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In the Oven: Mississippi Mud Pie (A), a.k.a. Coffee Ice Cream Tart

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Okay, here it is… our last recipe for Baked Explorations! Posting date is June 2.

We started baking through the second Baked book on November 21, 2010. Our first of the 75 recipes was the Nutella Scones. Do you have a favorite recipe from the book?

Next month we return to baking every other week (the schedule is now updated through the end of 2013).

Mississippi Mud Pie a.k.a. Coffee Ice Cream Tart
Makes one 9-inch pie

For the chocolate cookie crust
30 chocolate wafer cookies, about 6 ounces
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling
4 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon Kentucky bourbon
1 pint good-quality coffee ice cream
1/2 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

For the bourbon fudge topping
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%)
1 teaspoon Kentucky bourbon

Make the chocolate cookie crust
In a food processor, pulverize the wafer cookies into a very fine crumb. You should have about 11/2 cups. Place the crumbs into a bowl, add the sugar, and stir until combined.

Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and mix well. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch pie plate and press it into the bottom and up the sides. Use the back of a large spoon to get an even crust. Set the crust aside in the refrigerator.

Make the filing
Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.

In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, butter, and corn syrup to a simmer.

Remove the mixture from the heat, pour it over the chocolate, and let sit for 1 minute. Then whisk the chocolate mixture until it is completely smooth.

Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar and bourbon.

Spread the fudge evenly over the bottom of the pie crust, cover it, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Soften the coffee ice cream by placing the container in the microwave for 10 seconds on high. Put it into a large bowl and use a rubber spatula to beat it until it is slightly malleable. Spread the ice cream over the chilled fudge filling, sprinkle it with pecans, gently pressing them into the ice cream, and freeze the pie for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the ice cream is firm.

Make the bourbon fudge topping
In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the cream, butter, and corn syrup together until the mixture begins to simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until the fudge is smooth–if you still have a few stray chocolate chunks, reheat the mixture over very low heat until they are completely melted. Stir in the bourbon.

Beat the fudge topping until it reaches room temperature, and pour it over the ice cream and pecan layer in a zigzag pattern. Freeze the Mississippi Mud Pie until it is set, about 20 minutes. To serve the pie, cut it with a warmed sharp knife.

The pie will keep in the freezer, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.

Excerpted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2010 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: Cornmeal Griddle Cakes

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Posting date is May 19!

Cornmeal Griddle Cakes
recipe source : Baked Explorations, p. 45

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter for the skillet

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

Bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil. Place the cornmeal in a large bowl. Stirring continuously, slowly pour the boiling water over the cornmeal. Keep stirring until the mixture has cooled to lukewarm, almost to room temperature. Add the brown sugar and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until pale yellow. Add the buttermilk and whisk until blended. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, to the cornmeal in three parts (beginning and ending with the flour mixture), stirring after each addition until just combined. Stir in the melted butter.

Heat a skillet or griddle pan over medium-low heat.

Add 1 or 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and make sure it coats the surface. Drop griddle cakes in ¼-cup batches into the skillet (they will spread – do not crowd the pan). Cook until the bottoms are medium-brown, about 3 minutes, and the tops are bubbly, then flip the griddle cakes over and cook the other side for about 2 minutes and serve immediately. Continue cooking and serving until all the batter is gone. Serve with generous amounts of sweet butter.

Excerpted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2010 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: Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

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Posting date is May 5th!

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
recipe source: Baked Explorations

Yield: Approximately 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients
2 cups whole hazelnuts
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona)
Dash salt
3 to 4 Tablespoons hazelnut oil (or alternatively vegetable oil)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the hazelnuts across the prepared pan in a single layer and toast them in the oven for 8 minutes. Toss the nuts, then toast them for another 5 – 6 minutes, until they are fragrant and have turned a dark brown, Let the nuts cool completely.

Remove the skins from the cooled nuts by placing them in a damp towel and rubbing them together. Discard the skins.

Place the nuts in the bowl of a food processor and process for 3 to 5 minutes, until they liquefy and become buttery. Scrape down the bowl and process for 30 seconds longer.

Add the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and 3 Tablespoons of the hazelnut oil, and process again for about 1 more minute , or until the mixture is smooth and spreadable. If it is too thick, add more hazelnut oil, a teaspoon at a time, until the right consistency is achieved.

Use the spread immediately or store it in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container, for up to 2 weeks. Initially, the spread will be wet and thin (perfect for dipping). However, it will thicken considerably in the refrigerator ans have a consistency akin to chilled peanut butter. For spreading purposes, remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before using, it will be more pliable ans spreadable.

Excerpted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2010 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.