Everyday Food - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [75]
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature
Confectioners’ sugar, for coating
1 In a food processor, pulse pecans, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2 Add butter, and pulse until a dough forms. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap tightly in plastic; refrigerate until firm, 30 to 60 minutes. Dough can be frozen, tightly wrapped, up to 3 months.
3 Preheat oven to 325°F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Scoop off level tablespoons of dough, and roll into balls. Space 1½ inches apart on two large baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until just lightly golden around edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
4 Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Place confectioners’ sugar in a bowl. Roll cookies in sugar twice to coat thoroughly, tapping off excess each time. Cookies can be stored up to 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container, between layers of waxed or parchment paper.
PER SERVING: 111 calories; 7.1 grams fat; 1 gram protein; 11.7 grams carbohydrates; 0.6 gram fiber
CREAMY LEMON SQUARES
With their tart flavor and sunny color, these lemon bars are sure to become a favorite year-round treat. Use a serrated knife to cut into bars, wiping the blade with a damp towel after each slice.
MAKES 16 PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS 45 MINUTES (WITH CHILLING)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large egg yolks
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 lemons)
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper.
2 With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, and mix just until combined. Press dough into the bottom and ½ inch up sides of prepared pan; prick all over bottom with a fork. Bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
3 Whisk together egg yolks, condensed milk, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over hot crust in pan; return to oven, and bake until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
4 Refrigerate, covered, until filling is firm, about 2 hours (or up to 3 days). Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a cutting board; cut into 2-inch squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
PER SQUARE: 189 calories; 9 grams fat; 3.5 grams protein; 24.3 grams carbohydrates; 0.3 gram fiber
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
This rich, pudding-like mousse is simple to make, and it’s also a real kid-pleaser. A serrated knife works best for chopping chocolate. If you don’t have one, use a chef’s knife.
SERVES 6 PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS (WITH CHILLING)
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat.
2 In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, and ¾ cup heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until mixture coats back of spoon, 3 to 4 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat; whisk in melted chocolate and vanilla until completely smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl (discard solids). Refrigerate, covered, until cool.
3 With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat remaining 1¼ cups heavy cream and 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Stir one-third of whipped cream into cooled custard mixture, then use a flexible spatula to gently but thoroughly fold in the rest.
4 Spoon into serving dishes; chill, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.
PER SERVING: 532 calories;