Valentine Brownies

February 14th is just around the corner.  How do I know this?  Well, cards and candy have been in the stores since after Christmas and once again, we seem to be steered towards holidays early by the retail sector.  I'm not complaining because Valentine's Day is one of those special days I looked forward to because my grandparents made us our special heart-shaped iced sugar cookies and it didn't get much better than that!

This year I thought I'd add chocolate to my treats.  My mother was a chocoholic and I've proudly inherited those genes.  However, some of her combinations (i.e., Cheese doodles and chocolate) I have not : )  but I can certainly see why something salty and chocolaty was an obsession for her.   Erin is my big chocoholic; edging Kelly out slightly, but nonetheless, they both loved to make and eat brownies.  We're "nutty" brownie lovers, but certainly you can leave them out and we seem to love the fudgier brownies instead of cake-like.

This recipe, from Bon Appetit's current February issue, inspired me this morning.  Under the "Cocoa Power" section are these brownies--Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts.  I love melting butter to a "browned" consistency for recipes; it adds a rich, nutty flavor.   I first used browned butter in sugar cookies I made for Christmas one year and I love to make a browned butter sage sauce to go with my homemade gnocchi.  The flavor is so enhanced by this extra process and it's what attracted me to try this recipe.

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts

10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, but into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cups natural unsweetened cocoa powder, (spooned into the cup to measure, then leveled)
2 tsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1T unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup walnut pieces

I toasted the walnuts, slightly, for 5 minutes and then, just broke them with my hands.

Position rack in the bottom third of oven: Preheat oven 325F-degrees.  Line a 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang.  Coat foil with nonstick spray.  *Since I have a a springform square pan, I did not use the foil.  Also, I brushed my pan with melted butter, which I'd rather use than spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at the bottom of the pan, stirring often--about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, water, vanilla, and a generous 1/4 tsp. salt.  Stir to blend.  Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot).

Add eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition.  When the mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended.  

Beat again, vigorously 60 strokes.  Stir in nuts.  Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached).  About 25 minutes.  (I checked them after 20 minutes) Cool in a pan on a rack.  Divide into 16 brownies.   

Do Ahead Can be made 2 days ahead.  Store airtight at room temperature.

These brownies are actually getting packed up and sent to Erin, Maddie and Michael.  They've had a rough week with weather and colds and I thought brownies would be the perfect pick-me-up!  There are more cocoa recipes to try in this issue, but this is a good start.  And, I thought I'd give you a new technique to try and maybe you'll add browned butter to one of your favorite recipes to change up the flavor.  Enjoy!

Homemade Gnocchi

Gnocchi are wonderful "little pillows" of pasta served as a main dish with marinara sauce or as a side dish with a browned butter/sage sauce.  Since I was on the browned butter kick today, I made it as a side dish.  The rich, nutty flavor of browned butter, that enhanced the brownies, made these gnocchi melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  All that was needed was a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese.

The word gnocchi may have derived its name from the Italian word "nocchio" meaning knot in wood or "nocca" meaning knuckle.   I actually think they more resemble a knuckle rather than a knot in wood.
Typically, gnocchi is made with semolina, wheat flour or potato, which was introduced to Europe in the 16th century.  I have always made my version with potato; must be the Irish in me!  These are true Italian comfort food and so satisfying.  If you've shied away from making gnocchi because you thought it was too hard, I know you won't anymore when you see how easy they really are.

Homemade Gnocchi
3 large baking potatoes
1 large egg
2 T heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


Preheat oven 425F-degrees.  Wash and scrub the baking potatoes.  Use a fork to pierce the skin in several places. I use a baking stone, but you can also wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil.  On the baking stone, it took 1 hour 15 minutes.  Pierce the skin with a tip of a paring knife to check for doneness.   Remove from oven and let rest.

Use a paring knife to remove the skin.  Cut potato in half and place it in a ricer (alternatively you can use a masher).  Rice all the potatoes into a large bowl.

Add the egg, heavy cream, salt and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.  Add the flour--it's easier to use your hands to knead the dough, adding a tablespoon of flour at a time, if needed to get to a smooth ball.

I divided the dough into quarters, then eighths for ease of rolling it into a rope.

Use a dough blade or knife to cut the rope into approximately 1-inch pieces.  To achieve the "ridged" look of gnocchi, you can use a fork to roll the 1-inch piece off or if you're lucky enough to find a gnocchi maker, roll your dough off that.

Either technique provides the necessary ridges to hold on to the sauce!  Place the gnocchi on a lightly floured (with all-purpose flour or semolina) pan until you've completely finished making all of them.
Meanwhile, bring a 6 quart sauce pan with two-thirds full of water to a boil, adding 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt to the water.  Drop about 15 gnocchi into the boiling water at a time.

As the gnocchi cooks it will rise to the surface when they're done.  Use a slotted spoon to remove them.
The gnocchi can go into your favorite marinara sauce or into the Browned Butter/Sage sauce at this point.


Browned Butter/Sage Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 tsp. dried sage

In a sauce pan, heat the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  When the butter stops foaming and browned bits appear, add the dried sage.  Stir to combine.
Add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top and put into a 350F-degree oven for 15 minutes to toast the cheese.  
Homemade gnocchi will surely impress your family and friends, not to mention it's a wonderful addition to any meal as a main entree or side dish.  Enjoy!

Butter Pecan Angle Food Cake with Browned Butter Glaze

All a recipe has to say is "Butter Pecan" and it peaks my interest!  I found this recipe in a special release magazine called Fall Baking Cookbook on the newsstand at my grocery store and this is just one of many I'll be trying with the fall weather upon us.

Angel Food Cake originated in the United States and it's a type of sponge cake but made with egg whites, flour and sugar, with a whipping agent like Cream of Tartar.  It was so named because of it's unique light and fluffy texture and is said to resemble the "food of the angels!"  It first became popular in the 19th century and it differs from other cakes because it uses no butter, but rather gets it's structure from "protein foam" from whipping egg whites.  Egg whites, which are composed of many proteins, aid in creating the voluminous angel food cake.

If you're a Butter Pecan fan, like me (and my mother was), then this is the cake for you; my hubby loved it!

Butter Pecan Angel Food Cake with Browned Butter Glaze

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Used an UNGREASED 10-inch Tube Pan, preferably one with "feet" to help properly cool the cake.

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
1 cup cake flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely ground pecans
12 egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 T Butter flavoring
1 T Vanilla extract
1 T Vanilla Butternut Flavoring
1 cup granulated sugar

In a medium bowl, sift the confectioners' sugar and cake flour.  Add the salt and stir.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and flavorings until frothy on high speed.  Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until stiff and peaks form.  My mom always said, "if you can turn the bowl upside down over your head and none falls out, you've whipped it enough!"

Remove bowl from the stand and gently fold in the flour/confectioners' sugar mixture in thirds until it's fully incorporated.  This can get a little messy, but gently folding ensures you have a light cake!

Spoon mixture into the 10-inch Tube pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes--mine actually took 38, so watch it after 35 just to be sure.
If you don't have a 10-inch tube pan with feet, you will have to invert the pan onto a top of a bottle. Let it cool completely.

Browned Butter Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
10T unsalted butter, cubed and browned

In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until it turns a medium brown and has a nutty aroma--about 8 minutes.  Have your confectioners' sugar and salt in a medium bowl and when the butter is ready, pour over the sugar through a fine-mesh strainer.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour over the inverted cooled cake and decorate with additional chopped pecans. Enjoy!

Autumn Roasted Pear Bundt Cake with Browned Butter Glaze

I love the flavors of Autumn!  I bake a lot with pumpkin and apples, but when a good friend mentioned she had a wonderful slice of Roasted Pear Cake in a tavern in Maine, well my taste buds began salivating and I couldn't wait to come up with something my family could enjoy.

Pears, like apples are Fall fruits and although there may not be as many varieties as apples, there is a pretty good variety.  I used Bartlett in this recipe, but next time, I'm trying Bosc or Anjou just to see if the flavors change.

Autumn Roasted Pear Bundt Cake with Browned Butter Glaze

2 1/2 lbs (about 5) pears
3 T water
3 T granulated sugar
juice from 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Peel, core and chop the pears into 1-inch pieces.  Transfer the pears to a baking dish and toss them with the lemon juice, water, and sugar.  Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the pears are soft and cooked through, 30-45 minutes.

 Remove the foil and let the pears cool to room temperature, then mash them, leaving some larger bits of pear in the sauce.  Measure out 2 cups of pear sauce and set aside--you can save the rest to have with breakfast ;-)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup creme fraiche
3 cups King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. cardamon
2 cups Pear Sauce

Turn the oven down to 350F-degrees.  Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil and brown sugar together until fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the creme fraiche and mix to combine.

Add the dry ingredients and the pear sauce, mixing just until combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter top to release any air.  Bake the cake until golden and cooked through--55 to 65 minutes.  Let the cake cool about 10 minutes in the pan, then invert it onto a rack to cool completely.

Browned Butter Glaze
6 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 4 T milk
pinch of salt

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, cook the butter until it lightly browns and smells nutty.  Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl.  Add a pinch of salt.  Let cool completely.

Whisk in the confectioners' sugar adding milk as needed to create a pourable glaze.  Pour over the cooled cake.

I wish I could say we were actually having Autumn, but alas...it's been in the upper 80s/90s and feels more like July!  However, a bite of this wonderful cake, I can imagine.  Enjoy!

Nostalgia...and Cookies

It was just last week when I was talking to my sister about some of the creative games our grandfather made us from wood.  Unfortunately, the game he made me, is no where to be found.  I suppose my mother passed it on; after all, eight kids in a 3 bedroom home can only hold so much!  Nonetheless, the games kept us busy and unbeknown to us kids, taught lessons in math, strategy, and creativity.

It must be fate, but while I was shopping at Whole Foods today, I came across a replica of the game my grandfather had made for me.  It's by Melissa & Doug from their "Past-Tyme Classics" and it's called Mancala.  I can't wait until my grandchildren are old enough to play it; I still remember all the good times I had challenging my siblings.

Turn off the television and put away the Nintendo.  Bake some cookies and have an old-fashioned Game Night.  I came across this recipe in Classic Southern Desserts by Southern Living magazine. Yes, it's a shortbread recipe, but a few tricks turns this cookie into something even the Scots would find magical. 

Browned Butter-Pecan Shortbread
1 1/2 cups butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Butter Nut flavoring
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups finely chopped toasted pecans (Toast pecans at 350F-degrees for 7-8 minutes. Measure after chopping)

1.  Cook butter in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until butter begins to turn a golden brown.  Remove pan from heat immediately and pour butter into a shallow dish.  Do not cover.  Chill 1 hour or until butter is cool and begins to solidify.
2. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer (or KitchenAid) until creamy.  Gradually, add sugars, beating until smooth.  Add flavoring and mix again.  Add flour, beating at low speed until blended.  Stir in pecans.
3.  Shape dough into 4 (8-inch) logs.  Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap and chill 4 hours or until firm.
4.  Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Cut logs into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove to wire rack and cool completely.

The rich flavor of the browned butter, topped with the infusion of toasted pecans makes this a winner.  Enjoy!

Butter Pecan Scones

Today, while the world celebrates the first anniversary of the royals, William and Cathryn, what I'm thinking about is this would have been the 74th Anniversary of my father and mother--William and Helen.

They married in 1938 after knowing each other since fifth grade--love at first sight!  My dad stole a kiss in the cloakroom and as the story goes, he knew he would marry this barely five foot beauty one day and raise a family.

I came up with a Butter Pecan Scone that would have pleased my mother very much; it was definitely one of her favorite flavors, next to chocolate and lemon.

My dad would have bought her a present that he'd placed in the center of the dining room table with an elegant card that he chose for the occasion.  He called her "Sug" (pronounced shug) and they shared a twinkle in their eyes on their special day.  It's what happily ever after is all about:-D

Butter Pecan Scones
1 cup chopped pecans
4 T butter

4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 T + 1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
3 T granulated sugar
1/2 cup + 2 T unsalted, cold butter
1 1/3 cups half & half
1 large egg
1 tsp. Butter Sweet Dough flavor (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a sauce pan on med/low heat, melt butter and add the pecans.  Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until they are lightly toasted and the nuts have absorbed all the melted butter.  Set aside while you make up the dough.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, put all the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix to incorporated.  Cut the cold butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add to the dry ingredients.  Start mixing on low and once the butter becomes incorporated, raise speed to medium.  Add the flavoring (if using).

Whisk the egg into the half & half and while the mixer is running pour the liquid into the mixture, reserving about 3 tablespoons for brushing on top of the scones before baking.  The dough should just come together and not be too wet.

 Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board.  Knead slightly and roll to about 3/4-inch thick
Cut into rounds, squares or triangles...I chose rounds.

 Brush tops with reserved cream/egg mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown on top.

I decided to make a brown butter glaze to enhance the flavor and make them extra special.


Browned Butter Glaze:
4 T unsalted butter, melt and continue to cook over medium heat until it foams and turns an amber brown.
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 T Light Karo Syrup
1-2 T very warm water

Mix all ingredients together and use an off-set spatula to spread on top.

The scones have a wonderful texture and the flavor, well, if you're a butter pecan fan, these are a home run.   Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad...and of course, that other couple;-D Enjoy!
 

Apple Cider Melt-Aways & April's Apron Winner

I prepared a "Care" package for my sister last week for her homecoming from the hospital and one of the treats were these shortbread cookies.  Shortbread is always a good traveler even though I can send a package via FedEx in one day to her.  These were simple to make and with my hectic schedule last week, they did the trick.

I wanted to get them posted before I left to teach at the Great Yosemite Stamp Get Away hosted each year by The Cats Meow, but time ran out:-)  It's held at Bass Lake with a beautiful serene setting, but my friend and fellow-teacher, Els van de Burgt and I arrived early so we could go to Yosemite, just about 30 minutes from where we were staying.  Yosemite is the first National Park and if you've ever been there, one of the most amazing.  However, the last four years, a draught took it's toll until this past winter when, thanks to El Nino, the rains and snow came.  The scenes were breathtaking and I wanted to share them...

El Capitan in the distance

Half Dome in Glacier Point

APPLE CIDER MELT-AWAYS

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and browned

1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

2 T Boiled Cider

2-3 T sparkling water

Glaze:

1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 T Karo light syrup

1 T Boiled Cider

2 T hot water

Brown the butter first.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then bring it to a boil.  Once it starts boiling, swirl the pan until it passes the "foamy" stage and becomes a deep amber color.  Remove from the heat and transfer the browned butter to a bowl.  Refrigerate at least one hour until the butter becomes solid again.

Remove the butter from the refrigerator and allow it to come back to room temperature.   In a medium bowl, which together all of the dry ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the browned butter until smooth.   Turn the mixer on low and add the dry ingredients.  Add the Boiled Cider and Sparkling water and mix just until the dough comes together.  Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a log, about 1 1/2-inches wide by 10 inches long.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Remove one log at a time and use a serrated knife to slice dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds.

Bake cookies for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.

Allow the cookies to cool, then make the glaze.  Spread the glaze on the top of each cookie.  Allow the glaze to set completely before packing them up to send or put into the cookie jar.  Enjoy!

Now, I'd like to announce the winner of April's Give-Away Apron is Barbara Woods!  Please contact me and I will happily send this to you right away!  I hope to have May's beautiful apron up tomorrow with a new recipe:-D