Life Through the Lens

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Wrap Up

I would call the First Annual Holiday Treats-a-palooza a success, wouldn't you? Lets review what we made this week:

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Chocolate Covered Everything

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesebake Bars (my personal favorite!)

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Gena's amazing sugar cookies

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Nutella Sugar Sandwich Cookies

Happy holidays & happy baking everyone! Now off to the gym....

Friday, December 17, 2010

Holiday treats-a-palooza: Nutella Sugar Sandwich Cookies

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

These were awesome, even if I did make the cookies a little too big (note: must know the different between teaspoon and tablespoon!).

Oh yeah, & yes, I know 14 tablespoons of butter is a lot. But it's the holidays!

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen via the Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar, divided
14 tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 small jar of Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread)

Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

In a large bowl, beat 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer set on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture until it is just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture a few times to make sure all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. With slightly dampened hands, roll 1 teaspoon of the cookie dough between your palms to form a ball. Roll the ball in the sugar to coat it and place it on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheets.

Lightly coat the bottom of a glass or metal measuring cup with butter and dip into the sugar. Use this to gently flatten the cookies to 3/4-inch thickness.

Bake the cookies, one sheet a time, rotating from front to back halfway through baking. They are done when the edges are set and beginning to brown, 9 to 10 minutes. The centers of the cookies should still be soft and puffy. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Using a spatula, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and let cool on a rack.

Spread the bottom of one cookie with 1 teaspoon Nutella and sandwich with a second cookie.

Serve or store in an airtight container.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars

This is perhaps the best thing I made this year. They are SO good. The best part is that you can have a small piece, & they're still satisfying.

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen via the Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients
Crust
7 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter (melted)
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp salt

Filling
2 (8 oz. each) packages of cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 Reese's peanut butter cups, divided, cut into 6 pieces each

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Prepare a 8-inch square baking pan by lining the pan with aluminum foil, leaving 3-4 inches of foil draping over the sides of the pan.

The crust:

Place graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor (realize you need a bigger food processor) & pulse until the crackers form fine crumbs, about 30 seconds.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

To the crumbs, add butter, brown sugar, flour, & salt.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Pulse until the ingredients are fully combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Bake until the crust is beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the crust cool on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

The filling:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until it is very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape the beaters & sides of the bowl frequently. You really need an electric hand mixer to do this. A stand mixer just isn't able to be mobile enough to beat it properly

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

[possible additional step:
1. realize you don't have an electric hand mixer & that your cream cheese isn't creaming in your stand mixer.

2. turn off oven

3. grab wallet & keys & run down to the car

4. drive to Target

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

5. realize half-way there that you took your wedding ring off so it didn't get all yucky baking & you didn't put it back on. Panic when you realize this is your first time in public in three years without a wedding ring on. Press onward anyway, instead of turning around to go home & get it.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

6. run into Target, purchase really nice hand mixer that is super on sale

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

7. drive back home]

Gradually beat in granulated sugar until the mixture is combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure that each is fully incorporated. Beat in sour cream & vanilla extract until fully combined.

Fold cut up Reese's peanut butter cups into the cream cheese mixture. It's easier to do this with a spatula, not a mixer.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the baking pan, over top of the cooled crust. Spread evenly.

Bake until the edges are set, but the middle still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken gently, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Place the pan on a cooling rack & allow the bars to cool for 2 hours. Cover with aluminum foil & refrigerate for at least 3 hours, & up to 24 hours.

Using the overhanging foil, lift the bars from the pan. Gently remove the foil & cut into 16 bars.

Place bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave on 50% power until melted, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle chocolate over the bars, top each with a small chunk of a Reese's peanut butter cup.

Makes 16 bars.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
7 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter (melted)
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp salt

Filling
2 (8 oz. each) packages of cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 Reese's peanut butter cups, divided, cut into 6 pieces each
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 8-inch square baking pan by lining the pan with aluminum foil, leaving 3-4 inches of foil draping over the sides of the pan.

The crust:
Place graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor & pulse until the crackers form fine crumbs, about 30 seconds. To the crumbs, add butter, brown sugar, flour, & salt. Pulse until the ingredients are fully combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the crust cool on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

The filling:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until it is very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape the beaters & sides of the bowl frequently. Gradually beat in granulated sugar until the mixture is combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure that each is fully incorporated. Beat in sour cream & vanilla extract until fully combined. Fold cut up Reese's peanut butter cups into the cream cheese mixture. It's easier to do this with a spatula, not a mixer.

Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the baking pan, over top of the cooled crust. Spread evenly. Bake until the edges are set, but the middle still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken gently, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Place the pan on a cooling rack & allow the bars to cool for 2 hours. Cover with aluminum foil & refrigerate for at least 3 hours, & up to 24 hours. Using the overhanging foil, lift the bars from the pan. Gently remove the foil & cut into 16 bars.

Place bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave on 50% power until melted, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle chocolate over the bars, top each with a small chunk of a Reese's peanut butter cup.

Makes 16 bars.

Previous treats-a-palooza:
Monday: chocolate covered everything
Tuesday: Gena's rockin' sugar cookies
Wednesday: a new spin on chocolate peppermint bark

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

These are a great spin on traditional chocolate peppermint bark!

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen via the Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. high-quality white chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped red & white candies or candy canes (about 3 ounces)

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment, letting it hang over the sides of the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Gradually beat in sugar. Continue to beat for an additional 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract and egg yolk. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture, until just combined. Do not overmix.

Scatter the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and gently press it, with slightly moistened fingers, to form a flat layer. Prick all over with a fork.

Bake the cookie layer until golden brown and slightly puffed, and edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25-30 minutes.

Place on a cookie rack and immediately sprinkle chopped bittersweet or semisweet (or a combination of the two) over the cookie layer. Let the chocolate sit for about 3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into an even layer over the surface of the cookies. Immediately sprinkle 3 ounces crushed red and white peppermint candies, or candy canes, over the chocolate layer.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Place chopped white chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a simmering pot of water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the white chocolate over the peppermint candies. Chill for approximately 30 minutes.

Gripping the overhanging parchment paper, lift the cookies out of the pan and place on a work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the cookies into irregular pieces. This can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for one week.

Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. high-quality white chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped red & white candies or candy canes (about 3 ounces)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment, letting it hang over the sides of the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Gradually beat in sugar. Continue to beat for an additional 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract and egg yolk. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture, until just combined. Do not overmix.

Scatter the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and gently press it, with slightly moistened fingers, to form a flat layer. Prick all over with a fork.

Bake the cookie layer until golden brown and slightly puffed, and edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25-30 minutes.

Place on a cookie rack and immediately sprinkle chopped bittersweet or semisweet (or a combination of the two) over the cookie layer. Let the chocolate sit for about 3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into an even layer over the surface of the cookies. Immediately sprinkle 3 ounces crushed red and white peppermint candies, or candy canes, over the chocolate layer.

Place chopped white chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a simmering pot of water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the white chocolate over the peppermint candies. Chill for approximately 30 minutes.

Gripping the overhanging parchment paper, lift the cookies out of the pan and place on a work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the cookies into irregular pieces. This can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for one week.

Previous treats-a-palooza:
Monday - chocolate covered everything
Tuesday - Gena's sugar cookies

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Gena's Sugar Cookies

These amazing sugar cookies come from a recipe from one of my best friends, Gena. She adapted the recipe from one her grandmother taught her, which originally called for the use of lard. See, you don't feel so bad about using butter & Crisco now, do you?

Gena is an amazing baker, so I'm glad to be able to share this recipe with all of you!

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

Pull out one of these (a hand mixer would also work):

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

Pull out one of these (a hand mixer would also work):

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Blend all ingredients in mixer until they form a ball.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Turn ball on floured surface & knead lightly.

Roll out dough on floured surface & cut cookies with cookie cutters.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly browned.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Frost with icing (if desired). A major icing shout out to Brad, who iced the amazing cookies above. All 55 of them (minus the two I broke while attempting to ice).

Gena's Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Blend all ingredients using a stand mixer, hand mixer or elbow grease until they form a ball.

Turn ball on floured surface & knead lightly.

Roll out dough on floured surface & cut cookies with cookie cutters.

Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly browned.

Frost with icing (if desired)

Previous treats-a-palooza:
Monday: chocolate covered everything

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Chocolate Covered Everything

It has been tradition in my family ever since I was little to make chocolates. And by chocolates I mean melting yummy milk/dark/white chocolate & dipping everything & anything you can get your hands on into it. It's super easy & always makes impressive (& yummy!) holiday gifts! Here's how I do it:

I like to use Wilton Candy Melts. They're available at Michael's or other craft-type stores. I have used other bulk chocolate discs before, available at candy supply stores, but D.C. seems to be seriously lacking in candy supply shops.

The chocolate melts looks like this when they're dumped out of the bag (no, the irony is not lost in this picture - I am making chocolates, while Brad's protein powder, banana's & water bottle hang out in the background)

Before you get started with your chocolate-ing, prep your chocolate dipping area. This year, I covered our dining room table with waxed paper, which worked very well.

Melt your chocolate on a double boiler or the lazy way: in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 15-30 seconds. When your chocolate is melted, it will look like this (resist the urge to lick the spoon).

Now you're ready to dip. Oreo's are always a hit, so I tend to make a whole bag or two of those.

You can keep melting chocolate & dipping Oreo's until your heart is content.

If you want to move onto something else, may I suggest nutmallow, or as Martha would call them, "rocky road bars." Melt a bag of chocolate discs, toss in a half a can of cashews, & 1/2 - 3/4 of a bag of mini-marshmallows (I went overboard this year & used almost the whole bag). Give the mixture a good stir, so it's evenly coated & dump the whole mixture into a baking dish lined with wax paper. Then stick it in the fridge!

White chocolate also presents lots of fun dipping opportunities. Just be careful when melting though, as it tends to burn more easily than milk or dark chocolate.

White chocolate is also good for drizzling over milk or dark chocolate. Melt some white chocolate, take a small fork & dip the ends in. Then shake the fork back & forth over whatever you're drizzling. If the chocolate isn't melted enough & sticks to the fork or comes off in big blobs, stick it back in the microwave (or over the double boiler) for a few seconds.

Friday, December 10, 2010

New York City at Christmas

It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was sitting at my desk this morning, when suddenly the urge came.

New York City.

Christmastime.

I simply must go.

Unfortunately, New York City, especially at Christmastime, is expensive & our holiday schedule is already jammed.

So since a trip isn't in the picture this year, I thought I would blog about it instead. Enjoy!