Triple Chocolate Toffee Brownies

From Denny: Who doesn't love brownies? If more people fought wars with brownies instead of bullets there would be no squabbles worth fighting! :)

Here's a recipe I ran across in our local newspaper when they were doing a cookbook review on a Food and Wine cookbook that features the best recipes from many recently published cookbooks. This recipe really loads you up on chocolate: semi-sweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, mini-chocolate chips and then toffee chips. Whew! A serious download of chocolate and intense flavor. Sounds like pure Heaven.

Remember to stick with unsalted butter as the chocolate chips already have some salt in them - and eggs have natural salt in them too. Trust the recipe; you don't need to add any more salt.

There's also a link to my Amazon store where you can purchase the book at a discounted rate. Never pay retail is my motto! :)




From: “The Art and Soul of Baking” by Sur La Table with Cindy Mushet

From Amazon review:

2009 IACP Cookbook Awards Winner! Nominated for a 2009 James Beard Foundation Award.

Sur La Table teamed with pastry chef and baking teacher Cindy Mushet to bring you the ultimate guide to baking. Beautiful photographs and more than 250 easy-to-follow recipes lead you into a world of alluring aromas and light, flaky pastries. Illustrated asides take you step by step through important techniques, from carmelizing sugar to working with croissant dough. Plus, you'll find invaluable information on over 100 ingredients and 50 baker's tools. A true pleasure for anyone who loves to bake.

Each selection of the Gourmet Cookbook Club is handpicked and road-tested by the editors of Gourmet magazine, so readers can cook with confidence, knowing the recipes really do deliver. Online at Gourmet Book Club you can find videos of the authors demonstrating recipes, share your thoughts on the cookbooks in the forums, and learn more about each book's topic.

BENEFITS:

* The ultimate book for bakers.

* Professional tips and tricks are made easy for the home baker.

* Step-by-step techniques of baking.

* 100 photographs, 250 foolproof recipes and variations, and information on over 100 popular baking ingredients and over 50 pieces of baking equipment.






Check out this recipe from the cookbook:


Triple Chocolate-Toffee Brownies


Ingredients:

6 ozs. semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ozs. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick (4 ozs.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
2 tsps. pure vanilla extract
1 cup toffee bits
1/3 cup mini-chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to hang over the edges.

2. In a medium glass bowl, microwave semisweet and un-sweetened chocolates at high power in 30-second intervals until melted, about 2 minutes. In small bowl, whisk flour with baking powder and salt.

3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Add the melted chocolate and beat until incorporated. Beat in the milk and vanilla at low speed. Beat in the flour mixture, then beat in 2/3 of the toffee bits and the minichocolate chips until evenly distributed.

4. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup of the toffee bits. Bake the brownies for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

5. Set brownies on a rack to cool completely, about 2 hours. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before cutting. Use the parchment overhang to lift the brownie out of the pan; cut into squares and serve.


Make ahead: Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Authors’ note: Toffee bits are available in the baking aisle of most supermarkets, but you can also crush up a toffee bar for this recipe (even a chocolate-covered one will work.)


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Recipe: Fast Easy Barbecue Bacon Chicken Breast

From Denny: How many times have we all wished for a wonderful meal in just minutes from ingredients already in the house? I've made this same recipe many times and loved it both for its simplicity, ease of making and speed to the table.

Barbecue Bacon Chicken Breast

From: Jeanne Besser

Note from Jeanne Besser: Crystal Ellis of Marietta writes, "Here's a great-tasting easy main dish created from my refrigerator. Kids love it!" This is truly a meal most of us can cull from our reserves, but that still makes a substantial dinner. I added the step of crisping the bacon under the broiler, but if you like softer bacon, you could skip this.

Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 (1 1/2-pound) package boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 strips thin bacon, cut in half

9 ounces ( 1/2 bottle) honey barbecue sauce (or your favorite flavor)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil. Sprinkle chicken breasts with pepper to taste. Place 2 bacon strip halves horizontally to cover chicken breasts. Top with barbecue sauce and fold foil over to make a packet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until chicken is just done. Increase heat to broil. Open foil and broil until bacon crisps, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with cheese. Put back in oven and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 420 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 43 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 16 grams fat, 128 milligrams cholesterol, 952 milligrams sodium.



Barbecue sauce, easy recipe, quick recipe, kid friendly recipes, Cook, Cheese, Home, Cheddar cheese, Barbecue, Bacon, Chicken

Recipe: Fast Easy Barbecue Bacon Chicken Breast

From Denny: How many times have we all wished for a wonderful meal in just minutes from ingredients already in the house? I've made this same recipe many times and loved it both for its simplicity, ease of making and speed to the table.

Barbecue Bacon Chicken Breast

From: Jeanne Besser

Note from Jeanne Besser: Crystal Ellis of Marietta writes, "Here's a great-tasting easy main dish created from my refrigerator. Kids love it!" This is truly a meal most of us can cull from our reserves, but that still makes a substantial dinner. I added the step of crisping the bacon under the broiler, but if you like softer bacon, you could skip this.

Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 (1 1/2-pound) package boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 strips thin bacon, cut in half

9 ounces ( 1/2 bottle) honey barbecue sauce (or your favorite flavor)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil. Sprinkle chicken breasts with pepper to taste. Place 2 bacon strip halves horizontally to cover chicken breasts. Top with barbecue sauce and fold foil over to make a packet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until chicken is just done. Increase heat to broil. Open foil and broil until bacon crisps, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with cheese. Put back in oven and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 420 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 43 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 16 grams fat, 128 milligrams cholesterol, 952 milligrams sodium.



Barbecue sauce, easy recipe, quick recipe, kid friendly recipes, Cook, Cheese, Home, Cheddar cheese, Barbecue, Bacon, Chicken

Recipe: Chocolate Glazed Chocolate Tart

From Denny: When you really want something special just hike yourself on over to Epicurious.com for a chocolate delight! I found this easy to make special tart and thought you might enjoy.

Chocolate Glazed Chocolate Tart

From: Paul Grimes

Epicurious: "A triple layer of crumbly crust, a truffle-like interior, and an almost patent-leather-shiny glaze make this tart the chicest take on chocolate we've come across in a long time."

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 2 3/4 hr (includes cooling)

For crust:

9 (5- by 2 1/4-inch) chocolate graham crackers (not chocolate-covered), finely ground (1 cup)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

For filling:

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao if marked), chopped

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

For glaze:

2 tablespoon heavy cream

1 3/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1 tablespoon warm water

Equipment:

a 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep)

Make crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Stir together all ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of tart pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes

Make filling:

Bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.

Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.

Make glaze:

Bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water

Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.

Cooks' note:

Tart is best the day it is made but can be made, without glaze, 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before glazing.

Photo from Epicurious.com

Paul Grimes Epicurious.com Conde Nast chocolate tart home cooking baking

Recipe: Orange Chocolate Bundt Cake

From Denny: The wonderful site of BellaOnline.com of which their food and wine section is one of many areas they cover for womens' issues! This is an easy recipe to make for weekend company or if you and yours are going to a relative's house to celebrate this Mother's Day.

"Orange Chocolate Bundt Cake combines the flavors of fresh oranges and dark chocolate to make a decadent cake that stays moist; it’s also pretty enough to serve company.

Since this delicious cake starts with a mix, it goes together quickly; once a few other simple ingredients are added, the cake takes on the texture and flavor of a made-from-scratch cake. Don't be surprized when this cake becomes an oft requested favorite."

By Karen Hancock, Desserts Editor

Orange Chocolate Bundt Cake

Yield: 16 Servings

Cake

1 18.25 ounce yellow cake Mix

1 3 oz. package orange gelatin

2 oranges

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 teaspoon orange extract

1 cup mini chocolate chips, or semi-sweet chocolate chips coarsely chopped in the food processor

Frosting

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons whipping cream

1 teaspoon orange extract

Orange zest, for garnish

Spray a 10" bundt pan with Baker's Joy (alternatively, spray the pan liberally with non-stick spray and sprinkle a tablespoon or two of flour into the pan. Rotate the pan so that flour covers the inside of the pan and dump the excess flour out; set the pan aside).

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Mix the cake mix and gelatin in a large mixing bowl.

Using a Microplane or fine grater, remove the zest from the oranges; add all but 1 teaspoon of the zest to the cake mixture (save the other half for the frosting).

Juice the oranges; you should have about 1 cup juice; if you don't have a full cup, add water to make 1 cup.

Add the juice, vegetable oil, eggs, and orange extract to the cake and gelatin mixture.

Mix on low speed until combined, scraping the bowl a couple of times.

Turn the mixer to medium and beat until the batter is smooth, 2-3 minutes.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan.

Bake 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes; invert cake onto a cooling rack and cool thoroughly.

Frosting: Pour the chocolate chips into a microwaveable container; add the butter and whipping cream.

Microwave 1 1/2 minutes or until the butter is melted and the cream is warm; let sit 5 minutes.

Add the orange extract and the reserved orange zest; whisk until thick and smooth.

Pour the mixture over the top of the bundt cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

Garnish with additional orange peel if desired.

Amount Per Serving

Calories 391 Calories from Fat 198
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 50%
Protein 5%
Carb. 45%

Nutrient Amount per
Serving:

Total Fat 22 g
Saturated Fat 8 g
Cholesterol 63 mg
Sodium 251 mg
Total Carbohydrate 44 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 14 g
Protein 5 g

Vitamin A 5%
Vitamin C 46%
Calcium 0%
Iron 4%