Tuesday Desserts
Today's dessert post deals with a little of this, a little of that, and a whole lot of yum. Check out the Rocky Road Bars, the Gingerbread Cupcakes with Gingerbread Frosting, and the rest of today's yummy desserts. Enjoy!
BROWNIE PIE
This is from Elizabeth Mervosh at Allrecipes. Elizabeth wrote, "This brownie pie is rich and fudgy with a perfectly crisp crust. Definitely serve with ice cream, whipped cream, and salted caramel."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Freeze Time: 30 minutes; Cool Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Bake Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes; Servings: 6; Yield: 1 brownie pie
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8487044/brownie-pie/.
Ingredients
Crust:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons ice water, or more as needed
Filling:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant espresso granules
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Directions
For the crust, combine flour, sugar, and teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse about 3 times until combined. Scatter cold butter over flour mixture in food processor. Pulse about 6 times until butter resembles pea-sized pieces. Drizzle 3 tablespoons water over butter mixture. Pulse about 6 times until couscous-like beads of dough form, adding 1 more tablespoon ice water if needed.
Transfer dough to a work surface, and press into a single mass. Shape and flatten dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Unwrap dough and place on a lightly floured work surface. Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften. Dust top of dough with flour. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll disk into a 12-inch circle. Place in a 9-inch pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides of pie plate. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place parchment paper over dough in pie plate; fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake in the preheated oven until crust is starting to set, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove pie plate from oven and take off parchment paper and pie weights. Return pie plate to oven, and bake until pie crust is light golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs, egg yolk, canola oil, and vanilla extract in a bowl until blended and smooth. Whisk in cocoa, flour, instant espresso, and salt just until combined. Stir in nuts and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Scrape mixture into cooled crust, and smooth top with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top of the pie.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes, covering the crust with aluminum foil if it gets too dark. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.
RUGELACH
This is from Cathy Barrow on The Spruce Eats. Cathy wrote, "In Yiddish, rugelach means “little twist”, referencing the crescent-shaped cookie made with tender dough coiled around a nutty filling.
"Rugelach are believed to be closely related to an 18th century Austrian pastry, and similar crescent-shaped pastries can be found in many bakeries across the world. Originally made with a yeasted dough, this cream cheese version became ubiquitous in the last century.
"Filled with nuts, spices, and dried fruit, the flaky pastry is well caramelized on the bottom and bronzed on the top. Crispy, sweet, small, and rich, they’re perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Rugelach will stay fresh for weeks in a cookie tin and make a lovely addition to cookie gift boxes."
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/rugelach-recipe-6745431.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
4 ounces cold cream cheese, cubed
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup all-purpose flour, more for the work surface
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
For the Filling:
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup dried currants
For the Egg Wash:
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water and a pinch of salt
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Add the cream cheese, butter, flour, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined and pebbly, then run the machine continuously until the dough forms a ball, about 1 minute. Alternatively, cut the cream cheese and butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until crumbly. Use your hands to gather the mixture into a cohesive dough.
Form a 6-inch disk, then wrap the dough. Use a rolling pin across the wrap’s surface to flatten and smooth the top. Tap the edges around the disk to form a 1-inch edge. This will keep the dough from crumbling at the edges when rolled out. Refrigerate the dough disk for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Stir together the walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm slightly until a fingertip can be slightly pressed into the surface without cracking, about 5 minutes.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly flour the work surface. Roll the dough into a circle about 10-inches in diameter, and about 1/4-inch thick. For the tidiest, prettiest cookies, trim to size using a fluted pastry cutter or a pizza wheel.
Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the honey over the surface of the dough leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Spread the nut mixture across the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Scatter the currants evenly over the nut mixture and press down gently into the dough.
Use the fluted wheel or pizza cutter to divide the circle into 16 even triangular wedges. It's OK if the sugary mixture moves around.
Use an offset spatula, as needed, to loosen one section at a time from the work surface. Working from the wide end of each triangle, roll the crescent up to the pointed end, pressing to seal. It's OK if some of the filling falls out and ends up on the outside of the cookie.
Place the cookie, seam side down, on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Freeze for at least 1 hour.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F. Stack another baking sheet under the one holding the cookies. Brush the egg wash lightly on the top of each cookie. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the cookies are deeply bronzed and the filling is bubbling.
Remove the baking sheet to a rack to cool the cookies completely before storing.
Recipe Tips
The recipe may be doubled. Make 2 disks, 16 cookies each.
Finely chopping the nuts makes it easier to roll the crescent tightly.
Use full fat, block cream cheese (not whipped) and the very best butter.
Currants can be hard to find. Substitute any dried fruit and chop very finely.
Avoid the temptation to increase the filling. It will be messy, contribute to burning, and will not benefit the cookie.
The cookies keep their shape best when frozen before baking.
Double the baking sheets to avoid burning. Caramelized is lovely. Burned is not.
Make Ahead
The dough may be made up to 3 days in advance or frozen up to 3 months in advance. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Recipe Variations
Crescent shape got you down? Roll the dough into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle. Spread the filling across the dough and tightly roll into a tidy cylinder from the 12 inch edge. Cut the dough into 1 inch segments and freeze the unbaked cookies, as above. Proceed with the recipe.
Swap out the dried fruit and use 2 tablespoons of any jam instead (if it’s chunky, finely chop the fruit). Spread the jam thinly across the dough, in place of the honey, and proceed. Try raspberry jam and chopped pecans. Plum jam and almonds. Cherry jam and pistachios. Nutella and chopped peanuts.
Go savory. Brush olive oil lightly across the dough. Sprinkle with za’atar, dried barberries, salted pistachios, a pinch of smoked paprika, and 2 tablespoons crumbled feta. Or try onion jam and grated parmesan cheese.
How to Store or Freeze
Rugelach store beautifully. Keep the cooled cookies between layers of wax paper in a tightly covered container where they will be delicious for up to 3 weeks.
Freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months.
Freeze the unbaked cookies for up to 3 months and bake them straight from the freezer for the same amount of time.
GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES WITH GINGERBREAD FROSTING
Just the name of this got my attention. It's from Baking at Home, and begins, "These gingerbread cupcakes have a moist, soft crumb and a delicate flavor of molasses and spices. A sweet gingerbread frosting brightens the flavor of the cupcakes. If you’re a gingerbread lover, then this recipe is for you."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 22 minutes; Total Time: 32 minutes; Yield: 12 cupcakes
To view this online, go to https://bakingathome.com/recipe/gingerbread-cupcakes-with-gingerbread-frosting/.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
1/2 C. Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening *can also use unsalted butter at room temperature.
1/2 C. light brown sugar packed firmly in cup
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 C. Grandma’s Molasses®
1/2 C. whole milk, room temperature
1 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
1-1/3 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1-1/2 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Spice Islands® Allspice *can be omitted if you do not have it on-hand
Frosting
1/2 C. butter unsalted, room temperature
1/2 C. Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
4 C. powdered sugar
1/4 C. milk
1 Tbsp. Grandma’s® Molasses
1/4 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Ginger
Directions
Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-count cupcake pan with liners; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the shortening and brown sugar; beat on medium speed until fluffy; about one minute.
Add the extract, molasses, egg, and milk. The mixture will look a little bumpy at first but will even out once the dry ingredients are added. Be sure to scrape down the stand mixer bowl with a rubber spatula since this batter will become sticky.
Reduce the stand mixer speed to low and slowly add in the flour, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Scrape down the bowl sides to mix all the batter.
Scoop batter into lined cupcake pan and fill each about 3/4 of the way. This recipe makes exactly 12 standard cupcakes.
Bake cupcakes for 20-23 minutes. A toothpick or tester inserted into the center of a cupcake will come out clean once removed.
Allow cupcakes to cool for at least one hour before frosting.
Frosting
Add room temperature butter, shortening, ginger, and molasses to a stand mixer; mix on medium-low speed until creamy.
Slowly add the powdered sugar and reduce the stand mixer speed to low. Once the ingredients start to incorporate, add the milk, and increase the speed. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides. The frosting will be thick and moist. If it is too dry add a tablespoon more of milk.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with frosting and ice cooled cupcakes. Pipe cupcakes, and then sprinkle each with gold sanding sugar. Garnish each cupcake with a topper and enjoy!
Tips
HOW TO MAKE THE GINGERBREAD FROSTING
Making gingerbread frosting is easier than you think! Typically, we use a cream cheese buttercream recipe, but adding subtle flavors of ginger and molasses sounded appealing for these holiday cupcakes. The trick is you only need a little bit of molasses and ginger flavoring to not overpower the buttercream. I used both room temperature butter and shortening in this frosting so that it would pipe well and get those perfectly crusted outer edges on the swirls.
Made in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, the end result was a sweet, rich frosting that had a subtle, warm taste of molasses, and ginger. This recipe adequately piped twisty swirls on 12 cupcakes. Consider doubling it for larger cupcake quantities.
STORING
Since these are made with fresh dairy ingredients like butter and milk they do need to be refrigerated. Store gingerbread cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days for best flavor and texture.
These can also be frozen with or without frosting. To freeze, place frosted cupcakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 2-3 hours or until solid. Once solid, wrap each with plastic wrap and store in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
RICE PUDDING WITH GOLDEN RAISINS
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Melissa wrote, "Forget egg yolks and water baths. This is a simple and superb rice pudding that uses only milk, sugar, cream, rice, salt and your choice of flavorings: rum, almond extract, vanilla, orange zest, cardamom, nutmeg, anything else you can dream up. Add the raisins at the end so they don’t get too mushy as the pudding cooks."
Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "In Praise of Pale Food", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014636-rice-pudding-with-golden-raisins.
Note: I found the article that goes with this ("In Praise of Pale Food") interesting, and hope you do, too. (Also, if you're not subscribed to The New York Times and/or The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend both.)
One last link: Check out Tejal Raos' guide "How to Make Rice."
Ingredients
3-1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 vanilla bean, split
1 cinnamon stick or 4 cardamom pods
1 strip orange peel, 1-inch wide
1/3 cup golden raisins
Crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
Preparation
In a medium heavy-bottom pot, combine milk, cream, sugar, rice and salt. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and drop them in along with the pod. Stir in cinnamon and orange peel. Bring mixture to a simmer; cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until rice is tender and mixture is slightly thickened, 30 to 40 minutes. Do not let mixture come to a boil and don’t let it get too thick, because it will thicken as it cools. Stir in raisins and let pudding rest for 5 minutes to soften them.
Serve pudding warm, room temperature or chilled, with dollops of crème fraîche, if desired.
BAKED LEMON PUDDING
This is from JR Ryall and adapted by David Tanis in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, David wrote, "My repertoire of sweet lemon recipes is limited, but, as it happened, my friend, the Irish pastry chef JR Ryall, was in town, with his new cookbook “Ballymaloe Desserts,” for which I wrote the foreword. It contains a recipe for a homey hot lemon pudding. It's not a soufflé, but it has a light, airy feel. And, as it bakes, it separates into distinct layers, custardy on the bottom and spongy on top."
Time: About 1 hour; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
This was featured in "Spring Comes Early With This Bright, Cozy Dinner", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023966-baked-lemon-pudding.
Note: Please read the article; you won't regret it. It also has a couple of more recipes that look absolutely divine. (Thanks, David!)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large lemons, grated and juiced (about 2 tablespoons zest and 6 tablespoons juice)
1 cup whole milk
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Softly whipped cream, for serving
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the middle of the oven.
Place butter in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar as you mash the mixture with a wooden spoon until it looks like damp sand.
Mix egg yolks into sugar mixture, then beat in the flour. Add lemon zest and juice, then whisk in the milk.
In a separate clean large bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold whites by hand gently into batter.
Pour mixture into a 5-cup ceramic or glass baking dish (or Pyrex pie plate). Bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes, or until mixture is just set and top is golden brown. (Alternatively, bake in individual ramekins or custard cups for about 20 minutes.)
Serve warm, dusted with confectioners’ sugar, with softly whipped cream alongside.
ROCKY ROAD BARS
This is from Baking at Home. Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 12 servings
To view this yumminess online, go to https://bakingathome.com/recipe/rocky-road-bars/.
Ingredients
Cake
2/3 C. Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
2 C. granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
1-1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Powder
1 tsp. salt
Topping
1/4 C. Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
1 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
1/3 C. evaporated milk
1/2 C. sugar
1-3/4 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 C. miniature marshmallows
1/3 C. creamy peanut butter
Directions
Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 13 x 9-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray like Baker’s Joy®.
Combine shortening and unsweetened chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power). Stir after 1 minute. Repeat at 1 minute intervals until mixture can be stirred until smooth. Stir in granulated sugar. Stir in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Gradually stir into chocolate mixture. Spread into prepared pan.
Bake 30 minutes, or until set.
Begin preparing topping during last 5 minutes of the bake time for cake. Combine shortening and unsweetened chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power). Stir after 1 minute. Repeat for 1 minute intervals until mixture can be stirred until smooth.
Transfer to bowl of electric mixer. Add evaporated milk and granulated sugar. Beat at low speed until well blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until blended.
Sprinkle marshmallows over hot cake layer. Pour prepared chocolate topping over marshmallows. Drop peanut butter by teaspoonfuls on top of hot chocolate topping. Swirl together using tip of knife. Cover pan immediately with foil. Cool in pan on cooling rack. Cut into 2 x 1-1/2-inch bars.
If topping becomes too firm to pour, reheat on low.
BROWNIE PIE
This is from Elizabeth Mervosh at Allrecipes. Elizabeth wrote, "This brownie pie is rich and fudgy with a perfectly crisp crust. Definitely serve with ice cream, whipped cream, and salted caramel."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Freeze Time: 30 minutes; Cool Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Bake Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes; Servings: 6; Yield: 1 brownie pie
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8487044/brownie-pie/.
Ingredients
Crust:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons ice water, or more as needed
Filling:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant espresso granules
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Directions
For the crust, combine flour, sugar, and teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse about 3 times until combined. Scatter cold butter over flour mixture in food processor. Pulse about 6 times until butter resembles pea-sized pieces. Drizzle 3 tablespoons water over butter mixture. Pulse about 6 times until couscous-like beads of dough form, adding 1 more tablespoon ice water if needed.
Transfer dough to a work surface, and press into a single mass. Shape and flatten dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Unwrap dough and place on a lightly floured work surface. Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften. Dust top of dough with flour. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll disk into a 12-inch circle. Place in a 9-inch pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides of pie plate. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place parchment paper over dough in pie plate; fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake in the preheated oven until crust is starting to set, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove pie plate from oven and take off parchment paper and pie weights. Return pie plate to oven, and bake until pie crust is light golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs, egg yolk, canola oil, and vanilla extract in a bowl until blended and smooth. Whisk in cocoa, flour, instant espresso, and salt just until combined. Stir in nuts and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Scrape mixture into cooled crust, and smooth top with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top of the pie.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes, covering the crust with aluminum foil if it gets too dark. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.
RUGELACH
This is from Cathy Barrow on The Spruce Eats. Cathy wrote, "In Yiddish, rugelach means “little twist”, referencing the crescent-shaped cookie made with tender dough coiled around a nutty filling.
"Rugelach are believed to be closely related to an 18th century Austrian pastry, and similar crescent-shaped pastries can be found in many bakeries across the world. Originally made with a yeasted dough, this cream cheese version became ubiquitous in the last century.
"Filled with nuts, spices, and dried fruit, the flaky pastry is well caramelized on the bottom and bronzed on the top. Crispy, sweet, small, and rich, they’re perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Rugelach will stay fresh for weeks in a cookie tin and make a lovely addition to cookie gift boxes."
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/rugelach-recipe-6745431.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
4 ounces cold cream cheese, cubed
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup all-purpose flour, more for the work surface
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
For the Filling:
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup dried currants
For the Egg Wash:
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water and a pinch of salt
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Add the cream cheese, butter, flour, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined and pebbly, then run the machine continuously until the dough forms a ball, about 1 minute. Alternatively, cut the cream cheese and butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until crumbly. Use your hands to gather the mixture into a cohesive dough.
Form a 6-inch disk, then wrap the dough. Use a rolling pin across the wrap’s surface to flatten and smooth the top. Tap the edges around the disk to form a 1-inch edge. This will keep the dough from crumbling at the edges when rolled out. Refrigerate the dough disk for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Stir together the walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm slightly until a fingertip can be slightly pressed into the surface without cracking, about 5 minutes.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly flour the work surface. Roll the dough into a circle about 10-inches in diameter, and about 1/4-inch thick. For the tidiest, prettiest cookies, trim to size using a fluted pastry cutter or a pizza wheel.
Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the honey over the surface of the dough leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Spread the nut mixture across the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Scatter the currants evenly over the nut mixture and press down gently into the dough.
Use the fluted wheel or pizza cutter to divide the circle into 16 even triangular wedges. It's OK if the sugary mixture moves around.
Use an offset spatula, as needed, to loosen one section at a time from the work surface. Working from the wide end of each triangle, roll the crescent up to the pointed end, pressing to seal. It's OK if some of the filling falls out and ends up on the outside of the cookie.
Place the cookie, seam side down, on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Freeze for at least 1 hour.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F. Stack another baking sheet under the one holding the cookies. Brush the egg wash lightly on the top of each cookie. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the cookies are deeply bronzed and the filling is bubbling.
Remove the baking sheet to a rack to cool the cookies completely before storing.
Recipe Tips
The recipe may be doubled. Make 2 disks, 16 cookies each.
Finely chopping the nuts makes it easier to roll the crescent tightly.
Use full fat, block cream cheese (not whipped) and the very best butter.
Currants can be hard to find. Substitute any dried fruit and chop very finely.
Avoid the temptation to increase the filling. It will be messy, contribute to burning, and will not benefit the cookie.
The cookies keep their shape best when frozen before baking.
Double the baking sheets to avoid burning. Caramelized is lovely. Burned is not.
Make Ahead
The dough may be made up to 3 days in advance or frozen up to 3 months in advance. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Recipe Variations
Crescent shape got you down? Roll the dough into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle. Spread the filling across the dough and tightly roll into a tidy cylinder from the 12 inch edge. Cut the dough into 1 inch segments and freeze the unbaked cookies, as above. Proceed with the recipe.
Swap out the dried fruit and use 2 tablespoons of any jam instead (if it’s chunky, finely chop the fruit). Spread the jam thinly across the dough, in place of the honey, and proceed. Try raspberry jam and chopped pecans. Plum jam and almonds. Cherry jam and pistachios. Nutella and chopped peanuts.
Go savory. Brush olive oil lightly across the dough. Sprinkle with za’atar, dried barberries, salted pistachios, a pinch of smoked paprika, and 2 tablespoons crumbled feta. Or try onion jam and grated parmesan cheese.
How to Store or Freeze
Rugelach store beautifully. Keep the cooled cookies between layers of wax paper in a tightly covered container where they will be delicious for up to 3 weeks.
Freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months.
Freeze the unbaked cookies for up to 3 months and bake them straight from the freezer for the same amount of time.
GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES WITH GINGERBREAD FROSTING
Just the name of this got my attention. It's from Baking at Home, and begins, "These gingerbread cupcakes have a moist, soft crumb and a delicate flavor of molasses and spices. A sweet gingerbread frosting brightens the flavor of the cupcakes. If you’re a gingerbread lover, then this recipe is for you."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 22 minutes; Total Time: 32 minutes; Yield: 12 cupcakes
To view this online, go to https://bakingathome.com/recipe/gingerbread-cupcakes-with-gingerbread-frosting/.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
1/2 C. Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening *can also use unsalted butter at room temperature.
1/2 C. light brown sugar packed firmly in cup
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 C. Grandma’s Molasses®
1/2 C. whole milk, room temperature
1 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
1-1/3 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1-1/2 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Spice Islands® Allspice *can be omitted if you do not have it on-hand
Frosting
1/2 C. butter unsalted, room temperature
1/2 C. Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
4 C. powdered sugar
1/4 C. milk
1 Tbsp. Grandma’s® Molasses
1/4 tsp. Spice Islands® Ground Ginger
Directions
Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-count cupcake pan with liners; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the shortening and brown sugar; beat on medium speed until fluffy; about one minute.
Add the extract, molasses, egg, and milk. The mixture will look a little bumpy at first but will even out once the dry ingredients are added. Be sure to scrape down the stand mixer bowl with a rubber spatula since this batter will become sticky.
Reduce the stand mixer speed to low and slowly add in the flour, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Scrape down the bowl sides to mix all the batter.
Scoop batter into lined cupcake pan and fill each about 3/4 of the way. This recipe makes exactly 12 standard cupcakes.
Bake cupcakes for 20-23 minutes. A toothpick or tester inserted into the center of a cupcake will come out clean once removed.
Allow cupcakes to cool for at least one hour before frosting.
Frosting
Add room temperature butter, shortening, ginger, and molasses to a stand mixer; mix on medium-low speed until creamy.
Slowly add the powdered sugar and reduce the stand mixer speed to low. Once the ingredients start to incorporate, add the milk, and increase the speed. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides. The frosting will be thick and moist. If it is too dry add a tablespoon more of milk.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with frosting and ice cooled cupcakes. Pipe cupcakes, and then sprinkle each with gold sanding sugar. Garnish each cupcake with a topper and enjoy!
Tips
HOW TO MAKE THE GINGERBREAD FROSTING
Making gingerbread frosting is easier than you think! Typically, we use a cream cheese buttercream recipe, but adding subtle flavors of ginger and molasses sounded appealing for these holiday cupcakes. The trick is you only need a little bit of molasses and ginger flavoring to not overpower the buttercream. I used both room temperature butter and shortening in this frosting so that it would pipe well and get those perfectly crusted outer edges on the swirls.
Made in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, the end result was a sweet, rich frosting that had a subtle, warm taste of molasses, and ginger. This recipe adequately piped twisty swirls on 12 cupcakes. Consider doubling it for larger cupcake quantities.
STORING
Since these are made with fresh dairy ingredients like butter and milk they do need to be refrigerated. Store gingerbread cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days for best flavor and texture.
These can also be frozen with or without frosting. To freeze, place frosted cupcakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 2-3 hours or until solid. Once solid, wrap each with plastic wrap and store in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
RICE PUDDING WITH GOLDEN RAISINS
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Melissa wrote, "Forget egg yolks and water baths. This is a simple and superb rice pudding that uses only milk, sugar, cream, rice, salt and your choice of flavorings: rum, almond extract, vanilla, orange zest, cardamom, nutmeg, anything else you can dream up. Add the raisins at the end so they don’t get too mushy as the pudding cooks."
Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "In Praise of Pale Food", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014636-rice-pudding-with-golden-raisins.
Note: I found the article that goes with this ("In Praise of Pale Food") interesting, and hope you do, too. (Also, if you're not subscribed to The New York Times and/or The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend both.)
One last link: Check out Tejal Raos' guide "How to Make Rice."
Ingredients
3-1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 vanilla bean, split
1 cinnamon stick or 4 cardamom pods
1 strip orange peel, 1-inch wide
1/3 cup golden raisins
Crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
Preparation
In a medium heavy-bottom pot, combine milk, cream, sugar, rice and salt. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and drop them in along with the pod. Stir in cinnamon and orange peel. Bring mixture to a simmer; cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until rice is tender and mixture is slightly thickened, 30 to 40 minutes. Do not let mixture come to a boil and don’t let it get too thick, because it will thicken as it cools. Stir in raisins and let pudding rest for 5 minutes to soften them.
Serve pudding warm, room temperature or chilled, with dollops of crème fraîche, if desired.
BAKED LEMON PUDDING
This is from JR Ryall and adapted by David Tanis in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, David wrote, "My repertoire of sweet lemon recipes is limited, but, as it happened, my friend, the Irish pastry chef JR Ryall, was in town, with his new cookbook “Ballymaloe Desserts,” for which I wrote the foreword. It contains a recipe for a homey hot lemon pudding. It's not a soufflé, but it has a light, airy feel. And, as it bakes, it separates into distinct layers, custardy on the bottom and spongy on top."
Time: About 1 hour; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
This was featured in "Spring Comes Early With This Bright, Cozy Dinner", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023966-baked-lemon-pudding.
Note: Please read the article; you won't regret it. It also has a couple of more recipes that look absolutely divine. (Thanks, David!)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large lemons, grated and juiced (about 2 tablespoons zest and 6 tablespoons juice)
1 cup whole milk
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Softly whipped cream, for serving
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the middle of the oven.
Place butter in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar as you mash the mixture with a wooden spoon until it looks like damp sand.
Mix egg yolks into sugar mixture, then beat in the flour. Add lemon zest and juice, then whisk in the milk.
In a separate clean large bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold whites by hand gently into batter.
Pour mixture into a 5-cup ceramic or glass baking dish (or Pyrex pie plate). Bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes, or until mixture is just set and top is golden brown. (Alternatively, bake in individual ramekins or custard cups for about 20 minutes.)
Serve warm, dusted with confectioners’ sugar, with softly whipped cream alongside.
ROCKY ROAD BARS
This is from Baking at Home. Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 12 servings
To view this yumminess online, go to https://bakingathome.com/recipe/rocky-road-bars/.
Ingredients
Cake
2/3 C. Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
2 C. granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
1-1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Powder
1 tsp. salt
Topping
1/4 C. Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
1 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
1/3 C. evaporated milk
1/2 C. sugar
1-3/4 C. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 C. miniature marshmallows
1/3 C. creamy peanut butter
Directions
Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 13 x 9-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray like Baker’s Joy®.
Combine shortening and unsweetened chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power). Stir after 1 minute. Repeat at 1 minute intervals until mixture can be stirred until smooth. Stir in granulated sugar. Stir in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Gradually stir into chocolate mixture. Spread into prepared pan.
Bake 30 minutes, or until set.
Begin preparing topping during last 5 minutes of the bake time for cake. Combine shortening and unsweetened chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power). Stir after 1 minute. Repeat for 1 minute intervals until mixture can be stirred until smooth.
Transfer to bowl of electric mixer. Add evaporated milk and granulated sugar. Beat at low speed until well blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until blended.
Sprinkle marshmallows over hot cake layer. Pour prepared chocolate topping over marshmallows. Drop peanut butter by teaspoonfuls on top of hot chocolate topping. Swirl together using tip of knife. Cover pan immediately with foil. Cool in pan on cooling rack. Cut into 2 x 1-1/2-inch bars.
If topping becomes too firm to pour, reheat on low.
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