Mad About Maida

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie

2012-03-17T13:14:00.000-05:00

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 381.

Very easy to make and very delicious, especially if you love chocolate. It has to be refrigerated for a few hours or preferably overnight to set up. I didn't have any luck getting it to slice attractively so I did not get a "serving shot".

Crust

1 1/4 cups graham crumbs
1 TBS sugar
3 oz. (3/4 stick) butter, melted

Adjust rack to center of oven and preheat to 350. Mix the crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a large bowl (you can use a fork or spoon to do the mixing). Turn into a 9-inch pie plate. Use your fingertips to spread the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom and sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, then chill.

Filling
3 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs

Adjust rack to center of oven and preheat to 350.
Place both chocolates in the top of a double boiler over warm water over moderate heat. Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the salt, sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the chocolate, mixing well.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pie crust and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand until cool. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

You can serve the pie as is or you can add this topping (I didn't do this):

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS confectioners sugar
2 bananas

In a small chilled bowl with chilled beaters whip the cream with the vanilla and sugar until the cream holds a shape. Place eight large spoonfuls of the cream around the edge of the pie.
Just before serving, slice the bananas on a sharp angle forming eight long slices. Place one slice of banana standing on its edge in each mound of whipped cream.

Black Bottom Pie

2012-03-08T00:12:00.001-06:00

This recipe is a variation of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (author of "The Yearling", "Cross Creek" and "Cross Creek Cookery"). Both recipes call for ginger (or gingersnaps) in the crust. I have to confess that I did not like the crust. The ginger was too strong and if I make it again, I will omit that. If you like ginger, you'll probably love it but if not, you are warned! Otherwise, this a light, creamy custard-like pie that has a lot of fans.

Crust
1 1/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs
1 TBS. sugar
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
2 oz. (1/2 stick) sweet butter

Adjust oven rack to the center and preheat to 375 degrees.

Mix the crumbs with the sugar, ginger and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and stir.


Press the mixture against the sides of the pie plate (Maida recommends a glass plate). Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until lightly browned around the edges.

Filling

2 oz. (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1 TBS (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
Pinch of salt
4 large eggs, separated
1 3/4 cup milk
2 TBS dark rum
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cream of tartar


Melt the chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Set aside to cool slightly.

Sprinkle the envelope of gelatin over the cold water and set aside.

Mix 1/2 cup of the sugar with the cornstarch and pinch of salt. Set aside. (Reserve the remaining sugar for later).

Place the egg yolks in the top of a double boiler and mix lightly with a wire whisk or fork.

In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk. You will see small bubbles or a wrinkled skin on the surface of the milk when it is ready.

Stir in the sugar-cornstarch mixture.

Slowly pour the milk mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring gently and scraping the pot with a rubber spatula. The custard should reach the consistency of a medium cream sauce. Remove the top of the double boiler and set aside. Remove 1 cup of the custard and set aside to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until tepid. For the remaining custard (in the double boiler) - add the softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. Stir in the rum and set aside.

Gradually add the 1 cup of reserved custard to the chocolate, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Mix until smooth. Add the vanilla, stir and turn the mixture into the prepared crust. Spread level and refrigerate.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and the cream of tartar until the mixture increases in volume and starts to thicken. While beating, gradually add the reserved 1/2 cup of sugar and continue to beat until the mixture holds a shape - not stiff; it should be the consistency of thick marshmallow sauce. Gradually fold the rum custard into the beaten whites.


Pour this mixture over the chocolate layer, mounding it high in the center. (If there is too much filling, reserve some at room temperature. Chill the pie in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes or in the refrigerator for a bit longer to partially set the filling. Then pour on the reserved portion and it will not run over.)

Refrigerate the pie for 2-3 hours. Then prepare the following whipped cream.

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 scant teaspoon vanilla extract

In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, whip the ingredients until the cream holds a shape. Spread the cream evenly and smoothly over the filling. Or use a pastry bag fitted with a large star-shaped tube and form a heavy ruffled border. (Or spread the cream smoothly and sprinkle with grated or shaved chocolate)

Bittersweet Chocolate Macaroons

2012-02-29T23:40:00.000-06:00

Bittersweet Chocolate Macaroons
Source: Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies (Random House, 1995 ed.), pg. 212.

I thought all macaroons had coconut in them but this recipe proved me wrong. It does have the consistency of coconut - very chewy and moist. True to their name, they are bittersweet so if you like macaroons that are not overly sweet, you might like these.

7 oz. (1 1/3 cups blanched almonds
1 oz. semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 TBS. unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
Pinch of salt
3 egg whites

Adjust two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with baking parchment or with foil, shiny side up. Set aside.

Toast the almonds in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Remove 12 of the almonds. Chop them into small pieces (they will be used to sprinkle on top of the macaroons before baking). Set aside.

Place remaining almonds in a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade.

Chop the semisweet chocolate and add it to the processor bowl. Add the sugar, cocoa and salt.

Pulse a few times and then process for about 30 seconds until the almonds are fine.

With the motor running, add the egg whites through the feed tube and process until mixed.

Shape the mixture into round cookies (you can use a pastry bag, a teaspoon or scooper for this). Place them about an inch apart on the foil.


Sprinkle the tops with the reserved chopped nuts. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, reversing the sheets top to bottom and front to back once during baking. When done, the macaroons should feel soft but dry, not sticky. Do not overbake. Transfer to a cooling rack with a metal spatula. Store in an airtight container.

How To Blanch Almonds

2012-02-29T21:50:00.001-06:00

I had never blanched an almond in my life before I discovered Maida Heatter. Many of her recipes call for blanched almonds, which are simply peeled almonds. It is as easy as 1-2-3-4-5-6 but it can be a little time consuming if you need lots of them.

Step 1: Place the almonds in a bowl - use a good-sized bowl so that the almonds are not piled up on top of each other.

Step 2: Add boiling water, just enough to cover the almonds. Let this sit for 1 minute. However, if your almonds are not the freshest, let them sit a little longer (1.5 to 2 minutes).

Step 3: Drain the water off the almonds

Step 4: Rinse the almonds

Step 5: Spread the almonds out on a paper or cloth towel to dry

Step 6: Hold the almond between your thumb and finger and squeeze at the tip. The skin will peel right off. (Sometimes you may have to slightly scratch the tip to break the skin if they are tough)

Pennies From Heaven

2012-02-26T11:43:00.000-06:00

Pennies From Heaven
Source: Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies (Random House, 1995 ed.), pg. 155.

Fragile and dainty, these are small (about the size of a quarter) cookie sandwiches. They are extremely buttery and almost melt in your mouth.

The dough is soft and very easy to work with. You can freeze a portion of the dough to make a batch of them at a later date.

The recipe originates from Chris Gargone at Remi, an Italian restaurant in New York City.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (to use when shaping the dough)
1 cup plus 1 TBS sifted unbleached flour
1 cup plus 1 TBS strained cornstarch
1 cup plus 1 TBS confectioners sugar
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract


Place the oatmeal in a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Pulse several times until the oatmeal is powdery. Set aside.

Place flour, cornstarch and sugar in food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Pulse once or twice to mix. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the flour mixture, along with the salt and vanilla. Process only until the ingredients form a ball and hold together.

Cut the dough in half (you can freeze the other half if you'd like to make more cookies later). Spread the oatmeal over a large board.

Form the dough into an oblong tube. Use both hands and roll the dough gently back and forth until you have it about 11 inches long and 1 1/4 inches in diameter.

The dough should be chilled in the refrigerator for one hour (or longer) before baking.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and adjust the rack to the center position. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 1/8 inch slices. Place the slices on the lined cookie sheets(s).

Bake one sheet at a time for 12-16 minutes until the cookies are sandy-colored around the edges (they will be pale in the center). Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

Filling:

3 oz. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp dark rum
2 tsp heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Beat the butter until soft. Beat in the vanilla, rum and heavy cream.
Then beat in the confectioners sugar.

Place a small dab of the buttercream on the bottom of one cookie. Do not spread it to the edges, just about 1/4 tsp in the center.


Place another cookie over it and press gently (they are fragile!) together. Place in the refrigerator briefly, only enough the harden the filling. Leftover filling can be stored in the refrigerator for future use. Store in an airtight container.

Viennese Chocolate Icebox Cookies

2012-02-14T13:54:00.001-06:00

Viennese Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 123.

Dark and delicious, these cookies look and taste like those you might purchase in a fancy tin. They have a sandy, crisp texture and are fragile.

Ingredients:
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) sweet butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Crystal sugar or coarsely chopped blanched almonds

Melt the chocolate in a double boiled over medium heat.

Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and sugar. Mix well.

Beat in the egg and the melted chocolate.

On low speed, gradually add the flour, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat only until the mixture is smooth.

Cut a piece of wax paper about 15 inches in length. Place the dough by large spoonfuls down the length of the paper, forming a heavy strip of dough about 12 inches long.

Bring up both sides of the paper and press it with your fingers to form a roll about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the paper around the dough and store it in the refrigerator until firm. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for a week or two or it can be frozen. It must be sliced at refrigerator temperature or it will crack when sliced frozen.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil.

Place the dough on a cutting board and slice 1/4 pieces with a sharp knife. Place the cookies on the cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the crystal sugar (or nuts) over the top.

Bake for 8 - 12 minutes until done. They should be firm on top. Reverse the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack with a metal spatula. Store airtight.

Toblerone Milk Chocolate Mousse

2012-02-13T16:23:00.000-06:00

Toblerone Milk Chocolate Mousse
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 232.

Surprise your Valentine sweetie or guests with this wonderful mousse made with Toblerone chocolate bars. Incredibly creamy and soooo chocoately, it is heaven!

The recipe makes 4 servings so if you need more, just double it.

Ingredients:

*7 oz. Toblerone milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
*6 TBS boiling water
*1/2 cup heavy cream
*2 egg whites
*Pinch of salt
*2 TBS sugar
*Optional: additional Toblerone for shaving over the top

Place the chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the boiling water and stir until the chocolate is melted. As soon as the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat and set aside.

Whip the cream until it holds a definite shape.

Beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold a soft shape. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture holds a firm shape.

Chill the melted chocolate briefly in the freezer, stirring occasionally. The chocolate should be cold enough to thicken very slightly but do not let is start to harden.

Fold the chocolate, beaten egg whites and whipped cream together only until incorporated.

Pour the mousse into four individual dessert bowls or wine glasses. Cover and freeze for at least a few hours or a few days.

Optional: The top can be decorated with whipped cream, Toblerone pieces or both.

Chocolate Chip Wheat Germ Cookies

2012-02-08T19:14:00.002-06:00

Chocolate Chip Wheat Germ Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 115.

These cookies were a pleasant surprise and I absolutely love them. They are crisp and chewy and I like them even better than the Positively-The-Absolute-Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are very large and flat (you measure them out with a 1/4 measuring cup and I'm not exactly sure if they have to made this large. Maida Heatter credits Esther Starbuck, a high-school teacher from Buena Vista, Colorado for this recipe.

3/4 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 lb (1 stick) sweet butter (softened)
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant) oatmeal
3/4 cup untoasted wheat germ
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Adjust two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with foil and set aside.

Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat in the vanilla and two sugars. Add the egg and beat well. On low speed add the sifted dry ingredients, scraping the bowl and beating only until mixed. Mix in the oatmeal, wheat germ and coconut. Stir in the morsels.


Spread out a piece of wax paper. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure out the dough for each cookie. Form mounds (this will make about 9 or 10) on the wax paper.

Wet your hands with cold water and roll a mound of dough into a large ball for each cookie. Place about 5 inches apart on the foil-lined cookie sheets.

Press the dough balls with the tines of a fork in all directions to flatten them to 1/2 inch thickness. (If the dough cracks around the edges, press them back together).

Bake two sheets at a time for 12 - 20 minutes (depending on your oven), reversing the sheets from top to bottom and front to back midway through baking. When they are done, the cookies will be lightly colored and the tops will spring back when lightly pressed. Do not under bake - make sure they are crisp on the edges and bottom when cool. The cookies will spread out 4-5 inches when done. (If baking only one sheet at a time, use the upper rack).

Let cool on the foil briefly before transferring to a cooling rack with a metal spatula. When cool, store airtight.

Rocky Roads

2012-02-04T14:15:00.001-06:00

Rocky Roads
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 250.

This is probably the easiest Maida Heatter recipe you will find. Only three ingredients, no baking and you can make it in 10 minutes. It is very pretty and you could wrap the entire block of candy and give it as a gift.

1 pound milk chocolate (I used Hershey's)
12 large marshmallows or 1 2/3 cup miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups pecan halves or large pieces

Line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch square cake pan with foil. If using large marshmallow into quarters. (Use miniature marshmallows to save time and skip this step).

Break the chocolate into pieces and slowly melt it on low heat in a double boiler.

Pour about half of the chocolate mixture into the foil lined pan and spread it to cover the bottom.

Sprinkle half of the nuts over the chocolate.

Place the marshmallows pieces in an even layer over the chocolate and nuts.

Drizzle the remaining chocolate over the top. It will not cover the top but should be drizzled so that it holds the nuts and marshmallows in place. Top with the remaining nuts.

Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill until firm. Remove from the pan, peel off the foil and cut into 16 to 24 squares. They can be wrapped individually in wax paper or cellophane or wrap the entire block in foil until serving. Store in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate fresh looking. It will keep for weeks.

Boston Cream Pie

2012-01-30T12:04:00.003-06:00

Boston Cream Pie
Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 95.

My birthday was last week and Michael always makes me my favorite cake, the Boston Cream Pie. He doesn't do a lot of baking although he is an excellent cook. He usually uses a box mix but this year he asked me if Maida Heatter had a recipe. Of course she did! I helped him and we made the cake in installments, first baking the cake and freezing it. The filling was made a few days before my birthday and refrigerated. Then, on the last day, the cake was assembled and the frosting made. I have had many Boston Cream Pies and I can easily say that this was the best one ever! The filling was outstanding and Michael thinks it would make an excellent filling for a coconut cream pie. No one (including Ms. Heatter) seems to know why this is called a "pie" instead of a "cake" but regardless of the name, it is a sinfully delicious dessert.

Vanilla Pastry Cream

If you make the cake in one day, make this vanilla pastry cream first so that it can be chilled. Otherwise, you can make this ahead of time and refrigerate it.

2 eggs
1/4 cup plus 1 TBS sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 oz. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Beat the eggs lightly and set aside. Mix the flour, salt and sugar in a heavy 1-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in the milk, then cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until the mixture comes to a boil and starts to thicken. Continue to stir and boil gently for a minute or two. The mixture will be thick - similar to vichyssoise.

Remove pan from the heat and ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture to the eggs and stir well to mix. (Do this slowly and stir to avoid cooking the eggs). Repeat, adding 1/2 cup at a time until you have added about half of the mixture to the eggs. Slowly , stirring constantly, stir the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk mixture.

Place the pan over low heat and cook, still stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the butter and the almond and vanilla extracts.

Stop the cooking by pouring the mixture into a bowl. Cut a round of wax paper to fit on top of the cream, touching it. This prevents a skin from forming.

Let this stand and cool and then refrigerate for at least an hour. You can make it a day or so ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until needed.

Sponge Cake

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS cold water
3 TBS unsalted butter, melted

Adjust rack to center of the oven and preheat to 350. Butter a 9 x 1 1/2 inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper, butter the paper and dust with fine dry bread crumbs.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer until the whites hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to medium and slowly add 1/3 cup of the sugar (reserve the remaining 1/3 cup). Increase the speed and beat briefly until the whites hold a point when the beaters are raised. Do not let the whites become stiff or dry.

Transfer the whites to a large mixer bowl. Set aside.

Place yolks in the small bowl of the mixer. Beat briefly, then gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar. Beat at high speed until the mixture is very light - almost white. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice. Lower the speed and add the cold water, scraping the bowl as necessary and beating only until the mixture is smooth.

Fold the yolk into the whites in four additions (do not handle more than necessary).

Place the dry ingredients in a sifter and hold the sifter over the bowl, sifting with one hand and folding with the other. Add the dry ingredients in four or five additions. (do not handle more than necessary).

Add the melted butter to the batter and fold gently until barely incorporated. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the top springs back when pressed gently with a fingertip.

Remove from oven. Use a sharp knife to cut around the rim of the pan to release the cake. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes before turning the cake out onto a cooling rack.

The cake must be cut into two layers but this is easier to do if chilling or freezing the cake first.

When ready to cut, use of long thin sharp knife (or cake cutting tool) to cut the cake into 2 thin layers. Spread the chilled pastry cream over the first layer to 1/2 inch from the edges of the cake. Cover with the top layer. Refrigerate the cake while you make the glaze.

Chocolate Glaze

1/4 cup whipping cream
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse

Place the cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add the chocolate, stir briefly until partly melted, remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir until completely melted. Transfer the glaze to a small bowl and let it stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the glaze onto the cake; then, with a long, narrow metal spatula, smooth it just to the edges of the cake. Try to avoid letting the glaze run down the sides of the cake but it is okay if it does. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

2012-01-23T14:53:00.000-06:00

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 28.

I'm sure my love of chocolate comes from my mother, who loves it as much as I do. I always try and take a dessert to her house every week when I visit. Over the weekend, I whipped up these cookies. They are easy to make and delicious. They are just like plain peanut butter cookies but with a hint of chocolate.

They burn easily on the bottom so be sure and start checking them about 10 minutes after they go in the oven.

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 ounce semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 egg

Bake these cookies one sheet at a time so some won't burn before others are done. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and position the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375.

Place both chocolates together in a small double boiler over simmering water (low heat) to melt the chocolate.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Place the butter in the small bowl of an electric mixer and beat until soft. Add the vanilla and both sugars and mix well. Mix in the peanut butter.


Add the melted chocolate and mix. Beat in the egg.


Add the sifted dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until incorporated.


Turn the mixture out onto a piece of foil or wax paper. Shape it into an oblong log. Slice it into 48 pieces.


Take the pieces and roll them into balls. Place them 2 inches apart on the parchment paper.


Use a fork to gently flatten the cookies.

Bake one sheet at a time, about 10-15 minutes, reversing the sheet front to back about half-way through. Press lightly with your fingertip - the cookies should be dry and semi-firm when done. They will become crisp after they cool. Transfer to a cooling rack with a metal spatula.

The Orient Express Chocolate Torte

2012-01-21T17:05:00.000-06:00

The Orient Express Chocolate Torte
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 37.

This is a small, dense, flourless cake (only 5 ingredients in the cake!) that is a bit unusual. The cake is very nutty as it is mostly composed of ground almonds. The chocolate buttercream icing is divine.

I had a few problems with this cake. I made the cake first and kept in the freezer over a week before I made the frosting and assembled it. The cake itself is very, very thin and quite fragile. At first I thought I had used too large of a pan but I went back and checked and my springform pan was 9 x 3 so it was correct. After the cake has baked, it is sliced into 2 pieces. It is best to freeze it first before cutting. Still, even after freezing, the cake was trying to come apart. The recipe says that the cake is fragile and she is not kidding!

I also had issues with the frosting. Maida says to beat the frosting quite a bit and then place it in the freezer or refrigerator to firm it up and then remove it and beat it again. I found that the icing was perfect after the first beating but putting it in the freezer for a few minutes really screwed up both the texture and the glossiness. If I make this again, I think I will skip the freezer part and the frosting will be just fine. I also found that there was not enough frosting to cover the entire cake and I ended up leaving the sides bare.

So, be warmed, this is a somewhat challenging cake!

For the cake:

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

7 ½ oz. (1 ½ cups) unblanched almonds

5 eggs, separated

2 egg yolks

¾ cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

Place the oven rack 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. Preheat the oven to 300. Butter a 9 x 3 inch springform pan or cake pan, line the bottom with buttered wax paper and dust with fine breadcrumbs.

Coarsely chop the chocolate and place it in a food processor or nut grinder. Add the almonds and pulse until they are finely ground.

Pour the 7 egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat until yolks are lemon-colored but not thick.

Add the ground chocolate and almond mixture and mix.

In a clean and dry mixer bowl, pour the 5 egg whites and the salt. Beat until they hold shape, but not until they are stiff or dry. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 - 65 minutes, or until the top just springs back when pressed with the fingers. Remove from the oven and run a sharp knife around the outer edge of the cake. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing it. Let the cake cool completely. It can be frozen for later assembly.

Buttercream Frosting:

3 oz. (3/4 stick) sweet butter

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

Cream the butter and vanilla in a small mixer bowl. Add the sugar and mix about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on high for a few minutes after each one is added.

Place the chocolate in the top of a double broiler placed over low heat and slowly melt the chocolate.

Add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. Place the mixture in the freezer or refrigerator until it is quite firm. Remove the buttercream from the freezer or refrigerator and beat until it is soft, smooth, and spreadable. (**See my notes about this above)

Remove the cake from the freezer and slice it into two pieces. Spread 1/3 of the buttercream on top of the bottom layer of cake. Place the second layer of cake on top of this, cut side down. Spread the remaining buttercream over the cake top and sides.

Positively-the-Absolute-Best-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies

2012-01-04T13:04:00.000-06:00

Positively-the-Absolute-Best-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed., pg. 109. A later, slightly modified version appears in Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies (Random House, 1995 ed.), pg. 151.

This is Maida Heatter's version of the world famous Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. In her original chocolate book, the only difference I see is that Maida suggests using 1 teaspoon of hot water to dissolve the baking soda (which, she says, is the way Ruth Wakefield did it) and she adds an additional cup of nuts. Later, she reprints the recipe again in Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies and says that she now uses 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract instead of one and 16 oz. of chocolate instead of 12. And, instead of using morsels, she uses semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate bars, cut into pieces. I have added the additions in parenthesis after the listed ingredients for the orignal recipe.

They are one of my favorite cookies and perfect with a glass of milk. I can never eat just one! I prefer them soft so I don't let them bake as long as the recipe suggests.

8 oz. (2 sticks) sweet butter
1 tsp. salt (2 tsp. in modified recipe)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. hot water
8 oz. (2 generous cups) walnuts, cut or broken into medium-size pieces
12 oz. (2 cups) semisweet chocolate morsels (16 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate bars cut into pieces in modified recipe)

Preheat the oven to 375. Cut aluminum foil to fit cookie sheets.

Cream the butter in a mixer. Add the salt, vanilla and both sugars and beat well. Add the eggs and eat well. Lower the speed of the mixer and about half of the flour and beat only until incorporated. In a small cup stir the baking soda with the hot water until it is dissolved. Mix it into the dough. Add the remaining flour and beat only to mix. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the chocolate and the nuts.

There are various methods for forming the dough. You can simply drop the batter from a teaspoon or you can freeze the dough overnight (Ruth Wakefield did this). Maida prefers forming the dough into balls with your wet hands. She says they will have a more even color and taste better. Whichever method you chose, place the dough 2 inches apart on the foil and slightly flatten the top with a spoon or your fingertips.

Bake for about 12 minutes until the cookies have browned all over. If using only one cookie sheet, use the upper rack. If using two sheets, reverse them from top to bottom half-way through the baking time.

Let the cookies cool for a few seconds before transferring them to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Black Forest Cherry Torte

2011-12-29T15:07:00.002-06:00

Black Forest Cherry Torte
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 54.

Making this cake was quite a production but I did it in stages, over several days. I've made Black Forest Cake before but used a different recipe. This one was very good although at first I thought the nutty texture of the cake was odd. I believe the cake gets better after a few days. This is a BIG cake, takes up a lot of room in the refrigerator and will feed a lot of happy people. I took this to my mother's house on Christmas day.

I made the filling and the Kirsch syrup first and stored it in the refrigerator. I made the cake the second day and froze it. The whipped cream frosting was made last, on the morning of the day it was served, and the cake was assembled. I thought that the whipped cream recipe made way too much frosting. In fact, I think it could have been halved and there would have been plenty of frosting and filling for the cake. I didn't do the best frosting job but I was in a hurry!

(Note: The wording in the recipe has been slightly edited in parts but the content is the same).

The Cake:

1/2 cup almonds, blanched or unblanched
1/2 cup sifted, all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
9 large eggs
1 TB. water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt

Adjust rack 1/3 from the bottom of the oven and preheat to 350. Butter a 10x3 inch round cake pan or spring form pan and dust the sides with dry bread crumbs (these are in addition to those called for in the ingredients).

Finely ground the nuts in a food processor or nut grinder and set aside.

Sift together the cocoa and flour and set aside.

Separate 8 of the eggs and place the yolks, the remaining whole egg and the tablespoon of water in a mixer bowl. Beat at high speed for 4 or 5 minutes until the mixture is pale lemon colored. Reduce the speed and gradually add 3/4 cup of the sugar (reserving 1/4 cup). Increase the speed to high and beat for a few minutes until the mixture forms a wide ribbon when the beaters are raised.

On lowest speed add the ground almonds and the bread crumbs, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until incorporated. Fold in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula then briefly beat at lowest speed until everything is incorporated. Remove from the mixer.

Place the 8 egg whites and the salt in the large bowl of the electric mixer. With clean beaters beat at high speed, until the whites barely hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to moderate and gradually add the reserved 1/4 cup of sugar. Then increase the speed again and beat until the whites hold a firm shape but are not stiff or dry.

Add two or three large spoonfuls of the whites to the chocolate mixture and stir to lighten the chocolate a bit. Fold in two or three more spoonfuls. Then add all of the chocolate to the whites and fold only until blended.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and briskly rotate the pan a bit first one way, then another, to level the top.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.

Immediately cut around the sides with a firm, sharp knife to release the cake. Cover with a rack and invert, remove the pan, cover with another rack and invert again, leaving the cake right side up to cool.

If possible, chill the cake in the freezer for about an hour to make it easier to slice into two layers.

(My notes: I put toothpicks around the center of the cake to help me cut it as evenly as I can)

Cherry Filling

This may be made several days ahead if you wish.

1 1 lb. cans red sour pitted cherries (water packed)

3/4 cup plus 2 TBS. liquid drained from the cherries

1/2 cup sugar

2 TBS. cornstarch

Few drops red food coloring

1/4 tsp. almond extract

Optional: additional kirsch (to be used when assembling the cake)

Drain the cherries (you will have about 3/4 cups of cherries), setting aside 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the liquid - you will not need the remaining liquid.

Spread out the cherries on several thicknesses of paper towels to dry thoroughly.

In a small saucepan, stir the sugar and cornstarch to mix thoroughly. Gradually add 3/4 cup of the liquid, reserving the remaining 2 tablespoons. Stir constantly to keep the mixture smooth.

Place over moderate heat and stir gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture comes to a low boil. Reduce the heat slightly and barely simmer, stirring gently, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the food coloring and almond extract.

Pour into a bowl, add the drained cherries, and stir. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate.

Kirsch Syrup

This may be made ahead of time if you wish.

2 TBS. liquid reserved from the drained cherries above (or water)
2 TBS sugar
1/3 cup kirsch

Place the cherry liquid and the sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over moderate heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Let boil for one minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the kirsch, and let stand to cool.

Whipped Cream Frosting

4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup kirsch

Chill the mixer bowl and beaters (or whisk).

Place all the ingredients in the mixer bowl and beat (or whisk) until the mixture is firm enough to use as a filling and icing - it must hold a definite shape.

To assemble the cake: Line a large cake plate with four strips of aluminum foil. If you have not already done so, cut the cake into two layers).

Place the bottom layer cut side up and brush it with half of the kirsch syrup. If the cherry filling has stiffened too much, stir in very little (1 to 2 tablespoons) of the additional kirsch.

Place all of the cherry filling on the cake, moving the cherries around to make an even layer - and keeping the cherries about 1/2 inch away from the edges.

Spread some of the whipped cream about 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick over the cherries.

Cover with the second layer of the cake, placing it cut side down. Brush the top with the remaining syrup.

Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Or reserve about 2 cups of the cream for decorating. Spread the cream smooth. (If you wish, you can decorate the cake with rococo rosettes using a pastry bag). Sprinkle with shaved chocolate. Remove the foil strips.

Refrigerate for the better part of the day. It should have time to mellow (it gets better), but whipped cream is not as light and delicious if it stands overnight.

The World's Best Hot Fudge Sauce

2011-12-22T16:31:00.002-06:00

The World's Best Hot Fudge Sauce
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 258.

My Notes: A reader requested this recipe. I tried it today and it is fantastic. Very easy to make and it took less than 10 minutes. The sauce is dark, rich and sublime.

Here is the recipe, exactly as written:

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp sweet butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
pinch salt
1/2 cup strained Dutch-process cocoa powder (don't substitute - it must be Dutch process for the right color and flavor)

Place the cream and butter in a heavy 1-quart saucepan over moderate heat. Stir until the butter is melted and the cream just comes to a low boil. Add both sugars and stir for a few minutes until they are dissolved. (The surest test is to taste; cook and taste until you do not feel any undissolved granules in your mouth.)

Reduce the heat. Add the salt and cocoa and stir briskly with a small wire whisk until smooth. (If the sauce is not smooth - if there are any small lumps of undissolved cocoa- press against them, and stir well, with a rubber spatula.) Remove from the heat.

Serve immediately or reheat slowly, stirring frequently, in the top of a double boiler over hot water, or in a heavy saucepan over the lowest heat.

This should be thick, but if it is reheated it may be too thick. If so, stir in a bit of hot water, adding very little at a time.

Mulattoes

2011-12-18T14:53:00.000-06:00

Mulattoes
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 199.

These are chunky, extreme chocolaty cookies full of nuts and chocolate chips.

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
3 oz. (3/4 stick) butter
1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. instant coffee or espresso
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 oz. (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 oz. (2 1/4 cups) walnuts or pecans, broken into medium pieces

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Melt the first three ingredients (chocolates and butter) over moderate heat in a double boiler. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Beat the eggs, sugar, coffee and vanilla on high speed for 1-2 minutes. Lower the speed and add the chocolate mixture. Add the dry ingredients, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Beat only until blended. Transfer to a large bowl.
Stir in the chocolate chips and the nuts.
Drop by heaping tablespoons on the lined sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake 12-14 minutes. Tops will by dry. Centers should remain moist and chewy. Do not overbake. Let stand on cookie sheets until firm enough to move to a cooling rack.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

2011-12-17T13:46:00.001-06:00

Mexican Wedding Cakes
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 242.

I recall eating these purchased in a bag and never dreamed that they were so easy to make. Only five ingredients and very simple to put together. In fact, you can have these completed from start to finish in less than 30 minutes.

These shortbread-like cookies are also known as Russian Tea Cakes, Snowdrops or Snowballs as well as a host of other names.

The recipe says that it makes 24 small cookies and that is exactly how many it made for me.

1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter
2 TBS confectioner's sugar (plus additional for sprinkling over the tops after baking)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
2 1/2 oz. (3/4 c.) walnuts, chopped very fine (but not ground)

Adjust oven rack one-third ways down from top of the oven. Preheat to 375.

Beat the butter until softened. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat 1-2 minutes. Lower the speed on the mixer and add the flour and then the nuts, beating until the dough holds together.

Remove the dough from the mixer. Scoop one tablespoon of dough for each cookie and form into 1-inch balls. Place them one inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes until lightly colored. Transfer to a cooling rack with a metal spatula. After the cookies have completely cooled, dust with confectioners sugar.

Barbara's Milk Chocolate Biscotti

2011-12-12T11:39:00.001-06:00

Barbara's Milk Chocolate Biscotti
Source: Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies (Random House, 1995 ed.), pg. 17.

Two firsts for me - making biscotti and blanching almonds. I've noticed that a lot of Maida's recipes call for blanched almonds. It is a simple, albeit time-consuming chore. If you are new to blanching almonds as well, all you do is bring a pan of water to a boil, remove it and place your almonds in the water. Let them sit for one minute, pour out the water and place the almonds on a towel. The skins will pop out when you squeeze them. A method that worked well for me was standing the almonds upright and slightly pushing down on the tips. I found that skins came off much easier this way.

The whole biscotti recipe is a long process. It bakes twice, the first go-around for one hour and the last time for 40 minutes. However, putting it together is not that difficult and you have a lot of down time during the baking sessions. Biscotti is addictive and it keeps well and makes a nice present for the holidays. Maida notes that if you prefer your biscotti softer, you can place it in a sealed paper bag for two or three days.

The first chapter of "Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies" is devoted to biscotti with about ten different recipes. So, if you are a biscotti lover, there is more to come!

This recipe makes about 50 pieces.

7 oz. (1 1/3 cups) whole blanched (skinned) almonds
7 oz. milk chocolate (Hershey's Symphony bar or other)
1 3/4 cups sifted unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process recommended)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Toast the almonds in a shallow pan at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice. Set aside to cool.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a food processor.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa and sugar. Add about a cup of this mixture to the chocolate.

Process for about 30 seconds, until the chocolate is fine and powdery.

Add the processed chocolate mixture to the remaining sifted ingredients. Stir in the almonds.


Beat the eggs in a small bowl with the vanilla just enough to mix.

Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients.


This will be a tad difficult to stir. A wooden spoon is recommended. Keep at it until it is well mixed.

Place two 20-inch lengths of plastic wrap on a work surface. Spoon a strip of dough down the middle of each. The strips should be about 13-14 inches long. Flatten the tops with a wet spoon. Lift the sides of the plastic wrap and drape it over the roll. Use your fingers to press the dough down into an even strip, about 14-15 inches long, 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick. Transfer to a cookie sheet or pan and place in the freezer for 2 hours (or longer).

Baking

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with foil or parchment paper.

Unwrap the dough (it will be sticky) and transfer it to the baking sheets. Maida recommends placing them diagonally on the sheets. I'm am not sure what the reasoning is behind this but I did it anyway!

Bake for 1 hour, reversing the sheets front to bar and top to bottom to ensure even baking. During baking, the strips will spread out about 7 or 8 inches.

After 1 hour, remove the sheets from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 275. Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the strips to a board. Use a serrated bread knife to cut the strips crosswise into slices 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide.

Now place the cut slices on unlined cookie sheets, standing upright. Bake for an additional 40 minutes, again reversing the sheets front and back, top and bottom about halfway through.

Cool and store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars

2011-12-10T11:56:00.000-06:00

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
Source: Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies (Random House, 1995 ed.), pg. 87.

This is the type of thing that I can't keep my hands off of - simple to make and sooooo good. I actually used raw peanuts in this recipe because that was what I had on hand. I did increase the salt to 1/4 tsp to compensate. They still turned out great. I used apricot preserves and smooth peanut butter. I'm not really sure what the jam is meant for.

4 ounces (1 cup) salted peanuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sifted unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon any jam, jelly or marmalade
1/2 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
12 ounces (2 cups) milk chocolate morsels

Adjust a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan as follows: Place the pan upside down. Center a
17-inch length of aluminum foil, shiny side down, oven the pan. With your hands, press down on the sides and corners of the pan to shape the foil to fit. Remove the foil. Run tap water into the pan, pour out all but 1 or 2 tablespoons (the wet pan helps hold the foil in place), and place the shaped foil in the pan. To butter the pan, place a piece of butter in the pan. place the pan in the oven to melt the butter, and then spread it all over with a piece of crumpled plastic wrap. Set aside.

Place the peanuts and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Pulse the machine several times to chop the peanuts a bit. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.


In the large bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter, vanilla, and jam, jelly or marmalade to mix. Add the peanut butter and beat to mix. Then beat in the brown sugar. Add the eggs and beat until smooth. On low speed beat in the sifted dry ingredients.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the chopped peanuts and granulated sugar. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake for about 35 minutes, reversing the pan front to back once during baking, until a toothpick gently inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand until cool.

Cover with a cookie sheet or a cutting board, turn upside down, remove the pan and foil, cover with another cookie sheet or cutting board and turn upside down again, leaving the cake right side up. Let stand for a few hours or chill briefly until firm enough to cut. With a long, sharp knife cut the cake into quarters. Cut each quarter in half, then cut each piece into 3 or 4 bars. If you wish, wrap each piece in clear cellophane or wax paper, or place in an airtight box with wax paper between the layers. Makes 32 bars.

Swedish Jelly Cookies

2011-12-09T10:39:00.001-06:00

Swedish Jelly Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 247.

Making these cookies was not my finest moment in the kitchen. It is not that the recipe is that hard but you have to do a number of steps after they come out of the oven and you have to be quick or the dough will crack. Which is what happened to me. Then again, I was also trying to get photos. Multi-tasking is not my strong point! The next time I make these, I will be sure and have someone helping me. An extra pair of hands is recommended. I also slightly burned the first batch on the bottom because I thought they were not browning properly on top. The second batch turned out perfect.

These have a shortbread-like taste. I'm not really a big fan of shortbread but Michael is and he raved about these. He thinks they are some of the best cookies I've ever made. Maida recommends adding nuts to make them fancier and the next time I will do this.

Here is the recipe exactly as written -

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Thick apricot preserves, or currant jelly

Adjust oven rack to top position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter, salt and almond extract. Beat in the sugar and then the egg yolk. On lowest speed gradually add the flour, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula, and beating only until mixture holds together.

Using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie (or a bit less for daintier cookies), roll into even balls 1 inch or less in diameter. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. After shaping the dough balls, make a shallow depression in the top of each, using a blunt instrument about 1/2 inch in diameter, e.g., the end of the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula. Form the depressions quickly before the cookies dry out, or they will crack.

After shaping and denting all the cookies, fill the hollows with preserves or jelly. This is best done with a small paper cone, in which case the preserves should be strained first. Alternatively, the preserves or jelly may be applied with the tip of a small knife, in which case they would not have to be strained. Either way, fill the hollows level.

Bake only one sheet at a time, reversing position of pan during baking to insure even browning. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until cookies are golden-colored.

While cookies are baking, prepare the following glaze:

1 cup confectioners sugar
2 TBS boiling water (approx.)

Mix sugar and water until smooth, using enough water to make it consistency similar to heavy cream. The glaze should not be too thick; it should be thin enough to flow easily when brushed on. Cover airtight when not in use.

When cookie sheet is removed from the oven, immediately brush the glaze over each cookie, using a soft brush and brushing over both jelly and cookie. Glaze will set immediately and then cookies may be transferred with a metal spatula to a rack to cool.

Note: To make these fancier, sprinkle a very little bit of coarsely chopped green pistachio nuts or chopped toasted almonds on cookies before glaze dries. It would be best if someone could help with this, since glaze must be applied while cookies are hot.

Palm Beach Brownies with Chocolate Covered Mints

2011-12-07T15:28:00.001-06:00

Palm Beach Brownies with Chocolate Covered Mints
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. viii.

When Maida Heatter's first book (the above-mentioned title) won the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame Award in 1998, she accepted her award on stage and began to toss out these brownies to the audience. Everybody clamored for one and went wild.

The original recipe came from a local deli in her area and did not include the mints (that recipe is available in the first edition of this book). She tinkered with the recipe and added the mints which do not melt during baking. I've been itching to make these ever since seeing them featured on the cover of the book.

These brownies are soft, gooey and wonderful. I like them best at room temperature. Every year, just before the holiday break, goodie bags are put together for our hard-working student library employees. This was my contribution to the bag this year.

8 oz. unsweetened chocolate
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 oz. (2 cups) walnuts
5 eggs graded "large"
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄2 tsp. almond extract
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1 TBS. plus 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
3 3⁄4 cups sugar
1 2⁄3 cups sifted unbleached flour
2 bags (14 oz. or 15.4 oz.) York chocolate-covered peppermint patties

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a 9" × 13" × 2" pan as follows: Invert the pan and center a 17" length of aluminum foil, shiny side down, over the pan. With your hands, press down on the sides and corners of the foil to shape it to the pan. Remove the foil. Turn the pan right side up. Place the foil in the pan and very carefully press it into place in the pan. Butter the foil by putting a small piece in the center of the pan and place the pan in the warm oven. After a few minutes, remove the pan and use a pastry brush to spread the melted butter all over the foil. Set the prepared pan aside. (Note: Maida recommends using a Magic Line pan for these. I do not own one and used a regular pan. The edges did burn (like she said they might) but they can easily be trimmed off.)

Place the chocolate and the butter in the top of a large double boiler over hot water on moderate heat, or in a 4- to 6-cup heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are melted. Stir to mix. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts, salt, espresso, and sugar at high speed for 10 minutes. On low speed, add the chocolate mixture (which may still be warm) and beat only until mixed. Then add the flour and again beat on low speed only until mixed. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the walnuts.

Pour half the mixture (about 3 1⁄2 cups) into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Place a layer of the mints, touching each other and the edges of the pan, all over the chocolate layer. Cut some mints to fill in large spaces on the edges. (You will not use all the mints. There will be some left over.) Pour the remaining chocolate mixture into the pan and smooth all over.

Bake for 35 minutes, reversing the pan front to back once during baking to ensure even baking. At the end of 35 minutes, the cake will have a firm crust on top, but if you insert a toothpick in the middle it will come out wet and covered with chocolate. Nevertheless, it is done. Do not bake any longer.

Remove the pan from the oven; let stand until cool. Cover the pan with a cookie sheet and invert the pan and the sheet. Remove the pan and the foil lining. Cover the cake with a length of wax paper and another cookie sheet and invert again, leaving the cake right side up. Now, the cake must be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight before it is cut into bars.

When you are ready to cut the cake, use a long, heavy knife with a sharp blade, either serrated or straight—try both. Cut the cake into quarters. Cut each quarter in half, cutting through the long sides. Finally, cut each piece into 4 bars, cutting through the long sides. (I think these brownies are better in narrow bar shapes than in squares.) Pack brownies in an airtight box or wrap individually in clear cellophane, wax paper, or foil. They freeze perfectly and can be served very cold or at room temperature.

Note: When you remove the cake from the pan you might see burned and caramelized edges. (You might not - it depends on the pan.) If you do, you leave them on or cut them off. I have friends who say that this is the best part. I cut them off, but then I can't resist eating them. (MH)

East 62nd Street Lemon Cake

2011-12-04T20:28:00.001-06:00

East 62nd Street Lemon Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 127-28. Also in Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews McMeel Publishing. 1997 ed.), pg. 22. (2011 ed., pg. 20).

This is a popular recipe created by Maida Heatter's daughter. It was printed in the New York Times to much acclaim. I made it this weekend for Michael's cousin who was visiting this weekend from Mississippi. Both she and Michael love lemon and they both approved this recipe. If you like lemon, you'll love this!

Ingredients:

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
Finely grated rind of 2 large lemons

Preheat oven to 350. Use either a 9 x 4 1/2 inch tube pan or a Bundt pan. (I used the Bundt). Butter the pan and dust it with fine bread crumbs and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Beat the butter in an electric mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until mixed. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula.

Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk (beginning and ending with the flour mixture). Remove the mixer bowl from the stand and stir in the lemon zest.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Rotate the bowl back and forth a few times to level the top.

Bake for 1 hour and 5 to 10 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake stand in the pan for 5-10 minutes before inverting the pan to remove the cake. Place over foil or wax paper and prepare the glaze.

Glaze

1/3 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar

Whisk together the lemon juice and sugar and brush it over the cake while the cake is still warm.

Let the cake cool completely before transferring to a cake plate. It is best to wait a few hours before cutting the cake.

(Maida notes that key lime juice works in the glaze as well but if doing so, still use the lemon rind for the cake.)

My Notes: The cake was done in 50 minutes (as I've mentioned earlier, my oven always get things done faster than the recipe calls for). You might think the glaze is excessive (I did) but the cake absorbs it quickly. It turned out excellent. The recipe says that it serves 10 portions but they would have to be extremely large portions. I would say that you can get 15-20 slices easily.

Anise Icebox Cookies

2011-12-02T14:11:00.001-06:00

Anise Icebox Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel, 1997), page 182.

Anise seeds have a licorice flavor and a lot of people don't like that. I can't recall if I've ever had these before but I really liked them. The lemon zest is a nice touch. These are really easy to make.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 3/4 tsp. anise seed
Finely grated rind of 1 large lemon

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and set aside. Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat in the vanilla extract and sugar. Add the egg and anise seed. Reduce the speed on the mixer to low and add the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing well.

Remove the mixer bowl and add the lemon rind, stirring with a wooden spoon.


Take a 15-inch piece of wax paper. Spoon the dough lengthwise down the middle of the paper to form a strip about 10 inches long.

Fold the paper over the dough and press down to form an even oblong roll about 11 inches long, 2 1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Wrap the dough in the paper. Freeze until firm (or you can leave it in the freezer until you are ready to bake the cookies)

Baking the Cookies

Preheat oven to 400. Line cookie sheets with foil or parchment.


Remove the dough from the freezer and unwrap. Place on a cutting board.

Use a sharp knife to slice thin pieces (about 1/4 inch thick).

Bake for about 10 minutes. They are done when they are golden brown. They will be very crisp when cool. Use a metal spatula to transfer to a cooling rack.

Apple Kuchen

2011-11-29T11:07:00.001-06:00

Apple Kuchen
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 108.

The Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving were mild enough to work outside, getting the leaves blown and taking in the tender plants to the basement. Sunday was a different story as a front brought in rain and colder air. It was a perfect day to be in the kitchen! I did not have anything specifically planned to bake and Michael suggested doing something with apples since we had a large bowl of them on the counter.

Apple Kuchen comes from Maida Heatter's first book, "Book of Great Desserts". "Kuchen" is German for cake and as I started this recipe, I realized that it is a lot like Ina Garten's French Tart that we love so much. The crust for this recipe is quite different though and has a mealy, almost crunchy texture. It is very good and would be perfect for a breakfast dessert with a cup of coffee.

1/3 cup light or dark raisins
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 oz. (1/2 stick) butter
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 oz. (3/4 cup) walnuts, cut into medium-size pieces

Preheat oven to 400. Butter a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.

Steam the raisins for 3-5 minutes by placing them in a strainer over a covered saucepan of shallow boiling water. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles course crumbs. (Make sure the butter is cold for this)

In a small bowl or cup, stir the egg slightly and stir in the milk and vanilla. Add this to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork until the ingredients are moistened.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Sprinkle with raisins and nuts and set aside. (The batter is extremely sticky and I thought it was hard to spread. I tried both flowered fingers and a spoon and neither worked well).

Filling

4 medium-large apples (I used Granny Smith, Maida prefers Rome Beauties)
2 oz. (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Peel, quarter and core the apples. Cut the quarters into thin wedges. Place them, overlapping, in rows down the length of the dough (about 3 rows). Fill in areas between rows with additional apples.

Melt the butter and brush it over the apples.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the buttered apples. Cover the pan loosely with a sheet of foil.

Bake for 35 minutes, removing the foil for the last 5 minutes. Prepare the glaze.

Apricot Glaze

1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 TBS. sugar

In a small saucepan over moderate heat, bring the preserves and sugar to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 3 minutes (stirring) and then brush the mixture over the apples.

Best served warm!

Black and White Coconut Slices

2011-11-27T16:23:00.001-06:00

Black and White Coconut Slices
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel, 1997), page 164.

Chocolate and coconut - a favorite combination. These cookies remind me somewhat of a Mounds candy bar. The soft, chewy coconut and pecan center is surrounded by a chocolate cookie that has a soft, sand-like texture.

You will notice that my cookies have a circular shape. The illustration in the book shows a square-shaped cookie. I'm not sure how this happened but I doubt the shape of the cookie affects the taste.

The recipe is comprised of two parts - the filling and the dough. There are many steps but they are not that difficult.

The Filling

1 cup packed shredded coconut
3 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Chop the coconut into short pieces, either with a sharp knife or in a food processor. Set aside.
Cream the cheese in a mixer. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts and the sugar. Lower the speed and add the coconut and nuts.
Take an 18-inch piece of wax paper and spoon the filling down the length of the paper (about 14 inches long). Fold the long sides of the paper over the filling and form the filling into an even, compact roll or rectangle 14 inches long. Wrap the filling in the paper and transfer it the freezer.

Chocolate Dough

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 oz. (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate
3 oz. (6 TBS) unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 egg

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and set aside. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Set is aside to cool.
Cream the butter in a mixer. Beat in the vanilla and sugar and mix well. Beat in the egg and then the chocolate. Lower the speed and add the flour mixture, scraping the bowl occasionally and beating only until smooth.
Take a piece of wax paper about 12 inches long. Place the dough down the length of the paper, forming a strip about 8 inches long. Fold the long sides of the paper up around the dough and form the dough into a fat roll or a rectangle about 8 to 10 inches long. Refrigerate for about half an hour.

Tear off two 16-inch pieces of wax paper. Place the chocolate roll on one piece of the paper and cover it with the other piece. Roll over the wax paper with a rolling pin and form the dough into a 14x6 rectangle.

Remove the filling roll from the freezer and place it lenghtwise in the center of the chocolate dough. (Sorry for the bad photo!)

Wrap the chocolate dough around the filling, overlapping the edges slightly and pressing firmly to make a smooth, compact roll.

Wrap the roll and freeze it for a few hours or overnight, until you are ready to slice and bake.

Baking the Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the freezer and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Place the slices 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.

Bake for 10-11 minutes, reversing the sheets halfway through baking to ensure evenness. The filling will feel semi-firm to the touch. Do not overbake or the chocolate will burn.

Carefully remove the cookies with a wide metal spatula and transfer to a cooling rack.

Pecan Squares Americana

2011-11-22T17:49:00.001-06:00

Pecan Squares Americana
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 209. Also available in Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts (Random House, 1993), page 332 and Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel, 1997), page 100.

I'm just guessing but I would bet that pecan pie is one of the best-loved desserts ever. My mother loves it, Michael loves it and his aunt Berneice, who lives in Grenada, Mississippi, always requests it every year for Thanksgiving. I've already made the pecan pies and they are in the freezer. I wanted to do something different though and when I saw this recipe, I knew this was it.

This is one of Maida Heatter's signature recipes. It originated at the Americana Hotel in Miami Beach. She says that she teaches it in her classes because they are easy and everyone loves them.

When I first read the directions for the pastry shell alone, I questioned this recipe being that easy. But, of course, she is right. It was not difficult at all and if you follow her step-by-step directions, I don't think you can go wrong.

Here is what you will need for the pastry shell, which is the bottom of the cookie:

8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
Finely grated rind of 1 large lemon
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Butter a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch jelly-roll pan and line it with aluminum foil so that the bottom of the pan and the sides are covered. (An easy way to do this is to turn the pan upside down and mold the foil over the pan creating a shell and then turn the pan back over and carefully place the foil inside). Do not butter the foil. Place the pan in the freezer while you prepare the dough.

Beat the butter until is smooth and add the sugar, mixing well. Beat in the egg, salt and lemon zest. Gradually add the flour until the mixture holds together (scrap down the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure everything is incorporated).

This is the part that frightened me but there is nothing to it! Line the pan with the dough. Take rounded teaspoons of dough (a cookie scoop makes this very easy) and place them along the sides of the pan. Then add the remaining balls of dough throughout the pan placing them about 1/2 to 1 inch apart.

Now, press the balls of dough, beginning up the sides of the pan and then the bottom. Work out any thin spots and get it as even as you can.

Carefully prick the dough on the bottom of the pan at 1/2 inch intervals. Chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are slightly colored and the bottom is pale but dry. Maida goes into a lot of detail about the dough slipping and/or puffing up. I kept an eye on it (as she instructed) but only noticed it puffing up in one area. If this happens, prick it with a fork and it should subside. If the dough slips down the edges (which it didn't do with me), press it back with your fingertips (just don't burn yourself!). Prepare the topping as the pastry cools.

Pecan Topping

Ingredients:

8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup plus 2 TBS dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
20 oz. (5 cups) pecan halves or large pieces

In a heavy 3 quart saucepan over moderately high heat, cook the butter and honey, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted. Add both sugars and stir to dissolve. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 2 minutes without stirring.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and then the pecans. Wait 5 minutes. Place the pecans evenly over the crust with a slotted spoon. Drizzle the remaining mixture over the pecans. Even out the pecans to fill in any thin spots. It will appear that there isn't enough of the syrupy mixture but it will expand and fill in during baking.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

After it has completely cooled, cover with a large rack or another cookie sheet and turn it over. Carefully removed the pan and the foil. Cover again with a rack or cookie sheet and turn it back over. Chill in the refrigerator. After it has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator, transfer to a cutting board and use a long, sharp knife to cut it into squares (the size of the bars is strictly up to you!). Enjoy!

Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake

2011-11-20T19:12:00.001-06:00

Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 60.

At the library where I work, we have a party every semester for the staff members who are having birthdays. I took this cake to our party a few weeks ago. It is a three-layer cake layered and covered with a fluffy, mocha-flavored whipped cream frosting. (If you don't like the mocha flavor, you can omit the coffee or espresso).

Cake Ingredients:

6 oz. (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup water or prepared coffee
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
6 oz. (1 1/2 sticks) sweet butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs (graded large or extra-large)
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter three 9 inch pans and line the bottom with baking liner paper. Butter the paper and dust with fine bread crumbs or flour.

Place the chocolate and water (or coffee) in a double boiler over hot water until melted. Set aside to cool.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and sugar and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the cooled melted chocolate and mix well. On low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, ending with the flour. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter into the three pans and smooth.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool 10-15 minutes. Take a sharp knife and cut around the edges before removing from the pans. The top of the cakes will be slightly crusty - this is ok! Let the cakes cool completely before icing.

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

6 oz. (1 cup) semisweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup honey
2 TBS. water
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
Optional: 1 1/2 tsp. dry powdered (not granular) instant coffee or espresso

Combine the chocolate, honey, water and salt in the top of a double boiler over hot water. After the chocolate melts, set aside and allow the chocolate to cool completely.

Use a chilled whisk or beater attachment in a chilled electric mixer bowl and whisk the heavy cream (and the coffee if using) until it holds a definite shape.

Gradually fold some of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate until the chocolate is thin. Transfer both mixtures to a large bowl and fold them together.

Place a cake layer (upside down) on the serving platter and place strips of wax paper underneath to keep the plate clean. Spread the frosting between the cake layers (placing all the layers upside down) about 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick, leaving enough to cover the top and sides. Carefully remove the wax paper strips.

Refrigerate several hours or all day before serving. The whipped cream will thicken and stiffen slightly.

Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies

2011-11-18T10:59:00.001-06:00

Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 125.

I love icebox cookies. They are easy to make and it is convenient to have them on hand when you need them. You can slice off as many as you want and keep the rest in the freezer. These are very dark cookies that are crisp and not too sweet.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
1/4 tsp. salt
Generous pinch of finely ground black pepper
Generous pinch of cayene
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
6 oz. (1 1/2 sticks) sweet butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. granulated sugar
1 egg (graded large or extra-large

Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, pepper, cayenne and cinnamon and set aside.

Cream the butter in a mixer bowl and mix in the vanilla and sugar. Beat in the egg.

Gradually add the flour mixture; periodically scrap down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Shape the dough into an oblong shape, about 10 inches wide and 2 inches in diameter.

Wrap the dough in wax paper and freeze until firm.

Baking the cookies:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap the dough, place it on a cutting board and with a sharp knife, cut into slices 1/4 inch thick. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 - 11 minutes (if you have two cookie sheets, swap them about half-way through baking to ensure even baking, if using only one sheet, place it on the top rack). The cookies are done when they feel firm to the touch. Cool for a few minutes before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack. Store airtight.

If you are only using one baking sheet, the cookies will be ready in less time. Mine were done in about 7 minutes. I also like my cookies a little soft so I usually take them out of the oven a tad early.

Buena Vista Loaf Cake

2011-11-16T17:58:00.001-06:00

Buena Vista Loaf Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 94.

Maida describes this cake as "almost a fruit cake but not as sweet". Since I can count the number of times I've eaten fruit cake on one hand, I can't reliably comment. I can say that I liked the taste and Michael thought it was great. It is loaded with fruits and nuts. This was another recipe where I kept thinking it could not possibly turn out right but in the end, it did! This is a very heavy and dense cake.

Once again, I had to really watch this in our super-fast oven. The top browned more than I would have liked but on the other hand, she states that the top will be crunchy. This was ready in 1 hr. 10 min. (the recipe calls for 1 1/2 hours). As always, ovens vary.

Michael sliced this up and arranged it beautifully on a platter. I took this to the monthly Master Gardener meeting/luncheon where there was a ton of desserts already on the table. I had to leave early and get back to work so I did not get any feedback. I hope they liked it!

Here are the ingredients:

2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3 TBS unsweeted cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
1 stick sweet butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp dry instant expresso or instant coffee
1 c. sugar
2 eggs (large or extra-large)
1/2 c. milk
8 oz. (1 c.) dates, cut in half
3 oz. (2/3 c.) raisins
7 oz. (2 c.) walnut and/or pecan halves
6 oz. (1 c.) semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan and dust with fine, dry bread crumbs.*


Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cocoa.


Cream the butter in a mixer and add the vanilla, instant expresso, and sugar, beating well after each addition.

Add the eggs one at a time. On low speed, add half the sifted ingredients.
Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the bowl.

Gradually beat in the milk and the remaining dry ingredients.
Remove the bowl from the mixer stand.

Stir in the dates and mix well. Add the raisins, nuts and chocolate morsels.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake stand for about 10 minutes before carefully removing it from the pan. Let the cake completely cool on a wire rack. The crust will be crisp and crunchy. Use a serrated knife to slice.

My notes: I had never heard of dusting a baking pan with bread crumbs but Maida swears by it. I was going to try this but forgot to include them on my last shopping list. I will on the next recipe. I used flour instead and, just to be safe, lined the bottom of the pan with a piece of wax paper. It came out fine.

New Orleans Chocolate Layer Cake

2011-11-14T15:06:00.001-06:00

New Orleans Chocolate Layer Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 57.

Since this recipe is rather lengthy (as most of Maida's recipes are) and I don't want to be accused of copyright infringement, I will occasionally link the recipe elsewhere if it is available. You can find the full-text of this recipe (as well as Maida's introduction) here. If the link doesn't work, let me know.

My Notes: What a delicious cake this is! I usually make notes in the book after I complete a recipe and I had jotted down "rave reviews" next to this one. I took it to work a few weeks ago and my co-workers were very complimentary and everyone wanted to know what was in the filling. It is a dark and moist cake with a thick pudding-like filling and covered with a lush but delicate whipped cream frosting.

I also noted "filling was a bit complicated". It was, but as with all of Maida's recipes, she is very exact in her instructions. The only mistake I made was that I forgot to sift the flour and the filling was a bit lumpy. So, next time, I will make sure to sift the flour! This is a a procedure that I have almost gotten into the habit of, so I'm surprised I forgot it this time. Do sift the flour!

I also never recalled scalding milk for a recipe before. It is actually very easy, just heat it until it has a slightly wrinkled skin on top.

This is definitely a cake that I can't wait to make again!

Colorado Cowboy Cookies

2011-11-11T23:29:00.001-06:00

I recall making Cowboy Cookies in the past and I remember that coconut was involved. There are lots of different versions of this cookie (Maida says that any cookie made in Colorado which contains chocolate and oatmeal is called a "Cowboy Cookie"). They are very crisp and keep well in an airtight container. I would prefer more chocolate in them but they are still very addictive. Excellent with a glass of milk!

Colorado Cowboy Cookies
(Makes 36 cookies)

Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 119

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound (1 stick) sweet butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg (graded large or extra-large)
1 cup quick-cooking or regular (not "instant") rolled oats*
3 ounces (1/2 cup) semisweet chocolate morsels
2 ounces (generous 1/2 cup) walnuts or pecans, cut or brokeninto medium-size pieces*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with aluminum foil.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, andsalt and set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter.Add the vanilla and then both sugars and beat well. Add the egg and beat well.On low speed gradually add the sifted dry ingredients and beat, scraping thebowl with a rubber spatula, until incorporated.

Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the oats and thenthe chocolate morsels and nuts. Transfer to small bowl for ease in handling.(Maida says that the dough will be stiff but it wasn't for me)

Use a rounded teaspoonfulof the dough to make each cookie. Place the mounds 2 inches apart on thealuminum foil. Bake for about 18 minutes until the cookies are golden-coloredand completely dry.* During bakingreverse the sheets top to bottom and front to back to insure even browning.

If you bake only one sheet at a time, bake on the upperrack.

With a wide metal spatula transfer the cookies to racks tocool. When completely cool, store them airtight.

*My notes: I used quick-cooking oats and pecans. The trickiest part of making cookies is the baking time. Ovens are different and some may take longer (or shorter) than what the recipe dictates. My oven always gets food done sooner than what the recipe calls for. I've learned to deduct about 10 minutes when making a cake and about 5 minutes for cookies. I then begin checking until it is done. These cookies were ready in my oven in about 14 minutes.

Chocolate Raisin Clusters

2011-11-11T12:00:00.000-06:00

Chocolate Raisin Clusters
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews-McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 250

I wanted to start out with something really simple and Maida says in her introduction that these are so easy that a five-year-old can make them. I have made them in the past and they are indeed very easy and very delicious. On our vacation a few weeks ago, I packed some of these to snack on instead of a bag of candy bars. It is important that they be stored airtight because they do dry out quickly.

Ingredients:

8 oz. semisweet chocolate
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
5 ounces (1 cup) raisins

Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Stir until melted and smooth.

Remove the top of the double boiler. Add the condensed milk and stir until smooth, then stir in the raisins.

Use a rounded teaspoon of the mixture for each cluster, forming 24 clusters and placing them on a piece of aluminum foil.

Let stand at room temperature for about 3 hours until they are firm. Then release each cluster and turn it over to let the bottom dry.

Store airtight. Do not let these dry out. They may be frozen. (If you freeze them be sure to let them thaw before unwrapping or they will sweat.)

Welcome!

2011-11-09T21:34:00.000-06:00

This is my second blog and I will be the first to admit that I already have too many irons in the fire. My partner accuses me having undiagnosed ADD and I will not argue with that. I have often included blog posts on my other blog about my baking endeavors. Why not have a separate blog devoted to baking? And to be more creative, why not a blog dedicated to my favorite cookbook author Maida Heatter? So here I go.

What do I hope to accomplish? For one, I'd like to become a better cook and learn techniques that I've been too afraid to attempt in the past. Secondly, I'd like to introduce readers to Maida Heatter, an absolute genius whose books and recipes I've come to love. And, for the record, I've never met the woman. I only know her through her books.

Maida Heatter is an excellent teacher. Her recipes, even the simplest ones, can go on for pages and pages. That is not because they are difficult but because she leads you through the recipes step-by-step, showing you exactly how to accomplish every element. This is great for a person like myself. I have no formal training and any prior experience or knowledge has come strictly from reading cookbooks. I cannot do anything in the kitchen without a recipe and I admire people who are able to throw things together or taste a dish and tell you what it needs.

Maida has published seven books (and there have been various compilations published during the past 10 years). That is a lot of recipes (I have not counted them). I'm not going to attempt them in any order and will choose them randomly from all of her books. I will attempt whatever my mood dictates. I'm sure I will take the easier recipes first and it may be a while before I tackle recipes like the meringue mushrooms or the Dobosh torte.

I want this to be a learning experience, both for myself and any readers that you like to stop by. If you have any suggestions or comments, please offer them.

Phillip