7 December 2015 Holiday Sugar Cookies

Holiday Sugar Cookies

December 7, 2015 By

Day 7 of my “12 Days of Baked Goods” series!

Sugar CookiesThis is a very simple recipe that yields the greatest cookies for holiday decorating. They’re a bit crunchy around the edges yet still chewy and bake perfectly flat for easy decorating.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • Pinch of salt

Baked Sugar CookiesDirections:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Gradually add the sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, beating to just incorporate.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
  4. Using a wooden spoon, incorporate the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions – don’t overmix!
  5. Divide the cookie dough in two, flatten each portion in a circle, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, flatten each portion of dough to a thickness of ¼ inch using a rolling pin.
  8. Using a cookie-cutter (I used a round), cut desired shapes and place about 1-inch apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Use the scraps of dough to roll again for more cookies. Bake for 10-13 until very lightly golden, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through the baking process. Cool for a minute on the cookie sheets then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.
  9. Ice with your favorite glaze and decorate.

Yields 3 dozen cookies.

Filed Under: American, Desserts Tagged With: , ,
6 December 2015 Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

December 6, 2015 By

Day 6 of my “12 Days of Baked Goods” series!

Flourless Chocolate CakeA few weeks back, I had the pleasure of lunching at the adorable (and delicious) Choc-O-Pain French Bakery & Café in Hoboken, NJ (see my review for Jersey Bites). While there, I had the chance to sample the decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake that’s made with high-quality chocolate and creates a cake that’s both fudgy and cake-like.

I was able to get the scaled down recipe from the fine folks at Choc-O-Pain and am sharing with you. Note that I upped the chocolate to 6 ounces and it created a more fudgy than cake-like texture, which was also AMAZING. A light dusting of powdered sugar and you’ve got a perfect holiday dessert.

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup pure cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Butter or coat in cooking spray an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.
  3. Melt chocolate and butter in a large bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl, risking scorching.
  4. In a separate larger bowl, whisk together sugar, salt and eggs. When thoroughly incorporated, carefully whisk in cocoa powder until fully incorporated. Pour melted mixture into cocoa, sugar mixture, mix thoroughly.
  5. Fill the cake pan with batter. Bake until center springs back (about 25-30 minutes). Allow to cool.
  6. Dust the cake with the powdered sugar, if using.

Yield: Makes one 8-inch cake and can easily serve 8-10.

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts, French Tagged With: , , ,
5 December 2015 Chocolate, Peanut and Marshmallow Squares

Chocolate, Peanut and Marshmallow Squares

December 5, 2015 By

Marshmallow Treats

Day 5 of my “12 Days of Baked Goods” series!

My sister is a great cook and baker. She takes after a long line of good bakers in our family, yet, she doesn’t bake often.

One of the treats she enjoys making for her family is this simple-yet-yummy recipe for squares packed with mini marshmallows and peanuts.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 14-ounce can condensed milk
  • 2 ½ cups roasted peanuts (not salted)
  • 3 ¾ cups mini marshmallows

Directions:

  1. Line a 13×9 pan with wax paper.
  2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate with the butter, stirring every 30 seconds to be sure the chocolate just melts and doesn’t overheat. Remove the bowl from the microwave and add the condensed milk, combine well.
  3. Add the peanuts and marshmallows to the chocolate mixture, stir well to fully coat in chocolate.
  4. Add the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Allow to cool completely.
  5. Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. Cut into 24 squares.

Yields 24 squares.

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , , ,
4 December 2015 Carrés aux Dattes – Date and Oatmeal Squares

Carrés aux Dattes – Date and Oatmeal Squares

December 4, 2015 By

Day 4 of my “12 Days of Baked Goods” series!

Carres Aux DattesWhen I was growing up in Quebec, my Grandma made these scrumptious date treats for us. They were my favorite and after a while, I think she was basically making them just for me.

The oatmeal topping recipe can be doubled if you like a thicker layer of the yummy brown sugar/oatmeal/butter toping – I sure do!!

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 ½ cups old-fashion oatmeal
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 500 gram package of dates
  • 1 cup water

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Butter, or coat in cooking spray, an 8×8 baking pan.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, oatmeal, brown sugar and butter until the mixture is coated in butter. Add half the mixture to the buttered pan, press lightly and set aside.
  4. In a small saucepan, cook the dates in the water over medium heat until the mixture is smooth, about 8 minutes. Add the date mixture over the crust in the baking pan.
  5. Add the rest of the oatmeal mixture over the dates, pressing lightly but not packing the topping.
  6. Cook the squares for 25 minutes.
  7. After the squares have cooled, cut into 9 or 12 pieces.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts Tagged With: ,
3 December 2015 Chocolate Éclair Squares

Chocolate Éclair Squares

December 3, 2015 By

Day 3 of “12 Days of Baked Goods”

Eclair CakeLast month, a group of us attended a harvest party at a winery where there was a LOT of wine being poured. When the 10 of us returned to our friends’ home, my friend Joan Gardner unpacked a dessert she’d made for the gang – chocolate éclair squares. She’s apparently seen a video of the dessert I’d shared on Facebook and made it. The recipe’s super simple to make YET, it’s decadent and a perfect ending to a boozy day.

This easy recipe would be perfect to make with the kids around the holidays!

Eclair Cake PieceIngredients:

  • 2 Instant Vanilla Pudding boxes
  • 16-ounce container of Cool Whip
  • 5-ounce box of Graham Crackers
  • 16-ounce container of dark chocolate ready-made icing

Directions:

  1. Line the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish with the Graham crackers.
  2. Prepare pudding according to package directions. Add Cool Whip to the pudding and spread half the mixture on top of crackers.
  3. Place another layer of crackers on top of the pudding mixture.
  4. Spread the other half of pudding mixture on top of crackers and top with another layer of crackers.
  5. Microwave the icing for 1 minute, stir then pour over the last cracker layer.
  6. Refrigerate for 12 hours before serving.

Yields 12 servings.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , , , ,
2 December 2015 Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

December 2, 2015 By

Day 2 of “12 Days of Baked Goods”

Last week, I spent Thanksgiving with my friend Diane Biancamano and her family. I’m typically the person who gets assigned desserts for parties, but Diane’s a super baker and I was thrilled to be able to sample the decadent Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake she made. CheesecakeIngredients:

  • 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 8 1-ounce squares semisweet chocolate
  • 2 Tbsp. whipping cream
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. instant coffee or Espresso granules dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
  • ¼ cup coffee flavored liqueur (Kahlua, Bailey’s, etc…)
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Butter (or coat in cooking spray) the bottom and sides of a 9” springform pan.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate wafer crumbs, the melted butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Mix well and press all but 2 tablespoons of the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the springform pan, reserve the 2 tablespoons of crumbs for later use. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar, mixing until well combined. On low speed, add the eggs, one at a time until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
  5. In a medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the semisweet chocolate with the whipping cream until smooth, about 3 minutes. Don’t let the bowl touch the water!
  6. Add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and blend well. Stir in the sour cream, the salt, the coffee, the coffee liqueur and the vanilla and beat until just smooth, about 1 minute. Pour batter into the springform pan.
  7. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes. Note that the center of the cheesecake will be soft but it will firm up as it chills. Allow the cake to cool in the oven with the heat turned off and with the door ajar for 45 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and refrigerate for 12 hours.
  8. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the cheesecake before serving. 

Yields 16 servings. Recipe inspired by All Recipes. Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , ,
1 December 2015 Apple Pear Pie

Apple Pear Pie

December 1, 2015 By

Today begins my “12 Days of Baked Goods”.

Apple Pear PieLast week, my Facebook (and likely yours too) sort of blew up with all kinds of fantastic food photos from my friends and family. While many dishes looked incredible, one that especially caught my eye was my friend Marge Imms’ Apple Pear Pie. While I tend not to love apple pie, I like pears a lot, so I thought this combo would be perfect!

Many thanks to Marge for sharing this recipe she found in Southern Living from November 1998 and modified to her liking.

Ingredients for the apple/pear mixture:

  • 6-7 Granny Smith apples (Gala or Rome apples may be substituted for Granny Smith)
  • 6-7 Bartlett pears (Bosc or Anjou pears may be substituted for Bartlett)
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tsp.
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 egg with a little water, whisked to combine
  • Two 9” pie crusts, homemade or store-bought

Apple/pear mixture directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Place the bottom crust into a 9” pie plate, place in the refrigerator.
  3. Peel and thinly slice the apples and pears
  4. Put butter and 1 cup of sugar in large skillet and melt over medium heat.
  5. Put in the apples/pears and cook about 5 minutes.
  6. Transfer the apples/pears with a slotted spoon over the crust in the chilled pie plate, leaving the sugar/butter mixture in the pan.
  7. Cover with top pie crust and brush pie top with egg wash and sprinkle the teaspoon of sugar.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pie is golden brown.

Caramel sauce directions:

  1. Continue cooking the butter/sugar mixture for about 10 minutes more.
  2. Serve pie slices with caramel sauce and whipped cream (optional)

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , , ,

Mini Speck Frittatas

November 26, 2015 By

We’re often told that breakfast is the most important meal – I’m a complete believer of this notion. What I don’t believe in is the idea that, with our busy lives, we have the time each morning to make breakfast from scratch. With that in mind, I often make crust-less frittatas on a Sunday to last me through the week and I’m always looking for fun variations. This week’s Frittatas special ingredient – Speck Alto Adige PGI.

Speck Alto Adige PGI is a cured and smoked Italian ham from Northern Italy’s Alto Adige region. The ham is similar to Prosciutto in appearance and alike to slab bacon in flavor – an outstanding, very versatile product. A few weeks back, the fine folks at Speck Alto Adige PGI contacted me about creating a recipe using their ham and I gladly accepted. I’m officially the November ‘Speckulator’ as named by Speck Alto Adige PGI! Here’s the recipe I created using the top-quality ham I received from Speck Alto Adige PGI. These are GREAT to have on hand during the holidays!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Speck Alto Adige PGI, cubed or julienned
  • 12 large eggs (one egg per Frittata)
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tsp. each salt, pepper and smoked paprika
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Generously coat a 12-muffin pan with cooking spray.
  • In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, sauté the speck until slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, set aside and allow to cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the water, salt, pepper and paprika until fully blended, about 1 minute.
  • Divide the speck and the cheese among the 12 muffin cups.
  • Pour an equal amount of the egg mixture into the muffin cups over the speck and cheese.
  • Place the muffin pan on a sheet tray, to catch any drips, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the egg is set.
  • Let the Frittatas cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then unmold and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

To reheat, place two Frittatas on a plate, cover with a paper towel and microwave for 60-90 seconds. I like to top the Frittatas with a little green salsa. Makes 6 servings (2 Frittatas each). For more information about Speck Alto Adige PGI, for recipes and for where to buy the ham, visit http://www.speck.it.   Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Cheese, Eggs, Pork Tagged With: , , , ,
20 October 2015 Basil Freezing Technique

Basil Freezing Technique

October 20, 2015 By

This year, I had an unbelievable basil harvest in my garden boxes. Typically, I turn a bunch in pesto and freeze that tasty green paste for comforting bowls of pasta throughout the winter.

This summer, I had so much basil that I opted to simply puree some with olive oil and freeze in ice cube trays to be used in soups and stews. The technique is easy:

  • Remove all the basil leaves from the stalks then wash the leaves and dry them thoroughly using paper towels.
  • Add the leaves to a food processor and puree with olive oil until an almost smooth puree is created. For every cup of fresh basil leaves, use about a tablespoon of olive oil.
  • Pour a couple of tablespoonful of puree into the wells of an ice cube tray. Place the ice cube tray in the freezer and freeze for 8 hours or overnight.
  • Remove the frozen puree from the ice cube tray and place in freezer-safe re-sealable bags in the freezer until ready to use.

If you decide to try this technique, please post a comment on this post!

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Sauce, Sides Tagged With: , ,
5 October 2015 Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe

October 5, 2015 By

Cacio e PepeI think my love for Cacio e Pepe, literally “cheese and pepper”, steams from enjoying buttered spaghetti with Parmesan cheese when I was a kid. What could be more simple yet satisfying than hot pasta with melted butter, freshly-cracked pepper and cheese?

Ingredients

  • 8 Tbsp. butter, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
  • 1 pound dry Spaghetti, cooked 2 minutes short of package direction, 1 cup pasta cooking water reserved (I use Delverde pasta)
  • 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 1 cup finely grated Pecorino

Preparation

  1. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter.
  2. Add the pepper and cook, stirring a few times, 1 minute.
  3. Add the reserved pasta cooking water to the butter in the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
  4. Add the cooked pasta and the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and reduce the heat to low.
  5. Add the Parmesan cheese and gently toss until melted. Remove pan from heat.
  6. Add the Pecorino cheese and gently toss until melted.
  7. Serve in warm bowls.

Serves 4.

Filed Under: Cheese, Entrees, Italian, Pasta Tagged With: , , ,
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