November 6th, 2009 · Comments Off
Read and see more at Bake or Break. Recipe from Chocolate: A Love Story: 65 Chocolate Dessert Recipes from Max Brenner’s Private Collection. Although I went with a simpler route, the actual title of this recipe is, “A philosophical highly concentrated fudge brownie.”
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 32 ounces dark chocolate (approx. 70%), roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, divided into 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 & 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (or other nut)
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Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13″x 18″ jelly-roll pan with parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper.
Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside. Place the butter and cream in a saucepan. Over medium, heat bring to a boil. Pour over chocolate and let sit about a minute or until chocolate begins to melt. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
Add vanilla extract to cooled chocolate mixture. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Whisk in sugar.
Sift 3/4 cup flour and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir into chocolate mixture until fully combined. Toss nuts with remaining 1/4 cup flour. Stir into batter.
Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Allow brownies too cool. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Yields 20-25 brownies.
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October 15th, 2009 · Comments Off
Read and see more at Bake or Break. Recipe from Junior’s Cheesecake Cookbook: 50 To-Die-For Recipes for New York-Style Cheesecake.
Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 & 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
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Preheat oven to 350°. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside and the sides of the pan with aluminum foil.
Using a mixer on low speed, beat 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch until creamy (about 3 minutes). Add remaining cream cheese, 8 ounces at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each. On medium speed, beat in remaining 1 cup of sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in cream just until blended. Do not overmix.
Spoon the batter into the springform pan. Place pan in a large shallow pan of hot water. Water should come about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake about 1 & 1/4 hours, unitl the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan.
Remove pan from water bath and transfer to a wire rack. cool in pan for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 4 hours. Place in freezer overnight until ready to assemble the cake.
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German chocolate cake
- 1 & 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces German sweet chocolate
- 1/3 cup water
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
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Butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of both pans with parchment paper.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Melt chocolate in water in the microwave and set aside to cool. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed of an electric mixer. The mixture should be light yellow and creamy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, blending well after each.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold about a third of the whites into the chocolate batter, then the remaining whites.
Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a moist crumb. Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn onto a cooling rack and peel off paper liners. Let cakes cool completely, about 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble the cake.
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Coconut frosting
- 1 & 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
- 4 cups flaked coconut, plus extra for sprinkling
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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Preheat oven to 350°. Spread nuts on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toast until golden, about 5 minutes, tossing a couple of times. Set aside to cool.
Toast 1/4 cup of coconut in the same way. Set aside.
Mix sugar and flour in a large saucepan. Add cream, milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thick and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in toasted nuts and untoasted coconut. Refrigerate about 30 minutes, until thick enough to spread.
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Cake assembly
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Remove the cheesecake from freezer and let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Place one chocolate cake layer, top side down, on a cake plate. Spread with some of the frosting. Remove the springform ring from the cheesecake. Place cheesecake top side down on the forsted cake layer. Spread with frosting. Top with remaining chocolate cake layer, top sie up, and frost the top of the cake and the sides of only the top cake layer with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle top with toasted coconut. Refrigerate at least two hours until ready to serve. Cut cake with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated knife.
Leftover cake can be covered and refrigerated, or wrapped and frozen for up to a month.
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September 18th, 2009 · Comments Off
Read and see more at Bake or Break. Recipe from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes.
Cupcakes
- 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup warm water
- sea salt, for garnish
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Preheat oven to 350°. Line mini muffin pans with paper liners.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and water. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix until smooth.
Fill muffin pans about 2/3 full. Bake about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks about 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes to wire racks to let cool completely.
Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature or frozen in an airtight container for up to a month.
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Salted Caramel Filling
- 2 & 1/2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 & 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
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Heat sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high heat. Stir occasionally until syrup is clear. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan. Stop stirring, and cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush as needed.
Boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is caramelized and temperature just reaches 360°.
Remove from heat. Slowly pour in cream and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in sea salt. Use immediately. If caramel begins to harden, reheat gently until pourable.
Use a paring knife, cut a cone-shaped piece, about 1/2-inch deep, from the center of each cupcake. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of warm filling into each cupcake. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over filling.
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Dark Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
- 2 & 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 & 1/2 pounds semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
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Combine cocoa and boiling water. Stir until cocoa has dissolved.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add melted and cooled chocolate. Beat until combined. Beat in cocoa mixture.
Frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth before using.
Fit a pastry bag with a medium open-star tip (Wilton #18). Fill pastry bag with frosting. Pipe onto cupcakes, swirling tip and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Garnish with a pinch of sea salt.
Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are filled and frosted. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container until ready to serve.
Makes about 56 mini cupcakes.
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July 31st, 2009 · Comments Off
Read and see more at Bake or Break. Recipe from Perfect Cakes.
Cake
- 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups blueberries
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Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9″x 13″baking pan with foil and butter the foil.
Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Using a heavy-duty mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until soft and light (about 5 minutes). Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
On low speed, add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add yolks, mixing well, then add remaining flour mixture.
Scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth the top. Scatter blueberries over the batter.
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Crumb topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
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Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in melted butter and combine with your fingers until the mixture is coarse crumbs. Scatter the crumbs evenly over the berries.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until cake is firm. Cool cake in pan on wire rack.
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June 25th, 2009 · Comments Off
Read and see more at Bake or Break. Recipe from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone’s Favorite Treat.
- 42 Oreos, 30 left whole and 12 coarsely chopped
- 2 pounds cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup sour cream
- pinch of salt
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Preheat oven to 275°. Line standard muffin pans with liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each liner.
Beat cream cheese at medium speed using an electric mixer. Gradually sugar, beating until combined. Beat in vanilla.
Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies.
Divide batter among pans. Bake for about 22 minutes or until filling is set.
Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Remove from pans just before serving.
Makes 30 cheesecakes.
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May 20th, 2009 · Comments Off
Read and see more at Bake or Break. Recipe adapted from At Home with Magnolia: Classic American Recipes from the Owner of Magnolia Bakery
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 & 1/2 cups granola
- 1 cup coarsely chopped roasted almonds*
- 2/3 cup coarsely chopped chocolate
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Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla, beating well. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until thoroughly blended. Stir in granola, almonds, and chocolate.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Leave several inches between cookies. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°.
Bake 12-14 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
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*Spread almonds on a baking sheet and place in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes.
May 7th, 2009 · Comments Off
Read and see more at Bake or Break. Recipe from Barefoot Contessa at Home
Cake
- 1 & 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup milk
- 4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
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Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans and line each with parchment paper. Grease paper and dust with flour.
Mix butter and sugar on medium-high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add extracts and mix. The mixture will look a bit lumpy.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer on low speed and add dry ingredients, alternating with milk, in three parts. Mix just until combined. Fold in coconut. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Smooth the tops of each. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until tops are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 30 minutes. Then, remove from pans to finish cooling on wire racks.
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Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
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Using an electric mixer on low speed, combine cream cheese, butter, and extracts. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix just until smooth.
Spread frosting on first layer. Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides. Sprinkle top and sides with coconut.
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April 29th, 2009 · Comments Off
Read and see more atBake or Break. Recipe from The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread.
- 3 & 1/3 cups (20 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 & 3/4 cups chopped nuts, toasted (optional)
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Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9″x 13″ baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
Melt butter, half of the chocolate chips, and usweetened chocolate in a double boiler (or microwave). Let mixture cool to warm.
Whisk sugar, eggs, and vanilla just until mixed. Over-mixing will cause crumbly brownies. Fold in warm chocolate mixture.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold dry ingredients into chocolate mixture until just combined. Stir in remaining chocolate chips and nuts (if using), mixing just until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Spread to an even thickness. Bake 32-36 minutes. The edges will be slightly firm and the center will be soft when they are fully baked. Do not overbake. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Makes 12 large or 24 small brownies. These brownies may cut better if they are chilled first.
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April 8th, 2009 · Comments Off
Recipe from The Buttercup Bake Shop Cookbook.
- 1 cup + 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup raspberry preserves
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Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a large (1-cup capacity) 12-cup muffin tin.*
Combine 1 cup flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar on low speed of an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla. Add dry ingredients, alternating with milk. Add remaining 3/4 cup flour and mix until combined.
Spoon batter into muffin cups. Top with 3 small dollops of preserves and swirl into the batter using a small knife.
Bake for 20-25 minutes,* or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.
Makes 12 buns.* |
*For regular sized muffin tins, decrease baking time by 2-3 minutes. Makes about 20 buns.
April 3rd, 2009 · Comments Off
Read and see more at Bake or Break.Recipe from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York’s Sweetest Bakery.
- 1 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup chunky peanut butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (plus more for sprinkling cookies)*
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
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Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until fluffy. Add sugar and brown sugar, beating until smooth. Add egg, mixing well. Add milk and vanilla extract. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until combined. Stir in peanut butter chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Leave several inches between cookies. Lightly indent the tops of the cookies with a fork. Do not overly flatten cookies. Sprinkle each cookie lightly with sugar.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cookies may not look done, but do not overbake. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
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*I prefer using a coarse sugar for sprinkling on top of cookies.