ganache-filled brown sugar bars

from food & wine may 1995.

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks (1/2 lb) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

boil the cream over moderate heat. in a food processor, finely grind the chocolate. with the machine on, add the hot cream and process until smooth. scrape the ganache into a bowl and let stand until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. lightly butter a 10 by 15 inch baking pan. line the pan with wax paper; butter and flour the paper.

whisk the flour with the salt. in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar at medium speed for 3 minutes. beat in the eggs 1 at a time. beat in the vanilla. at low speed, beat in the flour in 3 additions; the batter will be fairly stiff.

spread the batter in the pan. bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. transfer to a rack to cool completely.

cover the baking pan with a large wire rack and invert. remove the pan and peel off the wax paper. invert the cake onto a large cutting board. using a long serrated knife, halve the cake crosswise.

spread the ganache evenly over one of the cake halves, leaving a 1/8 inch border. top with the other cake half.

cover and refrigerate until the ganache is set, at least 2 hours.

trim the edges of the cake. cut the cake lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 8 bars. serve chilled or at room temperature.

peanut butter whoopie pies

from martha stewart. fun to make and yummy to eat.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch-process
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


filling:
2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Coarse salt, optional

preheat the oven to 375 degrees. sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.
put butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. mix in remaining flour mixture.

drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
make filling: put peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. mix on high speed until smooth. reduce mixer speed to low. add confectioners' sugar; mix until combined. raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. season with salt, if desired.
assemble cookies: spread 1 scant tablespoon filling on the bottom of 1 cookie. sandwich with another cookie. repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

frozen chocolate bananas

i found this in cookie magazine. afton absolutely begs for these.

2 ripe but firm bananas
6 oz dark chocolate, chopped or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup granola, chopped pecans and walnuts, or sprinkles (optional)

line a baking sheet with nonstick foil or parchment paper.
cut the bananas in half and insert a popsicle stick into each half. place them on the baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
meanwhile, melt the chocolate with the oil in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave (check every 30 seconds). stir until smooth
roll each banana half in the chocolate, then quickly sprinkle with your topping, if using.
freeze until the chocolate sets, 30 minutes.
serve or freeze in an airtight container for up to a week.

strawberry cake

this is from marthastewart.com we really liked it. it was a great way to use up some of those strawberries ella and i picked the other day.

Makes one 10-inch cake
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.
Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges.

Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

strawberry-almond tart

i have had this recipe for years and have never made it, until last night. it is easy, lower in fat than other things, and so good. it's great for a warm weather dessert.

preheat oven to 350

2 cups sliced almonds, toasted
3 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
*whirl these together in your food processor until finely chopped, but not ground.

1 egg white
*drop this into almond mixture and give it a whirl til mixed together.

spray tart pan with nonstick cooking spray
*press into bottom and sides of a tart pan (round or square works)
bake for 10 minutes and let cool

2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 Tbs whipping cream
*melt on high in microwave for 1 minute, then stir together and spread over cooled crust

1 pkg (80z) reduced fat cream cheese
2 Tbs strawberry-flavored syrup (i used strawberry preserves)
*mix these together and spread over top of chocolate layer

3/4 cup strawberry preserves
*spread over cream cheese layer

2 cups fresh strawberries, tops cut off
*place cut side down, (so pointy end is sticking up) starting in the middle and work your way out til entire tart is covered in strawberries.

chill in refrigerator til serving time.

chocolate marble pound cake

this is from the food & wine year of recipes 2004 cookbook. it is easy and so yummy. i served this with sliced strawberries and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

2 cups all-purpose flour (i used half whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus 3 Tbs melted
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
confectioner's sugar, for dusting

1. preheat oven to 350. spray an 8 by 4 inch loaf pan with vegetable oil cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, spray the paper.
2. in a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. in another bowl, combine the melted butter and cocoa until smooth.
3. in a food processor, combine the soft butter and granulated sugar. add the eggs and vanilla and process til smooth. add dry ingredients and pulse just until combined. add the cream and process til smooth. transfer 1 cup of batter to the bowl with cocoa and stir til smooth.
4. spoon half of the remaining batter into the pan and smooth the surface. spread the chocolate batter in the pan, then cover with the remaining plain batter. using a table knife, cut 5 swirls in the batter.
5. bake the pound cake for 25 minutes. reduce to 325 and bake for 25 min more. cover loosely with foil and bake for 15-20 min or until the cake is lightly browned and the center is done.
6. let the pound cake cook in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold and let cool completely on a wire rack. dust with confectioners sugar before serving.