Sweets and Treats
Page 3
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and line with parchment, allowing the paper to hang over the edges.
To make the crust: Put the butter in a large heatproof bowl, set it over a pot of barely simmering water, and stir frequently until melted.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour all at once and mix until just incorporated.
Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden on the edges but still light brown in the center. Let the crust cool for at least 30 minutes.
To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a medium mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pumpkin and mix until thoroughly incorporated, about 5 minutes. Turn the speed to low, add the melted butter and vanilla, and mix until combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, mace, cinnamon, nutmeg, and eggs, beating until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Continue to mix on medium speed until smooth, about 5 minutes.
Pour into the prepared crust. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the center is firm. Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then refrigerate.
Cut the bars into squares and serve chilled with the whipped cream, if desired.
The bars will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Lemon Pie Bars
Makes 12 large or 24 small bars
This bar with a graham cracker crust has old-school charm. Its creamy, cool texture is refreshing, and it is simple to make. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, substitute key lime juice and zest for the lemon to make a lime-green pie bar.
For the Crust
3 cups graham cracker crumbs (approximately 24 crackers)
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
For the Filling
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
6 large egg yolks
1 recipe Fresh Whipped Cream
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and line with parchment, allowing the ends of the paper to hang over two opposite edges of the pan.
To make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar and blend with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the graham cracker mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use a piece of parchment to press on the crust with the palms of your hands to make sure it is completely level.
Bake the crust for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool completely before adding the filling. Turn the oven temperature down to 325°F.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks together. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
Place the baking pan inside a larger baking pan and pour enough hot water into the larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the smaller pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is puffed at the edges and no longer jiggles in the center when the pan is tapped. Remove the pan from the water bath and set it on a rack to cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate until cold.
Cut the bars into squares and serve chilled, with the whipped cream.
The bars will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Shaker Meyer Lemon Pie Bars
Makes 12 bars
The Shakers wasted nothing, and they used whole lemons in this pie bar. That’s right—rind, pith, and all go into the filling. Be sure to slice the lemons as thin as you can and let them macerate in sugar for at least 3 hours (the longer, the better). The result is a tart lemony filling similar in texture to marmalade. You can substitute regular lemons, if Meyer lemons are not in season.
For the Filling
2 large Meyer lemons, scrubbed
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Crust
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Special Equipment
Mandoline or other vegetable slicer
To prepare the lemons for the filling: Slice the stem ends off the lemons. Using a mandoline, slice the lemons paper-thin and place them in a nonreactive bowl, like glass or stainless steel (do not use aluminum). Pick out and discard all the seeds. Add the sugar to the lemons and toss together with your hands. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 3 hours, or up to 12 hours. The skin of the lemons will soften and the sugar will completely dissolve. If you see any seeds floating on top, discard them.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment, letting the ends of the parchment hang over two opposite sides of the pan.
To make the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until well blended. Add the flour in thirds and stir until just incorporated.
Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Prick the crust all over with a fork. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust is golden. Set aside to cool while you make the filling. (Leave the oven on.)
To make the filling: In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and salt together. Add to the lemon mixture and stir to combine.
Pour the filling into the prebaked crust. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden and the center no longer jiggles. Place on a wire rack to cool, then refrigerate before cutting into 12 bars and serving.
The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
CUPCAKEs
Old-Fashioned Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
Makes 24 cupcakes
Every time we make these cupcakes, I am six years old all over again and tempted to lick the beaters of the buttery cake batter. We decorate the finished cakes with buttercream and sprinkles in my favorite pastel-toned palette of pink, green, baby blue, and yellow, but they are also the perfect canvas for traditional holiday colors. We haven’t tried to reinvent this nostalgic cake, leaving the American classic just as it should be.
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1¾ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 recipe Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)
Hand-tinted sprinkles (optional; see here)
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
In a large measuring cup or a small bowl, mix together the milk and vanilla; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), combine both flours, the sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until thoroughly combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter a few pieces at a time, mixing for about 2 minutes, until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well aft
er each addition. Turn the speed to low and gradually add the milk and vanilla, then mix for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, incorporate any ingredients hiding at the bottom of the bowl, making sure the batter is completely mixed.
With a large ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling each one about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.
To frost the cupcakes: Using a spatula or a butter knife, spread the tops of the cupcakes with swirls of frosting. Top with sprinkles, if desired.
The cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Tip: This recipe uses an unusual method for mixing the cake batter that was inspired by Rose Levy Beranbaum’s one-bowl method in The Cake Bible. Adding the small bits of butter to the dry ingredients is very similar to making a pastry dough. It is a foolproof method for not overmixing the batter, and the result is a tender, delicate cake that is light and fluffy.
Buttercream Frosting
Makes about 6 cups
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 to 7 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Liquid gel food coloring (optional)
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), cream the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, the milk, and vanilla and mix on low speed until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add up to 3 cups more confectioners’ sugar, mixing on low speed, until the frosting reaches the desired light and fluffy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes.
If desired, to tint the frosting, add a drop or two of food coloring to the frosting, mixing well; add more coloring as necessary until you reach the desired shade. If you want multiple colors, scoop the frosting into several bowls, then add the food coloring.
The frosting can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Hand-Tinted Sprinkles
Sprinkles add a touch of fun and color to the tops of cupcakes. We hand-tint our sprinkles in the same shades of pink, blue, green, and yellow that we frost the cupcakes, using the simple technique my mother taught me. You can also use traditional holiday colors and add a sparkle to your next party.
To tint sprinkles, pour white sprinkles into a Mason jar or a ziplock bag and add a pinch (it doesn’t take much) of powdered food coloring (see Resources. Screw on the lid and shake, shake, shake until the sprinkles take on the desired shade, adding more powder if necessary. Store the jar of sprinkles in a cool place and use as desired. To decorate a kitchen shelf, fill multiple jars with sprinkles of different colors.
Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 24 cupcakes
In the South, we eat sweet potatoes all year long, not just at Thanksgiving. This cupcake offers the same spicy, brown-sugary goodness of the side dish with the toasted marshmallows, but in a sweet handheld package. If you don’t have a kitchen blowtorch, just toast the marshmallows over an open flame on your stove and pop them on top of the cupcakes.
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2¼ teaspoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground mace
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1 pound sweet potatoes (1 to 2 sweet potatoes), baked and cooled, flesh scraped out and mashed
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
½ cup whole milk
1 recipe Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Large or mini marshmallows (optional)
Special Equipment
Kitchen blowtorch
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, mace, and cardamom; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), beat the brown sugar and eggs on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add the oil, sweet potatoes, and orange zest, beating just until incorporated.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, incorporate any ingredients hiding at the bottom of the bowl, making sure the batter is completely mixed. With a large ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling each one about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.
To assemble the cupcakes: Using a spatula or a butter knife, spread the tops of the cupcakes with swirls of the frosting and decorate with marshmallows, if using. With a kitchen blowtorch, lightly toast the marshmallows, being careful not to burn the paper liners.
The cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 6 cups
For the Caramel
1 cup granulated sugar
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons heavy cream
For the Frosting
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes, at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
To make the caramel: Combine the granulated sugar and ½ cup water in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Using a wet pastry brush, wash down any crystals from the sides of the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook, without stirring, until the syrup becomes a medium-dark amber color, about 10 minutes; you can carefully swirl the pan around to check the color.
Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the butter and heavy cream (be careful of the hot steam!). Do not worry if the butter starts to separate; it will come together once the caramel is cooled.
Transfer the caramel to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or to a medium mixing bowl, if using a handheld mixer) and beat on low speed until the caramel cools and starts to come together. Transfer the caramel to a small bowl.
To make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl with a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add the caramel and continue to beat until smooth and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes.
Banana–Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 24 cupcakes
When I was a child, we used to buy frozen bananas dipped in chocolate on the Santa Monica Pier. Ever since, I’ve loved how the two flavors go together. These cupcakes are based on chiffon cake, so popular with America’s home bakers throughout the 1940s and ’50s.
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1⅓ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder,
preferably aluminum-free
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs, separated
1 large egg white
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup buttermilk
⅓ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 ½ large bananas)
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 recipe Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, 1 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 1⁄3 cup sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add half of the buttermilk, the oil, vanilla, and mashed bananas and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add the egg yolks and the rest of the buttermilk, stirring until just combined. Gently fold in the egg whites and then the chocolate chips.
With a large ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling each one about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool.
To frost the cupcakes: Using a spatula or a butter knife, spread the tops of the cupcakes with swirls of the frosting.
The cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 3 cups
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar