Desserts
Today's post has a little of this, and a little of that, and includes Maraschino Cherry Cream Cheese Brownies and Boston Cream Doughnuts. (Do I have your attention yet?) Enjoy!
GINGERY BROWNIE CRINKLE COOKIES
This is from Susan Spungen at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Susan wrote, “These chocolate cookies are irresistible warm from the oven, when the chips or chunks inside are still luxuriously liquidy. They then cool to a fudgy, brownielike texture with a chewy edge — if any manage to stay around that long. Both fresh and candied ginger lend sophistication, but feel free to leave them out if you want a pure chocolate experience. These cookies are also ideal for late-night cravings: You can be eating them 30 minutes after you start measuring the cocoa powder.”
Yield: 20 cookies; Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020655-gingery-brownie-crinkle-cookies.
Ingredients
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70 percent), broken or chopped into pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (about 2/3 cup)
8 to 10 pieces candied ginger slices (about 2-1/2 ounces), thinly sliced crosswise
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Combine the 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate and the butter in a small heatproof bowl that fits on top of a small saucepan without falling in. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in the saucepan over high, reduce to a simmer, then set the bowl on top. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove bowl from saucepan to cool slightly.
Combine eggs, granulated sugar and light brown sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat on medium speed to combine, scraping down the sides once. Increase speed to high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the ginger and vanilla. Beat to combine.
Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer, scrape sides and fold a few times to make sure everything is well combined. Add the 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips and fold to combine.
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop dough (which will be pretty runny) into generous 1-tablespoon portions. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, setting each scoop 3 inches apart. Top each cookie with a good pinch of candied ginger. Bake until surface is crinkled and edges are firm, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through.
Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool further. Scoop any remaining dough onto one of the baking sheets — it’s O.K. to reuse the parchment — and repeat. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and starts off, “These one-bowl brownies couldn't be easier to make, and adding leftover hot chocolate mix is the perfect way to make them extra special. Interested in a Mexican hot chocolate version? Just add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients and sprinkle the top of each brownie with a pinch of chili powder.” Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 35 min; Yield: 24 brownies; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-chocolate-brownies.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
72 mini marshmallows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and spray with the cooking spray.
Stir together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking powder and stir until just combined. Stir in half the chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan.
Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and are set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips, and let stand until they are very soft, about 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips evenly with a spatula, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan, and let cool completely on a rack. Cut into 24 squares, and top each with 3 mini marshmallows.
BOSTON CREAM DOUGHNUTS
This comes from Mark Bittman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “This is a recipe for a popular riff on the classic Boston Cream Pie, with a crisp, flaky doughnut as the vessel for silky pastry cream. The only specialty tool you’ll need is a pastry bag. But you can also poke a funnel into the side of the doughnut and spoon the cream into the center of the pastry.”
Time: About 3 hours, mostly unattended; Yield: About 1 dozen
This was featured in “Time to Make the Doughnuts,” and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017066-boston-cream-doughnuts.
Ingredients
For the Doughnuts
1-1/4 cups milk
2-1/4 teaspoons (one package) active dry yeast
2 eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
2 quarts neutral oil, for frying, plus more for the bowl
For the Glaze
1-3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Pastry Cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preparation
For the Doughnuts
Heat the milk until it is warm but not hot, about 90 degrees. In a large bowl, combine it with the yeast. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat the eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. If you’re using an electric mixer, the dough will probably become too thick to beat; when it does, transfer it to a floured surface, and gently knead it until smooth. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, concentric cookie cutters or a drinking glass and a shot glass (the larger one should be about 3 inches in diameter), flouring the cutters as you go. Reserve the doughnut holes. If you’re making filled doughnuts, don’t cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process.
Put the doughnuts on two floured baking sheets so that there is plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes. If your kitchen isn’t warm, heat the oven to 200 at the beginning of this step, then turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar.
About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they’re too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way only if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It’s O.K. if they deflate a bit; they’ll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip; cook until they’re deep golden all over. Doughnut holes cook faster. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375.
For the Glaze
For the glaze, whisk together 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Dip the tops of the doughnuts in the glaze, and let it harden on a rack.
For the Pastry Cream Filling
Combine 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, whisk in 2 eggs and 2 cups cream. Continue cooking, whisking almost constantly, until the mixture just begins to boil and thickens, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently; cook until it coats the back of a spoon (when you draw your finger through this coating, the resulting line should hold its shape). Stir in 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and cool to room temperature before using.
To fill the doughnuts with the pastry cream, insert the tip of a pastry bag filled with cream into the side of the doughnut, and squeeze. (Alternatively, poke a chopstick into the side of the doughnut, and wiggle it around to hollow out some space inside. Plunge a small funnel into the hole, spoon some filling into the funnel and use the chopstick to push it into the doughnut. If the filling clumps up toward the center of the doughnut, just press lightly on the top to distribute it evenly.)
CARAMEL APPLE SNICKERDOODLES
This comes from the Tablespoon newsletter. It begins, “Dulce de leche is the secret ingredients that gives these cookies their gooey hidden center.” Prep Time: 20 min; Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Servings: 9
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
Directions
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Spoon 9 heaping teaspoons dulce de leche on cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in freezer 1 hour. Transfer remaining dulce de leche to covered container, and refrigerate for another use.
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray cookie sheet. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour until well combined. Form dough into 9 balls. Flatten each ball into 2-inch round; place 1 frozen dulce de leche dollop on center of each round. Shape dough around dulce de leche, sealing to cover completely. In small bowl, mix sugar and apple pie spice. Roll each ball in sugar mixture. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
CAST-IRON APPLE AND BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE
This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “My dad used to make this for me growing up! Apples from upstate New York are some of the best in the country. They always added the perfect amount of tartness and sweetness to this crispy crumble.
“Technique tip: Use your favorite apples for a signature taste and to make it your own.
“Swap option: Pears work great and so do peaches! You can also use a 10- by 15-inch baking dish if not using the grill.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/cast-iron-apple-blackberry-crumble-recipe-t154818.
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 packs (1 cup) apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, grated
Apple Filling
2 pounds honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pound granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pint blackberries
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
Pre-heat oven or grill to 350°F.
For the crumble topping:
In a medium sized mixing bowl combine flour, apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal, chopped pecans, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cold grated butter until it forms a coarse crumble.
For the apple filling:
In another large mixing bowl combine the apples with melted butter, flour, corn starch, lemon juice, light brown sugar, salt and spices and toss to fully coat the apples. Next fold in the blackberries and pour the apple mixture into a 12-inch cast iron pan.
To assemble:
Fully coat the top of the apple mixture with the crumble topping and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
Allow the crumble to cool slightly, and then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Or chill overnight and serve cold.
MARASCHINO CHERRY CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, “Cream cheese, maraschino cherries and Betty Crocker™ Supreme original brownie mix create a trio of delight in this fudgy irresistible treat!”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes; Servings: 16.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Filling
3 oz (from 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons chopped maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry
1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice
1 egg, separated, yolk reserved for brownie batter
Brownies
1 box (16 oz) Betty Crocker™ Supreme original brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box
Reserved egg yolk
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom of 9-inch square pan with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar with spoon until smooth. Add flour, cherries, cherry juice and egg white; mix until well blended. Set aside.
Make brownie batter as directed on box adding reserved egg yolk. Reserve 3/4 cup brownie batter; set aside. Spread remaining batter in pan. Spoon filling by tablespoonful dollops evenly onto batter, making 3 rows by 3 rows. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the reserved brownie batter in center of each filling dollop. Draw knife through mixture in four straight lines horizontally, the vertically for swirled design.
Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool 30 minutes on cooling rack. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until chilled. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before stirring up the batter, allowing it to soften and warm up. Or, to quickly soften cream cheese, remove from wrapper and place on microwavable plate. Microwave uncovered on High about 10 seconds or just until softened.
To make a pinker filling, add a few drops of red gel food color when making the cream cheese filling.
Adding the extra egg yolk to the brownie batter gives structure and helps the cream cheese filling swirl throughout the brownies.
Be sure to insert toothpick in the brownie and not the cream cheese filling when testing for doneness.
To make cutting the brownies a breeze, line the baking pan with foil, allowing some to hang over edges of pan. Once the brownies are chilled, you can lift them out of the pan onto a large cutting board, peel foil away and cut into serving pieces.
GINGERY BROWNIE CRINKLE COOKIES
This is from Susan Spungen at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Susan wrote, “These chocolate cookies are irresistible warm from the oven, when the chips or chunks inside are still luxuriously liquidy. They then cool to a fudgy, brownielike texture with a chewy edge — if any manage to stay around that long. Both fresh and candied ginger lend sophistication, but feel free to leave them out if you want a pure chocolate experience. These cookies are also ideal for late-night cravings: You can be eating them 30 minutes after you start measuring the cocoa powder.”
Yield: 20 cookies; Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020655-gingery-brownie-crinkle-cookies.
Ingredients
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70 percent), broken or chopped into pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (about 2/3 cup)
8 to 10 pieces candied ginger slices (about 2-1/2 ounces), thinly sliced crosswise
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Combine the 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate and the butter in a small heatproof bowl that fits on top of a small saucepan without falling in. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in the saucepan over high, reduce to a simmer, then set the bowl on top. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove bowl from saucepan to cool slightly.
Combine eggs, granulated sugar and light brown sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat on medium speed to combine, scraping down the sides once. Increase speed to high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the ginger and vanilla. Beat to combine.
Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed to combine. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer, scrape sides and fold a few times to make sure everything is well combined. Add the 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips and fold to combine.
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop dough (which will be pretty runny) into generous 1-tablespoon portions. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, setting each scoop 3 inches apart. Top each cookie with a good pinch of candied ginger. Bake until surface is crinkled and edges are firm, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through.
Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool further. Scoop any remaining dough onto one of the baking sheets — it’s O.K. to reuse the parchment — and repeat. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and starts off, “These one-bowl brownies couldn't be easier to make, and adding leftover hot chocolate mix is the perfect way to make them extra special. Interested in a Mexican hot chocolate version? Just add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients and sprinkle the top of each brownie with a pinch of chili powder.” Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 35 min; Yield: 24 brownies; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-chocolate-brownies.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
72 mini marshmallows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and spray with the cooking spray.
Stir together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking powder and stir until just combined. Stir in half the chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan.
Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and are set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips, and let stand until they are very soft, about 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips evenly with a spatula, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan, and let cool completely on a rack. Cut into 24 squares, and top each with 3 mini marshmallows.
BOSTON CREAM DOUGHNUTS
This comes from Mark Bittman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “This is a recipe for a popular riff on the classic Boston Cream Pie, with a crisp, flaky doughnut as the vessel for silky pastry cream. The only specialty tool you’ll need is a pastry bag. But you can also poke a funnel into the side of the doughnut and spoon the cream into the center of the pastry.”
Time: About 3 hours, mostly unattended; Yield: About 1 dozen
This was featured in “Time to Make the Doughnuts,” and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017066-boston-cream-doughnuts.
Ingredients
For the Doughnuts
1-1/4 cups milk
2-1/4 teaspoons (one package) active dry yeast
2 eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
2 quarts neutral oil, for frying, plus more for the bowl
For the Glaze
1-3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Pastry Cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preparation
For the Doughnuts
Heat the milk until it is warm but not hot, about 90 degrees. In a large bowl, combine it with the yeast. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat the eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. If you’re using an electric mixer, the dough will probably become too thick to beat; when it does, transfer it to a floured surface, and gently knead it until smooth. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, concentric cookie cutters or a drinking glass and a shot glass (the larger one should be about 3 inches in diameter), flouring the cutters as you go. Reserve the doughnut holes. If you’re making filled doughnuts, don’t cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process.
Put the doughnuts on two floured baking sheets so that there is plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes. If your kitchen isn’t warm, heat the oven to 200 at the beginning of this step, then turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar.
About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they’re too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way only if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It’s O.K. if they deflate a bit; they’ll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip; cook until they’re deep golden all over. Doughnut holes cook faster. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375.
For the Glaze
For the glaze, whisk together 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Dip the tops of the doughnuts in the glaze, and let it harden on a rack.
For the Pastry Cream Filling
Combine 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, whisk in 2 eggs and 2 cups cream. Continue cooking, whisking almost constantly, until the mixture just begins to boil and thickens, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently; cook until it coats the back of a spoon (when you draw your finger through this coating, the resulting line should hold its shape). Stir in 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and cool to room temperature before using.
To fill the doughnuts with the pastry cream, insert the tip of a pastry bag filled with cream into the side of the doughnut, and squeeze. (Alternatively, poke a chopstick into the side of the doughnut, and wiggle it around to hollow out some space inside. Plunge a small funnel into the hole, spoon some filling into the funnel and use the chopstick to push it into the doughnut. If the filling clumps up toward the center of the doughnut, just press lightly on the top to distribute it evenly.)
CARAMEL APPLE SNICKERDOODLES
This comes from the Tablespoon newsletter. It begins, “Dulce de leche is the secret ingredients that gives these cookies their gooey hidden center.” Prep Time: 20 min; Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Servings: 9
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 can (13.4 oz) dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
Directions
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Spoon 9 heaping teaspoons dulce de leche on cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in freezer 1 hour. Transfer remaining dulce de leche to covered container, and refrigerate for another use.
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray cookie sheet. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour until well combined. Form dough into 9 balls. Flatten each ball into 2-inch round; place 1 frozen dulce de leche dollop on center of each round. Shape dough around dulce de leche, sealing to cover completely. In small bowl, mix sugar and apple pie spice. Roll each ball in sugar mixture. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
CAST-IRON APPLE AND BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE
This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “My dad used to make this for me growing up! Apples from upstate New York are some of the best in the country. They always added the perfect amount of tartness and sweetness to this crispy crumble.
“Technique tip: Use your favorite apples for a signature taste and to make it your own.
“Swap option: Pears work great and so do peaches! You can also use a 10- by 15-inch baking dish if not using the grill.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/cast-iron-apple-blackberry-crumble-recipe-t154818.
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 packs (1 cup) apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, grated
Apple Filling
2 pounds honey crisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pound granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pint blackberries
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
Pre-heat oven or grill to 350°F.
For the crumble topping:
In a medium sized mixing bowl combine flour, apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal, chopped pecans, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cold grated butter until it forms a coarse crumble.
For the apple filling:
In another large mixing bowl combine the apples with melted butter, flour, corn starch, lemon juice, light brown sugar, salt and spices and toss to fully coat the apples. Next fold in the blackberries and pour the apple mixture into a 12-inch cast iron pan.
To assemble:
Fully coat the top of the apple mixture with the crumble topping and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
Allow the crumble to cool slightly, and then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Or chill overnight and serve cold.
MARASCHINO CHERRY CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, “Cream cheese, maraschino cherries and Betty Crocker™ Supreme original brownie mix create a trio of delight in this fudgy irresistible treat!”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes; Servings: 16.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Filling
3 oz (from 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons chopped maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry
1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice
1 egg, separated, yolk reserved for brownie batter
Brownies
1 box (16 oz) Betty Crocker™ Supreme original brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box
Reserved egg yolk
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom of 9-inch square pan with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar with spoon until smooth. Add flour, cherries, cherry juice and egg white; mix until well blended. Set aside.
Make brownie batter as directed on box adding reserved egg yolk. Reserve 3/4 cup brownie batter; set aside. Spread remaining batter in pan. Spoon filling by tablespoonful dollops evenly onto batter, making 3 rows by 3 rows. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the reserved brownie batter in center of each filling dollop. Draw knife through mixture in four straight lines horizontally, the vertically for swirled design.
Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool 30 minutes on cooling rack. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until chilled. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before stirring up the batter, allowing it to soften and warm up. Or, to quickly soften cream cheese, remove from wrapper and place on microwavable plate. Microwave uncovered on High about 10 seconds or just until softened.
To make a pinker filling, add a few drops of red gel food color when making the cream cheese filling.
Adding the extra egg yolk to the brownie batter gives structure and helps the cream cheese filling swirl throughout the brownies.
Be sure to insert toothpick in the brownie and not the cream cheese filling when testing for doneness.
To make cutting the brownies a breeze, line the baking pan with foil, allowing some to hang over edges of pan. Once the brownies are chilled, you can lift them out of the pan onto a large cutting board, peel foil away and cut into serving pieces.
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