Home » Discussion Forums » Playing With Your Food » Sunshine Contest - Round 2
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32705 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Fri, 13 August 2010 07:55   |
 Magpie
Messages: 5
Registered: May 2010 |
Junior Member |
|
|
Cloud 9
These are white chocolate truffles made with black pepper and mint. I know the combination sounds strange, but don't knock it till you try it!
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups high quality white chocolate
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
4 tablespoons softened butter
1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces (or attack with a rolling pin - great way to releave stress and keeps your hands from melting the chocolate if yours are too warm, like mine) and place in a heat proof bowl.
2. Place the cream and the peppercorns in a heavy bottom saucepan and to a full boil on the stove. Once the mixture has boiled, use a strainer to remove the peppercorns from the cream. Then return the cream to the stove and return to a full boil.
3. When the cream has boiled, pour it over the chopped chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir the chocolate and cream together, making sure not to add any air to the mixture.
3. Once the cream is incorporated, add the butter, again stiring slowly, to avoid airation. Continue to stir until the butter is completely incorporated as well. The mixture should be smooth and glossy at this point. If not, continue mixing the ingredients until they combine. I find this process takes different lengths of time depending on the chocolate being used.
4. Add the finely chopped mint to the chocolate mixture, and stir so that it is evenly distributed throughout. Then place the bowl in the refrigerator until the mixture has set. Again, the time will vary depending on the ingredients, the fridge and the altitude.
5. Once the chocolate has stiffened, but will hold a form when molded, begin to form it into balls. This can be done by hand, with a melon scoop, whatever works. Alternatively, if you have candy molds, you can pour the liquid choclate mixture into them and then let it set.
6. When the balls are finished, roll them in the coating of your choice and serve. I like to use finely shaved white chocolate, but you can use candied mint leaves, chopped nuts, sugar or anything else you like, really.
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32711 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Fri, 13 August 2010 10:35 |
AntheaStrezze
Messages: 6
Registered: July 2010 |
Junior Member |
|
|
Yum! What a thread. 
I can't remember where I got the original recipe from, but I've tweaked it significantly, according to the theory that if I have an intense, flavorful cookie, I *might* be able to eat 1 or 2 a day instead of the whole batch at once!
Makes around 24 cookies, if I remember correctly. For some reason I didn't write that part down...
Chai Spice/Aztec Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups flour
3-4 teaspoons of chai spice mix (see below)(according to taste)
2-3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder (according to taste)
1/4-3/4 teaspoons of cayenne pepper (according to taste)
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (preferably real rather than imitation)
additional sugar for rolling
Chai Spice Mix:
Notes: You can use any spice blend you like, including pre-mixed chai spice blends from the store. I emptied out one of my 10-year old clove spice containers and used it for mixing up the spices for this recipe, so I had a place to store the leftover mix for next time, or maybe for tea.
2 parts ground Cinnamon
2 parts ground Cloves
3 parts ground Cardamom
I used a 1/2 teaspoon as my part size for the mix, and doubled it for a double recipe of the cookies. You can also add other spices to taste, such as ginger, nutmeg, allspice, etc., but this simple 3-spice blend worked really well!
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix flour, chai spice mix, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; set this flour mixture aside until step 6.
3. Mix cocoa powder and cayenne pepper together and set aside until step 8.
4. Beat the softened butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. (I'm not sure how fluffy mine got, but it worked out ok. Just make sure it's all mixed thoroughly together.)
5. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
6. Gradually add flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.
7. Split the dough in half. Set one half aside for the chai spice cookies.
8. Add the cocoa powder/cayenne pepper blend to the second half for the Aztec chocolate cookies. Since it’s already dough at this point, I use a spoon to spread the dough out in the mixing bowl and sprinkle the mix over it, then use the mixer again until the dough is brown from the cocoa powder.
9. Cover(or wrap in plastic-wrap, or stuff in a ziplock bag) and refrigerate 2 hours or until dough is firm and easy to handle.
10. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, roll each ball in the additional sugar and place them 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. (Don't worry if the balls are irregular - they'll melt into nice even circles anyway. The recipe I adapted says not to grease your baking pan, but it works ok either way.)
11. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove baking sheets from oven an
Check out http://AntheaStrezze.com for a new short story every week, and comment to tell me what I'm doing right - or wrong. :-p
|
|
| |
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32716 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Fri, 13 August 2010 11:30 |
susancassidy
Messages: 21
Registered: May 2010
Location: Modesto, California |
Junior Member |
|
|
Alan's Cookies
An old recipe for chocolate chip oatmeal cookies that I adapted to suit my then boyfriend, now husband (he has eaten these cookies for 29 years...)
1 cups butter
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 eggs
2 T water
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3 cups rolled oats, toasted
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces
I use a mixer for the first part: cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, water and vanilla; beat well. Add flour, soda and salt; mix well. Remove from mixer, dump add all the other ingredients into the bowl, then stir it with your rubber spatula or a wooden spoon until everything is evenly distributed.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, depending on the heat of your oven and whether you like crispy cookies (me) or soft cookies (Alan). If you are making the soft kind, take them out when they look slightly damp in the center and allow to cool on the sheet before removing.
This recipe makes 60 cookies unless SOMEONE gets in the uncooked dough before you are done.
Susan Cassidy
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32718 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Fri, 13 August 2010 13:23 |
musicalhorse
Messages: 1
Registered: August 2010 |
Junior Member |
|
|
This cheats just a bit, but this is how the recipe was given to me, and I don't know quite enough about baking (yet) to know what to use instead of a boxed cake mix. Anyway, this is a wonderful cake, although a bit rich, so don't eat it by yourself!
Chocolate Kahlua Cake
1 box (1 pound, 2 ounce) chocolate fudge cake mix
1 pint sour cream
2 eggs
1 instant pudding (3.4 ounce, original calls for vanilla, but anything that goes well with chocolate will work. I've used vanilla, chocolate, white chocolate, and mint so far, all with tasty results!)
1/2 cup Kahlua
1/4 cup oil (vegetable, etc.)
12 ounces chocolate chips
Powdered confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease 10 inch Bundt pan (cooking spray or other method). Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips. Beat for two minutes with mixer. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into pan, and bake for 55 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar (best done just before serving as the powdered sugar will not stay powdered long).
Yield: 12 to 14 servings
It tastes especially good when served with ice cream!
|
|
| |
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32721 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Fri, 13 August 2010 17:58 |
Mharaehl
Messages: 6
Registered: May 2010 |
Junior Member |
|
|
For a copy of the newly printed Sunshine, I would make my Christmas muffins...
Chocolate, Cranberry and Almond Muffins
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 oz butter/margerine
3/4 cup milk
1 heaped tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips (preferably dark chocolate!)
1/2 cup almonds
1 cup cranberries, chopped roughly
Heat oven to: 180C/355F/Gas Mark 4
Makes 12-16
- Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well.
- In a larger bowl, cream the sugar and the butter/margerine.
- Add the chocolate chips, cranberries and almonds and mix slightly, being careful not to squash the berrries too much.
- add the milk and then the flour mix.
- stir together until mixed, but do not over work.
- Spoon into muffin cases
- bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top
- cool on a rack for as long as you can keep your fingers off them!
Enjoy!
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32723 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Fri, 13 August 2010 19:14 |
babsia
Messages: 1
Registered: August 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA |
Junior Member |
|
|
My brother gave me this recipe, and I've played with quite a lot. It's infinitely changeable.
Rum* Soaked Fudge* Cake
INGREDIENTS:
Cake:
6oz semi-sweet chocolate Chips
1/4 cup 2% Milk
1 package Fudge* Cake mix, unprepared
1 cup Water and Rum* mixture (ratio to taste)
3 large Eggs (or egg-beaters)
1/2 cup Sour cream (light works fine)
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter -softened
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Soaking Syrup*:
1/2 cup Water
2-1/2 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 to 1 cup Rum*
Glaze*:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate Chips
1/3 cup(s) Heavy whipping cream
1-1/2 Tbsp light Corn syrup
1/3 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 Tbsp Rum (can be left out)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cake:
-Preheat oven to 350F
-Butter and Flour a 12c Bundt pan
-Place Chips in small metal or glass bowl
-Bring Milk to a gentle boil and pour over Chips; let Chips melt 1-2 minutes; whisk until smooth (butter can be added to this step if cold).
-In large bowl, combine Cake mix, Water, Rum, Eggs, Sour cream, Butter, Oil and cooled chocolate mixture.
-Mix with electric mixer on medium for about 1 min. or until moist; Increase speed to high and beat for 2 min. or until smooth. Or hand mix with large whisk until all ingredients are combined (my daughter hates the sound of the electric; we’ve found hand mixing does just as well).
-Pour into Bundt pan and bake for 40-50 min. or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it
-Cool on rack for 20 min.; remove from pan and cool completely. (Clean the pan if using Soaking Syrup.)
Soaking Syrup:
-Combine Water and Sugar in a small saucepan
-Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the Sugar dissolves
-Stop stirring, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil
-Remove from heat and stir in Rum
-Put the cooled cake back into the (clean) bundt pan
-Pierce bottom of cake randomly with toothpick
-Pour 1/2 to 3/4 of the warm syrup over the cake; let stand 10 min.
-Invert cake onto a plate and brush remaining syrup over cake
-Let sit at least 1 hour before glazing
Glaze:
-Place Chips in a medium metal or glass bowl
-Heat the Heavy cream and Corn syrup to a gentle boil and pour over the Chips
-Let Chips melt 1-2 min.; whisk until smooth
-Whisk in Vanilla and Rum
-Pour the warm glaze over the cake
-chill the cake for 5-10 min. to set the glaze
-Store in an airtight container (if in fridge, remove 1 hour before serving)
* Notes:
1. Any combination of cake mix and liquor (or flavored italian syrup) can be used in this recipe. My personal preference is Devil’s Food for a lighter cake with Khalua liquor; my daughter loves Fudge cake with Chocolate Italian syrup.
2. The ratio of Liquor/Syrup to Water in the Cake is taste and amount of alcohol preference; there must be 1 cup of liquid total. If using a thick liquor, I recommend no more than a 50/50 split.
3. The Cake can be made with out the Soaking Syrup and/or the Glaze, as desir
Babs E.
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32732 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Fri, 13 August 2010 23:20 |
 |
equus_peduus
Messages: 437
Registered: September 2009
Location: France |
Senior Member |
|
|
Minty fudgy brownies
Adapted from some cookie book that once belonged to a roommate... Biggest changes - I use more/different chocolate, add mint chips, and take out some of the sugar.
~6-8 oz semisweet chocolate (regular chocolate chips work fine)
~3-4 oz dark chocolate ( >60% cocoa preferred)
~2-3 oz mint chips (Guittard is the only brand I've found, but there may be others - tend to be easier to find around Xmas time)
1/2 c butter (I usually use just a little bit less)
1 - 1 1/3 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
1 1/4 cup flour
1 t vanilla
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 eggs
Preheat oven to 350°.
Put butter, chocolate and mint chips in a saucepan on low heat. Let it all melt together (taking the time to let it melt into a really smooth mix is better than being impatient and letting it stay a little chunky). Removed from heat.
Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Add sugar and salt, mix well. Add flour and baking powder, mix well.
Pour into a greased 13x9" pan (or if you really want thick brownies, I have done this in a 9x9" pan a couple times and it worked). Bake about 25 min - you want it to look *just* barely unfinished when you take 'em out of the oven. Have some patience and let them cool and set.
Cut 'em up and eat
Mild variation - Either leave aside some of the chocolate and mint chips, or in addition to above measured quantities - mix some chips into batter with the flour, so then you get little chocolate chunks in the brownies.
The better the quality of the starting chocolate, the better the end product. It was quite startling how much of an impact this makes, the first time I discovered this.
I also make brownies with just semisweet (more or less the original recipe), or 50:50 mix of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate (depends on the audience). When I first added mint chips, I did 50:50 semisweet chocolate and mint, but discovered that using quite a bit less mint chips had almost as much impact, and allowed the brownies to be chocolaty-er. But proportions really depend on who I'm making the brownies for.
I also experimented with using chocolate chips and peppermint extract at one point when I couldn't find mint chips, then I dropped and broke the bottle one day before I figured out the correct amount of extract, and discovered mint chips at the store a couple weeks later, and stocked up.
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32733 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Fri, 13 August 2010 23:41 |
 |
cgbookcat1
Messages: 138
Registered: October 2008
Location: Massachusetts |
Senior Member |
|
|
For the previous contest I said I would make "Chocolate Basilisk Balls with Kiss of Life sauce," so I figured I'd better invent the recipe. These were inspired by the Indian dessert Gulab Jamun, although they are really nothing alike except that both feature spheres in sauces. The Basilisk Balls (basilisk eyes) are dark chocolate truffles, and the Kiss of Life sauce is a Cardamom Creme Anglaise. The truffle recipe is modified from Cooking for Engineers, and the sauce is modified from Epicurious.
The goal is to petrify the guests at the first bite, and slowly bring them back to life with murmurs of intense appreciation.
for the Basilisk Balls,
ingredients:
1 pound dark chocolate, cut into small pieces (not unsweetened -- Ghirardelli dark chips are good)
1 cup heavy cream
about 3 Tbsp of a really good cognac (I used Hennessy)
unsweetened cocoa powder to coat
directions:
Heat cream in a saucepan until just boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate and cognac until your ganache mixture is shiny and smooth. Refrigerate until stiff.
Scoop truffles into small balls using a melon baller or tablespoon measure, and roll until smooth with your hands (this is a messy process). Place in refrigerator to harden for a few minutes. When solid, lightly coat with cocoa powder.* Eat a truffle to check quality control at this point.
for the Kiss of Life Sauce,
ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar, divided into halves
scrapings from 1/2 vanilla bean
1 tsp crushed cardamom seeds
directions:
Lightly whisk egg yolks and half of the sugar in a small bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, combine the cream, milk, vanilla, cardamom, and the rest of the sugar and heat on medium until almost boiling. You should stir almost constantly (and scrape the bottom of the saucepan) for the duration of the heating process. When the cream mixture is hot, reduce heat dramatically and slowly pour the egg mixture into the cream, stirring as you do so. Increase heat again to medium and stir until the mixture becomes a custard. You will know this has occurred when you can run your finger across the back of the spoon and the track will remain. The mixture will also look very slightly grainy. Remove from heat, cool, and put through a fine strainer to remove unwanted bits of egg.
To serve, place two basilisk balls on a small plate and cover with sauce to taste. The sauce also makes an excellent ice cream if there is any left over.
* The cocoa powder will make the sauce run down the sides of the truffle without properly sticking. This can be solved in two ways -- leave off the coating and use just the ganache, or keep adding sauce until it looks right. I prefer the second method, because you get to eat more chocolate that way.
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32735 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Fri, 13 August 2010 23:48 |
 |
Ford of Rivendell
Messages: 20
Registered: May 2010
Location: Family Farm Country |
Junior Member |
|
|
Homemade Bread
11 ounces warm water, almost hot
3 cups Bread Flour
1 1/2-2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt (large grain)
2 - 2 1/2 Tablespoons Butter
2 teaspoons yeast ( or 1 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast - if using machine)
Let rise, bake till lightly, very lightly, brown
Or select Light for color on machine
Then when complete, cut into slices, after cooling for a few minutes and removing from pan. Then melt/spread across. Mmm-mm. Or put butter then cinnamon & sugar.... or even better take farm fresh brown eggs, fresh milk straight from the cow, and a touch of vanilla and cinnamon and mix together in a bowl. Then dip slice in mixture, then fry for Gramma's French Toast. Yeah buddy.... yummy!!!
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32738 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Sat, 14 August 2010 00:37 |
grifterfox
Messages: 12
Registered: May 2010 |
Junior Member |
|
|
Ok here are my sister's Lemon Almond Thumbprint Cookies:
Lemon Almond Thumbprint Cookies (adapted from Emeril's Thumbprint Cookies)
* 1/2 cup raspberry jam
* 1 tbsp of water
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 2 large egg yolks
* 1/2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
* 1/4 cup of chopped almonds
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets.
In a small bowl, combine the jam and water. Stir to combine.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to blend.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions and beat just until moist clumps form. Gather the dough together into a ball.
Pinch off the dough to form 1-inch balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Use your floured index finger or 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to create depressions in the center of each ball. Place the chopped almonds in a shallow bowl. Roll the sides of the cookie in the toasted almonds and then place on the baking sheet. Fill each indentation with nearly 1/2 teaspoon of the jam mixture. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
|
|
| |
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32740 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Sat, 14 August 2010 00:50 |
julierae
Messages: 7
Registered: October 2009
Location: Massachusetts |
Junior Member |
|
|
Supermocha Black Holes, ~or~ Julie's Chocolate-Espresso-Hazelnut Truffles
This is most assuredly NOT something Sunshine would make at Charlie's -- they're much too fiddly, and the kitchen is probably too hot to make tempering chocolate a reasonable proposition. But I learned these techniques during my year as a professional baker at a coffeeshop, and I've perfected the recipe over the past few years, so I bring it to you anyway, even though Sunshine might not approve.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of coarsely ground espresso-roast beans
1 cup heavy cream, plus about 1/2 cup more
8 oz. semisweet chocolate (in chips or in bar form)
8 oz. bittersweet (dark) chocolate
8 more oz. bittersweet chocolate (optional but recommended)
2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped (optional but also recommended)
For the truffle ganache:
In a small saucepan, stir together the half-cup of coarsely-ground espresso and the cup of heavy cream. Heat on the stovetop until the cream is just beginning to boil, then turn off the heat and let it steep for 30 minutes. Strain carefully through a sieve into a measuring cup, pressing the grounds with a spatula to get as much of the cream out as possible, then add more cream as needed to bring the level back up to one full cup.
In a glass bowl, combine 8 oz. semisweet chocolate and 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped. Heat the cream back up to a simmer, pour it over the chocolate, stir with a whisk until it's all smooth, then pour into a wide, shallow vessel to cool and harden. I usually make these at Christmastime, when my kitchen is cold enough for the ganache to harden in a few hours if it's sitting out on the countertop. If you want to speed up the process, you can put it in the fridge, though you should not let it get too hard or it's difficult to work with.
When it's hardened but still reasonably pliable, scoop out the ganache and roll it between your palms into bite-sized balls, as big or as small as you want -- though you should remember that they're quite dense and rich, so they don't need to be too big. The faster you work, the less messy this step will be. Put the shaped truffles onto cookie sheets lined with parchment or wax paper, and chill them in the fridge to let them harden completely.
At this point you can just roll the truffles in cocoa powder and call them done, though you'll have to store them in the fridge or they're liable to get too soft. To make them stable at room-temperature, you have to...
Dip the truffles in tempered chocolate!
(dun dun dun)
This sounds scary, but it's really not. All you need is a double boiler set-up, one of those metal-spike-style meat thermometers (not a candy thermometer), and some patience.
Here's the low-down on tempering chocolate. If you just melt chocolate and dip things in it, it's tasty, but the chocolate never hardens quite the same way -- it's softer, and often feels grainy. In order to get a professional-looking shee
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32741 is a reply to message #32740 ] |
Sat, 14 August 2010 01:05 |
julierae
Messages: 7
Registered: October 2009
Location: Massachusetts |
Junior Member |
|
|
|
(Sorry, by the way, that my recipe turned into such an essay on tempering chocolate. And can I briefly say how much I love love love love LOVE Sunshine? Both the book, and the character. I read it for the first time during that year when I was a professional baker, and I'm a heliotrope too, and my middle name is Renee and for my whole life my mother has called me "Julie-Rae" which is where my forum name came from, and Sunshine is Rae too, and, and, and... Basically it's perfect. Thank you for bringing us into Sunshine's world, Robin!)
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32743 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Sat, 14 August 2010 05:46 |
clearly.very.creative
Messages: 1
Registered: August 2010
Location: Utah |
Junior Member |
|
|
(Fudge-y, gooey, sugar/chocolate coma-inducing delectables. You have been warned.)
Oatmeal Fudge Bars
Every time I make these, someone asks for the recipe. They’re a must have for any recipe “library.”
I'm the photographer for the attached photo-please don’t reuse it without my permission. Thanks!
Oatmeal Dough
1 cup butter *
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1teaspoon cinnamon
2 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
a pinch salt
3 cups of oatmeal
Chocolate Filling
12 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
14 oz can of sweetened-condensed milk**
Directions
Cream together wet ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla.) In another bowl, mix together dry ingredients (cinnamon, flour, soda, salt, and oatmeal.) Slowly, add the dry to wet. Do not over mix. Spread 2/3rds of dough into the bottom of a 9 inch by 12 inch glass baking dish. In a double broiler, melt the chocolate and butter together. Then add sweetened-condensed milk to chocolate and stir until incorporated. Pour over dough in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining dough over chocolate layer and bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Makes two dozen.
*You may substitute half a cup of butter for half a cup of applesauce or mashed bananas.
**If you wish to make your own sweetened-condensed milk, heat 1 cup of evaporated milk with 1 and ¼ cups sugar in a saucepan. Stir until dissolved completely. You may also make your own evaporated milk by simmering milk in a saucepan until reduced to 60%.
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32754 is a reply to message #32743 ] |
Sat, 14 August 2010 13:49 |
|
|
Thank you for posting this one. I used to have a recipe that I got from a friend, for oatmeal apricot-date bars. I seem to have lost it. But it was put together just like this, except instead of chocolate, the filling was apricots and dates simmered together. Oatmeal dough with butter and eggs as the only liquid - I think this is the same stuff. Yay!
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32755 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Sat, 14 August 2010 14:59 |
 |
Akai
Messages: 76
Registered: October 2008
Location: Seattle, WA |
Member |
|
|
Godzilla's Green Tea Tiramisu
1 16 oz tub of marscapone cheese
1.75 tsp sugar
.75 tsp powdered sencha (or similar) green tea
2 cups water
4 tbsp milk
1 yellow cake (from cake mix or [if you're fancy* like Sunshine] homemade)
boil water. add 1/2 tsp of sencha. Beat with a whisk until dissolved.
Put half of the marscapone into one bowl, the rest into another. In one, add remaining sencha, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp sugar and beat until smooth. Add remaining sugar and milk to other bowl of marscapone. Beat until smooth.
Slice cake into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place into bottom of a pyrex bread pan. Brush on green tea and water mixture. Add a layer of one of the marscapones. Repeat, alternating marscapone mixtures until all cake is gone (or until Pyrex is full and eat the rest of the cake!)
Refrigerate for two hours to set, and enjoy! A cool summer treat.**
*By fancy I mean being able to make cake from scratch that actually tastes good. I do not fall into this category, so Betty Crocker is my friend.
**Also, I think I'm gaining weight just by reading all these amazing recipes! Expanding waistline here I come!!!! 
[Updated on: Sun, 15 August 2010 01:29]
self respect: the secure feeling that no one, as yet, is suspicious.
--H.L. Mencken
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32761 is a reply to message #32716 ] |
Sat, 14 August 2010 18:31 |
librarykat
Messages: 565
Registered: October 2008
Location: Redneck Riviera |
Senior Member |
|
|
| susancassidy wrote on Fri, 13 August 2010 10:30 |
Alan's Cookies
An old recipe for chocolate chip oatmeal cookies that I adapted to suit my then boyfriend, now husband (he has eaten these cookies for 29 years...)
1 cups butter
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 eggs
2 T water
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3 cups rolled oats, toasted
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces
I use a mixer for the first part: cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, water and vanilla; beat well. Add flour, soda and salt; mix well. Remove from mixer, dump add all the other ingredients into the bowl, then stir it with your rubber spatula or a wooden spoon until everything is evenly distributed.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, depending on the heat of your oven and whether you like crispy cookies (me) or soft cookies (Alan). If you are making the soft kind, take them out when they look slightly damp in the center and allow to cool on the sheet before removing.
This recipe makes 60 cookies unless SOMEONE gets in the uncooked dough before you are done.
|
Oh wow, this is SO SIMILAR to what I bake for MY hubby! They're wonderful cookies! The only differences are I use 1 cup whole wheat and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, and I usually have pecans on hand rather than walnuts.
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32763 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Sat, 14 August 2010 18:37 |
 |
Geek Mom
Messages: 41
Registered: October 2008
Location: Birmingham, AL, USA |
Member |
|
|
Creme Brulee
This is my favorite recipe for several reasons (mostly that I get to use a blowtorch). One other reason is when I fell in love with creme brulee I was a poor college student and couldn't afford to eat at the swanky overly-trendy restaurant where it was served. So I called the restaurant, and the host put the pastry chef on (way cool), and he not only gave me the recipe, but careful instructions that even a cooking newbie could handle. How cool is that?!?
So here it is.
6 egg yolks (use the whites for an egg white omelet so you can feel healthy about something, 'cause this recipe is not)
2 1/2 C heavy cream (I've subbed 1/2 C half-n-half for 1/2 C heavy cream and it worked OK)
1 vanilla bean (vanilla extract works, too, just put it in the eggs - I forget the amount to sub)
1/2 C sugar plus more for the top
Get out the egg yolks and let them get closer to room temperature. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the innards into the sugar & mix. Stir the sugar/vanilla bits into the cream and heat slowly, just until tiny bubbles start to form at the edges. Take the cream off the heat. Whisk the egg yolks, then add the hot cream mixture to the eggs by spoonfuls, whisking constantly. This is to get the eggs up to the temperature of the cream so you don't shock them and end up with scrambled eggs in your custard. When you get about 1/3 of the cream mixture into the eggs, you can add the eggs to the rest of the cream in the pan. (Everybody says use a double boiler at this point, but I don't have one, and it's always worked for me. I do have really heavy-bottomed pans, though.) Heat it all slowly, stirring, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon nicely. (Not thinly, but not too thickly, either.) Pour it into 6 ramekins in a roasting pan. (You can use a sieve, if you're worried about scrambled egg bits). Pour really hot (just about boiling) water in the roasting pan to halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the whole thing in a 350 F oven for about 40 minutes. The middle should be jiggly. Take the ramekins out of the water bath and let them cool, then chill them in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Here's my favorite part - when you're ready to serve them, sprinkle an even coating of sugar on top of the set custard, up to 1/4 inch. Then light the blowtorch and flame the sugar in a spiral from edges to middle. I've tried middle-out, but it just shoves the sugar to the edges. I've also tried broiling it, but the results were less than stellar (I blame the broiler which gave out midway through, taking the pilot light with it, and necessitating a call to the gas co.). The sugar will form a hard, light golden brown, bubbled-glassy surface. Re-chill briefly. The swanky, overly-trendy restaurant where I first had it serves it with berries, but why complicate it with any healthy stuff? Just dig in!
"The sally is the fuzzy thing..." -- my four-year-old
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32768 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Sat, 14 August 2010 20:28 |
 |
Bratsche
Messages: 269
Registered: October 2008
Location: Washington State, USA |
Senior Member |
|
|
Bratsche's Raspberry Streusel Cake
I've spent the last several years (when raspberries were in season) fiddling with this recipe and keep telling myself I need to write down the finished version. This contest makes the perfect reason to finally do so!
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Make the streusel.
Streusel:
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. oats (chop them if you want a finer texture -- I don't bother)
3 Tablespoons firm butter
Mix until well combined (or crumbly) (I use a pastry knife, but I'm sure a fork and some determination works too) and set aside.
Make the batter:
1 c. flour
1 c. oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 c. softened butter
1 c. milk
1 egg
Mix a little bit to combine ingredients, then beat for about 2 minutes (medium speed).
Spread half the batter in the pan, then as many raspberries as you want, then most of the streusel. Then, spread the second half of batter on top of that, then as many more raspberries as you want, then the remainder of the streusel.
I normally use a 9x13 pan, for which I use a double recipe of both streusel & batter. Some day I intend to try it in my smaller pan (8x11.5) to see if one recipe fills it, but I can't quite bring myself to make a smaller pan of this yummy stuff! For my big pan I use about 2 pints of raspberries (roughly 1 pint per layer). I figure the more berries the better!
Bake until done (helpful, I know!). I start checking it after 35 min, but it often takes about 50 min. Since it has so many berries in it, I decide it's done when the cake part gets a bit brown and the middle doesn't wiggle too much when the pan is gently shaken.
I've never tried this with blackberries or other berries (I'm generally at Britt when our blackberries are most fruitful), but I bet it would work well with any of those kinds of berries.
|
|
| |
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32868 is a reply to message #32711 ] |
Tue, 17 August 2010 11:53 |
Jeanne Marie
Messages: 320
Registered: October 2008
Location: Kansas City |
Senior Member |
|
|
| AntheaStrezze wrote on Fri, 13 August 2010 09:35 |
Chai Spice/Aztec Chocolate Sugar Cookies
2 parts ground Cinnamon
2 parts ground Cloves
3 parts ground Cardamom
I used a 1/2 teaspoon as my part size for the mix, and doubled it for a double recipe of the cookies. You can also add other spices to taste, such as ginger, nutmeg, allspice, etc., but this simple 3-spice blend worked really well!
|
I made these last night, and BIG YUM!!! I really loved them, and they were very easy to put together! I will say that I was the only family member who appreciated the Aztec Chocolate spicy kick - I used about 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (from Penzys) to the full amount of cocoa, and the cookies had QUITE a kick at the end of the mouth-burst of flavor! The unsweetened chocolate also made them a teeny tiny bit bitter, (actually more a dry-in-the-way-wine-is-dry kind of taste sensation), which I LOVED, but again, the family wasn't as impressed (hey, MORE FOR ME!!!). They did really like the Chai Spice half though, quite a bit, as did I.
I used a slightly different chai spice mix than listed. (I have a tea masala that I acquired in Kenya, and while it's quite old, I've never wanted to get rid of the container with dribs and drabs left in it, because I got it in KENYA...and, the spices included are in the ingredients list! So, that's the list I used when making my chai mix)
I used the following:
2 parts cinnamon
2 parts cloves
2 parts cardamom (i used less because my cardamom is from Penzys and really strong - the bottle recommends using about half what any recipes call for)
1 part ginger (dry powered, also from Penzys)
1 part nutmeg
1/4 part black pepper (I might increase this to 1/2 part)
I also used a 1/2 tsp as my "part," and used all of what I mixed in the cookie batch.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for yummy cookies!
Smiles,
JM
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32870 is a reply to message #32868 ] |
Tue, 17 August 2010 12:00 |
AntheaStrezze
Messages: 6
Registered: July 2010 |
Junior Member |
|
|
Jeanne Marie wrote on Tue, 17 August 2010 11:53
I made these last night, and [size=2 |
BIG YUM[/size]!!! I really loved them, and they were very easy to put together! I will say that I was the only family member who appreciated the Aztec Chocolate spicy kick - I used about 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (from Penzys) to the full amount of cocoa, and the cookies had QUITE a kick at the end of the mouth-burst of flavor! The unsweetened chocolate also made them a teeny tiny bit bitter, (actually more a dry-in-the-way-wine-is-dry kind of taste sensation), which I LOVED, but again, the family wasn't as impressed (hey, MORE FOR ME!!!). They did really like the Chai Spice half though, quite a bit, as did I.
|
I have to admit I got mixed reviews on the spiciness too - along the lines of love them or hate them.
I'll have to try your chai spice mix - it sounds delicious.
I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed these!
-Anthea
Check out http://AntheaStrezze.com for a new short story every week, and comment to tell me what I'm doing right - or wrong. :-p
|
|
|
| Re: Sunshine Contest - Round 2 [message #32904 is a reply to message #32368 ] |
Tue, 17 August 2010 22:13 |
laura.kolker
Messages: 1
Registered: August 2010
Location: Philadelphia |
Junior Member |
|
|
I adjusted a couple of different Molasses cookie recipes to come up with this. It's a flat buttery salty chewy spice cookie, and they invariably get annihilated rather quickly.
All Butter All The Time Molasses Cookies
12 T. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses (we like the brand Grandma's best)
1 egg
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Oven at 350F.
Melt butter.
Mix with sugar and molasses. Thoroughly.
Lightly beat egg, and add to butter mixture.
Sift (or whisk) remaining ingrediants.
Add dry mixture to wet mixture.
Drop tablespoons of the cookie dough on cookie sheets.
Leave some space between as they will spread when baking.
Bake 10 minutes, and then start checking at 2-3 min intervals until done. (The lifecycle of the baking molasses cookie is like so: spread, puff up, flatten out, harden. I like to remove them when they've flattened out.)
Let them cool for a few minutes to set before attempting to move them. A good way to do this is to bake them on a silpat or parchment paper, and then move the whole liner off the cookie sheet onto someplace appropriate to cool. But you can also leave them on the cookie sheet to cool too, but then you're out a cookie sheet. Also, they'll cool slower. If you try to move them (with a spatula or your fingers) too early they won't be structurally sound, and they'll fall apart, so be patient. These keep really well.
|
|
|
| Pages (2): [ 2] |
  |
Goto Forum:
Current Time: Sat May 18 07:23:55 EDT 2013
Total time taken to generate the page: 1.35092 seconds |
Members
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
