"Chocolate Street" Cookies

"Chocolate Street" Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 39.

These cookies are also known as "brownie drops". I made them a little larger than what the recipe called for. They are slightly crisp on the outside and deliciously moist and soft on the inside.

1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
Scant 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 TBS. unsalted butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 oz. (3/4 cup) walnuts, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment (I didn't have parchment paper so I used silicone mats).

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

Melt the chocolate with the butter in the top of a small double boiler. Set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs at high speed until they are light in color.

Gradually add the sugar.

Continue to beat for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is white and forms a ribbon when you lift the beater.

Beat in the vanilla.

Add the cooled melted chocolate, beating only until smooth.

Add the sifted dry ingredients and beat only enough to blend.

Stir in the nuts.

Drop the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. (The recipe calls for teaspoon sized scoops but I made them larger).

Bake for about 10-12 minutes, reversing the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. When done, the tops of the cookies will be cracked and feel semi-firm when lightly touched. Do not overbake. Cool on the sheets for about a minute, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Cuban Banana Bread

Cuban Banana Bread
Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 257.

We are leaving for the beach in a few weeks so I've been busy in the kitchen baking treats for us to enjoy on the trip. I usually make cookies and breads that travel easy. Banana Bread is always a staple and I have a recipe (non-Maida) that I really like. I thought I would give this one a try for something different. It is chock full of raisins and nuts and includes an unusual ingredient - bran cereal. I was pleased with the outcome and thought it tasted close to the other banana bread I make.

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup bran cereal (not flakes)
3 to 4 medium sized bananas (fully ripe)
2 TBS. water
1/2 cup raisins
4 oz. (generous 1 cup) walnuts, cut or broken into medium-sized pieces 

Adjust rack 1/3 up from the bottom of the oven. Preheat to 350. Butter a loaf pan that has a 7 1/2 cup capacity. Dust it with fine bread crumbs. Set aside.

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

Beat the butter until soft.

Add the vanilla extract.

Add the sugar. Beat until mixed.

Add the egg, beating until pale in color.

Add the bran cereal. Beat until just mixed.

In a separate bowl, mash the bananas slightly with a fork (some coarse pieces should remain). Add the water to the bananas. Stir to mix.

Add the bananas to the bran mixture. Beat only to mix. (The mixture will appear curdled - that is okay).

Add the raisins.

Add the nuts. Beat only to mix.

On low speed, add the sifted ingredients. Beat only until incorporated - do not overbeat.

Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Smooth the batter on top.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack. Let stand for several hours or overnight or refrigerate at least 1-2 hours before slicing.

Chocolate Chip-Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate Chip-Coconut Macaroons
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 120.

These are wonderful macaroons and I could not stay out of them. Michael, who always wants to embellish recipes, said he thought they would be good with almonds. He doesn't seem to understand that the whole purpose of my blog is to make the recipes the way Maida Heatter wrote them! Anyway, I agreed that I would try one batch with the almonds. He toasted some for me and I added it. For me, they were not as good. Score one for Maida! These are delicious exactly the way she wrote the recipe!

1/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 TBS. butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs (large)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
10 1/2 oz. (4 loosely packed cups) shredded coconut
6 oz. (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 325. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil.

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

Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Set aside to cool but do not let it harden.

 

In a mixer bowl, add the sugar to the eggs and beat at high speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is almost white.

Lower the speed and add the sifted dry ingredients. Beat only until incorporated.

Add the liquid butter and fold it in.

Add the vanilla, folding it in.

Add the coconut, fold in.

Add the chocolate chips.

Fold in until mixed.

Use a rounded teaspoon of the mixture and place them 1 1/2 inches apart on the aluminum foil.

Bake two sheets at a time, reversing about half-way to ensure even browning. Bake for about 12-18 minutes until parts of the top of the cookie is lightly golden - some parts of the cookie will still be white.

Transfer to a cooling rack with a spatula. If baking one sheet at a time, use the lower rack.

Glaze

6 oz. semisweet chocolate

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler.

Cover one or two cookie sheets with aluminum foil or wax paper.

Take a cooled cookie and dip the bottom in the chocolate. You can use a knife or spatula to smooth the chocolate in a thin layer if needed.

Place the cookies chocolate side down on the lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Store the macaroons in an air-tight container. They are best stored in the refrigerator and served cold.

New York City Chocolate Cheesecake

New York City Chocolate Cheesecake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 104.

This is a very rich dessert but oh, so good! I took Maida's advice and added whipped cream and cherries to offset the richness. You can also use strawberries or other fruit. The cookie crust is made from chocolate wafer cookies and I made these myself. If you don't have time to make the wafers, you can always buy cookies at the store or even use chocolate graham crackers. 

This is a great treat to serve at a party or get-together. I ate a big slice of this last night while I was watching the Emmy Awards. I can tell you right now that this is a dessert I will be making again!

Note: A reader informs me that their cake sank as it was cooling. I didn't have this problem but she suggested letting it cool for several hours inside the oven.)

Crust

8 oz. chocolate wafer cookies (store-bought or make your own)
3 oz. (3/4 stick sweet butter, melted

Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom and preheat oven to 375. Butter the sides only of a 9x3 inch springform pan.

Place the wafer cookies in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

Process until the cookies become fine crumbs and transfer them to a mixing bowl.

Pour the melted butter into the crumbs.

Use a fork to stir the butter with the crumbs.

Pour about two-thirds of the crumbs into the pan and tilting it at a 45-degree angle, form a layer of crumbs around the edge of the pan with your fingertips.

Use the remainder of the crumbs for the bottom of the pan. Press gently but firmly.

Filling

12 oz. semisweet chocolate (2 cups morsels or 12 squares, coarsely chopped)
24 oz. (3 8-oz. packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs (large or extra-large)
1 cup sour cream

Place chocolate in a double boiler and melt over low heat (barely simmering water). Set aside to cool slightly.

Cream the cream cheese until it is very smooth.

Add the vanilla.

Add the salt.

Add the sugar and mix well.

Add the chocolate.

Mix well, scraping sides of the bowl as necessary, until the mixture is smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well.

Add the sour cream.

Pour the mixture into the crumb crust. Smooth the top with a spatula or turn the bowl briskly back and forth.

Ready for the oven - bake for one hour.

After baking, allow to cool completely on a rack. Then cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cheesecake from the pan right before serving (or earlier). Before unclasping the pan, run a sharp knife around the sides. Release the pan. If you want to remove it from the bottom pan, use a thin, wide spatula and carefully slide it under the crust and rotate it all the way around. The cake is firm and easy to transfer. Refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.