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.
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.
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.
All of a sudden I have become a great fan of dark chocolate chips. And as for peanut butter chips, well I have been a devotee since they first appeared on grocery store shelves. And in combination, well there is no going back for this cookie lover. But sometimes dark chocolate chips can be hard to find. I use Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips that I can usually find at our local Bartell Drugs Store. If you aren’t lucky enough to live in the Puget Sound area, I would recommend going on line to find a supply of these little darlings and then always keep them at the ready in your freezer. They really are wonderful chocolate chips. And these cookies are fantastic. Not too hard, not too soft – just right! And easy to make too!
I decided that I would take them to a recent choral rehearsal
we were involved in. Some of us who had sung together for many years were asked
to sing at the Celebration of Life for one of our fellow singers. A 49 year old
woman who was one of the kindest, most amazing, and talented woman we had ever
had the pleasure of calling a friend. It was rough.
We had already shed many tears, but accompanying the singers
(Andy) and singing (me) was really difficult. And I knew how tough it would be
for all of my fellow singers as well. So I decided to do what I had always done
when we were singing together as a group. I brought cookies to the rehearsal. I
knew this simple gesture would help bring a little normalcy to this difficult
but ultimately rewarding occasion. And it worked, especially for the guys. They
dove into the cookies as if they were a life line.
No one knows what the future will bring. At the end of the
Celebration of Life I was a little uncomfortable when the pastor got up to
deliver his ending remarks. I thought his words might be a bit too preachy for
my taste. But I could have hugged the man after he finished his closing
comments. He said, and I paraphrase, “in these trying times – love each other a
little bit more, show everyone a little bit more kindness, go out of your way
to do something special for someone in need, live goodness rather than hate,
and be understanding and respectful of others who have a different point of
view than yours”.
His words really resonated with me, especially the “be
understanding and respectful of others who have a different point of view than
yours”. In these difficult times, it is almost impossible for me to even be in
the same room with someone who defends much less admires our current
administration. I see it as a character flaw and find the whole thing incomprehensible.
So I need to change my ways. Not so much for anyone else’s sake, but rather for
my own sake. As a decent human being. So I hope I’m not too old to learn a lesson
about kindness and even forgiveness.
And even though the Celebration of Life was difficult and we are going to miss Laurie with all our hearts, I’m so glad I was reminded by her minister of what it means to be a good citizen of the world. And I’m going to continue baking cookies. Giving cookies away may just be a simple gesture, but it’s one that can make a difference in how someone sees the world and their place in it. So happy baking dear friends. And love and peace to all.
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1 c. brown sugar, packed ½ c. granulated sugar 2 lg. eggs 1 T. vanilla extract 1¾ c. unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt
3 c. rolled oats (not instant or quick cook)
1½ c. dark chocolate chips 1½ c. peanut butter chips
Beat
the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and creamy, about
4 minutes in your stand mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well
combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
In
a medium sized bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together, then stir
in the rolled oats. Add to the butter mixture and beat on low speed just until
combined. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the dark chocolate and
peanut butter chips, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30
seconds.
Using
an ice cream scoop, drop cookies onto a lightly greased cookie sheet about
2-inches apart.
Bake
in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until edges and top are
set. Don’t overbake.
Remove
from oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes
before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. (And don’t worry. The cookies
will firm up as they cool.)
Store
in an airtight container. (And yes of course, you can easily halve this recipe,
or double it for that matter!)
Sometimes
I get nostalgic for no better reason than beautifully colored deciduous leaves
in the fall. And every fall as the leaves start to turn color, I immediately want
to hunker down in my kitchen and make soup. Or in the case of this past
weekend, I wanted to re-create a classic fall and winter dessert I enjoyed as a
child and made for my children when they were young. But I didn’t want the
gingerbread of my youth, and not even the one I fed to my children. I wanted a
modern take on this old standard that would appeal to more sophisticated palates.
What
I envisioned was a gingerbread that had the consistency and moistness I
associate with a truly delicious cake. Plus I wanted to make my ginger cake
include a background flavor that set it apart from others. And I think I found
that special something. It’s called bourbon.
And
yes I know, I use bourbon in a lot in my recipes. Bourbon just pairs so well
with all kinds of dishes. But what it did for this dessert was beyond compare.
I
used the basic recipe for gingerbread from one of my favorite bloggers – Jenn Segal
(Once Upon a Chef). She is truly one of my favorites. Please visit her site,
because she is the real deal!
I
did however make one small change. I substituted a wee bit of bourbon for some
of the boiling water in her recipe. (I just had to do it.) Then I went
completely bourbon crazy, and created a bourbon caramel sauce, then went
further off the deep end (it’s called gilding the lily) by adding a bit of
bourbon to the whipped cream topping.
Now
something you should know. There isn’t enough money to get me to drink bourbon
straight. I don’t like the taste of any whiskey, so why would I want to sip on
something that makes me scrunch up my face? (Mother Nature is already having
her way with my face. I don’t need any more help in that arena thank you very
much!) But, as a subtle (or in some cases not-so-subtle) background flavor,
bourbon is a perfect ingredient. For many, the flavor of bourbon hints of vanilla,
caramel, honey, butterscotch, apple, pear, figs, raisins, dates, nutmeg,
cloves, and cinnamon. So when you analyze the flavors associated with bourbon,
really what’s not to like? (I still can’t get straight bourbon past my lips!) But
what bourbon does for ginger cake is nothing short of miraculous.
So
if you too haven’t enjoyed or even thought about gingerbread for years, now is
the time. And as a dessert to serve for either Thanksgiving or Christmas, I
think it would be absolutely perfect.
To find other recipes on this site that use bourbon as an ingredient, just type “bourbon” in the search box – hit search, and a new world of boozy recipes will appear on the screen. Some of the recipes are even for delicious adult beverages. Imagine that!
1½
c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1
tsp. baking soda
½
tsp. salt
2
tsp. ground ginger
1
tsp. ground cinnamon
¼
tsp. ground cloves
4
T. unsalted butter, melted
2/3
c. packed brown sugar
2/3
c. molasses (not Robust or Blackstrap)
2/3
c. boiling water minus 4 tsp. (I’ve
replaced 4 tsp. of boiling water with bourbon)
4
tsp. bourbon
1
lg. egg, beaten
chopped candied ginger, opt. garnish
In
a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and
cloves. Set aside.
In
a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, and boiling
water. When the mixture is room temperature, whisk in the bourbon and the egg. Add
the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until no lumps remain.
Pour
the batter into a lightly greased and floured 9-inch square pan (glass
preferably). Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (or 350 degree oven if using
a metal pan) for about 25 minutes, or until the edges look dark and the middle
feels firm to the touch.
Remove
from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Or allow to cool slightly, then cut
into squares and serve with a bit of warm Bourbon Caramel Sauce, dolloped with Bourbon
Whipped Cream, and garnished with a tiny bit of chopped candied ginger. Ginger cake
is wonderful served at room temperature, warm out of the oven, or reheated.
The
cake can be baked up to 3 days ahead. Cover and store at room temperature. If
you prefer, warm before serving.
To warm cake: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
BOURBON CARAMEL SAUCE
1 c. packed brown
sugar
½ c. (1 stick)
unsalted butter
pinch sea salt
½ c. heavy cream
¼ c. bourbon
Whisk
butter, brown sugar, and salt together over medium heat in a small heavy
saucepan until brown sugar has dissolved completely. (This happens after the
mixture comes to a boil and is allowed to burble for a couple of minutes or
until it turns kind of shiny. Continue whisking the whole time the mixture is
on the heat.) Remove from heat and gently whisk in the heavy cream and bourbon.
Serve warm over this ginger cake, bread pudding, ice cream, or any old thing
you want! (Great in coffee too!)
Can
be made ahead and refrigerated. Best to warm slightly before serving.
BOURBAN WHIPPED CREAM
2
c. heavy cream
¼
c. powdered sugar
2
T. bourbon
1
tsp. vanilla
Beat cream until stiff
peaks form. Beat in the powdered sugar, bourbon, and vanilla until well
blended. Cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
This
recipe is from the Brown Eyed Baker site. (Great site BTW!) And boy oh boy are
these bar cookies good. No wait. Good isn’t good enough. These are GREAT bar
cookies. And ever so easy to make. You don’t even need a mixer. And I always
say hurray to that. One less thing to bring out of my pantry.
So
I made this recipe last week for Mr. C. and the other members of Seabreeze (a 7
piece jazz band) who rehearse once a week. And when it’s our turn to host the
rehearsal, I make sure the guys get a homemade goodie for their break. (I’d
actually go so far as to cook lunch for the guys if that’s what it took to
bring them from Bellingham and surrounding areas to our home to practice. Because
I absolutely love listening to them play. And because they are all really
wonderful guys. But please don’t tell them I’d fix them lunch. I’m trying to
reduce my commitments, not add to them. So for now I’m going to stick with serving
them a homemade treat.) But enough about why I made these bar cookies.
As far as I’m concerned, bar cookies are the greatest time saving invention ever to hit my kitchen. And as I’ve already stated, these cookies are a snap to prepare. Just mix all the ingredients together, slap the batter into a greased pan, and throw the whole mess in the oven. 30 or so minutes later, take the pan out of the oven, place it on a cooling rack, and cut into whatever size pieces you want when cooled. Could not be easier.
So next time you bake a treat for your family or friends, give this recipe a try. These cookies are truly delightful. In fact they were recently awarded “the jazz musician’s seal of approval”. So you don’t have to take my word for how great these cookies taste. You now have verification from true experts. Thank you gentlemen!
1½
c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1
tsp. baking powder
½
tsp. salt
¾
c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1½
c. light brown sugar
2
eggs, room temperature
1½
tsp. vanilla extract
1½
c. unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1
c. roughly chopped macadamia nuts
1 c. white chocolate chips
In
a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In
a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and light brown sugar until
combined. Add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until well combined. Using a
rubber spatula, add the dry ingredients to the bowl and gently fold them into
the egg mixture until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the toasted
coconut, macadamia nuts, and white chocolate chips. Scoop the batter into a
lightly greased 9×13-inch baking pan (glass preferably); smooth the batter into
an even layer.
Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (350 degrees if the pan is metal) until the top is shiny and cracked and feels firm to the touch, 30 – 33 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars as needed.
The
bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5
days.
So
having just posted a recipe for a healthy (relatively speaking) carrot bread, I
thought I would follow that recipe with a “less-bad-for-you” chocolate chip
cookie option. I found this recipe on the Cookie and Kate web site.
Now,
if you didn’t happen to catch my last post, let me just explain that in my
endeavor to keep us as healthy as possible as we grow older (at an ever increasing
rate of speed I might add), I’m trying to cook and bake with our over-all
health in mind.
But
it’s not easy. We are very, very spoiled. We love good food and drink, and don’t
at all appreciate not being able to eat and drink as we please. But Mother Nature
is not on our side in this regard. “She who must be obeyed” has made it abundantly
clear that we are not in charge – “she” is! For instance, my stomach doesn’t
handle refined sugar very well anymore. And wine – suffice it to say I usually
don’t partake. Grrrrr!
But,
and here’s the good part – I know how to cook. And there are a world of great
recipes out there written by health conscience (and yes I know it should be
health-conscious, but I like my word for it better) people much more creative than
me. And they take their healthy cooking very, very seriously. (And bless them
for it!) And this recipe is proof of what I speak.
The
only change I made to Kates recipe was to substitute dark chocolate chips for
semi-sweet chocolate chips and add coconut and nuts.
So
I made these cookies for our trailer trip. And they were so darn good I couldn’t
believe there was no flour, brown or white sugar, and just 4 tablespoons of
butter in the whole darn mess. Amazing.
So
if you want to continue to feel like you can eat anything you want, I would recommend
you give these cookies a try. They are really good and since you should keep
them in the freezer, you might not be as tempted to eat as many since they won’t
be in the heart of your kitchen – the cookie jar!
So go on. Take a chance. But no, they won’t ever replace a butter rich, soft and chewy cookie loaded with chocolate chips. But they don’t taste like sawdust either. And – they are better for you. Of course, these cookies will never be considered good for you. That’s a given. But better works for me. Hope it works for you too.
2/3
c. real maple syrup
2/3
c. natural peanut butter
4
T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1
lg. egg
1
tsp. vanilla extract
½
tsp. baking soda
½
tsp. baking powder
½
tsp. fine-grain sea salt
1¼ c. old-fashioned rolled oats*, ground for 30 seconds in a food processor or blender
1½ c. old-fashioned rolled oats*
½
c. coconut
1
c. dark chocolate chips
1 c. chopped walnuts
Whisk
the maple syrup, peanut butter, and melted butter together in a mixing bowl. Beat
in the egg, scraping down the side of the bowl once it’s incorporated. Stir in the
vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using a large heavy spoon, stir
in the ground oats, rolled oats, coconut, chocolate chips, and walnuts until
they are evenly combined.
Using
an ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
Bake the cookies in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until they are barely set and just beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool completely on the pans. Store in an airtight container in your freezer.
*Reminder: If you are gluten intolerant, make sure you buy oats that have been certified as gluten free.
And yes, I know the bones of this
cobbler recipe have gotten a lot of press lately. The recipe was even featured
in The Seattle Times, and you can’t get much more note-worthy than that! But as
you well know, I almost always feel compelled to mess with perfectly good
recipes and put my own spin on a dish. Where this compunction comes from I have
no idea. But at 75, the chances of my changing a decade’s long habit is
probably just not going to happen. And in my humble opinion, amaretto should
have been an ingredient from the onset. Plus I don’t like to eat the fuzzy skin
of peaches, even if they are cooked. And vanilla in the cakey part of a cobbler
should almost be mandatory as far as I’m concerned!
So anyway. I changed the recipe
from the Boat Street Café to what you see below. And frankly, the cobbler was
very well received by all of us who were lucky enough to be gathered around our
friends Jim & Margo’s dining room table last weekend. But the hot water and
sugar topping method was totally the inspiration of Susan Kaplan who sold the Boat
Street Café to Renee Erickson in 2003. Full disclosure folks, full disclosure.
But regardless of who put what in the recipe, or changed the instructions, or added or deleted ingredients, this is a delicious way to use those wonderful, juicy peaches that are beginning to grace our local produce stands and farmers markets. So before the season is over, make your family and friends a dessert that features peaches. They are just so delicious. And if the ones Mr. C. brought home the other day are any indication of this season’s crop, we are all in for a treat. Happy eating everyone.
4 tsp. cornstarch
1/3 c. amaretto
10 lg. peaches
½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ c. granulated sugar, divided
1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ c. whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ c. hot water vanilla ice cream
Whisk the cornstarch and amaretto together in a 9×13-inch casserole dish or glass Pyrex pan. (Pan can be a bit larger, but not any smaller.) Set aside.
Peel the peaches (see “how to”
below) and cut into 8 wedges, then each wedge in half. Place in a colander to
drain while you prepare the cobbler part. (If you want to save the nectar,
place the colander in a bowl.)
With an electric mixer, beat the butter
and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar for 1 minute. In a
separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add
to butter mixture and beat for about 30 seconds. Slowly mix in the milk and vanilla
extract. Continue beating at medium speed for 2 minutes more, or until the mixture
is light and fluffy.
Gently pour the drained peaches in
with the cornstarch mixture. Stir until every surface of every peach piece is
coated with the cornstarch/amaretto mixture.
Spoon the batter in large blobs
over the peaches. Using a small offset spatula or implement of choice, spread
the batter over the fruit so that it’s evenly distributed. Sprinkle with the remaining
6 tablespoons of sugar and drizzle the hot water evenly over the sugar.
Place the baking dish in a
pre-heated 350 degree and bake for 60-70 minutes or until the top is cracked
and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean.
Remove the pan from oven and
place on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.
To serve, scoop into bowls and top with ice cream. Best served the same day as baked.
Peach Pealing 101:
Put a pot of water onto boil. Lightly score the bottom of each peach with an X. Working in batches of 3 or 4, add the peaches to the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the blanched peaches to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Remove peaches from ice water and remove skin with a paring knife.
And
yes I know I have another recipe for Strawberry
Rhubarb Crisp on my blog. But it’s a little bit different and this one is
equally as delicious. (Besides, I like to give my readers options.) Plus, can
you ever have too many recipes for the perfect combination of tart rhubarb and luscious
strawberries? I think not!
So the only thing left to say is that this crisp is easy to prepare, super tasty, and perfect for a crowd. Oh, and you can bake it ahead and it will still be lovely the next day. Happy first day of Spring everyone.
2
lbs. rhubarb stalks, sliced ½-inch thick (about 8 cups of cut up rhubarb)
1
lb. fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1
c. sugar, or more to taste
3
T. cornstarch
2
tsp. fresh lemon juice
1
tsp. vanilla extract
2/3
c. unsalted butter, room temp.
1½
c. packed brown sugar
2
tsp. ground cinnamon
½
tsp. kosher salt
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c. oats
In a medium bowl, toss the rhubarb and strawberries together.
Whisk the sugar together with the cornstarch and pour over the fruit. Add the
lemon juice and vanilla and stir well. Transfer the mixture to a lightly
buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish. (I use a glass Pyrex pan.)
Cream the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together. Add
the flour and oats until crumbly. Sprinkle topping evenly over the filling. (You
may want to pinch the mixture a bit to create clumps.)
Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until
the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. (If the topping is
browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil very loosely over the pan, so the
foil is not touching the crisp.) Continue baking until the fruit filling is thickened
and bubbling.
Remove from oven and let rest at least 20 minutes before serving.
Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice
cream. Leave on the counter uncovered (keeps the topping fairly crisp) for
up to a couple days.
So
what do you make to take along on a golfing vacation with friends that would be
considered a complimentary dessert to go along with “cocktail lab”? Well, I
guess before I answer that question, I should explain what constitutes “cocktail
lab”. In our case, it meant trying new drinks on each other that contained
ingredients that were mostly foreign to the majority of us. Like – Fernet Branca liqueur*, pear liquor, Cynar**, King’s
Ginger Liqueur, and muddled cucumber to mention a few.
Having
provided you with that little bit of information, you can now undoubtedly
understand why I chose this recipe to share with our friends. (And yes, you can
peek at the recipe before continuing with my narrative.)
And
should you be wondering, there was actually some golfing that happened along
with trying new and interesting adult beverages. Not to mention enjoying some
wonderful meals together, both homemade and at restaurants. And in-between the
rain showers, we also managed a few walks, hikes, bicycle rides, and a great
visit to an antique mall. All and all a most pleasant time with our dear
friends Todd and Cindy, Tim and Suzie. Could not have been a better way to
spend our time.
So I hope you enjoy this incredible cake slightly modified from a recipe I found on the Laughing Spatula web site. The cake is easy to prepare, the taste is amazing, the frosting is to die for, and it stays moist and delicious for several days. But beware. It is intensely rich. A small piece goes a long way. But do try it. It’s one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever tasted.
And if you happen to be a jazz lover and live in or near Anacortes, come enjoy the timE3 jazz trio at the Rockfish Grill on Wednesday, June 5th. And as you sit there enjoying the music, imagine Tim (bass), Todd (drums), and Mr. C. (piano) enjoying time together in Sunriver, Oregon playing golf, eating hotdogs and drinking a beer at the turn, and sharing way too many funny stories along the course. Because that’s exactly what I will be doing too. Watching these three successful, wonderful men enjoying themselves so completely always makes me happy. And of course I get to spend time with their fabulous wives and other great friends while the guys are busy making music. And that too makes me extremely happy. Life just doesn’t get much better. As I have said before, I am one lucky lady! And part of the reason definitely belongs to the many wonderful friends we are so very lucky to have in our lives. Here’s to all of you who by your very being enrich our lives. Cheers!
Cake:
2
eggs
2
c. granulated sugar
1
c. sour cream
½
c. vegetable oil
2
tsp. vanilla
½
c. water
½
c. bourbon
2
c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1
c. unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli
Majestic Premium Cocoa Powder)
1½
tsp. baking soda
1
tsp. baking powder
1
tsp. salt
2
tsp. espresso powder (I use Medaglia d’Oro)
½ c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Ganache Frosting:
1¼
c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1
c. heavy cream
3
T. bourbon
1
tsp. vanilla
pinch salt
CakeDirections:
In
large mixing bowl combine egg, sugar, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla
until well blended. Add bourbon and water; mix until completely smooth.
Whisk
together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and
espresso powder. Add to the egg mixture. Beat only until just combined. Stir in
the chocolate chips.
Pour
into a lightly buttered 9 x 13-inch baking pan, glass preferred.
Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. (When done, the middle part of the cake might still adhere a bit to your toothpick. Not to worry. You just don’t want the rest of the cake to get too done.)
Remove from oven and let cool completely before spreading on the ganache frosting.
Ganache Frosting Directions:
Pour
chocolate chips in large microwave save bowl and microwave for one minute until
chips are just soft. In another microwave safe bowl or in a pan on your
cooktop, heat cream until it just begins to boil.
Pour hot cream over chocolate chips. Let sit for 2 minutes before stirring with whisk until the chocolate mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in the bourbon, vanilla, and pinch of salt.
Cool in the refrigerator until the consistency is fairly thick, 30-45 minutes. (Can be made ahead and microwaved for 20 seconds or so before spreading on the cooled cake.)
*Fernet
is an Italian type of amaro, a bitter, aromatic spirit. Fernet is made from a
number of herbs and spices which vary according to the brand, but usually include
myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and especially saffron, with a base
of grape distilled spirits. Amaro is an Italian herbal liqueur that is commonly
consumed as an after-dinner digestive. It usually has a bitter-sweet flavor,
sometimes syrupy, and has an alcohol content between 16% and 40%.
**Cynar
is a bitter liqueur made from various herbs and
plants, the most prominent being artichoke. The bitterness is
offset by the citrus from the lemon juice and grapefruit bitters.
