Brownies

I’ve never been one to have much of a sweet tooth but, this last week I just haven’t been able to get enough sugar. Then to top it off, the Food Network was broadcasting shows this morning all featuring chocolate. I went to work thinking about chocolate and had to fire up the oven and make a batch of brownies as soon as I got home. This is a recipe I have had for years, and have really enjoyed it every time I make it. I usually do a brownie mix, because it’s so quick and easy, but tonight I thought it would be so much better to have the ultimate, chocolaty, moist, dense, delicious brownie that you can only get from scratch. I’m not a fan of chocolate chips or nuts in my brownies, but if that something you like, please feel free to throw them in!

Brownies

2 ½ Sticks Butter (18 Tablespoons, cut into small pieces)
12 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (buy the best ones you can find)
1 ¼ Cups Flour
3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
4 Eggs
2 1/3 Cups Sugar
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla

In a double boiler, add the butter and chocolate chips, stir occasionally until melted, remove bowl from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, set aside. Place the eggs into your mixer bowl and beat until blended, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium speed until light yellow and well combined. Next add the vanilla and blend until just combined. Remove the bowl from you mixer and fold in the chocolate mixture until blended. Next add the dry ingredients to the batter in three additions, gently folding each addition with a spatula.

Pour the batter into a 9x13 inch baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool on a wire rack before removing from pan or cutting into squares.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes

I was trying to think of a treat to take to work the other day and cupcakes came to mind. I hardly ever make them, because I literally forget about them. It’s interesting to me how people respond to a cupcake versus a regular cake and the fact that just having it in a single serve size brings such happiness to people. I hate to admit it but I used a chocolate cake mix for these and then made my favorite chocolate frosting (hence the lack of a recipe for this posting). Piping icing on cupcakes always seems easier to me than individually frosting them with a knife, and I think it looks a little better too. So here’s to a yummy cupcake, which was forgotten and brought back to existence! If you are feeling guilty using a boxed cake mix and need a recipe for chocolate cake, you can find it here.

Chocolate Frosting

1 Stick unsalted butter, melted (do not substitute margarine here, please!)
2/3 Cups Cocoa
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/3 Cups Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Combine cocoa with melted butter in mixing bowl and mix until combined. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk 1/3 at a time while mixer is at a medium speed. Add more milk if necessary until desired consistency is reached. Stir in vanilla.

Blueberry Scones

My friend Doug and I made these for breakfast when I was back east, and they were delicious! These are a little fluffier than a traditional scone, but have a nice texture and flavor.

Blueberry Scones

4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar, plus additional for sprinkling

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup cold heavy cream

3/4 cup blueberries

1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 4 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the cold butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour and butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, add them to the dough, and mix quickly. The dough may be a bit sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into squares with a 4-inch plain or fluted cutter, and then cut them in half diagonally to make triangles. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outsides are crisp and the insides are fully baked.

Recipe by Ina Garten, Food Network

New York Cheesecake

Why does everyone say that cheesecake is so hard to make? This is a super easy recipe that doesn’t even require a water bath. This makes a giant cheesecake too, so it would be great for a large dinner party.
I got this recipe from my friend Doug. Thanks for making this and letting me post it!

New York Cheesecake

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
5 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream

Mix crumbs, 3 Tbsp sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 9 or 10-inch springformpan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Mix cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition, just until blended. Blend in sour cream. Pour over crust.
Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Top with pie filling and garnish, if desired.
Makes 12 servings

Pumpkin Cake

I got this recipe out of my Bon Appetit magazine, but changed a few things in the recipe. I hate to be a snob but my cake looked much prettier than the one that they showed in the magazine! This is a really REALLY yummy cake and will be the perfect complement to any fall meal.

Pumpkin Cake

3 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
2 Teaspoons Ground Allspice
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Cups Sugar
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
1 15 Ounce Can Pure Pumpkin
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
¾ Cup Raisins
¾ Cup Sweetened Flaked Coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour three 8 inch cake pans, or two 9 inch cake pans. Sift together flour and next 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and oil in large bowl until combined (mixture will look grainy). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated. Stir in raisins and coconut. Divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth tops.
Bake Cakes until tester toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about1 hour. Cool cakes completely in pans on rack. Run knife around cakes and loosen. Invert cakes onto racks.
Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Chocolate Gnache

I don’t think there is anything better than chocolate cake with a warm chocolate gnache over the top for dessert. This recipe is a sure way to impress your guests and look like a gourmet chef; they don’t have to know how easy it really is. I serve this with my delicious chocolate cake deluxe recipe, but if you are in a hurry you could whip up a brownie mix or cake mix and use this to make it your own. This is also a great topping for ice cream, or cooled as a filling for chocolate truffles.

Chocolate Gnache

1 Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, I like to use Ghirardelli brand
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tablespoon Butter

Heat butter and heavy whipping cream in top of double boiler until hot and butter is melted. Add chocolate chips and whisk until smooth and all chocolate is melted.
Drizzle large spoonful over cake and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Pecan Sticky Buns

This is the best recipe ever! It comes out of my mom's church recipe book....it was a huge hit at Brunch!!!

Pecan Sticky Buns

1-3 ¾ oz. package butterscotch pudding mix (not the instant kind)

½ cup butter

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

¾ cups brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans, or walnuts

1 bag frozen Rhodes white bread rolls

Combine pudding mix, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Place 20 frozen rolls into well buttered bundt pan. Melt butter and pour over frozen roll dough. Sprinkle with dry pudding mixture, cover lightly with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight. The dough will rise beautifully by morning.

Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Invert pan on platter and serve warm.

Plum Tatin

Plum Tatin

¾ Stick Unsalted Butter (6 Tablespoons), at room temperature

8-10 Plums, cut in half and pitted

1/3 Cup Water

1 ½ Cups Sugar, divided

2 Eggs

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 ¼ Cups Flour

½ Teaspoon Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon Salt

Coat glass pie plate with non-stick cooking spray and spread plums cut side down on bottom of dish.Combine water and 1 cup of the sugar in small saucepan, cook over high heat until light amber in color (360 degrees on candy thermometer), do not stir. Pour over the plums.

Cream butter and remaining ½ cups sugar over medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat over low until just combined. Next add sour cream and vanilla, beat on medium speed until combined.Add Flour, baking powder and salt, beat on low until just combined, do not over-mix.

Spread cake batter evenly over plums and place into pre-heated 350 degree oven.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes, then invert onto serving plate.

*Recipe adapted from "Barefoot In Paris" by Ina Garten