Santa Fe Brownies

Santa Fe Brownies
Source: Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 191.

About a month ago, I discovered a Maida Heatter book that I didn't have! I know she has written quite a few and some are compilations of others so it can get confusing. Anyway, this one is called "Best Dessert Book Ever" and the recipes sound amazing. Santa Fe Brownies, from that book, is a promising start to what lies ahead.

These brownies are amazing! Incredibly moist and sinfully decadent, they are to die for. I made these during one of our snow days this week and Michael and I were afraid that we would eat the entire batch. I brought what was left to share with my co-workers.

In her introduction to this recipe, Maida says that they come from the Plaza Bakery/Haagen Dazs Ice Cream Shoppe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. People stand in line for them and after eating one, you can easily understand why. They are a bit time-consuming to make because you make two mixtures (a cream cheese mixture in addition to the regular brownie portion). They are worth it!

This recipe makes 32 large brownies.

Chocolate Mixture

1 1/2 cups unsifted unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 oz. semisweet chocolate
8 oz. (2 sticks) butter
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 TBS. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups walnuts, in large pieces

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a 9x13x2 pan by lining it with aluminum foil. Butter the foil thoroughly. Set aside.

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

Melt both chocolates and the butter in a double boiler and set aside.

Beat the eggs just to mix. Add both of the sugars.

Add the vanilla.

Add the melted chocolate.

Add the sifted flour mixture, beating only until mixed. Scrape the bowl as necessary. Remove the bowl from the mixer and remove 2 1/4 cups of the mixture and set aside.

Return the large bowl to the mixer stand and add the nuts.

Spread the chocolate and nut mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly. Set aside.

Cream Cheese Mixture

12 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
3/4 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs

In a clean bowl, beat the cream cheese and the butter.

Add the vanilla.

Add the sugar.

Add eggs, one at a time, until mixed.

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate in the pan. Spread evenly.

Take the remaining chocolate mixture that was reserved and pour it over the cream cheese mixture in a ribbon or by dollops (this mixture will not cover the cream cheese entirely). Take a knife and cut through the chocolate to create a marbeling effect.

Now sprinkle the reserved nuts over the top.

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes (it took the entire time for me). Use a chopstick or other long testing material to check it - it is ready when your tester comes out barely clean. Do not overbake. Allow it to cool in the pan and then carefully invert it onto a cutting board or something similar. Peel off the foil and wrap the entire cake in plastic wrap. Refrigerate it overnight. Cut into squares with a large serrated knife. They can be served either at room temperature or chilled.

Yum

Texas Cowboy Bars

Texas Cowboy Bars
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 150.

I had plenty of oatmeal in the pantry as well as dates that I didn't use for the holiday baking. I came across this recipe and decided to give it a try. These are quite scrumtous, a little crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. I thought they were better the next day. The recipe says that it makes about 24 bars but if you cut them into bite sized pieces, you will get much more than that.

Make the filling first:

Filling

8 oz. (1 cup) pitted dates
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Cut the dates into small pieces, put them in a saucepan with the water and sugar.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Let it boil for about 10-12 minutes until thick. Keep stirring occasionally and reduce the heat if it starts to splatter.

Stir in the lemon rind and set aside.

Crust

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 oz. (1/2 cup) walnuts or pecans, cut medium fine
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Adjust oven rack 1/3 from the bottom and preheat to 350. Line a 9-inch square pan (bottom and sides) with aluminum foil. Butter the foil.

Stir together the flour, salt and sugar.

Add the oatmeal.

Add the nuts.

Add the melted butter and stir.

Remove 1 cup of the mixture and set aside for the topping. Place the remaining mixture in the pan and smooth it out with your fingertips.

Spread the date mixture over the crust.

Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crust over the top.

Spread it evenly.

Bake for 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for another 45 minutes. Cover with a rack and carefully invert it to remove the foil. Place in freezer for 10-15 minutes or just enough to get it firm. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares.

Sponge Roll with Bittersweet Chocolate Filling and Icing

Sponge Roll with Bittersweet Chocolate Filling and Icing
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 47.

This is a soft, delicate sponge cake filled with chocolate icing that isn't too sweet. I had a few problems with the recipe and it was partly due to not following the rules. Do use butter for the pan as instructed as the cake doesn't come off the foil easily with cooking spray. This wasn't a complete disaster but I had to be very careful when removing the foil. Butter would have probably made this easier.

I also had problems with the filling getting to the right consistency but I just returned it to the heat and started over again and it turned out fine. 

I didn't use the chocolate shavings as I didn't have enough chocolate so I just used chocolate chips. 

Sponge Layer

1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs, separated
3 TBS. sifted all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
3 TBS. confectioners sugar  

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 15x10x1 jelly-roll pan with foil. Butter the foil.

Add 3 TBS. of the sugar to the egg yolks. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes until the yolks are cream-colored.

Add the flour and beat on low speed.

In a separate mixing bowl (with clean bowl and beaters), beat the egg whites, adding the reserved 1 TSB. of sugar, until they hold a shape.

Transfer 1/3 of the egg whites to the egg yolks and gently fold in. Add the remaining egg whites, 1/3 at a time, and fold in.

Turn the batter into the prepared pan, making sure that you spread it to all four corners of the pan. Bake for about 15-18 minutes until the top springs back when lightly touched.

After removing from the oven, sprinkle the cake with confectioners sugar. Cover the pan with a cookie sheet covered with wax paper and invert the cake onto it.

Now carefully peel away the foil. 

Roll the cake and the wax paper together. Allow the roll to sit until it has cooled.
Prepare the glaze. 

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze

6 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3 TBS. prepared coffee
2 TBS. light rum or cognac
1/2 to 1 cup of chocolate shavings
Confectioners sugar

Melt both chocolates with the coffee in a heavy saucepan or double boiler over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum (or cognac). Sit aside and allow it to come to room temperature.

 

After the glaze has cooled, sit it over a bowl of ice water until it has thickened. It will thicken quickly - if it becomes too thick, return it to the oven eye and reheat. When it has reached the desired consistency, unroll the cake and spread about 1/3 of the glaze over it. Roll the cake again (this time without the wax paper!).

 
 

Use the remaining glaze to cover the outside of the cake.

Transfer the cake to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes so that the glaze can set. Then dust with confectioners sugar. Let the cake stand at room temperature before serving.

Christmas Brownies

Christmas Brownies
Source: Maida Heatter's Cookies (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 118.

It doesn't have to be Christmas to make these brownies. They have candied fruit in them and I honestly had doubts before making them. The recipe just didn't sound that good. Well, they are actually quite yummy, very moist and chewy. They are fragile and will need to be handled with care to avoid cracking. Freezing them before slicing will remedy this but getting them to the freeze can be tricky!

The recipe doesn't make a lot - about 16 very thin brownies - so they will not last long. You might consider doubling the recipe. ;)

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup diced, mixed candied fruits 

Preheat oven to 300. Line a shallow 9-inch pan with aluminum foil. Brush the foil with melted butter.

Melt the chocolate and the butter in a double boiler, over barely simmering water.

Slightly beat the eggs.

Add the vanilla extract

Add the sugar, mixing well.

Add the melted chocolate/butter mixture.

On low speed, add the flour, scraping the bowl as necessary, to mix well.

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the candied fruit. Pour into the lined pan and smooth evenly.

Bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out barely clean. Let the cake rest in the pan for about 5 minutes before carefully inverting onto a piece of wax paper on a cooling rack.

Let this cool completely before transferring to the freezer. (It is very thin and fragile, so be careful!) Allow to sit in the freezer just long enough to chill and then remove and slice.