Category Archives: DESSERT RECIPES

TART CHERRY ALMOND QUICK BREAD

Leave a reply

Just before leaving on our last trailer trip, I decided to bake this bread mainly for our dear friend Margo who dearly loves tart cherries. Since we would be spending several days trailering with them, it seemed like a good way to spoil her a bit. And it worked. Both she and her husband Jim loved the bread. We of course enjoyed it too. It was simple to make, and stayed fresh for several days. And with our coffee in the morning, it was just that perfect way to greet the day. And speaking of greeting the day, this is how I awakened this morning.

Bread, bread, glorious bread

Nothing quite like it for fending off dread

Bake some today

Put your worries away

Just so much better than staying in bed

Sorry – I just couldn’t help myself. And abject apologies to Flanders and Swann* for taking the words to their endearing Hippopotamus Song* and making them my own. But for some reason, I woke up this morning with the words to this song buzzing around in my head. Can’t complain – it could have been the words to The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round. Now there’s an ear worm that could drive a sane person crazy. As if there isn’t enough craziness all around us already. Enough so, that I’m strongly considering giving up my decades old habit of reading the newspaper as I drink my morning coffee. I can no longer stand to read about what masquerades as “leadership” in our nation’s capital. The values (or lack thereof) demonstrated by some of the high ranking officials are so foreign to me as to be incomprehensible. And in many cases – unforgivable. (And you wonder why I bake so much bread. For me it’s either stay busy, or go crazy!)

So with that uplifting comment in mind, I think I’ll go start a batch of sourdough English muffins. If they work, you will be hearing from me. If not, another recipe will take its place.

As always, peace, love, and a healthy dose of “I need to take care of myself” to all.

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

1 c. granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. sour cream

2 c. tart cherries, halved and patted dry with paper towels (I use frozen pie cherries)

  

Cream the butter and sugar together until well blended (about 5 minutes). Scrape down bowl periodically. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until well blended.

In a separate bowl whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together. Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir in sour cream until completely incorporated. Fold in cherries. Pour batter into 1 9×5-inch bread pan or 2 – 7½ x 3½- inch bread pans greased with non-stick spray.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes (about 45 minutes for smaller pans) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out fairly clean. Remove to a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely before cutting or storing.

Please note: If you have old aluminum pans that are rusting, maybe you should consider getting some new loaf pans. Mr. C. finally asked me to replace my old pans because he didn’t want to consume any more rust. OK, I get that. I don’t think I even noticed anymore because I had been using those same pans for 50 odd years.

So I went on line and purchased a two pack of Stellar James Martin 1 lb. non-stick Loaf Tin Pans.

Now you know this is a non-advertising site. But these are the best loaf pans I have ever used. They are the perfect size for us, because recipes that make enough batter for 1 9×15-inch loaf pan is just the perfect amount for 2 of these little darlings. They measure 7½ x 3½ x 2¾ inches. And I have always enjoyed using the smaller pans for everything from meat loaf to quick bread. For us, 1 loaf can be consumed while the other loaf can be tucked away in our freezer for some later date when it’s obvious to both of us that we deserve a treat.

*Flanders and Swann were a British comedy duo. Lyricist, actor and singer Michael Flanders (1922–1975) and composer and pianist Donald Swann (1923–1994) collaborated in writing and performing comic songs.  The Hippopotamus Song is one of my favorites. If you get a chance, look them up. They are incredibly entertaining. Makes me laugh just to think about them.

The Hippopotamus Song

[1st Verse]

A bold hippopotamus was standing one day
On the banks of the cool Shalimar   
He gazed at the bottom, as it peacefully lay
By the light of the evening star
Away on a hilltop sat combing her hair
His fair hippopotami maid
The hippopotamus was no ignoramus
And sang her this sweet serenade

[Chorus]
Mud, mud, glorious mud
Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood
So follow me, follow
Down to the hollow
And there let us wallow in glorious mud

[2nd Verse]
The fair hippopotama he aimed to entice
From her seat on that hilltop above
As she hadn’t got a ma to give her advice
Came tip-toeing down to her love
Like thunder the forest re-echoed the sound
Of the song that they sang as they met
His inamorata adjusted her garter
And lifted her voice in duet

[Chorus]

Mud, mud, glorious mud
Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood
So follow me, follow
Down to the hollow
And there let us wallow in glorious mud


OLD FASHIONED PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Leave a reply

Once in a while I am reminded that although I included a recipe in one of my two cookbooks, I have not published the recipe on my blog. My bad, I know! Anyway, thanks Leslie C. for bringing my attention back to this recipe. I make these cookies with regularity. But because I have the recipe in written form, I just naturally grab my cookbook and go from there.

Anyway – this is just an old fashioned cookie recipe. One that I have been making for decades. And yes I have other peanut butter cookie recipes on this site. But when I want just a simple, take me back to the days of building cookies for my kids sort of cookie, this is the recipe I use. And for very good reasons. These cookies are simple to make, the texture is perfect, and they taste like peanut butter. Simple as that! Hope you enjoy this classic.

And sorry about no picture. I would have made a batch of these cookies and taken a picture, except we are low on peanut butter. And I didn’t want to make a special trip to the grocery store. Not with coronavirus lurking behind every corner. Besides, you know what peanut butter cookies look like. Your imagination will undoubtedly do better justice to these little darlings than I could provide with my slap hazard camera technique. I may have a few redeemable skills, but photography sure isn’t one of them! Stay healthy everyone – and keep baking.

Update: As you can now see, I have added a picture of these peanut butter cookies. After having written this post, I couldn’t stand it. I used the last of our peanut butter to build a batch. But it was worth it. And they are still as good as I remembered.

½ c. butter, room temp. (You can use soft shortening if you prefer, or half butter, half shortening)

½ c. peanut butter, smooth or crunchy (not natural style)

½ c. granulated sugar

½ c. brown sugar (packed)

1 egg

½ tsp. vanilla

1¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

Cream the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Gradually add to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.

Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, drop balls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto a very lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten each in a crisscross pattern with the tines of a fork.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in a pre-heated 375 degree oven. Do not overbake. As soon as cracks appear on the surface of the cookie, they are done.

Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Recipe easily doubles.  

TART CHERRY TOPPED CHEESECAKE BARS

Leave a reply
cheesecake
tart cherry sauce
ready to serve

There are 3 desserts that I absolutely cannot resist. Really good chocolate cake, crème brûlée, and cheesecake. Of course I love all kinds of pies, and most homemade cakes, and cookies of every size, shape, and persuasion. But when push comes to shove, it’s chocolate cake, crème brûlée, or almost any flavor of cheesecake that wins every time.

So here I am sequestered at home not knowing what impact this pandemic is going to have. Not just on my life. But the lives of everyone around the world. And of course there is not a bloody thing I can do about it. I can stay home. I can be as careful and as thoughtful as possible. I can be as considerate and as kind as I know how to be with everyone, no matter how remote the contact may be. And I can cook. I can make our lives better by preparing meals that are especially delicious. So to that end I decided that cheesecake would undoubtedly make me happy. And I knew Mr. C. would appreciate a special dessert too. (He’s not as crazy about cheesecake as I am. But sometimes I put on my black cowboy hat and think of myself first. Granted it doesn’t happen that often. But I have my selfish moments just like everyone else!) Anyway, putting aside my justification for preparing this dessert, just let me say that it turned out beautifully. Crust not too sweet. Cheesecake very creamy, and the topping out of this world. And the best part – a very easy dish to prepare. Yes there are 3 steps. But look at the ingredient list. Not that many different items. And each step takes very little time or effort.

So if you need a simple dessert with which to treat yourself or your family, give this recipe a try. If you don’t have pie cherries in your freezer, make some other simple topping. In fact, these cheesecake bars would be delicious topped with a little chocolate or caramel sauce. Or some fresh blueberries or strawberries. Or a dollop of jam or jelly. Got lemon curd in your fridge? That would work too.

We all need some extra pampering during this medical crisis. This is a rough time for all of us. But a bit of something that smells good as it cooks or bakes, that your family knows will taste wonderful when it is set before them, is strong medicine. Maybe the best medicine we as cooks can provide if it helps our family keep a feeling of normality. Peace, love, and good health to all.     

  • 1¼ c. graham cracker crumbs (from about 8 whole crackers)
  • ¼ c. powdered sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
  • 5 T. melted unsalted butter
  • 16 oz. (2 lg. pkgs.) cream cheese, room temp.
  • 1¾ c. granulated sugar, divided
  • ¼ c. sour cream, room temp.
  • 3 lg. eggs, room temp.
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 4 tsp. cornstarch
  • dash sea salt
  • 1/3 c. water
  • 4 c. frozen or fresh pitted tart pie cherries

Stir the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, kosher salt, and melted butter together. Press into the bottom and up the sides about ½ inch, of an 8×8-inch square glass pan. (If you only have a metal pan, that’s fine. But a glass pan is my preference for these bars.)

Bake the crust in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and cool for a few minutes while you prepare the filing. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Beat the cream cheese and 1 cup of the granulated sugar together until very smooth and creamy. (This is a very important step. If you don’t beat well, you will have small chunks of cream cheese in your final product. Trust me. Not what you want!)

Add the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla; mix until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl as you go. Spoon the batter onto the prepared crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is set but still soft in the center. (An instant-read thermometer, inserted into the filling about 1-inch in from the edge, will read about 180 degrees.) Remove from oven. Cool to room temperature before placing in your fridge until ready to serve. Top cheesecake pieces with tart cherry sauce before serving.

While the cheesecake bakes, combine the remaining ¾ cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and sea salt in a small saucepan. Whisk in water. Add the cherries and cook until the sugar is completely melted and the sauce is starting to thicken and is very bubbly. Remove from heat, cool completely, and store covered in your refrigerator until needed. Great on vanilla ice cream as well as on the cheesecake bars.

MALTED MILK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Leave a reply
Just after the cookies were baked.
On our picnic table at Harris Beach State Park – Brookings, Oregon

There isn’t really anything too difficult about changing up a cookie recipe. And sometimes, as in this recipe, the outcome is truly delightful.

As some of you know, I’ve been on a malted milk kick recently. For those of you not familiar with chocolate malts, I’m going to recommend that you rectify this situation sooner rather than later. Because dear friends, there is nothing better than a chocolate malt.

So with malts in mind, I took a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe and added my own touches. I decided to use bread flour rather than regular unbleached all-purpose flour because I thought it would result in a crisp, yet chewy textured cookie. (More gluten in bread flour.) And I was right. The bread flour helped create just the perfect texture for a cookie. Then of course, the batter had to contain malted milk powder. And because I wanted a subtle chocolate flavored dough, I added just 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder. And because variety is the spice of life, I used 2 kinds of chocolate chips.

Now I know you probably already have a perfectly wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe you unfailingly use. In fact, I too have several really delicious chocolate chip cookie recipes at my disposal. (And yes they are on this site.) But, for varieties sake, I hope you give this recipe a try. It’s just enough different to bring out the “OMG” response after just one bite. And truthfully, my husband and friends who have tried these cookies have declared them a winner.  

Call me crazy, but I think cookies are just what’s needed during this very stressful time. Baking cookies is one thing you can do with your kids in the comfort of your own home. And if you don’t have kids, then all the more reason to bake up a storm. More for you! But while you’re in the kitchen, you might want to prepare a big old pot of soup too. Hot soup just always feels homey and comforting. And all of us need as much comforting as we can get right now. 

Please know that I do not consider myself a pessimist. And I do know I am probably preaching to the choir. But I truly believe coronavirus is a huge cause for concern and that every measure that can be taken to prevent its spread should be taken. Because it seems to me that it’s only a matter of time before every one of us is exposed to this virus and have to personally deal with this real-life health threat. All the mandatory closures of schools and large gatherings is simply a way to slow down the spread of the disease. Because if everyone were to become infected at the same time, it truly would be a disaster. Hopefully keeping some distance between people will allow medical personnel enough time between incidences and therefore enough hospital space to assist in the saving of lives. A vaccine might even be developed, if not to completely eradicate the disease, but to mitigate some of the deathly effects.  

I also firmly believe our government and even the press have not explained the “why” of decisions being made like closing down schools as adequately as they should have. People learn and understand much better if they can see the logic behind actions being taken. And that the actions being taken are only made after a great deal of thought and study has been given by people truly in the know. Like health advisers, state governors, knowledgeable business people, economists, and school officials, to mention a few. Not some politico simply blowing smoke in Washington DC. Or some government official who has no medical knowledge telling us that the coronavirus is under control. Just talk plainly to us. Assume that we are intelligent, because most of us are intelligent. Tell us why precautions are being made for our benefit. And please, leave all the political bullshit behind. I don’t care if the person who is providing us with reliable information is a republican or a democrat. Or white, male, Asian, female, young, old, or has red hair or no hair at all. Just someone with knowledge, an ability to empathize with the situation, and a true concern for everyone on this planet.  

So dear friends, I will now turn the soapbox over to someone else. I’ve vented enough. Just please wash your hands. Get plenty of sleep. Keep yourself and your family safe. And feed your family good healthy food. And cookies. Cookies really do bring a smile to almost everyone’s face. Who doesn’t feel that all is right with the world after having just eaten a cookie? Peace, Love, and Good Health to each of you.

(And sorry for the pontification. I just couldn’t help myself! I just care.)

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 c. brown sugar (packed)
  • ½ c. granulated sugar
  • 3 lg. eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3¼ c. bread flour* (you can use unbleached all-purpose flour if necessary)
  • ½ c. malted milk powder
  • 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 c. milk chocolate chips
  • 1 c. regular or mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Scrape sides down periodically. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract; combine well.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Add to the butter mixture only until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Let dough sit for about 20 minutes.   

Using a small ice cream scoop, drop balls of dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 14-16 minutes or until light golden brown around the bottom edges.   

Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

*Remember to “fluff” up the flour as you measure it out. Use a spoon to fluff up the flour within the container. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Use a knife or other straight edged utensil to level the flour across the measuring cup.

CHOCOLATE CHIP MALTED MILK COOKIES

Leave a reply

I found this recipe on the chocolate chocolate and more web site. The recipe looked perfect to me so I didn’t change a thing. OK, I did specify unsalted butter, unbleached all-purpose flour and kosher salt in my version because that’s what I almost always use in every culinary endeavor I undertake. Granted, regular bleached flour can certainly be used, and is preferred by some bakers. I just haven’t the time or energy to have one more type of flour in my pantry. So even though bleached flour has a whiter color, finer grain, and softer texture, I’m sticking to my guns (like I own any guns!) on this one. It’s unbleached flour for me all the way! Unless of course the recipe calls for whole wheat, bread, rye, self-rising, etc. etc. flour. Then there is really no choice to be made. Same goes for butter. If you prefer to use salted butter, go for it! However if you use table salt rather than kosher salt, you might want to cut back the amount to ¾ teaspoon. But back to these incredible cookies.

I guess the first thing I should say about these cookies is that they are really yummy. I chose to use large Guittard milk chocolate chips for my first batch because I thought the milk chocolate would go well with the darker cocoa flavored dough. And the flavor combination worked perfectly. However, for presentation sake, you might want to use smaller chocolate chips.

As you can see in the picture, the cookies came out quite thin. That’s great because they are very crispy. And I love crispy cookies. But the larger chips stick out so much you might draw a similarity between the look of these cookies and what lays on the ground in a field of cows. (No offence intended towards cows.) But it does give a whole new meaning to cow chip cookies. (If you aren’t from the Seattle area, Cow Chip Cookies is a local company that makes and delivers truly delicious cookies. So any reference to or mention of cow chip cookies is only made in the most positive way.)   

Anyway, even though lovely presentation is probably not going to be the first remark out of your mouth, these are still truly delightful cookies. Just give them a lot of room on your cookie sheet. Even though the dough is chilled, the balls of dough still seem to take pleasure in cozying up to their neighbors as they bake. But then, shouldn’t we all try harder to adopt that kind of “get closer to our neighbors” behavior. The world would sure be a lot better off if everyone expended just a bit more effort in that direction. Peace, love, and chocolate chip cookies to all.

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 c. brown sugar, packed
  • ½ c. granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temp.
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ c. good unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¾ c. malted milk powder
  • 2½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 12 oz. (about 2 c.) milk, semi-sweet, or mini chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, beat until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, malted milk powder, flour, baking soda, and salt together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture blending just till combined. (Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl periodically.) Stir in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough for about an hour. Using a small ice cream scoop, place cookie dough balls on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet at least 2-inches apart. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until set and beginning to look crackly on top. Don’t overbake. Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

SWEET POTATO BOURBON BARS WITH BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM

Leave a reply

So, here goes a recipe for all you sweet potato fans out there. Of course, if there were a sweet potato fan club, I would undoubtedly be the reigning president. Because if there is one veggie I could eat almost every day, it would be the ubiquitous ipomoea batatas. Savory, sweet, or any other way you can think to prepare this starchy tuberous root, I’m sure to enjoy putting it in my mouth. And this recipe for sweet potato bourbon bars is no exception. And yes I know. I’m turning into the bourbon queen, but wait till you taste these bars! The bourbon blends perfectly with the spices and ups the richness of the sweet potatoes. Any more to be said would be redundant.

So, next time you want a truly rich and lovely dessert, give this recipe a try. And if we happen to be neighbors, I would ever so gladly stop by to offer assistance if you needed clarifications on how best to cut the bars or dollop them with whipped cream or sprinkle on the nutmeg. I am always at your service. Just sayin’

Crust:

  • 2 c. flour
  • 1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • ½ c. powdered sugar

Mix flour, butter, salt, and powdered sugar together and pat into a 10×16-inch pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 16 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven. Meanwhile prepare filling.

Sweet Potato Pie Filling:

  • 3½ c. mashed sweet potatoes (cooking instructions below)  
  • 6 T. (¾ of a stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1¼ c. packed brown sugar
  • 5 T. granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1½ tsp. vanilla
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • 2¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • rounded ¼ tsp. ground cloves
  • 12 oz. can evaporated milk
  • 5 T. bourbon

Beat the roasted sweet potatoes in your stand mixer until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Pour into prepared crust. Return pan to 350 degree oven and bake for 70-80 minutes or until the filling has just set. Filling is set when you can insert a tooth pick into the middle of the filling and it comes out clean. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Serve with Bourbon Whipped Cream. (Recipe below)

How to bake sweet potatoes for this recipe:

Bake about 6 large dark skinned sweet potatoes (may be labeled as yams at your grocery store) in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 60-75 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and cool to touch or for really easy peeling, refrigerate the baked sweet potatoes overnight. Remove the peels and mash with an electric mixer.

Bourbon Whipped Cream:

  • 2 c. heavy whipping cream
  • 2 T. powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp. vanilla
  • 1 T. bourbon
  •  ground nutmeg, opt. for sprinkling

Beat the whipping cream to stiff peaks. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and bourbon. Whip until completely blended.

To serve Sweet Potato Bars, cut to desired size, place on dessert plate and dollop with whipped cream. For an extra special touch, lightly sprinkle with nutmeg.

And sorry there’s no picture. We gobbled the bars up last Thanksgiving before I remembered to snap a picture. But if you want to see what they look like, and/or prefer pumpkin to sweet potatoes, visit my recipe for Pumpkin Pie Bars with Bourbon-Caramel Whipped Cream.  

YELLOW SOUR CREAM CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE MALTED MILK BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Leave a reply

More and more I find myself gently hitting my forehead with the palm of my hand wondering why in heavens sake I hadn’t thought of this or that (insert whatever it might be) 30, 40, even 50 years ago?!?! And my latest revelation that demanded a personal head and hand altercation involved malted milk. What would happen if I added malted milk powder to a luscious chocolate buttercream frosting? And holy malted milk batman, what an absolutely whopper of an idea that turned out to be!

Now I have to give credit where inspiration is due.

Recently while we were out and about at lunchtime, the urge for a cheese burger with extra pickles overcame us both. And as is often the case, Mr. C. ordered a chocolate malted milk shake to go along with his burger. I try to stay away from ice cream and sugar as much as possible, but that day I just had to have a sip of his shake. OMG. With one little sip, my love for malted milk came rushing back with a vengeance. Leap forward a couple of weeks.

While coming up with a dessert for our last 2 JazzVox (afternoon and evening concerts on the same day), I decided on cake. First I thought about baking one of my favorite chocolate cakes Mocha Chocolate Cake with Sour Cream Frosting or Chocolate Sheet Cake with Chocolate Hazelnut Topping. (Both on this site BTW) But then I decided I wanted to fix something brand new for our guests. And as I was pondering my choices, malted milk popped into my head. I had never used malted milk powder before, so I needed to figure out how I could incorporate it into my baking. I didn’t even really know what it was. So in case you too might be interested – malted milk is a powdered gruel made from a mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and evaporated whole milk. So no, it is not gluten free. But oh my, what it does for chocolate frosting is amazing.

So if you too love the taste of malted milk, give this recipe a try. And as I discovered when doing my research, I am not the only cook who wants to use this amazing product. So go online. There are some fantastic looking recipes out there.

So please enjoy this recipe. And look for more malted milk recipes to come. I just have to believe that there is a malted milk brownie recipe out there just waiting for me to develop. Yum. I can almost smell the brownies baking ……almost ……

Yellow Sour Cream Cake: recipe fromJocelyn Delk Adams (Grandbaby Cakes web site)

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
  • 1/3 c. vegetable oil
  • 2½ c. granulated sugar
  • 6 lg. eggs, room temperature
  • 2 lg. egg yolks, room temperature
  • 2 T. pure vanilla extract
  • 3 c. fluffed up or sifted cake flour (see how to make cake flour below)
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 c. sour cream

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter, oil, and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes. (Do not skimp on the time for this step. Very important.)

Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time until well incorporated. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.

In a medium sized bowl whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together.  

With mixer on low speed, alternate adding in flour mixture and sour cream. Do not over mix.

Grease and lightly flour a 12×16-inch (half-sheet) cake pan. Pour the batter evenly into the pan. Shake to help even off the batter.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the middle of the pan comes out clean. Do not overbake. Check after 25 minutes to be sure. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.    

Store at room temperature.

Chocolate Malted Milk Buttercream Frosting:

  • 1½ c. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • lg. pinch fine sea salt
  • ¾ c. malted milk powder
  • ½ c. good unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Valrhona)
  • 3 c. powdered sugar  
  • 3 T. whipping cream, plus more as needed

Beat the butter, vanilla, and salt together until creamy in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Whisk the malted milk powder, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar together in a bowl.

Gradually add the cocoa mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the heavy cream until the frosting is super smooth and at your desired consistency. Scrap down the sides of the bowl several times during this process.  

Homemade Cake Flour:

For each cup of cake flour you will need:

  • 2 T. cornstarch
  • 1 scant c. all-purpose flour

Measure out 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and place it in a 1-cup measuring cup.   Gently spoon fluffed up all-purpose flour into the cup over the cornstarch. Don’t pack the flour down in the cup. Use the back of a table knife to level off the cup. 

Sift the mixture 2-3 times to thoroughly combine and aerate the flour. Measure again. (You may have a bit of extra cake flour left. Great! Save it for the next time you need cake flour.) 

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH TOASTED PECANS AND DRIED CHERRIES

1 Reply

I love white chocolate. I love pecans. I love dried cherries. So when it came time to bake cookies for my kids Christmas goody packages, I figured I couldn’t go too far afield if I baked a cookie that included these ingredients that I personally adore. After all, we would be eating these cookies too. And therein lies my tale of woe.

I liked these cookies way too much. So instead of leaving the cookies in their lovely Christmas tin, I could not resist. I tried. I really did. But they kept calling to me. And I simply had to succumb to their siren song.

So suffice it to say – these are really tasty cookies. Plus they pack well, and stay fresh for days and days. In fact, I made so many of these cookies, we still have some in our cookie jar. And they are still delicious. I should know. I had a couple for dessert last evening.

So if you too love white chocolate, dried cherries, and toasted pecans – bake up a batch of these little darlings at your earliest convenience. Take some to work with you. Share some with a neighbor. Prepare a batch for a bake sale. Just do whatever it takes to get most of them out of your house! Because they are truly addictive. Happy baking.

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
  • 1 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 c. packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt 
  • 2 c. good white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli or Guittard)
  • 1½ c. dried cherries, coarsely chopped
  • 1 c. toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter and both sugars together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then beat in the white chocolate chips, dried cherries, and chopped pecans.

Using a small ice cream scoop, drop balls of dough 2-inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. When completely cooled store in an airtight container.  

CHOCOLATE CHIP PEPPERMINT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Leave a reply

If there is one thing I am sure of, it’s that peppermint and Christmas go together. Then you throw in some chocolate and to my thinking you have now achieved a perfect trifecta.

So for Christmas this year, I decided to make a chocolate peppermint shortbread cookie to include with several other goodies in my annual Christmas package to my kids. (And yes, they are all well into adulthood. But what has that got to do with being a kid at heart when it comes to Christmas goodies? After all, their Uncle Dan was the original cookie monster!) But back to these cookies.

One of the things I like best about making these cookies is that I get to use a hammer. Nothing relieves stress like taking a hammer to a poor defenseless peppermint stick. And I’m always stressed getting ready for Christmas. So smashing candy feels almost liberating. (I’m sure the peppermint stick would disagree, but tough noogies! It’s really just all about me, right?!?!)

And then preparing the dough for this cookie is absolutely non-challenging. And you don’t even have to use an ice cream scoop or hand roll tiny little balls of this dough to shape the cookies. Just two simple steps. Roll the dough into a round log. Then after it spends some quality time in a cold environment, slice it with a sharp knife. Could not be easier.

Then all you have to do is bake them off. And wait until they are cool to take your first bite. (Now that’s the hard part!)

So even though Christmas has come and gone, please do yourself a favor and bake up a batch of these cookies. They are truly delicious. And crunchy. Every one of your family and friends will love them. Besides, it never hurts to keep a little bit of Christmas alive throughout the year. Like one of my favorite Christmas carol reminds us – Christmas is a feeling in your heart. Peace and love to all.

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 c. powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ½ tsp. salt (if using salted butter, add ¼ tsp. salt)
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • ¼ c. mini chocolate chips
  • ½ c. chopped good peppermint candy (like King Leo or Sees peppermint sticks)  

With an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl combine the flour, mini chocolate chips, and chopped peppermint. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture, mixing just until a dough forms. Place dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic wrap gently shaping it into a round log about 1½-inch wide.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Un-wrap log and using a serrated knife slice dough 3/8 inch thick (if dough feels really hard, leave at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes). Arrange slices, about 1-inch apart, on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not under-bake.) Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes. Then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

SWEET POTATO PECAN BREAD

Leave a reply

Before Christmas every year, I bake quick breads to give to friends and neighbors. Just as a little something special to go with their morning coffee during this hectic holiday season. And this year I decided to make a sweet potato bread.

Now something you should know. I love sweet potatoes. I like them cooked with both savory and sweet ingredients. But the best way for me to eat them is mashed up, with lots of sugar and spices, in the form of pie. I could eat sweet potato pie three times a week and be a very happy camper. Granted, a lot heavier than I already am, but there would always be a smile on my face. Well, maybe not after having just been to see my doctor, but the rest of the time for sure. But being smarter than to do that to my body, I confine my sweet potato pie cravings to once or twice a year.

But when it came time to decide which quick bread to gift this year, visions of sweet potato pie drifted into my psyche. Would it be possible to create a sweet potato bread that contained all the ingredients I associate with sweet potato pie? Could I guarantee that the bread would remain moist even if it sat around for a few days? Could I keep from eating all the bread that I planned to share with others? (That was really the main question.)

So I jumped on the computer, did a few searches for a sweet potato bread recipe, and came up with this glommed together version. Now when you read the ingredients, I’m sure one of the first things you will notice is the 2 tablespoons of bourbon. And if you are at all familiar with my recipes, you will be saying to yourself – self, she’s at it again – there’s bourbon in this bread! And of course, you would be correct. There is indeed bourbon in this recipe, and for a very good reason. Bourbon is a fantastic ingredient because it pairs well with spices. It seems to bring out the best in them. For many, the flavor of bourbon hints of vanilla, caramel, honey, butterscotch, apple, pear, figs, raisins, dates, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. So the use of a bit of bourbon in this recipe only makes sense. If you choose not to use bourbon, just substitute it with water. Not a problem.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and think about gifting a loaf to a friend. And it doesn’t have to be just at Christmas time. Homemade goodies received any time of year are a treat. But save a loaf for yourself. For all you do, you deserve a treat too. And I can’t think of a better way to treat yourself than to sit down with a nice cup of coffee or tea, a slice of this bread, and a good book. Happy New Year everyone. And peace and love to all.     

  • 2½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
  • ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1½ tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. allspice
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • 2 c. sweet potato flesh, scooped from 2-3 medium sized roasted sweet potatoes (see recipe for roasting sweet potatoes below)
  • 1⅓ c. granulated sugar
  • 2/3 c. packed light brown sugar
  • 1 c. unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted, plus more for coating the pans
  • 4 lg. eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 T. bourbon
  • 1 c. whole milk
  • 1 c. pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • ¼ c. demerara sugar, or more as needed

Coat 2 9x5x3-inch loaf pans or 5 small loaf pans with butter and flour. Set aside. 

Whisk the flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves together in a medium bowl; set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the mashed sweet potato, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter and mix on low speed until smooth. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing until fully incorporated, then mix in the vanilla and bourbon.

Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. On low speed add half of the flour mixture, then half of the milk. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and milk, mixing just until combined, about 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the pecans.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smooth the top, and evenly sprinkle with the demerara sugar.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. (30 minutes baking time (or so) for the mini pans.)

Remove breads from oven and allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you are giving the mini breads as gifts, and have used the disposable aluminum pans, just leave the breads in the pans.

How to bake sweet potatoes for this recipe:

Wash and dry 3 medium, dark skinned sweet potatoes (may be labeled as yams at your grocery store). Make about 3 slits on the top of each potato. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 60-75 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and cool to touch or for really easy peeling, refrigerate the cooked sweet potatoes overnight. Remove the peels and mash with a fork.