Summer Berry Crostata

Berries scream “summer.”  This season I love throwing their subtle sweetness into otherwise savory dishes like herby grilled chicken, hearty green salads and steamed fish.  But berries are best when they’re showcased in delectable desserts.  Nothing is easier than throwing a few handfuls of berries over a pie dough and popping it into the oven - aka a berry crostata!

Double Frosted Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake is a universal love.  Who doesn’t yearn to stick a fork into a large slice of moist, delectable chocolate cake with just the right amount of frosting?  I could eat chocolate cake everyday and still long for more.

I often hesitate to try newly created recipes on my guests, so I thought that I’d play it safe and use a recipe from King Arthur Flour.  KAF’s readers gave it 5 stars, so I knew it would be a crowd pleaser.  Chocolate and espresso are a classic combination, and the picture of the cake on the KAF site looked divine.  Oh yes, I can get weak in the knees over a beautiful photograph of cake.

Alas, my rendition of the KAF cake didn’t really thrill me.  It looked so bare, even with the frosting.  KAF calls for a chocolate ganache -- a simple icing made from chocolate and cream that’s poured over the cake and allowed to drip down the sides.  It’s quite delicious, but it looks more like a glaze than a traditional frosting.  I suppose that I could have whipped it before pouring it over the cake.  Too late!  So what’s a girl to do when faced with a totally boring cake?  Frost it again!  With a different, but complementary, frosting!  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!

I decided to throw together a quick salted Kahlua buttercream frosting -- with more chocolate, of course.  Now the cake finally had all of my favorite notes: Kahlua, chocolate, espresso, sugar and salt.  Yum!  (Admit it, they’re your favorite flavors, too.  And if you really love Kahlua be sure to check out my post about Kahlua Blondies!)  The contrast of two frostings was so delicious that I think that I’ll do double frostings on almost all of my cakes from now on.  A happy (and delectable) accident indeed!

The cake recipe is available via King Arthur Flour.  I followed the full recipe, including the frosting/ganache.  After chilling in the refrigerator, I frosted it again with a buttercream frosting (below).  In the buttercream frosting you can easily adjust the ratio of confectioners' sugar to butter to achieve your desired consistency and sweetness.  The Kahlua could also be substituted for any liquor or extract of your desire: vanilla extract would be a good choice; and if you’re feeling wild how about Frangelico or Chambord!

Easy Salted Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
Makes enough to frost the outside of a layer cake.  Double recipe to use as filling between layers.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
½ cup cocoa powder
1 Tbs Kahula
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1½ Tbs flaked sea salt
2 to 3 Tbs milk

Beat the butter until creamy.  Add the cocoa, Kahlua and salt; mix until incorporated.  Add the confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved.  If the frosting seems too thick, add a tablespoon of milk (or two or three) to thin it a bit.  Too thin?  Add more confectioners’ sugar, one tablespoon at a time.  Frost your cake, grab a fork and dig in!

Starbucks Knockoff: Cranberry Bliss Bars

I’m a sucker for almost anything labeled “Limited Edition.”  I’m looking at you, Limited Edition Mint M&Ms.  You, too, Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale.  And same goes for you, Starbucks’ Cranberry Bliss Bars.  Why must you only exist during the winter holidays?  You would be the perfect dessert on a summer afternoon.  If only I could dig into your cranberry goodness and cream cheese deliciousness all year ‘round.  Hooray, now I can!

Knockoff recipes for some of our favorite indulgences are nothing new.  I’ve always hesitated to make a knockoff because it usually doesn’t taste as nearly as good as the original.  Disappointment almost always abounds -- but not here, thankfully!  A quick Google search led me to this recipe for Cranberry Bliss Bars from Food.com.  The result?  Absolutely delicious, and truly every bit as tasty as the original from Starbucks.  So pshaw to the limited edition moniker for Cranberry Bliss Bars.  They’re here whenever you crave them!  Huzzah!

Cranberry Bliss Bars
For the bars:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons orange extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I recommend using both!)
2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup white chocolate chips

For the cream cheese frosting:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon orange extract

For the drizzled chocolate finish:
1/3 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon canola oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

Begin by making the bars: Beat the butter and sugars until light.  Gently blend in eggs and extract(s), taking care not to overbeat eggs.  Add the flour, baking powder, and ginger and beat briefly.  Add the cranberries and chips, stirring just until incorporated.  Spread the thick batter in the prepared pan.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until light brown at the edges and a toothpick in the center tests clean.  Be careful not to overbake or the bars will be dry.  Let cool completely.

While the bars are cooling, make the frosting: blend the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Add  extract and confectioners’ sugar and beat until frosting is fluffy and spreadable (add 1 teaspoon of milk to thin slightly, if needed).  Spread evenly over cooled bars.

Drizzled chocolate finish: Sprinkle the orange zest and chopped cranberries over the frosted bars.  Next, mix the white chocolate and oil in a glass measuring cup.  Microwave 1 minute; stir until melted.  Use a fork or whisk to drizzle the white chocolate diagonally across the bars.

Now for the tough part, allow one hour for the white chocolate to set before cutting.  Starbucks cuts their bars into triangles; for the authentic touch you could do this, too.  I usually dive right in with a knife and fork -- so delectable.  Enjoy and laugh in the face of "limited edition!"

Kahlua Blondies

Oh my gosh, is there anything better than an ooey, gooey blondie fresh from the oven?  How about a drunken blondie!  No, no, I’m not referring to the latest LiLo scandal.  The brownie’s lighter, sweeter cousin, the blondie, is my favorite cookie bar -- the perfect marriage between a chocolate chip cookie and a brownie.  Jazzing it up with the kiss of Kahlua adds a wonderfully subtle sweetness and meshes well with the chocolate chunks.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  Excuse me while I get another piece…

Kahlua Blondies
8 Tbs (1/2 cup) butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs Kahlua
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan and set aside.  In a large bowl mix the melted butter and brown sugar until well combined.  Add the egg, vanilla and Kahlua; mix well.  Add the flour and salt; stir to combine.  Pour into the greased baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Slice into bars, serve with a tall glass of cold milk and enjoy!

Carrot Apple Cookies – A Heart Healthy Salute to Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays.  Love is in the air, the fragrance of roses wafts around every street corner (or maybe just in my mind), and the promise of chocolate looms.  A heart in love should also be a healthy heart, which motivated me to craft a tasty cookie that is equally wholesome.  The apple and carrot in this recipe keeps the cookies moist while lending a subtle sweetness.  The whole wheat flour adds a hearty, almost nutty flavor which pairs nicely with the texture of the fruit and veggie here.  Whole wheat, carrots and apples… a love that will last forever.

Carrot Apple Cookies
½ cup grated carrot
¼ cup grated apple
1 ½ Tbs lemon zest
1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
10 Tbs butter (1 ¼ sticks butter), softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the carrot, apple, lemon, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugars.  Add the flour mixture and stir together until thoroughly combined.  Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten into a disk shape and wrap each in plastic wrap.  Chill the dough disks for thirty minutes.

After half an hour, remove one of the disks and place onto a lightly floured countertop or large cutting board.  Roll the dough to about a ¼-inch thickness.  Dip your cookie cutter into a small bowl of flour, then cut the cookies and arrange on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle a pinch of sugar over the cookies before baking.  Pop into the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until slightly browned.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Enjoy to your heart’s content!  Happy Valentine’s Day!

My Quest for the Best Brownies Volume 3: Magical Fudge Brownies

It has been a while (almost one month) since the last Delectable Kitchen post.  Shameful!  But the time away has yielded another step in my continuing quest to find the best brownies.  A friend sent me a link to this recipe, originally posted by Food and Wine Magazine, and I was daring enough to serve it to another friend without trying it first.  This recipe employs a mysterious alchemy.  After cooling, the brownies go into the refrigerator to chill, followed by a rewarming to room temperature.  These last two steps seem to be crucial.  We tried the brownies soon after they came out of the oven.  Verdict?  Meh.  But after we chilled them and tried them again – oh boy!  Talk about a fudgy brownie!  Even better, the sea salt plays so nicely with the not-too-sweet chocolate.  I used more sea salt than the recipe called for (I covered the entire surface with salt flakes), and it made a wonderful difference.  This recipe is definitely a keeper.  Just make sure to leave enough time for the magic to transform these from average to delectable!  You won’t be disappointed.

Magical Fudge Brownies
via Food and Wine Magazine
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Whisking them in one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, add the cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the salt into the batter.

Bake the fudge brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out coated with a little of the batter. Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate just until they are firm, about 1 hour.  Cut the brownies into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature.  Delicious!

Clafoutis

Admit it.  Lately you hear about clafoutis everywhere.  Friends, coworkers, even the free newspaper you read on the way to work… everyone is talking about this French custardy dessert.  Honestly, I really didn’t have a desire to try it.  I’m a staunch opponent of fruit in dessert.  Fruit pies, fruit tarts, fruit crumbles?  No, thank you.  To me, dessert is the one excuse to eschew anything even remotely resembling something healthy.  Sorry, apples, berries and the like, you’re not welcome on my after dinner plate.

Or so I had always affirmed, until I found myself with an overflowing bowl of cherries that were rapidly reaching the end of their lifespan.  So yesterday the bowl of cherries and I had a meeting of the minds.  We declared a truce.  The cherries agreed to be surprisingly wonderful in a dessert and I agreed to eat it.

I also agreed to embrace the ubiquitous clafoutis movement and give it a go.  Since I had not attempted clafoutis before, I relied upon Epicurious to guide me.  The verdict?  Delectable!  Fruit and dessert can exist harmoniously!  A new world is waiting for me to explore.  That’s right, I’m talking to you, pies, cobblers and parfaits.

How would I describe clafoutis?  The texture is similar to a flan, but a bit firmer.  The custardy presence of eggs is unmistakable, while the ground almonds give an unexpected crunch.  Together with the soft texture of the cherries, it becomes a refreshing delight, especially when served chilled.  It would be equally as delicious, I’m sure, with any fruit of your choice.  And now that I’ve been converted, I’d love to hear your suggestions for my next fruit adventure.

Cloufitis
Modified from Bon Appétit
3 cups cherries, pitted
½ cup sugar plus 1 tbs sugar, separated
1 tsp cornstarch
1/3 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup almonds
1 cup half and half
¼ cup butter, melted
½ tsp grated orange peel
½ tsp grated lemon peel
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine the cherries, 1 tbs sugar and cornstarch in a bowl.  Toss well to evenly distribute the sugar and cornstarch.  Set aside for a few minutes.  Blend the almonds and flour in a food processor just until the nuts are finely chopped.  Set aside. 

Evenly place the cherries in the bottom of a buttered 1½ quart baking dish or 9-inch pie plate.  Alternatively, you could just dump the cherries into the baking dish, taking care NOT to also pour the juices that accumulated at the bottom of the bowl.

In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt and ½ cup sugar until well mixed.  Add the flour mixture, whisking just until barely combined.  Add the half and half, butter, citrus peels and extracts.  Whisk until incorporated.  Pour the custard over the cherries.  Bake for one hour, or until golden brown and the center is set.  Serve warm or chilled.  Yum!

Nutty Coconutty Whole Wheat Cookie Bars

I recently made coconut ice cream which called for a massive quantity of egg yolks.  Tonight I found myself staring at the bowl of leftover egg whites, wondering what to do with them beyond an omelet.  Add to that quandary some leftover coconut and I was in a true puzzle.  By good fortune, I stumbled upon a recipe at a blog recommended by a friend and used the recipe for Low-Fat Oatmeal Chocolate Cookie Bars as a springboard for my own version.

Admittedly, my version is not quite low in fat.  With significantly less oatmeal, slightly more eggs, and a smorgasboard of mix-ins, these Nutty Coconutty Whole Wheat Cookie Bars are more of a mid-afternoon snack and less of a healthy treat.  But the clearly discernable whole wheat flour in every bite easily fools me into believing that I’m eating something good for my body.  Join me in the illusion.  The delectable taste, however, isn’t fiction!

Nutty Coconutty Whole Wheat Cookie Bars
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated white sugar
5 egg whites
2 tbs whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
¾ cup old-fashioned oats
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips  
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the oats, flour, baking soda, chocolate chips, almonds and coconut in a large bowl.  Set aside.  In another large bowl mix the oil, brown and white sugars, egg whites, milk, vanilla and salt until very thoroughly combined.

Add the oat mixture to the egg mixture.  Stir gently, just until combined.  Pour into a greased 9x9 inch baking pan.  Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until done.  Cool, slice  and enjoy!

The Greatest Cookie. Ever.

I love chocolate chip cookies.  I could make an entire meal of nothing but chocolate chip cookies.  Three square meals?  Pshaw.  Give me three round meals of gooey chocolate, soft buttery cookie and a hint of nuttiness.  Heavenly!  Throw in an unexpected twist and it’s sheer bliss.

I found nirvana in this cookie.  After several (tasty) attempts with different ratios of sugars, I finally found the perfect sweetness and texture.  A modification of the cookie variously known as a Cowboy Cookie or a Kitchen Sink Cookie (among others), this recipe combines the chewiness of an oatmeal cookie with the soft bite of hazelnuts coupled with a smooth chocolate finish to every bite.  I literally craved this cookie before breakfast, after breakfast and every minute of the day until the cookie jar was very quickly empty.

The recipe easily lends itself to substitutions.  I purchased a large bag of unshelled hazelnuts recently, and I couldn’t wait to crack them open.  Of course, I didn’t realize how far hazelnut shells can fly under the pressure of a nutcracker!  I’m still finding tiny bits of shells underfoot in the far corners of the kitchen.  But if you’re not a fan of hazelnuts, try this recipe with macadamia nuts, walnuts or your favorite.  Similar to the mint brownies made earlier in The Delectable Kitchen, sea salt is the secret ingredient that knocks this off the charts of deliciousness.  I guarantee you’ll find bliss with your first bite.

The Greatest Cookie. Ever.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
½ cup shredded coconut (unsweetened, if you can find it)
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Stir in vanilla.

Slowly add the flour mixture in small batches, mixing after each addition just until combined.  Be careful not to overmix.  Then, stir in the oatmeal, chocolate chips, hazelnuts and coconut.

Drop by rounded tablespoons (or use a small ice cream scoop) onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until brown.  Eat to your heart’s delight.

Luscious Lemon Squares

I recently acquired a very special treat, especially for those of us living in the northeast: lemons freshly picked from the backyard.  A family friend generously shared her shipment of hand picked lemons sent to her from a relative living in the southwest.  What better way to honor such a unique and truly appreciated luxury than to make this bright yellow present into lemon squares?

Lemon squares have a unique texture – slightly gelatinous, slightly chewy and slightly crusty.  I didn’t plan to experiment with my own recipe and found a simple recipe from Everyday Food.  Of course, even the best intended plans can fall apart without sufficient preparation, and that’s where I found myself about halfway through the recipe.  As I reached into the refrigerator to grab four eggs, I screeched when I realized that I only had three!  Moments later, I gasped when I ran out of cornstarch.  So I decided to gow with the flow and modify the original recipe to add my own twist  The result is a moist, chewy and not too tart square of lemony deliciousness.  I know you’ll agree, it is a suitably scrumptious homage to lemons everywhere.

Luscious Lemon Squares
Crust
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tbs cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
½ cup butter, cold, cut into small pieces

Lemon Gooeyness
3 large eggs
¾ cup sugar plus 2 tbs sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbs lemon zest
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the sides (to easily remove the baked squares). Set aside. Begin by making the crust: combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Add the butter and incorporate with a pastry cutter until it resembles small pea-sized crumbs (or you can use two forks or even a food processor, if you’re lucky enough to own one; avoid using your hands since the heat may soften the butter).  Press the mixture into the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

After chilling in the refrigerator, bake the crust about 20 minutes or until just lightly browned.  Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees.

Next, prepare the lemon filling by beating the eggs until thick.  Add all of the sugar, lemon juice, zest, flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat until combined, then pour into the pan with the warm crust.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until set.  Cool to room temperature, then refrigerator for at least an hour.

Using the overhanging parchment paper, gently lift the whole lemon square out of the pan.  Cut into squares (16 smallish squares or 9 large squares for a true indulgence).  If desired, sift additional confectioners’ sugar over the top for visual appeal and a sweet bite.  Enjoy!

My Quest for the Best Brownies Volume 2: Mint Frosted Brownies with Sea Salt

I love brownies.  Who doesn’t?  I have never met anyone who could turn down the offer of a brownie.  Have you?  Impossible!  Alas, my quest for the most delectable brownie continues.  As you may remember from Volume 1 of this saga, what was promised to be a super fudgy brownie wound up being only moderately fudgy.  How disappointing!  So it was time to take the quest for brownie perfection in a new direction… frosted!

To celebrate the season, I whipped up a mint frosting.  Spring always puts me in the mood for mint.  Much to my dismay, I didn’t have any fresh mint on hand, so I substituted mint extract.  Sure, the lack of green specks of fresh mint in the frosting isn’t as visually appealing or as bright in flavor, but still satisfying nonetheless.  But the special twist that makes these brownies especially good is the sprinkle of sea salt on the frosting.  I recently discovered how a light touch of salt can enhance the flavor depth of almost any sweet dish.  Try it!  Add a dash of sea salt to your next batch of chocolate chip cookies just before baking.  Or take a chance with these minty brownies.  I promise you’ll never look at salt the same way again.  And while these brownies are quite good (and easy to make – all in one large pot), I still believe that the ultimate brownie remains out there, waiting to be discovered.  What do you think?

Mint Frosted Brownies with Sea Salt
Brownies
½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa powder
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder

Mint Frosting
4 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ tsp vanilla
1 tsp pure mint extract

To make the brownies, begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Remove from heat and add the sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Stir to combine.  Beat in the cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder.  Spread into a greased and floured 8-inch baking pan.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

For the frosting, beat the butter and sugar until creamy.  Feel free to adjust the amount of confectionars’ sugar to achieve the appropriate consistency of frosting.  Add the vanilla and mint extracts and stir until thoroughly incorporated.  When the brownies are cool, slice and frost.  I used a round biscuit cutter for a fun kick.  Delicious in any shape!

My Quest for the Best Brownies Volume 1: Super Fudgy

Brownies rank high on the list of perfect desserts, second only to chocolate chip cookies (and closely followed by its delicious cousin, the blondie).  I am always on the quest for the ultimate brownie.  I have a recipe folder bursting with yet-to-be-tried recipes that I’ve ripped out of magazines or printed from websites.  Today I opened the folder and came across a recipe I printed from Everyday Food in May 2008 for "Super Fudgy Brownies."

The recipe is wonderfully easy to make, and it uses minimal ingredients.  I didn’t have semisweet baking chocolate, so I used chocolate chips instead.  Chocolate chips are alright to use in a pinch, but are best suited to cookies because most chips contain stabilizers to retain their shape.

Alas, this recipe didn’t fulfill my hope of finding the best brownie recipe.  So my quest continues.  These brownies were rather thick and cakey, and didn’t quite live up to the title of Super Fudgy.  At best, I'll consider these Moderately Fudgy.  They crumble easily and didn’t taste very sweet, despite the 1.5 cups of sugar.  But for those that prefer a cake-like brownie with a deep chocolate flavor, this may be a good choice for you.

Super Fudgy Brownies
8 tbs butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside.  In a large heatproof bowl, add the butter and chocolate.  Place over a saucepan of gently simmering water.  Heat, stirring frequently, until smooth.

Remove the bowl from pan.  Add the sugar and mix well.  Next, add the eggs.  Finally, add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.  (I wrote about the downside of overmixing in my post about muffins.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Let cool, slice and (if you like a cakey brownie) enjoy!