Milk Chocolate and Raspberry Jam Blondies

After my mother died, her recipe box went to my sister, though my siblings and I got some of the recipe cards that my mother had dutifully handwritten over the years or taped recipes from Good Housekeeping or Ladies Home Journal.  Often her recipes (particularly the baking ones) called for "oleo" or "margarine."  There was a feature in the Washington Post Food section a few weeks back that made an argument for salted butter over unsalted butter in baking.  I'll readily admit that I will often buy unsalted butter (to keep in the freezer) at Costco - but salted butter is the norm at the launchpad.

That being said, if Mrs. BA were to make these - I would love her even more than I already do (Sixteen years married - 10 days ago!)

Milk Chocolate and Raspberry Jam Blondies
Here, using salted butter instead of adding salt to a batter separately tends to yield a more muted salinity and, in less capable hands, can lead to a saccharine baked good. When you pair it with something tart, like a fruit — or, as it is done here, raspberry jam — you curtail some of that sweetness and wind up with something beautifully balanced. If you like a more pronounced salty effect and enjoy the crunch that flaky salt provides, sprinkle some of those grains on top of the bars before baking. It’s not necessary here, but it’s all the rage right now.
Make Ahead: The blondies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
SERVINGS: Tested size: 24 blondies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) salted butter, melted and cooled but still pourable
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 8 ounces milk chocolate, chopped into slightly smaller than 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-by-12-inch baking pan with cooking oil spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper so that two of the sides hang over the edges (for easy lifting when the slab of blondies is done).
• Whisk together the brown sugar and eggs in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth and lightened in color. Carefully whisk the melted butter into the sugar mixture a little at a time so it does not slosh out of the bowl, then whisk in the vanilla extract.
• Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Use a flexible spatula to blend the flour mixture into the butter mixture, followed by the chopped milk chocolate, until well incorporated. Scrape into the pan, spreading it evenly into the corners.
• Drop teaspoonfuls of the jam across the surface of the blondie batter, and then gently pull the tip of a paring knife through the jam in one direction and then the other, creating a zigzag/grid pattern on the surface. Sprinkle the flaky salt on top, if using. Bake (middle rack) for 32 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan front to back halfway through, or until crisp edges form and the top is just set.
• Cool in the pan, then lift out the slab and cut into 24 equal pieces.

RECIPE SOURCE Adapted from pastry chef Melissa Weller of Walnut Street Cafe in Philadelphia. Tested by Helen Horton and Charlotte Druckman.

Black and White Cupcakes

I'm a fan of the cupcake.  I'm a fan of the Black and White shake.  There's nothing wrong with this.  Recipe from the New York Times Magazine.

Black and White Cupcakes
Yield: 18 cupcakes

Ingredients for the cupcakes

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large yolk
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Ingredients for the frosting

• 9 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter
• sprinkles, optional (are sprinkles ever really optional?)

Instructions

1. To make the cupcakes: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds, and preheat to 350.  Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake papers, or grease the tins.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Working with a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add the whole eggs and the yolk one at a time, mixing well after each goes in.  Beat in the vanilla.
4. On low speed mix in the dry ingredients in three additions and the buttermilk in two, scraping the bowl, as needed, and beating until the batter is smooth.  Mix in the chips.
5. Divide the batter among the muffin cup.  Bake for 20-22 minutes - rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back  after 10 minutes - or until the tops feel springy to the touch (they won't color much) and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.  Frost, and cover with sprinkles, if you'd like, before the frosting dries.
6. To make the frosting: Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and fit it into a saucepan or simmering water - don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.  Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally.  Remove the bowl from the heat, whisk in the sugar and let rest on the counter for three minutes.  Bit by bit, whisk in the cold butter, mixing until smooth and thickened enough to spread.  Use immediately.

16 Years for Mr. and Mrs. BA!

Today is the day that Mrs. BA and I celebrate sixteen years of marriage.  Wax is the traditional gift for 16 years, but this blog post will have to do instead.  We are also taking LBA and SoBA to the Nationals game this evening - so that should be fun.  We might go out to dinner tomorrow evening for a more traditional anniversary dinner.

I can't begin to imagine what my life would be like without her in it.  She is the best wife ever and the best mother to LBA and SoBA.  Despite my shortcomings, which are many, she appears to love me anyway.  At our wedding rehearsal dinner, I made a comment about how my parents were about to celebrate fifty years of marriage - and that while I would love to set that benchmark for the two of us - age and actuarial tables may prevent us from hitting that number.

Mrs. BA - I have so enjoyed all the years we have already spent and look forward to all the ones in the future we will have together, I love you immensely and can't wait to see what directions our lives will take next.

Many of you know how much Mrs. BA loves weddings - I am sure she will look forward to the Royal Wedding later this month.  While we didn't get an invitation - maybe we can have some "Royal Wedding Cake" while we watch Harry and Meghan tie the knot.  [Bonus] Recipe from the Washington Post.

Royal Wedding Cake
Servings: 16

Ingredients
For the cake

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon; reserve the juice for the frosting)
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon St-Germain or other elderflower liqueur (optional)
• 1/2 cup elderflower cordial, plus more as needed

For the filling

• 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought lemon curd, at room temperature

For the frosting

• 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar, or more as needed
• 7 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 tablespoon St-Germain or other elderflower liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

For assembly
Crystallized Flowers, edible fresh flowers, or a mix (optional)



Directions
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Use a little butter or baker’s spray to grease three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. (If you only have one or two pans, cover the batter that’s waiting to be baked; hold at room temperature. Make sure the cake pans are cool before you reuse them, which is pretty easily done with a wash in cool water in the sink.)

Place the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer. Use your clean fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until the sugar is aromatic and moist.

Add the butter; beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is fluffy and almost white. Meanwhile, lightly whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract and salt in a liquid measuring cup. Reduce the speed to low; gradually add to the butter-sugar mixture until fully incorporated. Stop to scrape down the bowl.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl, then add half of it to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined, then add the milk and the elderflower liqueur, if using. Beat on low speed, until combined. Add the remaining flour; beat on low speed until no trace of dry flour remains. Divide equally among the cake pans and smooth the top with an offset or flexible spatula. (If you have a kitchen scale, each portion of batter should weigh about 300 grams, or about 10 1/2 ounces.)

Bake (middle rack) for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top of the cakes spring back to the touch. The edges will be lightly browned and starting to pull away from the sides of the pans. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then run a round-edged knife or offset spatula around the inside of the pans to release the layers. Invert onto a wire rack and peel off the parchment paper. Use a pastry brush to apply the elderflower cordial a total of four times, allowing a few minutes in between so the liquid is absorbed.

If you need to reuse the pans to yield a total of three layers, wash and dry the pan(s) and repeat the baking and brushing with cordial.

For the filling: Pour the heavy whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with balloon-whisk attachment or use a handheld electric mixer. Beat on high speed until it can hold a firm peak. (Pull off the whisk attachment or beaters out and see how the cream in the bowl and on the equipment looks. If it flops over, it needs more time; if it holds its shape, you’re set.)

Use a flexible spatula to gently fold in half of the lemon curd, lifting cream from the bottom of the bowl over the top of the cream, rotating the bowl as you work. Be careful not to deflate the cream too much. Fold in the remaining lemon curd. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fill the cake.

For the frosting: Combine the butter and 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer. Beat on low speed and then increase to medium-high. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. On medium-low speed, gradually add the milk, beating until combined.

Add 2 more cups of confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed for at least 3 minutes. The mixture should be smooth. Add the lemon zest and juice and St-Germain, if using; beat on low speed until incorporated. Continue adding more confectioners’ sugar until you get the right consistency (this can vary somewhat depending on the temperature of your kitchen and how soft the butter was initially); the frosting needs to be thin enough to spread but thick enough to not run off the cake. It’s perfectly fine to let the frosting chill for a bit in the refrigerator; you may need to briefly beat it again to smooth it back out.

To assemble the cake, place a dab of frosting in the middle of a 9- or 10-inch cardboard cake round (you could also just place the cake directly on a large plate, ideally with little or no rim). Place one cake layer in the center, with the cordial-soaked side face up.

Use a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip or zip-top bag with one corner cut off to squeeze a border of frosting around the top of the cake, just inside the edge. This will serve as a kind of dam to hold in the filling.

Use an offset spatula or spoon to spread half the filling inside the ring of frosting. Place the next cake layer on top, also cordial-brushed side up. Repeat with another ring of frosting and the rest of the filling.

Lay the final cake layer on top. Place a small amount of frosting in a separate bowl for the crumb coat, which is your base layer of frosting that will help seal in the crumbs and give you a smooth surface to which you can apply the rest of the frosting. Use an offset spatula or table knife to apply the thin crumb coat all over the top and sides of the cake. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes, to let the crumb coat set.

Apply the remaining frosting to the cake, and decorate the top with crystallized and/or fresh flowers, if using. Return the cake to the refrigerator to let the frosting firm back up, another 20 or 30 minutes.

Because the filling and frosting are soft, the cake is easier to cut when it's still a bit chilled; by the time everyone eats the cake, its temperature will be just right. Let the cake sit at room temperature for just a few minutes before cutting into slices and serving.