Brownie Cookie Cakes

Instead of a brownie.  Instead of a cookie or cupcake....try making a Brownie Cookie Cake.
Enough said.  Enjoy!

For the brownie mix:

Ingredients

Soft butter, for greasing the pan
Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
8 ounces melted butter
11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

Directions

1. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. 
2. Add both sugars.
3. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.

For the cookie:
Toll-House cookie Recipe

 Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
2.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. 
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.

Directions for Brownie Cookie Cakes

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.If you don't use Demarle Cookeware, you will need to spray the muffin well with Non-stick cooking spray.

1. Using an ice cream scoop, place about 1 tablespoon of brownie batter into a a muffin well. 
2. With a smooth ended tool (I used a pestle)smooth brownie mix around the interior of the well, lining the sides.
3. Place a rounded scoop of cookie dough in the center of the brownie mix.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
5. Cool for 5 minutes.  If you are using Demarle cookware you can invert the pan and enjoy right away. If not, WAIT until completely cool before taking the treat out of the pan.

The Perfect Scone

These are my very favorite scones.  The recipe is perfect.  Its so easy and bakes like clock-work everytime.  It's not to dry and not to moist.  It really is the perfect scone.  You may omit or add any dried fruit, but keeping in mind that you may need to adjust flour for desired consistency.  If you add fresh fruit, drain and dry well.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup = 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons chilled  butter
• 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/3 cup  dried cranberries (such as Craisins;  Dried cherries work well too)
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp. grated orange rind (you can also add some lemon zest to freshen it up even more)
• 1 large egg 
• 2 large egg whites, divided
• Cooking spray 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Whisk one egg white in a small dish for egg washing top of biscuit.  
3. Combine flour,  3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a food processor or bowl.
4. Pulse or cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
5. Stir in apricots and cranberries. 
6. Combine buttermilk, orange rind, egg, and 1 egg white; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
7. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Roll dough into a 12 x 6-inch rectangle. ( I used my Demarle ROUL'PAT.  Its just like the SILPAT but for rolling out dough...IT DOESN'T STICK...EVER!)
8. Cut dough into 8 (3-inch) squares using a dull knife or a dough scraper. Cut each square into 2 triangles.
9.  You may also use your favorite size biscuit cutter to form circular scones. 
10. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray (or use your SILPAT, NO cooking spray needed).
11. Brush top of scone with reserved egg white.
12. Sprinkle with remaining sugar; bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until golden.
13. Serve warm with clotted cream and preserves.

I also make these in bite- sized pieces for my kids.  Its a great snack.  

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Cinnamon Buns with Buttermilk Glaze

recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
For the entire recipe
8 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
3/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed, 5-1/4 ounces)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (1-3/4 ounces)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Dough
2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12-1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
Glaze
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons buttermilk, room temperature
3-4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Pour 1 tablespoon melted butter in 9-inch nonstick cake pan; brush to coat pan. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Combine Cinnamon-Sugar filling ingredients in small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon melted butter and stir with fork or fingers until mixture resembles wet sand; set filling mixture aside.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and 2 tablespoons melted butter in small bowl. Add liquid to flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon until liquid is absorbed and just combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead until just smooth and no longer shaggy, about 5 minutes.
4. Roll dough into approximately a 12 by 9-inch rectangle. Brush dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with filling, leaving 1/2-inch border of plain dough around edges. Press filling firmly into dough.
5.Using bench scraper, loosen dough from work surface. Starting at long side, roll dough, pressing lightly, to form a tight log. Pinch seam to seal.
6. Roll log seam-side down and cut evenly into eight pieces. Turn pieces onto it’s side so spiral pattern faces up. Slightly flatten each piece of dough with palm to seal open edges and keep filling in place.
7. Place one roll in center of prepared nonstick pan, then place remaining seven rolls around perimeter of pan. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons remaining melted butter. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 25-28 minutes. Cool buns in pan for 5 minutes. Use offset metal spatula to loosen buns from pan; without separating.
8. Place plate on top and invert buns onto plate. Place another plate on the now inverted buns and flip it over, so it’s right-side up. Continue to cool for 5 minutes before icing.
9. While buns are cooling, whisk cream cheese and buttermilk in small bowl until thick and smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time; whisk until smooth glaze forms, about 30 seconds. Drizzle glaze evenly over buns; serve while warm or at room temperature.

Whoopie Pumpkin Pies

Courtesy of:  The Neely's:  Food Network

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• Pinch of kosher salt 

For the filling:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
•  1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of kosher salt

Directions

Make the cookies: 

1. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper (or use 2 baking sheets and bake the cookies in batches). 
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
3. Using a stand mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then the buttermilk and vanilla. 
4. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined
5. Drop 8 scoops of batter, about 2 tablespoons each, onto each prepared baking sheet, spacing them 3 inches apart. 
6. Bake until the edges are set but the cookies are still soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks and let cool completely.

Make the filling:

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a small bowl with a mixer until smooth. Slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. 
2. Add the pumpkin, cinnamon and salt and beat until smooth.
3. To assemble the whoopie pies, spread a heaping tablespoonful of filling on the flat side of a cookie and sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Cranberry Bread

4 oz. orange juice
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 TBSP. grated orange peel
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Sugar in the Raw (optional)

Combine all ingredients except berries and nuts. Fold in berries and nuts.
Pour into 2 buttered or sprayed loaf pans or muffin tins. bread pan. Sprinkle with coarse sugar (like sugar in the Raw)

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This is a great all purpose recipe for a healthy sweet bread or muffin. My boys love the chocolate chips.  I have made this with banana instead of zucchini, which makes it a bit sweeter. The whole wheat flour makes it a hardier, healthier muffin, but you can substituent any type of flour.  

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup cane sugar (prefer Sugar in the Raw)
• ½ cup agave nectar
• 1 cup safflower or olive oil
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, agave nectar, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. 
3. Stir in the flour baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.