Brownie Hearts and Brownie Bites
Brownie Hearts and Brownie Bites
Makes 12 hearts; Prep time: 20 minutes; Total time: 1 hour
After you cut out the hearts, roll the brownie leftovers into bite-size morsels. Once coated with cocoa or sugar, they resemble truffles. You’ll get about forty-four bites.
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Confectioners’ sugar, colored sugar, cocoa, or crushed toffee bits, for decoration
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Butter bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; cut a piece of waxed paper to fit the bottom, and press it onto the buttered surface. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and chocolate. Microwave on High for 1 minute; stir. If the chocolate is not softened, continue to microwave at 10-second intervals, removing before it’s completely melted.
2. Beat eggs and vanilla into the melted chocolate with a wooden spoon. Beat in flour and salt. Add in nuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool.
3. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Turn the brownie cake out onto a baking sheet, and flip over onto a work surface. Cut out the brownies with a 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Dust with cocoa if you like. Form the scraps into 1-inch balls, and roll them in the coating of your choice.
Stuffed Apples
Stuffed Apples
Recipe from Rachael Ray
Yields 4 servings
4 large Macintosh or Empire apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup instant oatmeal mix or rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, a healthy grating
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 ounces, 1/8 cup, golden raisins, chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, walnut pieces or pecans
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut the top off of each apple, about 1/4 – 1/2 inch from the stem end and reserve the tops. Core and hollow out each apple to make room for the filling. Sprinkle apples with lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl. Overstuff the apples and replace the tops. Bake 20 minutes in a small oven-safe dish or a muffin tin to keep the apples from tumbling over.
Nut Brittle Block
Nut Brittle Block
Recipe from Martha Stewart Holiday Handmade Gifts, December 2006.
Makes one 9-by-13-inch pan
Unsalted butter, softened, for baking sheet
Vegetable oil, for spatula
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups unsalted nuts, such as dry-roasted peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts, almonds or pecans, or toasted pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1. Brush a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with butter, and oil an offset spatula; set aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Wash down sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture registers 238° on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage). Stir in nuts, and continue to cook, stirring often so that the nuts do not burn, until the mixture is medium amber in color, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Carefully stir in vanilla and baking soda (the mixture will foam up).
3. Pour onto prepared baking sheet, and using oiled offset spatula, quickly spread into a 1/2-inch-thick layer. Let cool completely.
4. Break brittle into pieces if desired; store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.
When giving as a gift, package this brittle block with cellophane, and include a small hammer and bow.
Orange Balls
Orange Balls
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 1-lb. box powdered sugar
1 6oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 12-oz. box Nilla wafers
powdered sugar, ground nuts, or fine coconut
Pulse Nilla wafers in food processor until very fine
In a medium bowl, cream margarine and powdered sugar. Add orange juice concentrate, nuts and coconut gradually, blending each addition. Add crushed wafers and mix well. Form 1-inch balls and roll in powdered sugar, nuts or coconut. Store in tin or covered container.
Apple Crisp
Apple Crisp
4C sliced apples
1/3C sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamom
Mix together and put into baking dish
Topping:
1 stick butter
1/2C dark brown sugar
1/2C oats
1/2C chopped walnuts
1C flour
Melt butter over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar, oats and nuts and stir until sugar melts and ingredients are combined. Remove from heat and stir in flour until blended. Sprinkle over top of fruit mixture and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
Apple Spice Cake
Apple Spice Cake
Serves 10
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 to 4 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
1 cup chopped assorted nuts, such as pecans and walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Caramel Sauce
Nonstick cooking spray with flour
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Working over a large sheet of parchment paper, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; gather sifted ingredients into center of sheet; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs; mix on high speed until lemon yellow.
4. Fold reserved parchment in half lengthwise; with mixer on medium speed, gradually shake in dry ingredients until just incorporated.
5. Add apples and, if desired, nuts, to batter; mix to combine. Add vanilla, mixing until incorporated.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 75 to 90 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, and cool slightly on a wire rack.
8. Invert cake onto rack; turn cake right-side up to cool completely on rack, and serve drizzled with caramel sauce
Caramel Sauce
Makes enough for 1 cake
1 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until thickened to desired consistency.
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