Baked's signature whoopie pies—two delicious strawberry cookies sandwiching strawberry-meringue filling—are sure to warm any heart.

This recipe is one of the most decadent (retro) desserts we found in a tiny Brooklyn bakery.
Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/Strawberry-Whoopie-Pies#ixzz1mEiROJYf 
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Servings: Makes about 3 dozenIngredients
  • 1 cup (about 5 ounces) stemmed and halved strawberries
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (about 5 ounces) stemmed and halved strawberries
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 sticks butter , cut into cubes, at room temperature
  • Red no-taste gel food coloring
Directions
To make cookies: Put strawberries in a food processor and pulse in short bursts just until they are chopped into small pieces (about 4 to 5 pulses), and set aside. (Be careful not to puree them.) Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, and set aside.

Put brown sugar and oil in a large bowl and mix well, using the back of a spoon to break up any lumps in sugar. Whisk in chopped strawberries and yogurt until combined, then whisk in eggs, one at a time, just until combined. Fold in flour mixture in two parts, being careful not to overwork the batter. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°. Using a measuring spoon, drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet to form each cookie, spacing dollops about 2 inches apart. Working in batches, bake until cookies are set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove cookies from oven; cool completely.

To make filling: Puree strawberries in a food processor until smooth (about 15 seconds); set aside. Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar together in the top of a double boiler until sugar is dissolved and mixture is milky white, about 2 minutes. Transfer egg white mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form and mixture is glossy, about 2 minutes. Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment. Add butter and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add reserved strawberry puree and about 3 to 5 drops food coloring (frosting should be a light shade of pink), and beat again until well combined, about 1 minute more.

To assemble: Generously frost the flat side of half of the cookies, then top each with an unfrosted cookie to form sandwiches. Transfer to a platter and serve.

 
This dense, heavenly creation is one of Baked's biggest hits.

This recipe is one of the most decadent (retro) desserts we found in a tiny Brooklyn bakery.
Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/Double-Chocolate-Loaf#ixzz1mEhEsirf 
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Servings: Serves 12Ingredients
  • Butter , for greasing pan
  • 3/4 cup tightly-packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup Dutch cocoa powder , sifted
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , plus more for dusting
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 8 ounces semisweet (60 percent) chocolate chunks
  • Whipped cream (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter one 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan, dust with flour, and knock out excess flour.

Place brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Press out any lumps with the back of a large spoon. Add cocoa, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg and egg yolks until blended, then add buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla; whisk until combined.

Turn mixer to low and pour in egg-buttermilk mixture in a thin steady stream, mixing just until combined. Remove the bowl; stir in chocolate chunks by hand with a wooden spoon.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of loaf comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 15 minutes; remove and place on rack to cool completely. Serve plain or toasted; top with whipped cream (optional).

 
Valentine's Day—or just Tuesday—anytime is a good time to indulge in these rich, dark chocolate Bundt cakes with white chocolate frosting...and just a touch of brandy.

This recipe is one of the most decadent (retro) desserts we found in a tiny Brooklyn bakery.
Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/Mini-Dark-Chocolate-Bundts-with-Creme-Anglaise#ixzz1mEgJ8oUd 
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Servings: Makes about 8 mini Bundt cakesIngredients
  • 4 ounces coarsely chopped dark (at least 64 percent) chocolate
  • 1/2 cup very hot (simmering) water
  • 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp. espresso powder
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup cake flour , plus more for pans
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 10 Tbsp. (1 1/4 sticks) butter softened, plus more for pans
  • 1 cup tightly-packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 vanilla bean scraped, seeds removed
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 Tbsp. brandy
Directions
To make Bundts: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 8 (1-cup) mini Bundt pans.

Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour simmering water on top and let stand for 3 minutes. Add cocoa and espresso powders; whisk together until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir in sour cream until blended.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy, 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. The mixture will look light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat for 5 seconds.

Turn mixer to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts to the butter-egg mixture, alternating with the chocolate mixture in 2 parts. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

Fill the mini Bundt pans about halfway full and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove Bundts from oven and place pans on racks to cool, 5 minutes; loosen cakes from edges of pans with a small heatproof spatula and invert onto racks. Let cool.

To make crème anglaise: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat heavy cream, milk, vanilla, and salt until just about to boil.

While whisking constantly, add half of milk mixture to egg mixture. Then stir egg-milk mixture back into saucepan with rest of milk; cook over low heat whisking constantly until thickened so as not to cook the eggs, 2 to 4 minutes (should coat the back of a spoon).

Strain mixture through a fine sieve. Add brandy and chill in the refrigerator at least 3 hours or overnight. When mixture is cool, pour over Bundts and serve immediately.

 
This plump confection is a Valentine's Day take on a New York classic, the black-and-white cookie.

This recipe is one of the most decadent (retro) desserts we found in a tiny Brooklyn bakery.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/Red-and-White-Cookies?SiteID=ys_20120124_red_and_white_cookies#ixzz1lvTdUUKv 
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Servings: Makes 18 cookiesIngredients
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 3/4 sticks butter
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbps. freshly grated lemon zest
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 3 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • Red no-taste gel food coloring
Directions
To make cookies: Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Scrape down the bowl and add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating briefly after each addition. Scrape down the bowl again, and turn mixer to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 parts. Scrape down the bowl; add vanilla and lemon zest, and mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

Using an ice cream scoop (about 1/4 cup), drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets spaced about 3 inches apart (6 cookies per sheet).

Bake for 17 minutes, rotating sheets between oven racks halfway through, until edges are golden brown and tops spring back when gently touched. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then remove cookies and cool on racks.

To make frosting: In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk, and cream. If mixture is too thick, add a little more milk (by the teaspoon until desired consistency is reached). Pour half of the frosting (about 3/4 cup) into another bowl and add vanilla and red food coloring until desired red color is reached.

Use an offset spatula to spread red frosting on half of the top of each cookie. Let stand until almost set, 20 minutes. Using a clean spatula, spread white frosting over unfrosted half of each cookie. (If the frosting thickens up during the process, whisk until loose.) Let set completely, about 1 hour.


 
Cinnamon-flavored frosting gives red velvet cupcakes an added kick—the perfect treats for your sweet.

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, copyright © 2008. With permission of the publisher, Stewart, Tabori & Chang.

This recipe is one of the most decadent (retro) desserts we found in a tiny Brooklyn bakery.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/Red-Hot-Velvet-Cupcakes-with-Cinnamon-Buttercream?SiteID=ys_20120124_red_hot_velvet_cupcakes_with_buttercream#ixzz1lvSLzz5U 
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Servings: Makes 36 cupcakesIngredients
  • 1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp. red no-taste gel food coloring
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter , cut into small pieces and softened
  • 2 Tbsp. room temperature vegetable shortening
  • 1 2/3 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter , soft but cool, cut into small pieces
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • Cinnamon imperials candies (optional)
  • Red white-chocolate hearts (optional)
Directions
To make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325°. Line 36 (2 1/2-inch) muffin pan cups with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, food coloring, and boiling water. Set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and shortening until smooth. Scrape down bowl and add sugar. Beat until mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir buttermilk and vanilla into the cooled cocoa mixture. Sift cake flour and salt together into another bowl. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture (in 3 parts) and the cocoa mixture (in 2 parts) to the egg mixture. Beat until incorporated. In a small bowl, combine vinegar and baking soda and stir until baking soda dissolves; the mixture will fizz. Add to batter and stir until just combined.

Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full with batter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan, and let cool completely.

To make buttercream frosting: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture boils and has thickened, about 12 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until cool, 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; beat until thoroughly incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.

Frost each cupcake with buttercream. Garnish with cinnamon imperials and white-chocolate hearts, if desired


 
Here are some tips to spread DIY epicurean cheer to your loved ones this festive season 
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One of the biggest problems my wife and I face during the festive season is picking out Christmas gifts for friends and family members who seem to always already have every other fancy toy, sexy bag and en vogue accessory out there. The solution we’ve come to depend on over the years is creating food-related gifts that we know our friends will appreciate – and perhaps most importantly – not be able to pick up at any regular mall.

Five or six years back, we assembled some DIY molten chocolate cake kits, each of which contained the popular dessert recipe, metal moulds, chocolate and other dry ingredients, and distributed these as Christmas goodie packs to friends and family. Then three years ago, we compiled several of our favourite simple recipes into a small cookbook, which we self-printed using Lulu.com and gave to our close friends as gifts.

Other great foodie gifts that your loved ones will appreciate can range from simple things such as homemade jars of vanilla sugar or preserved lemons (both really easy to whip up), to more complex creations such as gingerbread houses with self-decorating kits, even homemade duck prosciutto (idea courtesy of a friend who recently generously bestowed it upon us).

The trick we’ve learnt to making these presents really special? Take time to package them beautifully. A pretty handwritten label or gorgeous box can really go a long way in transforming your homemade goodies into an artisanal creation.


 
The red velvet filling is spiked with cocoa, topped with cream cheese frosting, and baked in a chocolate cookie crumb crust 
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Ingredients

17 chocolate cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar

FILLING:
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 teaspoons Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring

FROSTING:
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.

In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter and sugar. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, buttermilk, cocoa and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in food coloring. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.

Bake at 325° for 60-70 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.

For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost top of cheesecake. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 16 servings.

Serves: 16 Prep: 30 min. Bake: 1 hour + chilling

Nutrition Facts: 1 slice equals 463 calories, 29 g fat (17 g saturated fat), 131 mg cholesterol, 276 mg sodium, 46 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Source: rdasia.com


Irish Mint Brownies

11/21/2011

 
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Ingredients
1 cup butter, cubed
4 squares (1 ounce each) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (6 ounces) double dark chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Filling
4 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup refrigerated Irish creme nondairy creamer
1 cup heavy whipping cream
15 mint Andes candies, chopped

Icing
12 squares (1 ounce each) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
Additional mint Andes candies, halved, optional

How to make it (75 minutes)

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter and bittersweet chocolate; cool slightly. In a bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate mixture. Gradually add flour until blended. Stir in chips and walnuts. Spread into a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.

2. In a small saucepan, combine white chocolate and creamer. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth; remove from the heat. Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes or until chilled. In a mixing bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold into white chocolate mixture. Beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Fold in chopped candies. Spread over brownies. Cover and refrigerate.

3. In a small saucepan, combine bittersweet chocolate and cream. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth; remove from the heat. Stir in butter until melted. Cool to room temperature. Carefully spread over filling. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until icing is set. Cut into bars. Garnish with additional candies if desired. Store in the refrigerator.


 
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Ingredients

5 cups of flour 
2 table spoons of ground ginger
1 1/2 tea spoons of baking soda
1 tea spoon of ground cloves
1/2 tea spoon of salt
1 cup of granulated sugar 
1 cup of shortening
1 egg
1 cup of molasses 
2 table spoons of vinegar
Frosting
6 table spoons of butter 
1 tea spoon of vanilla
whipping cream 

 
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Any little birthday girl would love this magical princess doll cake, complete with a real doll she can play with later. Baker and author Liv Hansen for Betty Crocker Kitchens shows you how to shape and frost this cake for a birthday your daughter will always remember.