Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

What a busy few weeks it has been. Unfortunately, not in the kitchen. The good news is that we found out Michael will be performing a short set at the Tucson Folk Festival. He'll be doing an acoustic set in the Tucson Museum of Art lobby at noon on Sunday, May 6. If you're in the area drop by for some great music.

Since he's doing some new music he and some of our neighbors who won't be able to be there on Sunday decided he should do a rehearsal in our front yard last night. We had a great evening and of course I had to have refreshments for everyone. I was a little stuck on what to do until our neighbor Marge mentioned she loved chocolate and peanuts. Immediately, I thought of doing peanut butter and chocolate brownies with our "No Churn" ice cream and caramel sauce. I love warm brownies and ice cream and thought they would go wonderfully for a May evening in the desert.

It seemed the music and the refreshments were a big hit. The ice cream got raves (honestly, I prefer it to even the "gourmet" store bought) and the brownies were well received as well. Throw in some wine brought by a neighbor and it was a really fun evening. In fact, it was so fun, we decided to do it again in the near future.

I think you'll really enjoy these brownies. I love the flavors and I also love the way they come together so nicely and make such a lovely marbleized presentation. Give them a try for your own soiree!

Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

Description: A great peanut butter and chocolate sensation. Perfect served warm with a scoop of ice cream!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. plus 2 tbs. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
• 1 tsp. espresso powder or finely ground coffee beans
• 3 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment. Grease the parchment paper.
2. For the peanut butter batter, place 1 stick plus 2 tbs. of the butter and the peanut butter in a heat proof bowl set above a pot of simmering water. Be sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Allow the mixture to warm, stirring until melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 cup of the sugar until blended. Whisk in 2 of the eggs and 1/2 tsp. of the vanilla. Sift 1 cup of the flour and the baking powder over the batter and fold until no streaks remain.
3. To make the chocolate batter, place the remaining 1 stick of butter and the unsweetened chocolate in a second heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Again, do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Heat, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and the ground coffee. Sift the remaining 1/2 cup flour and cocoa over the batter and fold until blended. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Alternately pour portions of each batter in prepared pan so that you create checkerboard pattern. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl the two batters together to create a marble appearance. Be sure to get the batter into the corners and distributed evenly.
5. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan. When ready to unmold the brownies, warm the bottom of the pan just slightly on the stove (low setting). Flip the brownies from the pan using a baking sheet then flip again with a second baking sheet. Cut into 12 or 24 squares.

Notes

I use Penzey's Mexican Vanilla Extract in this recipe because it has such a rich flavor profile and complements chocolate like no other vanilla. 

Be aware that you are working with warm batters and eggs with this recipe. Be sure to temper your eggs before adding them to the batter by placing a bit of the warm batter into the container with your eggs and stirring briefly. Then pour the eggs into the batter being sure to stir constantly as you pour. 

Homogenized peanut butter works best in this recipe. Avoid the ones that require stirring or have a film of oil on top. They do not do well in baked goods. 

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 35 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 24

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

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Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

When I was a kid I practically lived on peanut butter. It's still one of my favorite things and peanut butter cookies rank right up there in my pantheon of snacks. This cookie combines a classic peanut butter cookie with some whole grain goodness in the form of oats and finishes with a little surprise burst of extra peanut flavor in the form of peanut butter chips.

If you like the good old fashioned chewy peanut butter cookies you'll want to be sure you under cook these just a little bit. You're looking for a light golden edge with a middle that is still soft and just springs back when touched lightly. Let them cool on the pans for a few minutes to set up so you don't end up with misshapen cookies!

Recipe: Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Description: A peanut butter cookie with whole grain goodness and peanut butter chips!

Ingredients

• 4 oz. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips®

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream together the butter and peanut butter at medium speed. Scrape the bowl and add the brown sugar and mix until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the egg and mix until combined.
3. Using a spatula, fold in the oats and peanut butter chips until well dispersed. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons or with a cookie scoop onto prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies have a slightly golden edge but still appear a little soft on the top. Remove from oven and allow to cool on pans for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 15 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 3 dozen

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

Copyright © 2012.

Recipe by Sugar Pies.

Microformatting by hRecipe.

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Coconut and Lemon Layer Cake

Harry Nilsson may have told us to put "Da Lime in Da Coconut" but I think a little lemon in the coconut is better. Since Easter is quickly coming upon us I thought I'd trot out an old southern favorite - the coconut cake and combine it with one of my favorite taste treats - lemon curd.

The result is a great layer cake featuring a wonderfully light and white cake delicately flavored with coconut and vanilla filled with a crisp and bright lemon flavor. Add some sweetened coconut to some cream cheese frosting and, man! this is one good cake!

Coconut cakes are a staple in the south for holidays. You'll find them at both Christmas and Easter. Often the filling will be coconut and pecan. However, for Spring it just seems more appropriate to have something a little brighter for the taste buds.

I use Dickinson's Lemon Curd for this because it's one of my preferred brands (alongside MacCay's). But you can make your own or use whatever brand you prefer. You'll need about one jar for this cake to get a nice thick filling between layers.

This recipe also calls for coconut milk. If you aren't used to working with coconut milk in recipes here are a couple tips. Coconut milk tends to separate and solidify while sitting on the shelf. Before opening the can you'll want to shake it up really well. Most of the time, this won't solve your solidity problem though. To get the milk into a liquid form you'll need to heat it some. There are two ways. First, you can open the can fully and place it in a warm water bath until the solids liquify and mix with the liquids. Stir it up really good before using. Second, you can dump the whole thing into a glass measuring cup and heat it for about 15 seconds in the microwave and give it a stir. Either works.

I'll warn you now, this cake smells delish when baking! I couldn't wait to get it out and cooled so I could frost it and dig in! By the way, I took a shortcut on this one and used a whipped cream cheese frosting you can buy in the cake section of the grocery store. I was surprisingly pleased with the result. The frosting was a nice consistency and tasted very good when topped with the shredded coconut. If you want to make your own cream cheese frosting you'll find a recipe here.

If you want to take your cake decorating up a notch there's nothing prettier on a white coconut cake than edible flowers. In this case purple, pink, or lavender pansies would be a nice addition since they also have a tart flavor. If you like the flower idea but not the eating them part, you can always decorate with silk flowers and remove them when ready to cut the cake. Obviously, I was lazy and didn't go in search of pansies or silk flowers!

Happy Easter and slice you a piece of Coconut and Lemon Cake!

Recipe: Coconut and Lemon Cake

Description: Delicate white coconut cake filled with tart lemon curd and topped with cream cheese frosting and sweetened coconut flakes.

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/3 cups cake flour
• 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 6 oz. unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 10 oz. lemon curd
• 1-2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• cream cheese frosting

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with greased parchment rounds.
2. In small bowl mix together the egg whites, milk and vanilla together.
3. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment stir together cake flour, baking powder, and sugar on low speed until combined. Add butter and coconut milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add egg and milk mixture scraping bowl as needed.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on wire rack. Allow cakes to cool in pan 10 minutes. After 10 minutes turn cakes out on wire rack to cool completely.
5. Once cooled spread the lemon curd over the bottom layer evenly to just about 1/4-inch of the edge. Place top layer on lemon curd and frost cake with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle shredded coconut over top of cake and carefully holding cake at an angle sprinkle coconut along sides of cake as well.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 40 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

Culinary tradition: USA (Southern)

Copyright © 2012.

Recipe by Sugar Pies.

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Golden Brown Sugar Spice Cake

I love spice cakes. Whether it's a traditional gingerbread or something with more exotic blends, I just can't get enough. Although it's Spring and temperatures here in the desert are fluctuating between the upper 80's and the 50's with no seeming rhyme or reason, I decided to bake a spice cake which seems more associated with Autumn to me.

This particular cake is a variation on a Sorghum Spice Cake. Obviously, finding sorghum syrup outside the south is pretty difficult so I had to adapt. If you're wondering what sorghum is, it's a type of syrup. It's made from a plant that was primarily grown for cattle feed originally. Of course, someone back in the 19th century figured out you could squeeze it like sugar cane and produce a very sweet syrup with a milder flavor than molasses. At one time it was quite popular all over the country. Now, it's limited pretty much to the south.

Since sorghum syrup was in short supply I decided to try something the Brits use pretty much the same way - Lyles Golden Syrup . It's made from sugar cane like molasses but is lighter in color and flavor. Over there it's used in baking and also on breakfast dishes much like we use maple syrup (or sorghum in parts of the south).

I'm pleased to report that the results were great. The golden syrup allows the flavors of the spices to really come through in the finished product. It's hard to describe the flavor of this cake. You'll find it has similarities to gingerbread in some respects, but the flavors are much deeper and more complex. The addition of the tart lemon glaze creates a wonderful taste treat against the warmth of the spices. The brown sugar lends just enough molasses flavor and color to make this cake a delight both to the tongue and eyes.

Recipe: Golden Brown Sugar Spice Cake

Description: Golden syrup and brown sugar let the spices in this cake put on a real show!

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup Lyles Golden Syrup
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbs. plus 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. Garam Masala (or ground Cardamom)
• 3/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 3/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

Lemon Glaze:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10-inch bundt pan and set aside.
2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment add brown sugar and stir briefly to break up lumps. Add oil, golden syrup, eggs, and buttermilk and stir on slow speed to combine.
3. Add flour, baking soda, salt and spices and mix on low speed just until combined. Scrape down the bowl and finish stirring by hand.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake on center rack for 50-55 minutes (NOTE: if using a dark pan your cooking time might be as short as 45 minutes.) Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake for 10 minutes on wire rack then remove from pan. Allow to cool completely before glazing.

Glaze:

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth. Pour over cooled cake.

Notes

If you have access to Sorghum Syrup you can substitute it directly for the golden syrup.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 55 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 14

Culinary tradition: USA (Southern)

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Coconut Chews

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love coconut! There are at least 23 recipes on here that include coconut as an ingredient. So, let's make it 24.

These wonderfully chewy coconut cookies are simply scrumptious. The recipe is really quite simple and involves a semi sugar cookie base into which coconut is added to flavor the cookie and give it the impressive chewy quality. I could eat these all day! If you've ever wanted macaroons but didn't want to fight through whipping egg whites and babying the cookies to get a decent result, this might be your answer. They're wonderfully chewy and full of coconut flavor like macaroons but without all the hassle. In fact, if you grew up on American bakery macaroons versus the dainty French version you'll find these infinitely gratifying.

Give them a go. As for me, I'm off to finish off the plate full I used in the photos!

Recipe: Coconut Chews

Description: Chewy and flavorful coconut cookies!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 14 oz. sweetened shredded coconut

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add the flour and baking soda and mix until combined.
3. Fold in the coconut by hand. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons on the prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are just golden. Repeat with remaining dough. Remove to wire rack and let cool completely until eating.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 15 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 3 1/2 dozen

Culinary tradition: USA (Southern)

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Apple Butter Walnut Bars

I have been so remiss in my baking and posting lately. It's not that I've not been cooking. No, I've been trying to cook "heart healthy" thanks to Michael's recently uncovered medical issues. It seems that I just forget to photograph or write about those dishes. At any rate, I'm finally feeling competent enough with our new home menu to get back to baking more regularly. I've got several things in the works over the next couple weeks that I want to try out - including a cocktail that sort of popped into my head just as I dozed off to sleep!

Our first new recipe is a wonderful Apple Butter Walnut Bar that is actually pretty healthy as cookies and sweets go. I've adapted this from a Strawberry Jam Bar recipe in an edition of Desserts from the Famous Loveless Cafe and included some extra whole grain goodness. I also used my own homemade apple butter (remember our orchard trip last Fall?). If you don't make your own a good store bought variety will do.

We've really enjoyed these and they make a great breakfast "dessert" or mid-morning snack. Think of them like a much better version of your favorite apple cinnamon pop-tarts. These come together very quickly so you can have fresh Apple Butter Walnut Bars ready in a jiffy.

Recipe: Apple Butter Walnut Bars

Description: A great morning pick-me-up or breakfast dessert!

Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned or rolled oats
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 6 ounces unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces diced fine
• 1 1/2 cup apple butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with a parchment sling or one made on nonstick foil. If using parchment grease the paper as well.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir briefly to combine. Drop in cubes of butter and mix on low to medium speed until the mixture resembles a crumble topping. (Note: if you do not have a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, do this step in a mixing bowl and use your hands or a pastry blender to cut in the butter.)
3. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture. Press the rest evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. Bake the crust for 20 minutes or until it is an even golden brown and slightly firm to the touch. Spread the apple butter over the warm crust. Sprinkle the walnuts over the jam and top with the reserved crumble mixture. Press the toppings lightly into the butter.
5. Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the topping is golden and the butter slightly bubbly. Let the pan cool completely before removing the bars. Once cooled, use the sling to remove from the pan. Place on hard surface and use a sharp knife to slice into 2 inch squares.

Variations

To make Strawberry Jam bars simply substitute strawberry jam for the apple butter and pecans for the walnuts.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 45 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 24 bars

Culinary tradition: USA (Southern)

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Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch

When a recipe says to get out a 9x13-inch pan you're probably like me and think "bar cookies!" In this case you could say that Skibo Castle Ginger Crisp is a bar cookie. However, unlike most bar cookies that are cakey and thick, this is crisp and thin. Ginger is the dominant flavor of this great import from the Highlands of Scotland and with background notes of vanilla and that sort of je ne sais quoi flavor imparted by Lyle's Golden Syrup these delightful tidbits definitely please.

This recipe was originally presented in Gourmet magazine in 1999 and is included in The Gourmet Cookie Book: The Single Best Recipe from Each Year 1941-2009. This delicious little cookie was made for guests at Andrew Carnegie's Highland retreat known as Skibo Castle. The faux Tudor estate dates from the 19th and 20th centuries but is built on a much older foundation from the 12th century. It is now a private retreat owned by the Carnegie Foundation.

Skibo Castle in Scotland

I found these little cookies to be utterly delightful. I love ginger and since the flavors of this cookie are carried by the ginger and butter you'll want to be sure to use top quality for both. I prefer Penzey's Powdered China Ginger #1. I've found it to be the best ginger for baking with it's wonderful bite and perfect texture.

The texture of the cookies is superb. You'll notice when taking a bite that they are crisp and give a little crunch. However, they quickly almost melt in the mouth and you get the most wonderful butter flavor alongside a nice hot ginger bite. 

The original directions for this recipe don't mention the use of a sling in the 9x13 pan. I strongly recommend making either an aluminum foil or parchment sling. The name does not lie and these cookies are very crisp. You'll probably find that they don't all cut perfectly due to their crisp texture anyway, so trying to cut them in a pan or dumping them upside down is just inviting cracks and crumbs! Using a sling to remove them in one piece before slicing will cut down on irregular pieces. Honestly, though, I rather liked the homemade look of some with ragged edges - almost like the shapes of peanut brittle.

These are wonderful with lemon tea and a delight with lemonade. I've had trouble keeping my hands off them as I tend to grab one or two pieces as I walk past the counter. Hopefully, I'll manage to save a few to share!

Recipe: Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch

Description: A quick and easy ginger shortbread cookie that gives HUGE taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbs. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Topping:

• 6 tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 tbs. Lyle's Golden Syrup
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13-inch pan and line with a greased parchment or aluminum foil sling to assist in removal of cookies.
2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment combine dry ingredients and mix on low speed momentarily. Add cubed cold butter and beat until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (You may also use a food processor for this step and pulse 2 to 3 times.)
3. Press mixture into prepared pan evenly. The base will be thin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or just until golden and crisp.
4. Just before the shortbread base is done add the butter for the topping to a small saucepan and melt. Once butter is melted add remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Boil for 30 seconds then pour mixture over warm shortbread base. Tilt pan as necessary to coat the base fully. Allow pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
5. When cool remove from pan using the sling and cut into squares of about 2 to 3" on a firm surface. These cookies are very crisp so some may crack when cutting. However, this gives them a great homemade appearance.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 5-6 dozen

Culinary tradition: Scottish

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Orange Clouds

One thing I love about Arizona is the sky. From the impossibly turquoise blue of afternoon to the vibrant colors of our sunsets which color the mountains red and orange there's just nothing quite like it. One of the most beautiful sunsets I ever saw was a few months after moving to the state. We were in Avra Valley just across the Tucson Mountains with friends. As the sun set over the distant mountains the sky became an incredible palette of oranges, reds, and purples. It was a stunning site and I was lucky enough to capture it with my camera.

I'm reminded of those beautiful skies by the name of this delightful cookie. I call them Orange Clouds not because of color precisely but because they have a delicious orange flavor imparted by orange zest and when frosted with a wonderfully thick vanilla frosting appear to be little clouds of sheer delight. Soft and cakey, the texture delights as the cookie almost melts in your mouth. I could eat these by the handfuls! If you enjoy nuts you can easily sprinkle them with some small pecan or walnut pieces. I wouldn't put nuts into the batter, though, because it would interfere with that wonderful light melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Give the Orange Clouds a try and enjoy a little bit of the desert sunset.

Recipe: Orange Clouds

Description: Light and tender cookies flavored with orange and iced with a fluffy vanilla icing.

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 tbs. orange zest
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup milk

Frosting:

• 3 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375° and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add cream cheese and orange zest and beat until combined. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
3. In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to cream cheese/butter mixture alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture.
4. Using a tablespoon cookie scoop drop onto baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges just begin to brown, about 12-14 minutes.
5. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
6. For frosting combine all ingredients in clean mixer and beat on medium high speed until the mixture is light and creamy. Spread generously over cookies with a butter knife or icing spatula. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.
7. Store cookies for up to 4 days in an airtight container to maintain soft texture.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 14 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 3 dozen

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

Copyright © 2012.

Recipe by Sugar Pies.

Microformatting by hRecipe.

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Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Sometimes you need a little pick-me-up. The past couple weeks have certainly made me want a pick-me-up! First, Michael brought home a nasty cold (which I'm pretty sure was some strain of flu). He was sick for several days. In the midst of that Lady Snow developed some sort of intestinal bug and was really not feeling well either. She ended up with a trip to the vet's office and course of probiotics and antibiotics. The day we took her to the vet I got sick with whatever Michael had. Of course, mine was twice as bad and I ended up with a fever, sweats, and feeling like a truck had hit me.

What a way to bring in the new year! But, I finally feel halfway human again and got around to doing this Cream Cheese Coffee Cake I'd been planning since the week after Christmas. This recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated's America's Test Kitchen on PBS. It's also included in their compendium (The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook ) which I was pleased to find in a Kindle edition for just $9.99. That's much more affordable than the cover price!

This recipe really isn't that hard to pull off and I found it made a nice presentation when plated. I also think this would lend itself nicely to experimentation. The original uses lemon and vanilla for the dominant notes but I think you could switch to an all vanilla cake and use raspberry or strawberry to flavor the cream cheese filling and have a great variation. If you decide to play around with it, please drop back by and let us know what you did and how it worked out.

Recipe: Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Description: A lucscious cake topped with almonds and lemon sugar and filled with a lemon cream cheese filling.

Ingredients:

Topping

• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1⁄2 cup sliced almonds

Cake:

• 2 1⁄4 cups (11.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄8 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1⁄8 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 1 1⁄8 cups (7.75 ounces) plus 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice
• 4 large eggs
• 5 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄4 cups sour cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

Method:

1. FOR THE TOPPING: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°. Spray 10-inch tube pan with vegetable oil spray. Stir sugar and lemon zest in small bowl until combined and sugar is moistened. Stir in almonds; set aside.
2. FOR THE CAKE: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon zest on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Add 4 teaspoons vanilla and mix to combine. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of sour cream, scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter final stir by hand.
3. Reserve 11⁄4 cups batter and set aside. Spoon remaining batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Return now-empty bowl to mixer and beat cream cheese, remaining 5 tablespoons sugar, lemon juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla on medium speed until smooth and slightly lightened, about 1 minute. Add 1⁄4 cup reserved batter and mix until incorporated. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over batter, keeping filling about 1 inch from edges of pan; smooth top. Spread remaining 1 cup reserved batter over filling and smooth top. With butter knife or offset spatula, gently swirl filling into batter using figure-eight motion, being careful to not drag filling to bottom or edges of pan. Firmly tap pan on counter 2 or 3 times to dislodge any bubbles. Sprinkle sugar topping evenly over batter and gently press into batter to adhere.
4. Bake until top is golden and just firm, and skewer inserted in cake comes out clean (skewer will be wet if inserted in cream cheese filling), 45 to 50 minutes. Remove pan from oven and firmly tap on counter 2 or 3 times (top of cake may sink slightly). Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour. Gently invert cake onto rimmed baking sheet (cake will be topping side down); remove tube pan, place wire rack on top of cake, and invert cake sugar side up. Let cool to room temperature, about 11⁄2 hours, before serving.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 50 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

Microformatting by hRecipe.

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Eggnog Cake

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Happy New Year to everyone! We had a lovely little holiday here at Sugar Pies. I got a new Kindle e-reader which I'm coming to love. I honestly never thought I'd join the e-book trend because of my love of paper books. However, after just a few minutes not only was I finding it easy to read but since I read so often in bed just touching a button to turn pages was wonderful. I'm afraid I'm hooked. While I won't give up real books totally, I'll certainly be making more space on my shelves by switching to e-books for a big portion of my reading.

During the holidays a friend commissioned her Christmas dinner dessert from me. My first thought was a sumptuous Eggnog Cheesecake. This would be a brand new recipe for me because my friend, Nora, wanted something she hadn't had before from my kitchen. Of course, this meant either trying out a new recipe or developing one quickly. I opted for trying a new recipe. Long story short, the cheesecake itself was fantastic. In Michael's words it was "to die for." Unfortunately, I hated the crust. It came out far too moist and soggy and while it looked good on the spring form pan tray, it didn't look so hot when plated. I certainly couldn't send that out. So it went into the refrigerator for us to consume.

Lacking a lot of time, I quickly returned to cakes which I can do in my sleep. I threw together a very moist and rich butter bundt cake flavored with eggnog and spices. It's quite delicious and was a hit, I hear, at Nora's dinner. However, I also hear that they would have been happy with the soggy crust cheesecake. I sent Nora a piece when she picked up her cake and she loved it - despite the less than stellar crust. Obviously, that gingersnap crust is optional and when I do it again I might omit a crust completely.

The Eggnog Cake can also feature a little bourbon (I love Southern Comfort in this). It's an optional ingredient which I added to my home version. You didn't think I wouldn't do two so I could taste, did you? The SoCo gives it a little extra oomph. I used it both in the batter and lightly brushed over the warm cake before glazing.

This cake is great glazed or plain. Nora's was glazed with a butter, eggnog and sugar glaze which was quite rich and finished with a sprinkle of nutmeg. My home version was left plain. Both are wonderful and the cake bakes up so nicely that you can get away with sprinkling it with a bit of powdered sugar if you want to forgo the glaze.

Put this little cake in your files for next Christmas or try it out for your New Year's party! You'll be glad you did!

Eggnog Cake

Description: The perfect cake to celebrate the holiday season!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbs. Southern Comfort, divided (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 cup refrigerated eggnog

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup refrigerated eggnog
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. Southern Comfort (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan and set aside.
2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream together butter and sugars until fluffy.
3. With mixer on slow speed, add eggs and yolk one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add vanilla and 2 tbs. of Southern Comfort (if using). Add Sour cream and mix well.
4. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. With mixer on low speed add flour mixture alternating with eggnog - beginning and ending with flour.
5. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn out on wire rack to cool completely. If using the Southern Comfort, brush the top of the cake with remaining 1 tbs. while still warm.
6. When cake has cooled completely, place powdered sugar in a large bowl. Melt butter with eggnog and Southern Comfort (if using) in a small saucepan. Pour into bowl with sugar and whisk until combined. If glaze is too thick add just a bit of hot water to thin. If too thin add a bit of powdered sugar until you get the consistency you desire. A thicker glaze tends to work well on this cake.

Notes

The glaze for this cake is quite rich. If you wish a more subdued flavor, simply sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 55 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

Culinary tradition: USA (Southern)

Copyright ©2011.

Recipe by Sugar Pies.

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Cinnamon Coffee Cake

It seems like forever since I posted anything! Normally, this time of year I'm knee deep in baking for the holidays. Unfortunately, events have transpired to put a hitch in my holiday baking plans.

The day after Thanksgiving Michael wasn't feeling well. Actually, he hadn't been feeling well for a couple months. He was complaining of shortness of breath and a dry cough that kept him up at night. His doctor diagnosed "Post Viral Cough" which supposedly is a cough that hangs around after a cold or the flu. Finally, it was bad enough that he was exhausted and could barely go from room to room without having to rest. The Friday after Thanksgiving he deigned to go to the ER at University Medical Center.

The doctors and residents were able to figure out this wasn't a "Post Viral Cough" but rather congestive heart failure. Long story short they discovered he has several things wrong with his heart. He spent a few days in the hospital and is now on a number of medications as they try to rehabilitate his heart and let it strengthen and repair. He's also on a new "heart healthy" and low sodium diet. Obviously, that is challenge for me in the kitchen since my cooking fortes are Southern and French - meaning a stick of butter or a cup of cream in pretty much everything! But, I'm trying and so far he's liked my low sodium and heart healthy dishes.

Obviously, with all this going on my baking has taken a big hit. I had planned to do big trays for friends, family, and others but have had to put that on hold because I've fallen so far behind.

I did manage to throw together a little snack cake/coffee cake this morning, though. I really love this cake and have made it a couple times. In fact, it was going to go up right after Thanksgiving but, well, you already know. The original recipe was found in the Penzey's Spices catalog. We have one of their stores a few blocks from here and I've become a big fan. Their spices are so fresh and interesting. I simply won't buy grocery store spices now. Their catalog is wonderful and full of great recipes, too.

In this recipe I use their Ceylon Cinnamon which is one of the few true cinnamons available today. The Ceylon variety is very popular in Europe where it's complex and soft flavor are more appreciated than the overpowering cinnamon used here in the states. I adore the citrus notes that can be tasted in this variety and it has become my "go to" cinnamon for use in my traditional recipes. I highly recommend giving this one a try.

I've also become a big fan of Penzey's Mexican Vanilla extract. The first time I opened a bottle of this stuff in the store and took a whiff I was blown away! It has an incredibly complex and floral scent. The taste is also incredibly smooth with none of that slight alcohol bite you find in many supermarket vanilla extracts. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have this one available in their online store.

This little cake is really easy to throw together in a few minutes and pop in the oven for a wonderful breakfast dessert, brunch, or coffee break. It even works if you forget the cinnamon which I admit I have done! In that case it has a lovely buttery flavor that shines through and the brown sugar and vanilla streusel (sans cinnamon) is very rich with hints of molasses flavors. So, if you want to purposely leave out the cinnamon you can have a whole different flavor experience with the same cake!

: Cinnamon Coffee Cake

: A buttery and spicy cake perfect with coffee or as a breakfast or brunch dessert.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (cold)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

 Streusel

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tbs. flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbs. melted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and flour an 8x8-inch baking pan.
2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut butter into small pieces and add to dry ingredients. Beat at low to medium speed until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
3. In 2 cup measuring cup, whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined.
4. Pour half of mixture into prepared pan.
5. In a small bowl mix together the ingredients for the streusel. Sprinkle half of the streusel mixture evenly over the batter in the pan.
6. Top the streusel with the remaining cake batter and smooth the top. Sprinkle remainder of the streusel mixture over the top of the cake.
7. Bake in 375° oven for 20-30 minutes or until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool in the pan about 5-10 minutes then invert on a plate. Invert again on a wire rack and allow to cool. Cut in 2 inch squares and serve.

The batter can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated in the pan covered with plastic wrap. To prepare the refrigerated cake: reduce the oven temperature to 350° and bake an extra 15 minutes or until done.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

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Brown Sugar Cookies

Imagine for a moment a cookie made with no spices that relies on its flavor from butter and butter alone. What do you think it might taste like? Perhaps those butter cookies so popular around the holidays? Something like shortbread, maybe?

What if I told you it elements of caramel and butterscotch. What if I told you that you could taste hints of ginger or molasses in the finish? You wouldn't believe me. But it's true. This sugar cookie gets is flavor from that incredible magic known as "brown butter" or as the French say "beurre noisette." The flavors in this simple and easy to make cookie are astounding. You truly will find hints of caramel and butterscotch along with some lovely notes of ginger and molasses (depending on the quality of the butter and brown sugar you use).

Honestly, I fell in love with this cookie. I also found that eating them on the second day was even better as the flavors mixed and melded even more.

When you bake these you probably will remove them from the oven thinking they are not done yet and you'll be right. These are deliberately undercooked to preserve their wonderful chewy texture at the center. If you cook these until they are completely done your cookie won't have that magical chewy texture and beautiful flavor notes. So be sure to follow the directions about removing them at about 12 minutes and allowing them to sit on the cookie sheets for an additional five before putting them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Oh, while I'm thinking about it. I'm working on recreating Mama's Fruit Cake for the holidays. My nephew and niece found her original handwritten notes and sent them to me. Of course, like many of Mama's recipes there are important parts that seemed to be kept in her brain and not written down on the paper! It might take a couple tries to get it right, but when I figure out the secret formula, I'll be sharing here.

If you're one of those people who make jokes about fruitcake be prepared to be embarrassed. This thing is killer and beyond belief good!

: Brown Sugar Cookies

: Brown sugar and browned butter give these cookies a magical mixture of flavors. Adapted from Cook's Illustrated - America's Test Kitchen

• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 3 cups packed dark brown sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp.baking powder
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 large egg plus 1 yolk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a small light bottomed skillet, melt 10 tbsp of the unsalted butter. Continue to cook until the milk solids begin to brown, 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, add the remaining 4 tbsp of cold butter, and set aside to cool, 15 minutes.
3. In a shallow dish, combine 1/4 c packed brown sugar with white sugar, rubbing with fingers to break up the brown sugar. Set aside.
4. Whisk together flour, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining 1 3/4 c brown sugar with cooled melted butter, along with vanilla and salt. Add egg and yolk to butter and sugar and stir well. Add flour mixture and stir until well-mixed and no pockets of dry flour remain.
6. Turn dough onto a board and pat into a rough circle. Cut circle in four equal pieces, then divide each piece into six equal pieces, for a total of 24 cookies. Roll each piece into a ball, then roll in the mixed sugars to coat, then place onto lined cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake one tray at a time for 12-14 minutes, spinning the tray front to back at the halfway point. They will appear underdone. Let sit on the tray 5 minutes to finish cooking, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 12 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 24

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

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