Sunday Baked: Buckeyes

Apparently, I need to apologize to the state of Ohio. I was never much of a fan of you... no offense, it's just that I'm a Purdue alum, and we just don't like anyone from The Ohio State University (intended mocking and sarcasm). Naturally, if I don't like Ohio State University, then I should make a blanket statement about the whole state... The logic is there, right!?

Sweet & Salty Brownies

Typically, I tend to leave my review of the recipes I try until the end of my post. But I am going to make an exception this time. I fear that if I don't make this adjustment you may get the wrong idea and not fully understand how much I am in love with these brownies.

They were killer! The sweet and salty combination is one of my favorites, and these rich, decadent bites left me wanting more. How can anyone resist luscious salted caramel baked right into a brownie? Not to mention they were not overly difficult to make and plated up beautifully. The adults in the group loved the twist on the traditional brownie, especially since many had never experienced the sweet and salty combination before. They were received fantastically well, and I will be using this recipe again and again.

Now, to the Thanksgiving Brownie Debacle of 2011...

Sunday Baked: Boston Cream Pie Cake

Let's just clear this up right now.... This is no more a pie than I'm a size 2 beauty queen. There is no pie crust or pie dish to speak of. Nope. This is cake through and through. I imagine when the first versions of this dessert appeared in Colonial America, cake pans were not commonplace. So, the Colonial bakers of yore grabbed whatever they had available, which happened to be pie tins.

Sunday Baked: Googly-Eyed Chocolate Mint Thumbprint Cookies

Hmmm...What to do? What to do? How do I make this week's selection from Baked Explorations a little more enticing? I mean, another mint dessert... so soon! Yes, the department stores have had their Christmas displays up for a couple of weeks (which is pure ridiculousness by the way), but we are still way too far away from Christmas for this baker to be overly excited about these cookies. Not to mention, we just covered Grasshopper Bars, their minty kin, a few weeks ago. It's mint overload....Aaaahhh! How will I ever survive?

Sunday Baked: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

Yeah, yeah... I know, it's not Sunday, and my "Sunday Baked" title doesn't technically apply anymore. But, I promise you, I really did baked this over the weekend! Really, I did. I am just now getting around to writing them up. Does time fly these days, or what?

This cake was another winner from the boys at Baked NYC and their cookbook Baked Explorations.  A quick, easy recipe that produced a perfect after school snack.  The cake was moist and sweet, not too dissimilar from an oatmeal cookie... just in cake form!  The recipe as written calls for a cream cheese frosting layer (recipe below), but I thought the addition would put an already sweet dessert over the top... and, I like sweet. Instead, I opted for a light dusting of powdered sugar, which suited my tastes perfectly. 

Mascarpone Chocolate Toffee Bars

I'm not sure when it happened, but somewhere along the way I've become a snob. A complete and total baking snob. I admit it. I came to this realization not too long ago after I found myself turning my nose up at some birthday cake being served at a friend's party. Before you get all huffy with me, no, I didn't ask them if it was a "boxed cake" and then refuse when asked if I would like some. That would have just been rude. Rather, I accepted a piece knowing it wasn't from scratch and politely ate a bite. I proceeded to eat a second bite merely to confirm that I really didn't like the first bite. Yup, total snob. I couldn't eat it.

Sunday Baked: Grasshopper Bars

My mom used to make a version of these when I was a kid. I think it was a Betty Crocker recipe. Like clockwork, they would make an appearance at every Christmas and St. Patrick's Day celebration. They were a holiday staple, and something I always looked forward to.

Their appearance at holiday functions diminished over the years. They were replaced by the confection of the moment, and it often left me wondering what the heck happened to those yummy mint brownies of my youth?

I had a conversation with my mom about this very question a few years back. We were reminiscing about years gone by, and I asked her what happened to the grasshopper brownies she used to make. She really didn't have a better answer for me than, "Gee, I don't know sweetie."

What? What do you mean you don't know?

Humph!

So, I took it upon myself to recreate the delicious mint brownie I so loved as a kid. With my Mom's  handwritten recipe in tow, I got to work. I was determined to introduce them to my own kids whom I was certain would love them just as much as I did. But, you know what, they just weren't the same. They weren't bad, I mean my kids enjoyed them for sure, but for me they were a little disappointing. They were much sweeter than I remembered and didn't give me the same feeling of sweet satisfaction I used to get after eating one as a kid. Honestly, it made me a little sad, and I suddenly understood why Mom retired them.

Well, you all can relax. I have snapped out of my minty funk, and I am once again excited thanks to the baking dynamos known as Matt & Renato.

Apparently, in their extended absence from the holiday party circuit, the mint brownie went off and had some work done...a face lift so to speak. They came back to town (refreshed and revitalized) as Grasshopper Bars, and let me tell you, these are certainly not my Mamma's version! They are sleek, sophisticated and a little devilish. The rich, dark chocolate and mint combination is sensational on its own, but the addition of the Creme de Menthe puts them on the sinful level....Oh, so good!

If you have a few minutes to spare, check out what my fellow Baked Sunday Morning friends have to say about this recipe. They are a talented group of bakers, and they always provide an interesting read.

If you're feeling especially inspired, grab yourself a copy of Matt & Renato's book, Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented, and join us on our baking adventures. We would love to have you.

Have a Sweet Day!

Jaime @ The Great Cake Company 

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GRASSHOPPER BARS  
Recipe adapted from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito
Makes 12 large or 24 small brownies
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FOR THE BROWNIE BASE
3/4 cus all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened baking cocoa powder
5 ounces good quality dark chocolate (60 - 72%), coarsely chopped
1/2 cu (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method 

Preheat the oven to 325-degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light-colored metal 9-by-13-inch pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter the parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the salt, and cocoa powder.

Configure a large size double boiler. Place the chocolate and the butter in the bowl of the double boiler and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler and add both sugars. Whisk the sugars until completely combined. Remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature.

Add three eggs to the chocolate/butter mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not over beat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour/cocoa/salt mix over the chocolate. Using a spatula (do not use a whisk) fold the dry ingredients into the wet until there is just a trace amount of the flour/cocoa mix visible.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with an offset spatula, and bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time. The brownies should be just a tad underdone (not too gooey, but ideally, just 1 minute from being cooked through completely). A toothpick inserted into the brownies at an angle should contain a few loose crumbs. Remove the brownies from the oven and let cool completely while you make the creme de menthe filling.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM 
3/4 cups sugar 
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
3/4 cup whole milk 
2 tablespoons heavy cream 
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened but still cool, cut into small cubes 
3 tablespoons Creme de Menthe 
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Method 

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until filling is light and fluffy.

Add the Creme de Menthe and peppermint extract and mix until combined. If the filling is too soft, chill slightly in the refrigerator and then mix again until it is the proper consistency.

If the filling is too firm, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and re-mix to proper consistency. Spread the filling evenly across the top of the brownie layer and place the pan in the refrigerator, for a minimum of 45 minutes, while you make the chocolate glaze.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE  
6 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped 
1 teaspoon light corn syrup 
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes 

Method 

In a large non-reactive metal bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir vigorously for 1 minute to release excess heat. 

Pour the mixture over the chilled Creme de Menthe layer and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Place the pan back in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the glaze hardens.

Remove the pan from the refrigerator, wait about 15 minutes for the glaze to soften slightly, and cut the bars with a warm knife. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Note: The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered for up to 4 days.

 

The Chewy: Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was born and raised a Toll House girl. Plain and simple. No complaints. They are perfectly delectable and an American classic. My mom made them for us just as my grandma made them for her. I have wonderful memories of my Mom and me bellied up to the counter rolling dough balls to place on cookie sheets for baking. If I was really luck, we would forgo the rolling and press all the dough into a baking dish to make pan cookies (my favorite).

With such fond memories and a love for the Toll House recipe, why would I search for another chocolate chip cookie? That is a fair question. All I can say is that as I continue to write this blog, I have become a bit of a crazy person collecting recipes and reading baking posts from other talented bakers. It seems as though there is a bit of a debate in the blogging world as to which recipe produces the best, the supreme, the ultimate chocolate chip cookie.

I decided that I must join in on this quest even if I had to betray my beloved Toll House. And, who better to begin with than Mr. Food Science himself, Alton Brown. He has never let me down before. So, off I went to conquer, "The Chewy".

These cookies are reminiscent of the Toll House variety, but this recipe is unusual in that it calls for bread flour instead of all-purpose and to melt the butter before creaming it with the sugars. I had never heard of this before. What sort of craziness was this? However, after doing some research I discovered that the bread flour allows for the chewy texture of the cookie. Go figure. I am still not sure why he has you melt the butter first, but the cookies were delicious, so I am not gonna argue with his mad science.

 

Slowly and the flour a little at a time, and mix until just right.

Add your semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Toll House so I didn't feel like I was a total cookie back-stabber) or even better high quality chocolate chunks..... mmmmm! You want to make sure you get the proper chocolate to cookie dough ratio for each bite. It is a crucial step in my mind.

Alton's recipe tells you to chill the dough for 1 hour. I upped that big time to 12 hours, at least. In my opinion, it allows for the caramel undertones in the dough to deepen, and it prevents it the cookies from spreading while baking. I will actually chill mine for 24 next time I make these.

I also stick the formed dough balls in the freezer for 10 minutes before placing in the oven. Overkill? Maybe, but my cookies were pretty much perfect :)

 

They were chewy around the edges and soft and tender in the middle with just the right amount of sweetness. The salt to sweet balance was perfect. I heart these cookies!

Sorry, Toll House. You've been bumped by "The Chewy".

Hmmm... do I dare continue on this quest? Is there a cookie out there even better than "The Chewy"?

I will ponder the question and get back to you....

The Chewy  

(Recipe adapted from Alton Brown)  

Yield: About 2 dozen cookies

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups (12 ounces) bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup (2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup (8 ounces) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Pour the butter into the bowl of your stand mixer and set it aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda.

Add the sugar and brown sugar to the mixing bowl, and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the whole egg, the egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract in a measuring cup. Reduce the mixer speed to low-medium and slowly add the egg mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.

Set the mixer to low speed, and slowly add the flour to the batter a little at a time.  Stop a couple of times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once the flour is worked in, stop the mixer and add the chocolate chips. Stir until the chips are thoroughly combined. Cover the dough with saran wrap and chill for at least 12 hours, if not longer. I chill mine overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and place racks in the top third and bottom third of the oven.

Scoop the dough into large tablespoon (1 1/2-ounce) portions and place onto parchment-lined cookie sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. (I placed my cookie sheets in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.) Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Remove from the oven, and allow cookies to cool on pan for 5 minutes before removing from pans. Remove cookies from pan and place on cooling rack to cool completely, or pour yourself a glass of cold milk and enjoy warm... YUM!

Note: I baked mine for 13 minutes, rotating the pan after six and a half minutes.

Daring Bakers: Chocolate Marquise

The May 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Emma of CookCraftGrow and Jenny of Purple House Dirt. They chose to challenge everyone to make a Chocolate Marquise. The inspiration for this recipe comes from a dessert they prepared at a restaurant in Seattle.

This was my first Daring Bakers challenge, and whoa, they weren't kidding about the challenges being daring. An overly adventurous baker I am not (at least not yet). So, this dessert proved to be quite a feat for me! What the heck is a Chocolate Marquise anyway?! Well, I can tell you this... the dessert has French roots, it was a bit of a stretch for my budding pastry skills, and it was pretty darn time consuming. At least the end result was rather enjoyable :)

There were five components to this dessert including: a tequila and cayenne pepper flavored chocolate base for the marquise, the completed frozen marquise, cayenne toasted almonds, torched meringue and an irresistible salted caramel sauce... Wait a sec...let me catch my breath.... whew, what a list! All the elements weren't overly difficult to make if you know the basics behind making caramel, ganache and meringue. It was actually more of a challenge of timing and patience to pull this one off. 

The Marquise itself was unusual and quite wonderful. It had a lovely silky texture that melted on your tongue, and the caramel..... mmmmm! So good! The meringue and toasted almonds did not blow me out of the water, and I probably could have done without them from a taste perspective, but they did make for a pretty plate.

Will I make this again? Nope, too much work! But, it really was a nice treat and a cool thing to be able to say I made. I am very eager to see what next month brings...

Happy baking!
Jaime @ The Great Cake Company

Chocolate Marquise

Servings: 9 - 2"x2" cubes

Hint: Make in the order listed below

Chocolate Base (for completed Marquise)

3 oz (85 grams/ 6 tablespoons) bittersweet chocolate (about 70% cocoa)

1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons (90 ml/3 fluid oz.) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/16 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon (15 ml/ 1/2 fluid oz.) tequila
1 tablespoon (15 ml/ 1/2 fluid oz.) light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon/(less than 1/4 ounce) Dutch Processed cocoa powder
dash freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon (8 grams) softened

Completed Marquise

3 large egg yolks at room temperature
1 large egg
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (40 ml) (40 grams/ 1½ oz) sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (2/3 fluid oz/ 20 ml.) water
Chocolate Base, barely warm (recipe above)
½ cup (4 fluid oz./ 120 ml.) heavy cream
½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder (for rolling)

Line a 6" square baking ban with parchment paper. Be sure to leave a little extra on either side for easy removal of the Marquise from the pan.

Begin by making the chocolate base. Place the chocolate in a small mixing bowl. Pour the heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and warm it in the microwave until the cream is hot to the touch (but is not boiling). Remove it from the microwave and pour over the chocolate. Allow the heavy cream to sit for a minute or two before stirring. Stir until the chocolate is melted completely and is smooth throughout. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Set aside the chocolate until cooled to room temperature. Do not refrigerate, as the base needs to be soft when added to the marquise mixture. If you make it the day before, you may need to warm it slightly. Whisk it until it is smooth again before using it in the marquise recipe.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg yolks and whole eggs. With your whisk attachment, whip on high speed until very thick and pale, about 10 minutes.

When the eggs are getting close to finishing, make a sugar syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the syrup to a boil and then cook to softball stage (235F/115C). Remove the pan from the heat and immediately drizzle the sugar syrup into the fluffy eggs (while the mixer running on low speed), trying to hit that magic spot between the mixing bowl and the whisk. When all of the syrup has been added (do it fairly quickly), turn the mixer back on high and whip until the bowl is cool to the touch. This will take at least 5 minutes.

In a separate mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Set aside.

When the egg mixture has cooled, add the chocolate base to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Try to get it as consistent as possible without losing all of the air you've whipped into the eggs. Fold 1/3 of the reserved whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, and then fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Pour into the prepared liners and freeze until very firm, at least 4 hours (preferably 6 – 8 hours). Remove the pan from the freezer and place in the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cutting. Do not allow marquise to sit out more than 5 minutes before cutting and serving. It melts quickly. If the dessert appears too melted, return the freezer for a few minutes.

Toasted Almonds
1/4 cup (2 oz.) sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 large egg whites
1/2 cup blanched whole almonds

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.

 

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt.
 

In a larger mixing bowl whisk the egg white until it's frothy and thick. Add the spice mix to the egg white and whisk to combine completely. Add the nuts to the egg white mixture and toss with a spoon.
Spoon the coated nuts onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake the nuts for 15-20 minutes, or until they turn light brown. 

 

Allow the nuts to cool completely and they will get very crunchy. Set aside until ready to serve.

Tequila Caramel

1/4 cup (60 ml/2 fluid oz) (2 oz/55 gm) sugar
2 tablespoons (1 fluid oz./ 30 ml.) water
1/4 cup (2 fluid oz./ 60 ml.) heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon tequila

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water on medium-high heat. Boil until the water completely evaporates and the sugar caramelizes to a dark mahogany color. Working quickly, add the cream to the darkened caramel. It will bubble and pop vigorously, so add only as much cream as you can without overflowing the pot. Return the pot to the stove on low heat and whisk gently to break up any hardened sugar. Add any remaining cream and continue stirring. Gradually, the hard sugar will dissolve and the caramel sauce will continue to darken. When the caramel has darkened to the point you want it, remove it from the heat. Add the salt and tequila and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to serve.

Meringue

3 large egg whites
1/2 cup less 1 tablespoon (105 ml) (3½ oz or 100 gms) sugar
pinch of cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla

When about ready to serve, make the meringue.

Combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Using a whisk to stir continuously, heat the egg whites over a saucepan of simmering water. The egg white mixture is ready when you can no longer feel pieces of sugar between your fingers when tested.

Remove the mixing bowl from the saucepan and return it to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until you reach soft peaks. In the last 10 seconds of mixing, add the vanilla to the meringue and mix thoroughly.

When you're ready to plate first drizzle the caramel sauce and then place a dollop of meringue onto each plate. Torch the meringue by hand or under a broiler set to 'low'. If using the broiler, watch very closely so you don't end up burning the meringue. Also, do not place Marquise under the broiler, unless you want a puddle of chocolate.

Sunday Baked: Cowboy Cookies

Don't you just love when the stars align and things fall into place? As a mom of three little kids, things are always a little hectic and unpredictable. So, when something works out perfectly and makes my life a little easier, I rejoice and savor the moment.

Such was the case with this week's Baked Sunday Morning selection. My oldest son had his school's end-of-year fundraiser this past Friday... an Ice Cream Social chock-full of carnival games, bouncy toys, food and fun! One of the popular events of the evening is the 'Cake Walk'.  Basically, it is musical chairs except everyone sits in a numbered chair when the music stops. If your number is called, then you win your choice of baked good from the prize table full of hundreds of cakes, cookies and brownies.

Of course, I volunteered to make a few treats for the Cake Walk. But, what to make? What to make? Hmmm... I know! How about Cowboy Cookies?! Nothing like knocking two birds out with one stone :)

These cookies were yummy and a perfect choice for a kids event. What kid (or adult for that matter) doesn't love a moist, delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with a few salty pretzel bits thrown in for good measure? Actually, since the recipe substituted pretzels for nuts, it became a much safer option for a school function. You can never be too careful with peanut allergies these days.

These cookies had a wonderfully crispy exterior with a chewy inside that was perfectly to my liking. The substitution of pretzels for nuts was clever and provided a delicious sweet/salty flavor. I will for sure make these again using pretzels, but I love cookies with nuts. So, I am going to throw some walnuts in next time and see how they bake up. I imagine they will be quite tasty since the recipe itself is oh, so good!

Stop on by the Baked Sunday Morning blog to see what my fellow bakers thought of Matt & Renato's Cowboy Cookies.

Have a Sweet Sunday!
Jaime @ The Great Cake Company

Homemade Rocky Road Marshmallow Pops

This all started with a simple campfire and my sons' love of the ooey, gooey sugar bomb otherwise known as the marshmallow. On a typical campfire night, we are a Jet-Puffed marshmallow family without complaint. However, on this particular night I had a crazy idea... "Hey guys, maybe we can try to make our own marshmallows someday?" Well, you would have thought I told them that we had a personal invitation to visit Santa at the North Pole. They wanted homemade marshmallows, and they wanted them right then and there.

Enter Mother's Day and Rocky Road candy. I know, it's not your traditional Mother's Day treat, but there is a simple explanation. My mom has made this delicious candy for us ever since I can remember. When I see a bag of marshmallows I think 'Rocky Road' before Rice Krispie Treats or S'mores even enter my mind. My mom stands by the Eagle Brand recipe for her Rocky Roads (which is very good), however, I wanted to jazz them up a bit for Mother's Day... make them pink, add a fancy stick....

To start, I needed to make homemade marshmallows. I have only ever tired one recipe for homemade marshmallows (click here for recipe by Alton Brown), and I see no reason to look further. His recipe results in deliciously soft pillows of delight! I do feel as though I should forewarn you, once you make these it is really hard to go back to the store bought hockey puffs (especially since these can be made and stored in an airtight container for quite some time).

I follow Alton Brown's recipe almost exactly except I always line the pan with parchment before coating with cooking spray to allow for easier removal of the marshmallow. For these marshmallows I also added three (3) drops of AmeriColor Tulip Gel Paste and two (2) drops of AmeriColor Soft Pink Gel Paste with the vanilla in the last minute of whipping to make them pink for Mother's Day (optional).

After the marshmallow has set for about six (6) hours, lift it out of the pan using the parchment handles. Take a pastry brush and brush the excess powder sugar/corn starch mixture off the top. Then, using a pizza wheel dusted in the powder sugar/corn starch mixture, divide the marshmallow into equal sections based on the pan sized used. Since I used a 9"x13" pan I divided it into three equal lengths measuring 3"x13". Dust the raw edges of the marshmallow with the powder sugar/corn starch mixture, and set two of the three aside (see below).

Next, place the ruler along side the long edge of a marshmallow strip, and cut the outside 1/2" off each end using a long knife dusted in the powder sugar/corn starch mixture. Readjust your ruler so it lines up at one of your clean edges, and cut the marshmallow every two inches. This will allow for you to have six 2"x3" rectangles for your pops. Again, dust all raw edges of the newly cut marshmallows with the powder sugar/corn starch mixture, and repeat the same process for the remaining two marshmallow strips. You should end up with 18 marshmallows total.

My marshmallow mongering kids would have me stop here, and that would be perfectly acceptable. You could easily package these pretty gals, and they would make lovely gifts. Alas, I am going to carry on for Mom and make these into Rocky Roads.

OK, so here is where there is potential for things to get a bit messy! There is probably some easy method for dipping marshmallows documented out there somewhere, but I was not privy to this information. So, I rolled-up my sleeves and went at it alone. Hopefully, you can avoid the mistakes I made, and move directly to the adorable, delicious pop part. Here is what I learned.

...It is all in the dipping. You are going to want to use a vessel that has a narrow base and taller sides to hold the melted chocolate, such as a coffee cup. This will allow you to have a uniform line of chocolate around the marshmallow. I used my husband's ceramic Butter Bell (which, by the way are fantastic). It was the perfect shape and held the heat of the chocolate well.

The key is to dip the marshmallow into the chocolate (do not hold the stick for this), remove it, and then using a small spatula or knife gently scrape off the excess chocolate first from the sides and then from the bottom of the marshmallow. Be careful not to take it all off (that would be a shame), just the heavy stuff. Set the pop on its side on the plate of peanuts (or any nut or decoration for that matter), and let it rest for a good minute or two before you rotate it to cover the remaining sides with the peanuts. This allows time for the chocolate to set and helps keep the peanuts in place. Also, try to keep the nuts off the bottom... unless you want your pops falling over and disorderly.

Once your pop is dipped and rolled, stand it upright on a sheet of parchment, and allow it to rest until it the chocolate is completely set. Then, place them in cellophane bags, tie on a ribbon and a tag (yeah, I forgot that part), and pass them out to all the deserving moms you know and love.

Homemade Marshmallows
Recipe by Alton Brown

3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided

12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Gel Paste Food Coloring (optional)

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during and gel paste color (if using) in the last minute of whipping.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

Lift the marshmallow out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut the marshmallow into desired size using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.


Rocky Road Candy Coating  

12 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
16 ounces dry roasted peanuts (or other nut), coarsely chopped
Parchment Paper
Offset spatula or knife

Place coarsely chopped peanuts (or other nut or decoration) on a plate. Have ready a sheet of parchment paper for cooling the pops.

Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Remove and stir the chocolate. Place chocolate back in microwave and heat for 15 seconds. Remove and stir. Continue heating and stirring in 15 second increments until the chocolate is melted. Scrape chocolate into coffee cup or other vessel for dipping.


Good Luck!
Jaime @ The Great Cake Company

Sunday Baked: Nutella Scones

I discovered Nutella about 15 years ago while I was backpacking through Europe. I was traveling with some college girlfriends on a no frills, cheap hostel stayin', bread and water eating adventure. Not my ideal way of traveling, but one of the absolute best trips I have ever been on, hands down. While we were in Venice, we stayed at a convent for a few days (yes, you read that right). The sisters there were sticklers for the rules and they adored their Nutella. This is where I had my first ever taste of this heavenly concoction. A rather unusual, but somehow appropriate place, I think.

For those just joining me, I am currently trying to get caught up on the recipes I missed for my Baked Sunday Mornings baking club (since I joined late). I was excited to see one of my available recipe choices was Matt and Renato's rich and delicious Nutella Scones. The mere mention of Nutella brings back memories of Italy, and I can think of only few things that sound better to me than a Nutella stuffed chocolate biscuit with toasted hazelnuts.  Mmmm. Mmmm.

Of course this did mean that Nutella was going to have to enter my home, which presented a bit of a problem. Our house was officially declared a 'Nutella Free' zone after my last pregnancy. Why you ask? Basically, I couldn't seem to keep the soup ladle out of the jar. It wasn't a pretty sight. Some people are this way with peanut butter... I just so happen to be a Nutella girl. I have leaned to accept it, and keep the delicious, heavenly spread at a distance, but I was flirting with potential disaster here. I had to be on my best behavior or my husband was going to have to intervene once again :)

A key component to these delicious scones are the toasted hazelnuts folded into the chocolate dough. They add a wonderful textural element. However, if I make these again, I would opt for fewer nuts chopped into slightly smaller pieces.  Don't worry, I would never dream of leaving them out altogether... that would be so wrong!

This recipe requires you to flatten the dough into a rectangle, spread the Nutella and roll. You then need to stand the roll on its end and flatten. Be careful NOT to overwork the dough through these steps, or your scones will end up like hockey pucks :) Stop once you see the dough starting to come together. It is OK if there are still bits of flour not incorporated into the dough as they will bake out in the oven. 

I have only attempted scones one other time in my baking career, as I usually opt for other breakfast treats. For my taste these are a little too rich for morning coffee, but with an afternoon latte and my laptop they would be oh, so very nice.

Check out the Baked Sunday Morning blog for Matt and Renato's delicious Nutella Scones recipe, or you could pick-up their book Baked Explorations.  It would be a great addition to any collection.

From Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Sunday Baked: Malted Crispy Tart

I am very excited as this is my first post for the Baked Sunday Mornings baking club. Hooray! We are going to be baking our way through Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito's eye-candy of a cookbook, Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented. I am late to join the group, so I will be trying to catch-up over the next couple of weeks. I am also technically supposed to post on Sunday mornings, but I didn't anticipate that life with three kids would still carry on as normal even though Mommy had to bake and blog :) Anyway, it should be a lot of fun, and I encourage you to join us and get baking.

This week we tackled a whopper of a recipe, the Malted Crispy Tart (p. 71). After reading Matt and Renato's description of malted milk chocolate ganache topped with a light malt flavored pastry cream (diplomat cream as they call it), crunchy caramelized rice crispies and Whopper pieces, all of which is encased in a brown sugar crust, I was taken. I became nostalgic for the malt chocolate flavor I remember so clearly from when I was just a wee lass. Whoppers used to be my movie theater candy of choice back in the day, so I was excited to get started and reminisce a bit.

Let me start right off and say thank goodness this was delicious 'cause it sure was a whole heck of a lot of work! I wasn't joking when I said it was a whopper of a recipe. Perhaps if I had read Matt and Renato's baking tip mentioning all the bowls and steps it required, I would have started last week... I am not totally kidding. With that said though, you should really give this a try. It is quite tasty, and it brought back memories of my childhood. In my opinion, when a recipe can do that, it's a keeper.

This recipe called for a 9" tart pan, but since I was planning to ship these off with my husband in the morning to feed the hungry mob (aka - coworkers), I opted to make mini tarts instead. The brown sugar crust made with a hint of malted milk powder blended up easily in the food processor and pressed well into the pan. If you opt for the mini tarts consider placing pie weights into the cups to prevent puffing while baking.

I think my favorite part of the recipe was the flavor and texture of the caramelized Rice Krispies. They tasted very much like Frosted Flakes, but better. I can see many uses for these little guys. The malted milk chocolate ganache was delicious as well. I love the flavor of a good quality milk chocolate, and the malt powder added just a little something extra... I easily could have licked the bowl clean.

As a side note, if you choose to bake mini tarts you can go halfsies on almost everything but the crust recipe. I had a lot of extra ganache, pastry cream and caramelized Rice Krispies, which I will put to good use later.

Once all the components were made, none of which were too difficult, assembly of the tart commenced! Below is the breakdown on how they were filled. In hind site, I probably would have increased my chocolate to pastry cream ratio... perhaps 2/3 chocolate to 1/3 pastry cream. I also think the addition of a complimentary liquor to the pastry cream would be a nice touch... perhaps rum?

 

Finally, after all that, we achieved decadent, deliciousness! Again, a whole heck of a lot of work, but definitely worth trying at least once, especially if you are feeling nostalgic for the chocolate malt flavor of your youth.  

 

According to Baked Sunday Morning rules, I cannot publish this recipe for all of you. I can only try to make you drool. I respect this decision and encourage you to go out and by the book, you will not be disappointed, I promise.

Up Next: Fat Tuesdays

Lemon Chiffon Cake