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In the Oven: Baked Bars

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Anything goes for our next bake, a veritable kitchen-sink extravaganza! Posting date is March 25.

Baked Bars
 
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Yield: 24 bars
Ingredients
For the Baked Bar crust
  • 2 cups (about 6 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut
  • 2½ cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs (about 20 crackers)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
For the Baked Bar filling
  • 1⅓ cups walnut halves, toasted and chopped
  • 1½ cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup white chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • ¾ cup butterscotch chips
  • 3 ¼ cups (26 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
Make the Baked Bar crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
  2. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread out the coconut. Put the baking sheet in the oven and toast the coconut until it starts to turn golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss the coconut, and return it to the oven for 3 more minutes.
  4. Put the graham cracker crumbs in a large bowl, add the toasted coconut, and toss with your hands until combined. Add the butter. Use your hands to combine the mixture, then turn it out into the prepared pan. Using your hands, press the crust into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to create a perfectly even crust.
  5. Refrigerate the crust for 15 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool completely.
Make the Baked Bar filling
  1. Increase the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
  2. Evenly spread the nuts in the bottom of the crust.
  3. Spread the chocolate chips over the walnuts, followed by the white chocolate, followed by the butterscotch chips.
  4. In a steady stream, pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the filling. Shake the pan very gently to make sure the sweetened condensed milk is evenly distributed.
  5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan every 10 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
How to store: Baked Bars will keep, wrapped tightly and at room temperature, for up to 4 days.

 

In the Oven: Dolly’s Doughnut

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Next up on the schedule — we’re celebrating Dolly Parton’s birthday with Dolly’s Doughnut! Posting date is January 17.

In the Oven: Dolly's Doughnut
 
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Yield: 1 Bundt cake • 12 to 16 servings
Ingredients
For the Coconut Bundt Cake
  • 3 cups (385 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks/225 g) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
  • 2½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons coconut extract
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1⁄3 cups (315 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
For the Dark Chocolate Coconut Filling
  • 5 ounces (140 g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (40 g) lightly packed unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 6 ounces (170 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), melted and cooled
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Simple Coconut Glaze
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons (60 to 90 ml) coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon coconut extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (225 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 6 ounces (170 g) good quality white chocolate, melted but still warm
  • Red or pink food dye or gel
For Décor
  • Pink or rainbow sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
Make the Coconut Bundt Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter the inside of a 10- or 12-cup (2.4- or 2.8-L) Bundt pan, dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour. Alternatively, spray the pan with cooking spray. Either way, make sure the pan’s nooks and crannies are all thoroughly coated.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl again, add the coconut and vanilla extracts, and beat until just incorporated.
  4. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the coconut milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing after each addition until just combined, about 10 seconds; do not overmix. Remove the bowl from the standing mixer, transfer the batter to a large bowl, and clean and dry the mixing bowl.
Make the Dark Chocolate Coconut Filling
  1. In the now-clean bowl of the standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the unsweetened coconut, melted dark chocolate, egg, and granulated sugar and beat again until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for a few more seconds. Add ½ cup of the cake batter to the filling batter and fold until incorporated.
Assemble the Bundt
  1. Spoon half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the filling on top of the batter, keeping it in the center of the batter and away from the sides of the pan. Then pour the remaining half of the batter over the filling. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 55 minutes, until a small sharp knife or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
  2. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack. Place a baking sheet (lined with parchment if you like, for easy cleanup) underneath the wire rack.
Make the Simple Coconut Glaze
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of the coconut milk, the coconut extract, and vanilla extract. Add the confectioners’ sugar and whisk until incorporated and smooth. Slowly stir in the warm white chocolate. We prefer a thick yet pourable glaze; if the glaze appears too thick, thin it out with additional coconut milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Stir in the food dye, a few drops at a time, until the desired color is reached.
  2. Pour the glaze in large, thick ribbons over the crown of the Bundt, allowing the glaze to spread and drip down the sides of the cake. Top with sprinkles, if using. Allow the glaze to set before serving, about 5 minutes.
Notes
How to store: The cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 

In the Oven: Easter Coconut Sheet Cake

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Next up is this festive Easter Coconut Cake.
Posting date is Sunday, 12 April 2015.

Easter Coconut Sheet Cake
 
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Yield: 24 servings
Ingredients
For the Coconut Sheet Cake
  • 2½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (330 g) cake flour
  • 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4½ ounces (9 tablespoons/125 g) unsalted butter, cool but not cold, cut into ½-inch (12-mm) cubes
  • 1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (325 g) granulated sugar
  • 1⁄3 cup (75 ml) coconut oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1½ teaspoons pure coconut extract
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (180 g) cream of coconut
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 ml) whole milk
  • 2 cups (180 g) lightly packed sweetened shredded coconut
  • 5 large egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
For the Coconut Frosting
  • 5 large egg whites
  • 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
  • 12 ounces (3 sticks/340 g) unsalted butter, cool but not cold, cut into ½-inch (12-mm) cubes
  • 3 tablespoons cream of coconut
  • 1½ teaspoons coconut extract
  • 1⁄8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 food dyes or gels
Instructions
Make the Coconut Sheet Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) if your pan is metal and 325°F (165°C) if it's glass.
  2. Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) glass or light-metal pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Line the pan with parchment paper so that the paper overhangs the pan on two sides.
  4. Lightly spray the parchment and the sides of the pan.
  5. Alternatively, you can butter and lightly flour the parchment paper and sides of the pan.
  6. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  7. Set aside.
  8. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on
  9. medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  10. Add the coconut oil and beat until incorporated.
  11. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the egg, egg yolk, coconut extract, and
  12. vanilla, and beat until thoroughly combined.
  13. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  14. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of coconut and whole milk.
  15. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the coconut milk
  16. mixture, and beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
  17. After each addition, beat on medium speed until incorporated, 10 to 15 seconds.
  18. Fold in the shredded coconut with a rubber spatula.
  19. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites vigorously for 1 minute.
  20. Sprinkle the cream of tartar over the whites and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
  21. Gently fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the batter until almost combined.
  22. Fold another quarter of the egg white mixture into the batter until nearly combined.
  23. Finally, add the remaining egg white mixture to the batter and fold gently until completely combined.
  24. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven.
  25. Bake the cake, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 42 to 48 minutes (if you're baking in a glass pan, you might need a few extra minutes).
  26. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.
  27. Once the cake has cooled, you can gently lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper, if you want to—or you can serve it straight out of the pan.
Make the Coconut Frosting
  1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and sugar
  2. together until combined.
  3. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water (double-boiler method, see page 19), making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
  4. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the color is a milky white, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. The liquid should be warm to the touch.
  6. Place the bowl back onto the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high
  7. speed (start slowly at first) until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  8. Remove the whisk attachment and replace it with the paddle attachment.
  9. Add the cubed butter, a few chunks at a time, and beat on medium-high speed (again, start slowly at first) until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  10. If the buttercream breaks (i.e., looks like it is curdling), keep beating until it comes back together.
  11. Add the cream of coconut, coconut extract, and salt and beat for 10 to 15 seconds to combine.
  12. Divide the frosting evenly into four separate bowls.
  13. Add a drop or two of food dye to each bowl (a lighter touch is preferred here to emulate muted pastel colors), and fold until the color is uniform; you can leave one bowl white if you like.
  14. If you own four separate pastry bags, fit each of them with a round medium tip; if not, gather four zip-tight plastic bags and fit them with four round medium tips (if you do not have tips, just be prepared to cut a corner of each plastic bag).
  15. Fill each bag with a separate color of frosting; if using a zip-tight plastic bag, cut a small triangle from one of the bottom corners after filling it three-fourths with frosting and zipping the top.
  16. Hold the first bag about ¼ inch (6 mm) above the cake and apply pressure to pipe a dot or “egg” of frosting into the corner of the cake.
  17. Carefully pull the tip slightly up and off to the side to mimic the pattern of the cake in the photo on page 87.
  18. Choose the next color and pipe the next two or three dots or “eggs” diagonally underneath the first color dot (see photo 1).
  19. Pick up your third color and pipe four dots underneath the second row of dots.
  20. Then use the fourth and final color to pipe the 5 or 6 dots or “eggs” underneath the third row of dots (see photo 2).
  21. Continue this pattern across the top of the cake until the complete cake is covered (see photos 3 and 4).
  22. Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set the frosting. Serve immediately.
Notes
How to store: the cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before slicing and serving.