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In the Oven: Good Morning Sunshine Bars

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Hello, sunshine…. posting date is November 10!

Good Morning Sunshine Bars
Yield: 24 bars

6 cups crunchy, plain cereal (Rice Chex or something similar works best)
1 1⁄4 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup smooth peanut butter (see page 26)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
6 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, chopped

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13- inch baking pan. Line the pan with parch- ment paper so that the paper overhangs the pan on two sides. Butter the parchment.

Place the cereal and peanuts in a large bowl and use your hands to toss together until mixed well.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil for one full minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir until the mixture is combined.

Pour the sugar mixture over the cereal mixture and use a spoon or well-greased hands (be careful as the liquid may still be very hot) to toss until the cereal is completely coated with the sugar mixture.

Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan. Grease your hands and press the mixture into the bottom of the pan, being careful not to crush the cereal. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature (if you wish to speed this process, you may place the entire pan in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes).

Melt the chocolate in a microwave or double boiler. Use a spoon or piping bag to decorate the tops of the bars in a stripe or zigzag pattern. Allow the chocolate to set.

Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang, cut them into approximately 3-by-11⁄2-inch rectangles (i.e., candy bars).

The bars can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. If the weather is hot and humid, you might want to keep them in the refrigerator instead.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

In the Oven: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

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Posting date is October 13!

 

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS

Yield: 24 bars

For the Sweet Pastry Dough
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (see page 000)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs

For the Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the assembly
1/2 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely chopped (optional)

Make the Sweet Pastry Dough
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper and butter the parchment.

Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until sandy (6 to 10 quick pulses). In a small bowl, whisk the egg and add it to the food processor. Pulse just until the dough begins to hold together (if the dough seems exceedingly dry and crumbly, add a teaspoon of water and pulse again). Form the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle slightly larger than 9 by 13 inches (the size of the pan) and about 1/4 inch thick. The dough might be sticky, so turn it with a bench knife or spatula as needed and keep the work surface floured. Some people find it easier to roll the dough between two layers of parchment paper—this can make it less messy and easier to transfer to the pan.

Ever so gently, guide the dough into the pan and lightly press it—without pulling—into the bottom; it is not necessary to bring the dough up the sides of the pan, only to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Trim off any excess. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove the pan from the freezer, line it with aluminum foil, and fill it three-quarters full with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and weights and bake for another 10 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed just until it is lump free and smooth. Do not overbeat or the tops of the bars may crack. Add the sugar and beat again until well combined, about 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Add this mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat on medium-low speed until completely combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat until the mixture is smooth. Note: This batter is slightly looser than the average cheesecake batter.

Pour the mixture over the crust and bake for 23 to 30 minutes, or until the bars are set and slightly puffy (if the tops start to crack, the bars are overbaked). Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the bars to come to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is completely smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth (be careful not to overbeat the filling or it will lose its structure). The frosting can be made a day ahead: after mixing, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate; let the filling soften to room temperature before using.

Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top of the filling layer. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the top of the frosting. Refrigerate the bars for 30 minutes to set before cutting and serving.

The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

***

HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PUREE

Yield: 2 to 4 cups

2 to 4 pie pumpkins (on the smallish side)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (it will make clean up easier) and set aside.

Slice the top off of each pumpkin just below the stem, then slice each pumpkin in half from top to bottom. Use an ice cream scoop with a release mechanism or a very sturdy spoon to scoop out the innards, reserving the seeds for toasting or to make our Toasted Pumpkin Seed Brittle. Place the pumpkins, cut side down on the baking sheet. I often add a little bit of water to the rimmed baking sheet—just enough to create a perceptible even layer (about 1/8 inch) in the pan—but it is not necessary.

Bake for 50 to 70 minutes, depending on the size and shape of your pumpkin. To determine doneness, I recommend testing at the 45 minute mark, and then every 5 minutes thereafter. When done, the pumpkin flesh should give way to a fork without any effort.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the pumpkins to cool for about 15 minutes, until they are cool enough to handle with bare hands. Using a small paring knife, separate the pumpkin skin from the flesh. Discard the skins, place all of the flesh in a food processor, and pulse until smooth.

Often times, homemade puree contains too much liquid, so I recommend you strain the puree in cheesecloth (a coffee filter will do in a pinch) for at least 1 hour. Use the puree immediately or freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month. (Make sure you allow the puree to thaw completely before using.)

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

In the Oven: Caramel Coconut Cluster Bars

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Caramel Coconut Cluster Bars
Yield: 24 bars

3 cups flaked sweetened coconut, divided

For the Cookie Base

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Caramel Layer

1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the assembly

6 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
2 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped 

Toast the coconut

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the coconut in an even layer on the baking sheet and toast, tossing and turning every 4 minutes or so, until the coconut just starts to turn golden, about 12 minutes total. Remove the coconut from the oven and set aside to cool.

Make the Cookie Base

Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to overhang on two sides. Lightly spray the parchment paper.

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

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and the flour mixture and beat just until combined.

Turn the dough out into the prepared baking pan and, with lightly floured hands, press the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides). Prick the top of the dough with the tines of a fork and bake the crust for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until golden. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Make the Caramel Layer

In a medium saucepan, combine the corn syrup, both sugars, and 2 tablespoons of water and stir gently so you don’t splash any of it up on the sides of the pan. Set the saucepan over low heat and continue to stir gently until the sugar dissolves. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the bulb of the thermometer is immersed in the syrup. Turn the heat up to medium-high and wait without stirring for the mixture to reach 240 to 245 degrees F, about 7 minutes. Keep a watchful eye on the temperature while you proceed with the next step—you do not want the mixture to exceed 250 degrees F.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream and sweetened condensed milk. Gently warm the mixture; do not let it boil.

Once the sugar mixture turns amber, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter and the warm cream mixture until completely combined (be careful as it will bubble up when you add the cream mixture). Place the pan back over medium heat, stop stirring, and bring the mixture back to 245 to 250 degrees F.

Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and fold in 2 cups of the toasted coconut.

Pour the caramel directly onto the cookie base and, working quickly, spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of toasted coconut over the caramel. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a knife to loosen the chilled bars from the sides of the pan, then lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang. Spray a sharp knife with nonstick cooking spray and cut the bars into twenty-four 3-by-1 1/2-inch rectangles and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Assemble the bars

Melt both chocolates together in the bowl of a double boiler over medium heat or in the microwave (in a microwave-safe bowl, cook the chocolate at 50% power (medium) for 15-seconds bursts, stirring between each blast, until melted).

Dip half of each individual bar in the melted chocolate, scrape off the excess chocolate with an offset spatula, and place the bar back on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bars.

Alternatively, dip the bottom of each bar in the remaining melted chocolate, scrape off the excess chocolate with an offset spatula. Return to the baking sheet to set. Once set, squeeze the chocolate into one corner of the zippered plastic bag and twist the other end of the bag a few times to form a makeshift pastry bag. Use a kitchen scissor to snip off the small corner of the bag where the chocolate has collected (you don’t want too large a snip or the chocolate will ooze out).

Working quickly, drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern across all of the bars. Place the pan of bars back into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to let the chocolate set up. Serve immediately. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 4 days. They taste really good directly from the refrigerator as well as at room temperature—entirely up to you.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.