This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie was the Tarte Noire, chosen by Dharmagirl of bliss: towards a delicious life. I hadn’t actually planned for this one but found I that had pretty much everything that I needed so I gave it a shot. Read More
[Don't bother trying to clean your glasses or rub your contacts - the above picture has the lovely "halo" effect after letting my kids "use" the camera and they tried to, I don't know, clean the lens with a finger or something.]
This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie, which I’m happy to be picking up again after nearly two months away, was a delicious chocolate loafcake chosen by Amy of Amy Ruth Bakes.
You know how sometimes you get a craving for something, so you get the food that you think you’re craving but it’s just not quite right? I do that with chocolate cake. I’ll see a picture or read a recipe and think “ooh, chocolate cake sounds really good,” and it’s all I can think about until I make it (don’t worry, my family has no problem with this particular issue).
It never quite hits the spot, though. The chocolate’s there (and I’m always good with chocolate) but there always seems to be something missing.
This, however, is exactly what I crave when I think of chocolate cake. The cake itself is made with sour cream, which I love in sweet foods, and the frosting is simply melted chocolate with sour cream, too. The cake is also cut into layers with raspberry jam in between, which just adds to the perfect-ness of it all. This is a craving-worthy chocolate cake.
May was a weird month. I’ve mentioned already how busy it was, which caused me to neglect my updating, but there was also a random element that kept popping up, again and again. What was this, you ask? Red velvet cupcakes. How weird is that?
From the very first day of May, when my husband and I went out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary, until the last weekend when we were out of town to visit family, red velvet cupcakes were a continuing theme throughout the month. It included everything from samples, to a freebie on our anniversary dinner, to mentions on tv and even in books. So, I took it upon myself to find a recipe and give them a try. Obviously something was trying to tell me something, right?
I decided to try Paula Deen’s recipe, because hers was one of the above-mentioned TV shows that aired during the month. In the review section it’s suggested to use less oil, which I did, and I also added in a full tablespoon of cocoa since a teaspoon just seemed useless to me.
The cupcakes were good, not too oily thanks to cutting the amount of oil in half, but I’m still not sure what the appeal of red velvet is other than the cool color. They tasted like plain cupcakes, despite the cocoa, though the cream cheese frosting is delicious. I also used chopped walnuts instead of pecans because that’s what I had on-hand.
Recipe below the cut! Read More
Though I’ve seen the bags of Hershey’s Heath Bar bits in the baking aisle at the store I’ve never really given them much thought and passed on by. However, the store I shop at was having a sale on them last week so I tossed a bag in my cart.
For the record, I’m not a big Hershey fan. Their chocolate quality has really gone down the tubes over the last several years which is one reason I haven’t bothered with their baking products. But the bag of Heath bar bits are mostly toffee with just small chunks of chocolate, and the chocolate doesn’t stand out much when baked anyway — these cookies are all about the peanut butter and toffee.
The recipe comes from Hershey though I upped the recommended 3/4 teaspoon of salt to 1 teaspoon because they’re peanut butter cookies (I had a pinch more with oatmeal cookies, too).
Before I sprinkled the bits on top of the cookies on the cookie sheet I flattened them a bit first with the back of a fork dipped in sugar (the sugar keeps the cookie from sticking to the fork) so the bits would stay on better. I don’t think this affected the outcome of the cookies since they still looked fantastic when they came out of the oven. The recipe below has my tweaks – the original is at Hershey’s site.
Warning: These cookies are highly addicting.
Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. package) Heath “Bits ‘O Brickle” Toffee Bits, dividedHeat oven to 375°.
Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add egg; beat just until blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Stir in 1 cup of bits; reserve remainder for topping.
Drop by heaping teaspoons or by using a 1-inch cookie scoop about 2 inches apart onto ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheet; press the top of each cookie down slightly with a fork and top each with reserved bits.
Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until set. Do not overbake. Cool for two minutes and remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
