Best Beer Brownie

Amazingly light, not cakey and dry, but chocolatey melting

goodness in your mouth.

So surprisingly delicious. with a lush texture!

Source: Jackie Dodd (ehow contributor)

As Always,

ENJOY!

• 6 weight ounce dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup stout beer
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined.

One at a time add the eggs, whisking until well combined before adding another (whisk more than you think necessary).

Add the chocolate and the beer to the top of a double boiler. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate is melted and well combined with the beer.

Add the chocolate to the butter mixture, whisk until well combined.

Add the flour, salt and cocoa powder to the bowl, stir until just combined.

Pour into an 8 X 8 pan that has been lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 22 to 25 minutes (do not over-bake) or until the brownies do not jiggle when the pan is shaken and a tooth pick inserted into the center returns with moist crumbs attached (but not raw batter).

Allow to cool completely before cutting. This may take several hours. Brownies will be soft and fudgy. Brownies are best the day after being made.

Blackberry and Apple Pie

Another show stopper!

The colors are so beautiful and vibrant, and the 

taste is an exceptionally delicious combination.

The tad bit of cardamom added to the fruit gives it 

the most wonderful floral aroma. Combined with the scent 

of the berries and apples, you just won't be able 

to resist digging in to a slice.

Hot out of the oven,
with beautifully browned edges and
demerara sugar.

As Always,

ENJOY!

Source: Back In The Day by Cheryl Day and Griffith Day

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe flake pie crust dough for a double crust 9" pie

2 1/2 cups blackberries

2 tsp grated lemon zest

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

2 1/2 lbs. apples, cored, peeled, and sliced

1 large egg, beaten with salt for egg wash

Coarse sugar for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

Prepare pie dough and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees 

Gently toss the blackberries with the sugar, lemon juice, zest, cornstarch, salt and cardamom. Set aside for 15 minutes. Then toss the apples with the blackberry mixture.

To assemble the pie: roll out one disk of pie dough, then fit into the 9" pie pan. Fill the pie shell with the fruit mixture. Brush the edges with egg wash.

Roll out the second pie dough. Cover the top of the pie. Trim and crimp the edges.  Cut a few slits in the top for steam vents.

Brush the top of pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 

Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking for 

45-50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.  Cool for 2-3 hours.

Sables Cookies

Cooling on the rack, the edges were rolled in Demerara sugar.
.Demerara has a natural caramel-like flavor; this lends warm,caramel notes to
whatever you add the sugar to.

Cut at 1/3 inch thick and spaced out on the parchment paper
to allow for spreading.

Whether you call them Sables, shortbread, or simply butter cookies,
this type of simple cookie is loved throughout the world.
Served with tea, or packed in a lunch, or maybe an afternoon
snack, dunked in a glass of cold milk.

This dough can be prepared ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap,
in the refrigerator, ready to bake up and serve at a moments notice.

My oldest brother is a huge fan of shortbread cookies, I might even dare to say
that shortbread cookies are his favorite cookies, but since
he considers himself a cookie aficionado, I don't know if he could
limit himself to just one cookie as a favorite.

I prepared these Sables cookies to give to him as a birthday treat.
I know he will be guarding the stash so that it will last as long as possible.

If preparing these during a holiday, roll the outside in colored sugar
to go with the occasion.

As Always,

ENJOY!

Source: Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted before measuring

1/2 teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour.

For the decoration (optional):

1 egg yolk

Large crystal or dazzle sugar, colored or plain

1. Working in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until it is smooth and very creamy. Add the sugars and salt and continue to beat until smooth and velvety, not fluffy and airy, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in 2 egg yolks, again beating until well blended.

2. Turn off the mixer, pour in the flour, and pulse the mixer about 5 times at low speed for 1 or 2 seconds each time.  Then continuing at low speed, stir for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough and the dough looks uniformly moist. If you still have some flour on the bottom of the bowl, stop mixing and use a rubber spatula to work the rest of it into the dough. The dough will not come together in a ball -- and it shouldn't. You want to work the dough as little as possible. What you're aiming for is a soft, moist, clumpy dough. 

3. Scrape the dough onto a work surface, gather it into a ball and divide it in half. Shape each piece into a smooth log about 9 inches long. Wrap the logs well and chill them for at least 3 hours. The dough may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

4. When ready to bake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

5. To decorate the edges of the sablés, whisk the egg yolk until smooth. Place one log of chilled dough on a piece of waxed paper and brush it with yolk (the glue), and then sprinkle the entire surface of the log with sugar. Trim the ends of the roll if they are ragged and slice the log into 1/3-inch-thick cookies.

6. Place the rounds on the baking sheet, leaving an inch of space between each cookie, and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, rotating the baking sheet at the halfway point. The cookies should be golden brown around the edges when done.

French Pear Tart

Hot out of the oven, this tart smells and looks divine!

The simplicity of these three ingredients combined, 

makes for such an elegant dessert.

The partially baked crust, spread evenly with the 

almond filling, and then the pears, sliced and laid

carefully on top. 

My eldest brother loves desserts with pears.

I just had to make this fabulous tart for his birthday celebration.

Every last piece disappeared so quickly, you would hardly believe 

there were four other desserts I made as well.

But honestly, who can resist a buttery crust with simple toppings!

As Always,

ENJOY!

Source: Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

For the pears:

6 canned pear halves OR 3 medium pears, firm but ripe

1 lemon

4 cups water, if poaching

1 1/4 cups sugar, if poaching

For the almond cream:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup ground blanched almonds

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 large egg

2 teaspoons light/dark rum or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Sweet Tart Dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick plus 1 tablespoon (4 1/2 ounces) very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg yolk

Dough

• Put the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine.  Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is cut in coarsely.  Stir the egg, just to break it up, and add it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition.  When the egg is in, process in long pulses (about 10 seconds each) until the dough, which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and curds.  Turn the dough out onto a work surface.
• Very, very lightly and sparingly knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.
• Butter the tart pan and press the dough evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the pan.  Don’t press so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture.  Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, before baking.
• To partially bake the crust, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit the foil tightly against the crust.  Bake the crust 25 minutes, then carefully remove the foil.  If the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon.  Bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer the crust to a cooling rack; keep it in its pan.

Pears

• If you are using fresh pears and want to poach them, peel them and leave them whole.
• Bring the 4 cups water, the 1 1/4 cups sugar and the juice of the lemon to a boil in a saucepan just large enough to hold the pears.
• Add the pears to the boiling syrup, lower the heat so the syrup simmers and gently poach the pears until they are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes.
• Cool the pears to room temperature in the syrup.

Almond Cream

• Put the butter and sugar in a food processor and process until the mixture is smooth and satiny.
• Add the ground almonds and continue to process until well blended.
• Add the flour and cornstarch, process, and then add the egg. Process for about 15 seconds more, or until the almond cream is smooth.
• Add the rum or vanilla and process just to blend.  (The cream can be made in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a bowl with a rubber spatula.  In either case, the ingredients are added in the same order.)
• Scrape the almond cream into a container and either use it immediately or refrigerate it until firm, about 2 hours.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Have a lined baking sheet at the ready.
• If you are using fresh (unpoached) pears, peel them now.  If you are using poached or unpoached pears, cut them in half from stem to bottom and core them; rub the unpoached pears with lemon juice.  Pat the pears very dry (so that their liquid won’t keep the almond cream from baking).
• Fill the baked crust with the almond cream, spreading it even with a spatula.  Thinly slice each pear half crosswise, lift each half on a spatula, press down on the pear to fan it slightly and place it, wide-end toward the edge of the crust, over the almond cream.  The halves will form spokes.
• Put the crust on the lined baking sheet, slide the sheet into the oven and bake the tart 50 to 60 minutes, or until the almond cream puffs up around the pears and browns.  Transfer the tart to a rack to cool to just warm or to room temperature before removing from the pan.
• You can prepare a glaze by simmering the pear syrup until it has thickened into a glaze. Reserve this to brush on the tart before serving. Right before serving, brush the glaze over the surface of the tart and dust it with confectioners’ sugar.

If you do not already own this book by Dorie Greenspan, I highly recommend it!

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake

Chocolate and Peanut, a flavor combination that comes in so 

many variations, and we love them all!  Whether it is a candy bar, 

a cookie, ice cream, a chilled pie, or a cake, as fabulous as this one!

The cake can be prepared ahead and wrapped in plastic, and the caramel sauce

can be prepared ahead and kept in the refrigerator. When ready to assemble

heat the sauce and add the peanuts.  Spoon all the peanuts over the cake 

and then add additional sauce so it runs over the side. 

Make sure your cake plate is large enough for the puddles 

of caramel that will form at the bottom.

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Source: Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:
For the brownie cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
3 tbsp. light corn syrup
½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
2 cups sugar
½ cup water
1½ tbsp. light corn syrup
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup honey roasted peanuts

Directions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F.  Butter an 8-inch springform pan, dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper.  Place the springform pan on a baking sheet.

To make the cake, combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl; whisk together and set aside.  Add the butter and chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients are just melted – do not let them get so hot that the butter separates.  Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugars until well blended.  Whisk in the corn syrup, followed by the vanilla.  Add in the melted butter and chocolate mixture, and whisk until combined.  Gently whisk in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are just incorporated.  The batter should be thick, smooth and shiny.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and jiggle the pan a bit to even out the batter.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 15 minutes, then run a thin knife between the cake and the pan and carefully remove the sides of the springform.  The cake may have puffed up during baking, but don’t be concerned if it develops a crater in the center while cooling.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  When the cake is totally cool, invert it, remove the base of the pan and peel off the parchment paper.  Turn the cake right side up onto a serving platter.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, stirring just to combine the ingredients.  Place the pan over medium-high heat.  Heat, without stirring, until the caramel turns deep amber, 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size of your saucepan and the intensity of the heat.  As the sugar is caramelizing, wipe down any splatters on the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.  To test the color of the caramel, drop a bit onto a white plate.  Don’t be timid about the color – if it’s too pale, it won’t have much flavor.

Lower the heat a bit and, standing back from the saucepan, add the cream and butter.  When the spatters are less vehement, stir to calm down the caramel and dissolve any lumps.  Stir in the peanuts and pour the caramel and peanuts into a 1-quart Pyrex measuring cup or a heatproof bowl.

You will have more caramel than you need, but you want to get all of the peanuts onto the cake, so spoon all of the peanuts out of the hot caramel and onto the top of the cake.   Pour or spoon enough caramel to cover all the nuts, drizzling a bit over the edges of the cake for presentation.  Allow the topping to set at room temperature, about 20 minutes, before serving.  Keep the leftover caramel at room temperature and save for another use.

If you are a baker, and don't already own this book, I highly recommend it!

Baking Soda Fire Pail

This morning I was talking with a group of friends. 

The subject of kitchen fires and fire extinguishers came up. 

I mentioned the baking soda kitchen pail, 

and none of them had ever heard of it. 

Funny how we can think some things are common knowledge,

but I guess it really depends on what you grow up with. 

My mother had a baking soda fire pail on top of the ovens, 

which was right next to the stove top. 

I don't know that my mom ever had to use it for a kitchen fire, 

but it was there and ready if ever needed. 

The Fire Pail is simply a one pound coffee can

filled with baking soda and covered with

the cans plastic lid. 

You can print "Fire Pail" on some red paper and

cut it to size for the can. 

Wrap the can and glue or tape the paper in the back 

to secure it. 

Put it within easy reach of your stove, so it is at the ready. 

This does not replace having a real fire extinguisher in your kitchen, 

which may be necessary for a larger fire. The baking soda is for 

small fires, especially grease fires.  Never throw water

on a grease fire, instead grab for your Fire Pail!!

As Always,

ENJOY!

and STAY SAFE!

Green Beans Gremolata

Yet, another, great do ahead recipe.  

The gremolata can be prepared ahead and the 

green beans can be blanched, and kept in the refrigerator,

until you are ready to assemble your dinner. 

Then just reheat the beans and toss on the topping.

As Always,

ENJOY!

Source: Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten

• 1 pound French green beans, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 2½ tablespoons good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Drain the beans in a colander and immediately put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.

For the gremolata, toss the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, Parmesan, and pine nuts in a small bowl and set aside.

When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drain the beans and pat them dry. Add the beans to the pan and sauté, turning frequently, for 2 minutes, until coated with olive oil and heated through. Off the heat, add the gremolata and toss well. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and serve hot.