Root Beer Bundt Cake

The idea of living in Oklahoma probably doesn't fill most of you with profound joy or longing. And I can understand. It's not the kind of place that most people dream of experiencing. We don't have particularly notable landscapes, architecture, culture, or events. What we do have is extreme temperatures and extreme weather. In fact, tornadoes are probably enough to turn most people off. Forever.
But I have lived the vast majority of my life here, and there is definitely happiness and contentment to be had. The people are kind and resilient, the sunsets are breathtaking, and the tornadoes aren't usually too bad (if that's any consolation). And, at the risk of sounding glib, one thing I love about Oklahoma is Pops.

Not only is Pops marked by the tallest soda bottle IN THE WORLD, but the convenience store and restaurant inside also has HUNDREDS of sodas in every flavor you've imagined, from all over the country, from all over the world. And it's right on historic Route 66, so bonus.

I love going to Pops and gambling on whether the random sodas I choose will be delicious or gross, mediocre or memorable. And they have many, many different root beers to aid me on my quest to find the best possible root beer. I've had lots of delicious root beers (some of my favorites are Iron Horse and Pop Shoppe), as well as some total bloopers (like their signature Round Barn root beer--why haven't they figured out that their house brew tastes like a paper bag?)

So I consider myself somewhat of an expert on root beers, and I was quite excited for this Root Beer Bundt Cake, though I wasn't really sure what to expect. I chose a favorite, high quality root beer in hopes that it would add to the cake.

In the end, none of us could really taste the root beer, with or without knowing it was in the ingredients. But it was still a moist, deliciously decadent chocolate cake. You definitely need the ice cream to go with it, since there's something synergistic about the combination. So, whether or not you're a root beer aficionado, I think you should try this cake. Mm...I kind of wish I had some more right now.

Root Beer Bundt Cake (printable recipe)

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.

For the cake

2 c root beer (do not use diet)

1 c dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 c unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/4 c sugar

1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar

2 c all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

For the root beer fudge frosting

• 2 oz. dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/2 c unsalted butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 c root beer
• 2/3 c dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 c powdered sugar
Cooking Directions


• Preheat the over to 325 degrees. Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick spray.
• In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.
• In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy--do not overbeat.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until the cake tests done. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn int out onto the rack.
• To make the frosting, put all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the frosting is shiny and smooth.
• Use a spatula to spread the fudge frosting over the crown of the bundt in a thick layer. Let it set before serving, with vanilla ice cream, of course.

Mocha Fudgesicles

Your lives probably haven't been inculcated with The Simpsons like mine has. I'm not just talking about watching the show (the golden years anyway), though that is a part of it. I'm talking about Simpsons quotes flying all over the place whenever your family gets together, about playing Simpsons Themed games and reading Simpsons themed books. About marking the mood/tenor/hilarity/tragedy of a situation with the quote perfectly befitting the occasion. Does that seem insane to you?

Then you might not have fun eating dinner with my family.

Once, in college, my friend's sister's boyfriend's roommate had heard of my epic Simpsons knowledge (yeah, it was pretty renowned) and challenged me to a trivia contest. Guess who won?

I trounced him. It wasn't even close. I was almost embarrassed for him.

Almost.

So it stands to reason that any mention of fudgesicles is accompanied by a Simpsons reference. In fact, I can't think about fudgesicles without quoting this line, from Millhouse to Bart:

"You said there'd be fudgicles, Bart. Where's the fudgicles?"

"First of all, it's 'fudge-Sicle.'" 

So I bring you these fudgesicles, which have only been called fudgicles in my household. They are smooth and pudding-y, enjoyed by children and adults alike. The Mosher version of the recipe simply involves omitting the espresso powder. For the purposes of the blog, I made a regular batch and a Mosher batch. I know I didn't have to--who's going to call me on it?--but . . . confession: I am a Mormon who loves the smell/flavor/idea of coffee. How's that for flirting with the enemy, eh?

But despite my dark little secret, I think I liked these better without the espresso powder. The coffee flavor seemed to overpower the cocoa, in my opinion. If I were to make them mocha again, I'll probably halve the espresso powder. 

The base fudgicle, though--definitely worth repeating.

Mocha Fudgesicles (printable recipe)

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 Tbsp dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp instant espresso powder*
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 c heavy cream
• 2 3/4 c whole milk

Cooking Directions

1. Put the butter in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, flour, and cornstarch. Add the egg and cream and whisk until combined.
3. Place the saucepan over medium heat and slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. After the mixture boils, continue to cook, whisking, for another 2 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the butter. Whisk vigorously for 1 minute to cool slightly. Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes, whisk vigorously for 1 minute, then pour into ice pop molds. Freeze until hard, about 6 hours. Release the pops from the mold by quickly running hot water along the plastic surface of the mold (be sure not to let the water touch the pops), then pull the pops out of the mold.

*Espresso powder can be omitted.

Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream

Don't forget about the giveaway! See previous post for details! Entries must by submitted by June 15!

You know how running is cool these days? Like, really cool? And it's cool to show people you are a runner? Like, with mileage stickers on your car? And to encourage other people to run too? Because running is cool?

Wait, I mean, running is healthy.

Let me just make it clear that I do not have a problem with people who like to run. More power to you. I just don't necessarily love how people can give off the impression that those who don't like to run are somehow inferior to those who do.

Allow me to tell an allegorical dialog:

Me: Oh my gosh, I have been working hard on playing Dvořák's Romance in F Minor for violin. It is so amazing! I love it.

You: Hey, that's cool.

Me: Yes! It is so great. You should try it! You can come over and we can play it together!

You: Um, I don't play the violin.

Me: That's okay! I'll help you! It's always better with a buddy.

You: Thanks, but music's not really my thing.

Me: Oh, but you should! There's so much research that shows the benefit of classical music on your mental, even physical health! You should totally do it! It's hard at first, but soon you'll be playing beautifully!

You: I really don't think so. I played in middle school, but I was terrible, so...

Me: It's never too late! It'll only be harder the older you get! It's so amazing! Dvořák!

You: Thanks, but I'm not going to. Have fun practicing, though!

Me: Okay...if that's really how you feel...I guess...

<end scene>

Doesn't that seem ridiculous? Why would a violinist try to force their hobby on someone who doesn't play, doesn't want to play? Yet somehow this conversation is okay between runners and non-runners. 

I'm sounding kind of snarky. Again, if you love to run, please run! Run like the wind! But allow me to sit around, not running, with no shame, please. I'm just a non-conformist like that. Also, terrible at running.

And I guess that's sort of how I felt about red velvet cake. It has been, like, all the rage, though I wasn't sure why. It's sort of a mild, barely chocolate cake with a lot of artificial color. Never something to get excited about.

UNTIL NOW!

I actually did enjoy this cake, despite my previous ambivalence toward it. It was perhaps chocolaty-er than most, and the cinnamon buttercream added a nice, unexpected layer of flavor. The frosting looked a little curdly, for some reason; not sure what I did wrong. But I don't think the flavor was affected. And, though I am by no means great at cake assembly, it came together much better than the Sweet and Salty Cake. So I'm just going to assume I'm getting better and better! 

Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream (printable recipe)

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.
Ingredients

For the red hot velvet cake layers:

• 1/4 c dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp* red gel food coloring
• 1/4 c boiling water
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
• 2 Tbsp vegetable shortening, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 c sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 c cake flour
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
  For the Cinnamon Frosting
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 1/2 c milk
• 1/4 c heavy cream
• 1 1/2 c (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• red hots for decoration

Cooking Directions

1. Make the red hot velvet cake layers: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and boiling water. Set aside to cool.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir the buttermilk and vanilla into the cooled cocoa mixture.
5. Sift the flour and salt together into another medium bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, to the egg mixture in three separate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until incorporated.
6. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda and stir until the baking soda dissolves; the mixture will fizz. Add to the batter and stir until just combined.
7. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until cake tests done, about 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.
8. Make the cinnamon frosting: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.
9. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachent. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; beat until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.
10. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.
11. Assemble the cake: Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread about a 1 1/4 cups of the frosting on top. Top with the next layer, trim and frost the top, then add the third layer. Crumb coat the cake and put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish the cake with the red hots and refrigerate again for 15 minutes.

*I probably used 1 tsp of Wilton's gel food coloring, and the cake was plenty red. Maybe they meant 2 Tbsp liquid? Use your food coloring with discretion. 

Classic Diner-Style Chocolate Pie

Okay, so I have a confession.

Two Christmases ago (Christmas 2011), my sister and I made these big plans to bake a bunch of Christmas cookies. We narrowed it down to six different, scrumptious recipes. We divvied up who would buy what ingredients. We bought the supplies to package them up super cute (and they were SUPER cute).

Then we never made the cookies.

We didn't bake a single one. And we ended up returning all the adorable little plastic pails the cookies never graced.

But that's not my confession.

Most of the ingredients were pretty typical things that were pretty quickly used up in my regular baking and such. Except for the Nabisco chocolate wafers.

I felt like they were kind of hard to find, so I held on to them. And they have been sitting in my pantry ever since.

UNTIL NOW!

I used them for the crust of this chocolate pie. And do the math: they were over 16 months old! Way past their "best if used by" date. 

But my family is not dead from eating old cookies. They didn't even notice until I told them (after they'd already eaten plenty of pie). 

Moral of the story: Nabisco Chocolate Wafers hold up remarkably well, and chocolate pie covers many sins. 

Classic Diner-Style Chocolate Pie (printable recipe)

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.

Ingredients 30 (about 6 oz.) chocolate wafer cookies 1 Tbsp sugar 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 1/2 c sugar 3 Tbsp chocolate malt Ovaltine 1 tsp salt 1/4 c cornstarch 5 large egg yolks 2 c whole milk 1/2 c heavy cream 5 oz. dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), chopped 2 oz. milk chocolate, chopped 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp whiskey (I did not use this) whipped cream Cooking Directions In a food processor, grind the cookies to a very fine powder--you should have about 1 1/2 cups. Put crumbs in a bowl and stir in the sugar. Pour butter over the crumb mixture and mix until well combined. The mixture will feel wet. Turn the crumb mixture out into a 9-inch pie plate and press it into the bottom and up the sides. Freeze the crust while you make the filling. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, Ovaltine, salt, and cornstarch. Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined. The mixture will look like a thick paste. Slowly pour in the milk and cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly to prevent burning. Boil for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat. Add the chocolates, whiskey, and vanilla and whisk until combined. Continue to whisk for a few minutes to cool the mixture slightly. Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes at room temperature. A thin skin may form as it cools; simply whisk the mixture again until the skin is gone. Pour the filling into the frozen pie shell. Refrigerate 4 hours before serving. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Sweet and Salty Cake

Our local school district recently had its spring break. I happened to know that our neighbor was out of town, out of the country. One day, I drove past their house and noticed that their brick mailbox had been smashed to smithereens. I still have no idea how it could have happened, except for someone to have hit it head on, but even then it's in an unlikely spot. Anyway, I got it into my head how awesome  it would be if we could fix it before they got home and they wouldn't even know it was smashed! I figured between me and Joel, we could figure out how to do a little brickwork and make it look good. A perfect plan!
Until I remembered this cake.
It was such a disaster. It was unseasonably warm that day, and the frosting would not whip up. The cake layers were so moist that they fell apart really easily. I stuck the frosting in the freezer, so it finally thickened and whipped, but trying to put it all together was a terrible mess, especially because the cake had to be further moistened with a salted caramel sauce. Every layer I added just slid around and cracked. Every time I tried to coat the outside, the layers shifted messed everything up. Complete mess.
Oh, it was delicious. Perhaps the most delicious chocolate cake I've ever had. Definitely the best recipe from the book yet.
But not the best endorsement of my ability to mortar layers together.
So the mailbox remains smashed. But the cake tasted amazing.

I was frustrated enough with my cake problems that I didn't even try to get a good picture, which was kind of pouty on my part. But you get the idea.
It is a pretty labor-intensive cake. But you won't regret it. Even if it's ugly.

Sweet and Salty Cake (printable recipe)

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.

• 3/4 c dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 c hot water
• 2/3 c sour cream
• 2 2/3 c flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 Tbsp vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and buter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, hot water, and sour cream and set aside to cool.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until ribbonlike, about 5 minutes. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
5. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until cake tests clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.

Salted caramel

• 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 c sugar
• 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/4 c sour cream

1. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over very low heat.
2. Meanwhile, keeping a close eye on the cream so it doesn't burn, in a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar, and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until a candy thermometer reads 350 degrees or until the mixture is dark amber in color. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute.
3. Add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Whisk in the sour cream. Let the caramel cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cake.

Whipped caramel ganache frosting

• 1 pound dark chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), chopped
• 1 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1 c sugar
• 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 2 c (4 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces

1. Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over very low heat.
3. Meanwhile, keeping a close eye on the cream so it doesn't burn, in a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar, and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until a candy thermometer reads 350 degrees. Remove from the heat and let the caramel cool for 1 minute.
4. Add the cream to the caramel and stir to combine. Stir slowly for 2 minutes, the pour the caramel over the chocolate. Let the caramel and chocolate sit for 1 minute, then, starting in the center of the bowl, and working your way out to the edges, slowly stir the chocolate and caramel mixture in a circle until the chocolate is completely melted. Let the mixture cool, then transfer it to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
5. Mix on low speed until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the butter, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high speed until the mixture is fluffy. Keeping mixture cool throughout the process helps.

Assemble the cake

1. Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1/4 cup of the caramel over the top. Let the caramel soak into the cake, then spread 3/4 cup of the ganache frosting over the caramel. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the sea salt over the frosting, then top with the cake layer. Spread with caramel and then the frosting and 1 tsp sea salt. Top with third layer. Spread with caramel. Crumb coat the cake and put the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish with a sprinkle of sea salt.
2. This cake will keep beautifully in a cake saver at room temperature (cool and humidity free) for up to three days.

The Baked Brownie

Maybe I'm just a little OCD, but this blog post about The Baked Brownie has become a little frustrating. The Baked cookbook mentions that these brownies have been lauded by Oprah (a favorite thing!), America's Test Kitchen, and the Today Show. And I totally believe them. But I thought, if I'm going to be telling all three of my readers about how great these brownies are, I might as well have my sources right. And after some fairly effortful Googling, I haven't found all the information I wanted. You know what I did find? A bunch of food blogs--and I mean a bunch of them--saying Oprah, ATK, and Today says these are the best brownies IN THE WORLD! And the nerdier, OCD-er, more competitive side of me doesn't just want to be another blogger talking about these much-talked-about brownies. So what am I doing? I'm being a total nerd and trying to find these sources so you can read for yourselves what these people have said:

1. Oprah declared these brownies a favorite thing. Official Oprah website source found. Check.

2. America's Test Kitchen. The only reference I could find was under mail order brownies, and I assume they were declared the best mail order brownies; I don't know for sure since I didn't feel like registering for their 14-day free trial to get more info. And maybe I'm splitting hairs, but being voted the best mail order brownies is not the same as being voted the best brownies ever IN THE WORLD! I'm not minimizing the Baked brownies; ATK has their own recipes to support. And, not to knock ATK, but who orders mail order brownies? Even if they're amazing, why would you pay $41+S&H and wait a couple days for them when you can just make some?

3. Today Show. I couldn't find any info.

Now, I know what you're thinking:

"Ami, you are a total nerd. We do not care about primary sources. GIVE US THE BROWNIES!"

A week ago, I would've had to say I can't publish the recipe. But, #1, this recipe is posted on many of the aforementioned blogs. And, #2, which is much more awesome, I actually wrote to the Baked NYC guys to ask about posting recipes, and they said I could! All of them! And that my blog looks great! So you get to have the recipes! But let me yammer just a little bit more.

These brownies are seriously wonderful. I'm not so uppity as to pooh-pooh all boxed brownies; on the contrary, I think Ghiradelli boxed brownies are delicious and plenty of homemade brownies taste like cardboard. And not even chocolatey cardboard. So I've sort of relied on the Ghiradelli box.

UNTIL NOW!

These are not even on the same planet as the boxed brownies. And without further ado, please enjoy:

The Baked Brownie (printable recipe)

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp dark, unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Droste Dutch-process)
11 oz. dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
1 c unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp instant espresso powder (I couldn't find this in time, so I used finely ground instant coffee. It's not as concentrated as espresso powder, but worked in a pinch. I'll get some real stuff one of these days. I know, how un-Mormon-y of me. If you don't want to use it, just leave it out, though I hear adding it increases the chocolatiness of the flavor.)
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch glass or light colored metal baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.
3. Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature.
4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combine. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter.
5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour is still visible.
6. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Do not over bake. Let brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares (or hearts!) and serve. Yield: 24 brownies
Brownies keep at room temperature for 3 days when tightly covered.

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.










I gave these to my family valentines, even though every single one of is actively trying to lose weight. They are too good.
I'll go back and add the recipes to my previous posts, too, then this blog can be a recipe resource! I'm so  excited about it.
Go, make them. And be happy forever.

Black Forest Chocolate Cookies

Also, Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nutella, Brown Butter, and Sea Salt

I learned several things with this recipe.
1) Cookies aren't very photogenic. At least with my limited skills.
2) I don't love cookies that much. I don't know; I'm just not a big cookie person.

UNTIL NOW!

These are seriously amazing cookies. I like the idea of Black Forest cake, but the gross, slimy cherries and dry chocolate cake just never lived up to my expectations. But these cookies by Baked are a great combination of rich, not overly sweet chocolate, tart dried cherries, and a perfect sprinkling of dark, semi-sweet, and white chocolate chips. And get this: there is only 3/4 cup of flour! The rest of it is all butter, chocolate, and eggs!

The recipe said it would only make about 24 cookies, so I decided I'd try another (non-Baked) cookie recipe I'd found on Annie's Eats.

Nutella+Brown Butter+Sea Salt=Yummy

Both cookies are good...I think I'm going to have to say the Black Forest cookies win in my book. Also, the Black Forest cookies win in my book club. I took both cookies to book club, and more of the Black Forest were eaten. Everyone seemed to like both types, though.

My husband likes the Brown Butter/Nutella. So really, it's pretty much a toss-up.

Also, the "makes about 24 cookies" turned out to be a big, fat lie--it made like 64 cookies. So, I have a lot of cookies hanging out at my house. If you're in the area, come on over and have some!

Black Forest Chocolate Cookies (printable recipe)

3/4 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

16 oz. dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped

10 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

6 large eggs

1 1/4 c sugar

1 c firmly packed light brown sugar

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 c (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

1 c (6 oz.) white chocolate chips

1 c (6 oz.) dried cherries

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.

2. In a large nonreactive metal bowl, combine the dark chocolate and butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool. 

3. In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugars on the high speed until the mixture is pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and the vanilla a beat until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and beat again for 10 seconds. 

4. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined, about 10 seconds. Do not overmix.

5. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and dried cherries. The dough will look very loose, but it will harden in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. 

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies are set and begin to show a few cracks. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing from the pans and serving. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

Yield: About 4 dozen cookies

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.

Millionaire's Shortbread

We invited some friends/family over for dinner this week, which made me choose dessert more carefully. This recipe didn't include a picture, and since I'm not particularly excited by shortbread, I didn't even give it a second thought last week. This time, I actually read through the ingredients.

Wait, chocolate?

Wait, dulce de leche??

It turns out, millionaires really do have it better than the rest of us.

UNTIL NOW*!

Today, the rest of us can have something usually reserved for millionaires! This is apparently a Scottish dessert, shortbread topped with a layer of caramel and a layer of chocolate. Baked also called these rich man's Twix. Whatever you want to call them, you will feel richer and happier.

They are a messy bar (crumbly, gooey, and melty all at once), but it is worth it. They are very rich, of course, so a small piece goes a long way. All of our guests liked them, so I think it was a hit. And they were even better the next day! How do they do that?

Millionaire's Shortbread (printable recipe)

Yield: 24 bars
Ingredients

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 1/4 c (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg yolk
• 28 oz. (2 14-oz. cans) sweetened condensed milk
• 6 oz. dark chocolate (60% cacao), coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp light corn syrup
• 1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-in. baking pan.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and butter together until blended. Add 2 cups of the flour and beat until well combined. Add the egg yolk and beat for a few seconds, or until just combined.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough and your hands with a little flour. Use your hands to gently work the dough into a 6x6 square. You will have to turn the dough and sprinkle the top with flour as you go. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c flour on the surface of the dough. Fold the dough over and knead until incorporated, then flatten the dough into a rectangle. Transfer the rectangle to the prepared pan and press it into the pan.
4. Prick the dough all over with a fork and bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
5. To make the caramel filling, put the sweetened condensed milk in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cook on 50% power for 4 minutes, stirring briskly halfway through, until smooth. Cook on 30% power for 12 to 18 minutes, until very thick and caramel colored, stirring briskly every 2 minutes, until smooth.
6. Pour the caramel filling over the cooled shortbread and place the pan in the refrigerator until cool, about 2 hours.
7. To make the chocolate glaze, in a large nonreactive 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 for 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the chilled caramel layer and use and offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the glaze hardens.
8. Remove the pan from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving so chocolate does not crack. Cut into squares and serve. Bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.

Recipe by Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copied with permission.
* Let's see if I can incorporate a big "UNTIL NOW!" into every post, shall we?