My FAVORITE chocolate chip cookies

There are 130,000 recipes for chocolate chip cookies on the internet.  Trust me, I googled it.  :D

I'm not going to say I tried all of them (wow, would that make me a liar, or what?)  I do however, have my preferences.  I love my mom's (and she hardly ever makes them), and my friend Amy has this neighbor who gives her cookies all the time.  Good thing she gets a lot, because I eat half when I come visit!

I never liked chocolate chip cookies when I was a kid - I always opted for peanut butter or oatmeal.  Chocolate chip was too plain.  Now, I am older and wiser.  And I KNOW why I didn't like them!  Not enough chocolate chips!  I have learned throughout the years that my love of chocolate chip cookies grows in proportion to the amount of chocolate.  :)

It's Christmas time, everyone is busy, including me.  I'm not going to make this one a long one...the following is (with a few modifications) my favorite recipe by far.  Of course, feel free as I did, to change what you don't like, and add what you might like.  This is seriously the best recipe if you're one who loves a whole lot of chips in your cookie.  It's amazing at how many you can fit in such a small amount of dough!  Scary.  But delicious.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 20 cookies (if you use the suggested 2 Tsb) but I usually just make small balls and put them on the cookie sheet, and I can get more than two dozen that way


1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) (115 grams) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (130 grams) walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped, or you can use oats, although cut the amount down and grind them up a bit

Adjust the oven rack to the top third of the oven and preheat to 300F (150C). Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat the sugars and butters together until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda.

Stir together the flour and salt, then mix them into the batter. Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon (5cm) balls and place 8 balls, spaced 4 inches (10cm) apart, on each of the baking sheets.

Bake for 18 minutes, or until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Some notes that I've made along the way:

~I don't actually use wax paper.  The melted chocolate sticks to it, and when you try to lift off to a plate, you get cookies that are partial.  Of course, if you're patient, and can wait until the cookies are completely cool (and the chips solid) I suppose using wax paper might work.  I've never known though, if that works or not.  I want to eat as soon as they're cool enough to put in my mouth!

~I think the nuts are a good touch, though it depends on how much you like nuts.  I use walnuts, and most of the time, just grind them so they're in small chunks. This way, they're evident in the cookie itself.  That's how I like it.  But some people pulverize their nuts, so that all you have is a fine nutty powder.  I've tried both, and I think they're both delish, but I like a little chunk in my cookie. 

~When you toast them, use parchment paper, pour the correct amount onto the paper, and put that in the oven.  Be creative.  I always add a dash of cinnamon or some nutmeg on top just for a light hint of flavor.  Or you can do them plain.

~ When you cut up the cold butter and try to blend it with the sugars, I don't think it'll work!  I've done this many times, and always, it only starts coming together when I add the egg and the vanilla and soda.  Don't panic, it WILL come together eventually.

~ There is almost not enough dough for the amount of add-ins.  Don't worry - it's supposed to be that way.  :)

~ Lastly, chill the dough an hour before using it.  It makes it easier to work with.  You'll have to bake a bit more than you would normally.  Just keep peeking in the oven.

~Like I mentioned above, if you do use oats, cut the amount down a bit.  And use a food processor to grind them down.  If you don't, then you'll have an oatmeal cookie, and it's not what you wanted, is it? 

~ I use Ghiradelli's for my chocolate.  The bittersweet nibs are the best, but most of the time, I blend a few different kinds into my cookies.  These will be hugely chocolate, so be warned (or not).

~~~

Adapted from David Lebovitz's The Great Book of Chocolate

Decorating for Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving week!  I'm sure everyone's busy - I've been so, and I was sick for a good few days which slowed down my preparations.

This year, I'm hosting my first Thanksgiving in the new house!  I've been thinking about this awhile (I'm sure I haven't made mention of it to my family and friends lest they think I'm crazy to be thinking about it for so long).  When I finally got down to the details, I realized there's so much to do! My mother has been great with all of it - she's bringing most of the food (minus the appetizers, a few of the dishes and the cake).

I had on my to do list only a few things.  To come up with some before dinner snacks.  To host it at my house (meaning the place had to be relatively clean and this is a task which I have trouble undertaking as I can be the most disorganized person on the planet) to bake my father a birthday cake (more on that another time) and to set the Thanksgiving table.

This blog is about the last item on that list (and surprisingly the most challenging!)  I had no clue how to go about making a centerpiece and providing visually pleasing table settings for all my guests.  I knew I couldn't go too expensive, and I also knew I didn't want something plain. 

So for those who are trying to save some money and still come up with something pretty, keep on reading.  I'm proud of myself!  I think (and perhaps I'm biased) I came up with a few good ideas.  Let's start with the place settings.

This was probably where I spent most of my money, but only because I didn't own linens and a tablecloth.  If you already do, then this is really super cheap to make.  Here's a list of things you'll need, most can be found at an arts and crafts store.  I went to Michael's.

linen napkins
ribbon
fabric leaves
fabric pen or marker
fake fruit
candles
candleholders

I buffed my silverware and then folded each linen napkin in half, and rolled the silverware in it.  I cut the ribbon long enough for two wrap arounds and a bow.  What I mean is this:

So you cross over once on the front, once on the back, and tie the bow on the front, creating two "ballet slipper" folds.  :)  Since my dining room is a deep maroon color, I have a gold tablecloth and gold napkins so I bought maroon ribbon.  Of course, you may use any color you wish.

Once the sliverware was wrapped and ribboned, I chose several nice fabric fall leaves (one for each guest) and wrote a Thanksgiving quote on each of them (well, I wrote "Give Thanks" but I think it would be neater if you had the time and the patience to write out longer quotes..)  Then I let the leaves dry, and tucked one into each set of silverware, at the bottom fold.

For my centerpiece, I used the rest of the leaves, and then I bought a bunch of red grapes (also at Michael's).  If you have a small serving dish, you can use that as your base for the centerpiece, but you could probably do this right on the tabletop too.  Using whatever candleholder you have sitting around (mine was a three votive holder, but a one or two would work too, though I think the more candles the prettier this is). 

I covered the serving plate with a few of the fabric leaves, and then set the candleholder on top.  Then I added the grapes, and I surrounded the whole thing with the remainder of the leaves.  And that's it! 

Cute, huh?  And very cheap.  Plus, it looks nice.  Happy table setting!

Banana Cranberry Bread

This week is a busy one - full of baking and regular life, too!  I'm blessed to have a close knit group of friends (who also apparently like to have parties all in the same span of time!)  I was asked to bring dessert for one, and "whatever I wanted" (dessert) to the second one.  :)

In typical Maggie fashion, I forgot that the two soirees were only one day apart, and having only two days this week that are free to bake, I needed to come up with something that was quick, easy, sweet and freezable.  Hence, this recipe found on Chocolate and Zucchini.  When I first read it, I had reservations because I didn't know if bananas and cranberries were a good combo (and Chris still maintains they are NOT), and secondly - and we talked about this - I do not like bananas much.

Oh, and I'm not a huge fan of bread.

Anyway, I know of a lot of people who like banana bread, and it's really a staple at holidays (it's on all the food trays, I notice).  And I thought in the end, the zing of cranberry might cut into the cloying sweetness of the bananas (which is why I don't like banana bread in the first place).  So I gave it a go.

The recipe calls for a food processor.  Trust me on this one, you'll need SOMETHING to chop up those darn cranberries.  I tried to use the beaters but they didn't work.  :(  I ended up transferring the partial batter to a blender, blending down the cranberries and pulsing the banana slices a few times.  It called for chunky pieces, but unfortunately mine was a nice pinky, seed-y sweet, buttery smoothie.  When I tried it, I changed my mind about cranberries and bananas - they do in fact make a nice couple. :)

The original recipe makes one loaf (I used a nine inch loaf pan), but I doubled it (for obvious reasons).  And I will make another double batch later this week. This bread is easy and the best part is the presentation.  It's a lovely crusty on the outside and pink inside.  It smells divine while baking (cranberries and cinnamon is going to be an official new favorite) and the taste is lightly sweet with hints of banana and cinnamon and a slightly tangy kick.  Plus, it might make an excellent Christmas gift!  :)

Doubled recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini:


Cranberry Banana Bread

- 1/4 C (55 g) butter, softened
- 1 C (200 g) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 small bananas, sliced
- 1 C (110 g) cranberries
- 1/4 C water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 C (200 g) flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
(Serves 6.)

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Grease a 9 by 5 inch (22 by 12 cm) loaf pan.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a food processor. Add in the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition. Add in the banana slices, the cranberries, the water and the vanilla extract. Mix again until blended, but not too much : it's nice if the banana and cranberries are not completely mushed.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients into the batter, and mix until just combined -- do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for approximately 55 min or until the top of the cake is nicely brown and a cake tester comes out clean.

Let rest for ten minutes, then run a knife around to loosen the sides, and turn out on a rack to cool completely.

Original recipe : Wilson's Farm, Lexington, MA.

Banana Chocolate chip Upside-Down Cake

I was at the market today randomly looking for inspiration for Thanksgiving (I want to do something semi-interesting and something my family hasn't ever had).  Although nothing came to mind on this particular trip out, I did find a nice bunch of ripe bananas on sale for less than a dollar fifty.  The green ones were only 50 cents a bunch, but I opted for the ripe ones which were a bit more (I assume for those people who love bananas and can't wait to eat one as soon as they get home?)

Anyway, I'm one of those people who isn't sure about the banana. Sometimes I love one.  With my cereal in the morning or if I'm hankering for something to dip into peanut butter.  Sometimes, I hate them.  I hate banana cream pie (hence the creation of the bananas foster pie which I thank the Lord for).  But I always have good memories of trips to the beach with my family and eating dark chocolate covered frozen bananas on a stick.  Those were the days.  There are even pictures of Michelle covered in chocolate.  :)

When I came across this recipe, I wasn't really looking for anything to make involving a banana.  I usually don't, but when I read it, I thought of the frozen chocolate covered banana and thought maybe it would be good.  It's also pretty straightforward, and a one pan, two bowl recipe, which bakes up in about 40 minutes (a little more if your oven is 90 years old like mine is. ;) ).

And you can't go wrong with chocolate, now can you?  I didn't think so.  I followed it pretty much as written, although:

1. I didn't need four bananas to cover my pan.  I used a round 9inch pan as opposed to the square one.

2. I used light brown sugar instead of dark.

3. I substituted another egg for 1 Tsb of sour cream. 

Everything else was as written and it was amazing!  The best part by far was how it smelled while baking.  I think if someone bottled that up and sold it as a candle they'd make a mint. 

The result?  A beautiful looking cake, golden and hot, light and fluffy with just a bit of banana and cinnamon flavor, covered with buttery brown sugar glazed bananas and oozing with melted dark chocolate.  It's a total win.  Total.

Next time I'm going to use MORE butter for the topping and maybe try the dark brown sugar and see what happens.  But this cake really doesn't need any change.  It's simply delicious.  :) 

From david lebovitz's recipe, with slight modifications:

Banana Chocolate Chip Upside-Down Cake

One 8-inch (20 cm) square cake

When I originally developed this recipe, as mentioned, I was writing for a magazine that requested low-fat recipes, hence the single egg white. But if you’re not all that concerned, simply add an additional egg, yolk and all, and reduce the sour cream by one tablespoon.

If you live somewhere where sour cream isn’t available, you can use buttermilk, plain whole milk yogurt, or fromage blanc. You’ll notice that you can use either butter or water in the topping. If you’re skeptical, I can honestly say that the non-butter version is really good. But for non-believers, go ahead and add a few tablespoons of butter instead.

For the topping:

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (60 g) packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water or butter; cubed, at room temperature
3-4 ripe medium bananas
a few drops of lemon juice
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (30 g) melted butter, salted or unsalted
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 cup (250 g) banana puree (about 2 bananas) (note from Maggie:  I just cut up two bananas tossed them in my trusty ziploc sandwich bag and took to it with my stone rolling with with a vengeance)
1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, regular or low-fat
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (80 g) chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

1. To make the topping, place the brown sugar and water or butter in an 8-inch (20 cm) square cake pan. Warm the pan directly on the stovetop over low heat, stirring until the sugar is thoroughly moistened.
If using water, simmer the mixture for about 45 seconds. If using butter, stir just until the sugar is moist and bubbling, then remove from heat. (It won’t melt completely smooth, and there may be a few bare spots, which is normal.) Let cool to room temperature.

2. Peel and slice the bananas in 1/4-inch (1 cm) slices. Arrange them in slightly overlapping rows over the melted brown sugar. Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice.

3. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
4. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl, making sure there are no lumps. Mix in the granulated sugar.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, egg, egg white, banana puree, sour cream, and vanilla.
6. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients until almost combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the chocolate pieces.
7. Scrape the batter into the pan over the bananas, then use a spatula to carefully spread the batter over the sliced fruit.

8. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cake feels just set in the center when you touch it.
9. Cool the cake for about 20 minutes, then run a knife along the edges of the cake to help it release from the pan. Invert the cake onto a serving platter.

Serving: The cake is best served warm with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or by itself as a snack. If made an hour or so in advance, it can be inverted on the serving platter, and left with the cake pan over it, to keep it warm. Otherwise is can be rewarmed in a low over, covered with foil. Or enjoyed at room temperature.

Lazy Pasta primavera

I admire my best friend.  She's a stay at home mom to three beautiful children (and it amazes me every time I talk to her because I get the heebies thinking about having one child, let alone three!)  She cooks, cleans and takes care of the children.  She takes care of her hubby (who sometimes can be like a fourth child). 

The amazing thing is, she manages to make dinner at least three to four times a week in spite of her hectic lifestyle.  I gave her this recipe two years ago (when she only had two children).  The idea here was to give her something easy and quick that lended itself to many variations (this is to fool her husband into thinking that he was getting different meals when, essentially he was eating the same thing with different veggies).

I call it lazy pasta primavera.  The name implies it all - the dish takes about 25 minutes from start to finish, but best of all, it is delicious! 

Pasta primavera is an Italian inspired american dish consisting primarily of pasta and vegetables.  I know of variations that add chicken or shrimp, but I'm pretty sure that the focus here are the veggies.  The dish can be made with almost any vegetable desired, but I think most cooks stick to crisp, firm veggies like broccoli, carrots, pepper, onion and sugar snap peas.  But hey, try what you like.  I tend to add corn and mushrooms, my two favorite vegetables.  :) The dish is generally finished with a fusion of olive oil and garlic with a hefty amount of parmesan cheese added (which is like Alfredo sauce!)  However, heavier cream and alfredo sauce versions are also common. The dish is highlighted by mostly light flavors, a plethora of fresh herbs and bright colors.  It's as pretty to look at as it is to eat.

The dish is attributed to chef and owner of Le Cirque, Sirio Maccioni.

My version doesn't require as much work, trust me.

YOU WILL NEED:

1 jar of Alfredo sauce of your choice. 

Make this a GOOD sauce, good quality, and medium cost.  (I tend to find the cheapest versions separate while cooking, and are too oily to the taste.  I usually use Dellalo's (because it's common at my market, or I can go to the source, about an hour's drive from here.  I also like Lidia's.  Some common brands here in Pennsylvania that are better quality include Gia Russa, Bertolli's and Barilla. 

1 box of pasta.

Avoid using long noodles, such as linguine, spaghetti, anger hair, or fettucine.  I use farfalle or campanelle, but certainly elbows or shells would work too.  :)

1 clove of garlic, minced (or you could substitute whatever amount it says one one of those jars of minced garlic you get at the store!)

4 Tbs olive oil

2 bags of frozen vegetables of your choice. 

I use Bird's Eye, but anything will do, I'm sure.  Remember what I mentioned above - stick to firm, crisp veggies.  Bird's Eye has a nice corn, brocolli and red pepper blend that I use (because I like corn).  But if you don't, buy a package of broccoli or a package of brocolli and carrots, or green pepper blends.  There are also stir fry blends that are available, but stay away from those with water chestnuts.  Sugar snap pea blends are always good. As I mentioned, I love mushrooms, so I usually by a small pack of those fresh and slice them before using.

Seasonings to taste. 

Here's where it gets interesting.  I use a combination of the following:

thyme
rosemary
paprika
parsley
sage
red pepper flakes
black pepper
cayenne pepper

Here's what won't work:

Old Bay seasoning (it was horrid, trust me)
cumin
extra garlic (too much, it overwhelmed)
dill

I've tried this enough times to be certain that the above three (thus far) do not work for this dish.  And I'm not suggesting you use all of the above at the same time.  I've used two or three at one time, and they all work for me.  I can't tell you how much of each, because that's all personal. :)

METHOD:

Put a pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta.  Add salt if you wish (I never salt my pasta).

In a deep, large saucepan (this is your one pan, so make it large, because you will mix the sauce, veggies and pasta in it) add the four Tsb of olive oil and heat.  Add the garlic and at this time, the mushrooms, if using.  Cook until the mushrooms release juices.

Add the two frozen packs of veggies and stir well.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the broccoli is hot, but not too soft.  Add your seasonings and taste until you are loving it. :)

Check your pasta water!  :)  Cook pasta according to box directions, drain and set aside (do not rinse)

Add the jar of sauce and blend well.  Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.  Cook until sauce and veggies are hot.

Add pasta to sauce and mix well. Viola.  Dinner is served in under 25 minutes.  Bon apetit!

Almond Cake

Friday mornings you can find me hanging with Biscuit. :)  It's become a somewhat enjoyable habit. We go to happy hour (and yes, they do have happy hour for graveyard shifters if anyone was wondering!), we sometimes have breakfast, or we go out later for lunch, we hang out or I watch him shoot pool.  It's always a good time.  And because he cares for his homebound mother, most of those Fridays include a trip to the grocery store.

He gets what he needs for the week and I get what strikes my fancy, depending on what's on sale or what I feel like making the next few days.  There are weeks that his mother will write a list, and we go off of that.  This past week was one of those weeks.  Usually, the list is standard, and most of the time it's always the same thing, but this week there was a glaring addition.

CAKE.

And you all know how I feel about cake.  I told him that I'd make her one, and he accepted (smart boy), so it was then that I was struck with the task of making something quick and yummy.  As I usually do, I hit the web, and found that David (again!) had come up with an adaptation of an almond cake from a restaurant where he was pastry chef, called Chez Panisse.

I liked the idea of almond cake because it's generally incredibly simple; paste, eggs, butter, sugar and flour.  It's also amazingly versatile.  You can eat it plain, or with powdered sugar on top.  With a cup of coffee or tea or without.  You can serve it along side a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt, you can top it with berries of your choice, or you can even make a strawberry shortcake (or a modification of such, as almond cake isn't really shortcake..).  You get the idea.  In the end, I liked this recipe so much, I decided this was the cake I was going to make, and if she didn't like it, then he'd eat it anyway.

I've had several comments the last week that people aren't bakers, so they think these recipes are "hard".  The truth is, this one is ridiculously easy!  So try it and let me know what you think and how you did!  Trust me, you can't really screw this up - it's straightforward.

The recipe calls for a food processor, but it's only to make sure that your almond paste (and don't use marzipan!) is finely ground up.  I think a blender (if you don't have a food processor) will work just fine.  I loved the first step, because it makes a nice sugary almond flavored sand-like material!  After I got that, I added it to my trusty mixing bowl and continued on with the recipe.  It worked just fine.  Also, there's a step in there where David warns that your batter will look curdled, but I didn't have that issue either.  Other than that, easy recipe and boy is it delicious!

I'm sure some of you have had the almond pound cake from Tastefully Simple.  This one is a bit less sweet, and a more dense, solid cake than that.  But it's more delicious.  And it gets better with time (I'm still cutting slices from it as I type!).  Give it a try, it's that easy.  Be warned though, it calls for a lot of eggs and a lot of butter (David says he scaled down the butter, so the original recipe called for even more!)  And, well, almond paste isn't cheap. 

I got rave reviews.  And a "this is the best cake I have ever tried."  So, in the end, it's pretty well worth it.

Almond Cake

One 9-inch or 10-inch (23-25 cm) cake

Adapted from Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Remolif Shere

1 1/3 cups (265g) sugar
8 ounces (225g) almond paste (at my store, this is one can)
3/4, plus 1/4 cup (140g total) flour
1 cup (8 ounces, 225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed (this is two sticks)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
6 large eggs, at room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (162ºC). Grease a 9- or 10-inch (23-25 cm) cake or spring form pan with butter, dust it with flour and tap out any excess. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.

Note from Maggie - if you don't know how to line a pan with paper, check this out.  That's how I learned!  :)

2. In the bowl of a food processor, grind the sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup (35g) of flour until the almond paste is finely ground and the mixture resembles sand.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup (105g) of flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Once the almond paste is completely broken up, add the cubes of butter and the vanilla and almond extracts, then process until the batter is very smooth and fluffy.

5. Add the eggs one at a time, processing a bit before the next addition. (You may wish to open the machine and scrape the sides down to make sure the eggs are getting fully incorporated.)

After you add all the eggs, the mixture may look curdled. Don’t worry; it’ll come back together after the next step.

6. Add half the flour mixture and pulse the machine a few times, then add the rest, pulsing the machine until the drying ingredients are just incorporated, but do not overmix. (You can also transfer the batter to a bowl and mix the dry ingredients in, which ensures the dry ingredients get incorporated evenly and you don’t overbeat it.)

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake the cake for 65 minutes, or until the top is deep brown and feels set when you press in the center.

8. Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp or serrated knife around the perimeter, loosing the cake from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Once cool, tap the cake out of the pan, remove the parchment paper, and set on a cake plate until ready to serve.

This cake keeps for at least four days, and can be frozen for up to a month.  Enjoy!

Clafoutis!

The other day, I was in my kitchen, doing dishes and I began to think of cobbler.  I know, I know.  Most people think about other things - I think about food.  I love cobbler.  I think a lot of people associate it with the spring and summer months, as it is a dessert bursting full of juicy, fresh fruit.  However, I have always associated it with staying in on a cold day.  The smell of fruit baking in the oven with the oats and sugar butter and flour on top, bubbling and crispy when it comes out, and ooey and gooey as you eat it.  It's the perfect lazy winter day dessert.  The more I thought about it, the more I wanted some.  There was a small issue though.

Let's face it, anyone would be hard pressed to find good looking fruit, at least berry fruit, this time of the year.  I was at the local store yesterday, picking through their vast bins of fruit and everything right now looks so small and sad.  :(

I sat down and began to rifle through my fruit recipes, thinking I'd make banana something or other (as those bananas - which I never really did like) seem to be a perfect choice year round.  I ended up finding nothing.  Except that I had a fruit bowl that Elaine's mother got me last year which held two wrinkled apples (a gift from my mama, as I think apples are horrid unless baked into a pie, cobbler, tart, cookies...then I can eat them), and pears. 

Those pears were looking back at me, as if calling my name.  And I mean, really...what else am I going to use a pear for?  I had previously purchased them with the intent of poaching for over custard, but I had never gotten around to it.  So I thought...pear cobbler? 

Sounded a little sketch. 

As I usually end up doing, I got online, and searched David's blog for something interesting I could incorporate pears into.  I thought about making a tart, but I had just gotten up from sleeping, had to work in several hours, and really wanted something simple.  Long story short, I ended up searching the recipe index at Chocolate and Zucchini.  I'm sure most bakers/cooks have already been to Clotilde's amazing website or read her books, but just in case you haven't, clicky clicky.  It is so worth it.  I love her writing style, and many of the recipes are easy to make despite the continents, and therefore local ingredients, that separate us from her.

She has on her website a recipe for a standard French pastry called clafoutis.  The word itself was rather unappetizing to me, however, the picture was beautiful, all bright and colorful in a small baking dish, and I was sold on it because it looked like cobbler!  The recipe was straightforward, easy and looked like it would be quick.

Unfortunately, being November, I knew fresh strawberries were not to be had, so off I was to the market the following day in search of something that would complement the sad little pears in my fruit bowl.  I walked through the fruit aisles thinking about the last pastry I had with pears, and couldn't think of anything, but in the end, I decided upon a small carton of raspberries.  I figured that it would look pretty, at least, even if it didn't taste quite the way it should. 

Clafoutis is traditionally made with dark cherries (with the pits still inside), but Clotilde mentioned in her recipe, that it welcomes all fruit, and so my idea was finally born.  Pear and raspberry clafoutis.  I also decided, because I like raspberry and coconut together, that I'd incorporate the last bit of dried coconut I had sitting in my fridge with the batter and see what happened.  Even if no one else touched the thing, I knew my booboo biscuit would eat it because, well, his idea of gourmet dessert is an oreo cookie.  :)

 

I used my food processor to make the batter, but I suggest using a regular old mixing bowl OR a blender.  The food processor was fine, but it made a mess on my counter, my floor, my shirt, my kitten, you name it, it was a mess.  If you do use the coconut flakes, you WILL need to grind them down to make them finer.  My batter was still chunky-ish even after processing.  If you want to opt out of the flakes completely, add a bit more sugar to the batter and add coconut extract, and I think that would do just fine as well.  The batter was so delicious, I drank what was left in my processor after I poured it over the fruit.  It tastes like a very thin milkshake - yum!  I think this dessert opens itself up for a million variations.  You can do what I did, or you could add rum.  Or vanilla, to keep it simple.  You could do what Clotilde did and use almonds, or almond extract.  I think even lemon extract or lemon juice would work (with a bit more sugar, of course).  Depending on the season and the fruit, this dessert could be anything you want it to be.

I think next time, I might try this with just berries.  But the pear coconut raspberry combination was delicious.  I'm pretty sure this will be gone in a blink of an eye.  :) 

And without further ado, here is my recipe, adapted from Clotilde's strawberry clafoutis:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 2 ounces) unsalted butter
1 pint raspberries
3 whole pears (I used Bartlett but I presume any firm pear would work)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened or sweetened coconut flakes (optional since this requires grinding)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (if you use sweetened coconut, cut the sugar to 1/3)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
A pinch of salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Confectioner's sugar (for the top)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8-inch-square glass baking dish or small pie pan with one tablespoon of the butter.

Melt the remaining butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat (or in a small bowl set in the microwave for a few seconds) and set aside.

Rinse the raspberries, and then peel and quarter the pears, removing the cores.  Cut up into bite size chunks.

In a food processor or blender mix flour and coconut flakes together (until ground up).  

Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt, and mix again. Crack in the eggs one by one, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Pour in the melted butter, milk and coconut extract, and mix again until well blended. The mixture will be thin, like crepe batter.


 Arrange the fruit in a single layer in the prepared dish.

Drizzle the batter over the pears and raspberries, and put the dish in the oven to bake for 40 minutes, until puffy and set.

Transfer dish to a rack, and let cool to room temperature. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, and serve directly from the baking dish.  Clafoutis is traditionally served on its own, but if you like you can add a few fresh strawberries on the side, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a little whipped cream.

Chocolate Cupcake!

I love chocolate.  And I'm not talking about a lukewarm affection - I'm talking about a when-i-do-not-have-chocolate-for-a-long-time-i-go-into-withdrawal- kind of love. That's why one of my ex boyfriends called me a "voluptuous woman".  I think that might be the PC term for huge pig.  ;)

I love brownies, cupcakes, chocolate cakes (both sheet and torte).  Chocolate mousse?  Yes please.  Two scoops of chocolate ice cream are always a good idea.  Chocolate cheesecake?  Oh yeah.  I can house a whole Hershey's bar in one sitting.  Snickers are an obsession (although now we are getting into the realm of chocolate/peanut goodness, which is a whole new post..)  One time, I spent an hour and a half at the Hershey's store when I was out in eastern Pennsylvania.

You can imagine, then, how excited I got when I saw this recipe.  It was two fold excitement, because I adore David and his blog, and I love chocolate and coconut.  Let's face it, I love chocolate and anything, so I'm not going to deny that. 

I was so excited in fact, that I couldn't sleep.  I lay there for forty five minutes, knowing that I had just bought all the ingredients needed for these cupcakes, and I would just sleep for awhile, and then go down to my kitchen and start baking.  But the thing is, I just couldn't get them out of my mind!  So finally, I got up, put on my CD player, and got to work. 

The recipe itself wasn't difficult, though I did think afterwards, that the frosting itself was more involved than I remember frosting ever being!  The cake batter itself has an interesting flavor raw (and who doesn't lick the spatula?) - and I can't say enough about how amazingly delicious the frosting was!  I took the time to toast the pecans and the coconut (I used unsweetened, but if you use sweetened, David recommends to cut the sugar) and I'm telling you...all the fuss with the frosting is worth it!  And, because I'm a little strange that way, I modified the recipe slightly, adding a teaspoon of coconut extract to the batter before pouring into the cake liners.  I thought that maybe the chocolate batter would have a lightly coconut-y flavor.

The batter filled about half of my mixing bowl, so originally I thought, 'hey, I'll have more than a dozen cakes' as the recipe stated, however, I chose to fill each cake wrapper almost full in spite of the fear of overflowing and causing a mess in my oven.  I'm glad I did!

The baking step was the most scary, because, as mentioned above, I was scared of the volcano effect, wondering how quickly these cakes would rise, and how high (as I used cake flour instead of my usual all purpose).  I baked them longer than the specified time, nearly 55 minutes, and they were beautiful and fragrant coming out of the oven.  I breathed a sigh of relief, went to pick up my mail, and came back to find that they had deflated. 

Each cake now had a small valley in the center, and I panicked.  (I tend to panic a lot - that's what happens when you're born high strung).  I don't know, I suppose I expected with the fact that I used all the batter for only the twelve cakes, and filled each liner to the brim with batter, that the cakes would rise over the liners.  And they did, only to fall back again. 

I don't know about anyone else, but I was glad for the thick, chunky chocolate-nut-coconut frosting that accompanied these cakes!  I covered each one liberally with the frosting, and viola, the cakes looked full and lovely once more.

I finished with a small sprinkle of sweetened coconut (although this time I did not toast) on top of each cake, and then...ugh...I couldn't wait!  I bit into one.  I promise each and every chocolate and coconut lover out there, that there was never such a nirvana as there was when I swallowed my first bite.  These cakes are by far the most delicious chocolate cupcakes I have ever made.  The cake was light and velvety, but rich at the same time.  Not too sweet, the chocolate complemented the coconut extract perfectly, and for those with a sweet tooth the frosting was a perfect addition.  I will make these again.  and again.  and once again.  Next time, I might use bittersweet chocolate in the frosting and cut back on the coconut.  And maybe use a little more coconut extract. 

For the cupcakes

2 ounces (60 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) boiling water or coffee
8 tablespoons (4 ounces, 115 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (150 g) cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon of coconut extract

1. Preheat the open to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
2. Pour the boiling water or coffee over the chocolate, and stir until melted. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg yolks and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Then mix in the vanilla and the melted chocolate.
5. Whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in half of the dry ingredients, then add the buttermilk or sour cream, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until blended.
6. In a clean, dry bowl, whip the two egg whites until stiff, then fold one-third of them in to the chocolate batter, then the rest. Fold just into there are no streaks of white remaining, but don’t overfold.
7. Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for about 25 minutes, until the batter feels just set in the center. Remove from the oven, then let cool for a few minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and let cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.


For the German chocolate frosting

3/4 cup (180 ml) evaporated milk
1/4 cup (60 g) packed light brown sugar
2 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, salted or unsalted, at room temperature
2 ounces (55 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups (110 g) sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted
1 cup (125 g) chopped, toasted pecans
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: Additional toasted coconut, for a garnish

1. Whisk together the evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg yolks, and salt in a medium saucepan.
2. Add the butter, then cook the mixture, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula over medium heat, like a custard, until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the spatula. Do not let boil.
3. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the chocolate, stirring gently until melted. Then stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla. (If using unsweetened coconut, you can add an additional teaspoon of brown sugar if it’s not sweet enough, to your taste.)
4. Let cool to room temperature, then use the frosting to ice the cupcakes, topping the cupcakes with a bit of toasted coconut as a garnish after you ice them, if you wish.

Adapted from David's recipe and Lori Longbotham's Luscious Coconut Desserts