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In the Oven: Pumpkin Harvest Dunking Cookies

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Our next challenge is for Pumpkin Harvest Dunking Cookies – just in time for Autumn.

The next posting date is Sunday, 5 October.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup pumpkin puree (page 100)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces (1 cup) dried cranberries
6 ounces (about 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the egg, pumpkin, and and vanilla until incorporated.

Add half of the dry ingredients and mix for 15 seconds.  Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat for 5 more seconds.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips.  Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Use a small ice cream scoop with release mechanism to scoop out dough in a2 tablespoon-size balls (or use a tablespoon measure) and place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.  Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until the cookies are brown.

Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Use a spatula to transfer the individual cookies to the rack to cool completely.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

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: Tunnel of Hazelnut Fudge Cake

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Posting date is September 28th!

TUNNEL OF HAZELNUT FUDGE CAKE

2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
3⁄4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona)
10 ounces (2 1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1 cup granulated sugar
3⁄4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously spray the inside of a 10-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray; alternatively, butter it thoroughly, dust it with cocoa powder, and knock out the excess cocoa.
In a food processor, pulse the nuts until they are somewhere between coarsely chopped and almost powdery (you do not want to pulse until they become nut butter).
Pour the chopped nuts into a medium bowl, add the flour and salt, and whisk until combined.
Sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder into a small bowl.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, turn the mixer to low, and add the eggs and egg yolks, one at time, beating until just incorporated.
Add the oil and vanilla and beat until the batter is uniform. Add the confectioners’ sugar mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the nut mixture.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 38 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Very important note: due to the presence of the fudgy cake center you will not be able to test the cake for doneness using the traditional “toothpick test.” Instead, make sure your oven temperature is accurate and watch the time carefully. The cake is technically done when it just begins to pull away from the sides of the pan or when it springs back when gently pressed— though this is not a fail-safe test. My best advice is to keep an eye on this cake after the 35-minute mark and pull it out the moment you think it’s done.
Transfer the Bundt to a wire rack to cool for 2 hours in the pan. A great tip we picked up from a Shirley O. Corriher recipe: To prevent the cake from cracking and sinking (if you care about these things—it is the bottom of the cake after all), simply use your fingers to gently press the surface of the cake where it touches the inner and outer edges of the Bundt pan.
Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto a serving platter.
Sprinkle with a little sifted confectioners’ sugar, if you like, and serve immediately.
Freeze any leftover cake, tightly covered, for up to 7 days. Before serving, let the cake come to almost room temperature (we think the leftovers taste better cold than at room temperature).

In the Oven: Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

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We’re down to our last six recipes in Elements! This week, a chocolate muffin with a surprise inside. Posting date is Sept. 21!

Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins

For the Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped

For the Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
1⁄2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder
2 teaspoons salt
1⁄2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona)
8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped, divided
3 ounces (3⁄4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1 cup hot coffee
3⁄4 cup hot water
1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons sanding sugar (optional)

Make the Cream Cheese Filling
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is lump free. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the egg, vanilla, and salt, beating until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Fold in the white chocolate chunks. Refrigerate the filling while you make the muffins. (The cream cheese filling can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.)

Make the Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray each cup of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and use a paper towel to spread the oil evenly along the bottom and up the sides of each cup.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl, place the cocoa powder, 2 ounces of the chocolate, and the butter. Pour the coffee and the hot water over the chocolate and butter and wait 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Add the oil, vinegar, and eggs and whisk again until the batter is completely smooth.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just mixed (be careful not to overmix). Fold in the remaining 6 ounces of the chocolate. Note: If you are using largish chocolate chunks you should toss them in flour so that they will not sink to the bottom of the mix.

Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of chocolate batter into each prepared muffin cup (about one-quarter full). Tap the bottom of the pan against the counter to level the batter. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese filling to each cup, then cover the cream cheese layer with the remaining chocolate batter. Make sure the batter is just flush with the rim of the pan. If you want, sprinkle the muffin tops with sanding sugar right before baking to create a crunchy muffin top (and who can say no to a crunchy muffin top?).

Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Move the muffin pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Gently loosen the muffins with an offset spatula or small knife, remove the muffins from the pan, and let them finish cooling on the wire rack.

The muffins can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 2 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving.

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: Candy Bar Cookies

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Are you ready for something completely decadent?  Then these cookies are just the thing!

Posting date is September 13th!

Yield: 40 cookies

For the Candy Bar Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona)
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 ounces (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
20 fun-size Mounds, cut in half OR 40 Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups

For the assembly

4 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
4 ounces good-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons sprinkles (optional)
3 tablespoons nonpareils (optional)

Baked Note: This recipe was tested using a variety of candy bars; however, we think it works best with halved, fun-size Bounty (probably hard to find in some areas), Mounds, and 3 Musketeers bars. Whole Rolo caramels and Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups are also great choices.

Make the Candy Bar Cookies

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

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the egg yolk and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just incorporated. The dough will look sandy.

Shape the dough into a disk, wrap the disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Unwrap the chilled dough and place directly on the work surface. Roll the dough a 1/4-inch thick round. Using a 2 ¼-inch (or thereabouts) round cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll the dough scraps and cut out more circles.

Use your hands to roll the candy pieces into the shape of a ball (or vaguely in the shape of a ball). Place each candy ball on a circle of dough and wrap the dough around the candy, covering it completely. Use your fingers to pinch together and smooth over any tears in the dough. Place the dough balls, about 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes,  rotating the sheets halfway through the baking time, until the cookies are firm and just slightly brown. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies directly to the wire racks to cool completely.
Assemble the Candy Bar Cookies

Using a double boiler or microwave, melt the dark chocolate in one bowl and the white chocolate in another bowl. If you are using sprinkles or nonpareils, place in small ramekins. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Dip or cover a cookie in the dark or white, allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Dip the top of the cookie in sprinkles or nonpareils. Place the cookie on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookies and allow the chocolate coating to firm up before serving.

Alternatively, to create a multi-layered look, dip each cookie completely in white chocolate. Let the chocolate set (you can even throw the baking sheet in the refrigerator for a few minutes). Then re-dip the cookies in dark chocolate, decorate as desired, and allow the chocolate coating to set completely.

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.