Milk Chocolate Brownies

Over the weekend I was in a unique position.... I could freely bake whatever I wanted.  The house was freezing and I had to use the oven.  Most of the time I am baking for some one or something, or a request.  This weekend I got to bake the sweet taste of freedom.  So, I made something I would like, milk chocolate brownies.  I am the only person over the age of ten who prefers milk chocolate to dark, so dammit people, I was going to make something sweet for me.  This one comes out of the Tate Bakery cookbook (filed under rich white people under the Cornelius headings.). They came out fantastic, chewy and chocolatey.  They got even better the next day.  It was pure selfish baking joy.

Milk Chocolate Brownies

8T butter
9oz milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 t vanilla extract
3/4c flour
1T natural cocoa powder
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9" square pan (I used an 8, and it was fine.)

Kathleen King of Tates does the next part in a sauce pan, but really, people, a microwave is easier.  I nuked the butter until it was melted, the add the chocolate and let it sit for a few to melt.  I had to put mine in for 10 seconds to get all of the chocolate melted, but way easier than a double boiler.  Then let the mixture cool slightly.

Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the chocolate and mix well.  Add the flour, cocoa and salt, and stir again.  Spread this into the pan.

Bake for about 20 minutes, a toothpick will come out with moist crumbs.  Cool on a wire rack.

Brown Butter Pistachio Financiers

I have not posted a baking post recently, for some odd reason nothing has been turning out.  I made bead that would not bake, it was in the oven for an hour and a half and it was still raw.  I Mae lime quotes from my mom, and they were not right either.  They were supposed to be in tart pans, which I did not have.  I figured out the area of the tart pans and then put the recipe in a corresponding rectangular pan.  Did NOT work.  Oy.  So, I needed to make something simple to redeem myself.  I found this recipe in Food and Wine, created by Top Chef winner Kristen Kish.  Finally something came out.  LALALA!  This makes 36 financiers, I got 18...... Not sure why.  I made these with pistachio meal, but I think they would also work with almond flour.  Probably, like, a half cup to two thirds.  Listen to your heart on the measurement.....

7 oz butter
1 c flour
3/4 c light brown sugar
4 large egg whites
3 T sugar
1/4 t almond extract
1 c toasted Unsalted pistachios, ground
1/2 c cake flour
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400

Pam 36 mini muffin cups.

Place the seven ounces of butter in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat.  Shake the the pan periodically until the solids at the bottom turn brown.

Place in bowl and let cool.

Add brown sugar, white sugar, egg whites and almond extract to the cooled butter.  Wisk together.  Fold in the dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Spoon into muffin cups and bake for 15 minutes.  They should rise, but be soft in the center.  Take them out and flip onto a wire rack.  Then my mother will show up and eat them.

orange item of the week

This week's orange item is a headband I got when I went to Hair at the Mill.  I showed my mom this picture and she assures me my nose is NOT this big.  If it is, lie to me.  So Stanley felt the need to step in and model this week.  As you can see he is on top of a lovely Big Buddha handbag next to a pile of magazines he knocked off of the coffee table.  He looks way better in my headband than me.  And models better.  Perfection like his can be intimidating.

Face Mask Monday

Every Monday I do a face mask.  I like to think it makes me look younger.  In reality it makes me have a calm moment every week.  This one is the Bliss Spa's Rubberizing Mask.  It comes with a powder that you mix yourself.  After my skin feels refreshed, renewed and happy.  Here I am with bea.  She too has decided that every Monday she will be masking it.  LOVE her so much!

Orange item of the week

This orange item is kinda cool.  It is an orange skull bracelet.  Also....Bea has one, clearly this makes it cooler.

Orange item of the Week

It is hard to believe it has been a year since I have found out that my beloved Stanley's kidneys are failing.  So far, knock on wood, he is doing great.  This orange item of the week is a fun skull pen my mom found for me.  And for fun, I positioned it with the man himself.  Here he is taking one of his many daily naps,  clearly he got his love of napping from me :).  He has also felt the need to lick all of the fur from his tummy, inner thighs and the back of his legs.  And there are some bald patches on his arms too.  I asked the vet why my child does this and Dr. Ray responded "The bald look is in.".

Lime Angel Food Cake

My mother has been having a rough year at school.  The children are freaking crazy.  I though want better way to sooth her nerves than with an angel food cake?  Growing up my mother always made them.  She usually farmed out all baking to me, with e exception of the angel food cake....out of a box.  Because she was so guarded over the whole thing, I thought they must be REALLY hard.  I decided to face my fears head on with a lime angel food cake from The Elements cookbook.  (Filed under New Yorkers in the Cornelius Cookbook Cataloging System.). It came out great!  Amazingly tender, and frankly not that hard to make.  I have an angel food cake pan, so it made it even easier.  The only hiccup is that it takes 10 egg whites.  I could not think of anything to do with the huge mass of yolks.  Then I remembered ice cream custard....after I poured them down the sink.  I made this cake with all of the bells and whistles, but next time I might omit the nuts and just do the glaze.

Lime Angel Food Cake with Lime Glaze

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
1 cup cake flour
1/4 t salt
10 large egg whites at room temperature
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
1 t vanilla extract
1 t cream of garter

For the glaze:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 T fresh lime juice
1/2 c raw unsealed pistachios finely chopped
1/2 c confectioners' sugar
1 T tequila

Preheat the oven to 350

In a medium bowl sift 1/2 superfine sugar, four, salt, and repeat this process three times.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wisk attachment, beat the egg whites, lime zest ans vanilla on medium speed until frothy.  Sprinkle the cream of tarter over the mixture and beat on medium high until soft peaks form.

Gradually add the remaining 1 cup of superfine sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.  Remove the bowl from the mixe and add 1/3 of flour ov egg whites.  Gently, and I mean gently, fold into th egg whites.  Add half of the four mixture, and fold, then the rest of the flour and again, fold it in gently.

Transfer to a 10 cup UNgreased tube pan.  Do nt use non stick.  It will take focus to not grease the pan out of habit.  Use an offset spatula t smooth the batter.

Bake for 35-38 minutes until a toothpick comes it clean and the top is golden brown.  Remove from oven and invert the pan while the cake cools.  I just invited th pan over a wire rack in front of an open window and it worked out fine.  When cool run a knife around the edges of the pan and pop the cake out.

For the Glaze:

In a small saucepan over medium heat stir the granulated sugar and three tablespoons of lime juice until the sugar dissolves.  Brush the lime syrup ver the cake and press the pistachios into the cake.

In a bowl whisk the confectioners' sugar, one tablespoon of lime juice and tequila until smooth.  Frankly I drank a little patron at this stage.  Drizzle the glaze over the cake in a zig zag pattn, easier after the afore mentioned shot of patron.  This cake was great the first and second days.