Baked Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Glaze (Williams Sonoma Junior Chef Recipe).

Posted in Breakfast, Donut, Donuts, Kid helpers welcomed, Kids Class Cooking Project, Uncategorized by
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Finished Product

Took a stab at a Williams-Sonoma Chocolate Baked Donut Recipe that I found on a flyer at a store a few months ago.   I have not seen the recipe on-line.

These were very easy to make and taste mighty chocolately.  Only suggested changed is to bake the donuts closer to 12 minutes not 10.  At 10 minutes the donuts really failed the toothpick test but at 12 they were perfectly done.  My batch created 9 donuts and the recipe says 18.    This is the pan I used.  I am not being paid to advertise this and worked very well.  Perhaps the donut mold at WS is smaller and can make 18 vs 9.

Ingredients

For the Donuts:

  • Nonstick cooking spray  (worked like a charm as the donuts easily inverted)
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • Measure 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, then
    sift
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup of buttermilk (3 FL OZ)
  • 1/3 cup of  whole milk (3 FL OZ)
  • 6 tablespoons or 3/4 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup or 4 ounces of white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • For the chocolate glaze:
    • 1/4  cup (2 fl. oz,/60 ml) heavy cream
    • 1/2 cup or 4 oz of semisweet chocolate finely chopped (I just used chocolate chips)
  • Sprinkles – Optional

Steps:

To make the donuts, preheat the oven to 375”F.

Set out your butter to soften.

Coat the wells of a 6-well donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.  (I used a 9-well.)

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder (remember to sift it first), espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a measuring cup, stir together the buttermilk and whole milk. Set aside.   (I used a buttermilk powder to make my buttermilk and had no negative consequences.)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the
butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stop the
mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with
the buttermilk mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition
until just blended.

Pour 2 Tbs. batter into each prepared well.  (I just filled each well 2/3rds full and that seemed to make perfect sized donuts)

Bake, carefully rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted into the donuts comes out clean, about 10 minutes.    I SUGGEST TURNING AT 6 MINUTES AND REMOVING AT 12 MINUTES.

Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan.  (Surprisingly inverting was not difficult and no donuts broke).

Let the donuts cool completely.   (Takes no more than 10 minutes)

Meanwhile, wash and dry the pan and repeat to bake the remaining batter in
2 more batches.   (I did not have any batter after filling my 9 donut well)

To make the glaze, pour the cream into a small saucepan, place over medium heat
and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted.
Transfer to a heatproof bowl.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip the cooled donuts, top side down,
into the glaze. Place them, glazed side up, on the prepared baking sheet.

Serve right away with the glaze still wet or let stand until the glaze hardens, about 5 minutes, then serve.   If adding sprinkles due immediately after dipping in chocolate.

Makes 18 donuts.  (9 IN MY BOOK)

Adapted from The Junior Chef Cookbook by Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen (Weldon Owen, 2015)

 

 

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Ingredients

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Makes 9 Donuts

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Pre- Glazed

Steel Cut Oats in the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker

Posted in Breakfast, Easy to make, Steel Cut Oats, Uncategorized by

Ingredients:

3/4 cup steel cut oats

1 1/4 cup water

3/4 cup 2% milk (although I am sure whole milk tastes better)

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

@ 2 tablespoons of raisins

Optional ingredients once oats are cooked:  Brown sugar & cinnamon

Directions:

Place all the ingredients (from raisins and above) in the rice cooker, hit porridge setting and around 40-45 minutes later I had perfect steel cut oats

Top with brown sugar and cinnamon as desired

Video on Making Homemade Tomato Sauce (Kid Assisted)

Posted in Tomato Sauce, Uncategorized by
Fresh Tomatoes
Combined Items (not cooked)
Cooked Tomato Sauce

Roots Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

  • Garden love
  • 4-5 pounds of tomatoes
  • 8 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 4 basil leaves (if desired)

Cooking Directions

  • Clean and wash tomatoes
  • Boil large pot of water
  • Add tomatoes (in batches as needed)
    • Cook for 1 minute
    • Remove and place into cold ice water, skins should start to fall off
    • Remove final bits of skin from tomatoes by hand
    • Cut into chucks (removing as many seeds as possible, the stem, and the core)
  • Peel and cut 1 onion in half (top to bottom)
  • Combine tomatoes, onions, butter, salt into a large pot
  • Simmer on low for 45 minutes occasionally stirring and breaking up large pieces
    • Note add basil with 10 minutes to go
  • Remove onion
  • Remove basil leaves (if added)
  • Serve with favorite pasta

 

 

 

 

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Posted in Uncategorized by

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I came across this recipe in a kid’s cookbook -50 Recipes for Kids to Cook.  Thumbs up!

The cupcake bottom was particularly tasty and likely could be used for other recipes

Ingredients:

  1. 1/2 cup of butter (soften on counter some before starting)
  2. 1 cup of sugar (the book says superfine but regular is fine) – Divided 1/2 Cup + 1/2 Cup
  3. 2 eggs
  4. 1 cup of self-raising flour *
  5. 1 tsp. baking powder (recipe calls for this even though it also calls for self raising flour)
  6. Grated rind of 2 lemons – Divided 1/2 + 1/2
  7. 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  8. 2 eggs whites

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375
  2. Cream butter and sugar until soft.  I used an electric mixture through step 4 but book shows a young kid doing it by hand.
  3. Add 1/2 cup super and continue to beat until smooth and creamy
  4. Beat in the eggs, flour, baking powder, half the lemon rind and all the lemon juice
  5. Pour batter into lined cupcake tins (makes around 12 large or 18ish small)
  6. Clean mixing bowl if used in steps 2-4 above
  7. Whisk eggs in a clean bowl until soft peaks (when you lift out the whisk they should stand in peaks that just slightly flop over)
  8. Stir in remaining sugar and lemon rind
  9. Pour a spoonful of meringue mixture each cake
  10. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the meringue crisp and brown
  11. Serve cake hot or cold.    Storing overnight in sealed container worked for 2 days, not more.

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* If you do not want to buy self-raising flour I did find some websites that offer ways to make it.

SELF-RISING FLOUR: ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR + BAKING POWDER + SALT

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt to one cup of all-purpose flour

 

Easy Tasty “Scratch” Chocolate Brownies

Posted in Brownie, Dessert, Easy to make, Kid helpers welcomed, Kids Class Cooking Project, Uncategorized by

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These brownies are terrific and super simple.  They can go into the oven in 15 minutes with little cleanup!

Ingredients

  • 1/3rd Cup of Butter of 2.5 ounces (cut into a few pieces)
  • 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup of soft light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional
  • 1 oz powder sugar optional (but makes the brownies even prettier and tasty)

Need

  • 7X7 square pan preferred but ok in 8X8 but brownie will be much thinner
  • parchment liner piece of paper or grease bottom well

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over almost boiling water (or use a double boiler pot if you have one).  Make sure the water does not touch the bowl.
    • Leave until melted on own, then stir together
    • Remove from heat
  • Stir sugar into the butter and leave for 5-10 minutes to cool
  • Beat eggs into bowl with butter and sugar
  • Add the flour and the pinch of salt. and stir being careful not to overmix
  • Add nuts and stir if desired.
  • Cut a piece of baking parchment paper or waxed paper for bottom.
    • If desired butter the bottom of the parchment
  • Pour mixture into the lined baking tin and level the top by tilting the pan or using a spoon
  • Cook 25-35 minutes until firm around the edges but still slightly soft in the middle
    • Do not overcook – 28-30 minutes for a 7X7 should be perfect, shorter if larger pan.
    • Test with toothpick
  • Sprinkle powder sugar over brownies
  • Cool on a cooling rack carefully lifting the paper and brownies onto the rack.
  • Cut into 9 – 12 squares
  • Enjoy

Ina Garten Vegetable Pot Pie (Barefoot Contessa)

Posted in Dinner, Intermediate Skill Level, Pie Crust, Uncategorized by

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Ina Garten’s Vegetable Pot Pie is great (of course it is!) but the effort is more than a 45 minute prep session.  I have made a few changes to her original recipe.  I added some parsnips.  I skipped asparagus tips and instead added shiitake mushrooms.  I did not use Pernod (it is expensive, not something I keep on hand) and I don’t think the recipes suffers without it.   She recommends making this dish in four individual oven proof dishes.  For simplicity, I used one deep 8 x 8 rectangle baking dish.  I think a normal pyrex will work but you may not have room for all the filling.   If only serving this dish and your guests are hungry, the pie should feed around 4-5 people.

Ina says:   Prep: 45 minutes, Cook 1 hr 35 Minutes, Total Time 2 Hours 45 Minutes

Dishthistoday:  Impossible.  You will need more time for sure.

Prep: @ 85 minutes until the dish went into the oven and I work fast.  With slightly more efficiency, I believe I could have saved an additional 5-10 minutes mostly when cooking the potatoes.  Note I bought pre-prepped fresh squash.  This saved probably 10-15 minutes off the prep time.

In terms of difficulty, the non-pastry piece is time consuming but easy to follow and the filling is delicious.  The pastry portion is also not that difficult assuming you have a LARGE food processor and are used to making dough.

Ingredients

Pot Pie Filling

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
  • 2 cups sliced yellow onions (1 1/2 medium/large onions)
  • 1 fennel bulb
    • Remove a small top part of bulb like you would for an onion
    • Remove the stalk portions (not edible)
    • Cut bulb in half and remove the core
    • Slice up the rest of the bulb in thin small pieces
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups good chicken stock (use good boxed version)
  • 1 tablespoon Pernod (ok to skip)
  • Pinch saffron threads (best price Trader Joes or Costco Kirkland Brand)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups large-diced potatoes (1/2 pound)
  • 1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms (vs her asparagus tips)
  • 1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced carrots (3 carrots)
  • 1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4 – inch – diced parsnips (2-3 parsnips)
  • 1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced butternut squash (recommend buying already prepped)
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions (1/2 pound)
  • Some frozen peas might make a good addition
  • 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley

For the pastry:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening  (half hour prior to making dough – cut into small pieces and put in freezer with butter)
  • 1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced (half hour prior to making dough – cut into small pieces and put in freezer with shortening)
  • 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
  • 1 egg yolk (she includes the whites) beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
  • Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

Steps

Pre-Prep the dough so it can be ready when your filling is ready

  • Measuring the dry dough portions and set aside until ready
  • Fill a large glass of water and ice and let the cubes melt so the water is cold.  You can measure the right amount of water later
  • Cut the butter and margarine for the dough and set in a plastic bag and place in the freezer to get cold.

Begin the filling:

  • Fill a large pot of water with salt and start boiling it on medium so it is ready early. This is for potatoes, carrots, and parsnips.  If you have a pot with a fitted insert for things like pasta – use it when cooking these vegetables.  It is faster than fishing out the potato pieces once finished cooking.  I wasted a good five to ten minutes fishing out the potatoes.
  • Prep the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, squash (if you need to) and mushrooms (if using)
  • Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Lift out potatoes and drain
  • NOTE YOU ARE USING THE SAME WATER FOR POTATOES FOR carrots, parsnips and squash (see a few steps lower)
  • Once the potatoes start cooking –
  • Use a very large pan with high straight sides or another large pot for the filling
    • Melt the butter.
    • Add the onions and fennel and saute until translucent, 8 to 13 minutes.  Add mushrooms for 2-4 minutes.
    • Now begin making your pastry dough * *  (you have ten minutes while the potatoes finish and the onions and fennel are cooking.  Make sure to occasionally stir the onions and fennel and add the mushrooms near the end while making the dough)
    • Add the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Slowly add the stock, Pernod (if using), saffron, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Add the heavy cream and season to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned.
    • Continuing cooking your vegetables in the water you used for the potatoes as needed
      • Carrots, parsnips, and squash together for five to seven minutes
      • Drain well.
    • Add the potatoes, mixed vegetables, frozen pearl onions, (peas if using) and parsley to the sauce and mix well.

** Making the Pastry Dough

  •  For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the VERY COLD shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour.
  • Pulse 10-20 times, or until the fat is the size of peas.
  • With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together.   This took less than 2 minutes for the ball to form
  • Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball.
  • Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Putting it all together …

  • Move the filling to your cooking dish.
  • Brush the outside edges of cooking dish with the egg wash
  • Place the dough on top.
  • Trim 1/2-inch larger
  • Crimp the dough to fold over the sides, pressing it to make it stick with fork
  • Brush the dough with egg wash and make several thin slits in the top (7-10 slits).
  • Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour (60 minutes), or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Getting ready

Veges
Dough Butter / Shortening

Leek Prep (whole leek, slice off top and bottom, slice in half and remove rough core, then diced)

Whole leek
Cut the ends
Remove core in middle
Chopped leek

Making the filling

Raw onions and leeks added
Cooked for 10-12 minutes
Halfway through
All ingredients added

Dough before adding water; dough ball, dough rolled out

How dough should look before adding water
Ready to go in fridge
Dough rolled out

Drained cooked vegetables

Cooked potatoes
Cooked squash, carrots, parsnips

Pie before oven and after being cooked

Just before oven
After 60 minutes in oven. Nice glow from egg wash

Piece up close

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Original Recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/vegetable-pot-pie-recipe.html

 

 

 

Homemade Pasta – Fettucini

Posted in Uncategorized by

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/fresh-pasta.html

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup semolina flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil (use as good as oil as you can)
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 Tbs. water, plus more as needed

Directions:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the all-purpose and semolina flours, salt and olive oil. Beat on low speed just until combined, about 30 seconds.

In a small pitcher or other pourable container, whisk together the eggs and water. With the mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture and beat until the flour has been absorbed into the egg mixture, about 2 minutes.

Stop the mixer and, using your hands, squeeze a small amount of dough into a ball. It should be moist enough to hold together but not sticky; if it is too dry, add more water, 1 tsp. at a time.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape into 2 balls. Wrap separately with plastic wrap, then flatten each ball into a disk. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Attach the pasta roller to the electric mixer.

Unwrap 1 dough disk and dust lightly with all-purpose flour.

Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick and no wider than the pasta roller.  (You may be able to skip this step)

Roll the dough through the rollers once at the widest setting #1 setting 3-5 times through (fold the long noodles in half before putting back through on setting number 1)

 

Roll through once # 2 (no need to fold)

Roll through once # 3 (no need to fold)

Roll through once #4 – (after # 4 , cut each noodle in half)

Roll through once # 5  – noodles are now ready for fettuccine.

Lay each noodle out on a cookie sheet or counter floured with semolina after step 5 until ready to use the fettuccine attachment.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap until use.

Attach a pasta cutter and cut each noodle into fettuccine strips.

Place strips neatly onto a cookie sheet with flour or semolina

If not cooking the pasta immediately, transfer it to a baking sheet and dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Makes about 1 lb. dough.

Boil large pot of water filled three quarters.

Cook pasta 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.

Drain well.

Top with parmesan cheese and a little oil

 

Enjoy.

Sweet Kugel, a modified version of Dave Lieberman’s Recipe

Posted in Uncategorized by

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Prep time for this recipe is around 12-15 minutes.  Start boiling your water and add a dash of salt!

Pre-heat oven to 375

Ingredients:

1/2 pound wide kosher for passover egg noodles (little extra noodles won’t hurt)

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) melted butter, cooled before adding to other ingredients

1 pound cottage cheese

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cups raisins pre-soaked in water for 10-15 minutes

Dash of salt for pot of boiled water

Directions:

Boil water and add a dash of salt.

Cook noodles for 4-5 minutes, drain.  (If preparing the dish and not baking right away make sure to cool down the noodles by splashing them with cold water when you drain them.  Otherwise they will start to cook the eggs.)

While the noodles are boiling, add off the other ingredients in a large bowl and mix.

Add cooked noodles to bowl and mix again.

Pour into a greased 9X13 baking dish or a smaller deeper dish.

Bake around 30-45 minute until the top is golden brown.  if using 3 eggs as noted above the dish will likely be done around 35-38 minutes.

If removing an uncooked Kugel from the refrigerator to bake, let sit for about 30 minutes first.  Otherwise cook closer to 45 minutes.

To freeze leftovers, cut in appropriate sizes and store in a plastic bag or a container.  Defrost the day before eating and reheat at 325-350 until warm (10-20 minutes depending on preference).

Ingredients pre-baking

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Roasted Fresh Corn and Tomato Salsa

Posted in Appetizer, Dinner, Easy to make by

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This recipe makes about 3 cups and is best prepared a few hours in advance and chilled in the fridge.

Ingredients:

  • 2 fresh ears of corn (remove husks and as much silk as possible)
  • 1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter melted
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes – cut in quarters, remove as much seeds as possible and tough core, then slice in small pieces around a 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1/4 small red onion –  diced very fine pieces
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper – remove the seeds and ribs, then dice very fine pieces
  • 1 garlic clove – peeled and finely chopped or use a tiny bit of crushed garlic from a jar
  • 1/3 cup cilantro leaves (fresh) –  diced in small pieces
  • 1/4 cup of black beans – rinsed and drained well from can
  • 1/2 ripe avocado – diced in small pieces
  • 1/2 lime – juiced into mixed ingredients at the end
  • sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

  • Cook Corn
    • Pre-heat oven to broil
    • Line a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil and then lay on a cooling rack on pan (ok to skip cooling rack but it does help the corn cook better)
    • Using a brush, coat the corn with butter
    • Lay corn on cooling rack if using
    • Place in oven on shelf about a third down from broil heating element for 20-25 minutes – turn every five minutes until corn is lightly brown.  Once corn is cool take a knife and remove corn from ear.
  • As corn is roasting place all the ingredients (but lime, salt and pepper) into a large bowl and stir
  • Then when ready add cooked corn, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste stirring well all ingredients.
  • Cover bowl and place in refrigerator at least 30 minutes but preferably 2-3 hours before serving.

Serve with chips or turn into a meal over rice with some roasted shrimp or other protein.

Roasted Corn Before Cutting Off Cob

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