Black-and-white desserts

Happy New Year!  Wishing you all a happy, heathy, and prosperous new year!

My plans for New Years Eve include dinner with friends and attending a party.  A black-and-white themed party.  According to the invitation, the dress code and food/snacks will fall into the color theme; drinks will not.  Now, while I don't know that the host or hostess (one of them is my friend's coworker), I (obviously) offered to bring some home-baked treats.  I asked my friend what she thought they might like - she said black and white goodies.  Then she suggested black and white cookies.

This is not the first time my friend had requested that I make them, but last time I decided on mini-cheesecakes with individual crusts (for a NYC themed party she threw).  So suffice it to say that when she suggested them again this time, I figured I'd take a stab at them...along with a few other black and white desserts (because when have I ever been known to make things simple for myself?).

The plan was to start with the black and white cookies.  I figured they'd need the longest to sit and let the icing harden.  But I needed to wait for the butter to come to room temperature.  So while I was waiting for that, I started with the cheesecake brownies.  Then I moved onto the black and white cookies.  And lastly, the chocolate hazelnut crinkle cookies.  I debated the crinkle cookies because they're covered in powdered sugar (and guests will be wearing either white or black - which does not look good when covered in powdered sugar), but ultimately decided to make them because (a) they are so perfectly black and white, and (b) I had been wanting to make these for a while and I finally had an excuse....er, I mean occasion.

Cheesecake Brownies - Top Row (from David Lebovitz, from Ready for Dessert)
Chocolate-Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies - Middle Row (from Epicurious.com)
Black and White Cookies - Bottom Rows (from Smitten Kitchen)

 

A few notes:

1. I made my brownies in a 9 x 9 pan.  I recommend an 8 x 8 pan (I don't have one, which is why I used the 9 x 9).  Also, I used dark chocolate chips in mine.  I would definitely recommended using semi-sweet chips in them when you make them.  Or leave them out entirely.

2. The crinkle cookies call for 1/4 cup whole milk.  I only drink skim and the grocery store only had whole milk in half gallons, but I didn't need that much.  Another recipe called for some milk, so I went with 2%.  The cookies were fine with the 2%.

3. The chocolate icing for the black and white cookies was way too thick and almost impossible to spread.  I ended up adding extra boiling water by the teaspoon until it was smooth enough to spread.  I also added another drop of the light corn syrup.  In the end I think they came out nicely (though not as professional-looking as those you can get in bakeries here in NYC).

Brownie thins

I had extra walnuts laying around from the candied walnuts I made the other day.  I had a recipe for Brownie Thin cookies that I wanted to make, and I was convinced they called for walnuts (I mean, aren't walnuts the go-to nut for brownies?!) -- but they didn't.  I decided that I'd make them with walnuts anyway.

The recipe says that the cookies taste just like the top layer of a brownie - so the taste of a brownie with a lot fewer calories?  Sign me up!

Honestly, I'm not a fan of nuts in my baked goods - the only things I think nuts should be baked in are carrot cake and zucchini bread, though don't ask me why (I'm honestly not sure) - so I made some with the walnuts and some without.  The walnut ones looked nicer.

Brownie Thins (from Epicurious.com)

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp flour
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract (I might make it without almond extract next time and double the vanilla...or use hazelnut extract and use hazelnuts on top instead of walnuts, or pistachios)
pinch of coarse kosher salt
nonstick vegetable oil spray
1/4 cup chopped pistachios (I used walnuts)

Directions:

Place the rack in lowest third of oven.

Preheat to 350°F. Butter 2 baking sheets.

Place butter and chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on medium-high power until almost completely melted, about 1 minute.  Whisk until smooth.  Add sugar and egg; whisking again until smooth, about 1 minute. Add flour, both extracts, and salt; stir just to blend.

Let batter stand 10 minutes.

Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing apart (12 per sheet - I got 10 per sheet). Spray sheet of plastic wrap lightly with nonstick spray. Place, sprayed side down, over cookies. Using fingers, press each mound into 21/2- to 2 3/4-inch round. Remove plastic wrap (I pressed mine down with my fingers - I was out of Pam - they probably didn't get as thin as they were supposed to).

Sprinkle pistachios over rounds. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until slightly darker at edges and firm in center, about 7 minutes.

Cool on sheet 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack; cool completely.

Vanilla caramels

The original name of this recipe is "Chocolate-Dipped Vanilla Caramels," but I have yet to decide if I'm going to be dipping the caramels in chocolate or not (they're very sweet and tasty on their own).

Two nights ago I was talking to my aunt, and she said she had been looking for a good salted caramel.  I know it was just conversation, but I heard challenge!  Since I had been meaning to make these anyway, I took the opportunity to make them last night.  They're time intensive, yes, but well worth it. 

On Saturday night I made the caramel, and left it out to cool and set overnight.  The directions said to let it set, which I interpreted meant to keep it on the counter overnight.  The following morning they were still soft/a little runny (when I cut a bite to taste), so I put them in the fridge as I headed out to work. 
This is the caramel after it was poured into the tray:



 

When I got home, they were firm enough to cut into squares, but didn't hold their shape so well.  Nonetheless, I tried dipping them into the chocolate.  Not so successful.  These are the two best ones:

  Coated in bittersweet chocolate and sprinked with some salt

Chocolate-Dipped Vanilla Caramels

2 sticks unsalted butter

2.5 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

1 Tbsp coarse sea salt, crumbled (plus more to sprinkle on top of dipped caramels

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, melted, optional

Directions:

Line a 9x13" rimmed baking tray with tin foil and coat with nonstick spray. 

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the sugar, corn syrup, and heavy cream and bring to a boil; stirring until sugar dissolves.  Add the vanilla seeds.  Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until a golden caramel forms and temperature reaches 245F, about 1 hour.  Stir in 1 Tbsp salt.  Scrape caramel into pan.  Let cool and set completely overnight (mine needed to be kept in the fridge).

Lightly oil a sheet of parchment paper and line 2 baking sheets with wax paper.  Invert the caramel onto the parchment paper and peel off the foil.  Using a sharp knife (or a pizza cutter, as I did), cut the caramel into 1 inch wide strips horizontally and then vertically, ending up with 1" squares.  Dip the squares into the chocolate, tap off excess, and put onto the wax paper-lined trays.  Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and refrigerate for 10 minutes.  Undipped caramels can be wrapped in wax paper and tied with thread or string.

Candied espresso walnuts

I found the easiest recipe for awesome candied walnuts.  Of course, the recipe didn't say "easiest candied walnuts," but they were incredibly easy to make!  I had almost all the ingredients on hand, which made them a convenient thing to make on Christmas Eve, when I got back to my apartment at 6 p.m. and didn't have time to run to the store (since they were most likely closed, given the holiday).  The only thing I did differently was that I used finely ground coffee instead of espresso, since that is what I had on hand.  My only suggestion - up the cinnamon a little bit.  Otherwise, they're a keeper just as they are - super flavorful and easy to make!


This picture doesn't even do them justice, sadly.

Candied Espresso Walnuts (from Bon Appetit)
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2/3 cup sugar
2 T finely ground espresso beans (I used regular finely ground coffee)
1 T instant espresso powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon (In the future I'd use a full teaspoon)
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg white
4 cups walnut halves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F.

Whisk together sugar, ground espresso beans, instant espresso, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

Whisk egg white in a large bowl until frothy.  Add walnuts and toss until coated.  Sprinkle with dry mixture, mix to coat.  Spread them onto prepared sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 5 minutes.  Loosen with spatula, toss, and rearrange into a single layer again.  Bake until walnuts are dry to the touch, about another 5 minutes.

Holiday treats for my doormen

I finally assembled the box of cookies for my doormen.  As I mentioned in the post earlier today, I had really wanted to make a whole bunch of other treats that I just didn't get around to making.  Since I have most of the ingredients here, I think my doormen may be getting a box of New Years treats, as well.  My hope is that this it not the complete box of treats, and I'm hoping I have some time before work to toss the fruit jellies in some sugar and add them to the box.  But, as of now, here is the final box:


There are giant sugar cookies, double chocolate chunk cookies, chocolate chip-double stuffed Oreo-brownie bars, apricot and raspberry jam thumbprint cookies, Oreo truffles (aka Oreo "cake" balls - some with peppermint topping), and lemony-lime cookies!

Happy Holidays, whichever you celebrate, and Happy New Year!!

Jam thumbprint cookies

Today I made jam thumbprint cookies.  I don't know why, but I think they're festive.  Maybe it's the shiny jewel colored centers?  But anyway, these were the finishing touches for my box of cookies for my doormen.  I have to say, in all honesty, that I had wanted to make a whole bunch of other treats to put in this box (peppermint truffle cups, cappuccino brownies, regular chocolate chip cookies, candied walnuts), I simply ran out of time.  I'm hoping I have a little free time in the morning to cut the fruit jellies, toss them in the sugar, and sneak them into the box before I deliver it on my way to work.

But first, the jam thumbprint cookies.  This recipe is from Epicurious.  Their idea and presentation is, I think, super cute, but I think it's a bit time intensive.  So, I skip the whole "Trios" part - they have you making 3 small thumbprint cookies, each with a different flavor of jam (strawberry, raspberry, apricot) and intentionally doing what every baker hates - placing the cookies close enough so that when then spread during baking, they attach themselves to each other!  Instead, I just make individual, slightly larger, jam thumbprint cookies.  The raspberry and apricot are my favorites, so that is what I stuck with today, but i've made them with tons of different flavors in the past - peach, apricot, cherry, raspberry, strawberry...the list can go on and on!

Jam Thumbprint Cookies (my adaptation of Trios)

2.5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla

jam or preserves of your choice

Directions:
Whisk together flour and salt, set aside.
Beat butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla. 
Then, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, until a dough forms.
Divide into two pieces.  Wrap each in plastic wrap.  Chill in fridge until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

Take out dough and roll into balls, spacing them about 2 inches apart.  Once all of the dough balls are on the baking tray, take the end of a wooden spoon and press it into the center of the cookie, making a cavity.  Place a small amount of jam/preserves in the center (don't overfill them).  Bake until cooked through and edges are golden brown (the original recipe says 15-20 minutes, mine were done in about 8-10).  Cool for about 5 minutes on baking tray then move to a cooling rack.

Apple-potato latkes with cinnamon sour cream

Today I had a productive day.  Did paperwork for a project I'm working on, had a meeting, had lunch with two friends, edited my paper so far (on the subway - I'm quite good at multitasking), picked up a gift for my dad, found a recipe I had been looking for, went to the grocery store, made the changes to my paper, started defrosting the baked goods in the freezer (so I can package them up tomorrow), finished my paper, made cookie dough, made the recipe I had found earlier in the day, printed a final copy of my paper to edit on the train to work tomorrow, and finally sat down to have dinner and taste one of these Apple-Potato Latkes with Cinnamon Sour Cream!  I didn't get to start the peppermint truffle cups today, though, as I had originally planned.

I saw this recipe for these latkes about a week and a half ago on the subway when the woman standing in front of me was reading whatever was on the flip page of this recipe, so that the recipe was facing me (no, I was not reading over her shoulder, a pet peeve of mine, although I find myself doing it from time to time).  I had been meaning to look up the recipe since then, but finally did it today.  Being that I'm not really a fan of fried things, but am more so not a fan of my apartment smelling like fried potatoes and onions for weeks on end, I decided to try baking these instead of frying them.

I brushed a tray with olive oil, and allowed the tray to get hot in the over before putting the latke batter on them and baking them, flipping them over half-way through.  (By baking them, I feel it is completely legit to include them on my baking blog.)  The only problem is that they didn't get browned or crispy, although they had the flavor of being fried without the excess oil.  So, I was forced to fry the second batch.  Unfortunately, I don't really feel like you can taste the apples in these, which is sad considering I love applesauce on my latkes and figured this recipe would taste like applesauce on a latke.  Oddly, though, I liked the cinnamon sour cream.  Luckily for me, my mom makes the BEST latkes in the world, so I'm not too shaken up about these...

Apple-Potato Latkes with Cinnamon Sour Cream (courtesy of The New York Times)

6 Tbsp sour cream or greek yogurt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp maple syrup

2 golden delicious apples, peeled and cored
1 large russett potato, peeled
1 medium yellow onion, peeled
2/3 cup flour
3 large eggs
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper (I used white, simply because it was more accessible than the black)
1 1/4 tsp baking powder

Olive oil, for frying

1. Mix together the sour cream (or Greek yogurt), cinnamon, and maple syrup.  Put aside in fridge until ready to serve.

2. Coarsely grate the potato, apples, and onion (this is where my new food processor came in handy).  Afterwards, strain VERY WELL to get as much moisture out as possible.  [I lined a strainer with paper towels, put the mixture in there, and then took it out in 1/5ths and rang them out in paper towels].

3. Transfer mixture to a bowl and add the eggs, salt, pepper, flour, and baking powder.  Mix until the flour is absorbed.

4. Fry in hot oil, in small batches.  Drop heaping tablespoons of mixture into hot oil, flattening them with the spatula, frying 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown.  Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

5. When serving, place a dollop of the cinnamon sour cream on top.

Happy Channukkah!