Holiday Swirl Cookies

Hello, world!  Did you miss me?  I just realized the other day that I haven't posted here since the end of September!  I've been cooking, but I just haven't had time to photograph or write about my food.  I don't really know what happened.  One day it was September and the next...poof!...it was December.  I'm hoping to get back to blogging seriously after the new year, but until then, I'd like to share a couple of links to recipes that I made at home recently.  The first were these deliciously light swirl cookies.  They take a little time and attention, but they are worth it.  This is a basic sable cookie (a not-overly-sweet French sugar cookie) that is crisp, light and as my husband puts it, "ethereal."  Thanks to Sprinkle Bakes for this holiday go-to cookie!

**I made a couple of slight changes to the recipe.  Instead of using red food coloring and strawberry flavoring, I used green food coloring and peppermint extract.  :-)  I also didn't have any cake flour, so I used all-purpose flour minus four tablespoons and added four tablespoons of corn starch.

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Mexican Chocolate Pudding Tart [Secret Recipe Club]

Chocolate pudding: it's something I've never made before.  Part of it is due to my aversion to making custards--cooking eggs gently scares me.  But part of it is because it just seems like a difficult dish--I've never actually seen anyone make pudding from scratch.  All of my pudding making as a kid was straight from a box, so when I was assigned Cooking in Stilettos as my Secret Recipe Club assignment, I knew her recipe for an easy Mexican Chocolate Pudding was kismet.  This eggless recipe came together in all of 10 minutes and tastes wonderful!

In her post about making this pudding, Aly mentioned a pudding pie her "Bampa" would make, and I thought to myself, "Why not?"  So I poured the pudding into a chocolate pie crust I made and topped it with homemade whipped cream.  I hope that I did her Bampa's pie justice!  I know it was a hit in our house!

Mexican Chocolate Pudding Tart
Pudding from Cooking in Stilettos

1 baked chocolate pie crust (I'm still working out some kinks with my recipe, and I'll post it as soon as I perfect it, but in the meantime, you can buy a premade one or google other recipes.)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I added a pinch more because I like the taste of it!)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups lowfat milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (Next time I may cut this back just a touch.)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of cayenne pepper (Next time I'll put in more than a pinch!)

Whipped Cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the pudding:
Whisk the brown sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Whisk in the milk and almond extract.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking often.  Once the mixture begins to boil, whisk constantly for one minute.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla extract and cayenne until the butter is melted and incorporated.

To make the whipped cream:
Using a stand or hand mixer, place the cold cream in a large bowl.  Add the sugar and vanilla and whip until peaks form and you reach your desired consistency.  Don't overwhip, as you'll make butter!  :-)  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To assemble the pie:
Pour the mixture into your pie crust.  Smooth out the top with a spatula.  (Aly's directions say to cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap, but I wouldn't do it next time as it left a strange imprint on my pie.)  Refrigerate for at least an hour and a half or until set.  Decorate with homemade whipped cream right before serving.

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Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

I love this time of year.  It's just starting to get warm, and the promise of summer produce appears with fresh greens, asparagus and strawberries.  Strawberries are a favorite in my house, and I'm rarely lucky enough to make anything with them since they disappear almost as soon as I walk in the door with them.  (If you notice, there are no strawberries artfully strewn around this frozen yogurt in the pictures.  This isn't because I didn't want them there, but more because my kids snatched up the leftovers--and my props--as soon as I turned my back!)

So when I get a chance (or my kids don't realize I've brought them home), I try to make strawberry desserts.  One of my favorites is the classic Strawberry Shortcake, but when it's hot outside and turning the oven on sounds like torture, I make this easy Strawberry Frozen Yogurt.  It takes just a few ingredients and, except for the sugar (which can be adjusted to your needs), is relatively healthy.  All you need is some sort of ice cream maker, and you're in business! (If you don't have one, I have a basic Cuisinart ice cream maker, which is relatively inexpensive and easy to clean that I can recommend. I've had it for a few years and have loved it every step of the way!)

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

16 oz fresh strawberries, washed and stems removed, quartered
2/3 cup sugar
1-2 teaspoons Cointreau (optional)
32 ounces plain lowfat yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Mix the strawberries, sugar, and Cointreau in a medium bowl.  Cover and set aside for at least two hours, stirring occasionally.

Pour the strawberries and juice into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Add the yogurt and lemon juice and blend until thoroughly mixed.  Feel free to strain at this point, but I never do.

Place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least one hour to chill and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to its directions. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least two hours before serving.  If you're making it more than a few hours before eating, make sure to take it out of the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving to help soften the yogurt.

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Chocolate Covered Pretzels

My daughter's school book fair happened last week, and along with that came a "book fair carnival."  The school is small, so to kick off the book fair, one of the biggest grossing events for the PTO, we hold a carnival that includes carnival games, face painting and snacks.  All of this is free, so the parents pitch in to make it a fun event for the kids.  This year, my five year old wanted to help make the snacks, and she chose chocolate covered pretzels.  These are so simple, but the kids love them!  And as a treat, they work wonderfully.  You can use whichever chocolates and toppings you like, but these sprinkles seemed festive enough for a carnival!

Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Makes about 24 pretzels

1 12-ounce package of chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening
24 large pretzel sticks
Sprinkles

In a double boiler or in a small bowl over a pot with a small amount of water (the water should not touch the bowl), add the chocolate chips and the shortening.  Turn the heat on medium and stir the chocolate chips occasionally until they are completely melted, and the shortening is incorporated.  Remove from heat.  Using a spoon, ladle chocolate over about 2/3 of the pretzel, letting the excess drip off into the bowl.  Place the chocolate covered pretzel on a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper and scatter sprinkles on the top.  Let sit in a cool, dry spot for at least an hour to let the chocolate set.  Alternatively, you can place the tray in the refrigerator to speed up the setting.

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Coconut Peanut Butter Stuffed Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies [Secret Recipe Club]

So it's Secret Recipe Club time again!  I have to say that after participating in this group for a few months, I've found that I really love it.  Being assigned a random blog to cook from each month is quite exciting, and really makes me try new things.  This month, I was assigned Angie from Big Bear's Wife, a great cook and the host (who keeps us all in line) of my group of SRCers. 

I spent a long time trying to decide what to make from her beautiful blog, but I finally settled on her Peanut Butter Stuffed Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I halved her recipe since I didn't need 12 of these babies floating around my house.  I also made my own peanut butter filling to replace the peanut butter cups since we try to steer clear of processed foods, but it was quite simple to make regardless.  The end result was fabulous--I could barely keep my daughter away from it at all stages!  I will say that I would probably make these in smaller dishes next time (I only had larger oven-proof bowls).  It's quite rich and filling, so smaller bowls would not only help your figure, but really is all you can finish in one sitting.  They are best eaten fresh from the oven...and perhaps with a big scoop of ice cream on top!

Coconut Peanut Butter Stuffed Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Big Bear's Wife
Makes 6 cookies in small bowls

Cook's Note: I used natural organic coconut peanut butter with great results.  Feel free to substitute regular peanut butter or just use peanut butter cups or eggs instead of the filling below as indicated in the original recipe if desired.

Peanut Butter Filling:
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup coconut peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Cookie Dough:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Small oven-proof bowls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit.

Make the peanut butter filling: With a hand mixer or in a stand mixer, mix 1/2 stick butter and 1/2 cup peanut butter until well combined.  Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.  Set aside.

Make the cookie dough: With a mixer, combine the brown sugar, sugar and butter until well combined.  Add the eggs and mix until incorporated.  Add the vanilla and mix again.  In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt and baking soda.  In small batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.  Add the chocolate chips and mix.

Using an ice cream scoop, add one scoop of cookie dough to each bowl.  Pat it down to cover the bottom of the bowl.  Add a heaping tablespoon of the peanut butter mixture to the middle, spreading it around.  Make sure to leave about 1/4-1/2 inch border around the edge of the bowl.  Add another scoop of cookie dough to the top, and spread over the peanut butter and push gently on the edges to seal with the bottom layer of the cookie dough.

Place in the hot oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top of the cookies becomes golden brown.  Let cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving.  Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.

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David Lebovitz's Easy Jam Tart

I have been a fan of David Lebovitz's blog since I started my own.  His food and techniques are so down to earth, but absolutely impressive when the finished product gets to the table.  I've never met the man, but he did help me out once via Twitter when I was trying to find the American substitute for crème épaisse.  (That would be crème fraiche or a good heavy cream according to him, by the way.)  I guess that's the next best thing to meeting him in person!  ;-)

So when I was looking for something different to make for Thanksgiving dessert, my husband and I looked through his blog's recipes.  We were having duck, so wanted something not too rich, but something fruity.  I had bookmarked this recipe for his Easy Jam Tart long ago, so we decided to finally make it.  I can't tell you how easy it was!  I made it the day before, and as David suggests, the flavors really do meld after resting. 

It's a beauty, too.  Make this and take it to your next potluck.  Or make it for your next fancy dinner.  Or just eat the leftovers for breakfast as I did.  It works well in all situations.  The crust comes out like a cookie, so it's easily eaten with a hand, but you could also add a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream (only slightly sweetened) to dress it up on a plate.

But whatever the occasion, you do want to make this.  Now.  I used Bonne Maman Four Fruits jam, and it worked beautifully, but I'd like to try it with apricot next time.  The cornmeal gives it a hefty bite, so if you want something a little more refined, whir the cornmeal in a blender or food processor before using it.  I kind of liked the rough texture, though.  I also made another 1/2 batch of the dough because my tart pan was a little bigger than what David used.  Regardless, even with that little addition, this was a super easy and beautiful little tart to make and serve to your friends.  Or just hoard to yourself.

The recipe can be found at David Lebovitz's blog.  And if you haven't ever read it, take your time and read his other posts.  You can come back and thank me later.  :-)


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Baked Explorations: A Cookbook Review and Grasshopper Bars

Who doesn't love baked goods?!  My family can get quite addicted to them, and I think my husband did a little dance of joy when I started this blog and started taking baking seriously.  I was just telling him the other day that when I started blogging three years ago (!), I wasn't very confident in my baking abilities, but now I feel like I could conquer the baking world with the right equipment.  (I think that Santa might be bringing me a candy thermometer.)  :-)  So, when I saw the cover of Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy.  I mean, just look at that cover! (And it's full of equally enticing photos of equally scrumptious desserts!)

Lewis and Poliafito run the well-known bakeries, Baked, in both Brooklyn and Charleston, but don't assume that the home cook knows everything there is to know about baking.  The cookbook starts with sections on necessary tools for baking (but keep it simple for those of us with small kitchens) and baking terms/brand recommendations/techniques.  The book is built around dessert chapters: Breakfast, Tarts and Pies, Cookies and Bars, Cakes, and Confections and Pastry.  And it helpfully ends with conversion charts for those who prefer to use the metric system.  Each recipe begins with notes from the bakers--all tongue in cheek, but helpful nonetheless.

When I received my copy, I flipped through it first with my daughter.  I told her that we would need to pick one or two recipes to try, so she decided to help me...by bookmarking every page!  I restrained myself from doing so as well, but I felt the same giddiness.  The book is chock-full of recipes for baked goods that Americans would recognize from growing up...just a little more refined.  (I'd highly recommend this book if you are lucky enough to score some gift certificates for Christmas and like to bake!)  We finally settled on making Grasshopper Bars for some guests coming over, but with the caveat that I would make Nutella Scones for Christmas breakfast and the Caramel Apple Cake for Christmas dinner. I'll let you know how that goes after Christmas, but given how good these Grasshopper Bars were, I'm sure that the scones and cake will be delicious.  These bars are rich with chocolate, but the mint provides a refreshing after-dinner quality to the smooth bars.

Grasshopper Bars
Ever-so-slightly adapted from Baked Explorations

For the brownie base:
3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (The original called for 1 tablespoon dark unsweetened cocoa powder, but I couldn't find any at our local shops.)
5 ounces good quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 60%, but you can go up to 72%.)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the buttercream:
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, but still cool, cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons creme de menthe
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

For the chocolate glaze:
6 ounces good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 60%, but you can go up to 72%.)
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or metal 9x13-inch pan.  Line the bottom with parchment paper, and butter that too.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder together and set aside.

Put about an inch or two of water in a medium saucepan and place a medium bowl or double boiler pan over the water (making sure the water does not touch the bowl) and place over medium heat.  Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl and stir occasionally until they are completely melted and combined.  Turn off the heat, but keeping the bowl over the hot water bath, add both sugars.  Whisk the sugars until completely combined.  Remove the bowl from the pan.  The mixture should be at about room temperature.

Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.  Add the vanilla and mix until combined.  Do not overbeat the batter.

Pour the chocolate mixture into a larger mixing bowl.  Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate.  Using a spatula (do not use a whisk), fold the dry ingredients into the wet until there is just a trace amount of the flour mix visible.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake for about 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.  The brownies should be just a little underdone.  A toothpick inserted into the brownies at an angle should contain a few loose crumbs.  Remove the brownies from the oven and let cool completely while you make the buttercream filling.

Making the buttercream:
In a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together.  Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally until the mixture some to a boil and has thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on high speed until the mixture cools.  Reduce the speed to low and add the butter.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the filling is light and fluffy.

Add the creme de menthe and peppermint extract and mix until combined.  If the filling is too soft, chill slightly in the refrigerator and then mix again until it is the proper consistency.  If the filling is too firm, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and remix until it is the consistency of buttercream frosting.  Spread the filling evenly across the top of the brownie layer (once the brownie layer has COMPLETELY cooled) and place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.

Making the chocolate glaze:
In a large, non-reactive metal bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup and butter.  Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth.  Remove the bowl from the pan and stir vigorously for 1 minute to release excess heat.

Pour the mixture over the chilled buttercream layer and either use a spatula to spread the chocolate or tilt the pan back and forth until the butter cream layer is completely covered and the the chocolate is smooth.  Place the pan back in the refrigerator for at least one hour or until the glaze hardens.

Remove the pan from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.  Cut the bars with a warm knife.  Cut into squares and serve immediately.  The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.

Disclosure: A review copy of this cookbook was sent to me free of charge. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so. 

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Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies [International Blogger Cookie Exchange]

Last year I participated in the first annual International Blogger Cookie Exchange hosted by Lori at Fake Food Free and Andrea of Food Embrace and loved it so much that I put my name in the hat to participate again.  Instead of actually sending the cookies we make to each other, we send each other recipes to try at home and eat ourselves!  I was delighted to find out that my recipe was coming from fellow Kentucky Food Blogger Tammi from Picture Perfect Cooking.  She sent me the recipe for Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies...and my entire family LOVED them!  These are great cookies to make with kids--easy, but they get to get their hands dirty while rolling the dough around the chocolate chips.  My daughter helped make these, but as you can see in the photo above, it was my son who tried to sneak a bite or two!

I made the recipe as instructed for half of the batch.  The second half, I divided into two parts and tried different fillings.  I had a craving for caramel, so my original idea was to stuff a caramel into each cookie, but my daughter begged to create her own cookie...how could I say no?!  I cut caramel squares into quarters and placed two quarters into each of my cookies.  My daughter wanted to play with hers, so put one quarter of a caramel and two chocolate chips into hers.  Her version won hands down!  The all-caramel cookies leaked caramel all over the pan and came out flat, while hers looked just like the original version.  My husband described my daughter's cookies as tasting just like a candy bar.  I'll definitely be making this again and am excited to try out new fillings: miniature candy bars, peppermint chips...the possibilities are endless!

Double Chocolate Snowball Cookies
Adapted slightly from Picture Perfect Cooking

Recipe Notes: This is the original version of the recipe, but feel free to play around with the fillings and possibly even the dough flavors.  Try substituting other extracts for the vanilla and see what happens!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup nuts, crushed or chopped (I used hazelnuts.)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Powdered Sugar

In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar and flour until light and fluffy.  Stir in the flour, cocoa and nuts.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a disk.  Chill for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Unwrap the dough and cut it into about 24 even pieces.  Flatten each piece into a circle and place three chocolate chips into the middle.  Shape into a ball, tucking the chocolate chips inside.  Place on the parchment paper and bake for 18-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet or until you can remove the cookies to a cooking rack without them falling apart.  Once they've cooled a little more, roll in powdered sugar.

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Lemon Curd [Secret Recipe Club]

Today is the Secret Recipe Club reveal day.  I was assigned the blog Apron Strings, written by Donna and Anne, a birth mother and daughter reunited who have bonded over cooking and created a blog, a cookbook and more!  As busy mothers themselves, I'm sure they'll understand when I only ended up making half of one of their recipe.  I received the assignment about three weeks ago, but in the meantime, my job became temporarily (I hope!) more demanding, my family has been passing around every germ known to man, and to top it all off, we're hosting 15 college students at our house for a Central European inspired dinner today, the day of the reveal, which meant that I spent the weekend preparing for that instead of reading the directions on my chosen recipe.

So enough kvetching already!  Let's get to the recipe!  I chose Lemon Pie Parfait, which looked like an easy version of one of my favorite pies: Lemon Meringue Pie.  I've never made my own lemon curd, so I thought that this would be the perfect time to try it...ha!  I have all the ingredients on hand to make the parfaits, but then last night at 7:00pm when I was making the lemon curd, I read the following horrifying words: "Let cool and then refrigerate at least 8 hours, up to 24 hours."  My thoughts at the moment I read this aren't PG enough to write on this blog.  So I made a wonderfully silky and lemony lemon curd that's not ready for the big time--to be the star of the parfait.  Instead, I'm chilling most of the curd, but tested out a tiny bit in a crepe I was making for tomorrow evening.  Delicious!  I would suggest that if you're going to try it in a crepe that you fold it in with some whipped cream to cut the tanginess of the lemon, but since I love authentic tart lemon flavors, I liked it as is.  And I'm chomping at the bit to finally make the parfaits!

Lemon Curd
from Apron Strings

4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest from one lemon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Place a medium saucepan with about 1-2 inches of water in it on the stove to boil.  Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large glass bowl until it turns light yellow and fluffy.  Place the glass bowl over the boiling water to create a double boiler.

Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk.  Cook over simmering water, whisking frequently, for about 15 minutes or until the curd becomes custard like (almost like a soft-set pudding).

Remove the bowl from the heat and add the butter, whisking until completely melted.  Let cool and refrigerate for at least eight hours, or up to 24 hours.

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Bourbon Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A couple of weeks ago, one of my newfound Kentucky food blogger friends, Judy from The Southern Lady Cooks, posted an awesome-looking recipe for a Bourbon Pumpkin Spice Cake.  I had just bought a beautiful pumpkin from Marksbury Farm and thought, "This would be perfect!  I have all of the ingredients on hand.  I can whip it up this weekend!"  Two weeks later I finally found the time and energy to make it, but when I did, I found that I hadn't held enough pumpkin out for the frosting, that we were down to our last dregs of bourbon, and that my toddler son had finished off the raisins.  Not to be deterred, I forged ahead with what I had, and lo and behold, the cake was still delicious! 

Now Judy calls it a cake, but in my family, it's called breakfast.  We've been eating these mini bundt cakes all week for breakfast, and three days later, they are still moist and scrumptious.  If you want the version with bourbon-soaked raisins and a pumpkin and bourbon frosting, then head on over to the original recipe, but if you're like me and only have the basic staples, this is your cake!

Bourbon Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from The Southern Lady Cooks

Cake:
1/2 cup bourbon
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Frosting:
3 Tbl cream cheese, softened
3 Tbl buttermilk
1-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cake:
Place the bourbon in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.  Reduce to about 1/2 of the original amount.  Turn off the flame and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray your pan with cooking spray or butter and flour it.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil and buttermilk until well mixed.  Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice and salt and mix until everything is incorporated.  Add the pumpkin and the reserved bourbon and mix well.

Pour the batter into the mini bundt molds (about 2/3 of the way full) or pour all of the batter into a full-sized bundt pan.  Bake mini bundts for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Bake a full-sized cake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and let rest for about 25 minutes in the pan.  Remove carefully and drizzle frosting over cake(s).

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Whisk the cream cheese and buttermilk until smooth.  Add about one cup of powdered sugar and whisk.  Taste for sweetness.  If you'd like it sweeter, add a little more sugar until desired sweetness.  If it's too thick, add a tiny bit of milk until it's thin enough.  If too thin, add a little powdered sugar until you reach the desired thickness.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins [Secret Recipe Club]

This is my second month as part of the Secret Recipe Club, and I was lucky enough to draw Rebecca from A Dusting of Sugar.  I thought last month's SRC pairing was perfect for me because of the international connection, but this month worked out great too!  Rebecca is a college student, and I work at a college!  I love it when the students I work with get into the kitchen, and if they were half as talented at Rebecca, our campus would be constantly wafting with the smell of goodies from the oven.

I had a hard time choosing a recipe, so I let my coworkers choose for me.  I'd been promising them some baked goods for some time, and this was the perfect opportunity to let them get involved a little with my blog.  They voted for three finalists: Banana Streusel Muffins, Flourless Chocolate Cookies, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins.  Obviously, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins won, but not without a fight.  It turns out that one of my coworkers is a picky eater and had never had banana and peanut butter together!  She was a little wary, so I had to promise that I would make her top choice--the flourless chocolate cookies--if she didn't like these.  Luckily, they were fabulous and won over my coworker's taste buds.

These were perfect for breakfast as well as mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks at the office.  The amount of peanut butter, banana and chocolate chips created a perfect balance of flavor...no one flavor outshone the other.  I'll definitely be making these again in the near future!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
Adapted ever so slightly from A Dusting of Sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter (I used all-natural here to great success.)
3 Tbl canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Stir to combine.  (There will be little bits of brown sugar left in the sifter...just go ahead and toss that in with the flour mixture.)

In another bowl, mix the mashed bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil, vanilla and egg.  Add the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or place liners in the tin and fill each about 3/4 of the way full.  This will make roughly 1 1/2 dozen muffins.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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Canteloupe Sorbet

Last week, I posted a recipe for Wild Blackberry Gelato, and this week I'm back with a Cantaloupe Sorbet from the same cookbook, Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto.  I know it's gotten chilly in many places as autumn leaves begin to fall, but I want the summer to last just a little longer, with its long evenings and laid-back feeling.  This bright Cantaloupe Sorbet does just the trick!  My daughter was thrilled with the idea that her "ice cream" tasted just like cantaloupe.  My husband, although he really liked it, wondered why you wouldn't just eat the cantaloupe as the fruit.  :-)  I, myself, liked the contrast of the iciness of the sorbet with the natural creaminess of cantaloupe.

This is a completely refreshing end to a meal, but could also be used to "cleanse the palate" between courses, if multiple courses is your thing.  We don't do that kind of meal often, but when I do, I'm keeping this in my back pocket to make us seem fancier than we are.

Cantaloupe Sorbet
adapted from Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto

4 cups cantaloupe, seeded, peeled and chopped (from about one large cantaloupe), chilled
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
Simple syrup

Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

To make the simple syrup:  Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat.  Stir until the sugar dissolves and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least an hour.  (This will keep for quite a few days in the refrigerator.)

Once the simple syrup has been refrigerated, combine the cantaloupe, the lemon juice, and about half of the simple syrup in a blender and blend until smooth.  (The original recipe says to use all of the simple syrup, but I thought that it would be too sweet.  I used about half, and that was about right for me.  Taste your puree and add more if needed.)

Pour the puree into your ice cream maker and churn according to your maker's instructions.  Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and freeze for at least two hours before serving.

If the sorbet is too hard to scoop, let sit on the counter for 5-15 minutes (depending on the temperature of your house) and then scoop.

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Wild Blackberry Gelato

This summer I was lucky enough to be invited to a friend's farm to pick wild blackberries.  I had never done this, and it was so much fun!  I was dropped off in the middle of a blackberry patch and told to have at it.  I came away with almost a gallon of blackberries and immediately froze them for later use.  I used some in a Blackberry Peach Cake (yum!), but still had a ton left.  I finally settled on a blackberry gelato from the Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto cookbook.  My husband had bought it for me as a gift last year, and for some reason, I had never gotten around to trying anything.

Besides never having used this cookbook, I had never made a custard-based ice cream.  I was always scared that the eggs would cook and I'd end up with curdled ice cream, but it turns out that it's much easier than I thought it would be!  I served this wild blackberry gelato with some chopped sugared peaches, and it was the perfect accompaniment to the slightly sour wild berries.  The gelato was creamy and delicious--so much so that I can't wait to try my hand at other flavors from this book!

Wild Blackberry Gelato
from Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
3 cups fresh wild blackberries
2 Tbl sugar (less if using sweet berries)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk and cream.  Over medium-low heat, cook, stirring occasionally so that a skin does not form, until small bubbles start to form around the edges and the mixture reaches 170 degrees F.

Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.  Whisk in 2/3 cup of sugar slowly until it is thick and pale yellow.  Pour a little of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking continuously.  (This is to make sure that the eggs don't cook.)  Continue pouring the hot milk mixture into the eggs, whisking all the while, until fully incorporated.  Return the custard to the saucepan and turn the heat to low.  Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick and coats the back of the spoon.  (It should reach about 185 degrees F.)  Do not boil.

Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and set in an ice bath, stirring occasionally until the custard is cooled.  Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.

Combine the blackberries, 2 Tbl sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor and puree.  Pour into a fine sieve and press down on the solids to extract the liquid.  Throw the solids away.  Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Once the custard and blackberry liquid have refrigerated, gently whisk the blackberry puree into the custard.  Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's directions.  Transfer to a container and freeze for at least two hours before serving.

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Blackberry Peach Cake: A Belated Happy Birthday and Welcome Home

If you've been keeping up with my posts lately, you'll know that my husband has been gone for six weeks working in Europe.  I was lucky enough to be able to go along with him for the first two weeks, but I hadn't seen him in a month, and the kids hadn't seen him for the entire time.  Well, he returned on Saturday!  He had to leave for the trip on his birthday, so we really didn't get to celebrate much.  My daughter decided that we needed to throw him a small birthday/welcome home party on Sunday--she was in charge of decorations/games and then we both baked a cake.  We had a hard time settling on something, but she knew she wanted to use some blackberries I picked a couple of weeks ago (and froze).  We finally decided on this blackberry peach cake.

It turned out great!  I was a little worried at first because 1) I didn't have any port as called for in the original recipe, 2) the cake batter barely covered the bottom of the pan, and 3) my husband isn't too fond of cakes.  I should learn not to worry so much.  I just used some dry red wine with a little extra sugar added for the sauce; the cake rose nicely; and it turned out to taste and feel more like a coffee cake than a traditional one.  The only thing I'd do differently is add an extra peach, chopped up and distributed along with the blackberries.  The recipe below is the version I actually baked.

And, yes, we're all ecstatic to have my husband home!

Blackberry Peach Cake
Adapted from A Communal Table

1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries (If frozen, defrost before using.)
1 small peach, peeled and sliced
1 Tbl red wine (I used a shiraz/cabernet blend.)
1 Tbl + 1 tsp sugar
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 tsp vanilla bourbon sugar (or demerara/coarse sugar)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Combine the berries, the wine and 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp sugar in a small bowl.  Mix to coat.  Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside.  In a larger mixing bowl, beat the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure that each one is completely combined before adding the next.  Mix in the vanilla.  Slowly add the flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined.

Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan and cover the bottom with parchment paper (especially if you'd like to transfer the cake off of the pan after baking).  Spread the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan.  Using a slotted spoon, spoon the berries over the batter.  Drizzle the wine mixture over the berries.  Place the peach slices in a decorative pattern around the cake.  Sprinkle with some of the vanilla bourbon sugar/demerara.

Place the pan on a cookie sheet (to prevent the juices from scorching the bottom of your oven!).  Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes, and then run a thin knife around the edge.  Carefully remove the ring around the pan and serve!

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Mille-feuilles de Crêpes Cake

When I was in France, I made my first cake from scratch and a dirt cake for my daughter's third birthday. This year, she wanted me to make her another cake and requested one made out of crêpes.  She asked that strawberries and Nutella be included, and as I started to conceptualize this strange request, I finally settled on a milles-feuilles de crêpes cake.  Oh, and did I mention that this year my daughter turned five?  I'm a little scared to see what she'll request for her Sweet Sixteen.

This was challenging for me because I don't often work without a recipe, and because I didn't have any time to make any practice versions, the first attempt was her actual birthday cake.  It was time consuming, but it's easily done in stages.  First I made the crêpes--I made mine the night before and just stuck them in the fridge covered in plastic wrap.  Then when I was ready to assemble the cake, it just took a little time and patience.  I found that it was important to keep the filling layers thin because the crêpes have a tendency to slide around.  I only wish I had had a very sharp knife.  We were renting a house at the beach with dull knives, and the result was a messy cake.  Regardless, it was delicious!  Any filling would do--whipped cream, pastry cream, Nutella, preserves, fresh fruit (if smashed a little to keep the layer even) or another filling of your choice.

I covered mine in whipped cream because it looked slightly ugly without something on top, but I've seen pictures of very beautiful mille-feuilles de crêpes cakes just dusted with powdered sugar.  Go with your instincts on this one.  :-)  It turns into a crêpe heaven with oozing, gooey layers that can be eaten with a fork, but I recommend eating like a five year old...with your hands.

We hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Mille-feuilles de Crêpes Cake

Crêpes:
2 cups flour
2 pinches salt
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk (I used whole, but you can use whatever you'd like.)
2 Tbl butter, melted and cooled
2 tsp vanilla
4 Tbl sugar

Filling:
1 small jar of Nutella
1 jar Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves

Topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbl sugar
1 bar of dark chocolate
Strawberries, sliced

To make the crêpes: Place all of the ingredients in a blender (liquids first) and blend until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to a day. 

When the batter is ready, heat a small frying pan (I use an 8-inch omelet pan.) over medium-high heat.  If your pan is not completely non-stick, place a tiny bit of butter in the pan.  Once it's melted, pick up the pan and quickly pour in 1/4 cup of batter, swirling the pan with your wrist to spread the batter evenly.  If you have a whole or two, dot them with a little more batter.  Place back on the burner and cook for about 30-90 seconds.  Using a small spatula, release the edges of the crêpe from the pan while it's cooking.  Once the bottom is starting to brown slightly, use your fingers (or as I prefer, one tiny and one larger spatula) to lift the crêpe gently and flip.  Plan on using the first couple of crêpes as test crêpes--my first one never turns out right! 

Once the second side starts to brown slightly, remove from the pan to a plate covered in wax paper.  Repeat the steps above until the batter is gone.  You can layer the crêpes without anything between them.  Once cooled, you can cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to two days or place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.

To make topping: Pour very cold cream into a deep bowl.  Add the vanilla and sugar and beat with a hand-mixer until medium-stiff peaks form.

To make the cake:  Place a crêpe on your serving platter.  Spread a light layer of Nutella over the crêpe.  Add another crêpe and spread a light layer of strawberry preserves.  Continue until your desired height or until you run out of crêpes.  I used about 20.  If you are planning on serving right away, frost the cake with the whipped cream, shave chocolate over it and top with strawberries.  If you will be serving the cake later, cover and place in the refrigerator.  If using preserves, some of the "juices" will leak out.  When you're ready to serve, just wipe up the plate with paper towels and then decorate the cake.

Cut with a very large, sharp knife.  Enjoy!

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