Category Archives: DESSERT RECIPES

SALTED DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE-WALNUT BROWNIES

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Based on a recipe from the cafedelites.com site, I offer you this recipe for an extremely moist and fudgy, nutty, and over the top, dark chocolate brownie. But please be warned. If you are not a fan of dark chocolate, this is probably not the recipe for you. Because there is no escaping the fact that these brownies are ultra-chocolaty and super rich. (To my way of thinking, exactly how a brownie should taste. But that’s just me!) And the best part, the dark rich chocolate comes from cocoa. So, no having to melt chocolate! And no having to get out your mixer either. Just a couple of bowls and a short bit of time and you have a pan of brownies fit for a king or queen.

So, really, there’s nothing left to say, except, you simply must prepare a batch of these brownies for yourself. And if you happen to be feeling magnanimous, you might offer a bite to your significant other or a dear friend. But don’t bother offering any to your kids. Children under 12 wouldn’t appreciate them. And a teenager would simply inhale them, not having the sophistication to nibble on them slowly in order to savor every tiny morsel of chocolate goodness. These brownies were simply designed to be eaten by brownie connoisseurs. And not to be wasted on the uninitiated!

So, as always, have fun playing with your food. And sometimes, just for the pure delight factor, have fun baking something that is strictly for yourself!

Peace and love to all.     

½ c.(1 stick) unsalted butter

1 T. vegetable oil

½ c. + 2 T. granulated sugar

½ c. brown sugar, packed

2 lg. eggs

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

½ c. good unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Valrhono, Scharffen Berger, or Hershey’s Cocoa Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder)

½ tsp. espresso powder (I use Medaglia D’Oro)

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

¾ c. chopped walnuts

coarse sea salt

Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan (glass preferably) with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large glass mixing bowl, melt the butter and keep heating it until it is hot. Whisk in the oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat for a couple of minutes until the mixture is lighter in color.

In another mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and kosher salt together. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. (Do not over mix.) Then gently fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.   

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top out evenly. Lightly sprinkle with coarse sea salt. (Not too much. Just enough to give each bite a tiny hint of salt.)    

Bake on the top rack of your pre-heated 325-degree oven (350-degrees if using a metal pan) for 23-27 minutes, or until the center of the brownies no longer jiggles and the top is just set to the touch. (Forget using a toothpick. It will come out with batter still attached. And you might be tempted to leave the pan in the oven too long! Don’t forget, the brownies will keep baking in the hot pan as they cool). If the top part of your oven tends to capture the heat, bake the brownies on the middle rack.

Remove from oven and allow to completely cool before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container.

DARK CHOCOLATE MINT CHIP COOKIES

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So, this started out to be my recipe for knockoff Levain Bakery dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies. But alas, there were no peanut butter chips in my freezer. I had used every single peanut butter chip I owned at Christmas time, and obviously failed to add them to my grocery list. Well, slap my hand for that senior moment! (And yes, peanut butter chips are now on my current shopping list. At least I remembered to do that. And yes, mental acuity comes and goes when you get to be my age!) So, I decided to make the same cookie batter but use mint chips in place of peanut butter chips. After all, how bad could that be? And as it turned out, I may have to write Levain Bakery offering to share my recipe with them. Because frankly, I think they’re making a grave mistake by not offering this cookie in their remarkable line up of cookies. Because these cookies are amazing. And yes, I am tooting my own horn. But when fair is fair, then I go for it!

Now for those of you who have never experienced a real Levain Bakery cookie (and that would probably include most of you since the bakery is in New York City) or even a knockoff Levain Bakery cookie, you are in for a treat. First of all, these are big cookies. They have a crisp outer layer with an extremely chewy, doughy center that melts in your mouth. (Think not quite set cookie dough that doesn’t fall apart!) Levain Bakery cookies are simply the best cookies imaginable. And very different from any cookies I had ever made or eaten before. And for the life of me I can’t remember where I heard or read about this bakery. But I will forever be grateful for whatever it was that turned me on to these cookies. And after you try one, I know you will be too! So, for your gastronomic edification, I offer you two other recipes for knockoff Levain Bakery cookies. Knockoff Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies and Almost Knockoff Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Both are super yum!

So, as always, keep having fun in your kitchen. Keep thinking positive thoughts. And keep baking cookies. Because I don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel better with a cookie in their hand. Peace and love to all.  

And yes, look for my recipe for Knockoff Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies in the near future.

1 c. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 c. brown sugar

½ c. granulated sugar

2 lg. eggs 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ c. good dark cocoa powder

1 c. cake flour, fluffed 

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 tsp. cornstarch

¾ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. coarse sea salt (I use coarse salt because it gives each bite of cookie just a lovely little burst of salt)

1½ c. mint chips

Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium low speed until smooth and completely blended, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat just until the eggs and vanilla are incorporated with the butter/sugar mixture.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix only until combined. Add the mint chips, and again, mix only until combined. Chill the dough for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 16 equal parts. Or as equally portioned as possible. (I cheat. I gently round the dough in my #16 (1/4 cup) ice cream scoop.)

Drop dough onto parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking pans about 3 inches apart. (I used three half sheet (roughly 18 x 13-inch) baking pans. Six cookies on sheets 1 & 2. Four cookies on sheet number 3.) Refrigerate for about an hour. (To make life easier on myself, and because I don’t have room in my refrigerator for 3 sheet pans, I plop the balls of dough close together on one of the parchment paper lined pans. Then I refrigerate the whole mess. When I’m ready to bake the little darlings, I take 6 from the fridge and place on another of the parchment paper lined baking sheets. The others dough balls I just leave in the fridge until I am ready to bake them off.)  

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 9-12 minutes or until the top looks set. The inside will still be a little under-baked. That’s exactly what you want.

Remove from oven and let the cookies rest for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. (They finish baking and set up a bit during their 10-minute time out.)

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

MOCHA CUPCAKES WITH ESPRESSO CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

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OK, confession time. I am currently experiencing an insatiable hunger for cake. Why? I have no idea. Granted, I have always loved a really delicious, moist and tender cake. But that still doesn’t explain my overwhelming desire to produce one every few days! The only thing that might partially explain this current phenomenon, is that for the 12 years prior to our last JazzVox home concert in January of 2020, I was building fun desserts to serve our guests every month that we were not traveling. (104 concerts in our home, and at least 30 in other hosts homes. So, you do the math. And yes, some months fixing food to serve guests at other locations.) So, many of the desserts I served included cake, in some form or other. (There are only so many kinds of desserts you can serve 25-44 guests during a 15-minute intermission.) So, apparently my sweet tooth has been feeling a bit neglected lately. Especially since all the Christmas cookies have finally been eaten!

Now that you all know more about my life than you ever wanted or needed to know, I’ll get back to telling you about these delicious cupcakes. But first, you might be wondering why cupcakes rather than a 9×13-inch sheet cake, for example. Well, there’s method to my madness in this regard. Cupcakes are easier to share. (Special delivery to our dear friends and neighbors Mark and Vicki.) And cupcakes come portion controlled. Plus, I think there is more frosting on cupcakes than on regular cut pieces of cake. At least on my cupcakes there’s more frosting! So, until we can once again entertain guests in our home, it’s probably going to be cupcakes rather than a big old honkin’ cake.

Now, about these cupcakes. If you enjoy a moist and fluffy chocolate and coffee flavored cake, you are going to love these cupcakes. And then when topped with an espresso cream cheese frosting, I mean really, what’s not to like? (And yes, if you read my blog regularly, this is the same frosting that’s on the Bailey’s Irish Cream Cupcakes with Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.)

And I must say, it’s very refreshing not to have to use a mixer for the cake batter. So, ease of preparation is another reason to love this cake. Of course, you will need a mixer for the frosting. But very few recipes come with out some effort involved. But truly, any effort expended on these cupcakes is worth it. They are simply delicious. And worthy of your time.

As always, keep having fun in your kitchen. Keep preparing healthy and delicious food. And every so often, make your family a treat.

It has been one heck of a ride this past year. And unfortunately, the ride isn’t over yet. So, anything we as cooks can do to make life more pleasant for ourselves and our families – I say – let’s just do it. And if it means brownies at bedtime, so what! Or pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream for dinner. Again, who cares! Just a slight shift from normal can keep life exciting. And from becoming unbearably consistent.  

Peace and love to all.    

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1⅓ c. granulated sugar

4½ tsp. good quality cocoa powder

1 tsp. espresso powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

1½ tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. baking powder

¼ c. sour cream

¼ c. buttermilk

2 lg. eggs

¾ c. water

¼ c. + 2 T. vegetable oil

chocolate covered coffee beans, decoration, opt.

Add 16-18 papers to a cupcake pan.

Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, soda, and baking powder together in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream, buttermilk, eggs, water, and oil together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat by hand for a couple of minutes or until the batter is well combined and kind of glossy.

Fill the cupcake papers ¾ of the way full. (Do not be tempted to add more!) Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 15-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting. Top with roughly crushed chocolate covered coffee beans, if desired.  

Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting:

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

4 oz. (½ 8-oz. pkg.) full fat cream cheese, room temperature  

¾ tsp. espresso powder (I use Medaglia d’Oro instant espresso coffee)

tiny pinch kosher salt   

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1½ c. powdered sugar (more or less as needed)

Beat the butter on low speed until softened. Add the cream cheese and beat until the mixture is creamy, smooth, and no lumps. Add the espresso powder, salt, and vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar until thoroughly blended. (The frosting should be quite soft. Just enough powdered sugar to hold peaks.)  

BAILEY’S IRISH CREAM CUPCAKES WITH ESPRESSO CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

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OK, this is my humble attempt to replicate Carousel Cakes (a bakery in Nanuet, NY) Bailey’s Espresso Cream Cake. Well, not exactly replicate the cake because their beautiful cake is way too fussy for me. But somewhere at least in the same vicinity as far as flavor goes. And why this cake you might ask? Well, somewhere I either heard or read about Carousel’s fabulous cake, and it sounded so darned delicious I just had to figure out what all the fuss was about. But it being covid-19 season, and no possibility of serving cake to guests, I knew a whole cake for just the two of us was way out of the question. So, I immediately thought about cupcakes. And forget about any kind of filling. Just concentrate on the cake and frosting part.

Since I had never tasted the real thing, I figured that what I didn’t know wouldn’t hurt me! I did consider ordering a cake, but when I went on the bakery’s site, the cake was unavailable – sold out. (My first clue that this must really be quite the cake! Especially considering the price. $49 for the cake and who knows how much for the shipping!) So, no, even if one had been available, I wouldn’t have placed an order. But I was still intrigued with the idea of Bailey’s Irish Cream in combination with espresso.

So, I decided on a Bailey’s flavored cupcake with a simple espresso flavored cream cheese frosting. And by golly – it worked. What a winning combination. And both the cake part and the frosting had been totally easy to prepare. Better and better! (Or maybe that should read butter and butter!)

I started with a standard yellow cake recipe and substituted Bailey’s for the milk. Easy-peasy. Then for the frosting, my simple cream cheese frosting recipe with the addition of espresso powder. And the result? A delightful cupcake with an unusual, but delicious combination of flavors.

So, next time you get a yen for cupcakes, I would definitely recommend this recipe. And like I said above, both the cake part and the frosting are very easy to build. And the flavors are out of this world. Mr. C. was actually effusive yesterday after his first bite. (I don’t get effusive very often from him!) And, he had one this morning with his morning coffee before I was even out of bed! That too tells me he is now a devoted fan. I hope you become one too.

As always, have a blast in your kitchen. Continue to make fun and delicious dishes for yourself and your family. And try these cupcakes. They really are amazing.

Peace and love to all.    

For the Cupcakes:

¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 

1½ c. granulated sugar 

3 lg. eggs, room temperature 

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

¾ c. sour cream

2½ c. cake flour 

2¼ tsp. baking powder 

¾ tsp. kosher salt

¾ c. Baileys Irish Cream 

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until well combined, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Mix in the sour cream until well combined.

In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Gently beat in half of the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Add the Baileys Irish cream. Mix until just combined. Add the remaining flour and mix just until all the flour is incorporated into the other ingredients. In other words, don’t over-mix at any stage!

Using an ice cream scoop, drop batter into cupcake lined muffin tins 7/8 full. (About 22)

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t over-bake.

Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. 

For the Frosting:

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

1 (8-oz.) pkg. full fat cream cheese, room temperature  

1½ tsp. espresso powder (I use Medaglia d’Oro instant espresso coffee)

tiny pinch kosher salt   

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. powdered sugar (more or less as needed)

Beat the butter on low speed until softened. Add the cream cheese and beat until the mixture is creamy, smooth, and no lumps. Add the espresso powder, salt, and vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar until thoroughly blended. (The frosting should be quite soft. Just enough powdered sugar to hold peaks.)  

MINCEMEAT GALETTE

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One of the first pies I ever remember eating was a mincemeat pie. I don’t think I was very impressed, but then I was probably only 4 years old. So, I guess my reaction was only to be expected. Fast forward a few years, and my parents couldn’t keep me out of the mincemeat. And I still love the stuff. I mean really, what’s not to love about dried fruits and apples gently marinated in a slightly sweet, spicy, and boozy syrup?

But for all you purists out there, I must state up front, there are no chunks of beef or shredded beef suet in this recipe. As close as any cow gets to being an ingredient in this mincemeat, is by donating milk to be churned into butter. (And bossy dear, we thank you for that from the bottom of our dark little non vegan hearts.) So, purists, you may be excused. This post is not going to be to your liking.

But for all you mincemeat lovers out there, who willingly and joyfully accept that mincemeat can still be delicious sans meat and suet, and who find paying at least $9 a jar for decent mincemeat egregious, you are going to love this recipe. And no, it’s not inexpensive to make your own mincemeat. But it’s a heck of a lot cheaper and the quality is so much better than anything you can find in a jar. And yes, it does take some pre-planning. But it is not a long and tiring process.

So, next time you get the craving for a mincemeat tart, pie, bars, or galette, make up a batch of this heavenly concoction. And yes, I know, mincemeat is kind of an “old world” delicacy. But that only makes it more interesting as far as I’m concerned. And isn’t it fun to keep a centuries old tradition alive.

As always, keep having fun in your kitchen. Keep celebrating life. And stay positive. It’s much nicer being around someone who gives off positive vibes rather than displaying negativity. And CHEERS to 2021. We are all in need of a HAPPY NEW YEAR. So, let’s be part of making it the best year ever. Peace and love to all.  

Mincemeat: (needs to be prepared at least a week ahead of time)

1½ c. raisins

1½ c. golden raisins (sultanas)  

1½ c. dried currents

2/3 c. bourbon

2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and finely minced

8-oz. container candied orange peel

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

¾ c. brown sugar

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground mace

¼ tsp. ground allspice

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

¼ c. cognac

Place the raisins, sultanas, and dried currents in a small saucepan. Add the 2/3 cup bourbon, bring just to a boil, stir to coat all the fruit, remove from heat, and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the apples, candied orange peel, butter, brown sugar, spices, and the zest and juice of the lemon and orange, in a large ovenproof dish. When the raisins and currents are cool, stir into the apple mixture. Cover the dish and place in a cool place overnight.  

The following day, place the ovenproof dish in a cold oven, bring the temperature to 200 degrees, and bake for three hours, stirring every hour or so. Remove from oven, let cool completely, and stir in the cognac. The mincemeat will look quite runny. But do not be concerned. After it has rested in the refrigerator for a few days it will be perfect.

Store covered in your refrigerator until ready to use. (Best if left to mellow at least 4 weeks, but if you are like me, the mince only gets to age for about a week. It’s still good, so no worries.)

This recipe makes enough mincemeat for 2 10-inch tarts, 2 8-inch pies, or 3 10-inch galettes.

Crust: (makes enough crust for 1 10-inch galette)

1¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 T. granulated sugar

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

¼ c. + 1 T. ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon together. Cut the butter into small pieces, then add to the food processor. Pulse at 1 second intervals until butter is the size of tiny peas. Should take about 10 quick pulses. Add the ice water and pulse again about 10 times until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pinched. 

Dump the crumbly dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, press the dough into a flat, thick disk. Roll the dough out into a 12- or 13-inch round. Use as much flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.

Place on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet.

To assemble the Galette:

1 10-inch galette crust

1½ c. mincemeat

3-5 very thin apple slices  

1 egg, plus a few drops of water beaten together, for brushing

finishing sugar for sprinkling (turbinado, demerara, or any large-grained sugar)

ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

whipped cream, for serving

Place the mincemeat in the center of the galette crust, then spread evenly to about 2-inches from the edge. Fold the edge of dough towards the center to make a rustic enclosure. (See picture above.) Lay the apple slices on top of the mincemeat in whatever pattern works for you. Brush the dough with egg and water mixture. Sprinkle the entire galette with finishing sugar and cinnamon.

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. (Don’t over-bake.) Remove from oven and let rest on a cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes before carefully lifting the parchment paper and galette off the pan onto a serving or cake plate. To serve, cut into wedges, warm in your microwave, and dollop with whipped cream (see recipe for Vanilla Bean Paste Whipped Cream below) or vanilla ice cream.

Vanilla Bean Paste Whipped Cream

1 c. heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

2 T. powdered sugar

Whip the cream in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high until hard peaks form. Add the vanilla bean paste and powdered sugar. Whip until blended.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT SHORTBREAD REFRIGERATOR COOKIES

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Ok, ok! I know. Everyone is totally done with baking cookies, making candy, and building sweet treats of every sort for the year! I get that. Believe me, I get that! My kitchen counter is still piled with Christmas tins containing all sorts of edible delicacies. But I just had to share this recipe with you for next Christmas.

I know, by then you will have forgotten about this recipe and will be sunning yourself somewhere in the Caribbean rather than baking 500 cookies to send and give to friends and family. And I plan to be right there with you. Using plenty of sunscreen of course. (Had to write that so my dermatologist wouldn’t get on my case.) But I have myself to think about too. I need to get this recipe off my desk because every time I look at it, I’m reminded of the tin, just a few steps away, wherein the last few of these cookies reside. So, like I said, I need to file this recipe away. Kind of a “get thee behind me Satan” reflex on my part.  

Of course, part of me simply wants to share this recipe with you because it turned out pretty darn good. And the cookies are stinkin’ easy to build. The flavor is fabulous, the shortbread is crunchy, and who can resist soft peppermint candy? No one I know. In fact, our good friend Jim would never forgive me if I didn’t build him some kind of chocolate peppermint cookie every year for Christmas. We all have our sacred seasonal treats, and for Jim its chocolate cookies decorated with peppermint. Of course, Mr. C. is also a great fan of peppermint. So, on all counts, baking chocolate peppermint cookies at Christmas time is a no brainer.

So, I hope you give this recipe a try. And for the sake of variety, I also have 3 other chocolate and soft peppermint cookie recipes on this site. Chocolate Chip Peppermint Shortbread Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies, and Peppermint Candy and Chocolate Chip Biscotti. All are delicious and sure to make someone’s Christmas even brighter.

So as always, here’s to happy times in your kitchen. Stay safe. We still have a long way to go in our fight against covid-19. Please don’t let your guard down. I know how hard it is not to hug your grandchild or have your nearest and dearest over for dinner. Or go visit your grown kids. Or travel to foreign lands. Or go to a play or concert. Believe me, I know. But we simply can’t put ourselves or our loved ones at risk. The consequences are just too great.   

There’s an old saying that I have lived by my entire adult life. “This too shall pass.” Apparently, it’s an old Persian adage. And where I first heard it, I have no idea. Probably from my dad. I know it’s the kind of phrase he would have flung my way when I was being my usual obstreperous teenage self all those many years ago. (How he survived those years I will never understand.) Anyway, regardless of where and when I first heard the saying, it has helped me through several life altering incidents. And it still applies today. So dear friends, what we are living through right now shall eventually pass. So, stay strong. Peace and love to all.     

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. good peppermint extract

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

½ c. good quality cocoa powder

2/3 c. milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips, or more as needed

soft peppermint candy*, crushed  

Beat the butter until pale and creamy in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and peppermint extract; beat until well combined. Whisk the flour and cocoa powder together in a small bowl. Add to the butter mixture and mix until a soft dough is formed.  

Place the 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 1-1½-inches wide. (Your choice.) Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.  

Un-wrap logs and using a serrated or thin knife, slice dough between ¼-⅓-inch thick. (If dough feels too hard, leave at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing).

Arrange slices, about 1-inch apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake until set, 15-18 minutes. (Do not under-bake.) Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Spread the top of each cookie with the melted chocolate.  Sprinkle the warm chocolate with crushed soft peppermint candy.  Allow the chocolate to set completely before storing in an airtight container.

*I use King Leo Soft Peppermint Sticks or See’s Peppermint Twists. I don’t use regular candy canes because they are not of the same quality. Soft peppermint is the way to go.   

          

NOT YOUR ORDINARY GINGERBREAD MEN (AND WOMEN)

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Ok, you know I am always up for a cooking adventure. But today my good karma must have been hiding in a closet, or my stars were not in alignment, or I simply drew the short straw. Whatever!! Because in trying my hand at decorating the delicious gingerbread men and women I made with this recipe, I not only made a ginormous mess, my decorated gingerbread “people” came out looking demented. I’m not kidding. (The picture below will attest to the fact. And these were the best of the lot!) But then, I was trying out a new icing recipe.

The frosting recipe I use for decorating cookies like “Pink Cookies” (delicious BTW), has cream cheese in it. I just didn’t know how that frosting would hold up being stuffed into a container and mailed across the states. So, I wanted an icing that would set up really well. Well, it set alright. So much so, that I could barely entice it out of the brand new, super duper, guaranteed to make decorating easy enough for any normal 6 year-old, squeeze bottle. Now granted, my hand strength isn’t what it used to be. But I’m not a weakling either. And apparently, from the looks on the faces of the cookies I did manage to “decorate”, they were as glad I was finished massacring them as I was! Not a good working relationship when the cookies themselves are begging for mercy!

Good grief! Who left me alone with these poor babies. I have humbly apologized to these cookies, if that makes you feel any better. But rightly so, they are still not speaking to me.

So, before I could totally mess up the entire population of perfectly wonderful gingerbread men and women I created, I threw the whole mess of icing down the drain. And even that wasn’t easy! The icing resisted every attempt I made to dislodge it from the squeeze bottles. I finally just blasted them with hot water and set them in the sink to think about the error of their ways. They are still there. I am simply too tired to go another round with them until after I’ve had my before dinner martini! And perhaps if I wait long enough, Mr. C. will get tired of looking at them and try his hand at dislodging the edible (I think) plaster of Paris like icing I inadvertently concocted. But enough about my trials and tribulations. Sigh…. And more about these cookies.

This is basically my favorite spice cookie recipe. I’ve been making these cookies – Speculaas (Dutch Spice Cookies) since I was introduced to them in 2004 by our dear friends Nile and Sarah at a cookie exchange party we hosted at our Bellevue home. And yes, I make them every year. I’m actually fearful that if I don’t send these cookies in my kids Christmas goodies packages, things might turn ugly. So, I’ve never taken the chance.

So dear readers, if you want to make a fantastic cookie to share with your friends and family that travels well and stays fresh for weeks, this is the cookie to build. And no, you don’t need to cut the cookies into gingerbread men and women. You can choose any shape you wish, or just cut into squares. That works too.

As always, stay happy and healthy. Keep remembering that for many of us, the true meaning of Christmas is in Christ’s own message of peace and goodwill towards man.

There’s a wonderful old gospel song, “This Little Light of Mine” that I feel is very relevant for our world today.  It became an anthem of the civil rights movement in the 1950’s and 60’s. People sang it and other spirituals during the Civil Rights Movement as a way of expressing unity as they fought for equal rights and freedom for everyone. So, dear readers, let your own little light shine. Bring the joy of the holidays to as many people as you can. Peace and love to all.

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ c. brown sugar, packed

3 T. brandy or rum (I use brandy)

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 T. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. salt

Beat butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the brandy. Whisk the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt together and add to the butter mixture. Beat until completely combined. 

Form dough into a ball. Knead the ball on a surface sprinkled with a bit of flour. Roll the dough between ¼ – ⅓ inch thick. (I go more towards the ¼-inch thickness). Using your gingerbread men and women cookie cutters, cut as many cookies as possible and place on an ungreased cookie sheet one inch apart. With the dough that is left, form it into another ball and roll out as before. Keep going until all the dough is used. (The last bit can always just be rolled into a flat circle and enjoyed by the cook.)

Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until brown and firm. Do not under-bake. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate when completely cool if so inclined. Just don’t ask me for an icing recipe. I am ill equipped for that task.

 Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container. And then, nibble away.

  

CANDIED GINGER REFRIGERATOR SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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And yes, I know I already have a couple of recipes for candied ginger shortbread on this site. And they too are fine recipes, yes indeed they are. One is just a little different from this recipe and found under Christmas Refrigerator Shortbread Cookies. With the other, you bake the dough in a more traditional manner. That is to say, like a bar cookie. And most of the time, that’s how I make shortbread, regardless of what additives I choose to use that day. But for shipping, bar cookies are not the best way to ensure freshness. All of those cut edges and all. So, this recipe came into being. And I really like how these cookies turned out. But then, I love candied ginger. And shortbread. I mean really, what’s not to like? Anyway, these cookies are going to be part of my Christmas goodie packages this year. That is of course if we don’t eat them all first! But they’re so easy to build, I can easily make more.

Speaking of making life easy for yourself. (We weren’t, but we are now.) When building multiple types of cookies for gift exchanges, bake sales, Christmas gifts, etc., I have found what works best for me, is to make it a two-day process. One day building the dough, and the next day baking them off.

So, first day, you have a messy kitchen, but can re-use many of the same measuring cups and bowls over and over throughout the day. Same with ingredients. Designate an area in your kitchen to place all the supplies needed that day. Then as an ingredient is called for, you go to your stash, measure out what you need, and return the rest to its assigned place. Makes life so much easier. And believe me, it took me years to figure this out. My first inclination is always to clean up after myself as I go along. And this includes putting everything away after I’ve used it. And washing all the dishes before I go onto the next dish. That’s really how I normally work in the kitchen.

But like the other day when I was making 5 different kinds of cookie dough, I would have run myself ragged returning the flour to the pantry after every use. As if was, I just turned around, set it on the back counter, and proceeded to the next ingredient. And when that dough was complete, on to the next with all the necessary ingredients close at hand. Same thing with the measuring cups. Is it absolutely essential to wash out the measuring cup I use just for flour every time? Of course not! So why go to the bother?

Now I do realize that not everyone makes 5 kinds of cookies in one day. Most people are smarter than to do that to themselves. But even if I were only making 2 types of cookies, I would still use the same principal. Just a practical way to use my time more efficiently. And to save my body a few steps here and there. And that’s getting mighty important as I pack on the years. So, anyway I can save myself both effort and time, I do it! But on to the fun part of this 2 day adventure.

Day 2 of this process. Yeah team! No mess, just cookies going in and out of the oven for a few hours. (Kind of like a reward or a day off for good behavior.)

So, if you too are planning edible gifts for family and friends, I suggest you try my method for keeping sanity a reality. And make this one of the cookies you decide to gift to family and friends. And if you have quite a few goodie packages to put together, I would suggest doubling this recipe. You are definitely going to want to keep a few of these cookies for yourself.

As always, think giving not getting, think blessed if you have a roof over your head and enough food to feed your family, and think how you can make life better for those around you. Baking and sharing cookies is an easy way to lift both your own spirit and the spirits of the person or persons who are the lucky recipients of your largess. Peace and love to all.

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground ginger  

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ c. finely chopped candied ginger

granulated sugar

With an electric mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt together until smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl whisk the ground ginger and flour together. Add the chopped ginger to the flour mixture and make sure every little piece of ginger is coated with flour. Add the whole mess to the butter mixture. Mix only until dough forms.

Divide the dough roughly in half. Place each piece of dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Sprinkle granulated sugar over and around the dough. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic wrap gently shaping it into a round log 1-1½-inches wide. (Your choice.) Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Un-wrap logs and using a serrated knife, slice dough 3/8-inch thick. (If dough feels too hard, leave at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing).

Arrange slices, about 1-inch apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden on the bottom and around the edges, 13-15 minutes. (Do not under-bake.) Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.   

SWEET POTATO PIE WITH BOURBON CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

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There are as many recipes for pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie available as there are cooks to bake those pies. (I tend to think of pumpkin and sweet potato pies as almost synonymous.) And almost every cook has his or her favorite recipe. Me too. Or I thought I did until I baked this year’s Thanksgiving sweet potato pies.

I used the basic recipe I’ve been fixing for several years now, but instead of including Kahlúa or rum, I chose bourbon. And I substituted heavy cream for the evaporated milk called for in my original recipe. Well boy howdy – these 2 changes really worked. The filling was super smooth, almost custardy. And very, very flavorful. And then topped with homemade bourbon caramel whipped cream – OMG. Pretty darn amazing. But then, I love sweet potatoes almost any way I can think to fix them. But when combined with all the other lovely ingredients in this recipe, they are absolutely raised to a new level of yumminess. But enough about this pie. Just make it. You won’t be disappointed.

Yesterday, Thanksgiving, was weird. Everything about the day felt as if I were viewing it through some kind of altered reality. OK, throwing the turkey stock together, making the dressing, and preparing the turkey for its long, slow roast was the same as usual. But not setting the dining room table for guests, and not making appetizers to begin the festivities just didn’t seem right. Even as I prepared other traditional favorites, and a couple of new recipes just for the shear fun of it, the feeling of unreality never really went away. The only saving grace was that we were able to share food with 2 other couples. Not eating together, but through home deliveries. (Masked, of course!)

On Wednesday evening we delivered a couple of pies and assorted goodies to our dear friends Jim and Margo. And were sent home with a large container of delicious clam chowder. And at 4:00 pm yesterday there was an exchange between our home and our dear friends Mark and Vicki next door. This allowed us to at least experience the sharing part of Thanksgiving which in my estimation is basically what it’s all about anyway. So that felt good. It also left us with so much food that neither household will have to cook for at least a week! But I think it was more about the divided effort than about the food itself. It just felt right to be able to share the bounty of our wonderful lives with some of the people we love.

And as a truly special treat, Andy and I were part of a Zoom extended family get-together commencing at 3:00 pm. So, while I was preparing gravy, I was able to see and hear, via my computer screen, many of our family members and closest friends as they too were preparing for their own unprecedented celebration. That was great. That felt good. But even with all the positives, it still was weird sitting down on such a momentous occasion, just the two of us at table.

As I drifted off to sleep last night, there were lots of wonderful memories doing their best to keep me awake. So, I gave them full rein. I remembered my first Thanksgiving with Dick and Eloise 50 years ago. (Also, the occasion of the first turkey I ever baked.) Then, all the subsequent Thanksgivings with the extended family. But finally, just before I let Mr. Sandman do his thing, I gave special thanks for the wonderful life I have had, for my children, for my old friends who have helped me through a few rough patches, for my new friends that daily brighten my life, but mainly for my best friend and the love of my life, Mr. Andy Carr. My dear husband who constantly keeps me grounded, keeps me laughing, entertained, feeling special, feeling loved, and all the other positive adjectives you can think of that represent unselfish love. And how just saying thank you to Mr. C. could never be enough. (But I do it anyway!) So what I plan to continue doing, is try my darndest to live up to his expectations. That is, after all, the only lasting thing I can offer him to prove my undying love and respect.

Peace and love to all.

3 c. mashed sweet potato*

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

3 lg. eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ c. brown sugar, packed

¼ c. granulated sugar

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

¼ tsp. baking powder

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1 c. heavy cream

3 T. good bourbon

1 lg. (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Whisk the mashed sweet potatoes, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla together until creamy and smooth. (There should be no lumps in the mixture.) Then stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.

In a small bowl, whisk the salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together. Stir into the sweet potato mixture until thoroughly combined. Finally stir in the heavy cream and bourbon.

Pour into prepared pie shell. Cover edges of crust with 1½ inch strips of aluminum foil. (This prevents the crust from getting too brown.) Remove the aluminum strips the last 5 minutes of baking.

Bake the pie in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until the filling is set, about 60-70 minutes. To test, shake the pie; the center of the pie should jiggle slightly. If you still aren’t sure, stick a toothpick or a butter knife in the center. If it comes out fairly clean, the filling is set.

Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving. Best stored in a cool place. Serve dolloped with Bourbon Caramel Whipped Cream. Recipe below.

*I use the darkest skinned sweet potatoes I can find, sometimes labeled Ruby Garnet yams. But they aren’t really yams. They are just dark-skinned sweet potatoes. Then I bake the sweet potatoes in their skins. When tender, I remove them from the oven, let them cool completely, remove the skin, then whirl them smooth in my food processor.    

BOURBON CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

¼ c. unsalted butter

½ c. brown sugar

tiny pinch salt

¼ c. + 1¾ c. (1 pint total) heavy whipping cream, divided

2 T. good 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 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 ¼ cup heavy cream and bourbon. Allow caramel to come to room temperature and then refrigerate.

Beat the remaining 1¾ cups of whipping cream to stiff peaks. Add some of the cold caramel sauce and whip just until well blended. (The caramel sauce and whipped cream can be combined up to a few hours before serving.) Serve the remaining caramel sauce on any of your favorite desserts. Or spoon it directly into your mouth. Your choice!

 

Wednesday (before Thanksgiving) – a good days worth of baking. 2 sweet potato pies, 2 French Apple Pies, Cinnamon Rolls, and Soft Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls (recipe soon to be posted) And yes I was tired after all that baking! Ya think!?

     

     

ALMOST KNOCKOFF LEVAIN BAKERY OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

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First off, I know Levain Bakery doesn’t put walnuts in their oatmeal raisin cookies. I got that. But I love walnuts in my oatmeal raisin cookies, so my recipe – my choice. And to be completely up front with you, I’ve surmised that Levain Bakery doesn’t use vanilla either. But I just couldn’t see myself building an oatmeal cookie without vanilla. (Hence the “almost knockoff” part of the recipe title.)

Now another thing you should know. I have never actually tasted a Levain Bakery cookie. So, I thought to remedy the situation, I would order a package. I quickly changed my mind. $27 for 4 – 6 oz. cookies, plus a $49 shipping charge. Well then, that sure as heck wasn’t going to be happening. At least not on my watch! Holy moly! I could build several batches (16 count each for the size I prefer, 8 count for a full 6-ounce cookie) for that amount of money and enjoy them any darn time I felt the inclination. So, I would just have to build my own unsubstantiated “Levain Bakery” cookies. Possible warts and all! Like I did with my Knockoff Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies. (See recipe on site.)

I started by comparing several knockoff recipes on-line. Then after much deliberation and a fair bit of cookie baking knowledge, I cobbled this recipe together. And I must say, these are the best oatmeal raisin cookies I have ever tasted or produced. They are semi gooey in the middle (the trademark of a Levain Bakery cookie) and sweet, but not too sweet. With a bit of crunch from the nuts. And a delicate hint of the essence of the vanilla bean. In other words – perfect. I also enjoy the occasional burst of salt from using coarse sea salt. Just another dimension of yummy as far as I’m concerned. (And remember – it’s really, just all about me!)

Anyway, I would love to have you bake up a batch of these delicious cookies. And because I couldn’t make up my mind about golden versus regular raisins, I used a combination. (Nothing like compromise for finding the perfect solution.) And no, you don’t have to include nuts. Just add a few more raisins. And if you don’t choose to use vanilla, I won’t think less of you either. You would be wrong, but that’s on you!

So as always, have a blast in your kitchen. Try new recipes to keep yourself invested in the whole business of keeping everyone in your family well fed. If nothing else, it might help stave off boredom for yourself and your family. And boredom is a serious concern for many of us right now, especially with the holidays so close at hand.

I miss going to plays, concerts, live music performances given by Mr. C. and his musician buddies, restaurants, and all the other cultural events that are such a vital part of our lives. I miss getting on an airplane and visiting foreign lands. (Well not the airplane part, but you catch my drift!) I also really miss all the places and natural wonders that we can visit while towing our travel trailer all over God’s creation. But mainly I miss visiting our family and friends and having them in our home. (My normal minimum weekly hug quotient is way off the bottom of the scale and I am severely feeling the loss! I know. Everyone is in the same boat.)

So, I continue to pray daily, to every deity I can think of, for a speedy resolution to the covid-19 crisis. But I know until that happens, I can’t let down my guard. So, I mainly stay at home, continue to cook up a storm, try new recipes, and if they work – post them on my blog. That’s how I have chosen to keep joy alive in my life. (Plus keeping myself on the right side of sane while this crazy world sorts itself out! I pray about that daily too!)

I fervently hope you too have found joy, peace, and love in your life. Happy Thanksgiving.

1 c. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 c. light brown sugar, packed

½ c. granulated white sugar

2 lg. eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

½ c. cake flour (fluffed)

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed)

1 T. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. coarse sea salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1½ c. old-fashioned oats 

1½ c. raisins (golden, regular, or a combination)

1 c. chopped walnuts, opt. (but why?) 

Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium low speed until smooth and completely blended, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat just until the eggs and vanilla are incorporated with the butter/sugar mixture.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and oats together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix only until combined. Add the raisins and walnuts and slowly mix until combined. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.  

And now the hard decision has to happen. Do you want cookies the size that made the Levain Bakery in NYC famous? Or do you wish to make a smaller, more manageable version? My choice – smaller. But for those purists out there, I’m providing both ways to enjoy these incredible cookies.

Purist (8 cookies per batch)  

Divide the dough into 8 equal parts, about 6-ounces each. Line two half sheet baking pans (roughly 18 x 13-inches) with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Use your hands to shape the dough. Place in a staggered pattern, 3″ apart on the baking sheet with only 4 cookies to a pan. Do not flatten the dough. The cookies are meant to be roughly shaped. Refrigerate for about an hour. Start heating your oven to 400 degrees after the cookies have been cooling in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes.  

Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack of your pre-heated 400- degree oven for 9-12 minutes or until the cookies appear dull and light golden brown on top.  Do not over-bake. The top should look done, but the cookies should not be fully set. 

Remove from oven. Cookies will continue to finish cooking as they set and cool on the baking sheets for at least 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies are quite delicate after just baking, so handle them carefully. They should still be plenty gooey inside.

Bigger than normal cookies, but half the size of Purist (16 cookies per batch)

Divide the dough into 16 equal parts, about 3-ounces each. (Or as equally portioned as possible.) Drop dough onto parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking pans about 3 inches apart. (I used three half sheet (roughly 18 x 13-inch) baking pans. Six cookies on sheets 1 & 2. Four cookies on sheet number 3.) Do not flatten the dough. (I round the dough in my #10 ice cream scoop and proceed from there. Cheating I know, but I’m lazy!) Refrigerate for about an hour. (To make life easier on myself, and because I don’t have room in my refrigerator for 3 sheet pans, I plop the balls of dough close together on one of the parchment paper lined pans. Then I refrigerate the whole mess. When I’m ready to bake the little darlings, I take 6 from the fridge and place on another of the parchment paper lined baking sheets. The others dough balls I just leave in the fridge until I am ready to bake them off.) 

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for between 8-10 minutes. I found, after baking each of the three pans of cookies a different way, that 5 minutes regular heat and 4 minutes convection heat worked the best for me. But you may find your oven works differently than mine.  Just don’t over-bake the cookies. The top should look done (browned), but the cookies should not be fully set.  

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Store the cookies in an airtight container on your kitchen counter.