Chocolate & Peanut Butter Streusel

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Streusel Bars

I found this recipe on the site linked in the title there. Be sure to have people to give it away to, because there's a lot of this to go around! 

Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
12 ounces (about 2 cups) 60% chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter (not “natural”)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or spelt flour (can substitute all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour an 11×14-inch cake pan.
2. Bring cream to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl, and pour cream over chocolate. Mash any big pieces with a wooden spoon. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
3. With an electric beater on medium speed, cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until combined.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.
5. Place 2/3 of the dough into the pan. Spread and press over the bottom with your fingers. Spread the ganache evenly over the dough. Form the remaining dough into pea-sized globs (it takes a while, but it ensures that the crumbs stay chunky). Drop the dough evenly over the ganache. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool and cut into 1 1/2-inch squares.

Double Chocolate Pecan Pie

• 1 pie shell , 9 inch, baked

FILLING

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar , packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans , toasted and chopped into small pieces
• 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate , coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate , coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 275°F.
2. 2
   For the filling:
3. 3
   Melt the butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.
4. 4
   Remove the bowl from the double boiler but maintain the simmering water.
5. 5
   Stir in the sugar and salt with a wooden spoon until the butter is absorbed.
6. 6
   Beat in the eggs, corn syrup and vanilla.
7. 7
   Return the bowl to the double boiler and heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is shiny and hot to the touch, about 130° F on an instant-read thermometer.
8. 8
   Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans.
9. 9
   Pour the filling into the pie shell.
10. 10
    Scatter the chopped chocolate pieces over the filling and press into the filling with the back of a spoon.
11. 11
    Bake on the middle rack of the oven about 50-60 minutes, until the pie looks set but slightly soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed with the back of a spoon.
12. 12
    Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 4 hours.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/double-chocolate-pecan-pie-440373#ixzz1h5jIWjkb

Cinnamon Sugar Palmiers

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 lb puff pastry (1 sheet store bought)
• 1 egg, beaten

Preparation:

Preheat an oven to 400F.

Stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until it forms a paste.

Roll the pastry dough into a large rectangle, about 15-inches by 12-inches. Using a pastry brush or spoon, spread the cinnamon sugar paste in a thin, even layer over the dough. Starting at the long ends of the rectangle, loosely roll each side inward until they meet in the middle. To hold difficult pastry together, brush it with the egg, if needed.

Slice the pastry crosswise into 1/4-inch palmiers – they’ll look like little scrolls - and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for 12-15 minutes, until they puff and turn golden brown.

Remove them from the baking sheet and serve warm or at room temperature.

I drizzled some melted chocolate on mine. I'd probably skip that step or paint the chocolate over them next time.

Tangerine Cake with Citrus Glaze

Cake:

1 1/2 cups egg whites (room temperature)

1 1/4 tsps cream of tartar

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/8 cups cake flour (sifted)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tangerine (grated zest)

  

Glaze:

 

1/4 cup tangerine (freshly squeezed, juice)

1 tbsp egg whites

8 ozs confectioner's sugar

1	Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2	In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until white and foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue whipping until soft, droopy peaks form. Still whipping, add 1 cup of the sugar in a thin stream and whip until stiff and glossy. Sift the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the flour together 3 times to aerate and lighten the mixture. Work quickly so the egg white does not deflate (or sift through a strainer onto a sheet of waxed paper). Fold into egg whites 1/3 at a time. Fold in the vanilla and tangerine zest. Gently spoon the mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Smooth the top and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown.
3	Remove cake from oven and turn the pan upside down and hang it around the neck of a wine bottle to cool to room temperature. Slide a butter knife around the sides of the pan and put a serving plate on top. Turn over and knock the cake out onto the plate. (The browned crust of the cake will stick to the pan.) When the cake has cooled thoroughly, make the glaze and drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake. Let set in a cool place.
	Glaze: Whisk together the tangerine juice and egg whites, then add the confectioners' sugar and stir until smooth.

 

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcake with Toasted Meringue

These were quite tasty! The basic cupcake isn't overly sweet, so the meringue provides a nice burst of sweetness to the understated cupcake. I'd definitely make them again!

Ingredients:
2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mayonnaise (not low-fat)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups boiling water

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line two standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, combine the sugar and eggs and beat with an electric mixer set at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the mayonnaise and vanilla just until combined. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in half of the flour mixture just until combined.

4. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add half of the boiling water and beat at very low speed, just until the batter is smooth, 5 to 10 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat just until combined, 5 to 10 seconds longer. Beat in the remaining water. The batter will be somewhat thin.

5. Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake cup liners, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer the tin to wire racks and let cool completely.

Coconut Key Lime Cupcakes

COCONUT CUPCAKES

(Based on Marcianne Miller's recipe from her book The Artful Cupcake with some slight changes)

Note: The coconut milk used in this recipe is unsweetened and can be found with Thai foods in grocery stores. The coconut milk that you find with drink mixes has been sweetened.

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1-1/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 egg

3 egg whites

2-3/4 cups cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cups sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cupcake pans with nonstick spray. If you want the cupcakes to have smooth sides, don't use baking cups.

2. Soak the coconut in 1/4 cup of the coconut milk. Set aside.

3. Combine the remaining cup of coconut milk with the egg and egg whites.

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the soaked coconut.

6. Add the egg mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the flour mixture in two parts. Between additions, mix thoroughly and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, filling approximately halfway. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops are starting to color.

8. Let the cupcakes rest a couple of minutes in the pans, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before icing.

9. Make the Lime Curd and spread it on your cupcakes. Top with more coconut!

LIME CURD

1 teaspoon water

1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

Juice of 3 limes

Green food coloring

Zest of 1 lime

2 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces

1. Put the water in a small mixing bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it to soften.

2. In a heavy saucepan, whisk the egg yolks and sugar to blend thoroughly. Whisk in the lime juice.

3. Place the saucepan on medium heat. Stirring constantly (but not vigorously) with a wooden spoon, cook the mixture until it begins to steam and thickens. When you can draw your finger across the curd on the back of the stirring spoon and the line stays without dripping, take it off the heat.

4. Strain the curd into the mixing bowl with the gelatin, and whisk to incorporate.

5. Add one or two drops of green food coloring until you reach the desired pale green.

6. Add the zest and butter, and whisk until the butter is melted and everything is an even color.

7. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or until the lime curd has thickened for a spreadable consistency.

Brown Sugar Buttermilk Pie

This pie was tasty...ish....Frankly, it felt like there was something missing. Like it was supposed to be a pumpkin pie and was missing the pumpkin. But maybe that's just me....Also, I'm lazy and used store bought pie crust. The ugly truth is out!

Brown Sugar Buttermilk Pie

• Crust

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for rolling
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

• Filling

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

Directions

1. Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time); do not overmix. Form dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
   
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie plate, fold overhang under, and crimp edges. Prick dough all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper over dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edge is light golden, about 15 minutes; remove parchment and weights.
   
3. Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, eggs, and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in buttermilk, nutmeg, and cinnamon until combined. In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown and most of the foam has subsided, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately whisk into buttermilk mixture. Pour filling into pie shell and bake until set but still slightly wobbly in center, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, 2 hours, before serving.
   

Leftover Halloween Candy Fudge

1 8oz package of cream cheese
2 cups of powered sugar
3 cups white choc chips, melted
2 tsp vanilla
Chopped candy mix ins of your choosing: Mine has broken pretzel bits, PB cups, whoppers, m&ms, butterfinger. Baby Ruth, heath, and almond joys. 

Mix all together and smush into parchment lined 9x9 pan and set up in fridge for several hours before cutting into squares