Salted Caramel Brownies

At the launchpad - we make brownies from a box.  Mind you, it's a box of Ghiradelli Chocolate brownies and they are pretty damn good.  But in my continuing love affair with the Smitten Kitchen - I'm going work on getting Mrs. BA to make these - perhaps with last week's request for vanilla pudding.

From Smitten Kitchen.

Salted Caramel Brownies

I used my standard approach to salted caramel, but I dialed back the heavy cream so that it would be less soft, and therefore better able to hold up in the batter. The brownie is my one-bowl favorite, with less salt and sugar to compensate for the sweetness and extra salt in the caramel. The result is a soft, messy brownie that it much, much, much easier to cut neatly if placed in the freezer until semi-firm. 

Makes 1 8×8 pan of brownies which you can cut into 16 2-inch squares, 25 smaller squares, 32 2×1-inch bites or a mess of hearts from a cookie cutter.

Caramel

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (or salted, but then ease up on the sea salt) 
• Heaped 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt (or 1/8 teaspoon table salt, more to taste) 
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Brownie

• 3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped 
• 1 stick (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan 
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract 
• Heaped 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt or 1/8 teaspoon table salt 
• 2/3 cup (85 grams) all-purpose flour

Preparation
Make caramel: Set a square of parchment paper over a medium-sized plate. Lightly butter or coat the parchment with a spray oil, just as an added security measure.

In a medium, dry saucepan over medium-high heat, melt your sugar; this will take about 5 minutes, stirring if necessary to break up large chunks. By the time it is all melted, if should be a nice copper color; if not, cook until it is. Remove from heat and stir in butter. It may not incorporate entirely but do your best. Stir in cream and salt and return saucepan to the stove over medium-high heat, bringing it back to a simmer and melted again any sugar that solidified. Cook bubbling caramel for a few minutes more, until it is a shade darker.

Pour out onto parchment-covered plate and transfer plate to your freezer. Freeze until solidified, which can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes in a decent freezer to 40 minutes in my terrible one.

Meanwhile, or when your caramel is almost firm, make your brownies: Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment, extending it up two sides. Butter the parchment or spray it with a nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together until only a couple unmelted bits remain. Off the heat, stir until smooth and fully melted. You can also do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Whisk in sugar, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and salt. Stir in flour with a spoon or flexible spatula.

Assemble brownies: When caramel is firm, remove it from the freezer and chop it into rough 1-inch squares. Gently fold all but a small amount of caramel bits into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pan, spreading until mostly even. Scatter remaining caramel bits on top. Bake in heated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool thoroughly — a process that can be hastened in the freezer, which will also produce cleaner cuts — and cut into squares or other desired shapes.

Chocolate Mousse

I've been a little busy.  I apologize for my absence.  I've got a lot going on at work and family stuff is moving into summer busyness as well - but that's no excuse for ignoring you, my dear readers.  And with Google Reader going away at the end of June - I've got a lot of stories to get out here before I lose access to them.

Here's a recipe (that was ready to go - except for some minor tweaking that I needed to make and then forgot to tweak).  I'm going to try and be more present here - though we will see what the summer brings.
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Chocolate Mousse is good.  When it's made well, it's divine.  I made a batch of chocolate mousse once, but I added too much liquor and it never really set up - it was really more like an "adult yoo-hoo."  My father didn't seem to mind.

Mrs. BA has been making butterscotch pudding - a favorite of our neighbor.  A Brave Astronaut might wonder, where's my vanilla pudding?  Sorry, I'm not that exciting, I'm pretty plain vanilla.


Classic Chocolate Mousse
Bon Appétit | February 2013
by Mary-Frances Heck
Dark chocolate and espresso add the slightly bitter notes needed to balance this dessert. Remember, the higher the cacao percentage, the less sweet the chocolate
Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chilled heavy cream, divided 
• 4 large egg yolks 
• 1/4 cup espresso or strong coffee, room temperature 
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 3 tablespoons sugar, divided 
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate (61-72% cacao), chopped 
• 2 large egg whites 

Preparation
Beat 1/2 cup cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form; cover and chill.

Combine egg yolks, espresso, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large metal bowl. Set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is lighter in color and almost doubled in volume and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160°F, about 1 minute.

Remove bowl from pan. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Let stand, whisking occasionally, until room temperature.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in another medium bowl on medium speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually beat in remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until firm peaks form.

Fold egg whites into chocolate in 2 additions; fold whipped cream into mixture just to blend.

Divide mousse among six teacups or 4-ounce ramekins. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Mousse can be made 1 day ahead; cover and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Before serving, whisk remaining 1/4 cup cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form; dollop over mousse.

Corn Flake Crusted Chicken

As has been noted here previously, the Brave Astronaut clan is fond of the "breakfast for dinner" option - we have pancakes or french toast at least several times a month, if not once a week.  I spotted this recipe, which is filed under "breakfast for dinner."  A while back, Mrs. BA returned home with the boys from a trip to Target - where they had acquired a box of good, old, regular Kellogg's Corn Flakes.  The boys desperately wanted them.  Hey, better than Fruit Loops.

So now there are corn flakes in the house.  And chicken breasts.  A dinner problem, solved.  Recipe from Epicurious.

Cornflake-Crusted Chicken Tenders
Epicurious | February 2013
by Lindsay Landis & Taylor Hackbarth

The beloved breakfast cereal gives this kids' menu staple a bit of a makeover and takes it to new, crunchy, flavorful heights.
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
For Chicken

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper 
• 2 large eggs 
• 4 cups cornflakes, finely crushed (about 1 cup crushed) 
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon dried dill 
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders (about 20 tenders) 

For Dipping

• 1/2 cup store-bought ranch dressing

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a heatproof wire baking rack on top; spray rack lightly with cooking spray. 
2. In a small bowl or shallow dish, season flour with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; whisk eggs in another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, mix cornflakes with parsley, garlic, dill, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. 
3. Dredge chicken in flour to coat, shaking off excess. Dip into egg and then into cornflake mixture, making sure entire surface is coated. Arrange on prepared baking rack. 
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through, flipping once during cooking. Serve with Buttermilk Ranch Sauce for dipping. 

A Frugal Trick: if you can't find or don't want to spend the extra money on chicken tenders, simply place a whole chicken breast between two layers of plastic wrap, pound it to an even 1/2-inch thickness, and slice it into strips.

Source Information From Breakfast for Dinner: Recipes for Frittata Florentine, Huevos Rancheros, Sunny-Side-Up Burgers, and More! by Lindsay Landis & Taylor Hackbarth, © 2013 Quirk Books Read

March Madness Bakeoff - Round 2

As noted here last week, Mrs. BA competed in a bakeoff at work and while last year she made it to the finals, this year she won her cookie round, she was defeated in the "breakfast breads" category.  I don't understand how, though.  At my urging, she made homemade pop-tarts.  I mean, really.  Homemade Pop-Tarts?

Tasty Toaster Tarts
(from King Arthur Flour)

Who doesn’t love that classic cereal-aisle favorite, the toaster tart? This is our take on that legendary breakfast pastry, inspired by chef-owner Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery in Boston. Step-by-step photos illustrating how to make these toaster tarts are available at Bakers’ Banter, our King Arthur blog. 

Pastry

• 2 cups (8 ½ ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup (2 quarter-pound sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats 
• 1 large egg 
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk

Cinnamon Filling

• 1/2 cup (3 ¾ ounces) brown sugar 
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, to taste 
• 4 teaspoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 
• 1 large egg, to brush on pastry before filling 

Make the dough: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter until the mixture holds together when you squeeze it, with pecan-sized lumps of butter still visible. Mix the egg and milk, and add it to the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive.

Divide the dough in half; each half will weigh about 10 ounces (about 280g). Shape each half into a rough 3" x 5" rectangle, smoothing the edges. Roll out immediately; or wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Make the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

Assemble the tarts: If the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8" thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9" x 12". Laying a 9" x 13" pan atop the dough will give you an idea if you’ve rolled it large enough. Trim off the edges; place the scraps on a baking sheet, and set them aside, along with the 9" x 12" rectangle of dough.

Roll the second piece of dough just as you did the first. Press the edge of a ruler into the dough you’ve just rolled, to gently score it in thirds lengthwise and widthwise; you’ll see nine 3" x 4" rectangles.

Beat the egg, and brush it over the entire surface of the dough. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each marked rectangle. Place the second sheet of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around each pocket of jam, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Cut the dough evenly in between the filling mounds to make nine tarts. Press the cut edges with your fingers to seal, then press with a fork, to seal again.

Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.

Sprinkle the dough trimmings with cinnamon-sugar; these have nothing to do with your toaster pastries, but it’s a shame to discard them, and they make a wonderful snack. While the tarts are chilling, bake these trimmings for 13 to 15 minutes, till they’re golden brown.

Remove the tarts form the fridge, and bake them for 25 to 35 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool on the pan.

Yield: 9 tarts.

Variation: Instead of brown sugar and cinnamon, fill the tarts with a tablespoonful of chocolate chips. Or with jam filling: 3/4 cup (8 ounces) raspberry jam 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

To make the filling, mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Use to fill the pastry tarts.

March Madness Bakeoff - Round 1!

As you, my faithful readers may recall - Mrs. BA participated in a March Madness Bakeoff, last year at her job.  They held the contest again this year and Mrs. BA performed spectacularly again - though she only made it two rounds this year - both contributions were outstanding.

Embargoed for the month of March (by me, no one else), here is the first of the winning recipes - Round 1 was cookies.

Frosted Butterscotch Cookies
from Better Homes and Gardens
Makes: 60 servings
Yield: about 60 cookies
Prep 35 mins
Bake 375°F 10 mins per batch

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup shortening 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 8 ounce carton dairy sour cream 
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts 
• 1/2 cup butter (no substitutes) 
• 3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar 
• 5 teaspoons boiling water 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 
• Chopped walnuts or walnut halves (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. Set aside. 
2. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. In large mixing bowl beat the brown sugar and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Add eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately to beaten mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in the 2/3 cup nuts. 
3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. 
4. To make frosting, in a medium saucepan heat and stir butter over medium-low heat until golden brown. (Do not scorch.) Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar, boiling water, and 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until frosting is easy to spread. Immediately spread on cooled cookies. If frosting begins to set up, stir in a small amount of additional boiling water. If desired, top with additional chopped walnuts or walnut halves. Makes about 60 cookies. 

From the Test Kitchen

• Up to 1 day ahead, prepare and bake cookies. Frost cooled cookies; let frosting set. Place cookies in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers; store at room temperature. 

Nutrition Facts (Frosted Butterscotch Cookies)

• Servings Per Recipe 60, cal. (kcal) 105, Fat, total (g) 5, chol. (mg) 13, sat. fat (g) 2, carb. (g) 14, pro. (g) 1, sodium (mg) 63, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Special Shepherd's Pie

Mrs. BA is out tonight - she's delivering LBA and SoBA to my MIL for their "Spring Break."  They'll be back later this week.

The Brave Astronaut Clan had a lovely Easter Sunday yesterday - we had lamb, an outstanding potato gratin, grilled asparagus, and a great cake, prepared by Mrs. BA.  I tell you what, my wife can bake.

So with Mrs. BA out of the house, I headed home and made myself a little shepherd's pie for dinner tonight.
[Full Disclosure - I had every intention of making shepherd's pie - but my neighbors fed me instead.  And gave me beer.  And wine.  This after they loaned me their car for the day.  My neighbors rock, by the way!]


Not this one though -

"Sweet Shepherd's Pie"

But this one.

Easy Shepherd’s Pie
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef 
• 1 onion chopped 
• 1-2 cups vegetables - chopped carrots, corn, peas 
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones) 
• 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) 
• 1/2 cup beef broth 
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice 

Method

1. Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes). 
2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 a stick) in large frying pan. 
3. Sauté onions in butter until tender over medium heat (10 mins). If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put any carrots in with the onions. Add corn or peas either at the end of the cooking of the onions, or after the meat has initially cooked. 
4. Add ground beef and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper. Add Worcestershire sauce. Add half a cup of beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth as necessary to keep moist. 
5. Mash potatoes in bowl with remainder of butter, season to taste. 
6. Place beef and onions in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. You can use the fork to make some designs in the potatoes as well. 
7. Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes). Broil for last few minutes if necessary to brown. 

Yield: Serves four.
From Simple Recipes

Animal Cakes

The Brave Astronaut Clan is staying put for Easter this year (although LBA will have some Nana time this week - he's off for the entire week)

There is an excellent chance that we will have lamb for dinner (no ham for the Brave Astronaut - although Mom's Ham and Turkey Pie was always welcome)

At a previous point in my life, I used to enjoy lamb cake for dessert on Easter.  I knew someone who had a lamb mold and she would make a lamb cake, usually a yellow cake, frosted in white icing.  It was pretty yummy.  I was intrigued when seeing this post on BuzzFeed, with "amazing and crazy animal cakes.  The lamb cake I used to enjoy was nowhere as intricate as this one.  I will point out these recipes come from the Devil Goddess of the Kitchen, of whom I am not a big fan - so I will likely not be pressing anyone to make these for me.

Happy Easter!

Lamb Cake Recipe
Serves 8 to 10
You will need an eight-cup-capacity 3-D lamb cake pan from Nordic Ware. 

INGREDIENTS

• Unsalted butter, room temperature, for molds 
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for molds 
• 1 2/3 cups sugar 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 large whole egg plus 1 large egg yolk 
• 3/4 cup warm water 
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 1/2 cup canola or safflower oil 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1/2 cup seedless blackberry or raspberry jam 
• 2 recipes Swiss Meringue Buttercream (white chocolate variation, recipe below) 
• Gel-paste food coloring in brown and yellow 
• 1 pound white chocolate, chopped 

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter both halves of an 8-cup lamb-shaped cake mold. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. 
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add whole egg, yolk, the water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until smooth.
3. Divide batter between halves of molds. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer molds to wire racks to cool 30 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks to cool completely. 
4. With a serrated knife, trim flat side of each half. Trim excess from edges, if necessary. Cover flat side of 1 cake with jam. Turn halves upright; stick together.
5. Tint 1/2 cup buttercream brown. Tint remaining buttercream pale yellow to match color of white chocolate. Spread a thin layer of pale yellow buttercream over cake to form a crumb coat. Refrigerate until frosting is firm, about 30 minutes. Spread a second layer of buttercream over cake, smoothing around head with an offset spatula. 
6. Melt white chocolate, stirring, in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Turn off heat; let cool slightly. Spread one-quarter of the chocolate over back of a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate until just starting to set, about 15 minutes. Holding a bench scraper at a 45-degree angle, scrape chocolate into 1/2-inch-wide curls. (If chocolate breaks, let it stand to warm slightly. If chocolate is too soft, refrigerate until just starting to set.) As you work, transfer curls to a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate curls until firm. Repeat with remaining chocolate. Store at room temperature in an airtight container, between layers of parchment, up to 3 days.
7. Cover frosted cake, except for head, with chocolate curls. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip, such as #2, with brown buttercream; pipe eyes and mouth. Cake can be refrigerated up to 2 days; let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.