Crispy, chewy, chocolately goodness.

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks of butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup chopped almonds

3/4 cup coconut

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups oats

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy.

Add cinnamon, almonds, and coconut.

Add dry ingredients and mix well.

Stir in oats and chocolate chips.

Bake cookies for approximately 10 for teaspoon-sized cookies and 14 minutes for small ice cream scoop-sized.

 

 

It should be called “Are You Effing Kidding Me Bread?”

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1/2 cub turbinado sugar + additional for sprinkling on top of bread

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup almonds + some additional for sprinkling on top of bread

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1-1/2 cups water

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Fudge Butter

1 stick of salted butter, softened

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

2 tablespoons salted butter

Directions:

At any point, make the fudge butter:

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and chocolate chips until melted.  Put aside and let cool.  Mix into softened stick of butter by hand or in mixer.  Refrigerate while not using.  Let sit out for a few minutes before serving.

BREAD:

Prepare 12 hours in advance. Mix together flour, salt, yeast, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips, and almonds.  Add water until just blended.  Dough will be sticky.  Let sit in a covered bowl for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Place covered dutch oven in oven while it is heating.  Carefully remove from oven, take off lid and drop dough into the hot pot.  Sprinkle almonds and sugar.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes.  Take off lid and cook for approximately 15 minutes more until top is evenly browned.

Take out of dutch oven and let cool on wire rack.  Slather with fudge butter and eat.

Homemade Cherry & Orange and Cinnamon Pop Tarts.  I can’t think of a better way to start my day.

INGREDIENTS

Dough

2 cups plus all purpose flour

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 tablespoons ice water

Cinnamon Filling

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 large egg, to brush on pastry before filling

Jam Filling

½ cup cherry jam

½ cup orange marmalade

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS

To make cinnamon filling: Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

To make jam filling: Mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Use to fill the pastry tarts.

To make the dough: Whisk 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, coarse salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add butter. Using fingertips or back of fork, blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water by tablespoonfuls, tossing until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Divide in half; shape each half into disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on floured surface to about 13×11 inches. Trim to 12×10-inch rectangle, then cut into eight 5×3-inch rectangles.

Arrange 4 rectangles, spaced apart, on each sheet. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in row down center of each rectangle. Top with second dough rectangle. Using fingertips, gently press all edges of each tart to seal; press all edges with tines of fork to double-seal. Using toothpick, poke a few holes in center of top dough rectangle. Cover; freeze tarts on sheets at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake frozen tarts uncovered until golden, reversing sheets after 15 minutes, 25 to 30 minutes total (some preserves may leak out). Immediately transfer tarts to rack.

To make icing: Mix powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable (mixture will thicken slightly as it sets).

When cool, spread on icing.

I worked with this recipe.

When you mix apples, butter, gruyere, and flour together you get something sweet, savory, and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

2 firm tart apples

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar plus 1 1/2 tablespoons for sprinkling

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt plus additional for egg wash

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup shredded cheese (use gruyere or cheddar)

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 large eggs

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 °F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel and core apples, then cut them into small chunks. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them until they take on a little color and feel dry to the touch, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Sift or whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, along with cooled apple chunks, cheese, cream and one egg. Sprinkle flour mixture over the top and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.

Generously flour counter top and place the scone dough on top of it. Sprinkle with flour. Use a rolling pin to gently roll (or use your hands to pat) the dough into a 1 1/4-inch thick, 6-inch circle. Cut circle into 6 wedges. Transfer them to a baking sheet that has either been buttered or lined with a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Leave at least 2 inches between each scone.

Beat remaining egg in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Brush the scones with egg wash and sprinkle them with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake until firm and golden, about 30 minutes. With a spatula, lift them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

I altered this recipe.

Because brown butter is even better.  Trust me.

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

1. Heat butter over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until it turns nut brown in color. The foaming and bubbling is part of the browning process, but watch it carefully so that you don’t burn the butter. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the butter for the frosting.
2. Pour remaining browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Beat browned butter with brown sugar until the butter is no longer hot. Mix in eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat thoroughly. Mix in flour and chopped pecans. Drop tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown around the edges. Cool.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the reserved 1/2 cup browned butter with 2 teaspoons vanilla, confectioners’ sugar, and hot water. Beat until smooth, and use to frost cooled cookies.

I worked with this recipe.

In this case, bubby made a babka.

Ingredients

Dough

4 1/4 cups (530 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons instant yeast

Grated zest of 1 small lemon

1/2 cup water and up to 1 to 2 tablespoons extra, if needed

3/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Neutral oil for greasing

Filling

4 1/2 ounces (130 grams) dark chocolate (about 3/4 cup chocolate chips)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Scant ½ cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

½ cup pecans, chopped

Syrup

1/3 cup water

6 tablespoons sugar

Make the dough: Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and zest in stand mixer. Add eggs and 1/2 cup water, mixing with the dough hook until it comes together; this may take a couple minutes. Add extra water 1 tablespoon at a time if not coming together, until the dough forms a mass. With the mixer on low, add the salt, then the butter, a spoonful at a time, mixing until it’s incorporated into the dough. Then, mix on medium speed for 10 minutes until dough is completely smooth. You can add extra flour if needed.

Place dough in oiled bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate. Leave in fridge for at least half a day, preferably overnight.

Make filling: Melt butter and chocolate together until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and cocoa; mixture should form a spreadable paste.

Assemble loaves: Coat two 9-by-4-inch (2 1/4 or 1kg) loaf pans with oil or butter, and line the bottom of each with a rectangle of parchment paper. Take half of dough from fridge (leave the other half chilled). Roll out on a well-floured counter to about a 10-inch width (the side closest to you) and as long in length (away from you) as you can when rolling it thin, likely 10 to 12 inches.

Spread half of chocolate mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Sprinkle with ½ the pecans and cinnamon. Brush the end farthest away from you with water. Roll the dough up with the filling into a long, tight cigar. Seal the dampened end onto the log. I found that transferring the log to a lightly floured baking tray in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes made it much, much easier to cut cleanly in half. Repeat with second dough.

Trim last 1/2-inch off each end of log. Gently cut the log in half length-wise and lay them next to each other on the counter, cut sides up. Pinch the top ends gently together. Lift one side over the next, forming a twist and trying to keep the cut sides facing out.

Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise another 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature. Repeat process with second loaf.

Heat oven to 375°F. Bake for 30 minutes. When fully baked, you’ll feel almost no resistance. If you babka needs more time, put it back, 5 minutes at a time then re-test.

While babkas are baking, make syrup: Bring sugar and water to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside to cool somewhat. As soon as the babkas leave the oven, brush the syrup all over each. It will seem like too much, but will taste just right — glossy and moist. Let cool about halfway in pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way before eating.

They freeze well.

I followed this recipe.

 

Strawberries and passion fruit sorbet.  Perfect for a hot fall day in Los Angeles.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbs. water
• 9 ripe passion fruits
• 1/2 pint ripe strawberries

Directions:

My first, my last, my everything.  Salty chocolate shortbread.

INGREDIENTS:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup light brown sugar

¼ granulated sugar

½ teaspoon fleur de sel or ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.
3. With the mixer off, add the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on and off low speed (pulse) for a second or two about 5 times so that the flour mixture gets incorporated. Then mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, just until the flour disappears into the dough (the dough will look crumbly).
4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide it in two. Shape each half into a 9-inch log. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you don’t need to defrost before baking – just slice the logs into cookies and baking the cookies 1 minute longer.)
5. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
6. Using a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are ½-inch thick. Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. Sprinkle a small amount of extra salt on top of each round.
7. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes – they won’t look done, and won’t be firm, but that’s how they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

I followed this recipe.

Pears, honey, and salt buried deep in a moist cake.

Topping
4 small pears, halved, peeled and cored
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Batter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (125 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6 tablespoons) granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey (any variety you like to eat)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, separated
2 good pinches of salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Glaze
1/4 cup honey
A good pinch of sea salt

Heat oven: To 350°F. Coat a 9-inch springform with butter or a nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.

Prepare pears: Place peeled, halved and cored pears cut-side-down on a cutting board. Use a knife to create parallel thin slices, but only cut halfway through each apple so that the pears stay intact. Don’t fret if you cut through, however; you can just reassemble the halves on the cake in a few minutes.

In a bowl, toss pears with lemon juice and 2 tablespoon granulated sugar.

Prepare cake base: Beat butter and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar together in a bowl with electric beaters until fluffy. Add honey and beat until combined. Add vanilla and egg yolks, beating until just combined. Sprinkle salt and baking powder over cake batter, and mix for just 5 seconds, until they disappear. Add flour, half at a time, mixing only until just combined.

In a separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff. Stir 1/4 of them into the cake batter. Fold in the rest in three additions. Only fold the last addition of egg whites until it has mostly disappeared (a couple faint streaks of egg white are fine).

Spread cake batter in prepared cake pan, smoothing the top. Arrange pear halves facedown over the cake batter. Don’t press the pears into the batter. Pour any extra lemon juice and sugar in the bowl over the pears.

Bake cake: 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then cut around the cake to make sure it’s not sticking to the pan at all, and unhinge the sides. Let cake cool completely. You can store it at room temperature at this point, or after you add the honey, for up to 3 days at room temperature. After that, a fridge is best for longevity.

When the cake is cool, warm 1/4 cup honey and a good pinch of sea salt until it liquifies. Brush honey-salt mixture over cooled cake.

I altered this recipe.

Follow these folks on Twitter and you will never be bored.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the sugar and popcorn. Cover, and shake the pot constantly to keep the sugar from burning. Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat and continue to shake for a few minutes until the popping has stopped. Pour into a large bowl, and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to break up large clumps.