Category Archives: DESSERT RECIPES

CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PEANUT BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FILLED CRUMBLE BARS

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I’m back at it. Making a dessert that includes peanut butter. I simply can’t seem to help myself because I’m such a devotee. Actually, since being confined to quarters since the covid-19 outbreak, I have been eating more sweets, and in generally eating more items from the forbidden food groups than is reasonable, even during a pandemic. Either that or my bathroom scale is lying to me, and somehow I doubt that since my jeans seem to be in accordance with the scale.  

We were social distancing with friends on Sunday afternoon, and while the guys (timE3 Jazz) were making music in Tim and Suzie’s back yard, the rest of us were spread out in lawn chairs having interesting conversations. There were two other people in attendance along with “the wives”. Devon, Tim and Suzie’s son, and his partner Octavia were also enjoying the music and comradery. And of course there was wonderful food throughout the afternoon. At one point as we were discussing food, Octavia mentioned that she’d heard a phrase used lately that pretty much summed up my current eating style. People were saying that they had been eating like “an unchaperoned nine year old boy at a birthday party”. And I thought to myself, that’s exactly what I have been doing. I’ve been eating like there is no tomorrow and no consequence for my bad behavior. (It may have something to do with emotional eating. It is after all a very difficult time for everyone right now.)

Well at my age there is a consequence for almost any excess you care to mention. Too much lifting, my back twinges. Too much walking down hill, my knees hurt. Too much sitting at my computer, my hips start to ache. Too much food, my bathroom scale starts to scream if I even look at it! Unlike when I was in my 20s, 30s, 40s, and even into my 50s, excess pounds could be shed by just cutting consumption for a few days. Since my 60s, my body has been absolutely reluctant to part with even an ounce. So what makes me think that just because it’s an unprecedented pandemic, my body is suddenly going to acquire the metabolism of a pygmy shrew? (Oh what fools we mortals be!!!)

Anyway, I decided maybe it’s time to once again take command of my body and just say no to excesses of any kind. And the first and foremost is to stay away from my refrigerator for longer periods of time while I still have some dignity left. (And I can still fit into my jeans.)

But before I stop talking and thinking about food (at least for the rest of the afternoon), let me tell you a bit about these bars. They are delicious and easy to prepare. Nothing more to say.  

Let me leave you with this quote from Winston Churchill. “The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”

Please consider Mr. Churchill’s words very carefully as you approach the upcoming November election. It is a critical time for our country. Regardless of your political affiliation, listen for the truth.

And remember, there is never going to be a perfect candidate. No platform is ever going to match your every wish or belief. But intelligent people who are familiar with listening and learning, are going to make more informed decisions than politicians who lead from ignorance and spite.

Ask yourself these simple questions:

Which candidate would I trust more with my personal safety? Which would I trust more to care about my immediate and future medical needs? Which will attempt to take care of our planet so that future generations will have clean air to breathe, food to eat, and a place to sleep? Which candidate will consider my basic needs before the greater monetary aspirations of a wealthy few?

These seem like very personal, all about me, questions. But when it comes right down to it, it really is about each and every person individually. And if policies and plans make life better for everyone – that includes you. If policies and plans diminish resources and make it even more difficult for individuals and families to have their basic needs met; that affects you too. Maybe not directly, if you are one of the lucky ones. But someone in your family or circle of friends is going to be adversely affected. Listen for the truth. Peace and love to all.  

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ c. + 2 T. rolled oats

6 T. brown sugar, packed

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

6 oz. (¾ lg. pkg.) cream cheese, room temperature

¼ c. granulated sugar

1 egg

2 T. creamy peanut butter (not the natural kind)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)

½ c. peanut butter chips

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the flour, oatmeal, and brown sugar together. Add the butter and mix on medium speed until the mixture resembles small clumps. Measure out ¾ cup of the crumb mixture and set aside in a separate bowl.

Pour the remaining crumbs into a lightly greased 8×8-inch baking pan (glass preferably) and press evenly into the bottom of the dish. Bake for 15 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven (metal), 325 degrees for glass.

Meanwhile while the crust is baking, in the same mixing bowl, cream the room temperature cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate and peanut butter chips.  

When the crust is done baking, remove from the oven and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crust. Top with the reserved oatmeal crumbs.    

Using the convection option if you have it, bake the bars for 25-30 minutes or until the middle is set and the crumb topping is a light golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Please note: If you want to make a peanut butter bar, omit the chocolate chips and replace them with additional peanut butter chips. If you want an all chocolate crumb bar, replace the peanut butter with Nutella and use only chocolate chips.   

     

SHORTBREAD CRUSTED LEMON BARS

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OK, for those of you who want a mild, wimpy lemon flavored bar cookie (dessert) recipe, read no further. This recipe is simply not going to work for you. This recipe is for people who love a totally delicious shortbread crust topped with an in your face, authoritative, pucker up baby, bold lemon custard like topping.

And yes I know, there are as many recipes for lemon squares/bars out there as there are recipes for chocolate chip cookies. But as with chocolate chip cookies, there are good chocolate chip cookies and then there are amazing chocolate chip cookies. And these bars are amazing chocolate chip cookies. No, they’re not! But they are amazing lemon bars. And holy cow easy to build. Don’t believe me, read the recipe! I’ll wait.   

So I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. (Or lemon tangy if you prefer.) It’s supposed to be 93 degrees here on Camano Island today. So I’m going to bid you adieu and go give some of our plants a bit of water. (They get extra thirsty in hot weather too.) Then I’m going to call this a day of leisure. I’m going to go out in our courtyard, west facing so nicely shaded in the morning and early afternoon, and read. I’m currently reading The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin which I haven’t read since I was in my 30s going through my science fiction stage. Wonderful reading if you have never had the pleasure. Even if you have, it makes for great reading a 2nd or even a 3rd time through. (Especially since if there were an alternate planet we could move to right now, I think we might actually consider making the move. The current climate (and I don’t mean temperature wise), is getting to be more than either of us can understand and would rather not have to endure.)

So dear readers, keep observing what’s going on around you, keep using your own good common sense to make informed decisions, and reflect on what all our lives would be like if America became a single party country. (Your homework assignment for today.) For a short, informative look at the subject, read Heather Cox Richardson’s August 15th posting on Letters from an American.

And for those of you wondering why I post my thoughts on various subjects not associated with recipes, I figure if I am going to be a well-rounded provider, I should offer food for thought as well as excellent ways to achieve dietary sustenance. Peace and love to all.

½ c. powdered sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1 c. + 3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour, divided

pinch kosher salt

½ c. cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

1 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

½ c. lemon juice

3 lg. eggs

Whirl the powdered sugar, 1 cup of flour, and pinch of salt in the bowl of your food processor. Add the butter and pulse until dough resembles fine meal. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a lightly buttered 8×8-inch or 7×11-inch pan. (And no, the crust “dough” doesn’t look like it will stay together as a crust. But I assure you it will!) Bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven (325 degrees if you are using glass bake-ware) or until the edges are light brown. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.  

Whisk the granulated sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons flour, and lemon zest together. Add the lemon juice and eggs.  Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy. Allow the filling to sit for about 10 minutes before whisking together again and pouring over the baked shortbread crust.

Bake at 350 degrees (325 for glass pan) for about 20- 25 minutes or until the custard appears set. (It doesn’t jiggle.) But don’t over bake.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before lightly sprinkling with powdered sugar*. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, cut into small squares or rectangles. Store leftover bars covered in your refrigerator.

*I use a fine mesh sieve to evenly sprinkle powdered sugar over the lemon squares. Works like a charm. Just put a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar in the sieve, and shake away. The sieve works well for cocoa too. Keeps the cocoa from clumping on to whatever it is that you’re trying to decorate.

    

RHUBARB FRANGIPANE GALETTE

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OK, there is often method to my madness. But this time I can’t take any credit for what simply had to be done. You see, our freezer is dying. It’s maintaining a slow demise, which is good, because there are no upright, non frost-free freezers to be found out here in the wild, wild West.

Oh, there are chest freezers, but I don’t want a chest freezer. (Just personal preference.) And I don’t want a frost-free freezer either. (Frozen foods last much longer if not exposed to constantly fluctuating temperatures.) So that leaves me with my current freezer that has some areas working perfectly (at least currently), others, not so much. And my last two remaining containers of chopped rhubarb were in the area that was not working as well as it should. So I decided something radical had to be done. But how to use my cherished 4 cups of diced rhubarb? So I went hunting.

I found this recipe on the alexandracooks.com food site. And what a wonderful find this was. The crust was so simple to build that I will never, ever use another recipe for a tart or galette again. Never! (Mr. C. described it last evening as eating sunshine. Wow! Can anything be better than that?!?!) Anyway, the crust was tender and flaky and perfect. And oh so very easy to make! Ahhhh, blessed be the easy to prepare recipes……..

The rest of the recipe however was a bit more time consuming, what with doctoring the rhubarb and preparing the frangipane. But no more than fixing any dessert worth eating!

So if you too are a galette or tart lover, this is one dessert you are really going to want to build. Absolutely delicious. And just because peaches are coming into season, I have provided you, free of charge, with my recipe for a fresh peach tart (galette). (The recipes just keep flowing folks. I simply can’t help myself.) Anyway, I hope you enjoy both of these recipes.

As always, keep your sense of humor, your thoughts pure, and your conduct beyond reproach. If nothing else, it will drive those who don’t know you well to wonder what drugs you are taking! (Mr. C. has been reading Hunter S. Thompson’s book – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to me as a bedtime story. Mr. C. was semi reluctant to read this story to me because he thought I would hate the story line. Wrong. I’m finding it hilarious. Pathetic, but hilarious. And yes I lived through the 60s. But about as polar opposite from Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr. Gonzo as a person can be.)

Rhubarb:

4 c. diced rhubarb*  

¼ c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. loosely packed orange zest

Toss the rhubarb with the sugar and orange zest in a large bowl; set aside.

*If using previously frozen rhubarb, drain thawed rhubarb well and add 2 tsp. flour to the mix.

Pastry:

1¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 T. granulated sugar

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

¼ c. + 1 T. ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt together. Cut the butter into small pieces, then add to the food processor. Pulse at 1 second intervals until butter is the size of 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. (Don’t wash the food processor!) 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.

Fold the dough in half, then half again. (This makes it easier to transfer the dough to a parchment-paper lined baking sheet.) I use one of my cookie sheets that has one side that has a rim, and the other 3 sides are un-rimmed. (See picture.)

You can see that there is just one edge that has a rim on this baking sheet.
Just to make certain there would be no mess in the bottom of my oven, I placed the baking sheet with the galette on a baking sheet with rims on all sides. And yes, I hate to clean my oven that much!

Only having one side with a rim on your baking pan makes life much easier when it’s time to transfer the baked galette to a serving platter. Set the pastry aside while you prepare the frangipane.

Frangipane:

½ c. almond flour or finely ground almonds (see how to make almond flour below)

2 T. granulated sugar

pinch kosher salt

2 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 sm. egg  

2 tsp. amaretto

Combine the almond flour, sugar, salt, butter, egg, and amaretto in the uncleaned bowl of the food processor. Whirl until smooth.

To assemble the Galette:

2 T. melted unsalted butter

1 to 2 T. finishing sugar for sprinkling (turbinado, demerara or any large grained sugar)

vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Spread the frangipane into the center of the rolled out dough leaving a 1 to 2-inch border. Heap the rhubarb and all of the juices in the center, then spread evenly to cover the frangipane.

Fold the edge of dough towards the center to make a rustic enclosure. (See pictures above.) Brush the edge of the dough with melted butter. Drizzle any remaining butter over the rhubarb. Sprinkle finishing sugar evenly over the top, crust and all.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. (Hint: I use the convection setting on my oven for the last 10 minutes or so. This helps the pastry crust brown.)

Remove from oven and let rest on a cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes before carefully sliding the galette off the pan and parchment paper onto a serving or cake plate. To serve, cut into wedges and dollop with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Homemade Almond Flour:

Place almonds (whole, sliced, slivered, whatever), about ¼ cup at a time, in the food processor. Pulse until you reach a flour-like consistency; sift into a container. Place any remaining almonds chunks back into food processor and pulse. Repeat until all almonds are transformed into flour and you have the amount needed for your recipe.

Peach Tart (Galette): (see picture under Rustic Peach Tart)

pastry – prepared and rolled out as above

4-5 ripe but firm peaches, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. almond extract

2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

3 T. sugar

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

pinch ground nutmeg

pinch salt

2 T. melted unsalted butter

1 to 2 T. finishing sugar for sprinkling (turbinado, demerara, or any large grained sugar)

vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Combine the cut peaches, lemon juice, and almond extract in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour the flour mixture over the peaches and gently stir until all the pieces of peach are covered with flour. (Use instructions for rhubarb galette above to roll out and place pastry onto your baking sheet.)

Scoop the mixture onto the pastry crust leaving about a 1½ inch edge uncovered. Fold the edge of dough towards the center to make a rustic enclosure. (See picture.) Brush the edge of the dough with melted butter. Drizzle the remainder melted butter over the peach filling. Sprinkle finishing sugar evenly over the top, crust and all.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. (Hint: I use the convection setting on my oven for the last 10 minutes or so. This helps the pastry crust brown.)

Remove from oven and let rest on cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes before carefully sliding the galette onto a serving or cake plate. To serve, cut into wedges and dollop with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

  

BAKED CINNAMON NUTMEG CAKE DONUTS

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OK, your donuts will not look like these. This was my first attempt with silicon donut pans. I didn’t grease the pans. So I had to dig the little darlings out of the pans. So yes, you are looking at the bottom of the donuts. Frosted, but never-the-less they are upside down. Next time I will GREASE THE PANS. Plus, I didn’t bake the donuts long enough. Next time I will do that too. And I let the icing sit too long before I spread (tried to spread) it on the donuts. Lessons learned. But the taste? Wonderful! At least I got that right!!

OK, so here’s the deal. I am not a donut person. Why, I have no idea, except it might have started as far back as grade school for me.

Back when I was in 4th and 5th grade (around the time when dinosaurs became extinct), our elementary school was right across the street from a small convenience store. Don’t really remember more about the store than that it was quite tiny and sold the best maple bars ever. Ever!!! And I bought one every opportunity I could. Never candy bars, or ice cream bars, not even Hostess cupcakes. I bought maple bars. And ever since, I have never found another fried donut type goodie to equal those amazing, incredible, perfectly fried and frosted wonders.

So among most of my friends and relatives, I am kind of an enigma. Because, after all, who doesn’t like donuts? But when you have experienced perfection at an early age like I did, it’s very difficult to settle for second best.

But recently our friend Carol Anne posted a picture of some cake donuts she made aboard their boat. They looked so delicious. So I decided if Carol Anne could bake donuts for her and her husband Dave on a boat, I should be able to build a batch for Mr. C. and me from our kitchen. So that’s just what I did.

However, while I was plotting how to top these little babies, I thought about those maple bars I loved so long ago. (And yes, I have eaten a few maple bars over the last 65 years, but probably not more than 5. They just don’t make um like they used to! Yup, I’m getting old.)

Anyway, given the donut ingredients, including cinnamon and nutmeg, I decided a maple icing would make a really nice topping. So that’s what I did for this batch. (You notice I said for this batch. Because the donuts turned out so well, were so easy to make, and so darned delicious, I’m sure I will be making them again and again.)

The donut recipe came from one of my favorite food sites -sallysbakingaddiction.com. Sally’s recipe called for the cinnamon sugar topping you will find below. I added the recipes for vanilla glaze and maple icing recipes because I always appreciate having options, and I presume you do too. Luckily for me when I asked Mr. C. which topping he would prefer, there was no hesitation. I would have made the maple icing regardless, but it was nice of him to pick the correct choice.

So my friends, I have to eat my words once again (no wonder I have digestive issues once in a while). I now have to state unequivocally, that I like donuts. Well not all donuts. But I sure as heck like these guys. Hope you do too.

As always, peace and love to all.

Donuts:

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed)  

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

2/3 c. brown sugar, packed

½ c. whole milk

½ c. sour cream

2 lg. eggs, at room temperature

1 T. vanilla extract

Spray metal or silicon donut pans with non-stick spray. Set pans aside.

Please note: Donuts baked in a silicon pan take longer to bake.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large glass mixing bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar, milk, and sour cream. Finally add the eggs and vanilla, whisking until fully combined. 

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients; mix just until combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be quite thick.

To transfer the batter to the cavities on your donut pans, fill a quart sized zip-lock freezer bag with the batter. Zip the top closed. Cut off a corner at the bottom of the bag, and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling only ¾ of the way full.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 7-13 minutes for small donuts, or 9-16 minutes for regular sized donuts, or until the edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean. Do not under bake. (I made that mistake. Never again!)

Remove for oven and allow the donuts to cool for about two minutes before transferring to a wire rack set on a large baking sheet. Top the donuts with one of the three topping options listed below.

This recipe makes about 16 small donuts. My silicon pan cavities measure 2.9 inches across. So my pans make fairly small donuts.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

½ c. granulated sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Dip the donuts in the melted butter, then dunk into the cinnamon sugar mixture coating just the top half

Note: Donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Vanilla Glaze:

½ c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 small pinch salt

1 or 2 T. whole milk

In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Add 1 tablespoon of milk, and whisk to combine. If the glaze is too thick, add additional milk, ½ teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Maple Icing:

3 T. unsalted butter

½ c. brown sugar, packed

2 T. whole milk

¾ c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. maple extract

In a small heavy saucepan, heat the butter, brown sugar, and milk together. Bring to boil and simmer for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Add powdered sugar and maple extract; blend well. Add additional powdered sugar as needed.

Spread on cooled cake donuts. Let set before serving.   

Note: Donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days.

You can freeze the donuts for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up to your liking in the microwave. I usually just nuke them for a few seconds.

 

  

INDIVIDUAL JAM FILLED CREAM CHEESE DANISH PASTRIES

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OK, I know. You don’t make pastries. You are gluten challenged. And you don’t eat sweets! Got it. But if you did, aren’t, and do, you should most definitely add this recipe to your “must make for breakfast at my earliest convenience” list. Because this recipe is easy, almost fool proof (I made it after all), and absolutely delicious. And did I mention it was easy. Yah I did. But it bears repeating.

So the other morning I really wanted to fix individual pastries to share. (Social distancing of course.) Our friends are in the process of building a new home, selling the home they are living in (which of course means packing every last thing they own), and staying well (covid-19 free) all at the same time. Any one of these 3 things is stressful all by itself. But in combination? Might as well just take a hammer and beat yourself up with it as take on this great an adventure at this time. But who knew the coronavirus was going to impact our lives to the extent it has? At least my crystal ball didn’t share that information with me. And apparently theirs didn’t either. So I thought a bit of something fun for their breakfast the next day would add a bit of sunshine to their morning. (Wouldn’t hurt as a nice beginning for our day either.)

So being a cheese Danish lover I decided to do some searching on how to make individual cheese Danishes. (My recipes Cream Cheese Danish and Dried Cranberry and Almond Braided Danish are terrific, but they aren’t individual pastries.)

I found the recipe for the dough part of this pastry on the letthebakingbegin.com site. The fillings part I lifted from my Cream Cheese Danish recipe, along with dusting each Danish with granulated sugar before the final rise. And I must say, the overall product was better than I anticipated. Actually I didn’t really know quite what to expect. But what a surprise when the finished product not only tasted terrific, it was pretty to boot! (I love it when a plan comes together.)

So if you too have a burning desire to prepare a pastry that truly looks and tastes like it just came from a bakery, then this is the recipe for you.

As always, keep baking, keep pushing yourself to try recipes that even a year ago would have scared the pickles out of you, and don’t think less of yourself if you try something and it doesn’t look like Martha Stewart was personally directing your every action. Most of us are just home cooks. Pretty darn good home cooks, but never-the-less we don’t have the advantage of having attended culinary school. (At least I’ve never had that opportunity.) So I cut myself some slack when I make a mistake, my final product doesn’t look like the one pictured on the creators site, or I have to look up a culinary term I had never heard of before. I’m not a trained chef. I’m a home cook.

Several years ago my good friend Christine and I were talking about food preparation. She hit the nail on the head perfectly when she said she was simply a good “mommy” cook. And I realized, at that time, that’s exactly what I was too. I’ve expanded my repertoire of dishes since then, but only because I have more time than I did when I was a working mother feeding a family.   So again, try new dishes, but don’t berate yourself if the final product isn’t perfect. Perfection is overrated anyway. I think Guy Harrison truly had the right idea when he wrote: “Perfection is overrated, boring. It’s the imperfections—the vulnerabilities, the weaknesses, the human elements—that make us who we are, that make us real, beautiful…necessary.” Peace and love to all.

Pastry Dough:

1 c. lukewarm whole milk

2 tsp. active dried yeast 

⅓ c. granulated sugar

2 T. sour cream

4 egg yolks

¼ tsp. kosher salt

3 oz. (¾ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3½ – 4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

vegetable oil 

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the lukewarm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the sour cream, egg yolks, salt, butter, and about 3 cups of the flour. Using your dough hook, mix/knead the dough for 6-8 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, and feels slightly tacky to the touch. (You will probably need more flour. And there will still be a bit of dough that wants to stick to the bottom of the bowl when it’s time to stop the machine.)

Pour a bit of veggie oil over the dough, and using your hands, roll the dough into a ball. Make sure the entire ball of dough is lightly oiled. (This helps keep the dough from cracking and drying as it rises.)   

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 70-90 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese filling. Once the dough is doubled, punch it down and divide into 14-16 equal sized pieces.

Shape each piece of dough into a ball by tucking the ends underneath until you get a smooth surface on top. Set the balls on large parchment paper lined baking sheets evenly spaced. Make sure the pastries are at least 3 inches apart.  Let rest for 10 minutes, then dip the bottom of a glass into the middle of each pastry to form an indentation that goes almost to the bottom of the ball.

Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, fill each pastry indentation with the cream cheese filling. Smooth out the filling, and plop a heaping teaspoon of jam or preserves in the middle of the filling. Lightly dust the entire pastry with granulated sugar. Place in a warm place and allow the pastries to almost double in size, about 45 minutes.

Starting the 2nd rise.
Isn’t that the cutest little pastry you ever saw?

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 19-22 minutes, or until the outside is golden brown. The internal temperature of the pastry should be at least 190 degrees.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container on your counter for up to a day. Then move to the refrigerator. When ready to serve, warm on high for 20 seconds in your microwave. You can also freeze the pastries for up to a month. To thaw, pop them in the oven straight from the freezer for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cream Cheese Filling:

2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature

1 c. granulated sugar, plus more for dusting

1 tsp. vanilla

jam, jelly, preserves, or curd of choice (strawberry, peach, apricot, raspberry, marionberry, lemon, etc.)   

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Set aside until needed.  

       

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP BLONDIES

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Now I know these bar cookies are not on my list of foods that should be eaten on a daily basis. They are not even on my list of foods OK to have once a week. However, they are now on my list of easy and delicious treats that I plan to repeatedly enjoy to satisfy my ever expanding peanut butter craving. Of course, by eating these blondies it’s not only my craving that is expanding. But this ugly reality can be left until our country is back to normal and my mental health is back to its usual happy, contented existence. (If either of these conditions actually happen, given the circumstances we are currently experiencing in America, I will be the first one to profess a belief that miracles can and do actually happen! Until then, it’s a cookie once in a while as a reward for keeping any burgeoning insanity in check!)

So if you too would profit by a sweet nibble, I most definitely recommend you give this recipe a try. I found the recipe on the sallysbakingaddiction.com site. I did make a couple of insignificant changes, but mainly because I didn’t have some of the same ingredients on hand that are called for in Sally’s recipe. So I can take no claim for this wonderful recipe. And truly, it is a wonderful recipe. The blondies are soft, and moist, and just bursting with flavor. I served them last evening to dear friends (social distancing of course), and they were proclaimed a winner.

As always, stay connected with what’s happening around you. But don’t let all the displayed hatred, fighting, and ignorance change who you are, what you stand for, or how you relate to others. And I know it’s not easy. In fact, I’m finding it quite difficult to even be civil to people who display outward signs of bigotry and injustice, and who flaunt their perceived civil rights in other people’s faces by not wearing a mask. Literally – other people’s faces. But I can’t let them win. I can’t let them turn me into an undisciplined, over-reactive person for whom moral integrality is just a thing of the past. Or simply an idealistic concept that no longer has any meaning in today’s world. I can’t let that happen. I fervently pray I won’t let that happen.

Luckily, I have a wonderful husband, a great family, and terrific friends to help me find my way through these unchartered waters. I hope you too are blessed with intelligent, reasonable people who are steadfast in their desire to remain decent, knowledgeable, and concerned with others, not just themselves. Peace and love to all.

¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

2 c. brown sugar, packed

¾ c. creamy peanut butter (not the natural kind)

2 lg. eggs 

1 egg yolk

1 T.  vanilla extract (yes, tablespoon)

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed)  

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

¾ c. peanut butter chips

¾ c. milk chocolate chips

In a large glass mixing bowl, melt the butter in your microwave. When melted let sit for about 3 minutes before whisking in the brown sugar until well combined. Then whisk in the peanut butter, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla until completely combined.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to the butter mixture. (I use a regular old table knife to stir the batter because it’s quite thick.) Finally stir in the peanut butter chips and the milk chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into a lightly buttered 9×13-inch pan.  

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Test the blondies with a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan. If it comes out wet, the blondies aren’t done. If there are only a few moist crumbs, or none at all, the blondies are done. (Don’t overbake or the blondies will be dry.)

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Cover and store leftover blondies at room temperature for up to 1 week.

 

  

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRUMBLE

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As with the rest of humanity, at least those of us with half a brain, we basically remain confined to quarters except for necessary trips to local purveyors of food, drink, and other essentials. And perhaps it can be argued that strawberries are not an essential, but at Chez Carr they are as close as it comes! I mean really, who doesn’t own a car that automatically slows down the minute a fresh fruit stand comes in sight? Even before either of our minds can register that stopping for fresh fruit is a really a good idea, our car has made the decision for us. We haven’t even begun a discussion when the brakes are being gently applied, the turn signal is on, and the car has started making a turn if appropriate. Now if your car isn’t helping you out in this manner, maybe you simply haven’t trained it well enough. That of course is between you and your car. I’m not making any judgement calls here. I’m a blog writer, not a car clinician! I’m just saying that it’s nice to have a car that knows what we’re thinking before we do!   

So with an abundance of fresh strawberries at hand, I decided a crumble would be a perfect dessert to share with friends. Socially distancing of course! And since I already had cut up rhubarb in the freezer, I decided to go first cabin. A rhubarb and strawberry extravaganza. After all, our guests, Peggy, Mark, and Vicki were worth the ingredients and the effort! And these bars, recipe compliments of cookingclassy.com, seemed to be enjoyed by everyone. I mean really, crunchy and fruity goodness cut into squares and dolloped with vanilla ice cream, what’s not to like?

And I had especially appreciated how easy they were to prepare. No mixer involved. And just a couple of bowls and hand utensils to clean up.

So all in all, a lovely way to celebrate strawberries.

As always, stay safe, stay sane, and stay objective. Usually if something makes sense, like wearing a mask to not only protect yourself but also those you come in contact with, just do it. Please don’t put a political spin on it. It’s not a matter of political party preference, or rights being infringed upon, or any of the other machinations being touted by the ill-informed. Wearing a mask is merely a way of showing good old fashioned common sense. And right now, more than ever, we need as much common sense displayed as possible. Peace and love to all.

Crumb Layer:

1⅓ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. kosher salt

1⅓ c. old fashioned oats

½ c. brown sugar, packed    

½ c. granulated sugar

¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the oats, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.   

Melt the butter in a small pan. Whisk in the vanilla and pour over the oat mixture. Stir until the mixture is evenly moistened. 

Press two thirds of the mixture into a lightly buttered 9×9 or 7×11-inch pan. Set the remaining one third aside.

Filling:

⅓ c. granulated sugar

1 T. cornstarch

pinch kosher salt

1 T. fresh lemon juice

2 c. diced strawberries 

2 c. diced rhubarb

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon juice together in a bowl. Gently stir in the rhubarb and strawberries. Pour over the bottom crumb crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumb crust evenly over the filling.  

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until top is golden brown and crisp and the filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes regular oven, 10 minutes convection (if you have that option). 

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares and serve at room temperature or slightly warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.   

Store leftover crumble at room temperature.  

              

BOSTON CREAM CAKE

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Not so perfect Boston Cream Cake – read on for the full explanation.

For whatever reason, I had never made a Boston cream cake before yesterday. And yes, I know most people refer to as a pie, but being a baker who definitely knows the difference between a pie and a cake, well, I just had to call it what it is. It’s a cake! Anyway…………….

Yesterday was my birthday. And what I really wanted for my birthday was a chance to bake this cake that I had been salivating over for several years. I had always wanted to serve it to our JazzVox guests. But every time I seriously considered serving it to 35-40 people during a 15 minute intermission, I thought better of it. Ya think!?!? And that didn’t even take into account the amount of time it would have taken me to prepare the darn thing to begin with! Anyway…………..

I made this amazing creation yesterday. And it was, and still is, almost perfect. The cake part is very moist, the butter cream between the cake layers absolutely delicious, and the ganache topping – well – way over the top too much and too rich. And I know what you’re thinking. Patti, you could have made half as much of the ganache and it would have been the perfect amount. Obviously great minds think alike. Because that’s exactly what I did in writing out the recipe for you all. I halved the ganache recipe, and frankly, next time (and there will be a next time), instead of using dark chocolate chips, I’m going to use milk chocolate chips. And maybe bourbon or Cointreau instead of Kahlua. I think for my particular tastes, I will be happier with a different combination. But obviously, you can use any old chocolate chips or booze you want in the recipe. Anyway………….

I’m also not going to place the hot ganache in the refrigerator to get really cold before I try to “dribble” it over the cake. Major mistake. There was no dribbling ganache over a cake happenin’ in my kitchen yesterday, I’ll tell you that! Even though I tried to warm the ganache by placing it in the microwave, I finally just gave up and spread the darned stuff over the top of the cake. I simply had never used a ganache as a “drizzle” before. But now that I have done some reading on the subject, I will never make this same mistake again. And if you follow the recipe below, you won’t either when you make your very own Boston cream cake. And you simply must make this cake. It is truly phenomenal. Anyway…………..

Have fun in your kitchen. Learn from your mistakes (or mine as in this case), because any cook worth their salt is going to have plenty of mishaps along the way. It’s inevitable. And believe me, I’ve had more than my fair share of “kitchen casualties”. But I just keep on truckin’ and advise you to do the same.

As always, peace and love to all

Pastry Cream Filling:

6 egg yolks

½ c. granulated sugar, divided

2 c. whole milk

¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp. fine sea salt

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the egg yolks and half of the granulated sugar in a bowl; whisk until lighter in color. Add the flour and the salt; mix well to combine.

Place the milk and the remaining sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. When the milk just begins to boil, remove from heat. Very slowly dribble the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking the entire time. When about half of the milk has been added, place all of the yolk mixture into the saucepan over medium heat.

Using a whisk, continually beat until the mixture comes to a boil. Let boil for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. The mixture will quickly thicken.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. (Feel free to strain if you can see visible lumps.)

Place the pastry cream into a bowl and cover directly with plastic wrap that has been ever so lightly sprayed with cooking spray. (This will prevent a skin from forming on the pastry cream.) Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before assembling the cake.

Yellow Cake:  

½ c. whole milk

½ c. sour cream  

1 c. (2 sticks) un-salted butter, room temperature

1¾ c. granulated sugar  

2 tsp. vanilla

3 lg. eggs

2 lg. egg yolks

2¼ c. cake flour, lightly measured (fluffed)  

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

Whisk the milk and sour cream together. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined after each addition. Scrape down the mixing bowl as often as required.

Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add 1/3rd of the flour mixture to the batter and mix just until combined, again, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add half of the milk/sour cream mixture and combine. Add another 1/3rd of the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Add the last half of the milk/sour cream mixture and beat until just combined. Add the final 1/3rd of the dry ingredients and mix just until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as a final gesture of good incorporation.  

Lightly grease and parchment paper line 3 – 9-inch cake pans. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared pans and level the batter with an offset spatula.  

Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 22-26 minutes or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Don’t overbake or the cake will be dry.

Remove from oven and place the pans on a cooling rack. When the cake layers are completely cool, remove from pans. (Yes you must discard the parchment paper.) Place the first layer on a cake plate. Spread half of the cold pastry cream over the top just to the edge. Place the next cake layer over the pastry cream, and spread with the remaining pastry cream. Place the third cake layer on top.

Drizzle the ganache on top of the cake allowing it to dribble down the side. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. (If you don’t use all of the ganache, that’s just fine. It makes a terrific topping for ice cream.)  

Chocolate Ganache:

½ c. + 2 T. milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips

½ c. heavy cream

1 T. Kahlua, bourbon, Cointreau, Bailey’s Irish Cream, etc.  

¼ tsp. vanilla

tiny pinch salt

Place chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream just to a boil. Immediately pour cream over chocolate and let sit without stirring for 1-2 minutes. Then, whisk mixture gently until completely melted and smooth. Add your alcohol of choice, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until the ganache is velvety. But don’t over work.

Let cool for 15 minutes, then pour over the cake.  

SOURDOUGH COFFEE CAKE WITH SUNKEN WALNUT TOPPING

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OK, when I started my written ramblings in a recent post about rhubarb muffins, I stated that I wasn’t particularly enamored with either muffins or coffee cake because I often found them too dry. But in my quest to supply you with a superfluity of recipes that contain a sourdough starter, I stumbled upon some recipes for sourdough coffee cake. So I gave out a loud sigh, bit the bullet, and cobbled this recipe together.

Now in all honesty, I wasn’t expecting very much from this venture. But surprise, surprise. This coffee cake is one of the best baked goods I have ever made. It’s moist, delicious, crunchy, not too sweet, and just about everything you could ask for in a breakfast treat. And yes, I like to make our breakfasts as delicious and well planned out as our dinners. I enjoy changing things up a bit every morning by serving a variety of breakfast meats (not all in the same meal you realize), Greek yogurt, homemade granola or cereal, different kinds of home-baked items containing gluten, and fresh fruit. We almost always have an over-easy egg, but that’s about the only constant at the Carr breakfast table. I just happen to believe it’s important to start the day with a hearty and delicious breakfast. Kind of sets the tone for the whole day.

Anyway, my point is that breakfast is important. That variety, even at the breakfast table when all in attendance might not even be fully awake yet, can make a difference in setting their (and your own) mood meter on positive rather than towards the other end of the scale. I’m not saying that everything will be perfect if you serve your family a nice breakfast. But it sure as heck can’t hurt!

So to all of you for whom breakfast is your responsibility, I salute you. It’s not easy being creative when you’re still half asleep. I know. When I was a single working mom, with three kids to feed, a hot breakfast was on the table every weekday morning promptly at 7:15 a.m. OK, it wasn’t fancy, but it was hot and nourishing. And it was a constant in my kid’s lives. And that was very important. Mom = love = safety = food = shelter = emotional security. (BTW, I did feed the kids breakfast on weekends too. They were just more elaborate meals and served much later than 7:15 in the stinkin’ morning!)

As always, keep fixing great food for yourself and your family, keep trying new recipes, and don’t forget to take time out for yourself whenever you get the opportunity. You deserve a break as much as anyone. Probably even more when it comes right down to it!  

Topping:

4 tsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ c. brown sugar, packed

unsalted butter (I cut off the third cup of butter I need for the coffee cake batter, and simply use the rest of the stick for this topping.)  

½ c. chopped walnuts

Using your fingers, mix all of the topping ingredients together. Set aside while you prepare the cake batter.

Coffee Cake:

1 c. sourdough starter discard, room temperature

1/3 c. semi-melted butter (I only nuke until some of the butter has melted and the rest is just very, very soft.)

1 egg  

½ tsp. vanilla

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (remember to fluff the flour)

½ c. granulated sugar

¼ c. brown sugar, packed

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Whisk the sourdough starter, semi-melted butter, egg, and vanilla together. Whisk the flour, sugars, salt, soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, just until combined. Scoop dough into a lightly greased 9-inch square or 11×7-inch rectangular pan. Even off the top as much as possible. Sprinkle topping evenly over the batter.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. (A toothpick stuck into the coffee cake should come out clean.) Do not overbake. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Warm slightly if serving the next day.

A note about sourdough starters:

There is a lot of information about sourdough starters on line these days. Great information, but some of it paints a sourdough starter as just a little too precious for me to handle. I’m of the KISS (Keep It Simple Sister) principle. Especially since I only use my starter 2 or 3 times a week. I consider a sourdough starter as simply an ingredient, not an honored guest in my home. Yes it must be fed regularly because it contains living fungus – Saccharomyces cerevisiae. (At least my starter does, because I used active dry yeast to start my starter.) But feeding it twice daily as some references would suggest? Not this kid. Plus I insist that I be able to use my sourdough starter any old time I want, regardless of whether it has been recently “fed” or has happily been residing in my refrigerator for the last 7 days!

So most of my recipes, like this one, are based on a very liquidy, not just fed starter (often referred to as “discard”) that has come straight from the fridge. In this recipe however, please allow the starter to come to room temperature before adding other ingredients.

 

   

OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES WITH DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPS AND PEANUT BUTTER CHIPS

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OK, I know I already have a recipe for Dark Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Chip Oatmeal Cookies on this site. And they are truly wonderful cookies too. But they’re just a little bit different, and variety is always a good thing. And speaking of good things, these cookies are really a good thing. Good for grownups, good for kids, and the perfect way to make life just a little bit better for those around us.

These are really difficult times we are living through right now. A virus that is adversely impacting everyone’s lives, societal tension (that I pray will help towards ending systemic racism), and our current leadership in Washington D.C., which appears to espouse authoritarianism rather than democracy.

Any one of these problems taken by themselves would be beastly. But all three at once? Like I said, these are difficult and totally unprecedented times we are all trying to successfully maneuver. So my answer, since I have no answer for the big problems, is to work on the small boo-boos. And what better way to lift someone’ spirits than by offering them a big old chunky cookie? OK, I know it’s not a substitute for world peace. But it’s an effort. And any kind of effort is better than nothing at all. You just never know what impact a simple gesture might make to someone’s well-being.   

The other day I received a lovely card in the mail. The card, along with the written sentiment, included a copy of my dear friend Ellen’s favorite recipes, and a couple clips from an old calendar by one of her favorite artists – Erica Oller. What a delightful thing for Ellen to do. And it truly made my day. It’s the little things in life that make people feel special. And this loving correspondence from my dear friend was just what I happened to need.

So bake some cookies, send a friend a note, phone a buddy, wave at strangers, or in your own way – make a difference.

As always, virtual hugs from Chez Carr. And I hope you enjoy the recipe.

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

1 c. granulated sugar

½ c. brown sugar, packed

2 lg. eggs, room temp.

1 c. peanut butter (not the “natural” kind)

2 tsp. vanilla

1½ c. “fluffed”* unbleached all-purpose flour 

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 c. rolled oats

1½ c. dark chocolate chips

1 c. peanut butter chips 

Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until soft and well combined. Add the eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again as needed.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium sized mixing bowl.  

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Add the oats. Once combined, gently beat in the chocolate and peanut butter chips. Chill the dough for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  

Using an ice cream scoop, place balls of dough on lightly greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet, a couple of inches apart. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 14-18 minutes or until browned on the bottoms. The centers will still look a bit soft.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Please note: I used a 2-inch diameter ice cream scoop (leveled off) and the cookies were a perfect size. Usually I make small cookies, but this time I went big! Made 25 sensational cookies.

*Fluffed Flour:

Flour stored either in the bag it came in or a covered container tends to compact. To prepare the flour for accurate measurement, fluff it up with a spoon, then shake the flour into the measuring cup, and level it off. I do this every time I use flour in cakes, cookies, or any recipe that calls for an exact measurement. Every single time! It truly makes a difference in the final product.

However, fluffing flour doesn’t matter as much for bread baking because there are just too many variables in building bread. The hydration of a sourdough starter, the type of flour used, etc. etc. But for most baked goods, fluffing flour is a must. Weighing flour is also an option. That is if the weight is provided in the recipe. Doesn’t happen that often, but weighing flour is the absolute best way to insure accuracy.