Chocolate Toffee Cookies

I may have a toffee obsession lately or it could just be that I bought four bags of toffee bits and want to use them up before I eat them all straight out of the bag!  So I went looking on Food Network and Epicurious....desperate for recipes to use up my toffee bits.  Epicurious had a recipe for Giant Chocolate Toffee Cookies that came out in Bon Appetit magazine in 2000.  The recipe called for an entire pound of  melted chocolate but very little flour, very much like a rich chocolate brownie.  Sounds good to me!

Delish!!!  My tips to you are these....beat the sugar and egg until thick (will also be light in color), and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 45 minutes!  I followed the recipe exactly as was except that I substituted my toffee bits for chopped toffee bars and decided against the walnuts, I also sprinkled some more of the toffee bits on top of the dough before I put the baking sheets in the oven.  Also, definitely cool the cookies on the baking sheet, they are difficult to move until they have cooled and set.

Make these cookies, make them soon,  but make sure you hide some for yourself because once people get a taste, there will be none left!!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Toffee Cookies

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 3/4 cups (packed) brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups toffee bits

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool mixture to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, then toffee. Chill batter until firm, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto sheets, spacing 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cookies are still soft to touch, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheets. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Recipe from Epicurious.com

Recipe shared on:
Foodie Friends Friday
My Turn For Us - Freedom Fridays

Apple Pie Bars

I know, I know, I know......I disappeared off of the face of the earth!  I have been super busy with end of the semester at school, my kids, work, work, and more work!!!  But, I am happy to say.....I'M BACK!!!  :)

Let's start off with a recipe I made for a picnic at a winery last week...Apple Pie Bars!  Who doesn't absolutely LOVE apple pie?  It is one of my favorites but such a pain to make.  These Apple Pie Bars are the easiest to make and taste exactly like apple pie.  If you are going to have a picnic, whether at a winery or at the park, you really must have an apple pie and these hold up well in the heat since they do not require refrigeration.  

I found the recipe in a Food & Wine cookbook that I bought at a garage sale for $1!  You really can't beat that!  This cookbook is fabulous and full of wonderful recipes, including the following!  Enjoy the recipe and don't be afraid of the crust, it is far easier than any regular pie crust and tastes wonderful!

Enjoy!!

Apple Pie Bars

Crust:

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
12 Granny Smith apples (about 6 pounds)—peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup water, as necessary

Topping:
3/4 cup walnuts
3 cups quick-cooking oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled


Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a 15-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. At low speed, beat in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Press the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and 1/2 inch up the side in an even layer. Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes, until the crust is golden and set. Let cool on a rack.

In each of 2 large skillets, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter with 1/4 cup of the light brown sugar. Add the apples to the skillets and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 or 8 minutes. Stir half of the cinnamon and nutmeg into each skillet. Cook until the apples are caramelized and very tender and the liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes longer; scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillets and add up to 1/2 cup of water to each pan to prevent scorching. Let cool.

Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast until golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop the walnuts. In a large bowl, mix the oats with the flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the walnuts and press the mixture into clumps.

Spread the apple filling over the crust. Scatter the crumbs on top, pressing them lightly into an even layer. Bake in the center of the oven for 30-40 mins or until the topping is golden; rotate the pan halfway through baking. Let cool completely on a rack before cutting into 2-inch bars.

MAKE AHEAD The bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days or frozen for up to a month.

Recipe from Food & Wine

Recipe shared on:
Lemon Sugar
FoodieFriendsFriday - Marlys This and That

Chicken Pot Pie

Last weekend it felt like the middle of July here in the bay area, way too hot!  Luckily we are back to the cooler weather of spring and before it gets too hot I want to get a few more cold weather comfort dishes in. I have always loved chicken pot pie with all of those yummy veggies and chicken surrounded by creamy goodness and topped with a flaky golden crust!  (wait a minute while I mop the drool from my chin...)  

I really love Ina Garten's recipe for pot pie, it makes a nice creamy sauce and is full of wonderful vegetables.  I added even more vegetables to the mix and used leftover roasted chicken from dinner the night before.  Feel free to prepare your chicken any way you like, I prefer to roast my chicken and then use the bones to make my homemade stock.  

I also chose to use puff pastry to top the pie but you can make any pastry you like to top yours.  One sheet of puff pastry doesn't quite cover the entire 9 x13" pan so I used 1 1/3 sheets and pinched them together and then ran my rolling pin over to get rid of the seam.  Make sure that you use an egg wash on the top to help give your crust a beautiful golden color!

Better make this soon before the summer weather comes back!!

Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie

5 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded

5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 red onion, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes

1 cup cubed yukon gold potatoes, cooked until tender

1/2 cup asparagus, 2" pieces, blanched

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen small whole onions

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

puff pastry or homemade pastry dough

1 egg beaten w/ 1 tablespoon of water (for egg wash)

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions and mushrooms over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, all of the vegetables, and parsley. Mix well.

Place in 9x13" dish and top with pastry.  Brush with egg wash and cut slits in pastry for the steam to escape.  Bake in 375 degree F oven for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and the crust is golden brown all over.

Serves 8

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten on Foodnetwork.com

Toffee Crunch Cupcakes

I'M BACK!!!  Sorry to have disappeared for so long.  I have been busy with school, work, kids.... basically just busy with life!  I know you all can relate.  I cannot say that I am back with a vengeance but I can tell you that I have two recipes planned for you this week and that you will love them!

First recipe.....TOFFEE.CRUNCH.CUPCAKE...Seriously!  I had a bag of toffee bits in the pantry and a serious need to blog.  I saw this yummy cupcake on Bakers Royale and couldn't wait to try it.  She used a recipe from Alice Medrich and then made some alterations.  I too have altered the recipe to fit my tastes.  I already have a chocolate cupcake recipe that I love and I chose to make that for the base.  On top of that yummy rich cupcake is a fabulous chocolate ganache that is rolled in chopped toffee bars.  I have made this recipe twice and the first time I used the packaged toffee bits, the second time the store was out of the packaged bits so I had to chop some Skor bars and make my own toffee bits.  I prefer the pre-chopped package for it's uniform bits.

While the cupcake is good and the ganache topped with toffee is good, the best part of this cupcake is the frosting!!  Had a little bit of a foodgasm when I tasted it.  Swiss meringue buttercream is already the yummiest of all frostings but then you add caramel to it and it is OVER THE TOP!!  A bag of frosting and  a glass of red wine and you've got dinner! (ok....not quite but it is tempting!)

This girl has to get back to studying for a test tomorrow, so enjoy the recipe!!!  ;-)

This recipe is featured on:

Foodie Friends Friday

Toffee Crunch Cupcake

16 cupcakes

Cupcakes (Martha Stewart's recipe):

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup chopped toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and the water; beat until smooth and combined.  Stir in toffee bits.

Spoon the batter into liners about two-thirds full. Bake approximately 15 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Transfer tins to wire racks and allow to cool for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 1 month in air tight containers.

Chocolate Ganache:

2/3 cups dark chocolate

2 tablespoons heavy cream

4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons water, warm

 Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

5 large egg whites

11/2 cup sugar

4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/3 cup caramel sauce 

 Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.

Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixture cools and doubles in volume.

Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add caramel sauce and mix to combine.

Assemble Cupcake:

When cupcake has cooled completely, make chocolate ganache.  Let it cool to room temperature but not harden.  Dip cupcake tops in ganache or spread on top of cupcake and then roll into toffee bits until the top is coated.  Let set for 30 minutes before frosting.  If you need to speed up the process, stick the cupcakes in the freezer for 10 minutes.  Make the frosting and pipe on top of toffee coated cupcakes.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes

Happy Friday everyone!!!  I am gearing up for a busy weekend of Easter baking but I wanted to give you all these very yummy cupcakes I created yesterday!!  I made these for a friend's Birthday and his only request was that they be something fantastic...I'm pretty sure I achieved this!!

The chocolate cupcake recipe is the same I have used in the past from Martha's Stewart's Cupcake book.  I didn't add anything special to them but I may add a touch of Chambord to the batter next time, just to tie the whole cupcake together.

The filling is what I would make for any ganache or truffle filling.  I used a good quality dark chocolate and cream but added a touch of raspberry preserves and Chambord to give the truffles a hint of raspberry flavor.  I let the filling thicken at room temperature but be careful not to let it set too much or you will not be able to pipe it into the center of your cupcakes.

The frosting was a last minute quicky buttercream to which I added Chambord and a touch of pink food coloring.  You can actually taste the Chambord in the frosting and it is really yummy.  Great frosting to pair with the rich cupcake!

I finished this fabulous cupcake with a fresh raspberry....voila.....BEAUTIFUL!!!

Hope you all have a fabulous Easter weekend filled with good times, great food and yummy desserts!


CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLE CUPCAKES
Makes 24 cupcakes


The Cupcakes (Martha Stewart's recipe):
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm water

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and the water; beat until smooth and combined.

Spoon the batter into liners about two-thirds full. Bake approximately 15 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Transfer tins to wire racks and allow to cool for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 1 month in air tight containers.

Raspberry Truffle Filling:
8 ounces chopped dark chocolate
2/3 cup cream
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves
1 tablespoon Chambord

Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it until smooth. Add the preserves and Chambord and stir until combined. Let the filling cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Chambord Buttercream:
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons Chambord
food coloring (optional)

In an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, whisk the butter at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Turn speed down to low and add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.  Slowly add in the Chambord and beat until incorporated, if adding food coloring do so at this time.  Turn speed up to high and beat until nice and creamy.

To assemble cupcakes:
Use a paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece (about 1/2 inch deep) from the center of each cupcake and throw away the pieces. Spoon or pipe the raspberry truffle filling into the cupcake.  Frost with Chambord buttercream and top with a delicious raspberry!!

Enjoy!!!

Honeyed Apple Torte

I have had two children and I LOVE to bake and cook (and eat!) so on many occasions I have wanted to watch my weight and eat lighter.  Since I am morally opposed to the word "DIET" (the worst four letter word there is) I typically just try to eat healthier and exercise more.  One of my favorite places to turn for lighter recipes is the magazine "Cooking Light".  This is NOT a cookbook of diet food but rather gourmet recipes with a lot of flavor and less fat and calories.  Way back in 1999 after my youngest son, Max, was born I found this recipe for Honeyed Apple Torte.  Sooooo YUMMY!  The apples are caramelized a bit in honey and lemon juice and then arranged in this very simple cake batter.  It looks really cool after it has baked and it tastes delish.  I am a bit of a freak for any dessert with apples and this one is too good to pass up.

I am not selling it as a "healthy" dessert.....just as a dessert that is full of tender caramel apple flavor and a hint of cinnamon.  You can even top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if it makes you feel better!  I am going to sneak into the kitchen for another slice before it's all gone!  :)

Honeyed Apple Torte

Serves 10

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and each cut into 8 wedges (about 1 1/4 pounds) 

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

6 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon granulated sugar 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine honey and lemon juice in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add apples; cook 14 minutes or until almost tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.

Beat 3/4 cup granulated sugar, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon rind. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Pour batter into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

Remove apples from skillet with a slotted spoon; discard remaining liquid. Arrange apple slices spoke-like on top of batter, pressing slices gently into batter. Combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over apples. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into wedges using a serrated knife.

Cooking Light-SEPTEMBER 1999

Pina Colada Cupcakes

"If you like Pina Coladas
And getting caught in the rain"

Ironically it was raining outside as I made these unique and delicious cupcakes!  I made them for a wine tasting trip with a group of women I call my "Boat B****es".  We came up with the name for our little group while on a weekend cruise to Mexico and I can't think about boats, Mexican food, tequila or pina coladas without thinking fondly of these fabulous (and crazy) women!

The Pina Colada was created in Puerto Rico and in Spanish means "strained pineapple".  This yummy drink consists of rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream, none of which is usually found in the common cupcake.  Seems like a challenge to me and who doesn't like a challenge that involves drinking yummy Malibu Rum!?!  What I didn't realize when I set out to create these cupcakes was that it has already been done.  That's ok, mine won't be the first Pina Colada Cupcakes but I will make them the tastiest and hopefully the most creative!

Don't judge....I used a mix!  I don't always make my cakes from scratch (shhhhh....it's a secret)!  Sometimes when I am playing with a baking idea it is easier to use a mix until I get the flavors down and then work on my cake recipe.  With this one, I'm not sure I will stop using the mix, it was super easy and yummy!  Use any yellow cake mix or cake recipe you like and replace all of the water in the recipe with 1/2 coconut milk and 1/2 Malibu Rum!  The Rum adds to the Pina Colada experience and really brings out the coconut flavor in the cake.  I also add the Rum to my buttercream.  Can you say YUM!

The filling for these yummy cupcakes is a pineapple curd and is absolutely necessary to give it that tropical taste!

Give these cupcakes a try, you can even drink their liquid counterpart at the same time and pretend you are on the beach in Hawaii or a cruise to Mexico!  :)

Random picture of my kitchen helper, Cocoa, who is watching me make these cupcakes and begging me to drop something on the kitchen floor!

This recipe is featured on "Spatulas On Parade" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com  Linky Party

Pina Colada Cupcakes
Makes 20 cupcakes


Cake:
One box yellow cake mix (or your own recipe)
1 1/3 cups water (I substituted 1/2 coconut milk, 1/2 Malibu Rum)
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded coconut

Mix and bake cupcakes as instructed on back of box using my substitutions for the water and adding in the cup of shredded coconut.

Allow to cool completely.  Cut and remove a small section from the middle of the cupcake to prepare for the pineapple curd filling.

Pineapple Curd:
20 oz can crushed pineapple
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Strain the pineapple, squeeze as much of the juice out as you can.  Should get close to a cup of juice, reserve the pineapple.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk the pineapple juice, egg yolk, corn starch and sugar.  Cook, stirring constantly, over medium to medium-low heat until curd is thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon.  This can take as long as 10 minutes or can be quicker, depending upon your stove and the temperature of the ingredients when you begin.

Take off heat and whisk in butter, one piece at a time.  Stir in the reserved pineapple and cover with plastic wrap to keep a film from forming on top of the curd.  Refrigerate until firm, this can take several hours.

Malibu Buttercream:
1 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup Malibu Rum (I may have added more, I am admitting nothing, LOL)

In an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, whisk the butter at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Turn speed down to low and add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.  Slowly add in the rum and beat until incorporated.  Turn speed up to high and beat until nice and creamy.

Assemble Cupcakes:
Pipe or spoon the pineapple curd into the hollowed out center of the cupcakes.  Pipe buttercream frosting onto the cupcakes.  Decorate the tops of the cupcakes with toasted coconut and a cherry and you will have a gorgeous and tasty Pina Colada in cupcake form!!

Enjoy!

Recipe Shared On:

This recipe is featured on "Spatulas On Parade" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com  Linky Party

Chocolate, Chocolate and More-Thursday's Treasures