Category Archives: baking

Chocolate Candy Bar Coffee Cake

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chocolate coffee cake_n

Warm afternoon sunshine streamed in through the windows on a cool fall day, illuminating this rich, moist afternoon snack created from a favorite chocolate candy bar. Served with freshly brewed cups of hot tea it was just the thing before a walk into town.

Chocolate coffee cake is tempting straight out of the oven. But this cake tastes best the day after it is baked. The traditional streusel topping turns a good cake into an irresistible afternoon treat.

Chocolate Candy Bar Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Streusel top:

  • 2/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 quality chocolate candy bar, chopped fine

Cake:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1  1/4 cups plain yoghurt
  • 1  1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the following streusel ingredients: flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
  4. Rub in butter into streusel mixture, until coarse crumbs form.
  5. Fold in chopped chocolate pieces. Set aside.
  6. To make the cake, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  7. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
  8. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly.
  9. Mix in yoghurt and vanilla extract.
  10. Stir wet ingredients into dry. Mix thoroughly.
  11. Fold in chopped pecans.
  12. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  13. Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over batter.
  14. Bake until topping is golden, about 40 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
  15. Let pan cool on wire rack. Cut into squares to serve.

Stacking Up Shortbread Cookie Recipes: Espresso-Chocolate and Almond

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shortbread cookies_new

A quintessential shortbread recipe revamped twice for two deliciously buttery versions of a classic cookie.

Shortbread cookies offer delectably crunchy bites that still maintain the sense of a soft cookie. Using powdered sugar as the sweetener gives these cookies their appealing melt-in-your-mouth texture. A blog I follow, Smitten Kitchen, posted a scrumptious coffee flavored version of these cookies featuring a deep, chocolately finish. Her recipe included a clever trick of rolling out the dough in a zip top plastic bag and then allowing it to chill in the bag, making for quick and easy cutting of the chilled dough. I made a batch of her espresso-chocolate flavored cookies and then experimented with my own almond flavored version. How did these two recipes stack up? Deliciously!

After successful experimentation substituting the coffee and chocolate with almonds, I can imagine a whole host of substitute flavors to continue playing with – lemon, caramel, anise…

Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp coffee extract (or highly concentrated coffee)
  • 8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 oz of your favorite chocolate bar, chopped finely. I found one with toffee bits inside which worked fabulously.

Directions

  1. Thoroughly mix butter and powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
  2. Stir in coffee and vanilla.
  3. Mix in flour. Don’t overmix.
  4. Fold in chopped chocolate.
  5. Transfer dough to a gallon-sized zip top bag.
  6. Roll the dough out until it is about 1/4 inch thick. You should have a rectangle about 9 x 10 inches.
  7. Squeeze out the air and zip bag closed. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours. Refrigerated dough will keep for a couple of days.
  8. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  10. Cut the dough-filled plastic bag so you can remove top layer.
  11. Turn dough out onto a board.
  12. Cut dough into cookies – about 1 1/2 inch squares.
  13. Place cookies on parchment lined baking sheet.
  14. Bake for 10 minutes. Then rotate pan and bake for additional 10 minutes.
  15. Cool cookies on wire rack.
  16. Cookies will taste best when they are fully cooled.

Recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.

Almond Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp almond extract
  • 8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 oz almonds, chopped fine.

Directions

  1. Thoroughly mix butter and powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
  2. Stir in almond and vanilla extracts.
  3. Mix in flour. Don’t overmix.
  4. Fold in chopped almonds.
  5. Transfer dough to a gallon-sized zip top bag.
  6. Roll the dough out until it is about 1/4 inch thick. You should have a rectangle about 9 x 10 inches.
  7. Squeeze out the air and zip bag closed. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours. Refrigerated dough will keep for a couple of days.
  8. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  10. Cut the dough-filled plastic bag so you can remove top layer.
  11. Turn dough out onto a board.
  12. Cut dough into cookies – about 1 1/2 inch squares.
  13. Place cookies on parchment lined baking sheet.
  14. Bake for 10 minutes. Then rotate pan and bake for additional 10 minutes.
  15. Cool cookies on wire rack.
  16. Cookies will taste best when they are fully cooled.

Poppy Seed Cloverleaf Rolls

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In theory, this recipe will make twelve rolls. When I went to retrieve the rolls for my photo shoot, there were only six. Jack!?! They must have been really tasty!

The transition from Alaska to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia has not been easy for the baker in me. Ulaanbaatar is known for being the coldest capital in the world. Since we have arrived, the weather has been really warm. Turns out highs in the 70’s and 80’s F is mighty warm for our Alaskan blood. Finally, a cloudy day with a high of 53 degrees F made for a comfortable baking weather.

After years of making dough in my Zojirushi bread machine, the move to a country with different electrical outlets encouraged me to relinquish my training wheels and bake on my own. I had always had trouble getting my doughs to rise properly in our home in Point Hope. With experience and a few tricks, I was ready to give it a go without any machinery.

I pulled my Williams-Sonoma Baking Book off the shelf and looked for a yeasted bread recipe which would be a delicious accompaniment to Jack’s tomato soup. Poppy seed cloverleaf rolls sounded tasty and look beautiful, too. The recipe was easy to follow and the dough rose beautifully. The final product proved to be irresistible.

Poppy Seed Cloverleaf Rolls

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2  1/2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp light oil
  • 1 egg, well beaten
  • 1  1/4 tsp poppy seeds

Directions

  1. In a small pan over low heat, mix milk, butter, and sugar.
  2. Stir until butter is melted.
  3. Pour milk mixture into a large bowl.
  4. Allow mixture to cool to 105 – 115 degrees F, then whisk in yeast.
  5. Let mixture stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  6. Whisk again and then stir in flour and salt, about 1/2 cup at a time. Dough should be soft and sticky.
  7. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
  8. Coat a bowl with oil, then add dough to bowl. Turn dough so that it is covered with oil.
  9. Cover bowl with damp cloth and allow dough to rise until doubled, about 1  1/2 hours.
  10. Grease 12 standard muffin cups.
  11. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
  12. Flatten dough to a rectangle.
  13. Cut rectangle into 12 equal portions.
  14. Take each portion and break into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place three balls into each muffin cup.
  15. Cover pan with a kitchen towel and allow dough to rise until doubled, about an hour.
  16. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  17. Brush tops of rolls with egg.
  18. Sprinkle each roll with some of the poppy seeds.
  19. Bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.
  20. Remove from pan right away. Serve hot or warm.

Recipe courtesy of The Williams-Sonoma Baking Book.

Armed With Lemon, Cream Cheese and a Kitchen Torch

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lemon cheesecake brulee_n

How to improve the creamy texture and flavor of lemon cheesecake bars baked atop a sugar cookie crust? Sprinkle with sugar and torch it to add a crunchy layer of caramel! 

After creating a delectable two-toned crème brûlée and a chai crème brûlée, we became hopelessly smitten with our kitchen torch and the multi-sensory delight it produces when applied to sugar crystals. We applied the technique to a different dessert with a creamy texture, cheesecake, and ended up with very satisfying results. We baked the cheesecakes in a rectangular pan so they could be cut into squares about two bites each, which is the perfect size – a miniature feast for the senses.

In recipes that call for sweetened condensed milk, we make our own. In addition to being less expensive and more natural, our homemade version has none of the tin-can aftertaste common to many canned products, and none of the harmful BPA manufacturers use to line cans. With the help of a stick blender, it’s easy to whip together 1 cup of powdered milk, 2/3 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of boiling water, and 3 tablespoons of butter to create 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk. This homemade version keeps well covered in the refrigerator.

Lemon Brûlée Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 oz. softened cream cheese
  • 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp fine granulated sugar for brulee-ing, approximately

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8.5″ x 4.5″ glass loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, flour and vanilla until dough forms.
  3. Press evenly into the bottom of prepared dish. Set aside.
  4. In another bowl, whip cream cheese.
  5. Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Scrape sides and mix again.
  6. Pour in egg, lemon zest and juice.
  7. Mix until mixture starts to thicken, 20-30 seconds. Scrape sides and mix again briefly.
  8. Pour overtop cookie bottom and smooth the top.
  9. Bake 20 minutes or until cheesecake is completely set.
  10. Cool, then refrigerate.
  11. Cut into 16 squares and separate.
  12. Sprinkle the tops of each square with 1 teaspoon of sugar and spread around with finger to evenly distribute sugar. Torch the tops until the sugar melts and turns an amber color. (If you don’t have a torch, place under the broiler.)

Let the top cool for a few minutes, then serve immediately.

Swirled Cloudberry Jam Scones

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Cloudberry jam swirled into these buttery scones creates an attractive twist on a breakfast, brunch or snack-time favorite.

With our date for departing Point Hope set for less than four weeks from now, we still have several jars of cloudberry jam on hand. I went to bed last contemplating creative ways to use this luscious pantry item and woke this morning inspired: Why not roll the scone dough jelly roll-style?

Since traditional scones dough is not very sweet, it lends itself to the savory or the sweet depending on what is mixed into it. This recipe would work nicely with any type of jam or savory spread.

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Swirled Cloudberry Jam Scones

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • pinch salt
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) frozen unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup unflavored yogurt
  • cold water
  • 3/4 cup cloudberry jam

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. Grate frozen butter into flour mixture. Stir well.
  4. Whisk together eggs and yogurt.
  5. Pour yogurt mixture into flour mixture and knead together. Mixture will be sticky.
  6. Add cold water to mixture while kneading, a tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together.
  7. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface.
  8. Roll dough into a rectangle. Dough should be about 1/2 inch thick.
  9. Spread jam onto rectangle, avoiding edges.
  10. Roll dough up jelly roll-style.
  11. Cut log into 3/4 inch pieces.
  12. Place cut scones onto parchment-lined baking sheet.
  13. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
  14. Let cool a few minutes before serving.
  15. Serve with lemon curd and a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Pecan Banana Coffee Cake: More Tasty Experiments With Black Bananas

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Banana coffee cake_n

This moist, flavorful cake topped with crunchy pecan streusel is ready for a hot cup of joe. Four bananas per loaf make for a fairly nutritious slice, as cakes go, and a good excuse for seconds!

If you read about our banana mochi bread, you’ll know we are experimenting with the bounty of black bananas recently bestowed upon us! After sampling the banana mochi bread, Jack “requested” the next creation contain nuts. (He made me strike the phrase “petulantly demanded.” Editors… sigh.) To satisfy his request, this recipe for banana coffee cake included pecans in the batter and also as part of the topping. Jack said, “Mmmmm.” Guess that was the best compliment he could muster with his mouth full. One loaf went in the freezer, and one remains out for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Banana Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Cake –

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 bananas, mashed
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup soy milk (regular milk would work, too)

Topping –

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • generous tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9″ x 5″ loaf pans. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until well blended.
  3. Using a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until combined.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined.
  5. Add bananas and milk, beat until combined.
  6. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and mix until just combined.
  7. Pour half the batter in each loaf pan.
  8. In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients.
  9. Crumble half of topping mixture on top of batter in each loaf pan.
  10. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
  11. Let cool on wire racks.
  12. Enjoy while still warm with a fresh cup of joe.

Sour Cream Double Corn Muffins

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Sour cream double corn muffins_n

Speckled with red bell pepper and corn kernels, these corn muffins are waiting for a bowl of chili to happen.

With our time left in Point Hope numbered in weeks, we are going through the annual process of creating recipes based on what remains in our pantry. The last of the tri-tip roasts in our freezer inspired Jack to recreate his “Chili Done Large.” We’ll be closing out our lunches in style.

To accompany his chili, I brought out an almost-finished bag of corn meal. Usually the time-tested recipes on product packaging are pretty good, but this time relying on the maker’s recipe was a mistake. The corn muffins came out dry and bland. Time to create my own moist and flavorful version that would stand up to the merits of Jack’s flavor-packed chili con carne!

I wanted my muffins to have a rustic texture and also be moist. Coarse ground cornmeal and sour cream would be the key ingredients. The addition of whole sweet corn kernels added texture and complexity. Minced dried onions helped add another layer of flavor. And finally, I added dried bell peppers as “confetti” to give some color and zest to the muffins. A little butter smeared on to the muffins along with a drizzle of honey make these a satisfying balance to a bowl of spicy, smoky chili.

Sour Cream Double Corn Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • generous pinch salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp applesauce
  • 1 tsp dried minced onion
  • 2 tbsp dried red bell peppers
  • 1 cup thawed frozen corn

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 cup muffin tin. Set aside.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together wet ingredients except for corn.
  4. Pour dry ingredients into wet and stir until just mixed.
  5. Fold in corn.
  6. Pour batter into muffin tin.
  7. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Muffins should be just browning on the outside. A toothpick inserted in center of muffin should come out clean to indicate doneness.

Twisted Brunch: Twisted Loaf Cinnamon Bread

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cinnamon braid_n

This sugary, buttery, cinnamon-laced, melt-in-your-mouth braided cinnamon loaf is centerpiece-worthy at the breakfast or bunch table.

In a quest for a visually unique loaf of bread, I came across a recipe for a Nutella twist which looked gorgeous. Reading through the instructions, I was surprised at how simple an intricate looking braid could be created. With plenty of cinnamon on hand, I decided to give this loaf a go sans Nutella. The result of my experiment is captured in the photo above and was a delicious compliment to plates of sunny-side-up friend eggs and mugs of French roast coffee.

However, upon further investigation, it turned out my “original” recipe idea had already been conceived and executed on the site Home Cooking Adventure. Nonetheless, here is my version of Estonian Kringle adapted for my dough machine.

Cinnamon Braid

Ingredients

Bread

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm milk
  • 1 tbsp  granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg

Filling

  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 5 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 3 tsp cinnamon

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Place bread ingredients in bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
  3. Set cycle to “dough” and start machine.
  4. Make cinnamon filling while waiting for dough by combining filling ingredients in a medium bowl and mixing thoroughly.
  5. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, approximately 18″ x 12″.
  6. Spread cinnamon filling over dough evenly. Leave about 1/2″ border.
  7. Roll up dough jelly-roll style to form a long log.
  8. Cut log down the middle, the long way.
  9. Braid by wrapping the two cut pieces around each other, always leaving the cut sides up.
  10. Pinch ends of dough so that they will bake together.
  11. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Roasted Onion Cheddar Knots: Savory Stuffed Rolls for a Cold Winter’s Day

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Roasted onion cheese knots_n

Stuffed with cheddar cheese and warm out of the oven, these rolls are just the thing to go with a bowl of hot tomato soup on a chilly winter afternoon.

Cheddar knot rolls are fun to make, and just about everyone loves baked goods stuffed with tasty ingredients. Investing a little extra effort in roasting the onions for the top and cutting strips of cheese for the inside of the ropes results in a perfect accompaniment to soup as well as a savory take-along snack for a winter’s day walk or hike.

If you and your family and friends like these, try our Arctic Anpan 2 Ways for additional creative recipes for sweet and savory stuffed rolls.

Roasted Onion Cheddar Knots

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 5 tbsp powdered milk
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 oz. cheddar cheese cut into matchstick strips
  • 3 thin slices (discs) of onion
  • olive oil, smoked sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten

Directions

  1. Place first 7 ingredients into the pan of your bread machine, in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
  2. Turn machine on, dough cycle.
  3. When cycle is finished, turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.
  4. Cut dough into 6 equal pieces.
  5. Roll and stretch each piece into ropes approximately 12 inches long.
  6. Flatten each rope. Place about four matchstick-shaped pieces of cheese down the middle of the flattened rope.
  7. Pinch dough closed around the cheese pieces so that you still have about a 12 inch rope with cheese enveloped in the center. Make sure you’ve really pinched these shut so they don’t pop open during baking.
  8. Tie the rope into a knot shape. Repeat with all the ropes.
  9. Let knots rest covered on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 45 minutes in a warm place. Knots should almost double in size.
  10. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees F.
  11. Toss onions with olive oil, smoked salt, and freshly cracked pepper. Onion rings should be separated and all should be well coated.
  12. Roast onions on baking sheet for about 10 minutes. They should be translucent and just starting to brown.
  13. Remove onions from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
  14. Brush knots with beaten egg. Place roasted onions atop egg-washed knots.
  15. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Finished rolls should be golden brown.

“Bring Some Chocolate Home…”

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Triple Chocolate_n

Three types of chocolate plus melted toffee bits on the top nestled in a chewy cookie will satisfy even the strongest chocolate craving. 

When traveling from the tiny bush village of Point Hope to the big city of Anchorage, it is customary to bring home produce or other items that are difficult to find in the village.

Standing in the produce section of our favorite Anchorage grocer surrounded by a bounty of colorful, crisp, juicy offerings such as asparagus, leeks, zucchini, avocados, and mangoes, I call Jack to see if there is anything special he wants me to bring back. “Bring Some Chocolate Home,” he requests (demands). Knowing I still have ten pounds of chocolate chips to use up in the next two-and-a-half months, I respond as my students do to me in their cute, slightly cheeky way: “Nope.” Poor guy was suffering not only from a lack of chocolate, but from a lack of freshly baked goods as well due to my absence of several days.

So, this delicious, chocolate-stuffed, brownie-like cookie is dedicated to Jack. When I asked him what he thought of this recipe, he merely pointed to his empty plate indicating a request for another. That’s my Jack.

Triple Chocolate Toffee Almond Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup dutch pressed cocoa
  • dash salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 tbsp Penzeys double vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup crushed toffee bits
  • 1 cup chopped almonds

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa. Set aside.
  3. In bowl of stand mixer, blend together butter, sugars, and vanilla.
  4. Gradually stir in flour mixture into butter mixture.
  5. Stir in chocolate chips, toffee bits and almonds.
  6. Drop dough by tablespoons onto parchment-lined cookie sheets.
  7. Baked for 10 minutes.
  8. Cool on wire rack.
  9. Store in airtight container.