Tag Archives: spice

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Gingerbread Cake with Lemon-Ginger Cloud Frosting

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What can I say about this cake?

It’s a pretty, delicious, mess.

See, the heady spices of the ginger go so amazingly well with the super-light lemon-ginger frosting. But, slicing it is a test of patience for sure. This cake don’t slice pretty, it just is what it is. It’s one of those cakes that leans toward the rustic with it’s appearance and slice-ablility. The flavors are magic–I mean, citrus and spice is so magical! The cake is full of warm and fragrant spice–it’s sturdy and totally holiday appropriate. The frosting is like eating a lemony, gingered, tangy cloud. It just melts on the tongue and the tarteness of the curd cuts through the rich spice of the cake. The flavors are all the best parts of the season and I could totally see this cake as part of a holiday spread, in all its messy glory.

Gingerbread Cake

Makes 1, 8inch round cake. 

Adapted from this recipe. 

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temp.

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger

2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground, dried ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350*F, grease an 8inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment. Set aside.

Melt butter–in a saucepan or microwave. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl whisk together the buttermilk  eggs, molasses, sugar, vanilla, and ginger. Whisk in the cooled butter, mix well to combine.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt ginger, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, and allspice. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined and there are no longer any dry streaks of flour. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool one a rack for 10 minutes before turning out and cooling completely. Can be stored wrapped well in plastic for 3 days.

Lemon-Ginger Curd

adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours

1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/4 cups sugar

6 egg yolks

1 egg

pinch of salt

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Combine everything in a saucepan and whisk to break up eggs. Whisk over medium-low heat, until butter is melted and everything is well combined. Continue to whisk over med-low heat until the curd has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Curd will thicken a bit as it cools. Scrape the curd into a mesh sieve over a bowl, press the curd through the sieve. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd. Cool to room temperature and then cool in the refrigerator until ready to use. Can be stored, covered well in the refrigerator, for about 1 week.

Seven Minute Frosting

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

This frosting is best the day it is made. 

2 large egg whites

2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 Tablespoons corn syrup

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine all the ingredients in a heatproof mixing or mixer bowl, set over a pan of simmering water and whisk quickly and continuously until the mixture begins to get light in color, foamy, no longer has any sugar granules when rubbed between two fingers, and is just hot to the touch. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment for about 6-7 minutes or until the frosting is bright white, light, and holds a stiff peak.

To Assemble:

For the Lemon-Ginger Cloud Frosting, take about 1/3 of the Seven Minute Frosting and whisk it with 4 Tablespoons of lemon curd. Fold the frosting/curd mixture into the remaining Seven Minute Frosting.

When I next make this cake, I will definitely not cut it into layers. Cut your cake into layers, if desired, and create a dam using the Lemon Cloud Frosting about 1/4 inch from the edge of the cake using a piping bag. Fill the center with lemon curd. Top with second layer, chill to set up. Since, I am not going to do this layer thing again, I would do the same thing with the frosting dam and curd, but on top of the cake. Then, cover the top with the remaining Lemon-Ginger Cloud Frosting. It’s pretty messy, but this cake is best at room temperature. It would be nice to frost it just before serving.

 

 

 

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Maple-Pumpkin Granola

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Sometimes, when stressed and trying not to eat a whole pizza worth of feelings, I turn to something crunchy. It’s just so dang satisfying and if I’m going to eat my feelings, my jaw should have to work a little for it.

Enter granola. I tend to make it pretty healthful–reaching for honey or maple in place of plain sugar, and filling it with plenty of seeds and nuts for texture and interest. Granola can be as plain-jane as you want it or as crazy as you’d like–it’s versatile that way. This batch is flavored with lots of maple for sweetness and fragrance, olive oil encourages maximum crunchiness, pumpkin makes a subtle earthy appearance, warm spices and toasty nuts + seeds add depth, thick-rolled oats add great chewy-crunchy texture. This granola makes a great pair sprinkled over yogurt or swimming in a bowl of milk. It’s also great, out of hand, for crunching through some stress.

Maple-Pumpkin Granola

Adapted from this recipe. 

I use Bob’s Red Mill Thick Rolled Oats here, which I find at any supermarket in the natural foods section. I like the more substantial chew of these particular oats, but any brand you like works just as well. The pumpkin isn’t front-and-center in this recipe, it’s mostly a background flavor, as the puree softens the oats and works against that crunchy texture so beloved in granola. Also, I added a variety of seeds and nuts–I usually just add whatever is left over from other recipes–feel free to switch them up or omit as desired. 

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup raw walnuts

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

3 Tablespoons flax seeds

3 Tablespoons sesame seeds

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons plain pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 325*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a large bowl combine oats, nuts, coconut, seeds, salt, and spices. In a large measuring cup whisk together maple, oil, vanilla, and pumpkin. Pour the maple-pumpkin mixture over the oats mixture and stir to coat well. Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet in an even layer and bake 15 minutes, stir, and continue to bake in 10-15 minutes intervals, stirring well between each, until the granola is uniformly golden and no longer moist. The granola will crisp a bit more as it cools. Store completely cooled granola in airtight containers for  1-2 weeks.

 

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Chewy Chocolate Ginger-Spice Cookies

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Sometimes a night in with friends is what you need. Ideally, these sorts of gatherings should involve a plethora of mini sandwiches and spiked libations…maybe even a little illicit cross-stich art for good measure. Hopefully, a kitchen dance party will erupt, followed by girl-talk, then more dancing. Sometimes that is exactly what you need to remind you that good times are to be had…even if you go to bed with the threat of a headache and need an evening nap the next day, it’s still a breath of fresh air and totally worth it.

Sometimes you just need all of that, but, sometimes in a pinch a cookie will do.

These cookies are an ultra-spiced, chewy, chocolate delight. Cocoa and shards of chocolate add depth and smooth richness. A gang of spices, plus candied ginger, add heat and excitement. Sparkly and fragrant cinnamon sugar bring crunch and texture to the party. These sweetly-spiced cookies are similar to one of my favorites, but with an added layer of depth from the cocoa. The combination of spices in this cookie is pretty bold and literally spicy–these are not for the shy, but perfect for the adventurous and brave.

Chewy Chocolate Ginger-Spice Cookies

Makes 24-30 cookies.

Adapted from Martha Stewart

The dough for these chewy gems has to be chilled before baking and I would suggest placing the remaining dough in the refrigerator between batches, as well. Also, there are two forms of chocolate in this cookie, as well as three incarnations of ginger, PLUS cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and black pepper. One could dial back the spices, but I think these cookies are made different because of the boldness of the spices. As always, I encourage you to make these your own, so if super spiced baked goods aren’t your game, then definitely begin by reducing each spice by half. These cookies are great for cookie jars and will keep at room temperature for several days. 

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh, grated ginger

1/2 cup molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground, dried ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground, black pepper

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

pinch of salt (scant 1/4 teaspoon)

1/4 cup chopped, candied ginger

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon, for rolling

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter with the brown sugar until creamy and combined well. Add the fresh ginger, molasses, and vanilla, mix to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, cocoa, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, nutmeg, and salt.  Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and pulse until just combined. Fold in the candied ginger and chopped chocolate. Cover and chill the dough for at least 2 hours, or until very firm.

Preheat oven to 325*F and line baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.

Scoop dough (I used a 1 1/2 inch disher/levered scoop) into rounds and roll into a ball. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar and place on baking sheets spaced about 1-2 inches apart–as the cookies will spread. Working with 1 sheet at a time, flatten the top of each cookie and chill for 10 minutes before baking in the center of the oven for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the sheet pan about 10 minutes before placing on a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

 

 

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Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

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I do this fun thing when I’m sleeping…and by fun, I mean obnoxious.

Throughout the night I will either kick blankets or hoard them. I may start out the night kicking the blankets right off the bed and onto the floor. Then, I will wake up in the wee hours of the morning, shivering, only to roll myself up into a burrito of warmth. Add my tendency to sleep-talk, and I am a dream (read, nightmare) of a bedmate. I just want to have it all, all at once–blankets, no blankets, conversation, and sleep. I mean, at least I don’t sleep-walk…anymore, right?

These muffins came to be because of my inherent desire to have it all. Yesterday, mid-morning, all I wanted was something warm, pumpkin-y, spiced, streusel AND glaze topped. I wanted the perfect fall muffin–not too sweet so I could glaze it, slightly healthy (pumpkin AND wheat germ, holla!), moist yet sturdy, spiced without getting face-punched, a muffin with a hint of brown butter and a bit of crunch. I made it happen and got my way… as it often goes around here when it comes to muffin baking and blanket-hoarding/shunning.

So, tell me, are you a sleep kicker, blanket stealer, talker or walker? Or, are you the type who, once your head hits the pillow, you’re there to stay?

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Glaze

Makes 12-14 muffins (depending on how you fill the cups).

Adapted from Damn Delicious. 

I reduced the flour from the original recipe and added wheat germ for health and science. I also tinkered with the spices and browned up the butter for good measure. These muffins–sans glaze–are not very sweet, which is how I think a muffin should be. While the insides are moist and tender, a pat of butter smeared on a warm muffin would be totally appropriate. I like to place the streusel in the refrigerator while assembling the batter–I find it encourages more pebbly/rocky streusel as opposed to a crumbly/sandy topping.

Spice Mix:

1/2 heaping teaspoon kosher salt

2 hefty teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Streusel Topping:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, browned

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup vanilla sugar (or plain or brown)

3 Tablespoons sunflower seeds (optional)

1 teaspoon spice mixture

Muffin batter:

3 Tablespoons wheat germ

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

remaining spice mixture

1 cup plain pumpkin puree

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, browned

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

2 ounces softened cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1-3 Tablespoons milk

Preheat your oven to 350*F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.

Begin by browning your butter, 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons, divided. Jessica from How Sweet It Is recently posted this great step-by-step. Set aside the butter to cool slightly.

Make the streusel: Mix together 2 tablespoons of the browned butter with flour, sugar, spices, and sunflower seeds, until the mixture clumps together when pinched between your fingers. Place the streusel topping in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the wheat germ, flour, baking powder, sugar, and remaining spice mix. Set aside and in a seperate bowl whisk together pumpkin, remaining butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold until just combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups 3/4 full (I did 2/3, making them a litte under filled). Sprinkle with the streusel mixture and bake in the center of the oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before glazing. While muffins cool, make the glaze by stirring the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together, adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Best enjoyed warm from the oven. Can be kept in an airtight container for 3 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Applesauce Spice Cake with Brown Butter-Cream Cheese Frosting

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I love an easy weekend and I especially love an easy weekend in early fall. The air is cool, but the sun still shines warm. There’s good, fresh stuff to be had at the farmer’s market, and the trees are just turning. Everything is vivid and bright, yet warm and comforting. This weekend Sean and I took a farmer’s market stroll, rode our bikes to the library, walked the pups through our favorite foliage filled park, lounged plenty (key to easy weekending), and finished up this cake.

I made this cake late last week and sent two slices to a friend. She ate both slices for lunch, that same day. Being irresistible is almost always a good trait to have in a cake. This cake is a dream to me, lightly apple-y, spiced, and redolent with browned butter–both in the cake itself and the nutty-tangy frosting. The cake part is only lightly sweet and incredibly moist from the unsweetened applesauce. It’s dense but not heavy, and with a slick of frosting, makes the quintessential fall snack cake. It’s the kind of cake to tuck into lunch boxes or share with a cup of something warm and good conversation.

Applesauce Spice Cake w/ Brown Butter-Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from Gourmet.com

The original recipe calls for creaming butter with sugar, I adapted it to use melted, cooled browned butter. I also upped the spices and switched up the frosting a bit, creating a nutty, buttery, slightly tangy frosting. It’s my new favorite.

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 stick unsalted butter, browned

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

Frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter, browned

3 ounces cream cheese, soft

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

pinch of salt

To brown the butter: I did each stick separately, since I made the cake a several hours before the frosting. You could do them together and divide evenly in half. Place butter in a small skillet and melt over medium-low heat until the butter becomes foamy, continue to heat until foam subsides and milk solids begin to brown at the bottom of the pan. The solids will become a toffee-colored-brown and smell intensely like toffee and toasted nuts. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature. Butter should be cooled, but still liquid.

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Butter and line an 8x8inch baking pan with parchment paper. I like to leave and overhang on two of the sides, secured with small, metal binder clips.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together browned, cooled butter with the brown sugar and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between each, until completely incorporated. Whisk in the applesauce. Finally, using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake in the center of the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely. Frost once the cake is completely cooled.

To make the frosting:

Beginning on low speed, using an electric mixer (hand or stand), beat together the browned butter and softened cream cheese. Add the vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar. Beat until completely combined and spread evenly over the cooled cake.

 

 

 

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Recipe: Sugar and Spice Wafers

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Oh, man, it’s been a week.

You know the type where nothing seems to go your way and every little thing becomes a frustration? There’s been a lot of muttering and cursing and stomping around. There has also been a lot of pondering whilst drinking tea and staring off into space.

Then, there were these cookies. Just a little wafer to nibble during said pondering/spacing-out/tea-drinking. The dough didn’t give me any trouble, unlike some of my other kitchen ventures this week, and it was totally down for chilling in the freezer for days before I sliced the wafers off and baked them up.

How kind, right? They were just the spice and nice I needed.

Sugar and Spice Wafers

adapted from Martha Stewart

These spice wafers are crunchy, yet dissolve quickly on the tongue. They are full of spice and while the actual dough isn’t very sweet, a sprinkling of coarse sanding sugar bumps it up and gives the wafer a lovely crust. Perfect for the season, nestled next to a cup of something hot.

3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spice. Set aside.

Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, scraping well after each addition. Mix in flour in 3 additions to combine. Press the cookie dough into the prepared loaf pan with fingertips, cover with plastic. Flatten the top by pressing the plastic covered dough down with another loaf pan. Wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for 1 1/2 hours up to 1 month.

Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.

Remove loaf pan from the freezer and allow to defrost slightly, 5-10 minutes. Remove dough from pan and plastic and slice off wafer thinly, about 1/8 inch. Arrange slices on sheet pans about 1 inch apart and sprinkle with sanding sugar, pressing lightly into the dough. Freeze wafers on pan for about 5 minutes and bake in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes, until dark brown and crisp. Cool completely on wire cooling racks. Repeat with remaining dough, freezing between batches.

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Recipe: Pumpkin Semifreddo

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The weather is definitely cooling down around here, but that doesn’t mean I am done with wanting frozen treats. Sometimes cool and creamy is just what you need despite the season.

It’s true life, that’s all.

It’s been sad times since my ice cream maker broke in the great move to the midwest, but for this dessert you don’t even need that old machine. Just some mad whisking skills (use a mixer or hand blender, unless you just have guns of steel), a bit of folding, and some freezer time. This semifreddo is made up of pumpkin, egg yolks, whipped cream, gingersnap crumbs, and salted caramel sauce.

There’s not one thing in it that I don’t love.

It’s a total win.

Pumpkin Semifreddo

adapted from Tartlette

I added molasses and upped/changed the spice a bit in this recipe. I also layered in that caramel sauce and those gingersnap crumbs I mentioned for texture and goodness. 

1 cup  heavy cream

3 tablespoons mild honey

1 tablespoon molasses

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons water

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup gingersnap crumbs

1/4 cup salted caramel sauce

Using a whisk and those guns of steel, or an electric mixer, beat cream in a bowl until it holds soft peaks. Refrigerate.

Separate eggs and place yolks in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Save whites for another use.

Stir together pumpkin and spices in a small bowl, set aside.

In a small sauce pan mix together honey, molasses, sugar, and water. Bring syrup to a boil over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 238F.

Whip egg yolks to break up and slowly add hot syrup while mixer is running on medium. Whip fast enough to make sure the eggs do not scramble, but try not to go so fast that the syrup does not incorporate. Once syrup is completely incorporated into yolks, whip on high until yolks are cool and airy.

Add 1/3 of the cold, whipped cream to the egg yolk mixture to lighten. Fold in pumpkin and spices, plus remaining whipped cream. Sprinkle the bottom of a prepared loaf pan with gingersnap crumbs (line with plastic wrap if you want to turn it out, if simply scooping you can skip that step), scrape half of the semifreddo base into the pan, and smooth the top. Sprinkle with more cookie crumbs and drizzle in about 1/4 cup salted caramel sauce, top with remaining semifreddo base and smooth, sprinkle with more crumbs. Cover the top of the semifreddo with plastic and then a layer of foil and place in freezer for at least 3 hours to set. Scoop or turn out and slice. Serve cold.

Gingersnap Cookies

adapted from Procrastobaker  

I kept the gram measurements here and used a scale, since I didn’t want to mess up the recipe. I also used all butter as I did not have lard or shortening, and upped those spices! 

210 grams all purpose flour

140 grams granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon honey

1 egg

3 ounces of unsalted butter

Melt butter in the microwave and set aside, whisk in honey, and grated ginger, set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and dry spices. Mix melted butter mixture and egg into the dry ingredients until combined well. The dough will be soft and slightly greasy. Chill dough for 30 minutes before rolling.

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking pans with parchment or silicone baking mats.

Scoop dough and roll into about 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet spaced about 1 inch apart (cookies will spread). Make a small indentation in the center of each dough ball and bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 13-15 minutes. Cool cookies slightly on sheets before transferring to cooling racks. Cookies will crisp up as they cool. If they are still too soft in the center, bake for an additional minute or two.

Salted Caramel Sauce

adapted from The Perfect Scoop

 

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt

In a measuring cup measure out cream and add vanilla, set aside.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan heat sugar and water over medium-high until sugar is melted and turns dark golden brown in color (the darkest you can get it before burning is best). Remove from heat and quickly whisk in butter and half of cream until combined and smooth. The mixture will steam and bubble furiously, use a oven mitt or towel to wrap your stirring hand. If there are still lumps, heat gently until smooth. Add remaining cream and salt and stir until smooth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Recipe: Malted Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

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Sean and I have this ongoing thing where he claims to dislike a food and I step up to crush him.

I make him eat his words.

Quite literally.

Then I laugh maniacally and he rolls his eyes.

It’s part of our thing.

See, not only do I feel an overwhelming sense of victory when I prove his begrudging tastebuds wrong…

We end up liking the same foods.

It’s a total win-win kinda deal.

Anyway, for years now Sean has been hating on pumpkin. I mean, I get his dislike of pumpkin pie (gasp! I know…) I don’t love it either. But, to write off all pumpkin goodness because of a dislike of a single dish, not even okay. There’s pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin muffins, and cookies!

Oh, my.

So, to bust his hatin’, I decided to make it a point to help him overcome his discriminatory ways.

I saw this recipe on Martha Stewart’s website and knew that if anything would win him over, this would.

Browned butter…hello!

I added some malt to the mix for good measure.

Never can be too safe with those haters…

…and, it paid off!

He took one bite, and for once, kept his eye rolls to himself.

I’m the winner.

Oh, sweet victory!

Huzzah!

Malted Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

Adapted from Martha Stewart

I halved the recipe, so I used ounce measurements instead of my usual cup measurments.

Makes about 48 cookies.

11 ounces all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons malt powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 ounces softened, unsalted butter

9 ounces brown sugar

2 teaspoons fresh, grated ginger

1 large egg, room temperature

6 ounces pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

3 ounces milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375F and line 3 baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, malt powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, dry ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together butter, sugar, and fresh ginger. Add pumpkin puree and combine. Add egg and mix to combine, scraping the bowl as needed. Add milk and vanilla, mix well. Pour all of the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix in short bursts until just combined. If there are some streaks of flour, fold lightly with a rubber spatula.

Prepare a piping bag fitted with a large, round tip and spoon half of the batter into the bag. Pipe rounds of dough onto the prepped sheet pans and repeat. Bake cookies in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottoms are lightly browned and the tops spring back to the touch. Cool for a few minutes on the sheet and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.

Browned Butter Frosting

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 tablespoon malt powder

pinch of salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl whisk together sugar, malt powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together milk and vanilla.

In a shallow skillet heat butter over medium low until butter solids become golden brown and smell like toffee. Do not walk away as you do this, the butter can go from perfect to burnt in moments. Once browned add to confectioner’s sugar mixture and whisk well, whisk in milk and vanilla. If the frosting is still stiff add small amounts of milk to achieve desired consistency. Can be used as soon as cookies are cooled.

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Recipe: Chewy Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

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As we now know, it’s fall and I love it. I know, I just waxed poetic about this, but I mean, how could I not? It’s sweater weather, the beginning of the holiday season, and it just begs for me to bake.

I can turn my oven on all day and not even care.

Apple and pumpkin are sure to make repeat appearances.

Caramel and chocolate have never been more appropriate.

Ginger and cinnamon and spice, all definitely some of my favorite flavors, will become staples through the fall and deep into winter.

The trouble with this oh-so-perfect baking season is that it can be hard to decide what to bake next…so many baked goods, so little time, right?

I mean, what’s a girl to do when she can’t decide between what kind of cookie to bake?

Chewy ginger or chocolate chip?

These are life altering decisions here.

It’s serious business.

So, I just decided to throw some chips into my favorite ginger cookie and balance was restored.

It really was a close call.

A good call at that, ’cause who knew how good chocolate paired with molasses laden, spicy goodness would be!?

I never knew, but now, I totally do.

Thank goodness.

Chewy Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

I used this recipe that I posted on my blog a zillion years ago (circa 2008), which was originally adapted from Joy the Baker. These cookies are darned good and are totally perfect for making friends. I tweaked a few things this time around and added a hefty dose of chocolate chips. This time I rolled the cookies in some Swedish Pearl Sugar that’s been languishing in the back of my pantry for days. Dayz ya’llz. Fancy sugar is so not necessary…turbinado, raw sugar, sanding sugar, or plain ol’ granulated will work just as well. You could even skip out on the whole rolling business, but I wouldn’t. It gives the cookies a crunchy crust that contrasts beautifully with the chewy cookie.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon dried ginger

1/2 teaspoon fresh, grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh, grated ginger root

1 large egg, room temperature

1/4 cup molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

As many chocolate chips as you’d like. I’d start with at least 1 cup.

Sugar of your choice, for rolling.

Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper, set aside.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda, dry spices, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter, oil, brown sugar, and fresh ginger together until smooth and creamy. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add egg, beating well to combine. Scrape down sides of the bowl again and beat in molasses and vanilla to combine. Add in dry ingredients all at once and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. The dough will be quite soft and sticky. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Using a cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons, scoop chilled dough into rounds and roll in your palms to create a ball. Roll each ball in sugar and place on prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly, leaving at least 1-inch between rounds as these cookies will spread. Bake cookies on the middle rack for 11-13 minutes. Place unbaked cookies/dough in the refrigerator between batches. Cool baked cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

 

 

 

 

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Recipe: Apple-Pecan Crumble Bars for Fall

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21

Autumn or Fall, whatever you call it, is my very favorite of seasons.

It’s when the air turns crisp, mornings become cool, days become mild, the light begins to change, and the verdant landscape bursts into a spectrum of golds and reds. It’s the perfect season for long walks, hot beverages, sweaters and hoodies, tights and boots, cozy socks and new slippers, and warm meals full of comfort.

This is my first fall in Michigan and already I can feel how different it is here. Anyone familiar with northern Nevada will tell you that there are only 2 real seasons–Summer and Winter. The changing leaves never stick around, gusty winds carry them away with a quickness. If you’re lucky maybe a few spring and fall days will be scattered in between, but the weather there is fickle and tends toward extremes.

Fall here is the real deal.

Sean and I took the dogs for a walk this yesterday on the river trail and I couldn’t help but snap photo after photo. There was still a lot of green, but even this morning the lanscape has changed. Fallen leaves litter our yard and our trees are a mottled landscape of green and yellows, oranges and reds.

All of this change in a single day.

Simply amazing.

This is the season when baking is at it’s best–days when the oven on for hours doesn’t feel oppressive, but welcome.

I baked something with apples, that quintessentially autumn ingredient, to celebrate this favorite season.

Never a big fan of apple pie, I opted to go with these apple crumble bars. They were a suggestion from my blogger friend Megan, who has become a real deal friend since my move here to Michigan. We share a lot of likes (and dislikes!), fall included. We’ve both been dreaming of cozy, fall baking for a better part of the summer and now it’s finally here!

Hooray!

For fall, for friends, and for baking!

Apple-Pecan Crumble Bars

Adapted from Take A Megabite

I added more spice, some candied ginger, and pecans to make these bars my own. I just like things extra spicey and a little nutty.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fresh, grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon fresh, grated ginger

3 tablespoons chopped, candied ginger

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3 apples–cored, peeled, and diced

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with foil or parchment and grease well. Set aside.

In a large bowl toss together flour, salt, spices, sugars, nuts, and candied ginger. Using your fingers rub butter into dry mixture until the crumb mixture clumps together when pressed. Divide the crumb mixture in half. Mix half of the mixture with the apples. Divide the remaining crumbs and press half into the bottom of the pan. Bake the base for 10 minutes.

Allow base to cool slightly and top with apple/crumb mixture. Top apples with remaining crumbs and press down. Bake for another 45 minutes. When it is done the tope will be golden brown and crumbly. Cool pan on a wire rack and cut into squares.