Sweet Mary

Blackberry Crumb Bars

Yes, I know.  Another cookie recipe.  Seriously, I couldn't help it.  I check the Martha Stewart Cookie of the Day Recipe once a week or so and marvel at the wide variety of cookies they come up with.  Someone out there has my ideal job...conjuring up and testing all those cookie recipes!  Anyway, here is the direct link to the recipe. I happened to have a bunch of really nice blackberries and, so, when I saw the recipe, I jumped on it and added them to the Chocolate Wows for bocce night.

Now, I wouldn't necessarily call these cookies, as they are more like bite sized coffee cakes; however, they really do taste like little fruit crumbles and were super moist, buttery, and hard to resist.  

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and 1 stick at room temperature

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

10 ounces of blackberries

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter an 8 inch square baking pan.  Line bottom with parchment and leave an over hang over two sides (you can also do this with aluminum foil).  Butter and flour the paper.  Tap out the excess.

Make the topping:  In a bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt with a fork till moist crumbs form.  Put in fridge till you use it.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat room temperature butter, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.  Reduce speed to low.  Mix in flour.  Spread batter evenly in pan. Sprinkle with blackberries and then the topping.

Bake until golden and until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 40-45 minutes.  Cool completely in the pan.  Then, lift the cake out onto a work surface and cut into 16 squares.  

Chocolate Wows

With lots of rich chocolate and pecans, you may echo the sentiment that's in the name of these cookies from Good Housekeeping's Favorite Recipes book on Cookies (2004).  I love this book because it is filled with classic cookie recipes, many of which serve as a great foundation for playing with flavors and ingredients.  I've never made the Wows before, but I just noticed that this recipe is very similar to the Chocolate Cherry Cookies I made in March of 2007 (also from the same book).  I'd give you a link; however, I've made so many cookies that the older recipes no longer show up in the Cookie category.  I think it might be time to create some sort of recipe index!

Anyway, the cookies are excellent and I'm sure the bocce crowd will love them.

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Grease two large cookie sheets.  In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat.  Stir often and until smooth.  Set aside and cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar on medium until light and lemon colored.  Scrap bowl often.  This should take about 2 minutes.  Add chocolate mixture, flour mixture, and vanilla.  Beat until just blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.  With a wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

Put dough in fridge for about 25 minutes or so.  It will be easier to work with.  Drop batter by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheets 2 inches apart.  Use a small metal spatula or the back of a spoon to spread batter into 2 inch rounds.  Bake for about 14 minutes until the tops are shiny but cracked.  Rotate cookies sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through.  Cool 10 minutes on cookie sheets.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

Coconut Lime Chocolate Chip Cookies

I hope everyone had a lovely Memorial Day Weekend.  I sure did.  The weather was gorgeous all weekend long which certainly lifted my spirits and made for really nice driving (and eased the pain at the gas pump!).

I ate a bunch of good food, visited my Dad's grave with my Mom so we could do a little gardening/weeding there, made a delicious Summer Berry Pie with the flakiest hand made crust ever, and played a bunch of baseball with my nephew.  All in all, a really nice weekend.  

This weekend, in addition to making a run down to New York City yesterday to meet up with my friend Jason (one of my favorite people) and his girlfriend who were visiting from Seattle, I made some cookies. Coconut Lime Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I made these cookies to help Rachel from Coconut & Lime celebrate her blog anniversary and 700th post (and those are all original recipes, folks).  Congrats, Rachel! You've been going strong since 2004 and we want you to keep up all the great work.

At first, I think I was a little disappointed because I wanted the cookies to be thicker; however, after eating a few out of the freezer when I got home last night from New York City, I changed my mind.  These cookies may be rather flat, but they have a crisp outer edge and are still very very chewy.  I used lime zest and juice along with toasted coconut and dark chocolate chips.  I was worried the lime flavor would be too weak; however, it really wasn't.  I am pleased, as it is a very nice cookie.  I would still like to experiment to create a chunkier version, though.  I also baked a variation of this recipe: Coconut Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies.  For some reason, I liked the Lime version best, but the Lemon version is also tasty.  Enjoy!

Lime Coconut Dark Chocolate Chip Version

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 cup toasted sweetened coconut

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt with a whisk.  Set aside. Cream butter and sugars together in a stand mixer using the paddle.  Add the egg, vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice.  Mix to fully incorporate.  Then, add the flour in 2-3 stages.  Do not over mix.  Add the coconut and chips by hand.  Mix with a wooden spoon.  Chill dough for about 15-20 minutes in fridge.  Drop by teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Do not over bake or the cookies will be very crisp.  Leave on cookie sheet for one minute before transferring to a cooling rack.  Makes roughly two dozen cookies.  

Lemon Coconut White Chocolate Chip Version:

Substitute:

1. lemon zest for lime zest

2. 1 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for lime juice

3. White chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips

Blondies

Wow. The day has escaped me. After an early morning run to the laundry mat, I was all about baking and, then, preparing for my upcoming class on tarts at the Learning Connection. As a former (real) teacher, I can't just show up and start whipping up pastry cream and throwing together any old tart dough. No, I'll be highlighting the history of pies/tarts, talking about different flaky pastry, and demonstrating the wonders of creating a beautiful tart. Of, course my students (all three of them!) will walk away with a lovely packet of information and recipes, as well as plenty of hands on experience. I should thank them now for signing up (as I know two of them!).

Anyway, this weekend I wanted to make something I have never made before. As easy as they are, I've never made a Blondie. I wasn't sure if I had ever even eaten one and figured I should rectify the situation. So, I searched through books, food blogs, and clippings from here and there for the right recipe. After much thought, I decided to go with Dorie Greenspan's Blondie recipe from Baking, From My Home to Yours (2006). I trust this book. I've tried several recipes and they have all come out lovely. I also check in on the author's blog most weeks because there is always something useful or interesting. This particular cook book is also one that just about everyone who visits me ends up picking up and thumbing through because of the beautiful photos and recipes that evoke all kinds of wonderful memories. I knew I couldn't go wrong.

Let me tell you, this recipe is loaded. Loaded with flavor and sweetness. It's a great combination of coconut, butterscotch, chocolate, and nuts. Perfectly moist and chewy. Very rich. I needed a glass of soy milk to go along with the one I ate. I also could only eat a reasonably sized Blondie, as that much sweet is always a challenge for me. The one down side for me was the butterscotch chips. They do taste a bit artificial. I have no idea, but wonder if there is a less artificial brand somewhere out there. I just used what was available at the supermarket. You can also use Heath Toffee Bits, which I think would have tasted better.

I wasn't at all let down by this recipe, though. Each time I bake, I deliver my goods to different friends and/or people I know at work. Last week, the mail room staff was craving some sweets and wondering what was on the agenda this weekend. I have a feeling these will go fast when I drop them off tomorrow.

2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped)
1 cup butterscotch chips or Heath Toffee Bits
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 325 F and put a rack in the center.
Butter (or spray) a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Use a mixer fitted with a paddle and beat the medium until it is smooth and creamy.
Add both sugars and beat for about 3 minutes until completely incorporated.
Then, add the eggs one at a time. Beat till incorporated, about 1 minute.
Then, beat in the vanilla.
Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated (till you can
no longer see the flour). Be careful not to over mix.
Use a spatula and add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or toffee bits, and coconut. Stir them in.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and even out.
Bake for 40 minutes until a golden brown. You should also be able to insert a knife or toothpick into the center and have it come out clean.
Transfer to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Flip out gently onto another rack. I always turn it right side up again after this. And, cool completely before cutting into squares sized however you want.

Sugar High Friday #41: Giant Chocolate Toffee Cookies

More cookies, you ask? Well, yes, thanks to my shameless cookie addiction as you well know. These cookies have a super sweet purpose that ties in nicely to this month's Sugar High Friday, hosted by the author of a site called Habeas Brulee. The theme is simply "Sweet Gifts." I am posting a bit early because I won't be around next weekend. Sugar High Friday is really Friday, March 28th. I'll be sure to post the link to the recipe round-up on the 28th.

The company I currently work for organizes a huge drive for the March of Dimes, a well known non-profit in the U.S.A. Their mission is simply to help keep babies healthy and alive. Although I cannot participate in the actual walk (now known as the March for Babies) due to an ongoing back issue, I realized I can help some of the teams who are walking and raising money at a bake sale they are having this week. Nope, I can't walk, but I sure can bake. And, my baked goods are well known in some parts of the company because, lord knows, I am always bringing stuff in and passing it out (and, by the way, I temped there while in culinary school and, thus, I brought stuff in from class almost every day!). I am doing three rounds of baking this week for the bake sale...cookies, muffins, and pies that I hope will bring in some good money for the March of Dimes.

So, these Giant Chocolate Toffee cookies hail from Epicurious and are perfect for a bake sale due to the bigger size and balance of bittersweet chocolate, nuts, and toffee (i.e. chopped up Heath bars). I will warn you sugar and dark chocolate freaks that these babies are highly addictive. Not at all for the faint of heart. Super rich. Super moist. Super chewy. Super sweet. And, with the darker chocolate, you get a nice bite at the end. I dare the bake sale browsers to buy just one! You'll want one for later, I guarantee it!

On a baking note, if you don't like darker chocolate, use semi-sweet. You won't get the hint of bitterness, then, and they'll taste just as good.

1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped up bars)
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 1.4 ounce chocolate covered toffee bars, chopped
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl with a whisk. Stir chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until completely melted and mixed. Remove from the double boiler and let sit till luke warm.

Using a mixer, beat sugar and eggs till thick, about 4-5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in the flour, then the toffee and nuts. Chill batter till firm, 45-50 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the sheets, about 2 1/2 inches apart. Spray the cup with baking spray to avoid sticking. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate pans halfway through. Cookies should crack on top, but be soft to the touch. Cool for 2-3 minutes on the pan after taking them out of the oven and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Martha's Double Chocolate and Ginger Biscotti

I am hunkering down this month to read a 950 page book for my book/food club. I will shamefully admit that I didn't even bother to read the last book even though we had two months to read it. I have no excuses. I was lazy. I watched a lot of crappy TV (and am no better for it) and whined about the winter instead. Therefore, I am getting off my arse and getting started because I will finish this one, as it was one of my suggestions. And, no, book club, I did not realize it was such a big honker complete with a long list of the many characters and a glossary to help a reader navigate all the Hindi slang. I promise I will bake you up something pretty and sweet to make up for it.

Now, I really do love to read. And, when I get into a book, it's hard for me to put it down. I'm about 100 pages into this one since starting it this morning. Once you get past the first 50 pages, the story really starts and, hell, you start remembering all the words you've looked up and getting the hang of the book's language and flow. I am into it. I just took a break and made a chocolately snack to go with some afternoon coffee. Yum. Chocolate biscotti with ginger and a cup of coffee. This recipe is from the Martha Stewart website. No complaints from me. I also liked that it made about two dozen. I'll eat a few and give the rest away tomorrow.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped coarsely
3 oz dark chocolate, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg, yolk, and sugar till light and fluffy. Then, beat in the vanilla and oil until combined. On low, beat in dry ingredients until combined. Fold in nuts, chocolate, and ginger with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Moisten your hands a bit. Divide the dough in half. Then, make two logs, each about 9 by 2 1/2 inches and lay them on the parchment on the baking sheet. Bake until they are set on top, about 20 minutes. Take them out. Let the pan sit for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 325 F. Then, transfer the logs to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal into slices that are 1/2 inch thick. Return pieces to baking sheet. Bake about 20 more minutes until crisp. Half way through, turn the biscotti. When done, cool on pan for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Poppy Seed Slices

Cookies. Cookies. More cookies. This is another new recipe I tried this year to help balance out all the chocolate cookies I made. They are light (not in calories, in flavor!) and lemon-y. A nice addition to the Christmas platter.

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
sanding sugar

Preheat oven to 375 F. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat till combined. Beat in egg, lemon peel, milk, vanilla and lemon extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in poppy seeds. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into an 8-inch log. Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Chill for 3 hours. Cut logs into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Place 1-inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 11-12 minutes until edges are golden. Cool on wire racks.

Cranberry-Macademia Bars

I have two more recipes to post before heading out for Christmas. Again, this one is from the Better Homes 100 Best Ever Christmas Cookies 2002 that I use every year. I have never made these bars before. I will say that, although tasty, they are a bit too sweet for me. Other people seem to love them. If I made them again, I'd cut the sugar a bit. They are, however, very festive looking and I love the cranberries. I would suggest using only fresh cranberries.

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup finely chopped macademia nuts
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely chopped cranberries
1/2 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350 F. For crust, in medium bowl, stir together flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until it looks like course crumbs. You can also use your Kitchen Aid Mixer to do this. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chopped macademia nuts. Press the flour mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the crust is light brown around the edges.

Meanwhile, make the topping. Beat together 1 1/4 cups of sugar, eggs, milk, orange peel, and vanilla. Pour over hot crust. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts, cranberries, and coconut. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes more or until golden. Cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars while still a bit warm.

Toffee Squares

You know, I am not really a big fan of winter. Shivering out in the cold while you warm your car up to go to work. Wondering how many layers to wear to keep warm. But, I am also not a fan of balmy Decembers. That just always feels wrong as the holidays approach. Now, this year, it has been cold. In fact, I am absolutely fearing my first heating bill because I have no idea what to expect in this big old Portuguese triple decker I am now living in. On the other hand, we might actually have a white Christmas. We got whomped with a big storm two days ago and are expecting another to start tonight.

After being released from work early due to the cruddy weather, I took the opportunity to bake more Christmas cookies, listen to a ton of music, and watch a very silly movie (Blades of Glory). The snow came down and down; however, I was content to entertain myself up here on the third floor and keep warm with my long johns and hat on. And, I am all set to bake all day tomorrow while it snows and sleets. Nice.

So, here is a new cookie I tried. Can't say they are my favorite. But, I had a few people give them a try and they gave a very positive thumbs up. This recipe came from the Better Homes and Gardens 100 Best-Ever Christmas Cookies from 2002 that my sister, sister-in-law, and I pull out every year and use. I can't say enough about bar cookies. They are fast and easy. Anyone can make these and they will taste delicious. Give them a try if that's what you are after!

3/4 butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 12 oz package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 cup toasted chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Set aside.
For crust, in a large bowl beat the 3/4 cup butter and the brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium until combined. Beat in the egg yolk. Stir in flour and salt until well mixed. Using floured hands, press the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
For filling, in a heavy saucepan heat and stir the condensed milk and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium until bubbly. Cook and stir for a few more minutes. Be careful not to burn it. Mixture should be thick and smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Spread the filling over the crust. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes more or until the top layer is golden brown. Let cool a few minutes.
Sprinkle baked layers evenly with chocolate pieces. Bake 1-2 minutes more until the chocolate melts. Remove from oven. Set on a wire rack. Using a flexible spatula, immediately spread chocolate evenly over the baked layers. Sprinkle in the pecans. Press them into the chocolate a bit so they stick. Cool completely on the wire rack. Cover. Refrigerate until chocolate is set. Cut into bars. These will freeze up to 3 months.

Oatmeal Cookies with Golden Raisins and Dark Chocolate Chips

My aching stomach. I think I finally reached the point in this year and a half filled with tasting all kinds of treats where my stomach can barely take any more. Maybe it's just because the recipe I am helping with at work has both caramel and Fluff in it. And, I am no fan of Fluff. As soon as my eyes see Fluff, my stomach starts screaming, "Please, don't."

So, this weekend, rather than make something rich and decadent as planned, I went with a fairly simple recipe for Oatmeal Cookies with Golden Raisins and Milk Chocolate Chips from The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle by Kate Zuckerman (2006/p. 68)). I used Ghiardelli 60% dark chocolate chips, though, instead of milk chocolate. I like a good oatmeal cookie. Crispy or chewy. Doesn't matter. The golden raisins with the dark chocolate chips made for a nice combination and my housemates are now all enjoying them.

1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons butter (2 sticks, unsalted, room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs plus 1 egg white, room temperature
3 cups old fashioned oats
8 ounces milk chocolate chips or chunks (or dark chocolate, if you want)
1 cup golden raisins (can also use any dried fruit you like and want to try)

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease two cookie sheets with cooking spray or butter. Use parchment paper if you like. In a bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream butter with a mixer on medium for one minute. Then, add the sugar and beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add dark brown sugar and continue to beat for another 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides as necessary. Add eggs and egg white one at a time on low speed and beat until fully incorporated. The batter should be smooth and a bit shiny, another 1-2 minutes.

Add the flour mixture all at once to the butter mixture. Fold in with a spatula a few times. Turn the mixer on and mix for about 1 minute until thoroughly combined. Then, add the chocolate chips and raisins. You can turn the mixer on low until incorporated or use a wooden spoon to mix. Then, add the oats. Again, you can mix on low till incorporated or use a wooden spoon.

You can use two teaspoons to create small mounds of dough. Place on cookie sheets about two inches apart. These will spread. You can also just use your hands and roll small balls of dough, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter depending on how big you want them. Press them down a bit when they are on the cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Make sure you rotate your pans for even browning.

These cookies will spread and there will be a lot of caramelization. If you want chewier cookies, take them out around 12 minutes depending on your oven. If you want crispier cookies, go a bit longer and watch them. Either way, they are good. I made some chewy and some crispy. Overall, this is a really nice recipe.