A TRIO OF BROWNIES

Posted in Cake by sallybr

I cannot pick a favorite. Ok, one is not technically a brownie, but a blondie. Tomatoes, tomahtoes… They are all delicious, luscious, satisfying, rich, borderline decadent.

BISCOFF BLONDIES

If you are a lover of Biscoff cookies, these will bring a huge smile to your face. The recipe comes from thebiteofthebakes.com but for some reason it is unavailable, so I will cut and paste it from the file I had previously saved. I linked to the main site, but for some reason it won’t work in Safari, only in Chrome.

BISCOFF BLONDIES
(from biteofthebakes)

170g butter
170g white chocolate
110g brown sugar
110g granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
30ml heavy cream
250g all-purpose flour
25g cornstarch
200g chocolate chips
150g chopped Biscoff cookies
200g Biscoff spread

Heat your oven to 350F. Line a 9×11″ rectangular baking dish with baking paper.

In a microwaveable bowl, melt together unsalted butter and white chocolate. Melt in short bursts stirring well each time until smooth. In a large bowl or stand mixer add your melted chocolate, butter and sugar and mix until combined.

Add the eggs, egg yolk and double cream and stir until combined, then add the flour, cornstarch, fold gently. Add the chocolate chips and Biscoff pieces. Pour the mixture into your lined baking tin and swirl on some melted biscoff spread and top with more biscoff biscuits.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Once baked, let the blondies cool completely in the pan, then place the blondie (still in the tin) in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

RED VELVET OREO BROWNIES

RED VELVET OREO BROWNIES
(from cakemehometonight)

½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 large egg yolk room temperature
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp red gel food coloring
½ tsp white vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups roughly chopped Oreo cookies
8 Oreo cookies

Heat the oven to 350℉. Prepare a 9×9 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and cover with parchment paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the unsalted butter and brown sugar. Microwave for 90 seconds until the butter is melted, and then whisk until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, eggs, and egg yolk. Use an electric hand mixer to whip the eggs and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until light and pale. While mixing on low speed, slowly drizzle in the brown sugar mixture to temper the egg mixture. Add in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, red gel food coloring, and white vinegar and mix until well combined.

Add in the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt, and mix on low speed until combined and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Fold in the roughly chopped Oreo cookies.

Pour the red velvet brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add additional broken Oreo cookies to the top of the brownie batter. Bake the brownies for 24-26 minutes until set. An inserted toothpick in the center of the brownies should come out with moist crumbs. Remove the pan from the oven and cool the brownies to room temperature. Cut the brownies into 16 squares.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

S’MORES BROWNIES

S’MORES BROWNIES
(from Eric Kim, by New York Times)

½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
135 grams honey graham crackers (about 9 whole crackers)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
113 grams semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
½ cup (100 grams) packed dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
170 grams marshmallows

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease a 9-inch square metal baking pan with ½ tablespoon of the butter. Line the pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang to make it easier to remove the brownies after baking. Use another 1/2 tablespoon of butter to grease the paper.

Line the bottom of the pan with a single layer of graham crackers, breaking them as needed to fit, then crush the rest of the crackers over and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.

Melt the remaining 7 tablespoons butter and chocolate gently in the microwave at 50% power. Stir in the brown sugar and salt, then let the mixture cool slightly until the bowl is no longer hot to the touch. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla, then continue whisking until smooth and shiny, about 1 minute. Whisk in the flour until no white streaks remain. Pour the batter over the graham crackers lining the pan.

Top the brownie batter with the marshmallows in a single layer and bake until the top is toasted and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the brownie comes out smudged with a little chocolate, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely, then refrigerate in the pan until ready to serve.

To serve, lift the brownie out of the pan and slice into squares or bars. Enjoy chilled, or at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I hope you try one or two or all of these recipes, because they are absolutely wonderful,
I guarantee it!

ONE YEAR AGO: A Typical Dinner at The Bewitching Kitchen

TWO YEARS AGO: Rolled Buttercream

THREE YEARS AGO: Miso-Ginger Turkey Meatballs with Cabbage “Noodles”

FOUR YEARS AGO: Smoked Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Jalapeño Salsa

FIVE YEARS AGO: Corn Fritters

SIX YEARS AGO: Minnie Macarons

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Air-Fried Mexican Meatloaf

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Mimi’s Sticky Chicken, a Call from my Past

NINE YEARS AGO: Perfect Soy-Grilled Steak

TEN YEARS AGO: The Devil’s Bread

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Heart of Palm Salad Skewers

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Potluck Frittata and Lavoisier

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Home-made Corn Tortillas

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Peanut Sauce

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Brigadeiros: A Brazilian Party!

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Lemony Asparagus

13Jul2025

MEXICAN CONCHAS

Posted in Breads by sallybr

This recipe has been waiting for a long time in that list of “To Make Soon”. Better late than never, I actually made it twice, because I wasn’t totally happy with my first attempt. This is a classic Mexican sweet bread, with a colorful coating that is sweet and addictive…

for the concha press I used, click here

MEXICAN CONCHAS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

makes 8 large conchas

4 cups (550g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp instant yeast
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp (85g) butter at room temperature
3 eggs at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm milk

Topping
1 1/2 cups (185g) all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup (180g) powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coco powder
1 tsp freeze dried strawberries, ground
Food coloring (optional)

In the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer, add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, yeast, and butter cut into pieces. Using the hook, mix for a few minutes until the butter is fully incorporated. Add one egg at a time, mixing for a minute after addition. Slowly add the milk, and once the mixture is smooth, knead it for a full 15 minutes, until the dough is super smooth and elastic.

Transfer to a buttered bowl, and let it rise until doubled. About 2 hours.

Make the topping by kneading (by hand is fine) flour, powdered sugar and butter until a dough is formed. Divide it in four pieces, add cocoa powder to one of them fourths, strawberry powder to the second half, vanilla to the remaining pieces. Add food color of your choice, if so desired. You can leave one of the vanilla pieces plain. Place in the fridge to set while the dough rises.

Punch the risen dough down, divide in 8 pieces and form little balls. Place them over parchment paper, four per baking sheet. Divide the colored dough into two, so you have a total of 8 pieces, 2 of each color. Use a tortilla press to roll them out, placing parchment paper squares on top and bottom to make it easy to move the dough around. Place the dough over the little rolls, and cut around to make it neat. Use the concha press to make the design on top. Cover, let them rise for 30 minutes and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes. Add a baking sheet with ice at the bottom of the oven to generate steam. You can also spray some water lightly over the dough after 2 minutes during baking.

Cool on a rack before eating.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Talk about a fun baking project, this is definitely it! When I made it the first time, I did not cover the breads fully with the colored dough, and later learned that the traditional way covers them fully. They get a more polished look that way. Below you see my first attempt, I used a heavier hand with the colors also…

When I make them again, I will either make half the recipe and form 6 little breads, or make the full recipe and shape 12 because I think these turned out slightly too big. Also, I think it would be fun to gather the different colors of topping and knead them slightly together to make a fun marbled topping. I just love the look of the bread as it goes through the final proofing.

I donated the whole batch, but of course had to ‘test taste” one. Love the cinnamon flavor, the bread is soft, tender, moist. And the topping, yes, addictive!

ONE YEAR AGO: Red Velvet Sugar Cookies, Three Ways

TWO YEARS AGO: Lemon Macarons

THREE YEARS AGO: Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

FOUR YEARS AGO: Baharat Flower Sourdough

FIVE YEARS AGO: Biscoitinhos de Canela

SIX YEARS AGO: Salmon Tacos

SEVEN YEARS AGO: The Chignon

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Rack of Lamb Sous-Vide with Couscous Salad

NINE YEARS AGO: Focaccia with Grapes, Roquefort and Truffled Honey

TEN YEARS AGO: Moroccan Carrot Dip over Cucumber Slices

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Cilantro-Jalapeno “Hummus”

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO:A Moving Odyssey

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO:Hoegaarden Beer Bread

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Ancho-Chile Marinade: Pleased to Meat you!

22Jun2025

SPAETZLE, A CLASSIC MADE LIGHTER

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Side dishes by sallybr

I am a bit shocked that in 16 years of blogging life, this recipe has not been featured yet. I used to make it often in the early years of our marriage, but truth is, that marriage is now over 25 years young. So there you go. Better late than never, here I am to share my favorite method to make spaetzle. With a very light hand on saturated fat, but still super tasty.

SPAETZLE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the water
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons low-fat milk
olive oil and olive spray
Panko bread crumbs to taste

Place the flour, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Make a well in the center. Mix the eggs with the milk in a small bowl and whisk well until fully blended. Pour into the flour well and stir until no bits of dry flour are present. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Reserve.

When the batter is ready, place a spaetzle maker over the boiling water. Pour the batter into the metal basket, over the holes. Run the plastic component back and forth over the holes. I cooked mine in three batches.

Once the all spaetzle floats to the top, simmer for 1 minute more. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the oiled baking sheet. You can enjoy them now with butter if desired, or pan-fry it like I did, with olive oil.
To fry, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and the spaetzle. Add some bread crumbs as you sautee the spaetzle, season with more salt if needed. Serve while still warm.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: It was so nice to make this recipe again, after such a long hiatus. Not even sure why it took me so long to re-visit it. It is a wonderful side dish that goes well with meat, poultry, seafood. We enjoyed it with roasted chicken thighs and some green beans. If you don’t have a spaetzle-maker, you can use a colander. Works perfectly well, just rub the batter into the holes with a rubber spatula over the boiling water.

ONE YEAR AGO: Chicken Roll-ups with Asparagus

TWO YEARS AGO: Flower-Shaped Dinner Rolls

THREE YEARS AGO: Pride Macarons

FOUR YEARS AGO: Blood Orange Macarons

FIVE YEARS AGO: One-Two-Three Macarons

SIX YEARS AGO: Marshmallow Macarons

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Fujisan Bread

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Air-Fried Tomatoes with Hazelnut Pesto & Halloumi Cheese

NINE YEARS AGO: Red Velvet Layered Cake

TEN YEARS AGO: Lemon-Lavender Bars

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Quinoa Fried Rice

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Carrot Flan with Greens and Lemon Vinaigrette

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: The Secret Recipe Club: Granola Bars

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Awesome Broccolini

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: A Twist on Pesto

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Ciabatta: Judging a bread by its holes

24Apr2025

PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BARS

Posted in Breakfast & Brunch by sallybr

And now for something completely different! I don’t normally make this type of stuff, but my dear stepdaughter-in-law urged me to give them a try. First, no oven is needed, they require no baking. Second, you can customize them in many different ways. She adds dried fruits, uses maple syrup instead of honey, they always work. I made the recipe exactly as published in my first time but the husband already requested that I add seeds and nuts to future batches. I don’t eat energy bars but must say that after trying a bite of these, I was hooked. Sweet, but not too sweet. Delicious! And a little bit goes a long way indeed, as energy bars are supposed to do.

PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BARS
(from Erin Lives Whole)

1 1/4 cup oat flour (store bought is best for ultra fine texture)
1/4 cup vanilla protein powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1– 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix together oat flour, protein powder, and salt.

Add in peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp coconut oil. Mix. It will be very thick, I suggest using your hands to really mix well. It should eventually come together like playdough, but if it’s still too dry add more coconut oil. You want them to be FIRM not soft and too much coconut oil will make them soft. Mix in chocolate chips.

Press into a bread pan (~8×4) and add more chocolate chips on top if desired. Press them into the top.

Let sit in fridge for at least 1 hour before cutting into. Store in fridge.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Check the original post to see all the variations Erin has tried. Apparently these are copycat versions of a popular brand called Perfect Bars. I had never heard of them, but as I mentioned, it’s not something I consume. The husband is more into cereal bars and things of that sort. I will be making them again for sure, they lasted a little less than a week for us, and stayed unchanged in flavor and texture sitting in the fridge. Courtnie, my daughter-in-law says they also freeze well. She likes them with maple syrup instead of honey and with tiny bits of dried blueberries…

ONE YEAR AGO: Cocoa-Lattice Sourdough

TWO YEARS AGO: Pistachio Sugar Cookies, the Uzbek Way

THREE YEARS AGO: Carrots and Zucchini Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

FOUR YEARS AGO: Cookie Therapy, Anyone?

FIVE YEARS AGO: The Quasi-Vegan Quiche

SIX YEARS AGO: Not Quite Moqueca

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Roasted Butternut Squash with Cashew Nuts

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Mississippi Roast and the Open Mind

NINE YEARS AGO: Walnut-Raisin Bran Muffins

TEN YEARS AGO: A Star is Born!

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Chestnut Flour Sourdough Bread

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Kinpira Gobo and Japanese Home Cooking

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Walnut Sourdough

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Thai Chicken Curry

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Zen and the art of risotto

19Apr2025

EASTER BAKES

Posted in Cake, Chocolate Bonbons, Cookies by sallybr

A small collection of bakes to celebrate the occasion… Cupcakes, cookies, bonbons…
Let’s start with cupcakes, shall we?

For the cupcakes, I went with chocolate, and used this recipe which is simple and wonderful. Frosting was a simple American buttercream, but the gilding of the lily was the little nest made with rice noodles broken up in little pieces, coated with melted chocolate and assembled in mini-muffin tins. I have tried other methods to make the nests and this was by far my favorite.

This is really a very very messy process, and there was some colorful language going around The Bewitching Kitchen, I won’t lie to you. But aren’t those nest super cute? Totally worth the trouble. Get the noodles and cut them with scissors in small little pieces. It will make a Royal mess in your kitchen and you will find pieces of noodles in unexpected places. Melt chocolate, coat them well (gloves are mandatory), and while everything is still pliable and warm, stick little portions inside mini muffin tins. Add the eggs and let it all set.

TRI-DIMENSIONAL EASTER EGGS

These are not made of chocolate, the shells are my favorite chocolate cookie (click here for recipe, I omitted the chipotle powder for this version) baked into these cute little molds. Once they are baked, I brushed them with luster powder mixed with vodka, decorated with Royal icing and filled with mini peanut butter eggs.

BUNNY BONBONS

A little labor of love, you’ll need a special mold for these babies, found at one of my favorite stores, Evil Cake Genius. It is a three component mold, so you make the top, let it set, fill with whatever you want (I used lemon brigadeiro), then close the bottom with more chocolate. A very detailed video is available here.

EGG NESTS CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Very little icing on these cookies, I brushed them with Americolor White + a touch of turquoise before baking. Then just added a few details with piping consistency icing, and placed mini eggs on top. They went together nicely with the cupcakes!