Divine Desserts is for people who like to bake... and eat desserts too; presentation is everything! Enjoy!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Caramel apples: A tasty lesson for our King Arthur bakers | King Arthur Flour – Baking Banter
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
PEACHES WITH SOUR CREAM & BROWN SUGAR
Quick & Easy Dessert
4 peaches, washed & dried
½ cup Grand Marnier
8 tablespoons sour cream
4 tablespoon brown sugar
Slice peaches into a bowl; toss with Grand Marnier to coat
On four dessert plates distribute peaches evenly
Top with 2-tablespoons sour cream & sprinkle with the brown sugar
Serve with mint sprig
Yields 4 servings
Fudge Drops | King Arthur Flour
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate*
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) butter
1 cup (7 1/4 ounces) sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips, optional
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) butter
1 cup (7 1/4 ounces) sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips, optional
*You may use regular chocolate chips (1 1/3 cups = 8 ounces), but we prefer the flavor of bittersweet chips, or any of our bittersweet chocolates. If you're using bar chocolate (as opposed to chips), chop it into irregular 1/2 to 3/4-inch chunks.
In a double boiler, or in the microwave, gently melt together the chocolate and butter. To avoid heating the chocolate too much and possibly burning it, the best method is to heat till the butter is melted and the chocolate has partially melted, then remove from the heat. Stir till all the chocolate melts.
In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs till they're thoroughly combined. Add the hot melted chocolate, then stir in the remaining ingredients, including the chocolate chips, if you're using them. Refrigerate the batter-like dough for 1 hour, to make it easier to handle.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets, three if you have them.
Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls (about the size of a small ping pong ball) onto the prepared baking sheets. A tablespoon cookie scoop makes this task extremely simple. Leave about 2" between the dough balls, as they'll spread as they bake.
Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until their tops are shiny and cracked. They won't crack until the very end, so keep a close eye on them; when they're cracked all the way across the top surface, they're just about done. The point is, you want these baked all the way through, but just barely; additional baking will make them crisp rather than chewy. Remove the cookies from the oven, and top each with a kiss-shaped chocolate, a nonpareil, or a bittersweet chocolate wafer, if desired. Wait 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool.
In a double boiler, or in the microwave, gently melt together the chocolate and butter. To avoid heating the chocolate too much and possibly burning it, the best method is to heat till the butter is melted and the chocolate has partially melted, then remove from the heat. Stir till all the chocolate melts.
In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs till they're thoroughly combined. Add the hot melted chocolate, then stir in the remaining ingredients, including the chocolate chips, if you're using them. Refrigerate the batter-like dough for 1 hour, to make it easier to handle.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets, three if you have them.
Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls (about the size of a small ping pong ball) onto the prepared baking sheets. A tablespoon cookie scoop makes this task extremely simple. Leave about 2" between the dough balls, as they'll spread as they bake.
Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until their tops are shiny and cracked. They won't crack until the very end, so keep a close eye on them; when they're cracked all the way across the top surface, they're just about done. The point is, you want these baked all the way through, but just barely; additional baking will make them crisp rather than chewy. Remove the cookies from the oven, and top each with a kiss-shaped chocolate, a nonpareil, or a bittersweet chocolate wafer, if desired. Wait 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool.
Yield: about 26 cookies without chips, 30 cookies with chips
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Chewy Chocolate Cookies | CooksIllustrated.com
We recommend using the test kitchen’s favorite baking chocolate, Callebaut Intense Dark L-60-40NV, but any high- quality dark, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate will work. Light brown sugar can be substituted for the dark, as can light corn syrup for the dark, but with some sacrifice in flavor. A spring-loaded ice cream scoop (size #30) can be used to portion the dough.
⅓ cup even more sugar granulated sugar (about 2½-oz), plus ½ cup for coating
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7½-oz)
¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon table salt plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt
½ cup dark corn syrup (see note)
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened (70°)
⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar (about 2½-oz, see note)
4-oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into ½-inch pieces (see note)
Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375°
Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper
Place ½ cup granulated sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl
Whisk corn syrup, egg white, and vanilla together in small bowl
In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and remaining ⅓ cup granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes
Reduce speed to medium-low, add corn syrup mixture, and beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl once with rubber spatula
With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and chopped chocolate; mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl once
Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom
Chill dough 30 minutes to firm slightly
(Do not chill longer than 30 minutes)
Divide dough into 16 equal portions; roll between hands into balls about 1½-inches in diameter
Working in batches, drop 8 dough balls into baking dish with sugar and toss to coat
Set dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2-inches apart; repeat with second batch of 8
Bake, reversing position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 10 to 11 minutes
Do not over-bake
Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack; cool cookies to room temperature
Yields 16 cookies
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
GINGERBREAD: Star Desserts
¡ 1½ cups boiling water
¡ 1 cup molasses
¡ 1 tsp. baking soda
¡ 4-oz sweet butter, softened
¡ 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
¡ 1 egg
¡ ½ tsp. salt
¡ 2tsp. ground ginger
¡ 1 ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¡ pinch nutmeg
¡ 2 ½ cups flour
¡ 1 tbsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350º
Butter & flour a 9 X 13-inch or two- 9 X 9-inch pans
In a saucepan bring water to a boil, remove from the heat
Stir in the molasses & baking soda, set aside to lukewarm
Combine the butter & brown sugar in an electric mixer with paddle attachment
Cream on medium high speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy
In separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves & baking powder
Fold in dry ingredients alternating with the molasses mixture
To do this on the machine, turn on & off, scraping side down
Pour batter into prepared pans
Bake at 350º for 30 to 35 minutes or until tester comes out clean
Cool on rack serve at room temperature
Serving Suggestions:
With sautéed apples, spiced or with rum, served warm over the top and Chantilly crème
Also can be served plain with a dusting of powdered sugar or ice cream
Friday, October 7, 2011
CINNAMON SUGAR COOKIES: STAR DESSERTS
- 4-oz. sweet butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1⅓ cups flour
- 1 tsp. cream tartar
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 1½ tbsp cinnamon
Cream together the butter & sugar
Add the egg
Mix in a separate bowl, the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda & the salt add to the butter mixture
Slightly, chill dough
Pre-heat oven to 350º
Mix the remaining cinnamon & sugar in a small bowl
Form dough into 1” balls and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture
Place on parchment line sheet pan one inch apart
Bake 8 to 10 minutes ‘til golden brown
Allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes before removing from pan
Cool completely on rack and store in, airtight container at room temperature
Yield: 3 dozen
CHOCOLATE DIPPED HONKY-POKEY COOKIES: DEATH BY CHOCOLATE
¡ ½ cup sliced almonds
¡ ¼ cup sugar
¡ 2 tbsp flour
¡ 1 egg white (almost ¼ cup)
¡ 1 tsp. sweet butter, melted
¡ ¼ tsp. almond extract
¡ 3-oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
Preheat oven to 325º
Line sheet pan with parchment paper
Toast almonds until golden brown
Combine sugar, flour, egg, butter, salt & almond extract in stainless steel bowl, stir until smooth
Gently fold in almonds until coated with the batter
Hold batter at room temperature for 20 minutes to let batter rest, stirring occasionally
Trace two 6-inch circles onto parchment paper and place on sheet pan
Divide batter evenly into circles
Spread batter evenly to cover each circle.
Bake in a 325º oven - 20 to 24 minutes, until uniformly brown
Turn pan 180° about half way through baking time
Remove pan from oven and allow to cool 3 to 4 minutes
With a pizza cutter cut each circle into 4 wedge-shape cookies
Cool 30 minutes before removing from parchment
Heat 1-inch of water in the bottom of double boiler
Place chocolate in the top half and melt the chocolate until smooth
Dip cooled cookies in ½-inch of the round edge of the cookie and place on parchment to allow chocolate to set at room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes
To set chocolate faster, place the cookies in the refrigerator for 5 minutes
PEARS POACHED IN RASPBERRY SYRUP
¡ 4 cups water
¡ 1⅓ cups sugar
¡ 2 strips of lemon peel
¡ 1-half pint of raspberries
¡ 2 lbs ripe Bosc pears, (about 6 medium)
1. Bring water & sugar to a in non-corrosive saucepan
2. Julienne the lemon and add to the water
Simmer the water with the lemon
3. Purée the raspberries and pass them through a strainer to remove the seeds
4. Add to the lemon syrup
5. Peel the pears, keeping them as smooth and round as possible
Leave stem on but remove all the peel
Pull out the bottom end w/the tip of a potato peeler
6. Pouch pears in barely simmering raspberry syrup for 30 to 35 minutes, until tender and tester comes out easily
7. Transfer them gently to a storage container and chill, separate from syrup
To serve strain the cooled syrup over the pears & chill
Serve the pears at room temperature w/a piece of candied violet, raspberry syrup and cream fresh
*Note: use slightly under ripe pears, they hold together better
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