Denver Brownies

Denver Brownies  (Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 121.

These are sooooo good. I think these may rank as one of my favorite of Maida's numerous brownie recipes (my favorites are the Palm Beach Brownies and the Santa Fe Brownies).

Maida Heatter says she got the recipe at a television station in Denver and was told that Julia Child had raved about them. I can see why. 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp. water or coffee
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, in pieces at room temperature
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) walnuts or pecans, cut into medium-sized pieces
2 tbsp. bourbon, brandy, or rum

Preheat oven to 325. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil. Butter the foil and set aside. (Note: It is helpful to cut the foil large enough so that it drapes over the sides of the pan. This will make it easier to remove from the pan).

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

Place the honey, water or coffee, butter and chocolate in a 2-3 qt. saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture has melted.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the eggs, one at a time.

Add the flour mixture and mix well.

Stir in the nuts.

Transfer to the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for about 25 minutes until tester comes out barely clean. Do not overbake.

Remove from the oven and brush the hot cake with the liquor.

Cool slightly and carefully remove from the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before applying the frosting.

White Icing

4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

Beat the butter until soft. Add vanilla and gradually add sugar, beating until soft and fluffy.

Spread the icing over the cake and smooth the top.

Refrigerate.

Chocolate Icing

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. shortening
1 tbsp. unsalted butter

Place the chocolate, shortening and butter in the top of a double boiler over hot water. Bring water to a boil, turn off the heat and cover for a few minutes until the mixture has melted. Whisk until smooth.

Pour the icing in ribbons over the cake and use a spatula to smooth it out.

Refrigerate.

Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the brownies into 1" squares.

Rum Mocha Chocolate Sauce

Rum Mocha Chocolate Sauce (Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 259. 

At the moment, this is my new favorite chocolate sauce for ice cream. Wonderfully soft and rich with a pronounced mocha flavor. Delicious! 

I've had some of this in a jar in my refrigerator for several days now and it remains very soft. It is soft enough to spoon out easily and pour over ice cream. But it is also great warmed as well.

I did not have dark rum but did have light so I used that. I don't think it would make a great difference.

1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp. dark rum (or light)
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry instant coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt the butter over low heat in a medium-sized heavy saucepan (I used 3 quart size).

Add the sugar, cocoa, rum, heavy cream and salt. Stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil.

Add the instant coffee and stir until dissolved.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

It can be served hot, warm or at room temperature. It can be reheated over hot water. It is good for weeks stored in the refrigerator.

Apple Tart

Apple Tart
Source: Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 155.

This turned out to be a delicious dessert although I made blunders so the above photo of the final product is not that accurate. In other words, this is a very forgiving recipe!!!

The tart was already in the oven and had been baking a while when I noticed 1/2 cup of sugar still sitting on the counter. I realized that I had forgotten to mix the sugar with the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. So I had just sprinkled the spices over the apples without the sugar. That explained why the apples looked more like croutons and the tart looked rather dry in the oven. What to do?

I was in the process of making the apricot glaze so, at the last minute, decided to add the sugar into the glaze and brandy mixture. 

Another aspect of this recipe that I found confusing were the instructions on cutting the apple slices. On reading them now, they sound clear but I just cut the apple into small pieces. So the overlapping apple slices that you normally see on a flat tart are absent in my final result. (On the instructions below, I've quoted her instructions).

Despite these errors, it turned out fantastic and it is wonderful with vanilla ice cream.

The tart is made in a large 15.5" x 10.5" jelly-roll pan and it is easy to remove from the pan (Slice with a sharp knife and use a spatula).

Pastry

(Do not refrigerate before rolling out.)

2 1/2 cups unsifted unbleached flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Zest of 2 large lemons
1 1/4 sticks (5 oz.) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Mix the egg and yolks and lemon juice in a small bowl or cup. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest and pulse a few times.

Add the butter and pulse 6-8 times.

With the processor running, pour the egg mixture into the feed tube. Process for about 30 seconds until the mixture begins to come together but has not formed into a ball).

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and form it into a mound. Press the dough out with the heel of your hand until expanded. Form the dough into an 18' x 13" square. Trim off the sides to make it as square as possible.  

Transfer the dough to the jelly-roll pan with your rolling pin. Press the dough around and up the sides of the pan with your fingers. Trim off edges with a sharp knife. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Filling

3/4 cup (2.5 oz.) walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
3 lbs. (about 6 large) tart apples (such as Granny Smith)
2 1/2 oz. raisins
2 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 450.

Mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and set aside.

Peel the apples, core them and cut into 1/8 inch slices by placing the halved apples flat side down and cutting them crosswise and into wedges. (Not the way I sliced them!)

Sprinkle the raisins and the nuts over the pastry.

Place the apple slices lengthwise over the raisins and nuts (or you can do like I did and place them haphazardly).

Drizzle the melted butter over the apples.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 and bake for 40 additional minutes. Reverse the pans halfway to ensure even baking.

Apricot Glaze

(Prepare the glaze when the tart is about 15 minutes from finishing)

1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tbsp. Calvados or applejack (or any type of brandy)

In a small pan, melt the preserves and brandy over low heat. Strain if needed. Return to the saucepan and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

After removing the pan from the oven, drizzle the glaze over the apples.

Serve hot or at room temperature. 

Note: If you had dough remaining, it can be used to make cookies. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown. (I did not try this).