Authors: Tanya Steel

The Epicurious Cookbook (47 page)

BOOK: The Epicurious Cookbook

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MAKE MIX

1.
Place the sugar in a large bowl. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the sugar, and add the pod. Work the seeds in with your fingers. Cover snugly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.

2.
In food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the chocolates until finely ground, using 4-second pulses. (Process in 2 batches if necessary.)

3.
Remove the pod from the sugar. Add the ground chocolate and cocoa powder to the sugar and whisk to blend. Store mix airtight at room temperature for up to 6 months.

TO SERVE

For each serving, heat 8 ounces milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until scalded (or microwave 2½ minutes at full power). Whisk in ¼ to ⅓ cup of the mix. Serve with unsweetened softly whipped cream or marshmallows.

“I’ll use a whole vanilla bean next time for more vanilla flavor. The hot chocolate needed a little extra stirring to make sure it was all dissolved. But the texture was very smooth; not at all grainy like hot chocolate can sometimes be.”

Jamimess, Los Angeles, California

cook’s note:

Save the other half of the
VANILLA BEAN
for another use, such as a second batch of vanilla sugar, which keeps indefinitely and can be used in baking, coffee, or simply to sprinkle on fruit or waffles.

The
DUTCH-PROCESSED COCOA
has been treated with an alkaline solution, which gives it a darker color and less bitter flavor and makes it dissolve more easily. Dröste is a good brand.

double-nut maple bars

These deliciously sticky nut bars are like miniature maple pecan pies and are perfect as a dessert, snack, or indulgent breakfast. Swap out the walnuts and pecans with other varieties, or try mixing some dried fruit into the filling to add another layer of sweetness. Make a batch to share with friends—or store them in a container as a gift to yourself.

YIELD: MAKES 16 BARS

FOR CRUST

1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

⅓ cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon whole milk

FOR FILLING

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

¾ cup pecans, toasted, coarsely chopped

¾ cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Special equipment: 8-inch square metal baking pan with 2-inch sides

MAKE CRUST

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch metal baking pan.

2.
Combine the flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blend. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine the egg yolk and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle the egg mixture into the processor bowl; process using on/off pulses just until the dough clumps together but is still dry. Transfer the dough crumbs to the prepared pan. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake until the crust is set and pale golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer the crust to a rack and cool.

MAKE FILLING

1.
Combine the maple syrup, sugar, cream, and butter in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts and vanilla.

2.
Pour the filling over the crust, spreading the nuts evenly, and bake until the filling bubbles all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Cut into bars and serve at room temperature.

“This recipe really satisfied on all levels: It was easy, looked great (I added chopped dried cranberries to the filling for color/flavor), was a bit different, and tasted delicious!”

A cook, Canada

do ahead:

The
BARS
can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store between sheets of wax paper in airtight container at room temperature.

Amazing Chocolate Chip–Peanut Butter Cookies

amazing chocolate chip–peanut butter cookies

Crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside, these irresistible cookies get extra crunch from dry-roasted peanuts. The recipe, from Epicurious member
Ashlee L. Galletta
of Winnipeg, Canada, was inspired by Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, so get ready for a heady dose of peanuts balanced by creamy milk chocolate. If you prefer your cookies a little less sweet, skim a couple of tablespoons of sugar from the recipe and swap in semisweet chocolate chips for the milk chocolate ones.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups milk chocolate chips

1½ cups peanut butter chips

½ cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped

Special equipment: 2 large baking sheets; parchment paper

1.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars, and beat on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and beat until just incorporated. Add the flour in 2 additions, mixing at a very low speed, until just incorporated. Stir in the milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and peanuts.

3.
Drop 1½-inch balls of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown on top and beginning to brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Let cookies stand 1 minute, then transfer to a rack to cool and continue making cookies using cooled baking sheets.

Keep your eye on the oven! If you wait too long, they won’t be soft inside.

—Ashlee L. Galletta

cook’s note:

The
COOLED COOKIES
can be stored, in an airtight container, at room temperature, up to 1 week.

banana
nut oatmeal cookies

Sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious. Epicurious member
JynnJynn
of Louisville, Kentucky, ensured these moist cookies are easy to make and easier to enjoy. Follow JynnJynn’s advice and add coconut, or use white chocolate and other fruit or nuts. Save a few cookies for the next day, as the banana flavor truly comes out the day after baking.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup (packed) light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 very ripe banana, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup chopped walnuts

For the garnish: 3 ounces dark chocolate or white chocolate, coarsely chopped, or caramel candies, coarsely chopped (optional)

Special equipment: 2 large baking sheets, parchment paper

1.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment.

2.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars, and beat on high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and banana and continue beating, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture, along with the oats and walnuts, to the bowl and gently stir to combine.

3.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until the edges are light brown, about 15 minutes total. Let the cookies stand 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Continue making cookies on cooled baking sheets.

4.
If making the garnish, in a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water), melt the chopped chocolate or caramel candies, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Using a small spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate or caramel over the cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let stand until the topping sets, about 30 minutes, or refrigerate the cookies for about 10 minutes to set the topping faster.

cook’s note:

The
COOKIES
can be baked and stored in an airtight container up to 4 days. If drizzling with chocolate or caramel, place sheets of parchment between the layers to keep the cookies from sticking together.

cherry double-chocolate cookies

With toasted pecans, dried sour cherries, and creamy milk chocolate chunks, these cocoa-based cookies feature a mix of flavors guaranteed to appeal to every palate. Seek out a high-quality milk chocolate for the richest, smoothest experience, or experiment by replacing some or all of the chunks with premium white chocolate.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN COOKIES

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

Scant ½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1½ cups (packed) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

3½ ounces fine-quality milk chocolate, cut into ½-inch chunks

1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

1 cup dried sour cherries

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F, with racks in the upper and lower thirds.