix of chips and chunks make these cookies decadent.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Martha Stewart
Makes 24

3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated, fold in the chocolate chips and chunks.

Using a 1/4 cup scoop, drop dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet (you will have 24). Refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350F. Arrange 6 unbaked cookies, 3 inches apart, on each of two parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until edges are light golden brown, 16-18 minutes, rotating halfway. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peppermint Patties

It's been a long time. Life has been full.

Christmas just isn't Christmas for me unless there are a few homemade gifts in the works. These peppermint patties, while time consuming, are making a great little addition to my holiday gift baskets.

You may wish to double the peppermint extract. Taste your filling once you've added the suggested amount, then add more if necessary.

Peppermint Patties
Gourmet
Makes 80


2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (less than 1 pound), divided
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free)
10 ounces 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Equipment: a 1-inch round cookie cutter; a digital instant-read thermometer

Beat 2 1/4 cups icing sugar with the corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening and salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until just combined.

Knead on a surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup icing sugar until smooth. Roll out between parchment to a 7 or 8 inch round (less than 1/4 inch thick). Place on baking sheet and freeze till firm, about 15 minutes to overnight. Remove top sheet of parchment and sprinkle round with icing sugar. Flip and repeat sprinkling of icing sugar on opposite side.

Cut out as many candies as possible, transferring to a parchment lined baking sheet. Gather together scraps and reroll. Place both round and cut out candies back into freezer overnight. Cut more rounds.

Temper your chocolate by melting 3/4 of the chocolate in a bowl set over a sauce pan of simmering water. Remove bowl from pan and stir in remaining chocolate, until smooth. Cool until thermometer registers 80F. Return water in sauce pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl with cooled chocolate over pan and reheat, stirring, until temperature registers 88-91F. Remove bowl from pan.

Balance 1 peppermint candy round on a fork and submerge in melted chocolate. Let the excess drip off and scrape fork along rim of bowl if necessary. Return chocolate covered patty to baking sheet. Coat remaining rounds, rewarm chocolate to 88-91F as necessary. Let patties stand until chocolate sets, about 2 hours. Patties will keep, chilled and layered between sheets of parchment in an air tight container, 1 month. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Peppermint Patties

Chocolate Mayo Cake

We hosted a lunch yesterday, to celebrate the baptism of our son. Of the several made-from-scratch desserts I baked especially for this event, this cake was my favorite - and it was actually leftovers from the night previous; a dessert I had brought with us to visit with friends. And horrors, it's made from a boxed mix!

Although I don't believe anything could ever top Beatty's Chocolate Cake; for a wonderfully quick and easy dessert that's moist, flavorful and absolutely delicious, this cake...takes the cake.

Hellmann's Chocolate Mayo Cake
Hellmann's
Makes one, 2 layer 9 inch cake

1 box devil's food cake mix
1 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
1 cup water
3 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and lightly flour two 9 inch round cake pans, set aside.

Beat cake mix, mayonnaise, water, eggs and cinnamon for 30 seconds in a large bowl with electric mixer on low speed. Beat on medium speed, scraping sides occasionally, for 2 minutes. Divide batter between the two prepared pans.

Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out cleanly. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack, remove from pans and cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting
Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 2/3 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream the butter in a large bowl. Blend in the vanilla and alternate the cocoa powder and icing sugar with the cream.

Beat with an electric mixer, adding enough cream to reach desired texture.

Chocolate Mayo Cake

Apple Tart With Caramel Sauce

Bon Appétit called this recipe a 'grown up spin on the caramel apple' - and if this is what caramel apples taste like, I've been missing out.

I made this tart into 4 individual sized servings using small tart pans. We added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the still warm tarts and scraped our plates clean - it's fabulous.

Don't be hesitant using the ground cardamom. While it's a fairly strong spice, the dimension it adds to the tart is unbeatable - while you won't be able to notice it distinctly, you'd be lacking in flavor interest without it.

Delicious!

Apple Tart With Caramel Sauce
Bon Appétit
Serves 8

Caramel Sauce
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, diced
2 large egg yolks

Filling
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
6 large apples (about 2 3/4 pounds), peeled, quartered, cored

For the caramel sauce: bring sugar, cream and butter to a boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium high heat, whisking constantly until sugar dissolves. Boil until caramel thickens enough to coat a spoon thickly, whisking often, about 10 minutes. Can be made 5 days ahead, cover and chill till ready to use. When ready to use, whisk over low heat until warm before using.

For the crust: blend flour, powdered sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and blend until coarse meal forms. Add egg yolks. Pulse until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball, flatten into disc. Wrap and chill at least 1 hour. Can be made 1 day ahead, keep chilled.

For the filling: whisk first 4 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Add apples and toss until evenly coated.

Preheat oven to 375F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13 inch round. Transfer to 9 inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Cut overhang even with the top of pan sides. Press sides of dough to bring 1/4 inch above sides of pan. Arrange apple quarters, cut side down, in circle around outer edge of pan, fitting snugly. Cut remaining apple quarters in half lengthwise, stand in center of tart, fitting snugly.

Bake tart until apples are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with some of the caramel sauce. Cool tart to room temperature. Rewarm remaining caramel sauce. Drizzle tart lightly with sauce, serve and pass remaining caramel sauce separately.

Apple Tart With Caramel Sauce

Cherry Clafoutis

My inlaws recently gifted us a small chest freezer, the perfect size for our small apartment. No more will I lament the lack of freezer space an apartment sized above fridge freezer allows!

Perhaps I overdid it a bit with 30 pounds of cherries...in any case, 70 cups later; stemmed, washed, pitted and sliced - plus pre measured for pies and I'm a happy girl.

Three cups leftover equals just the right amount for clafoutis!


Cherry Clafoutis
Martha Stewart
Serves 8

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds cherries, pitted
3 tablespoons flour
pinch salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 large whole eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, scraped of seeds
3 tablespoons kirsch

Heat oven to 375F. Butter a 10 inch porcelain tart dish, fill with cherries and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Add the sugar. Gradually whisk in whole eggs, egg yolks, milk and cream. Add vanilla bean scrapings and kirsch, whisk to combine.

Strain the batter through a sieve placed over the reserved cherries. Transfer clafoutis to oven, bake until puffed and browned, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly; dessert will sink slightly. Dust with confectioner's sugar, serve.

Cherry Clafoutis

Apple Hand Pies

I found a Pampered Chef Cut n Seal at the thrift store for $.25! Wanted to use it as soon as possible, and I had a handful of translucent apples in my crisper...so I made Apple Hand Pies.

We're loving these 3 or 4 bite hand pies - no fork or plate necessary! Perfect for lunches, picnics, and more!

A recipe is almost unnecessary, really, but to wit:

Apple Hand Pies
Makes 2 dozen

1 recipe your favorite chunky applesauce (find my favorite here)
1 recipe your favorite pie crust (find my favorite here)
egg wash
sprinkling sugar

Using a 24 section mini muffin tin, spoon approximately 1-1 1/2 tablespoons applesauce into each cup. Freeze till the applesauce can hold it's shape but is not frozen solid.

In the meantime, prepare your pie dough. Use the Cut n Seal (without using the crimper) to cut out approximately 24 circles. Set aside half of these circles. With the remaining pie dough circles, make the top crusts of the hand pies by using an hors d'oeuvres cutter to cut out decorative shapes. You can also make simple slashes in the dough or use a paring knife to work free hand. The more opportunities the steam has to escape will make for a more flaky crust.

Brush half of the cut out dough circles with egg wash and place 1 frozen applesauce chunk in the center of these circles. Lay a top crust over the applesauce and using the palm of your hand, flatten gently. Repeat till you've used all of your cut out circles.

Using the Cut n Seal, seal each hand pie. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. If desired, add the cut out shapes to each hand pie.

Hand pies can be frozen at this point, or baked immediately.

Bake the hand pies in a 350 F oven on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet for 30-35 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.

You don't have to have the Cut n Seal to make this recipe. Use a medium sized round cookie cutter to cut out the circles, and use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.

Apple Hand Pies

Milk & Honey Jelly

I think it's important to share not only the good, but also the not so good - like these pretty Milk & Honey Jellies.

The recipe has been on my to make list for quite some time. We had a good friend over for a dinner and a long overdue visit, so I made these to serve as dessert.

While they weren't inedible, we didn't find them to be anything special - the flavors were just too delicate. It was suggested in the recipe to use a fairly strong flavored honey; my theory is that my farmer's market wildlflower honey was just not strong enough. Also, perhaps I did not allow the jellies enough time to come to room temperature - another point Ellie mentions. Doing so allows the jellies to soften, and serving them at room temperature doesn't dull the flavors as serving them cold, would.

I have a jar of cranberry blackberry honey that my mother in law presented me with on my birthday - it's more strongly flavored and darker in color...the lovely layered look of these jellies warrants another attempt!

Milk & Honey Jelly
Kitchen Wench
Serves 4

Vanilla Panna Cotta
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod, split with seeds scraped into milk
2 tablespoons honey

Honey Jelly
1 2/3 cups cold water
1/3 cup strongly flavored honey
3 teaspoons powdered gelatin

Pieces of honeycomb (either real or the candy) to decorate

To make the honey jelly, pour the water and honey into a pot, and sprinkle the gelatin over top. Leave to rest for 5 minutes to allow gelatin to absorb some of the water (helps to dissolve it faster and more evenly during cooking). Place over low heat and stir constantly until it comes to a boil and the gelatin is dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.

To make the panna cotta, combine the milk, cream, vanilla and honey in a pot and sprinkle the gelatin over top. Leave to rest for 5 minutes. Place pot over low heat and stir constantly until the gelatin is dissolved and the milk mixture is beginning to boil. Set aside to cool slightly.

Using 4 glasses (wine, water, cocktail - whatever you have on hand), use half of the honey mixture to pour into each glass. In the first pour, they should receive 1/8 of the mixture, each. Carefully transfer the glasses to the fridge and chill for 30 minutes to an hour.

**while the honey jelly and panna cotta should not set without being refrigerated, stir each mixture occasionally to prevent gelatin from settling and to avoid a skin forming**

Once the first layer of honey jelly is set, pull out the glasses and carefully pour 1/8th of the panna cotta mixture into each glass, on top of the honey jelly. Carefully place back in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to set. Repeat until you've used up all of the mixtures.

Allow jellies to come to room temperature before serving, and top with a piece of honeycomb or honeycomb candy to decorate.

Milk & Honey Jelly

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

This Ina Garten recipe has been waiting patiently for me to make it, ever since I stopped short on it in one of the Barefoot Contessa's cookbooks.

Rich, dense but not too much so, moist, dark and so chocolatey that you'll wonder why you've ever bothered with boxed mixes - there's absolutely no comparison.

It's Chocolate Cake, of course - Beatty's Chocolate Cake.

The cup of hot coffee in the cake batter really does enhance the chocolate flavor...although we preferred it the next day, after a good chill in the fridge. The coffee overpowered the chocolate flavor the day of making, and while it wasn't terrible (it's chocolate cake, after all!), it was just too strong for us. After it's refrigerator stay, the coffee just sinks into the cake; the frosting firms up, and all in all, renders it a truly deep and delicious cake.


Beatty's Chocolate Cake
Barefoot Contessa At Home
Serves 8

butter, for greasing pans
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
1 Recipe Chocolate Buttercream, follows

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 2 (8 inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, butter again and flour both pans.

Sift and combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. With a mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer flat side up on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 pound (2 sticks or 1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted icing sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In a large bowl, beat butter on medium high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the icing sugar then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.

Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

Edna Lewis's Summer Apple Pie

Happy Father's Day!

We enjoyed a fantastic evening with my husband's family - my mother in law's homemade hamburgers, green salad and baked potatoes; and for dessert, two desserts including this Summer Apple Pie from Edna Lewis. I've renewed The Taste Of Country Cooking from the library three times, and have come to the realization that I must own it. Molly claims to read sections of it at the change of each season, and I understand why.

To tempt:

Another late afternoon feast would be the melons my father had gathered in the early morning from the melon patch while the dew still lingered on them. He would put them in a tub or water or underneath the shrubbery until we were ready to eat them. Before he ever sliced open a melon, he would always plug it - by cutting out a small piece which he would taste to see if it had the proper flavor. If it didn't, he would cast it aside until he found a good one. We would all be served in our turn and we would enjoy each bite, discussing which condiment made the melon even sweeter - salt or pepper. After the feast, the rinds were saved and made into pickle or preserve, and the rest went into the swill for the hogs. Then we would go off to do our evening chores.

Absolutely glorious writing!

I'm looking forward to making this pie again in the fall, when the local apples will be at their peak. The baby and I are sure to come home from the farmers market, loaded down with crisp, sweet apples - this is such an honorable way to showcase their beauty.


Summer Apple Pie
-Edna Lewis, The Taste Of Country Cooking-
Makes 3, 7 or 8 inch pies.

Pastry:
3 cups sifted unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup lard, chilled
1/2 cup ice water

Applesauce:
1 1/3 cups sugar
pinch salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 pounds apples, peeled, sliced and cooked as below

Place flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the chilled lard, and using your fingertips or a pastry blender, mix well. This blend will not be as dry as a butter mixed pastry. When well blended add all of the water and mix until the water is all absorbed. This will make the dough a bit sticky. Sprinkle over lightly with flour and roll into a ball. Leave to rest in a cool place for about 15 minutes.

To make applesauce, pare, halve, quarter and core each apple. Place them into a saucepan. Sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar and salt over apples. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Remove cover. Enough water should have developed to cook the apples - shake the saucepan to stir. Leave uncovered and continue cooking gently until all the juice has dried down and the sauce is thick. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.

Divide the dough into pieces to fit the bottom of each of three pie plates and a little less for the top crust. This is a soft dough and it is best to roll it out and place it in the pie plates, then chill until needed. The top pie crusts can be rolled out, placed on wax paper and set to chill as well. It is important to remove the top crust from the refrigerator ahead of time in order for it to warm up. If not, it will become brittle and break in half. The bottom crust should remain chilled until it is filled.

Add sugar and nutmeg to applesauce. Mix well and spoon 1 1/2 cups into each pastry lined pie plate. Moisten the rim of the pie shell and place on the top crust; seal the two by pressing the rims together. Make 5 or 6 vents in the top of the crust - the more vents there are in a two crust pie the crispier the crust will be. Bake about 45 minutes in an oven preheated to 425C. When done, remove from oven and set on a rack to cool.

When completely cooled, stack all three pies on top of one another. Cut into wedges to serve, along with ice cream or whipped cream.

Note: I found that 3 pounds of apples did not make enough applesauce to fill each pastry shell with 1 1/2 cups, so I made another, smaller batch using 4 apples. This made just enough applesauce. Depending on the type of apples you use, taste the sauce before adding the additional 1 cup of sugar - you may or may not need that much. I used Granny Smith apples and did not need to add a full cup of sugar.

The pastry recipe is better than anything you've ever made - perfectly flaky yet tender, with good flavor and turns a beautiful golden after baking. It's become my go to pie crust recipe.

Edna Lewis's Summer Apple Pie

Peanut Butter & Jam Bars

I acquired a vintage Sunbeam Mixmaster today. It has a few quirks - but I think we will become good friends...until a KitchenAid hits my countertops.

Our Best Bites posted this retro bar recipe today, and it only seemed right that a retro recipe be used to christen my new to me kitchen appliance.

Both my husband and I enjoyed our taste test - the jammy center is a pleasant surprise to what, at first glance, appears to be a peanut butter cookie square.

I made a few changes to the recipe - you can view the original at the link provided below.


Peanut Butter & Jam Bars
-adapted from Our Best Bites-

Bar:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup raspberry jam

Glaze:
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream shortening and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and combine. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Measure out the 1 1/4 cup flour. Add small amounts at a time while mixer is running. When about half of the flour is left add the baking soda and baking powder to it. Combine well and then add to the dough mixture and mix until everything is incorporated.

Reserve one cup of the dough for later use. Take the remaining dough and press it into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Spread jam evenly over the dough.

Take the reserved 1 cup of dough and use it to cover the jam layer. Flatten pieces of dough between your fingers or you can also crumble it if you wish. Some of the jam will still show through when you're done and that's fine.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. The top should be set and just barely golden brown. Don't overcook. When done, remove from oven and cool on a rack. Wait until they are completely cooled to room temperature to glaze.

To glaze, mix all glaze ingredients together and whisk until smooth. Spread over cooled bars (double glaze recipe for a thicker glaze) or place into baggie, snip the tip off and squeeze thin lines over the bars. Let glaze set a bit to harden and then slice bars into squares or triangles.

Peanut Butter & Jam Bars

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

My in laws have a wonderful garden, that each year, overflows with fruits and vegetables. We happily take their surplus!

The first offering was rhubarb - a favorite of mine. I used half a pound of it to make these delicious crumb bars and decided to use the remainder for this Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. I took it along with us to a barbecue with friends and the entire pie vanished.

The recipe you see below is loosely based on an Anna Olson recipe found here. I used pate brisee from the freezer for the crust and decorative topping - if you haven't ever made your own pie dough I highly recommend it. It really isn't that difficult and the quality is far superior to store bought pastry.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
-adapted from Anna Olson-
Makes 1 9 inch pie, 9-10 servings

Ingredients:
Pate Brisee (either a double crust for a closed or lattice top or a single batch for crumb or cut out top)

3 cups rhubarb, chopped
3 cups strawberries, chopped
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt

Assemble:
Preheat oven to 400F.

Line a 9 inch pie plate with your pastry, trim and pinch edges decoratively. Chill until ready to fill.

Toss rhubarb and strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt to coat. Fill pie shell with fruit.

Top with second pie shell, lattice top, crumb topping or any manner of decorative cut outs using scraps from trimming bottom shell.

Bake pie on a foil lined tray for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and bake another 40 minutes until filling is bubbling and crust is browned.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Mile High Lemon Pie

Martha Stewart is the epitome of all things domestic. Therefore, I turned to her when looking to satisfy a lemon pie craving.

Her recipe does not disappoint.

A fabulous pate brisee holds the zesty lemon filling secure underneath mounds of browned meringue; piled high so as to be given the name 'Mile High' Lemon Pie.


Mile High Lemon Pie
Makes 1 9 inch pie

all purpose flour, for dusting
pate brisee (do make this rather than using a store bought crust - you will not regret it)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon rind
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
7 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch, anduse to line a 9 inch pie tin. Crimp the edges decoratively. Chill until firm. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream to make a glaze. Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork, brush the top edges with the glaze, and line with parchment paper. Weight the shell with pie weights or dried beans, and bake until the edges begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights; continue baking until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes more. Let cool.

To make filling, combine cornstarch, cake flour, salt, and sugar in a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 2 cups cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, about 4 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat. Temper egg yolks by beating a small amount of hot mixture into the yolks before adding them to pan. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat, and whisk in the lemon juice and rind. Add the butter one piece at a time. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, and let cool.

Pour the filling into the cooled shell and refrigerate, covered with aluminum foil, until firm, about 1 hour.

To make the meringue, combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in a heat-proof bowl. Set over a pan of simmering water; beat until warm and sugar is dissolved. Remove bowl from heat; whip into stiff peaks.

Spread the meringue over pie so that it touches crust all around. Broil until brown, about 2 minutes, watching constantly. Serve at room temperature.

Pate Brisee
Makes 1 double crust or 2 single crust 9 to 10 inch pies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

My suggestions?

Absolutely, most definitely blind bake the crust before filling. My pie began to weep after only a few hours in the refrigerator, but the crust remained flakey despite this. If I hadn't pre baked the crust however...it would have certainly turned into a soggy mess.

Put the meringue on the filling while the filling is still hot. This prevents separation of the filling from the meringue and also helps control weeping if you aren't eating the pie immediately.

Allow the meringue to 'seal' the pie by ensuring that the meringue touches the crust all the way around the pie.

I made this, along with an equally sinful Cafe Au Lait Cheesecake, to share with family at two Easter dinners this past April. Sadly, I was forced to press down my beautifully high meringue in order to transport it - and was unable to take a photograph of the completed dessert beforehand.

There is, however, another batch of pate brisee waiting in my freezer...

Mile High Lemon Pie

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

There are frostings that, during the making, you continuously must taste test.

In order to achieve a good frosting, of course.

My bread machine has a sweet dough rising in it right now. After a frustrating attempt at a cinnamon roll recipe that ultimately ended up in the bin, I went with a tried and true recipe (for the bread machine!) with more than 2,000 positive feedback.

The frosting from the first recipe sounded better than the one provided in the second recipe however (who can resist a vanilla bean?), so I decided I'd use it.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
-adapted from PickyCook-

4 oz room temperature cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

Combine all with mixer until smooth. Spread over top of warm rolls.

It was difficult to refrain from hiding away in a quiet corner with my little bowl of frosting and a spoon.

The Cinnabon clone recipe I tried turned out fantastic as well.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

Peanut Brittle From New York Magazine

My father has to be the most difficult person to give a gift to.

He has admitted, on his own accord, to having no hobbies - he works too much to really have a hobby. He loves to go with my Mom and perhaps a few friends to Tunkwa Lake for a few days of fishing, he also enjoys a bit of golf, and a beer or two on his days off - but any gifts I could purchase that have to do with those activities seem so...unpersonable.

That's when I remembered (and I hope I remembered correctly!) that he likes peanut brittle.


Peanut Brittle For My Dad

vegetable oil spray
2 cups sugar
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tbsp salt
12 ounces dry roasted, salted peanuts (do not chop)

Spray a baking sheet lightly with vegetable oil. Add the sugar, butter, corn syrup and 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp water to a large saucepan, and stir together until all of the sugar is wet. Cook over high heat until the mixture turns a medium golden.

Immediately remove from the heat, and carefully whisk in the baking soda followed by the salt (taking care, as the caramel will rise in the pan and bubble).

Switch to a wooden or metal spoon, and fold in the peanuts. Quickly pour the mixture onto the sheet pan, and spread it out over the pan using the back of the spoon before it starts to harden (it may not cover the whole pan).

Once the brittle is completely cool, break it into bite sized pieces with a blunt object.

Makes 24 chunks.

Peanut Brittle From New York Magazine

My Grandmother's Half Moon Cookies

My Grandmother is spectacular in the kitchen - she bakes, she cooks...and she makes it look easy. I should adjust my tenses however, as she doesn't do the things she used to since being in a car accident some years ago - it changed her and the energy just isn't there any longer.

Rather than letting some of her best creations languish in memory alone, I decided to take on a few of her recipes that were always a Christmas feature. One being these Half Moon Spice Cookies.

Filled with jam and having a very tender bite, these clove-y, cinnamon-y cookies are one of my favorites from my Grandmother's Christmas plate.

These cookie require quite a bit of time and effort as you must hand fold the dough around the jam and seal them so they keep all the sticky goodness inside. The recipe makes enough for a very large family gathering - I saved half of the dough in the freezer and still had plenty of cookies!


Grandma's Half Moon Cookies

1 cup sour cream
1 cup honey
1 cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
8 tsp baking powder
4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cloves
5-6 cups flour

Dissolve baking soda into sour cream. Combine remaining ingredients with it. Roll out and cut circles with a water glass or cookie cutter. Dab jam of choice in center, fold over and seal using a bit of milk. Bake approximately 10 minutes at 325. Ice with icing sugar and milk mixture.

I was nervous as I took the first tray out of the oven. Would they be the same as Grandma's?

They were - and Papa Bear was able to remember his own Grandmother through these cookies too.

My Grandmother's Half Moon Cookies