Baked Raspberry Breakfast Bars

Source: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/raspberry-breakfast-bars/

Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bars
Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

These aren’t, as the recipe notes warn, actually “crumb” bars, with the streuselly topping you might see on crumbles or coffee cakes. Instead, they’re more like a raspberry sandwich cookie, yet less sweet than a typical dessert, and more earnest somehow.

I think you could easily swap the raspberries with blackberries.

For the crust and crumb:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the raspberry filling:
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Make the crust and crumb: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form.

Reserve 1 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside. (Note: The book suggests you reserve one cup only. My gut told me that was too little, and I upped it. I wanted to make sure the top of the raspberries were mostly covered, at least for packing purposes, and was glad I had changed it.) Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hans or the back of a large wooden spoon to push the crust into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. The crust should touch the sides of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool. Keep the oven on while you make the raspberry filling.

Make the raspberry filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together. Add the raspberries, lemon juice and butter and use your hands to toss gently until the raspberries are evenly coated.

Assemble and bake the bars: Spread the raspberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly on top of the filling.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.

NOTES:

• 1/2 recipe goes well into a 9" springform pan
• If using frozen raspberries, THAW FIRST, then drain; add a little more thickener
• Cornstarch:flour :: 1:2
• Beautiful and tasty
  

Baked Black Forest Chocolate Cookies

Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/11/baked-black-forest-chocolate-cookies-recipe.html

The authors of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, this week's Cook the Book pick, bemoan the unfortunate American translations of that German classic, Black Forest cake. All too often, it's sorry sandwiches of dry chocolate sponge and gloopy cherry preserves, smeared in "whipped topping."

Today's recipe uses dried cherries and "utmost respect" for the original to achieve a condensed version of the German dessert favorite. Black Forest Chocolate Cookies are deeply chocolatey, and studded with white chocolate chips and those sharp dried cherries. You don't want to overbake them—they're at their best when slightly gooey, straight out of the oven.

Black Forest Chocolate Cookies

- yields 24 cookies -

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 16 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (6 ounces) white chocolate chips
• 1 cup (6 ounces) dried cherries

Procedures

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a large nonreactive metal bowl, combine the dark chocolate and butter,. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugars on high speed until the mixture is pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and the vanilla and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and beat again for 10 seconds.
5. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined, about 10 seconds. Do not overmix.
6. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and dried cherries.The dough will look very loose, but it will harden in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
7. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies are set and begin to show a few cracks.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing from the pans and serving.
10. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Best Baked Monster Cookies

Source: http://pieceofcakeblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/monster-cookies.html

Makes: thirty-two 2 Tbsp cookies

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1/16 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 + 1/8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick-cooking)
3/8 cup (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2.5 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter (Skippy)
1/2 cup (3 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup (3 ounces) M&Ms

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and oats until well-blended.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth and pale in color, at least 2 minutes. Beat in the sugars on low speed until just incorporated.

Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and beat just until combined. Add the peanut butter and beat on low just until smooth. Add the dry ingredients on low speed in three additions until the dough is well-blended. Fold in the chocolate chips and Reese's Pieces by hand. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.

When you're ready to bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon size balls using a small ice cream scoop, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies just begin to brown, about 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking. Cool on the pans for 8 to 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

NOTES:

• This is a half recipe and makes 32 normal sized cookies
  
• Do NOT omit the corn syrup
• AWESOME, very moist and chewy
• Cookies tend to puff up in the oven, tap down when they come out to ensure moistness later on
• Use MILK chocolate chips or else the flavor overwhelms the cookies; do not use more than the specified amount.
  

Best Baked Brownie

Source: http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2008/09/recipes_from_the_baked_cookboo.html

THE BAKED BROWNIE
Yield: 24 brownies

The Baked brownie is a beautiful thing. It has won the hearts and minds of many people, been featured on the pages of O Magazine as a favorite thing, and won best brownie by the folks at America’s Test Kitchen and the Today Show. Our brownie really owes many kudos to our friend and superstar pastry chef Lesli Heffler-Flick. She created the original ultimate brownie for us. It is dense, chocolatey, and slightly fudgy, and we are forever grateful to her for letting us adapt her recipe.

Baked Note: A great brownie is easy to make, but you have to be aware of several factors. 1. Use a dark cocoa powder, like Valrhona. A pale, light-colored cocoa does not have enough depth. 2. Make sure your eggs are room temperature and do not overbeat them into the batter, and 3. Make sure you check your brownies often while baking. Once the brownies have been overbaked slightly, they have reached the point of no return.

1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60-72%), chopped coarsely
8 ounces butter (2 sticks), cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal pan 9x13x2 pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the salt, and cocoa powder.

Configure a large sized double boiler. Place the chocolate, the butter, and the instant espresso powder in the bowl of the double boiler and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler and add both sugars. Whisk the sugars until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. Mixture should be room temperature.

Add three beaten eggs to the chocolate/butter mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining beaten eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not over beat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour/cocoa/salt mix over the chocolate. Using a spatula (DO NOT USE A WHISK) fold the dry into the wet until there is just a trace amount of the flour/cocoa mix visible.

Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes (rotate the pan half-way through baking) and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Cool the brownies completely before cutting and serving.

NOTES:

• AWESOME brownie. Beat the eggs before whisking them in; do not be afraid to whisk well or else egg clumps will bake up hard.
• Line pan with parchment paper
• COOL COMPLETELY (e.g. in the fridge for a couple hours) BEFORE CUTTING for neat looking bars.
  

Baked NYC Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

Source: http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/09/ds-video-baked-interview-and-recipe.html

Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk Chocolate Chunks
courtesy of Baked and their new cookbook, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.

Makes: 36 cookies (2 Tbsp each)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 ounces good milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. The mixture will look light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and peanut butter and beat until just incorporated.

Add half of the flour mixture and mix for 15 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons (TWO) onto the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart. With the palm of your hand, very gently press each cookie down so it forms a very tall disk shape. Do not press too hard and do not press it flat.

Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with granulated sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies just begin to brown.

NOTES:

• BEST Peanut butter cookie!
• DON'T FORGET TO ROLL IN SUGAR
• Drop with 2 Tbsp scoop, makes 36 cookies
  

Baked NYC Peanut Butter Krispy Bars

Source: http://www.bravotv.com/foodies/recipes/peanut-butter-krispy-bar

To make a 9x13 pan (Half of a half-sheet pan?)

Ingredients

For the crispy crust:

• 7/16 cups Water
• 3/8 cups Corn Syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 105g of Rice Krispies
• 85g Butter

For the milk chocolate peanut butter layer:

• 225g Peanut Butter
• 225g Nutella
• 215g Milk Chocolate

For the chocolate icing:

• 225g Bittersweet Chocolate
• 50g Butter
• 1 1/2 tsp Corn Syrup

Directions

Make the crispy crust:
Lightly spray a paper towel with nonstick cooking spray and use it to rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan.
Put the cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
Pour 1/4 c water into a small saucpan. Gently add the sugar and corn syrup *do not let any sugar or syrup get on the sides of the pan) and use a small wooden spoon to stir the mixture until just combined. Put a candy thermometer in the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 235 degrees F.
Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, and pour the mixture over the cereal. Working quickly, stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, then pour it into the prepared pan. Using your pands, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides). Let the crust cool to room temperature while you make the next layer.

Make the milk chocolate peanut butter layer:
In a large nonreactive metal bowl, stir together the chocolate and the peanut butter. Melt in a double bowler. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for about 30 s to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. Put the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the top layer hardens.

Make the chocolate icing: Melt the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter in a double bowling. Remvoe the bowl and stir for 30 s to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the chilled milk chocolate peanut butter layer and spread into an even layer. Put the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until the topping hardens.

Cut into 9 squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for up to 4 days.

To make 8x8 square pan:

For the crispy crust:

• 1 3/4 c rice krispies
• 1/4 c sugar
• 3 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the milk chocolate peanut butter layer:

• 5 oz good quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 c creamy peanut butter

For the chocolate icing:

• 3 oz dark chocolate (60-72% cacao), coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
• 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Make the crispy crust:
Lightly spray a paper towel with nonstick cooking spray and use it to rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan.
Put the cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
Pour 1/4 c water into a small saucpan. Gently add the sugar and corn syrup *do not let any sugar or syrup get on the sides of the pan) and use a small wooden spoon to stir the mixture until just combined. Put a candy thermometer in the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 235 degrees F.
Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, and pour the mixture over the cereal. Working quickly, stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, then pour it into the prepared pan. Using your pands, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides). Let the crust cool to room temperature while you make the next layer.

Make the milk chocolate peanut butter layer:
In a large nonreactive metal bowl, stir together the chocolate and the peanut butter. Melt in a double bowler. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for about 30 s to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. Put the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the top layer hardens.

Make the chocolate icing: Melt the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter in a double bowling. Remvoe the bowl and stir for 30 s to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the chilled milk chocolate peanut butter layer and spread into an even layer. Put the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until the topping hardens.

Cut into 9 squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for up to 4 days.

NOTES:

• More like a reeses cup with a crispy bottom
• SUPER rich, so only make 8x8" serving
• Without thermometer, the 'soft-ball' stage was hard to find; rice krispies ended up crunchy, not gooey like rice krispy treat.