Cranberry Curd Bars

|
By
|
Comments are off for this post

Cranberry Curd Bars with Walnut-Shortbread Crust

Whenever I see those first bags of fresh cranberries popping up in stores I can’t help but get excited. I instinctively buy a bag, never knowing what I’ll do with them..and over the years it’s forced me to try something new. There’s been the obvious culprit – homemade cranberry sauce. But also a refreshing cranberry sorbet, these killer cranberry brown butter shortbread bars, and these delicious cranberry-orange muffins. So in keeping with tradition, here is another cranberry favorite…

My old friend from high school, Becky,  had tagged me in a post from TheKitchn about these cranberry curd bars. They had a walnut shortbread crust, which I found most intriguing – so I was pretty sure that I was going to make them. Then my good friend Shawnda mentioned something about it, and posted these, giving me the swift-kick-in-the-butt I needed to get into the kitchen and make my own.

I think these are probably my favorite cranberry confection that I’ve made to date. The walnuts in the shortbread crust add such an unexpected richness and complexity of flavor. And the cranberry curd is tart and fresh, but has plenty of sweetness to balance it all out. Will probably be making these again before the cranberries are all gone, maybe trying a little orange juice instead of lemon. A new family favorite for sure!

Cranberry Curd Bars

1 cup walnut pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cupunsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoon pieces

For the curd:
12 ounces (about 3 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1/2 of a lemon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoon pieces
Powdered sugar for dusting

Line a 9×13 baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil. Spray lightly with baking spray. Set aside.

To make the crust, place the nuts in the bowl of a food processor and coarsely grind, about 15 one-second pulses. Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse until finely ground, about 10 additional one-second pulses. Sprinkle the chunks of butter over the top of the flour-nut mix and pulse until the mixture holds together when compressed in your palm, another 20-25 one-second pulses. Press the crust mix into the baking dish, making it as even as possible. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Remove the crust from the freezer and bake for 20-25 minutes, until beginning to color around the edges.

While the crust is baking, prepare the cranberry curd:

Place the cranberries and water in a medium-sized sauce pot over medium-high heat and stir. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until all the cranberries have popped and become mushy, about 5 minutes. Pour them into a fine-meshed strainer set over a medium-sized mixing bowl and press the cranberry puree through using a spatula. Allow the puree to cool to room temperature. Discard the cranberry skins and clean the strainer for use in the next step.

To the bowl with the cranberry puree, add the sugar, eggs and yolks, lemon juice and salt (reserving the butter for now). Stir thoroughly until the mixture is even.

Return the cranberry mixture to the saucepan and set the burner to medium. Stir the curd continuously, making sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pan. Cook until the curd starts to thicken, coats the back of a spoon, and registers about 150° on an instant-read thermometer (there’s some wiggle-room, so don’t fret about being exact). This should take 10-12 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter all at once. Stir until the butter has completely melted, then pour the curd through the strainer into a clean bowl.

Pour the warm cranberry curd onto the walnut crust. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes, until the curd has set but still jiggles slightly in the center. Cool completely and refrigerate before cutting.

To cut the squares, lift them from the pan using the aluminum foil as handles. Trim off the sides to make even edges if desired. Dust the tops of the bars with powdered sugar just before serving and use a sharp knife to cut them into squares.

Keep refrigerated.

Source: barely adapted from TheKitchn 

Raspberry Dark Chocolate Coffee Cake

|
By
|
1 comment

Raspberry Dark Chocolate Coffee Cake

I’ve always been a fan of coffee cakes. They’re usually a breeze to throw together, using only a few ingredients and taking just a few moments of your time. My favorite recipe that I’ve made to date incorporates blackberries, so when I came across Sally’s raspberry version that included dark chocolate I knew it had to be a winner!

One of my cravings this time around has been fresh berries – strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries. Whatever looks good that day at the store, and isn’t astronomically priced this time of year! So I’ve had plenty on hand for baking with. But, if you have frozen on hand – by all means, use those. I also think this cake would be delightful with any berry you wanted to add to it, in lieu of raspberries.

It baked up beautifully, and was moist and delicious for a few days – another perk of a coffee cake. This would be a great breakfast (or anytime!) treat to have on the counter for Thanksgiving  – to nibble on with a cup of coffee or tea,  and get you going without filling you up before the big dinner!

Raspberry Dark Chocolate Coffee Cake

For the streusel topping:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup slivered almonds

For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) raspberries

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

To make the streusel topping, mash up 3 tablespoons of cold butter in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup sugar and mix around with a fork, and mash until chunky and crumbly. Add the almonds and mix to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl or in a stand mixer, add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, milk, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt, and egg. Beat on low until everything is smooth and combined – about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not over-mix.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared baking pan. Layer with half of the streusel, then most of the raspberries and chocolate chips. Repeat with the rest of the batter and the streusel. Top with remaining raspberries and chocolate chips.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on the counter for 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: barely adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes

|
By
|
9 comments

Perfect Chocolate Cupakes

I know this may come as kind of a shock to some of you, but chocolate cake isn’t one of my favorite things in the world. If given the choice, I always pick vanilla cake. But, after discovering Beatty’s Chocolate Cake (Blackout cake? Whatever you want to call it!) my views began to shift. I’ve been looking for a good chocolate cupcake recipe – that was easy, baked up well, held up to frosting, but was still (and most importantly) moist and delicious. This recipe definitely fits the bill!

With the addition of buttermilk, cocoa, espresso powder and hot water – it’s totally reminiscent of my favorite chocolate cake recipe. But held it’s shape and is a bit denser, which is just what I was looking for in cupcake form. For the frosting, it’s a standard buttercream in which plenty you add plenty of melted unsweetened chocolate too. That leads to a frosting that is rich and chocolatey, but not cloyingly sweet.

This recipe is for 12 cupcakes, but could easily be doubled to dole out 24. Which, I’m sure will be happening in my kitchen next time. A truly perfect chocolate cupcake, kids. Another one for the books!

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water

For the frosting:
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.

Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to combine well.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Beat butter until fluffy. Carefully add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until no lumps remain. With the mixer on low, slowly add the chocolate and mix until combined. If frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk to reach desired consistency.

Frost cupcakes as desired.

Source: cupcakes adapted from Add A Pinch, frosting adapted from Williams-Sonoma.

Raspberry-Lemon Streusel Muffins

|
By
|
17 comments

Raspberry Lemon Streusel Muffins

I always love to find a new recipe to give my boys for breakfast in the morning. And, muffins always fit that bill. All of us love raspberries, but I’d yet to try them in a muffin. So when I came across this recipe, I knew all of us would enjoy them!

Muffins are always a joy to make in the kitchen, at least in mine. Quickly come together with a few simple ingredients, and they last for 3 days on the counter…available for a quick and easy breakfast or after-school snack whenever. These baked up tall and beautiful, honestly some of the prettiest muffins I’ve ever baked.

And speaking of baking things in an oven, I want to just go ahead and let the cat out of the bag – we’re baking a little something of our own!

baby

Needless to say, this is why things have been a little slow here on the site lately. For the past couple months, it’s all I can do to prepare a meal for my family – much less photograph it and blog about it. So, thanks for bearing with me guys! I’m already getting back into the swing of things, and I can’t wait to see where my pregnancy cravings and crazy ideas lead me in the kitchen this time! Excited to meet this little one in May…due the same day I was with Andrew, our first. What are the odds? Such a great time of year to have a baby!

I hope your family will enjoy these muffins as much as our did. They’re absolutely delicious!

Raspberry-Lemon Streusel Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (8 oz) lemon or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp lemon zest
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)

For the streusel topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Combine eggs, yogurt, oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Mix well.

Stir into the dry ingredients until moistened. Gently fold in the raspberries.

Fill the liners 3/4 of the way full.

For the topping, combine sugar and flour. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle about 1 Tbsp over each muffin.

Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick insterted into the muffins comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields about 1 dozen muffins.

Source: adapted from Taste of Home