bakerchef

November 12, 2019–I know it is my birthday but I wanted to give a small token of appreciation to my friends. What is better than bourbon and chocolate? Since it is almost a cookie you know I went to my no fail THE perfect cookie cookbook from ATK.

In a food processor, you process the pecans and vanilla wafers until they are finely ground. Put this mixture to a bowl then add the confectioners’ sugar, bourbon, corn syrup, and cocoa. Stir this mixture until it combines into one big mass.

Add the granulated sugar to a bowl. Using an ice cream scoop, form 1 tablespoon ball and roll then individually in the sugar.

Refrigerate the dough for about an hour before serving.

To accompany the Bourbon Balls I also made some Limoncello Balls.

November 10, 2019–So, leave it to Mel to host a birthday party for herself with the requirement that everyone brings a dish. On a positive note, everyone brought their A-game. It was one of the best pot-lucks I’ve been to in a while. I didn’t know what to make so I asked her for her favorite cake. She said pound, vanilla, and carrot. It was much too close to the event to pull a carrot cake together so I went for a lemon pound cake. I went to my trusty America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook for a no-lose recipe.

After greasing a loaf pan with butter and dusting it with cake flour I whisked together more cake flour, baking powder, and salt. ATK recommended the use of cake flour with the above additions to increase lift and produce a consistent, fine crumb.

In a food processor I pulsed the sugar and lemon zest until combined.

I then added the vanilla, lemon juice, and eggs until combined. I then added the melted butter while the motor was running.

Add this mixture to a bowl then sift in the flour mixture in three additions, whisking gently after each addition.

This batter is then poured into the prepared pan and baked at 325 degrees until golden brown.

To ensure that the cake a true lemony flavor ATK recommends you make a lemon syrup. While the loaf is cooling you can make the glaze. Bring some sugar and lemon juice to a boil in a saucepan. Once the sugar dissolves, reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.

Once the syrup you poke holes all over the cake then you brush or pour the glaze on top.

I was just able to get a picture of the crumb before it was all gone.

October 13, 2019–I meant to make these Limoncello Ricotta Cheesecake Bars, adapted from Ina Garten, a while ago but life kept getting in the way. I still had some of the lime sugar cookies that didn’t come out quite right so I knew that I could use them as the base for my bars instead of using the traditional graham cracker crust. The fact that these cookies were made with lime zest and juice would also give the overall bar a very citrusy flavor. Add to that some limoncello that I had from Italy these were sure to be a winner. As always you need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. I crushed waaaaay too many of the cookies in my food processor, but not if you like a thick crust. Add some melted butter then pressed the mixture into a 9 x13 x 2-inch baking pan prepared with parchment paper and nonstick cooking spray.

This baked for a VERY long time because I used too much butter, is that even a thing?!?!? That being said, the flavor was awesome.

While it cooled I prepared the filling. Blend some cream cheese and sugar until it is light and fluffy.

Blend in the ricotta, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

With the mixer on low, blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and lemon zest.

Add the eggs one at a time, until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and mix until the batter is smooth.

Pour over the crust.

To help with cracking and over-baking, Ina used a water bath. Bake cheesecake bars for 50 to 55 minutes, until almost set in the center. It should still be a little jiggly when you shake the pan. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the water bath and allow too cool on a rack. Wrap the pan with plastic wrap, pressing the film on the cheesecake, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Once cooled, slice into pieces, and enjoy!

October 6, 2019–I wanted to make something healthy-ish so I went to my trusty ATK cookie cook book. Of course ATK does not promote alcohol, or so I thought. I just ordered their How to Cocktail book so I expect I will be learning the science behind cocktails soon, but I digress. After setting my oven to 350 degrees and lining a 13 x 9 inch pan with foil, I whisked some flour, old-fashioned oats, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

I browned some butter until it had a nutty aroma, poured it over some butterscotch chips, and whisked until smooth.

Once the mixture is combined, I mixed in the egg, vanilla, sugar until combined.

Then in two additions I mixed in the flour mixture.

This mixture was poured in the previously prepared baking pan. Bake until edges are golden brown and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached.

While the bars baked, I made the toping. I boiled some water, salt, and sugar in a pot then poured it over some butterscotch chips. This mixture was whisked until smooth.

After the bar is done you drizzle the topping on top of it.

After it cools, remove and slice into bite sized pieces.

September 2, 2019–I am not exactly sure what gave me the impetus to make these monster marshmallow cookies. Based off of all of the ingredients I think I was trying to rib my pantry of some items. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In one bowl you sift together flour, baking powder and baking. In another bowl, UGH, dishes; beat butter and brown and white sugars with a mixer until fluffy.

Beat in two eggs one at a time then beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined.

Stir the oats, cereal, chocolate chips, pecans and marshmallows into the dough with a wooden spoon. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Let cookies rest on sheet pans to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool. Those are the magnets I bought at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

Now I know these look good but wait…there is more. Combine some chocolate chips, marshmallows, half-and-half, and cayenne pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until it is smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pecans–I told you there were a lot of ingredients!!

Drizzle the mixture over the cookies and let set for about 4 hours–I know, right!

August 11, 2019–I purchased some limes for some reason and I still had a lot of the lime sugar cookies so I went to my trusty ATK cookie book to see what they had to offer. You’re going to want to start these early because they need to chill in the refrigerator.

I altered the ATK recipe slightly by crushing the homemade cookies for the base instead of making crust and I didn’t had the shredded coconut. To the crushed cookies I pulsed some salt and the brown sugar until the mixture was well combined. Added some melted butter, pressed it into an 8-inch square pan lined with foil then, baked it at 325 degrees until it was a deep golden brown.

While the crust was cooking I made the filling. I mixed the room temperature cream cheese, lime zest, and salt followed by the condensed milk until the mixture was smooth.

To this mixture, I whisked in the egg yolk and lime juice.

Pour this mixture over your crust then bake until the edges begin to pull away slightly from the sides.

Let the bar cool for about 2 hours on a wire rack then another 2 hours in the refrigerator. Once the bar is chilled, remove it from the pan using the foil sling and slice into snack-sized bites. If you’re using the toasted coconut, you would topped the bars after they are sliced.

If you want to pre-make these lime bombs, the uncut bar can be frozen for up to a month. Let the wrapped bars thaw at room temperature for approximately 4 hours before cutting.

August 14, 2019–Another great cookie, or so I thought; from probably the best cookie book ever written. The ATK perfect cookie book provides the recipe for a chewy sugar cookie with three variations: Chai Spice, Coconut-Lime, and Hazelnut-Browned Butter. I’ve made the basic sugar cookie before so I decided to make the coconut-lime one minus the coconut.

After I set my oven to 350 degrees and lined 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, I sifted the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, I whisked the sugar, cream cheese, lime zest, and melted butted.

Next came the egg, milk, and lime juice.

Using a rubber spatula, I folded the flour mixture into the cream cheese mixture until a dough formed.

Using the amazing platters that BEG gifted me, I rolled about 2 tablespoons of dough into some sugar.

The raw cookie balls can be frozen for up to a month. I later found out that the cooked cookies could also be frozen and used as a crust (see Key Lime Bars and Limoncello Ricotta Cheesecake Bars). If you are baking immediately, place the sugar coated dough on your prepared baking sheets about 2-inches apart and flatten with the bottom of a dry measuring cup. Sprinkle a little sugar on top of each smashed cookie.

Bake until the edges are set and beginning to brown.

For some reason these did not turn out chewy. They were very tasty so froze them for use another day in another application (see Key Lime Bars and Limoncello Ricotta Cheesecake Bars).

July 28, 2019–I made a few different varieties of banana bread almost two years ago to the day. You can never go wrong with banana bread, especially when you have bananas that are going ‘bad.’ The bread ingredients are pretty straight forward.

You blend room temperature cream cheese, butter, sugar, and an egg to a smooth consistency.

I then sifted together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

To another bowl you add the ripe bananas, milk, rum, lime zest and juice, and vanilla. After blending this mixture, you add the flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. If using, stir in chopped pecans and sweetened coconut flakes.

Pour the mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 375 for 1 hour.  

Once the bread is done allow it to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, remove and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

While the bread is cooling make your topping.

Combine the brown sugar, butter, lime juice, and rum in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat. If using, stir in pecans and coconut.

Spoon the topping over the bread.

May 5, 2019–So I’m sitting the office trying to figure out what I’m going to make on the weekend. One of my office mates says that the Kentucky Derby is going on so I should make some kind of riff on a mint julep. We both starting searching the inter web and I come upon a recipe for Mint Julep Fudge on the Lemons for Lulu website. I had recently made fudge using a recipe from the Dec/Jan 2019 issue of the Cook’s Country magazine which is below.

Andes Creme De Menthe baking bits
semi-sweet chocolate chips
sweetened condensed milk, divided
vanilla extract
bourbon
white chocolate chips
crushed peppermints
mint extract

Line an 8 x 8 with foil and set aside. In heavy saucepan over low heat combine some of the Creme De Menthe chips, semi sweet chocolate chips, vanilla, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir until chocolate has melted then stir in bourbon off heat. Spread mixture onto prepared pan.

Next, melt the white chocolate chips with remaining sweetened condensed milk and mint extract. Dollop milk mixture over chocolate fudge.

Swirl together with an offset spatula.

Press remaining mint chips and crushed peppermints on top. Chill until firm.

Light brown sugar
Unsalted butter
Evaporated milk
Salt
Chocolate
marshmallows (creates a creamy, firm texture)
Bourbon, since it was out 🙂

Another pretty straight forward recipe. Boil the sugar, butter, milk, and salt in a saucepan. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and stir until the mixture reaches 234 degrees. Add the chocolate and marshmallows, whisking until smooth. Add bourbon, to taste and continue to whisk until fudge thickens to the consistency of frosting. Transfer to the prepared pan, cool, then cover and refrigerate. Once cool, cut into your favorite size(s).