Chicken and Egg - Janice Cole [40]
To make the frosting: Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Spread over the brownies.
Let the brownies sit until the frosting has firmed up before serving.
NOTE
I love using tart dried cherries because they balance the sweetness of the chocolate. For a less expensive alternative, use cherry-flavored dried cranberries or other dried fruit.
MAKES 24 BROWNIES
BROWNIES
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut up
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), chopped
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried tart cherries (see Note)
FROSTING
One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup heavy (whipping) cream
Blueberry Sour Cream Tart
Fresh blueberries crown a sour cream custard that’s reminiscent of light, tangy cheesecake, with a sugar cookie crust that melts in your mouth.
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To make the crust: Whisk together the flour, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute or until smooth. Add the egg yolk and beat until blended. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, beating just until a dough forms. On a lightly floured work surface, press the dough into a flat disk. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 14-by-4 ½-inch rectangular or a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or freeze for 15 minutes or until firm. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk the egg white until frothy. Lightly brush the inside of the crust with the egg white. Bake for 15 minutes or until pale brown and set. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
To make the filling: Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Pour into the baked crust.
Bake the tart for 20 minutes or until slightly puffed around the edge. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Pile the blueberries on top of the tart. Brush the red currant jelly over the blueberries. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
SERVES 8
CRUST
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
1 egg, separated
FILLING
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 eggs
¾ cup sour cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon grated orange zest
2 cups fresh blueberries
¼ cup red currant jelly, warmed
Triple-Cheese Cheesecake with Strawberries
As a family of cheesecake connoisseurs, we’ve done our part to never let any cheesecake go untouched. When everyone tasted this tangy-sweet combination of mascarpone, goat cheese, and cream cheese it became an instant favorite. Even the crust is special; it’s like eating a shortbread cookie with a hit of lemon.
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To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Blend in the butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the butter is the size of small blueberries. Combine the egg yolk and lemon zest and stir into the flour mixture with a fork. The dough will be crumbly but should cling together when pressed with your