JennaDish

Vegan Banana Everything Cookies

 

I'm not vegan, but I'm intrigued by the idea of making cookies out of ingredients that don't rely on animals. Allen likes to mispronounce vegan just to get on my nerves.  His version sounds like they are cookies from Las Vegas.

These are from a neat little cookbook called Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero. Some of the vegan ingredients are foreign to me, so I started with a recipe that called for common cookie ingredients.

 

And just to prove I had a limited social schedule on January 15, 2012, the day I made these, I made 8 variations of Banana Everything Cookies. 

All had chopped pecans.  So my variable ingredients were cinnamon chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips,  bittersweet chocolate chunks ...

 ... or rolling them in crushed pretzels, or ground nuts/sugar.

Here's the basic recipe, then I'll reveal my findings.  The bottom line is, out of my 8 versions, 2 really shined.  This test kitchen method really helps you to learn, with one dough mix and one sitting, what works and what doesn't as far as combinations, so that you can learn those basic rules in other recipes.

P.S. I did not use vegan chocolate chips because I just hadn't found them yet, and I don't think they make vegan cinnamon chips at all.  There is one maker of vegan white chocolate chips but you will likely have to order them online. 

Banana Everything Cookies
Compliments of JennaDish

from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN

1 very ripe medium banana (I used 1 small frozen ripe banana + 1/4 ripe fresh)
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar (I used raw sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla (whoops forgot this, and lived to tell about it)
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I used Vietnamese cinnamon)
2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) oats or old-fashioned rolled oats (I used the latter)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (or cinnamon chips if you're not really vegan, or white chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350^o.  Lightly grease two baking sheets.

In a mixing bowl, mash the banana well.  You can use a fork for this, or your hands (I used a potato masher).  Add the oil, sugar, and vanilla and mix with a strong fork.  Add the flour baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and mix until the dry ingredients are just moistened.  Add the oatmeal, walnuts, and chocolate chips and mix well.  It's actually good to use your hands for misxing when using oatmeal, that way you make sure that the oats get nice and moist.  If the dough is very slippery, you might want to add a few tablespoons extra flour - it depends on how big your banana was.

Clean your hands and roll the dough into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball.  Flatten it a bit in your hands and place each ball about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned.  Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

******************************

*Variation 1: with cinnamon chips only
Very good, consider using less chips to allow banana flavor to come through. Careful to tuck in chips so they don't get burnt.

Variation 2: no chips, just pecans
More banana taste, but plainer and dryer.

Variation 3: no chips, but rolled in mixture of wheat germ, ground nuts, brown sugar
Much better than #2 but would be better with raisins for sweetness and texture.

*Variation 4: no chips, rolled in crushed pretzels
Very good, pretzels are better to roll in.  The salt helps, no raisins needed because you can taste the banana more.

Variation 5: with chocolate chips only
Very good but chocolate overpowers.  Hardly any banana taste.

Variation 6:  with cinnamon chips and bittersweet chocolate chunks
YUK.

Variation 7:  with only bitterweet chocolate chunks
Better than above but too bitter and no banana taste.

Variation 8: with chocolate chips, rolled in crushed pretzels
No, can't taste banana much, the salt is nice though.

Amish Friendship Bread

 

 

Came home from work and fixed dinner.  Looked at my sad-looking plastic bag of Amish Friendship Bread Starter that has been laying around a few days.  Read the bag and discovered that today is Wednesday.  Day 10.  Oh crap. 

 
This is the big day.  I'm supposed to add to the starter, and make 2 loaves of bread.  I have all the ingredients.  I even have the instant vanilla pudding.  I guess that means I should go ahead and do it.

Helpful Hint:  Since you have to keep the starter outside of the fridge, I kept it in an urn-type holder to keep it protected from getting thrown around on the counter.

 

 After mixing the batter and pouring in the pans, there are instructions that you can sprinkle a cinnamon sugar mixture on the top, or not.  So I decided to sprinkle it lightly on one and not on the other.  I can't stand overly sweet quick breads.

 You can taste the cinnamon-sugar with both versions because of the sugar-dusted pan...

but the big difference is what it does to the looks of the bread.  Crackled and rustic vs. smooth and pound-cake-like.  Again, both are awesome. 

These are the 4 additional (1 cup) starters it makes in addition to the bread.

 

Amish Friendship Bread

MAKES TWO 9” LOAVES and 4 cups of starter for friends

To be left on counter, not meant to be refrigerated.  Burp bag as needed.

Day 1 - receive the starter and do nothing
Day 2 - Mush the bag.
Day 3 - Mush the bag.
Day 4 - Mush the bag.
Day 5 - Mush the bag.
Day 6 - Add to the bag 1 cup each flour (I recommend unbleached, all-purpose flour), sugar (plain white) and milk (I used skim milk, but usually doesn’t matter). Mush the bag.
Day 7 - Mush the bag.
Day 8 - Mush the bag.
Day 9 - Mush the bag.
Day 10 - Follow these instructions:

1. Pour the entire contents of the bag into a non-metal bowl.
2. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups milk. Stir.
3. Measure one cup batter into four 1-gallon Ziploc bags and give to friends along with a copy of the recipe. (Keep one for yourself if you want to make bread again in 10 days.)
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. (baked mine at 300 degrees on convection  setting)

5. Add to the remaining batter:

3 eggs (bringing eggs to room temperature is a generally accepted practice in baking)
1 cup oil (I used canola oil)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon (I used Vietnamese cinnamon)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
1 large (5.1 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding (I used French vanilla flavor)
1/2 tsp. salt (I used fine grain sea salt)

6. Grease 2 large loaf pans (my instructions say glass, but I used metal and turned out great)
7. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Dust the greased pans with 1/2 of this mixture.
8. Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans.  Optional: sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the tops of the breads. (I lightly sprinkled one loaf, none on the other.  The big difference is that the sugared version cracks and looks beautifully rustic.  The unsugared loaf remains smooth and looks like a pound cake. Both taste great.)
9. Bake 1 hour (until golden brown and firm on top.  I added an extra 5 minutes.) Cool the bread  a few minutes.  Run a knife along the edge of bread and gently turn out of pan onto a cooling rack. 

If you keep a starter for yourself, you will be baking every 10 days. The bread is very good and makes a great gift. Only the Amish know how to create the starter, so if you give them all away, you will have to wait until someone gives you one back. ENJOY!!

Here is a recipe for the starter that I HAVE NOT tried.  Got it from

Amish Friendship Bread Starter
This is the Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe that you’ll need to make the Amish Friendship Bread.

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110°F)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk (110°F)

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes. Stir well.
2. In a 2 quart glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup sifted flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or the flour will get lumpy when you add the milk.
3. Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Loosely cover the mixture with a lid or plastic wrap. The mixture will get bubbly. 

Follow the 10-day instructions above for Amish Friendship Bread. The day you make the starter is Day 1.

Allen's Valentine's Day Apple Crisp

 
Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Allen loves apple pie, apple crisp, anything with cooked apples.  So....

 I dug out my heart-shaped pan and made some apple crisp a la mode.

Apple Crisp
Compliments of JennaDish

adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe

SERVES 4-6

4 tart apples (like Granny Smiths), peeled, cored sliced
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats (not instant packets)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or slice almonds (optional-makes a crunchier topping)

Preheat oven to 375^o.  Grease bottom and sides of 8" square or heart-shaped pan with shortening.

Spread apples in pan.  In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients, cutting butter into dry ingredients with pastry mixer, butter knives.  Sprinkle mix over apples evenly.

Bake about 30 minutes, until golden brown and starting to bubble on the edges.  Serve with ice cream.

 

Texas Sheet Cake

 

Texas Sheet Cake is like a giant cakey, iced brownie.  I like this version with a little bit of cinnamon, and using lighter ingredients where you can, without sacrificing taste.

 

This is my dessert offering for our 2nd Annual Nephrology Chili Cookoff tomorrow to benefit Artswave.

Here's a sneak peak of my entry, Jenna's Cha-Cha-Cha Chili. 

 

 

Texas Sheet Cake
Compliments of JennaDish

from Cooking Light

Cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
 
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
 
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (more below)
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, divided
2 large eggs
 
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup fat-free milk
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set aside.

Weigh or lightly spoon 9 ounces (2 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 9 ounces flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Combine 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Pour into flour mixture. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.

Combine 6 tablespoons butter, fat-free milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in powdered sugar; stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla and pecans. Spread over hot cake. Cool completely on wire rack.

 

Individual Apple Cinnamon Crostatas

 

 

Here's what you can do with a little leftover pie dough.   This is about 1/3 of one single pie crust. 

With a single pie dough and 1 Granny Smith apple, some brown sugar, cinnamon and flour, you can make 1 to 3 little crostatas.

If you need a pie dough recipe, here's a rye dough and here's a pate brisee or short pastry, and here's my Mom's No Fail Pie Crust to give you some choices.  The above shows a rye dough (doesn't really taste like rye) - just makes it slightly heartier.

Individual Apple Cinnamon Crostata
Compliments of JennaDish

MAKES ONE CROSTATA

1/3 of a single pie crust, or about 1/8" thick by 5" diameter
1/3 of a Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced very thin
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon flour
1 egg, lightly beaten for brushing dough (1 egg will be enough for up to 3 crostatas)
sprinkling sugar

Preheat oven to 350^o.

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and flour in a small bowl. 

Lay out the dough - it can be round or square or somewhere in between.  Sprinkle about 1/3 of of the brown sugar mixture in the middle.  Place all the apples in the middle that will fit, sprinkling more of the sugar mixture within the pile.  Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top.  Fold the sides up, keeping some apples exposed in the middle, as in the photo.

With a pastry brush, brush top of dough with beaten egg then sprinkle with sugar. 

Place on a baking sheet, protected with parchment paper or aluminum foil (sugar mixture will ooze out).  Bake until apples and at least a little bubbly and the dough is golden, about 10+ minutes depending on how cold the dough was to start.

Golden Syrup Buttermilk Pie

 

 
Saw an enticing-looking buttermilk pie on the website 101cookbooks.com.  Never had it. Had to make it.

What do you think, Gracie?

Never mind.

I don't make pies too often - about once a year.  Therefore I'm not an expert, yet.  The actual dough mixing and rolling went just fine.  Prebaking, though, is tricky and I goofed it up the first time and it shrank.  Here's the great looking dough before baking...

 

 
and here it is afterwards, dagnabbit (in the spirit of the reality show, Gold Rush, I feel like talkin' like a prospector now) ...

 

 
So my pie dun went all shrinky dink on me.  This is on a count of I didn't get this here pie dough cold enough afore bakin' it.  I went an' gave it another go with these here itty bitty pies

 

 
an' put 'em in the freezer for dang near 30 minutes, which kep 'em from shrinkin' whilst they was bakin'.  

Well, bust my britches, it worked!

Yee hah!  Lookie here ...

 

 
Pay you no mind to the pie on the fer side there.  It ain't nowheres near as bad it looks.  They both are right near perty.  I'm a fixin' to shed me a tear.

 

 

An' oh the taste o' this here pie is like ... is like....

Wow, I just googled "How to talk like a prospector" for a little help, and great balls o' fire, you ain't a gonna believe this.  We just missed Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day by one week.  I think I got some kinda ESP startin' ta talk like a prospector afore I even knew they went an' made a special day just fer it.

OK I'm tired now.  Scooby doo wave.  Scooby doo wave. Scooby doo wave. I'm me again now.

Here's the recipe... I didn't have the two main ingredients (real buttermilk and maple syrup) so I adapted it greatly, therefore I changed the name from Maple Buttermilk Pie to Golden Syrup Buttermilk Pie.  Turned out terrific.  Seriously, I took one bite and I turned into an animal, with my arm moving a piece to my mouth every 2 seconds, my eyes darting to the sides to check if someone was around to take my pie.  Or to judge me.

Golden Syrup Buttermilk Pie
Compliments of JennaDish

adapted from www.101cookbooks.com

MAKES 8 SERVINGS (One 9" pie)

Rye Pie Dough (makes enough for 2 single crusts - only need one for this recipe)

2/3 cup rye flour

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cold
1/4 - 1/3 cup cold water

Pie Filling
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Lyle's Golden Syrup
2 cups buttermilk (made my own with 2 cups skim milk + 2 Tblsp white vinegar, let sit 10+ min)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract plus a squeeze of vanilla bean, if available
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

 

Pie Dough:

 

Put flours, salt, and butter in that order, in food processor.  Pulse a few times and stop when butter is in large chunks, pea-sized or larger.  Pour in 1/4 cup cold water then quickly pulse a few times. DON'T overprocess. Check the consistency - should hold together when squeezed between fingers.  At this point, I usually go ahead and add another 1 Tablespoon cold water and run a couple of seconds just to make sure it's not too dry.  Your call.

Empty dough onto a clean board, divide into two equal parts, and shape into two rounds and flatten a bit.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap or in plastic baggies.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.  When ready to roll, remove one half from refrigerator, let sit about 5-10 minutes so it's not too cold to roll out.

 

Preheat oven to 375^oF with a rack in the bottom third.

 

Roll dough on floured surface (leave other in fridge a couple days or freeze, well-wrapped a few weeks or use this apple recipe with your extra pie dough).  Roll dough away from you one direction, then another direction, then flip over and keep rolling and moving and flipping in this way so dough doesn't stick to anything.  Roll to 11-12-inch inches around. 

 

Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pie dough. Trim overhang to about 1 1/2 inches of dough past the rim of the plate edge. Tuck the overhanging dough under, and crimp with a fork or your fingers. Poke the crust a few times with a fork, then place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes while you make the filling.

For filling, combine lemon zest, brown sugar, egg yolks, and flour in a medium bowl. Whisk until the flour is lump free. Gradually add the golden syrup, stirring. Add buttermilk, vanilla, vanilla bean if using, and sea salt.  Set aside or in fridge if longer than 20 minutes.

 

Pre-bake the pie shell. To do this, line with parchment paper, fill to the top with pie weights (or heavy beans or pennies), and bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the weights with parchment, and continue baking for another 10 minutes, until golden.  May want to place a pie edge protector or make-shift foil ring if edges are getting too golden too soon.  Remove to wire rack.

Lower the oven temperature to 325^oF.

Let the pie shell cool completely.  When ready to bake, place on a baking sheet and fill with most of the filling. Place in oven near edge in order to pour remaining filling in shell, quickly.  Scoot to center of rack and bake until the filling is set, about an hour. Carefully remove from oven, sprinkle with sanding sugar, and cool on a rack.  Cooled pie slices cleaner than warm pie.

If making mini pies, they take the same amount of baking time for the filling.  Prebaking may take slightly less time - keep an eye on it.  I would recommend covering the edge of pie crust the entire 1 hour of baking the filling.  Peak near end and remove protector if edge needs to be more golden.

 

Banoffee Cheesecake (Banana Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce)

 

 

 

Evidently banoffee is a British term for a dessert that includes bananas, cream and toffee (we go by caramel in the U.S.).  Bananas + toffee = banoffee.  Unless Wikipedia is wrong. But I don't think so.  When I was in graduate school, we were thoroughly warned about the evil Wikipedia and how it can't be relied upon for research.  But I don't think it's a big stretch to trust that someone in England decided it would be cute to call bananas and toffee ban-offee. 

Either way - this was great.  Didn't have much of a banana taste, which I will take responsibility for.  I was supposed to use overripe bananas but I had none.  I had to buy new ones and hope they would ripen a lot overnight....

They didn't do too bad.  These front bananas looked like the back bananas when I bought them.  To hasten the ripening process, put the bananas in a closed paper bag with an apple.  Put them in a warm place but not necessarily over an open fire, or else you'll have a flaming bag of bananas.

Did you know you can freeze bananas?  Oh yes.  Yes, you can. I toss them in the door of my fridge whole, peel and all.  Turns black.  When ready to use, just thaw on counter for 15 minutes or so and unpeel.  They will be very mushy but perfect for recipes like this one or banana bread. 

 Wow this was close.  I think I might need a bigger food processor.

 This was the star of the show, though.  

The caramel sauce is made from Lyle's Golden Syrup (tastes like a thick, mellow honey) and brown sugar and butter.  Triple yum.

This is a make-the-day-before recipe because it needs to sit in the fridge overnight.  When you are ready to bake, all cold ingredients should be room temperature, so put the cream cheese out in a bowl, sans wrapper, about an hour ahead.  You can take the chill off eggs by putting them in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 10-15 minutes.

Banoffee Cheesecake
Compliments of JennaDish

from Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

SERVES 10

for the base:
18 sheets graham crackers, crushed (for 2 1/2 cups crumbs)
6 Tablespoons soft unsalted butter

for the cheesecake:
4 overripe medium-sized bananas
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 8-ounce bars cream cheese, room temperature
6 eggs
3/4 cup (packed) plus 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar

for the caramel sauce:
7 Tablespoons soft unsalted butter
1/2 cup golden syrup (such as Lyle's Golden Syrup)
1/3 cup light brown sugar

A 9-inch springform cake pan
A roasting pan, for a water bath

Preheat the oven to 325^o and put a full kettle on to boil (measure amount of water you'll need for water to go 1/2 way up the round pan in your roasting pan- I need more like 2 kettles full).  Wrap the outside (underneath and sides) of your springform pan with a double layer of plastic wrap, then cover that with a double layer of aluminum foil.  (No, the plastic wrap will not melt.)  This will act as a waterproof casing to protect the cheesecake as it sits in its water bath.

Process the graham crackers (I put them in a plastic zip bag and crushed them with a rolling pin first because my current food processor doesn't do a great job with crackers) with the 6 Tablespoons of butter until you have a sandy rubble that is beginning to clump, and press into the bottom of the prepard pan.  Set this in the refrigerator and clean out, thoroughly, the processor bowl - no crumbs.

Mash the bananas well with a fork (I used a potato masher), add the fresh lemon juice, and set aside.

Process the cream cheese until smooth, then add the eggs and sugar.  Last, add the mashed bananas with lemon juice, processing until you have a smooth mixture.

Put the wrapped springform pan in the middle of the roasting pan, and pour the cheesecake filling into your springform.

Now put the roasting pan with springform into the oven and pour the recently boiled water into the roasting pan so that it comes halfway up the springform.  Cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes, checking after 1 hour.  The very center of the cheesecake should still have a hint of a wobble, but should seem set on top.  (In my oven, this took 1 hour and 15 minutes total - heed the "hint of a wobble" more than the exact time).

Remove from the oven and, still wearing your oven mitts, take the springform out of the water bath and place on a cooling rack.  Gently and carefully peel away the outside layers of plastic wrap and foil, and let the cheesecake continue cooling on the rack. (Do not unmold until after refrigerated overnight).

Put the cheesecake into the refrigerator but dont' cover it till it's fully chilled, then leave overnight - and remember to remove it from the refrigerator about 1/2 hour before you want to eat it. (Actually mine sat out only 10-15 minutes and it unmolded beautifully.)

To make the sauce, melt the butter with the golden syrup and sugar in a saucepan over a gentle heat until everything comes to a bubble, then let it bubble, keeping an eye on it for 1-2 minutes.  It will be a foamy, amber mixture like liquid honeycomb.  Then let it cool slighly before pouring into a small pitcher and leaving to cool further; it will thicken as it cools.

To help unmold the cheesecake, work a thin, flexible spatula around the top edge, before unspringing from the pan, then put it on a serving plate, preferably one with a lip.  Whisk the caramel sauce in the pitcher and drizzle some over the cheesecake, leaving the rest for people to add greedily as they eat.

Double Chocolate Brownies

 Birthday Brownies!!!


Alyssa requested for her birthday either an apple pie, Rice Krispie treats, or brownies.

 I chose to make her Brownies.

She and her sister thought they were too chocolatey.  I haven't found one person (other than my two daughters) who thinks anything can be too chocolatey.

Oh well.  My friends and I (and Allen) thought they were awesome.  Especially with spumoni ice cream after an Italian dinner.

Double Chocolate Brownies
Compliments of JennaDish

from Martha Stewart Cookies

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used bittersweet)
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang.  Butter lining (not overhang).  Put butter, chocolate, and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until melted.  Let cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salit in a bowl.  Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale, about 4 minutes.  Add chocolate mixture; mix until combined.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture; mix, scraping down sides of bowl, until well combines.

Pour batter into pan; spread evenly with a spatula.  Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet about 35 minutes.  Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes.  Lift out; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.  Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Fleur de Sel Toffee

Sometimes I spend a lot of time and effort on a meal or recipe and it doesn't work out for one reason or another.  Whether it's the recipe or the cook, being hurried, not having the right equipment, not planning ahead... it happens. 

But this new recipe was a happy moment.  I did become highly frustrated at the person who evidently "submerged" my candy thermometer in water.  Condensation covered the little red line, so the candy was bubbling and seemingly burning as I tried to guess the temperature ... but it still (amazingly) worked out.

Gave this as a gift to friends at work.  Tastes like a lightly salted Heath bar, without the chocolate.

Jenna's Tips:  I poured this candy into a half sheet rimmed baking sheet, sized approximately 13" x 18".  Perfect size, however some of my baking sheets are bowed from oven heat.  I didn't consider this and my candy was slightly thinner in the middle of the pan, and slightly thicker on the edges.  Choose one that is completely flat to get even pieces.

Also, the recipe doesn't mention how much salt to use.  I believe I used about 1 Tablespoon, or slightly more, over the whole surface.

Fleur de Sel Toffee
Compliments of JennaDish

from MarthaStewart.com

MAKES 2 POUNDS (two 6" diameter x 3" high gift tins)

Vegetable oil, cooking spray
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter
2 2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
Fleur de sel, for sprinkling

Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Bring butter, sugar, water, and corn syrup to a boil in a large saucepan, whisking frequently until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Cook, undisturbed, until mixture registers 300 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 12 minutes.

Whisk toffee mixture, then immediately pour onto prepared sheet, tilting pan to spread over entire surface. Let stand for 30 seconds, then sprinkle with fleur de sel. Let cool. (Do not move the pan for first 30 minutes.) Break toffee into pieces. Toffee will keep, covered, for up to 1 week.

 

Christmas-Spiced Chocolate Cake

 

Popped into the Walnut Hills Library to renew my library card.  Spotted Nigella Christmas propped up on a display.  Grabbed it. 

Found this cake recipe and couldn't wait to try it.  So I decided this would be my offering for the church Christmas Party.  

Tasted great.  Would do a few minor things different next time.

Here's what it looked like the next day.  This is a flourless chocolate cake, made with 6 eggs.  So it's like a cross between a brownie (top) and a custard pie (bottom).  And just like many cakes and pies, it can be better the next day.  You can pick this up and eat it like a brownie.  You make it in a 9" spring form pan.

Notes to Self
1) Serving the cake on the bottom of the spring form pan with wet parchment paper left on bottom works fine, but is not the greatest when taking to a party.  People who don't understand this cake will likely think it's soggy and maybe even underdone. To resolve:  Plate the cake.  Flip the cake after it's cooled enough, remove the parchment, place on flat serving plate.

2) Caramelized almond slivers stick together in clumps.  Makes a pretty presentation but impractical for cutting through them.  You can easily scoot them over and cut the cake, but other ideas are:  when ready to serve, take the cake into the kitchen, remove the clumps of glued-together almonds, slice all the cake and place on plates.  As it's time to serve each person, plop some whipped cream on each piece and top with the almonds.  Or slice the cake without the almonds on it while leaving it on the serving plate, then toss the almonds back on.  

3) The batter leaks a bit through the bottom.  To resolve:  When preparing pan, before pouring batter in, put the pan on a piece of foil large enough to cover the bottom and come up over the seams about 2 inches.  Form the foil around the bottom tightly.

Some prep photos...

Christmas-Spiced Chocolate Cake
Compliments of JennaDish

from Nigella Lawson's Nigella Christmas 

MAKES 10-12 SLICES

Nigella recommends serving with Cointreau Cream - whisk 1 cup heavy cream until softly whipped, with about 3 Tablespoons of Cointreau Cream (or Triple Sec or Grand Marnier).

For the Cake:
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped or chips
1 stick plus 3 Tablespoons butter
6 eggs
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup almond flour (meal)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used Vietnamese cinnamon)
pinch of ground cloves
zest of 1 clementine (I used 2 teaspoons granulated orange peel)
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder

For the Topping:
juice of zested clementine (I used 3/4 the juice of an orange)
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Bring eggs to room temperature (cover in bowl of warm water for 10 minutes).  Preheat oven to 350^o. Butter or spray the sides and cover the bottom of a 9" spring form pan with parchment paper.  Cover the bottom of the pan with foil and bring half way up pan to keep batter from leaking onto oven floor.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave or on the stove top in a double boiler or similar method.  Set aside.

Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thick, pale and moussy.  They should have at least doubled in volume.  Using a stand mixer makes this much easier.

Gently fold in the almond flour, cinnamon, cloves, clementine zest and espresso powder, taking care not to lose the air you have whisked in, then add the melted, slightly cooled, chocolate and butter, folding gently again.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.  The top will have a have firmed while the underneath will still be gooey (but you won't know what the bottom is like until later.)

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  

To make the almond topping, put the clementine juice into a small, non-stick frying pan with the butter, sugar and cinnamon and melt everything together over medium low heat, then let it sizzle for a minute or two in order to caramelize before adding the almonds.  Keep stirring over until the extra liquid (beyond what is clinging to the nuts) has disappeared.  Gently scoot almonds onto a plate or wax paper, not allowing them to clump  all together because once they cool, they will be glued together in this pattern.

Run a knife along the inside edge of the pan before releasing the spring pan.  Once cooled enough, flip the cake over on a plate upside down, carefully remove the bottom of the pan from the gooey cake bottom, place a flat plate against the bottom and carefully flip the cake upright on the plate.  Sprinkle with almond mixture.

MAKE AHEAD TIP:
Make the cake up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container. Make the nut mixture and store on parchment paper in a ssmall airtight container or wrap in a loose bag of foil.

FREEZE AHEAD TIP:
Freeze the cake up to 1 month ahead Thaw overnight in a cool room.   

 

Chocolate Orange Espresso Thins

These are small cookies.  One and a half inches in diameter.  Tastes deeply chocolatey and melts in your mouth - like shortbread.

When I look at this picture, I keep wanting lean to the right to move the shadow.  But that doesn't work.  Ah.  Good times. I couldn't take the time to pose my roll because I made 4 cookie doughs this day and if I took the time to get the right lighting, I would be up to my eyeballs in confections til midnight.

Chocolate Orange Espresso Thins
Compliments of JennaDish

from Martha Stewart's Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons good-quality instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt into a medium bowl.

2. Put butter, confectioners' sugar, orange  zest, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on medium sped until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Reduce speed to medium-low, and gradually add flour mixture until just combined.

3. Transfer dough to a 12 16-inch piece of parchment paper; shape into a log.  Roll in parchment to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of paper at each turn to narrow the log and force out air.  Transfer in parchment to a paper towel tube; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 350^oF.  Cut log into 1/4-inch-thick slices; transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Brush tops with water; sprinkle with sanding sugar.  Bake until set, 15 to 17 minutes.  Cool on sheets on wire racks.  Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

Cranberry Orange Tea Bread

 

Wow this bread was very delicious.  And pretty darned quick to mix together.  And pretty for the holidays.  I made adaptations to the recipe because I didn't have exact ingredients, but I'm thinking it could have made it better!  I'll have to do a comparison.  Maybe.  Someday.  I never will.

Cranberry Orange Tea Bread
Compliments of JennaDish

adapted from The Best Quick Breads by Beth Hensperger

MAKES ONE 8" x 4" LOAF

1 1/2 cups whole fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg (I used cinnamon)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt (I used fine sea salt)
grated zest of 2 oranges (I used 1 Tablespoon granulated orange peel from Fresh Market)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup orange juice (I used 100% cranberry juice)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350^oF.  Grease and flour an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan or spray with cooking spray.  Combine the cranberries and sugar in the bowl of a food processor with a steel blade.  Pulse until coarsely ground.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.  Add the orange zest and walnuts and mix with wire whisk. 

In a small bowl, combine the juice and eggs.  Beat with a whisk until frothy.  Add the vanilla extracta nd cranberry mixture and stir to combine.  Pour over the dry ingredients and the pour in the melted butter.  Stir with a large spatula just until moistened and evenly mixed.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.  Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean.  The top of the loaf should be crusty and golden.  (If the edge is getting too brown before the middle is done, cover the edges with foil until done).  Let cool 10-15 minutes in pan.  Carefully turn out onto a cooling rack (edges could break off easily) and allow to cool to room temperature.  Wrap with plastic wrap and let sit overnight. 

This bread has plenty of taste to serve along. Or serve with whipped cream cheese or butter. 

Nigella Lawson's Blondies

Blondies with oats and chocolate chips.  Blondes showing their roots, as Nigella puts it.

Use larger chocolate chips, like I did, and they will sink a bit toward the bottom. Which is fine since you still get chips in every bite. 

Great with ice cream, of course. 

Jenna's notes to self.  You can peak if you want:  This was one of the easiest recipes, leaving the least clean up ever.  Used 1/2 bittersweet and 1/2 dark chocolate, large chunks.  I think next time use 1/2 bittersweet and 1/2 semi-sweet, regular size chips.  Don't cook to full 35 mintues.  Do not use foil to line - use parchment or spray. 

Nigella Lawson's Blondies
Compliments of JennaDish

from Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

MAKES 13 X 9 PAN, ABOUT 16-20 BARS

2 cups quick-cook oats, not instant
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 sticks (10 Tablespoons) soft unsalted butter
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 14-oz can condensed milk (I used low-fat sweetened)
1 egg
1/2 of 12-oz bag bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup chips)

Preheat the oven to 350^oF and line your cake pan with parchment paper to make it easier to get the Blondies out once they're cooked.  Can use foil but they stick a bit - or use a foil pan.

Combine the oats, flour, and baking soda in a bowl.

In another bowl, mix or beat the soft butter with the sugar until pale and creamy, then beat in condensed milk followed by the oats, flour, and baking soda mixture until well mixed.

Beat in the egg until mixe well, fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan and smooth with a spatula, then cook up to 35 minutes, checking at about 25 minutes.  They should be very golden brown around the edges, but don't let the whole dish get as dark golden.  Should be light to medium golden brown.  They will feel firm on top yet squishy underneath.  Once out of the oven, this middle will firm up.

 

Maple Pecan Bundt Cake

  OH the joys of the office dessert ...


...sitting on a plastic plate

...then transferred to a paper plate


...then nestled by the coffee mug your friend picked up for you at the thrift store for 50 cents.  No, it's not so much sentimental.  It's that people steal things.

...oh and the plastic fork.  This slice of cake was prepared for my office neighbor, Marsha.  See how I sprinkled powdered sugar all around the paper plate?  I think that's a "glass half full" kind of thing to do.  Am I right?

Maple Pecan Bundt Cake
Compliments of JennaDish

from Nigella Kitchen, Recipes from the Heart of the Home by Nigella Lawson

MAKES ONE BUNDT CAKE, ABOUT 12 SLICES

for the maple pecan filling
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons soft unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups pecans (or walnuts), roughly chopped
1/2 cup maple syrup

for the cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 1 Tablespoon (9 Tablespoons) soft, unsalted butter
3/4 cup super fine (caster) sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1-2 teaspoons confectioner's sugar for dusting
flavorless oil for greasing pan (or baking spray)

10-inch bundt pan

Preheat the oven to 350degrees F.  Using flavorless oil (or baking spray) grease your bundt pan and leave upside down on paper towel for the excess to drain out.

Make the filling for the cake by mixing together the 1/2 cup flour and 2 Tablespoons butter with a fork (or better yet, a pastry blender), till you end up with the sort of mixture you'd expect when making crumble topping.  Then, mix in the cinnamon, nuts and maple syrup to form a sticky paste. Set aside.

For the cake, measure the 2 cups flour, the baking powder, and baking soda into a bowl. 

Now cream the butter and sugar, (beat well until smooth and pale) then beat in 1 Tablespoon of flour mixture, then 1 egg, then another Tablespoonful of flour mixture, followed by the second egg.

Add the rest of the flour mixture, beating as you go, and then finally the sour cream.  You should expect to end up with a fairly firm cake batter.

Spoon just more than half the cake batter into the oiled bundt pan.  Spread the mixture up the sides a little and around the funnel of the pan to create a rim.  Don't get the sticky filling on the sides of the pan.  Dollop the maple filling carefully into the dent in the cake batter, then cover the filling with the remaining batter.  Smooth the top and put the pan into the oven for 35-40 minutes, until it's light golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted through the cake (no the sticky filling) comes out clean.

Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes then turn out onto the rack.  When the cake is cold, dust with confectioner's sugar.

Chocolate Cherry Bread

Aaargghhh!! These charred chocolate chips look like bulging frog eyes.  Nasty.  Aside from that small issue, this bread was super!  Impressed some friends at work.  A dusting of confectioner's sugar would help cover the eyes. 

It always surprises me when I take something I baked in to work that I think is flawed, and everyone seems to rave about it. 

I think that when I make this again, I will lose the chips, or I will try to poke them down into the dough.

I also don't like the way the chocolate smears when you cut it.  Untidy.  But again, if your family or guests are not like me - aka normal - these minor imperfections won't be noticed.

The recipe called for pecans also but I left them out this time.

This is a "start the night before" offering, or start darned early in the day for evening bread.

You can bake it in a bread crock,or any small to medium-sized heavy, oven-safe, covered pot, like a dutch oven.

I used my Martha Stewart dutch oven.  And guess what I learned while this was baking ...

it was recalled.  No, not my bread.  My dutch oven.  Evidently the enamel chips off and could pop off while hot and land on your skin.  I seriously thought about removing my baked bread and pot with some kind of armor ... and maybe some goggles (oh wait, I have glasses) or a face mask.  This thought lasted about 3 seconds, then I just shook my head at myself.

No-Knead Chocolate Cherry Bread
Compliments of JennaDish

from King Arthur's Flour online recipes

3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) rye flour, any type
1/2 cup (2 ounces) King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) cool water
3/4 cup (3 1/4 ounces) chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup (3 ounces) chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) diced pecans, toasted

Mix flours, salt, yeast, and water in a large bowl. Add cherries, chocolate chips, and pecans. Stir well to make a very soft dough, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature overnight, or for at least 12 hours; the dough will be bubbly and puffy.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and fold it onto itself a few times. Let it rest 15 minutes, then form it into a ball. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, smooth side down. Cover and let rise at room temperature about 2 hours, until a slight indentation remains when poked with a finger.

During the last 30 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 450°F and place a bread crock (or a heavy, 4- to 4 1/2-quart oven-safe pot) in the oven while it heats. When the dough is risen, remove the crock from the oven, and turn the dough out of the bowl and into the crock; the smooth side will be facing up. Shake the crock gently to settle the dough, then cover with the lid and return to the oven.

Bake the bread for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to bake another 30 to 40 minutes (Mine almost burned after about 20-25 minutes, so beware), until the bread is deep brown in color and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers about 205°F.  Remove the crock from the oven, turn the bread onto a rack, and cool before slicing. 

Gingerbread Cake

I wish I had a better picture, but it just didn't work out that way. 

This is marbled simply because the last step is to pour hot water with baking soda into the very thick batter and mix until just combined.  Well, it would take a lot of mixing for it to actually be fully combined and I didn't want to overmix it.  So in it went.  Didn't make a bit of difference.

This cake had a deep flavor.  Was not overly sweet.  Just right.  Would be great with whipped cream or ice cream.  The only thing I would say is that I'm not sure the crystallized ginger was necessary - I didn't care for the little bits. 

Gingerbread Cake
Compliments of JennaDish

from the Food Network

Softened unsalted butter, as needed
1 cup vegetable oil, like soy, peanut, or corn (I used peanut oil)
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 to 2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger (I used 2-3)
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup water
1 tablespoon baking soda
Serving suggestions: Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Lightly butter a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan and line the bottom with a piece of parchment or wax paper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, molasses, and crystallized ginger. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.

In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Whisk the molasses mixture into the flour mixture until evenly combined.

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Whisk the hot water into the batter until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the center of the oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

 

Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake

I just bought my first Nigella Lawson cookbook, Nigella Kitchen.  Prior to this Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake, I've only made one Nigella recipe, Apple Cinnamon Tea Cake and it was awesome.  I need to make it again, actually. CORRECTION: the apple tea cake was not a Nigella recipe.  It was a Donna Hay recipe. 

This loaf cake was equally tasty and would be especially great around the holidays because of the mix of chocolate and citrus.  A little reminiscent of other fruited breads and cookies you run into in November and December. 

HOWEVER, I am not a big fan of the sunken loaf, which is exactly what can be expected from this recipe.  Here's what Nigella and company have to say to cooks lamenting their sunken loaves:

In (Nigella) Kitchen on p298 (at the end of the Seed-Cake recipe) Nigella mentions "The centre of the cake will sink a little as the cake cools, but this is the way of the loaf". The photographs in Nigella's books are intended to be real - to show the food as it should be and to reassure that you are not doing anything wrong if certain cakes do sink.

Many loaf cakes do have a tendency to sink on cooling and this is partly due to the loaf tin. The deeper sides of a loaf tin cause the outside of the cake to cook more quickly than the inside, so the cake rises in the oven but the centre of the cake has not cooked quite enough to permanently set the proteins in the cake batter (from the flour and egg) and hold the cake up - so it will sink as it cools.

The batter is also a reason as these cakes are all intended to keep well they may sink but they will remain moist and delicious to eat for longer than a madiera or pound-type cake which may rise but become dry after a day or two.

So if you are not good with the whole feeble looking loaf, try making this as cupcakes.  Keep the temperature at 325 or 350 degrees F and start checking through the glass door at 20 minutes for the visual test before opening the door.  When it looks like the top is firmed up and could be done, do a toothpick test and check for doneness in 5 minute intervals.

Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake
Compliments of JennaDish

from Nigella Kitchen

MAKES ONE 9" LOAF CAKE or about 10-12 SLICES

1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) soft unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
dab flavorless vegetable oil, for greasing syrup spoon
2 tablespoons golden syrup (such as Lyle's), or dark corn syrup
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons best-quality unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 eggs
zest 2 regular oranges and juice of 1
1 x 2-pound loaf pan

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line your loaf pan with parchment paper and grease the sides, or line with a paper loaf-pan liner.

Beat the already soft butter with the syrup — if you dab a little oil on your tablespoon measure with a sheet of paper towel, the syrup shouldn't stick to the spoon — and the sugar until you have a fairly smooth caffe Americano cream, though the sugar will have a bit of grit about it.

Mix the flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder together, and beat into the syrup mixture 1 tablespoonful of these dry ingredients before beating in 1 egg. Then add another couple of spoonfuls of the dry ingredients before beating in the second egg.

Carry on beating in the remaining dry ingredients and then add, still beating, the orange zest and finally, gradually, the juice. At this stage, the batter may suddenly look dimpled, as if slightly curdled. No need to panic!

Pour and scrape into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, though check 5 minutes before and be prepared to keep it in the oven 5 minutes longer if need be. A cake tester won't come out entirely clean, as the point of this cake, light though it may be, is to have just a hint of inner stickiness. Let cool a little in its pan on a wire rack, then turn out with care and leave on the rack to cool.

Make Ahead Tip: The cake can be baked up to 3 days ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in airtight container. Will keep for 5 days total.

Freeze Ahead Tip: The cake can be frozen, tightly wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.

 

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Happy Birthday Patti!  Patti requested either a chocolate or pumpkin dessert so I made both.  This is my pumpkin offering.

This cake was delicious.  However, I baked it in a springform pan rather than a regular pan with lower sides, therefore it was underbaked in the middle even though it looks perfectly done - almost overdone.  After 20 minutes of cooling, it started sinking. 

The recipe calls for honey frosting but I didn't make that.  I mixed powdered sugar, water, a little honey and drizzled, which worked, and it was fun that it pooled up in the middle.  Friends really liked it, even with the underbaking in the middle, because it actually tasted and felt like pumpkin pie in the middle.

 

Pumpkin Spice Cake
Compliments of JennaDish

from Martha Stewart

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice (or 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon each allspice and cloves)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin puree

Honey Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
1 bar (8 ounces) regular (or reduced-fat) cream cheese, very soft
1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin-pie spice. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, butter, and pumpkin puree until combined. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture, and mix gently until smooth.

Turn batter into prepared pan, and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake 10 minutes in pan, then turn out of pan, and cool completely, right side up, on a rack.

Make Honey Frosting: In a medium bowl, whisk butter, cream cheese, and honey until smooth.

Spread top of cooled cake with honey frosting. Cut cake into squares to serve.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

 
My friends are still raving about this Pumpkin Cheesecake.  The taste is amazing - part cheesecake, part pumpkin pie.  Love 'em both.

Process Graham Crackers into Crumbs

Mix with Salted Butter, Brown Sugar, and Cinnamon and Press In Pan

Beat the Softened Cream Cheese

Mix Remaining Ingredients and Pour Into Crust

This is a Paula Deen recipe, however, she or the Food Newtwork decided to be lazy and not give any tips on how to make this recipe successful - just the basics.  Therefore mine came out with a huge crack down the middle.

Exhibit #1:  Cavernous Crack

I have used a water bath before to bake a pumpkin pie, but since this recipe didn't call for one, I wanted to go by the directions.

Wrong!!!

We Need to Use a Water Bath Folks

How to Bake in a Water Bath
Before you pour your batter in the springform pan, take a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the bottom of the pan (plus 3-4 inches extra) and place the pan on it.  Bring the extra foil up the sides so that you are protecting the seam from getting water in the pan.  Place the springform pan in a larger roasting pan or similar, and fill with hot water to about halfway up the springform pan.

Why a Water Bath?
Cheesecake is a custard at heart. It's delicate, so you want to bake it slowly and evenly without browning the top.

The most effective way to do this is to bake it in a water bath. Since water evaporates at the boiling point, the water bath will never get hotter than 212 degrees F (100 degrees C), no matter what the oven temperature. This means that the outer edge of your cheesecake won't bake faster than the center, which can cause it to soufflé, sink, and crack.

Overbaking
It's common to overbake cheesecakes because, while they might look underdone, they are actually done when the center is still wobbly. At this stage, residual heat will "carry over" and the center will continue to cook.

Remove cheesecake from the oven to cool on a rack, or simply leave the door of the oven closed, turn off the heat and let the cheesecake cool for at least an hour. This helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking in the center. 

After chilling, the once-wiggly center should firm up just fine.

Texture
Eating cheesecake is a very sensual experience: texture is everything. Some recipes contain a small amount of starch, such as flour or cornstarch. These cheesecakes have a more cake-like texture. Cheesecake recipes that do not contain flour are intended to be luxuriously smooth and dense.
                                                                                                        Tips from Allrecipes.com

Other Tips
A crack is caused by two things: 1) a sudden, extreme change in temperature and 2) too much air being whipped into the batter.  Fix that with the water bath and keeping the cheesecake in the oven as the oven cools and by beating the batter only enough to combine ingredients.  Especially the eggs, which hold the most air in them.

Based on suggestions for how to bake a successful cheesecake with no cracks, next time I will bake it in a water bath at 325^o for 1 hour 20 minutes, turn the oven off and let it sit in the warm oven for another 30 minutes, take it out and let it cool, run a butter knife around the inside of the pan to ease the release of the cake, unlock the spring on the pan and let it cool a little more.  Regrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.  Before putting in the fridge, cut some parchment paper to surround the edge of the cake, put the pan back over it and lock in place. This way you can store it in the pan without it sticking to the edge of the pan.  You can also cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil without it touching the cake.  If the next day you have some condensation, lightly lay a paper towel on top to absorb the moisture.

To Serve
The graham cracker crust has a whole stick of butter in it, but the good thing is that it makes a very firm crust that does not crumble easily.  Therefore when ready to serve your cake after refrigeration, use a long, wide spatula to slide under the crust and lift carefully to a cake plate.  To clean up the scruffy edge of the cake, use a wet, hot knife to smooth the sides.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Compliments of JennaDish

MAKES ONE 9" SPRINGFORM PAN or TWO 9" REGULAR SIZED PIES

Bring cream cheese, eggs, sour cream to room temperature first.  Have all ingredients measured and ready before starting. Heat water for water bath so it's ready when needed. 

Adapted from FoodNetwork.com - a Paula Deen recipe

Crust
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter

Filling
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Wrap bottom of springform pan with foil that reaches all the way up the outer sides of pan. 

For crust: In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix until evenly combined. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling: Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Turn off mixer.  Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat on low speed until just combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place springform pan in roasting pan or jelly roll pan.  Pour very hot water in pan, about halfway up springform pan or a little lower.  Bake for 1 hour.  Turn oven off and leave cake in oven 20 minutes.  Middle will be very jiggly.  Remove cheesecake from waterbath and place on wire rack to cool to room temperature about 30 minutes. Place in refrigerator to cool further, about 30 minutes, before covering with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 4 hours.

To remove from pan, run butter knife around edge of cheesecake, release spring and carefully lift pan sides.  Serve on pan bottom or run spatula under crust and transfer to cake plate.

Blueberry Swirl Buttermilk Muffins with Streusel Topping

Best Blueberry Muffins I've Ever Made or Eaten

Make Bueberry Compote

Make the Batter and Fold Whole Blueberries In

 Swirl the Compote in the Middle

 
Make Streusel and Pile on the Top

 

Bake and ...

Enjoy

 

Blueberry Swirl Buttermilk Muffins with Streusel Topping
Compliments of JennaDish

slightly adapted from Cook's Illustrated Magazine June 2009

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

2 cups (about 10 ounces) fresh blueberries
1 1/8 cups (8 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups (12½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour (or 2 cups white;1/2 cup whole wheat)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 
¼ cup vegetable oil (I used Canola)
1 cup buttermilk (see note)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Note: Substitute the buttermilk with 3/4 cup plain whole-milk or low-fat yogurt thinned with 1/4 cup milk or for every 1 cup milk, add 1 Tbsp white vinegar and allow to sit 5 minutes.

MUFFINS
Place oven rack to upper-middle of oven and preheat to 425^o. Spray standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with potato masher or similar, stirring frequently, until berries have cooked down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1/3 cup, about 7 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside. 

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk remaining 1 1/8 cups sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick, about 1 minutes or less. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined; whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. Batter will be very lumpy - do not overmix.

Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Spoon teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter and swirl. Make streusel topping, recipe below, and pile evenly onto muffins.

Bake until muffin tops are golden, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin tin 180^o halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 10 minutes before serving.

STREUSEL TOPPING
Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, pinch of salt, and ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour in small bowl. Drizzle with 5 tablespoons warm, melted unsalted butter and mix with fork until mixture forms small and large pieces throughout. Sprinkle streusel topping over muffins before baking.