Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

I made these on a whim.  I had the ingrediants on hand and I thought my kids would like them.  They were really good.  Not to sweet, and the filling was nicely sandwhiched between the two struesel type layers.  They were also really easy to make. 

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars
Crust
1 cup AP Flour
1 cup Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
6 TBS Butter, melted
3 TBS Orange Juice
Filling
1 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
3/4 cup Sour Cream (I used light)
1/2 cup Sugar
3 TBS AP Flour
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Orange Zest
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 325 degrees

1. Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, in a large bowl and combine with a spoon until clump free and evenly mixed. Add the butter and orange juice and mix with a spoon until fully combined. Press half of the crust mixture into a prepared 11×7 inch baking dish.
2. In a separate bowl add the cranberries, sour cream, sugar, flour, orange zest and egg. Mix until fully combined. Spread cranberry mixture over prepared crust; sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over filling. Bake for 40 minutes, or until edges are golden. Cool completely before cutting.

Sticky-Fingers Bars

Sticky-Fingers Bars


Adapted from Rebecca Rather’s “The Pastry Queen”



Makes about 24



Crust:



1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

4 (2.07-ounce) Snickers® bars

Filling:



3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup or light corn syrup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.



2. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving several inches of overhang on the short ends of the dish. (You’ll use them to lift the bars out of the dish later.) Grease the foil with butter or a nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.



2. For the Crust: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. With the mixer on medium-low, add the flour and peanuts, and mix just until incorporated.



3. Press the dough into your prepared baking dish, and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.



4. Decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.



5. Cut the Snickers® bars horizontally into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cover the crust with the Snickers® slices, leaving about 1/4-inch between slices.



6. For the Filling: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, syrup, butter, vanilla and salt. Pour the mixture over the crust, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until set. (The filling shouldn’t wiggle when you take the pan out of the oven.) Cool for 20 to 30 minutes.



7. To Assemble: Spread the peanut butter on top of the filling. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts evenly over the peanut butter.



8. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, and melt it in the microwave. Check every 30 seconds to make sure the chocolate doesn’t burn. Stir the chocolate until it’s smooth, and drizzle it over the chopped peanuts.



9. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.



10. Grab the foil edges, and lift the bars out of the pan. Using a serrated knife, trim the edges away from all four sides. Then, using a smooth sharp knife (preferably a Santoku or even a cleaver) or a bench scraper, cut into bars. Store the bars in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them. Serve chilled or at room temperature.



STORAGE: If you wrap the bars well, they will keep for about 5 days at room temperature or 3 weeks frozen.

Baked Alaska

I made the following desert as a special treat for mother's day.  My mom's favourite ice-cream is buttered pecan so I made this as a tribute to her.  It was delicious.  Once agian I was glad that I had lots of guests so that thier was not to many leftovers.  The brown butter blondie base  was good on its own put pair it with the ice cream and it is outstanding.  So try this together as a baked alaska or enjoy the parts seperately, they are yummy either way!

Brown Butter Blondies

Yield Makes about 1 dozen

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Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup toffee bits

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter and flour parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter until it turns golden brown; remove from heat, and let cool. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine browned butter and both sugars; stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Attach bowl to mixer; add eggs. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla, and beat to combine. Add flour mixture, walnuts, and toffee bits. Mix until thoroughly combined, and pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes (do not overbake). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before turning out of pan onto a cutting board. Peel off parchment paper; cut blondies into 3-inch circles. Blondies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Butterscoth Butter Pecan Ice Cream

ingredients:ice cream

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup (170g) brown sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups (500 ml)heavy cream
3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk
6 (101 g) large egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla
buttered pecans

buttered pecans
1 1/2 Tbsp.(25 g) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (150 g) pecans, chopped coarse
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

instructions:
for the ice cream:• melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. stir in brown sugar and salt. mix well.
• add 1 cup of heavy cream and the milk.  warm mixture, but do not boil.
• pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a glass bowl.  place a strainer on top. set aside.
• ladle small portions of the hot cream mixture into the beaten egg yolks, whisking the whole time ( you don’t want the egg yolks to cook and curdle. whisk vigorously). keep adding the milk mixture until you temper the eggs. pour this mixture back into the saucepan.
• over low-medium heat, stir the mixture, constantly, with a heat proof spatula. the custard is ready when the mixture thickens and the coats the back of the spatula without disappearing.  I like to run my finger along the back of the spatula.  you know it is ready when your finger track remains on the back of the spatula for at least 10 seconds.
• pour the hot custard through the strainer into the bowl of cream.  stir to combine.  add the vanilla.  cool completely and then place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl, pressing the plastic wrap on the top of the custard.  put in the fridge until cooled completely.
• put the custard in your chilled ice cream maker and mix for 30 minutes(I have a simple Cuisinart and it gets the job done).
• mix in the buttered pecans, transfer to a freezer safe container and let set.

for the buttered pecans:
• preheat oven to 350*
• melt the butter in a small skillet.  add the pecans and coat.  sprinkle with salt.
• spread nut mixture on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 1o minutes. let cool completely before adding to the ice cream.

Meringue

• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the meringue: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.


Fill a medium saucepan 1/4 full with water. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the water to a simmer.

Combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer and place over the saucepan. Whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the whites are warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high speed, whip until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Immediately fill a pastry bag, fitted with a #5 star tip, with the meringue.


To assemble: Unmold the ice cream onto the cake and pipe the meringue onto the ice cream in a decorative fashion (or spoon the meringue over the ice cream and swirl with a rubber spatula). If the ice cream starts to soften, return the cake to the freezer for 15 minutes. Place in the oven and bake until the meringue just starts to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

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Molten Chocolate Cinnamon Pots

Baked Bakery Brownies

I have been working my way through the new cookbooks that I got for Christmas so I decided to make these 'famous' brownies for Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.  They had a deep chocolate flavour and were nice a fudgy in the middle, just the way I like my brownies!

The Baked Bakery Brownies

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
11 oz dark chocolate
1 cup of butter
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9 X 13 inch pan. 

In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt and cocoa powder. 

Place the chocolate, butter and espresso powder in a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler use a saucepan of water simmering and put a heat safe large bowl over the water. Stir until the chocolate has melted fully. Turn off the heat but keep the bowl on top of the water and whisk in the sugars. Stir until combined. 

Once the mixture is at room temperature add in three eggs and whisk until incorporated. Add in the final 2 eggs and whisk. Stir in the vanilla. Using a spatula fold in the flour mixture just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven for about 30 minutes until when a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs on it. (If halving the recipe mine baked for about 22 minutes.) Let the brownies cool fully before cutting. 

Chocolate Caramel Cookie Squares

When we were Christmas baking and making this recipe my sister was complaining that she thought this recipe was too much work and that it was not going to be worth it.  Boy was she wrong.  This recipe is worth every minute it takes to prepare.  I can't even begin to tell you how good it is.  This is definitely going to become a staple Christmas recipe!

Ingredients

Makes 16
FOR THE CRUST
4 1/2 ounces (9 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for parchment
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
FOR THE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL
10 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon sea salt, preferably fleur de sel

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides; butter parchment, excluding overhang. Beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour and table salt, and beat until just combined.
Press dough evenly into pan, and bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
Make the chocolate caramel: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, washing sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming, until amber, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter, cream, and table salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until smooth. Pour over chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Stir to combine, and let stand until cool, about 10 minutes.
Pour mixture over crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight. Run a knife around edges; lift parchment to remove whole bar from pan. Sprinkle with sea salt. Trim edges, and cut into 16 bars. Bars can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chocolate-Caramel Cookie Bars - Martha Stewart Recipes

Halloween Blondies

These were another Martha Stewart cookie of the day.  I like blondies and so I decided to try them and I was not disappointed.  These are a moist gooey, fudgey, brownie my favourite kind!  If you like the cakey kind do not make these you will not like them.  They were also really easy to make, no beaters and only one bowl!  My kind of recipe!

Halloween Blondies

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more, room temperature, for pan
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup each orange, yellow, and brown candy-coated chocolates (from a 12.6-ounce bag)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with butter; line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt; stir just until moistened. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Arrange candies in 12 rows (2 rows per color, repeating once) on top of dough.
Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack and let cool completely. Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and transfer to a cutting board; cut into 16 squares. (To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.)

Crispy Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats

Recently my son and I made a rat cake for our local fair. As part to the rat cake I made marshmallows from scratch because we needed a giant marshmallow to make the rats nose as a result I had a lot of leftover marshmallow needing to be used. Enter Martha Steward of her cookie of the day recipe. I saw these rice krispee treats and knew I had my answer. These were yummy and while I enjoyed the chocolate I think that I still prefer traditional rice krispee squares but if you really like chocolate these are for you!

Crispy Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats
Ingredients

Makes 16
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1 bag (10 1/2 ounces) mini marshmallows
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa (spooned and leveled)
6 cups crisp rice cereal
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

Directions
Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom and two sides with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both sides. Butter paper; set pan aside.
In a large saucepan, combine butter, marshmallows, and cocoa. Cook over medium, stirring frequently, until melted, about 6 minutes; stir in rice cereal. Press rice mixture into prepared pan; drizzle with melted chocolate. Let cool to room temperature; cut into 16 bars. (To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 5 days.)

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

I saw this recipe a quite a while ago and was just so busy that I never got around to making it.  While this thanksgiving weekend I decided it was time and I thought they would be a nice compliment to my thanksgiving day ribs.  My husband favourite pie is pecan so I decided to make him these pie bars as a thanksgiving treat, because who wouldn't love choclate and pecan pie in bar form.  While this recipe was excellent, my grandma even asked it they were from a Paula Dean recipe.  The bars were just a little bit gooey and runny which is how I like them, however if you prefer a firmer bar you should cook them for longer.  Enjoy!

To double the recipe, use a 12 by 17-inch baking dish.
Makes about 15
Crust:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks; 12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling:
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
4 large eggs
3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup pecan halves

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch square baking pan with butter or cooking spray, and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Spray or butter the parchment.
2. For the Crust: Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium for about 1 minute. Add the sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add the flour and salt; mix on low speed until evenly incorporated but still crumbly. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for about 20 minutes, until it has darkened to a deep golden brown.
3. For the Filling: Place the chocolate in a bowl or glass measuring cup, and melt it in the microwave. Let it cool.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until blended.
5. Stir in the cooled chocolate, butter, vanilla, flour and salt.
6. Stir in the coconut and pecans.
7. Pour the filling over the cooled crust, spreading evenly. Bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes.
8. Cool thoroughly, at least 30 minutes, in the pan. Then chill the bars in the refrigerator before cutting into 3-inch squares. Store bars in the refrigerator.
Storing: Wrapped airtight, these bars will keep in the freezer for up to three weeks.

Best Ever Cocoa Brownies

It is fall and I feel the need to bake!  If I could I would make brownies, muffins, cupcakes, pies, and cookies everyday.  When the fall weather comes something in me just says it is time to bake.  My husband finds my obsession with baking a little humorous, although he does tend to enjoy the fruits of my obsession.  I saw these brownies on the Technicolor kitchen website and decided that I needed to make.  They are a moist fudgy brownie, not cakey at all, which is my kind of brownie.  They are well worth the little extra effort, and would be great with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream!

Original recipe from Technicolor Kitchen 

Best cocoa brownies

10 tablespoons (140g/1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter
1 ¼ (250g) cups sugar - I used vanilla sugar
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (80g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
½ cup (70g) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (74g) walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 20cm (8in) square baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Butter the foil.

In a medium heatproof bowl, add the butter and set on top of a large sauce pan with barely simmering water. Melt the butter, then add sugar and salt, and stir until well combined. Next add the cocoa powder and stir until mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.
Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.
Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Chuck’s note on chocolate: any unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder works well here. Natural cocoa produces brownies with more flavor complexity and lots of tart, fruity notes, which maybe more exciting for you. Dutch-process cocoa results in a darker brownie with a mellower, old-fashioned chocolate pudding flavor, pleasantly reminiscent of childhood.

Makes 16 large or 25 smaller brownies