White Beer Cookies

Anyone who knows me can vouch for the fact that I love beer. I also love food, which is unsurprising, seeing that I write this blog, spend time writing local restaurant reviews (shameless plug: check us out at www.grgrub.com) and am working on starting my own personal chef business. So when the opportunity comes up for me to combine two of my passions, I jump on it. 

These cookies are a perfect mash-up of food and beer. I got a message from my friend, Shelley, one night, saying that she was watching a cooking show and they were making beer cookies. I was intrigued. So I searched out a recipe and resolved to try them out. A couple of weeks later, I was looking for inspiration for my dish to pass at a birthday party for another beer fanatic friend. Beer cookies to the rescue!  I have no great love of baking, but the process for these cookies was relatively simple and I was pleased with how they turned out. Even better, they were a huge hit at the party. My only regret is that I didn't make more of them. The birthday gal's father even cracked a joke about whether or not I'd laced the cookies with some "herbal refreshment" because they were addictive! Rest assured, the only ingredients in the cookies are legal ones.

The rundown:

• Flavor/texture: The cookies were more cake-y than crunchy, but they were very good. They were a bit like fancy sugar cookies, without being overly sweet. I loved how I could definitely taste the beer, but it didn't overpower the other ingredients.
• Difficulty: Pretty easy and straightforward.  I was a little impatient while waiting for the beer to reduce. Taking two bottles down to 1/3 cup takes awhile.
• Pros: It's an unusual twist for both beer and cookies. They turned out great and even friends who aren't beer-centric enjoyed them.
• Cons: The recipe yields two dozen cookies, which isn't much. If you're making them for a group, I highly recommend making more than one batch. The recipe would not be well suited for just doubling up, since reducing four bottles of beer would take forever. Make separate batches instead.
• Misc.: The one caveat about this recipe is that you must choose a white beer. Don't substitute for another style, or it won't work. I went with Bell's Brewery Winter White. In this method, the beer is brewed with coriander and orange. Those flavors are echoed in the dough and icing, which pulls everything together. Reducing the beer intensely concentrates the flavors. If you use something that is too dark or has heavy hops, it will turn into a bitter mess. Use orange blossom honey if you can. It's a great complement to the orange base in the beer and frosting. Also, I omitted the milk in the frosting and just used orange juice instead.
• Repeat Performance: I can see myself making these for other special occasions.

White Beer Cookies

Food Network, Sean LaFond

Cookies:

2 bottles (12 oz. each) Belgian White style beer

5 tbsp honey

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 large egg

1/2 vanilla extract

1 large orange, zested

2 tbsp ground coriander

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Icing:

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp milk

1 orange (peel off strips of zest with a bar zester for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the beer and honey to a medium saucepan and reduce over medium heat until you have about 1/3 cup of liquid. You may occasionally have to skim the foam off the top of the beer. You will know you have hit 1/3 of a cup of liquid as the liquid will suddenly begin to aggressively foam due to the high concentration of sugar (This looks different from foaming due to carbon dioxide, the bubbles are much larger with the sugar foaming). Let this reduction cool to room temperature.

In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and blend thoroughly. Then add the vanilla, orange zest, coriander and beer reduction and blend again. Mix the flour and baking soda together then slowly add to the batter. The batter will be somewhat more loose than regular cookie dough.
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Scoop mounds of cookies onto an aluminum cookie sheet lined with parchment. Make sure you do not overcrowd the cookies; you should be able to fit about 12 cookies on a half sheet pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
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Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet until they are cool enough (about 10 minutes) to transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Using the icing ingredients, whisk the vanilla into the sugar. Mix the orange juice and milk together. Add milk and orange juice mixture to the sugar, a little bit at a time, until you reach the consistency of a thick paste. Put a dollop of icing on each cool cookie and spread it over the top. Put a small piece of orange zest on the top, if desired. Let the icing harden to desired hardness and serve.

Bottoms up!



Meyer Lemon Tart with a Layer of Chocolate

There's not much that I love more than a good lemon dessert. I've always had more of a liking for citrus or more savory desserts than for true sweets. With its thin layer of dark chocolate, this recipe is the best of both worlds. I'll admit that I was skeptic about the combination at first, but it came out great. I needed a dessert with a "wow factor" for Father's Day, and I think I inherited my lemon affinity from my dad. When I was young, he always shared his lemon drop candies with me on long car rides. A lemon tart seemed like a natural way to go.

The tart was a huge hit. After sneaking a taste, my dad was so eager to dig in that he wouldn't let me do my usual fussing to get a good picture! I had to use a stock photo from the cookbook, which was less than ideal, although it said a lot for the tart itself.

The rundown:

• Flavor/texture: The flavors in this tart were amazing! I was a bit worried since I had to use regular lemons (the sweeter Meyer variety are out of season here), but it turned out great. The chocolate was subtle and really enhanced the lemon curd. The curd itself was very silky and in all honestly, it's the best one I've ever made.
• Difficulty: More time consuming than difficult. I did have a rough go of it with the crust at first, but that was because making butter-laden pastry in summer is often difficult.
• Pros: Amazing flavor and it looked great, too!  It was a very impressive dessert. Both the chocolate and lemon lovers in the crowd were happy, which is hard to accomplish in a single dish.
• Cons: Oh, the crust. I knew that the heat and humidity of summer really don't condone making a butter crust, but I was determined.  In order to get a perfect crust, some of the butter pieces should remain solid in the dough. When the pieces melt, they leave spaces and make the crust beautifully flaky.  To accomplish this, all of the ingredients need to be cold and you have to be very careful not to overwork it. It can be accomplished even during the summer, you just have to be more patient and chill the dough a couple of times during the process. When I figured that out, my crust was light and flaky. If your butter gets too warm or you overwork the dough during rolling (as I did), the butter dissolves into the flour and the crust will be very dense. Just be careful and you'll get it right. 
• Misc.: The chocolate layer is very thin. Next time I would use three ounces instead of two. I also added a bit of superfine sugar and a splash of vanilla to the whipped cream, just because that's how I like it.
• Repeat Performance: It's not something I'd make every day, but I can definitely see myself putting another one of these together for something/someone special.

Meyer Lemon Tart with a Layer of Chocolate

by Suzanne Goin

from Sunday Suppers at Lucques, 2005

For the pâte sucrée (makes enough for two crusts)1/4 cup heavy cream
2 extra-large egg yolks
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter

For the tart2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
4 extra-large eggs
3 extra-large egg yolks
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup Meyer lemon juice
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
A pinch of kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream

Make the pâte sucrée

Whisk the cream and egg yolks together in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter on medium speed until you have a coarse meal. Gradually add the cream and yolks and mix until just combined. Do not overwork the dough.

Transfer the dough to a large work surface and bring it together with your hands to incorporate completely. Divide the dough in half, shape into 1-inch-thick discs, and wrap one of them to freeze and use later.

If the dough is too soft, put in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up a little. If the dough is manageable, place it on a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle a little flour over the dough, and roll it out into a 1/4-inch-thick circle, flouring as necessary. Starting at one side, roll and wrap the dough around the rolling pin to pick it up. Unroll the dough over a 10-inch tart pan. Gently fit the dough loosely into the pan, lifting the edges and pressing the dough into the corners with your fingers. To remove the excess dough, roll the rolling pin lightly over the top of the tart pan for a nice clean edge, or work your way around the edge pinching off any excess dough with your fingers. Chill for 1 hour.

Make the tart:

Preheat the oven to 375°F

Take the tart pan with the pâte sucrée from the refrigerator. Prick the bottom with a fork and line it with a few opened and fanned-out coffee filters or a piece of parchment paper. Fill the lined tart shell with beans or pie weights and bake 15 minutes, until set. Take the tart out of the oven and carefully lift out the paper and beans. Return the tart to the oven and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is an even golden brown. Set aside on a rack to cool completely.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat. Spread the chocolate evenly on the crust and chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, until the chocolate has solidified completely.

While the crust is chilling, make the curd. Whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, and lemon juice together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, alternating between a whisk and rubber spatula, until the lemon curd has thickened to the consistency of pastry cream and coats the back of the spatula.

Remove the lemon curd from the heat. Add the butter a little at a time, stirring to incorporate completely. Season with the salt. Let the curd cool about 8 minutes, and then strain it into the prepared tart shell. Chill the tart in the refrigerator.

Just before serving, whip the cream in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or by hand) until it holds soft peaks. Cut the tart into six wedges, plate them, and serve with dollops of whipped cream.

Grab a fork and get to it!

Baked Lemon Tart

Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake



Since Mother's Day is coming up next week, I thought I'd post this beautiful chiffon cake recipe.  It's very spring-y and the presentation is gorgeous.  I have made it for several special occasions and it's always well-received.  This is one of my favorite cakes to make. 

Chiffon cakes are naturally very moist and light, which is a perfect partner for the strawberries, mascarpone and whipped cream. The cake seems complicated, but it really isn't difficult. If you don't have time, you can use a boxed mix for the cake and just beat the batter on high for a minute or so to incorporate some extra air. If using a boxed mix, go with white or vanilla cake mix and make sure to add the lemon zest as indicated. It really does take the cake to another level.

• Flavor/Texture: Not too sweet and the whole cake is very light. The vanilla, strawberry and lemon zest work together beautifully.
• Difficulty: This recipe requires some work and a light hand, but it's not hard.  Make sure that your equipment (bowls, spatulas and beaters) are VERY clean and dry before whipping the egg whites or making the frosting. Do not overwork your batter when folding in the egg whites. Mix it gently until everything is just combined.
• Pros: It's both delicious and stunning. Great for special occasions and everyday.
• Cons: Takes a bit of work, but it's well worth it.
• Misc: This time around, I added 1/4 cup of cocoa powder to the recipe to make a chocolate cake instead of white. The recipe works either way, but I just think the chocolate adds a little contrast and looks better. I don't worry too much about trimming the berries while putting the filling together. You can even out the tops of the berries with the filling itself, for the most part. I also add sliced strawberries to the top of the cake for some more visual interest. It is very important to do a crumb layer and then an additional layer of frosting because any flecks of the cake in the white frosting are very visible.
• Encore Performance: This cake is already a regular in my rotation of favorite desserts. I make it frequently when strawberries are in high season.

Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake
adapted from a recipe by Amy Wisniewski

For the berries:

2 pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled (about 4 cups)

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp grated lemon zest

For the cake:

2 cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tsp vanilla extract

6 large eggs, separated into whites and yolks

1 1/2 cups sugar

For the filling:

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

For the frosting:

1 tbsp vanilla extract

6 tbsp sugar
3 cups heavy cream

For the berries:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss the strawberries to coat. Let the berries macerate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before using.

Gently strain berries and reserve syrup for later use.

For the cake:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, combine vegetable oil, water, lemon zest, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar. Whip on medium speed, until mixture is airy and light in color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl; add dry ingredients and whip until smooth, about 1 minute more.

In a clean bowl, whip egg whites to medium peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the cake batter until evenly incorporated; gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.

Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake until surface of cakes springs back when pressed and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Remove cakes from the oven, and let cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of each, and turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the filling and the frosting.

For the filling:
Combine mascarpone cheese and heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the frosting:
Place the cleaned bowl of the stand mixer and the whip attachment in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Combine vanilla extract, sugar, and heavy cream in the chilled bowl and whip at medium speed until medium peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least one hour. (The frosting can be prepared up to 12 hours ahead

To assemble:
Using a long serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes as necessary so they are level. Place cake rounds on a clean, dry surface and, using a pastry brush, brush 1/2 of the reserved strawberry syrup on the cut side of the first cake round; repeat on the cut side of the second cake round.

Evenly spread 1/4 of the mascarpone filling over the cut side of the bottom cake layer. Arrange strawberries standing upright, stem end down, over the mascarpone layer and trim as necessary to create an even layer. Cover berries with the remaining filling, being sure to fill in any empty space.

Place second cake layer over mascarpone and strawberries, cut side down, pressing gently to secure it. Using an offset spatula or a long, thin spatula, spread 3/4 cup of the frosting in a thin layer over the top and sides of the cake. Return remaining frosting and cake to the refrigerator until frosting on cake is set, about 15 minutes.

Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. Let sit in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving.

I guarantee your mom will love it!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

I first saw this cake on Paula Deen's show on the Food Network. It looked delicious and pineapple upside-down cake has always been one of my favorites. I just had to make it and I figured that Easter dinner would be the perfect occasion. 

The cake came out beautifully and definitely had a "wow" factor.  I really, really wanted to love it, but it just didn't happen.  It was by no means a bad cake, but I just wanted it to be so much more. I liked it and my dad, who has a much stronger sweet tooth, loved it.  For me, the sweetness bordered on cloying and I had to scrape the frosting off.  The topping was good, but again it was too sweet for me.  The cake itself was fine, but I found myself wishing that it had some actual flavor instead of just sugar and butter. Maybe I should have known, seeing that it was a Paula Deen recipe, and I am generally not a huge fan of hers. I solidly dispute the fact that all Southern cooking has to be either fried, hot or sugar and butter-laden.  My mom's side of the family is from Louisiana and when I was growing up, we ate many things that didn't fall into those categories. 

All gripes aside, here's my review:

• Flavor/Texture: The cake part was a little too dense for my liking, and it was very rich. The pineapple topping was great, as usual.
• Difficulty: Nothing too hard, aside from resigning myself to using 4 STICKS of butter!
• Pros: I like the idea of a double-layer pineapple upside-down cake. Everyone loves the topping the best, so why not double it?
• Cons: Butter, sugar, powdered sugar and more butter. Too rich and far too sweet for my personal tastes.
• Misc: I cooled my cakes in the pans for one hour and then stacked them, rather than following the method in the recipe. I was trying to avoid moving the cakes too much.  I had no issues with the cakes cracking or settling. I added 5 tbsp of juice to the frosting because mine was far too stiff after only 2 tbsp. There would have been no way to spread it on the cake without thinning it out a bit. Next time, I would cut down on the brown sugar in the topping as well. 3/4 cup in each cake pan is an awful lot. I would scale it back to 1/2 cup per per pan.
• Encore Performance: I won't make this cake as written again. I loved the look of it, but I actually prefer the flavor and texture of the recipe on the back of the boxed cake mix.  Can't win 'em all!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Recipe by Paula Deen

Non-stick cooking spray

3 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting pan

1 cup butter, softened, plus 1/2 cup butter, melted

2 1/4 cups sugar

5 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup whole buttermilk

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 20-ounce cans of pineapple rings, drained well (reserve some juice for frosting)

1 jar maraschino cherries

Pineapple buttercream frosting (recipe follows)

Chopped pecans, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and coat with flour.

In a large bowl, beat 1 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and set aside.

In a small bowl, add the 3 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Divide the brown sugar evenly into each pan. Pour the melted butter equally over the brown sugar. Arrange the pineapple slices and cherries over the brown sugar. Reserve remaining pineapple slices and cherries for another use.

Pour equal amounts of batter over the fruit and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto wire racks to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, carefully arrange 1 cake layer, pineapple side up, on a cake plate. Carefully stack the remaining cake layer, pineapple side up, over the first layer. Frost the sides of the cake with Pineapple Buttercream Frosting. Press chopped pecans into sides of cake, if desired.

Pineapple Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tbsp reserved pineapple juice
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.

Rainbow Cake!



I originally saw this cake on a blog that I follow, called Not Martha. The writer, Megan, is quite funny and I think we share the same outlook on food a lot of the time. On St. Patrick's Day, she posted a Leprechaun Trap Cake and I was so impressed that I decided right then and there to make it. Since St. Patrick's was done and gone, I decided to make it an Easter themed cake instead. I followed the instructions for the Leprechaun Cake and just ad-libbed my own decorations and frosting.

This cake nearly killed me. That sounds a tad dramatic, but I know the limits of my patience, and this almost got the better of me. I'm not daunted by a complex process; some of the cooking I've done is quite difficult. But this recipe reminded me of all the reasons that I shy away from baking: I dislike measuring, I like to see things happening instead of just waiting around, and I loathe not knowing whether or not something will turn out the way I want. With cooking, none of those issues phase me. Baking is a whole different story. I was on pins and needles the whole time the cake was baking. That being said, I was thrilled with the results when I cut into it. The rainbow itself looked good and the colors were great. Best of all, the kids at the party loved it and that was the main goal.

For the Easter decorations, I found some edible Easter grass at Meijer and a marshmallow bunny for the top. I went with a store-bought Rainbow Chip frosting for two reasons. One, it's my favorite and it fit with the "rainbow" theme of the cake.  Two, I was not in the mood to make frosting. Nothing fancy, but it worked. 

I literally jumped up and down and squealed in my kitchen when I cut out a slice of the cake. It's gorgeous, right?

The breakdown:

• Flavor/Texture: Like the original blog, I went with a boxed cake mix and cooked it at a lower temp than recommended to prevent doming.  It was moist and fluffy.
• Difficulty: I'm not gonna lie - getting a good rainbow was tough. I had a hard time trying to keep the rings relatively the same width, even with the help from the Not Martha blog. It was mainly successful, but it wasn't easy. An avid baker might have found this more enjoyable.
• Pros: It looks awesome and I was very proud that my efforts paid off.
• Cons: The method was time consuming, messy and dirtied quite a bit of equipment. I stained my hands up pretty good.
• Misc: For the rainbow batter, I opted for professional gel "tasteless" food coloring to get the vibrant colors I wanted, without that nasty dye aftertaste. It worked quite well. I followed the 6-5-4-3-2-1 ratio in the original blog and worked under the fact that 1/4 cup is 2 fluid ounces. I did not trim the top of the cake to flatten it. My cake didn't really dome up much and I figured that cutting anything away might result in losing the last layer of the rainbow.
• Encore Performance: Now that I am familiar with the method for creating the rainbow, I'm sure the recipe will be easier next time.  Even so, this recipe will only be pulled out for special requests.

If you attempt the rainbow cake, I would love to see your take on it!



Mmm mmm, Brownies

Best brownies I have ever had.  That's right, EVER!

On the rare occasions when my sweet tooth kicks in, and on the even more rare occasions when it demands something chocolate-y, I usually turn to brownies.  They're quick, easy and they get the job done.  Usually, I eat one and then take the rest to work. But I may have a hard time parting with these tomorrow.  These brownies jumped out at me from the pages of Bon Appetit and they immediately came to mind tonight when I wanted something sweet.

The breakdown:

• Flavor/Texture: Very dense and intensely chocolate brownies. Not too sweet or rich. I loved the crunch of the walnuts.
• Difficulty: VERY easy to make. Browning the butter was pretty much the only effort put in, and that's not much.
• Pros: Quick to make and all of the ingredients were in my pantry.  No special shopping trips.
• Cons: I wanted to eat the entire pan.
• Misc: Don't skip lining the pain with foil and spraying with cooking spray. The brownies are quite sticky and you may never get them out of the pan otherwise. I used a ceramic dish and had to bake an additional 5 minutes.
• Encore Performance: I will definitely be marking these as a favorite and making them again. Think tomorrow is too soon?

Cocoa Brownies with Brown Butter and Walnuts
Bon Appetit, February 2011

Nonstick oil spray
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (*NOT Dutch Process!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp flour
1 cup walnut pieces

Position rack in bottom third of over; preheat to 325. Line 8 x 8 baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray.  Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at the bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add to sugar, cocoa, 2 tbsp water, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously after each addition. When mixture looks think and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.  Using foil overhand, lift brownies from pan. Cut into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 brownies. 

Pour yourself a glass of milk and get to it!