Aristocrats

Well with Valentines coming up, I could not resist the bright pink sanding sugar.  After buying it, I was on the hunt for a recipe that uses it.  I have decorated sugar cookies and russian teacakes with sanding sugar, so I narrowed it down to a cookie recipe.

I found a recipe that is basically a butter cookie with mini chips mixed in.  The dough is made into a log, chilled and wrapped with an thin layer of dough and then covered in the sugar.  These do have some crunch to them and they are perfect for dunking in hot tea or cold milk. This recipe makes about 6 dz small cookies.

Aristocrats
adapted from Gourmets Best Desserts

Ingredients
3 oz of mini chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup and 2 tbs of butter (or 1 & 3/4 sticks)
2 eggs
1/2 cup colored sugar crystals

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add one egg and beat for 30 seconds. 

Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flour in 1/4 cup increments.  The mixture should form a dough when all flour is completely mixed in.  Split the dough in half and seal one of the pieces in plastic wrap or foil and chill for 30 minutes.

While that is chilling, take the other piece of dough and mix in the mini chips.  Once evenly distributed, split dough mound into 2 equal pieces.  On a lightly floured surface, roll and form each piece into a log.  Each log should be even in diameter and be 10 inches long. Set aside.

Then take out the chilled dough.  Dust a flat surface with flour and roll dough into a rectangle, measuring 11 x 9.  Cut the dough in half , lengthwise, so you have 2 pieces.  Each piece should be 4 1/2 X 11.  Beat remaining egg in a small bowl. Using a  pastry brush, cover the face up side of  one piece of dough with the egg wash.

Place one log in the very center of the piece of the dough brushed with the egg wash.  Roll the rectangle around the log, sealing ends and seam.  Brush again with the egg wash.  Then sprinkle the colored sugar on a piece of wax paper and roll log in sugar until covered.  Wrap in foil and put in fridge.  Repeat the same process with the remaining log and dough rectangle, so you have 2 logs chilling in the fridge.  They will need to be in the fridge for at least 4 hours to firm up to the consistency you want.

During the last 1/2 hour of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Also, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Once the logs have completed the chilling stage, remove from fridge and slice each log into 36 slices of even thickness.

Place each cookie on a baking sheet, spacing about 1/2 apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or when bottom starts to brown.  Remove pan from oven and place cookies on a rack to cool.

Notes and Tips:

1. Since the cookie dough is sealed at the end, your end pieces will not be as nice as the other slices.
2. The recipe also states to use chopped walnuts in the dough instead of chocolate chips, use 2/3 of a cup.  For variety, you can do 1/2 of each.

                    **LAST YEAR: Celebrity Factor Cookies**

Chocolate Pumpkin Layer Cake

Well I guess my posting schedule has changed, instead of Monday I will now be posting on Tuesday of every week.  Life does seem to be about a long series of changes these days.

Anyhow, I was looking for something with pumpkin and full of spices for the season and I came across this recipe.  For some reason I see a lot of pumpkin bread out there but not much in the way of cakes.

This cake does have a lot of flavor to offer.  The mellow spicy pumpkin batter does make for a great cake, but the wonderful add ins of chocolate and pecans move it up to a tastier rank.  Also, what better to slather it with than a dark cocoa frosting?

Should you decide to make this, please be sure all your guests get their own piece.  Otherwise, you will find out months later someone felt cheated because they shared their piece. I am sure a lot of you have had this experience. However, the fact does remain that if they are still thinking about it months later, the taste must have been well worth remembering.

Please note that I did not use the frosting recipe below, instead I used the recipe on the back of  the Nestle Dark Cocoa can, which eliminated the need to melt unsweetened chocolate.


Chocolate Pumpkin Layer Cake
adapted from John Down at Christopher Norman Chocolates

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups or 2 1/2 sticks of softened butter (more for greasing pans)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1.2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semi sweet choc chips
10 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to room temp
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare 2 nine inch round cake pans by brushing the interior with melted butter.  Place a liner of parchment in the bottom and butter the face up side.  Then dust the parchment with flour.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg into a large bowl.

Using a mixer, cream together 1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter and the granulated sugar until it has a fluffy consistency.  This should take about 3 minutes at medium speed. Add one egg and beat for 30 seconds.  Repeat this process with each of the remaining eggs.

Mix in the pumpkin puree to the batter with a wooden spoon.  It will have a slightly curdled look.  Then fold in the sifted ingredients in half cup intervals.  Once the mixture is smooth and has no dry streaks, stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Pour half of the batter into each of the pans.  Place in oven and bake until tester comes out clean, which is about 35 minutes.  Remove and let cakes cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges and invert cakes onto rack.  Discard parchment paper and let cakes cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, beat the remaining butter in a medium size bowl until fluffy.  Then add the confectioners sugar a 1/2 cup at a time, beating for 30 seconds.  Repeat that process until all confectioners sugar is blended into the butter.   Pour in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract and  beat until frosting is smooth.

Frost cake by frosting top of bottom layer.  Then stack with other layer and frost top and sides.
                           **LAST YEAR: Hawaiian Zephyr Cupcakes**

Juniors Triple the Fudge Brownies

A friend of mine recently had her 19th birthday and I had asked her what she wanted and the reply was brownies.  I had made a big batch, so there was plenty to go round.  They were well received by the whole crowd.  Even someone commented that they would have to take them home first and count all the nuts in them before anyone else can have them. I think I saw them scooping up on their fifth piece later that day, with no shame in admitting that they would not be sharing any pieces!

I would say after trying one of these rich and fudgy brownies, they even had me shamelessly reaching for a second piece.  The thickness as well as the layer of chocolate chips in the center really makes these perfect for the chocoholic in all of us.  These days it is hard to consider a plain brownie. The without nuts and without chocolate chips version does nothing but make me recall the word bland.

I have included the frosting recipe here, but I did not include these in the batch I made.  Considering it makes 6 cups to put on 24 brownies that are 2 1/2 inch square by 1 1/2 inch high, I did not want to induce anyone into a sugar coma.  Just by looking at the list of ingredients for the brownies, you can make a good determination about if you need to move on with the 1/2 inch layer of frosting on top.

Juniors Triple the Fudge Brownies
adapted from Juniors Dessert Cookbook

Ingredients/ Brownies
12 oz of mini semisweet chocolate chips
10 oz of bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao)
4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
2 tbs of vanilla extract
9 eggs
1 lb butter
4 cups sugar
2 tsp salt
3 1/4 cup of flour

Ingredients/Fudge Frosting
1 cup or 2 sticks of butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 tbs vanilla extract
3-4 tbs heavy whipping cream
2 tbs dark corn syrup
10 oz bittersweet chocolate (melted in double boiler)
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups or 1 lb confectioners sugar
1 tbs dark cocoa powder
whole pecans (optional)

Prepare two 8 or 9 inch square baking pans by buttering the insides.  Then line the bottom and two sides of the pans with parchment, leaving an overhang on the two sides.  Butter the face up sides and bottom of the parchment paper.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Place the butter and the chocolate in a large heavy saucepan and place over low heat.  Using a wooden spoon, stir until all chocolate and butter is melted and smooth.  Remove from heat to cool slightly.

In another bowl, sift together the flour and salt.  Set aside.  Place all eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with wire whisk blade for 3 minutes on high.  The eggs will turn a light yellow and thicken.  Keep the mixer running and add the sugar.  Once blended, turn the speed down to low and add the butter/chocolate mixer and beat until smooth.  Then add the vanilla extract.

Unhook bowl from mixer and take wisk blade out.  Pour in flour and mix with a wooden spoon until no dry streaks remain.  Then fold in walnuts until evenly mixed into batter.

Pour 1/4 of the batter into one pan and tilt pan until evenly spread.  Do the same with the second pan. Take the bag of mini chocolate chips and sprinkle them evenly over the batter in each of the pans.  Layer each pan again with 1/2 of the remaining batter.

Place in oven and bake for about 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of the pan.  Brownies are done when they are almost set in the center.  A tester should come out moist with some batter still clinging to it. Remove pans and place on rack to cool for about 1 hour.

Then run a knife down the two unlined sides of the brownies. Invert the pans and peel off the parchment.  Then invert onto cutting board to completely cool.

For the frosting, place the butter and shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Cream together with the mixer on high for about 3 minutes.  After each minute, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Continue to beat and add the vanilla, cocoa and corn syrup.  Once blended, add the melted chocolate.

Sift together the salt and confectioners sugar in another bowl.

After the chocolate is evenly distributed into the batter, turn the mixer down to low.  Pour in 2 cups of sifted ingredients and beat on low until no dry streaks remain.  Add the rest of the sifted ingredients and blend.  Once smooth, beat in 2 tbs of cream for 3 minutes on high.  Continue to add the cream and beat until desired consistency is achieved.  Frosting should become very airy with a rich chocolate color.  Spread on cooled brownies.  Refrigerate for 1 hour so the frosting can set.

Then, if you prefer, top with one pecan half, rounded side up.  Press slightly into the frosting. Cut into squares with a serrated knife and serve.

Tips & Notes:
1. Like with most brownies, you want to avoid overbaking.
2. It is important that you divide the batter equally to make sure there is coverage of the chocolate chips.
3. For the top layer of the batter, it is best to spoon it on top and then smooth, that way there is less of a chance of shifting the chocolate chip layer.
4. I used two 8 inch square pans to achieve the thickness as shown in the picture.
                                  **LAST YEAR: Ivory Monkey Parfait**

Cherry Surprise Cupcakes-Delicious Recall #2

If you have been following my blog, you know that I do like cherries and chocolate.  When I came across this recipe several years ago, I saved it but have never made it until now.  I guess that is one of the reasons why I came up with this series.

These particular cupcakes are really rich in flavor.  The cake part is made with cherry brandy, cocoa and chocolate chips.  Also, they are doused with chocolate liqueur.  These elements really do make for a tasty combo.  In fact, the cake part was so delicious on its own, I opted not to fill these with the cherry and whipped cream.  I just topped them with a butter cream frosting that has cherry juice and brandy in it. I have included the instructions for the filling below as in the original recipe.

This recipe hails from a blog called The Cheeky Kitchen hosted by Brooke.  This was a recipe that came from a baking challenge between her and a friend that owns a cupcake shop.   This recipe makes about 15 cupcakes.  Make sure you read this whole recipe before proceeding, especially the tips at the end.

Cherry Surprise Cupcakes
adapted from The Cheeky Kitchen

Ingredients/Cake
1 tsp cherry brandy
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup self rising flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate liqueur
1/2 semi sweet chocolate chips

Ingredients/Filling
2 cups pitted cherries
1/4 cup cherry brandy
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbs vanilla extract

Ingredients/Cherry Buttercream
3 tbs and 1 tsp reserved cherry juice
1/4 tsp cherry extract (optional)
1/2 cup butter
2 tbs vegetable shortening
5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
15-18 whole cherries with stems (optional)

If you are going to fill the cupcakes, the prep work will need to be done first.  Fill a bowl with the cherries and pour in the brandy.  Cover and place in fridge until all cupcakes have been baked.

To make the cake part of the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the upper edge of the cupcake cavities and fill with paper liners.

Sift together the cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.  In another bowl cream together both sugars and butter.  Beat in the egg, cherry brandy and vanilla extract.

Fold in 1/2 of the sifted ingredients into the batter.  Then add the milk, stirring until blended.  Fold in the last of the sifted ingredients until no dry streaks remain.  Mix in the chocolate chips.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill each lined cavity about 2/3 full.  You should have about 15 cupcakes.  Put pans in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until tester comes out clean.  Remove pans and poke holes in the top of the cupcakes.  Then brush chocolate liqueur over the top.  Let set in pans for an additional 10 minutes and then transfer to rack to cool.

While they are cooling, the filling can be made.  Take out the bowl of cherries with brandy. Reserve the juice in a separate bowl and chop the cherries into 1/4 inch pieces and place back in fridge.

In another bowl, whisk the cream until it becomes a little bit thicker than its original state.  Add the sugar and the extract, then beat until the cream reaches a soft peak stage.  Take the chopped cherries out of fridge and fold into whipped cream.  Cover and refrigerate.

Once the cupcakes are cool, take and core out a center piece about 1/2  to 3/4 inch wide and 1 1/2 inch deep.  Then fill the hole with the whipped cream mixture.

For the buttercream, beat butter and vegetable shortening together until smooth.  Then add one cup of powdered sugar, mixing at medium speed.  In one cup increments add the sugar and beat after each addition.  Lastly, add the cherry juice, cherry extract (optional) and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy.

Fill piping bag with tip and decorate to your preference.  You can place a whole cherry on top or place a chocolate dipped cherry on top, if you desire.

Tips and Notes:
1. If you do not do the filling, the reserved juice will not be available. Maraschino juice can be used in its place with the cherry extract for your buttercream frosting..
2. These cupcakes are very delicate because of the liqueur brushed on top.  Based on that it is important that you do not overfill and that the top edges of your muffin cavities are well greased.  Original instructions said fill cavities 3/4 full, which was too much due to the rise factor.
3. I found the buttercream to be too thick.  You can add more cherry or maraschino juice until you reach the right consistency.
4. Taste your frosting before adding the cherry extract, to make sure you want to add any more flavor.  The longer the cherries sit in the kirsch, the stronger the flavor of the juice.
                         **LAST YEAR: Italian Dippers**

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies/ Delicious Recall #1

I have started a new monthly series.  This series will feature a bloggers recipe that I have saved from 2011 or older.  I think that the best form of flattery to a food blogger is to actually have someone make and enjoy their recipes.  With my core group of followers being food bloggers themselves, most are busy creating their own recipes rather than making other people's recipes. I have fallen into that group as well but have decided this theme is in order.

The recipe may or may not be a blogger that follows my blog, for the choice is strictly based on my pick of things I have seen across the net.

This first recipe is from Bakers Royale , a blog in which I was lurking on way before I even started a blog.  With most of the recipes falling into the cakes or cookies category,  I found myself saving a lot of recipes from Naomi's site.

This particular cookie recipe intrigued me and it did not disappoint.  It is oatey with a subtle flavor of pumpkin and spices.   I took her suggestion and added mini chocolate chips and toffee bits. The batter is a great base that you can customize with add ins according to taste.  With the pumpkin and grains, they are a little bit on the healthier side when it comes to cookies, which is a good thing. Also the texture of the cookies were chewy, which can be attributed to all the oats in the recipe. I would say that they are very close to the same as a chewy granola bar.

This is a great cookie to eat on the run and put in the lunchbox as well.  Very filling and satisfying.  I am glad I kept this one from the past. This recipe makes about 3 1/2-4 dz cookies, depending on the size of your batter scoops.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
adapted from  Bakers Royale

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1 egg
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup quick oats
3/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
Add ins: (optional) 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
                                3/4 cup toasted nuts
                                1/2 cup toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.

Take a small saucepan and place over medium heat.  Whisk as the butter melts and then cooks.  The butter will foam up once melted and then the foam will subside.  Watch for little brown specks to form in the bottom and look for the color change from yellow to golden.  Watch carefully because it can go from brown to burnt quickly.  Once golden, remove from heat and let cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together both kinds of oats and and the flour until all is evenly distributed.  Set aside.

Fill a large mixer bowl with both sugars, egg, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Beat for about 30 seconds until smooth.  Then, using a wooden spoon, stir in the brown butter until incorporated and then add the baking soda and mix again.  Fold in the oat/flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Should you opt for the add ins, fold them in at this time.

Using a tablespoon or a melon baller, scoop out batter and place on cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Bake for about 10-15 minutes.  They should have a golden hue when done.  Remove baking sheet and place on rack. Let cookies cool on sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to rack to finish cooling.

Tips and Notes:
1.  These cookies will brown but be a bit glossy when done, which may make you think they are undercooked.  They will set up when they cool.  Browning on the bottom is the true indicator of doneness.
2. If you want the pumpkin flavor to be more prominent, then use no add ins or less flavorful ones like nuts instead of chocolate.
                       **LAST YEAR: Espresso Cream Cake**

Zero Hour Cake

I recently went through a review of my posts and found that I do not have any many easy to prepare desserts.  With the busy lifestyle that some people have, a lot are looking for something less gourmet and quick.  This particular cake is a breeze to put together and includes ingredients that most people have on hand.

I would say this is a good snack cake to have around for when the kids get home from school as well as an after dinner treat during the week.  The cake is very moist and since it includes cinnamon, it does make you think of a coffee cake.  However, the addition of the chocolate chips brings you back to the idea of a snack cake.  I did not frost it, for I felt the flavor of the cake was rich enough.

The picture above is deceiving, most of the chocolate chips sank to the bottom of the cake. However, I did not have any issues when trying to release the cake from the pan.  Since the chips did sink, I think placing them on top of the batter before baking is much better than mixing in the batter.  These were mini chips and were coated with flour before mixing in, so putting them on top of the batter I see as the only remedy if you use them as an ingredient in this cake.

Zero Hour Cake
by flourtrader

Ingredients
4 eggs
1/3 cup mini choc chips
1/2 cup or 1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
confectioners sugar (for dusting cake)

Preheat the over to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 9 inch square cake pan by buttering all inside surfaces.  Then line the bottom and two sides of inside of the pan (with extra overhang on the sides) by using parchment paper and butter the face up side.  Then dust the all the insides with flour.

In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon and baking powder.  Set aside.

Then cream together butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy.  Add one egg and beat for 20 seconds.  Continue to add the eggs, one by one, and beat until blended.  Using a spatula, fold in the sifted ingredients into the egg batter until no dry streaks remain.

Place the batter into the pan, smoothing the top so all is even.  Then sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the batter (see third paragraph above).  Then place pan in oven and bake for about 23-28 minutes or until tester comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan.  Once cool, you can either lift out of the pan or leave in the pan for cutting and serving.  Lightly sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
                             **LAST YEAR: Blackout Cookies**

Watermelon Margarita Cookies

This is probably about the most unusual cookie recipe I have seen.  In addition, the cookies are quite striking, even though they do not have much of a "natural look".  I was thinking that they would come out more pinkish than orange, but I did learn that trying to color a batter that already has a color is futile.Next go around I will not be bothering with the food coloring as suggested in the recipe.  The cookies will be a paler orange color, but never the pinkish red hue of the watermelon.  Probably the other ingredients in the recipe had an impact on the color.

The cookie itself does have all the taste of a margarita.  In one bite you can taste the lime and a subtle flavor of watermelon, then you get the nice rich taste of the dark chocolate.  I never knew how good chocolate can be when paired with the fruity tart flavors of a margarita!  The texture of the cookie is soft and cake-like.

This is definitely one that gets people's curiosity.  After my husband advised his friends at work what I had made, they all wanted some! I am still waiting for feedback on the ones he took today.  I  think these are a great cookie for entertaining as well as enjoying at happy hour-with none other than a margarita.  However, for those of you are seeking something without alcohol, there is instruction below to make a non alcoholic version.

Also, I wanted to thank a few fellow bloggers for awards.

For the Kreative Award:
Becky at Baking and Cooking has been so gracious to pass more than one award to me.  I have already introduced this amazing lady before and I am still enjoying her blog as well as her sweet personality.  I am glad to have Becky as a blogger friend.

For the Versatile Blogger Award
Heidi at Young Grasshopper -do not let the mother and lawyer fool you, this lady wears many hats and is skillful at it.  With tabs like "the bartender in me" and "the chef in me" I am sure anyone can find something to their liking.  I particularly liked her posts of Chicken Meatball Yakitori and the Mochatini.

Pop in and say hi if you are not already familiar with these two! Now on to the cookie recipe:

Watermelon Margarita Cookies
adapted from Sophisticated Cookie (makes about 3 dz cookies)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of flour
2 tsp of baking powder
3/4 cup of powdered sugar
2 tbs of grated lime zest
2 tbs of triple sec
1/4 cup of tequila
4 tbs fresh lime juice
1/4 cup of light corn syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 egg
3 cups of fresh, packed, coarsely chopped, seedless watermelon
red food coloring (optional)
3/4 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Fill a sauce pan with the watermelon, corn syrup, tequila and 2 tbs of lime juice.  Place over medium high heat and cook for about 35 minutes, stirring every now and then.  Then cook for 10 minutes more, stirring constantly.  Mixture should reduce to a very thick sauce, about 1/2 cup.  Remove from heat and let cool.

As this is cooling, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Once the watermelon mixture has cooled, the consistency will need to be evaluated.  If it has cooked down to a sauce, then it is fine.  If not, then puree the mixture in a food processor.  This variance probably is due to how ripe your watermelon is.

Add the watermelon mixture, triple sec, 2 tbs of the lime juice,lime zest and egg to the butter/sugar blend. Beat until all is blended and smooth.  Set aside. In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.  Fold the sifted ingredients into the batter until no more dry streaks remain.  If using food coloring, add it to the batter and blend until desired color is reached. Then fold in the chocolate chips.  

Then lay a piece of plastic wrap horizontally on a flat surface.  Wrap should be about 1 foot in length.  Spoon half of the batter on one end of the plastic wrap.  The dough should be placed as a vertical log leaving a 1- 1/2 inch border of plastic beyond the top and bottom of the log as well as a 2 inch border on one side.  Curl the 2 inch border over the dough and continue to roll, letting the rest of the plastic wrap around the log until there is no more length.  Shape it into an even log and then fold the ends over the dough.  Prepare the second half of the batter in the same manner.
Place both logs on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours or until firm.

While the dough is chilling, prepare 2 baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.  In the last 15 minutes of the freezing time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

After proper chilling time, remove one of the logs from the freezer and uncover from the plastic wrap.  Slice log vertically into 18 pieces, each should be approximately 1/2 an inch thick.  Then using damp hands, place each piece 2 inches apart on baking sheet (I ended up with 6 cookies to a sheet) and flatten dough to 1/4 inch thick.  Put the other dough slices in the fridge until you are ready to bake. Place pan in oven and bake about 12-15 minutes or until bottom and edges of cookies start to brown.   Mine took about 13 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on pan before removing.

Continue this process with the rest of the dough slices as well as the second frozen log. Note that the second frozen log slices may need to warm up a few minutes before you flatten them or they may crack. Since the dough has remained in the freezer for longer than two hours, it may be too stiff to flatten right away.

Non Alcoholic version: just omit the triple sec and add 1/4 cup of water instead of tequila.  
                    LAST YEAR:Ice Cream-Chocolate or Chocolate Malt?

Brown Mercedes Muffins

A long time ago I worked with someone that had an 1977 dingy brown Mercedes.  He had talked about getting a new paint job done on the car.  I asked what color he was going to get it painted.  "The same" he replied.  I told him that he should get it painted a different color, something with a little bit more flash.  He advised that while he liked the performance of the car, having one was never about flash or image.  Attracting attention was not something he was into.  I wondered about him the other day.  Perhaps he is still happily scooting down the road, unnoticed, in that same murky brown classic.

These muffins are kind of like that old car.  They have a wonderful flavor, but a rather humble appearance.  Which means that you will not have someone bolting across the room at the sight of these.  Serving these will be more civil, instead of a bunch of snatching hands.

The taste is really the game changer of that calmness. Just one bite of the fluffy muffin will drive your taste buds straight through a dark hazelnut tunnel. If that is not enough, there will be an occasional bump of chocolate chips and salty nuts.  So take your taste buds for a test drive with these humble brown muffins, the keys to get things started are below.

Brown Mercedes Muffins
from flourtrader

1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped, skinned and salted hazelnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup Nutella
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup or 5 tbs and 1 tsp butter (room temp)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
sparkling, slow melting sugar (optional for sprinkling on top)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease top edge of 14 muffin cavities, then fill with paper liners and set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, beat together the butter and Nutella for one minute.  Add both sugars and beat again at medium speed for about 2 minutes, stopping to occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl.  While maintaining the same speed, beat in the egg and vanilla extract, making sure all is blended and mixture is smooth. Set the batter aside.

In a third bowl, whisk the yogurt and the applesauce together.

Take about 1/3 of the sifted ingredients and fold into the nutella/sugar batter.  Then add 1/2 of the yogurt/applesauce and stir until blended.  Follow the same steps again and then add the last third of the sifted ingredients.  Stir until no dry streaks remain.

Take 2 tablespoons of the measured out chopped hazelnuts and set aside.  Pour the remaining chopped nuts into the batter and then add the mini chips, stir until all is evenly distributed.

Using a scoop, fill each of the 14 muffin cavities evenly with the muffin batter.  They should be about 3/4 full.  Sprinkle the top of each with the reserved nuts. Then, if you have opted for the sparkling sugar, sprinkle it evenly on top of each muffin.

Place pans in oven and bake about 24-27 minutes or until done.  Pans will need to be rotated and  rack switched (from one to the other) halfway through the baking time. When done, top will spring back when lightly touched.

Remove pan and let muffins cool for a few minutes then transfer to rack to finish cooling.
                       **LAST YEAR: Spicy Sausage Calzones**   

Pier Thirty Nine Bars

The namesake for these bars has to do with San Francisco.  At the corner of Pier 39 there is a coffee shop that sells Biscoff coffee, according the package of the Biscoff cookies.  Since this is a bar made with Biscoff, I thought that it would go well with the coffee!  Sadly I am not in San Francisco, so I guess I will have to make due with just these bars to satisfy my craving for the flavor of Biscoff.

It is a moist bar, falling between the brownie texture of fudgy and cakey.  Outside of that unique Biscoff flavor, the cinnamon streusel topping adds a delightful crunch.  Also, with the streusel, it can be a delicious breakfast treat as well as a snack. 

The streusel here can be made to your own preference.  You may want big buttery clumps while others like theirs more crumbly.  However, remember that the wait time required before use will cause it to dry out more.

Pier Thirty Nine Bars
by flourtrader

Ingredients/ Streusel
4 tbs of butter
2 tbs ground Biscoff cookies (I used a blender to grind)
1/2 cup flour ( or more depending how crumbly you like the topping to be)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbs finely chopped walnuts

Melt butter in a small saucepan and then remove from heat.  Let cool to room temperature.

In another bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients except for the walnuts.  After sifting, stir in the nuts.  Pour this dry mixture into the melted butter and stir with a fork until crumbs form.  Squeeze the mixture to make a large clump and then break apart so you have some pebble sized clumps.  Set the mixture aside for 15 minutes before using.

Ingredients/Bar base


1/4 plus 1/8 tsp baking powder
2 tbs of ground Biscoff cookies
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs flour
1/4 cup Biscoff spread
1 tbs butter
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 egg
6 tbs sour cream
1 tbs dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (for sprinkling on top)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 inch square pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder and ground Biscoff cookies and set aside.

Place a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter.  Then add the oil and the Biscoff spread.  Stir and let the spread melt into the butter and oil.  Once melted, turn the heat down to low.

In another bowl beat the egg with the granulated sugar until it becomes thick.  It should take about 2 minutes to reach that consistency.  Add the dark brown sugar and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Then beat in the vanilla extract.  Your mixture should be quite thick at this point.

Pour in the warm Biscoff mixture and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes, stopping ocassionally
to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing to make sure it is all even.

Then take some of the streusel mixture and clump it in your hands again and break apart.  Then sprinkle it onto the batter.  Continue with the process until all the streusel is sprinkled on top of the batter.  Using a light touch, press the sprinkled crumbs onto the top of the batter.  Sprinkle on the mini chips and press lightly again.

Place in oven and bake until tester comes out clean and cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan.  This should take about 25-30 minutes.  Remove pan and let cake cool in pan on rack.  Cut into squares when ready to serve.
                          **LAST YEAR: Cranberry Fudge Pie**

B52 Cookies

In case you are unfamiliar with the bar drink called a B52, I will explain.  It is a drink that is made up of layers of liqueur.  The sequence of the layering is based on the weight of the liquid as is layered in this order:  Baileys Irish Cream on the bottom, Kahlua or coffee liqueur in the middle and Grand Marnier or orange liqueur on top.  There is some bartender skill involved to make sure that the liquid does not mix and the layering stays intact as pictured below.

Anyhow, this recipe duplicates the layered flavors in a cookie form.  It has one basic dough that is separated into thirds and flavored.  Then the dough is stacked in layers and cut to form the cookies.

My cookies did not turn out with perfect edges, but I feel that maybe a sharper knife and freezing the dough longer would have helped.  However, these are homemade and not manufactured, so maybe the non-perfect edges are a good thing.

As far as taste, you can taste the liqueur flavors in each of these layers and the chocolate chips compliment each flavor layer.  The texture and ingredients in the cookie base very much resemble sable cookies. Now on to the recipe, it makes about 2 dozen cookies:

B52 Cookies
courtesy of Sophisticated Cookie Cookbook

Ingredients
2 tbs Baileys Irish Cream
2 tbs Kahlua
1 tsp instant espresso powder
2 tbs Grand Marnier
1 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
1 egg
1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 cup flour

Sift together flour and baking powder in a medium size bowl.  Set aside.  In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  This should take about 2 minutes on medium high speed.  Then beat in egg until blended.

With a wooden spoon, fold flour mixture into butter/sugar batter until no dry streaks remain.  Then stir in the chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.  Divide the dough into 3 pieces and place each in a separate bowl.

Take a small bowl and add the Kahlua and espresso and still until the espresso dissolves.  Set aside.

Line up your bowls of dough.   Going from left to right you will flavor the dough.  In the first bowl, mix the Baileys Irish Cream into the dough.  In the second bowl of dough, stir in the Kahlua/espresso mixture.  In the last bowl, stir in the Grand Marnier.

Each piece of dough will need to be checked for consistency before rolling out between pieces of waxed paper.  I found that my Kahlua dough was a not as stiff as the other dough, so I placed it in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Once the pieces are of rolling consistency, each will need to be placed between sheets of wax paper. You will need to keep track of the flavors, so it is best to roll them out and line them up in the same order as noted above. Roll each piece into a rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick, 3 inches wide and about 10 inches long.  Place each piece of dough on a separate baking sheet and place in freezer for 10 minutes.

Remove baking sheets and peel off the wax paper of the Baileys dough.  Place back on baking sheet.  Then peel the wax paper off of the Kahlua dough and stack on top of the Baileys dough, making sure that the edges are even as possible.  Lastly, remove the wax paper from the last layer (Grand Marnier) of the dough and stack it on top of the Kahlua dough.  Wrap the whole block in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.

During this time, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease baking sheets.

Remove block from freezer once chilling time is complete.  With a sharp knife, square off all sides so that the rectangle has sharp straight edges.  Then cut the block in 2 separate pieces, measuring 1 1/2 inches wide by 10 inches long.  Place one piece of dough so the 10 inch length is running left to right on a flat surface. Then slice the dough vertically into 1/2 inch wide pieces.  Repeat the process with the other piece of dough.

Place each square of dough 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until done.  When done, cookies will be firm and lightly browned on the bottom.  As you can see by the above picture, these cookies do not brown on the top or the edges.  Remove cookies from baking sheet and transfer to a rack to cool. Cheers!
                     **LAST YEAR: Espresso Chocolate Shortbread**