New Orleans Bourbon Bread Pudding...

       In honor of the S.F. 49ers getting into the Super Bowl, in the next few days I will be making  New Orleans Bourbon Bread Pudding. Stay tuned!

  

Classic Lemon Pound Cake

                                                  Classic Lemon Pound Cake
                                          (from Cook's Country Blue Ribbon Desserts)

CAKE:

  1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  1/2 tsp. baking powder

  1/2 tsp. salt

  1/4 cup sour cream

  1 1/2 Tbsp. grated fresh lemon zest

  1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)

  1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

  16 Tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

  5 large eggs, at room temp.


1. FOR THE CAKE:

    Adjust oven rack to the middle position, and heat oven to 325 degrees.

    Grease and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Sift the flour, baking powder and 
    
     salt into a bowl. Stir the sour cream and lemon juice together in a second 

     bowl.

2. Toss the granulated sugar and lemon zest together in a large bowl. Add the 
     
    butter and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and 

   fluffy, 3-6 minutes.Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

  

  Beat the eggs in a small bowl, and add them in three additions, mixing until 

  smooth and scraping down the bowl after each addition (the mixture will

  begin to look curdled). 

  Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 

  half of the sour cream mixture. Repeat with half of the remaining flour

  mixture and the remaining sour cream mixture. Beat in the remaining flour

  mixture until combined. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed

  until smooth, about 30 seconds.

  3. Scrape the batter with a spatula into greased and floured loaf pan.

     Smooth the top of batter. Bake until golden brown, and a toothpick 

     inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55-70 minutes.

  4. FOR THE SYRUP:

      1/4 cup granulated sugar

      1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

      Stir the granulated sugar and lemon juice together in a saucepan over

      medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, cook

      for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

  5. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip it out onto a wire 

      rack. Turn the cake right side up, brush the top and sides of the warm

      cake with the syrup, and let the cake cool completely...about 2 hours.

     6. FOR THE GLAZE:

         1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

         1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

         
      Whisk the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl until 
    
      smooth. Spread the glaze over the cake, allowing some to drip over the 

      sides. Let the glaze set for about 15 minutes before serving.

      Serves 8-10 people.

Chez Panisse Walnut Biscotti

 
                                                 Chez Panisse Walnut Biscotti

 3/4 cup walnuts

 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

 3/4 cup sugar

 2 eggs

 1 tsp. vanilla extract

 1 Tbsp. Cognac or brandy (optional)

 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

 1/4 tsp. salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

     Toast the walnuts in a baking pan for 5 minutes. Let cool and chop them coarse. Reduce the oven to 325 degrees.

     Cream the butter with the sugar in a large bowl.

 Beat in the eggs and mix well.

Add the vanilla extract, and Cognac or brandy(optional).

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add to the butter mixture with the chopped nuts.

 Stir just until combined. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into cylinders about 1 1/2 inches wide and 12 inches long.

Place on a baking sheet about 2 1/2 inches apart and bake for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Carefully remove them after baking to a cutting board. Slice the cookies about 1/2 inch wide on the diagonal. Return them to the baking sheet, the cut surfaces down. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until tops are lightly brown. Let cool and store in airtight container.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen 4-inch long cookies. Dip in melted chocolate if desired.

Whoopie Pies

                                     Whoopie Pies (from Cook's Country Blue Ribbon Desserts)


  Cakes:

    2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
    1 tsp. baking soda
    1/2 tsp. salt
    8 Tbsp. (i stick) unsalted butter, softened
    1 cup packed light brown sugar
    1 large egg, at room temp.
    1 tsp. vanilla extract
    1 cup buttermilk


 1. For The Cakes:

     Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, and heat the oven to 350 degrees.Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, cocoa,baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes. 

3. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and slowly beat in half of the flour mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk.

5. Repeat with half of the remaining flour mixture and the remaining buttermilk. Add the remaining flour mixture until combined.

6. Scoop six generous 1/3 cup mounds of batter onto each baking sheet, spaced about 3 inches apart. Bake the cakes until they spring back when pressed,about 15-18 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking.Let the cakes cool completely on the baking sheets, about 1 hour.

For The Filling: Beat the butter and confectioner's sugar together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Beat in the vanilla and salt. Beat in the marshmallow creme until incorporated, about 2 minutes.

Spread 1/3 cup of the filling evenly over the bottom of a cake, then make a sandwich by pressing the bottom of another cake onto the filling; repeat with the remaining cakes and filling. Serve.

Serves 5-6 people. Enjoy!

Apple Cake with Toffee Crust

                    
                                   Apple Cake with Toffee Crust
                                    (from Food and Wine 2008 Annual Cookbook)

  Cake:

  3 cups all-purpose flour

  1 tsp. salt

  1 tsp. baking soda

  1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

  2 cups granulated sugar

  3 large eggs

  2 large Granny Smith apples-peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch dice

  1 stick unsalted butter

  1/4 cup heavy cream

  1 cup light brown sugar

  1 tsp. vanilla extract

Toffee Sauce:

 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

 1/2 cup water

 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. heavy cream

 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

 1 Tbsp. brandy (optional)

Caramelized Apples:

 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

 3 large Granny Smith apples-peeled, core and cut into 8 wedges each

 1/8 tsp. cinnamon

 2 Tbsp. water

vanilla ice cream for serving

1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour 9-inch springform pan. In a bowl, whisk the flour with the salt and baking soda.

 In a large bowl, whisk the oil with the granulated sugar.

Whisk in the eggs one at a time.

Whisk in the dry ingredients until smooth.

Fold in the apples.

Scrape dough into prepared pan, and bake in the lower third of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 stick unsalted butter, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and 1 cup light brown sugar to a boil over moderate heat, stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

3. Place the warm cake (still in its pan) on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the hot glaze over the cake; let it seep in, poking lightly with a toothpick. Let cool for 2 hours. Invert the cake onto a plate, and invert the cake onto another plate right side up.

4. Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce:In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. 

Cook without stirring to a medium amber caramel, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cream and butter. Simmer the sauce over moderate heat for 2 minutes, then remove fom the heat and stir in the brandy(optional).Pour the sauce into a pitcher.

5. Make the caramelized apples:

In a large skillet, melt the butter and brown sugar. Add the apples and cinnamon, and cook over moderately high heat, turning the apples onc or twice, until tender and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the water to dissolve the caramel in the skillet, then transfer the apples to a plate. 

6. Slice the cake and serve with the apples, toffee sauce and ice cream. Serves 10-12 people. This cake is moist, with a delicate toffee flavor enhanced by the caramelized apples.
*Check out my other blogs: mertonthinker@blogspot.com and
soarfortheskies@blogspot.com *