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Dessert

Beermosa Cupcakes with Lemon Meringue Frosting


We need a break, don’t we? We have been in a worldwide state of semi-to-full-blow chaos for the better part of two years so I think we’ve earned a break. A real one. A "shut everything out and do something just because you want to and ignore everything else" break. This is when I bake. I bake something sort of ridiculous while being pretty sure I will be the only eater of the thing, and I shut it all out. All. Of. It. 

Maybe this weekend we can get a break. A recentering. A little relief from it all and then we will have more energy to slay the dragons. But first, cupcakes and of course beer. I’m a big fan of Georgetown Brewing's Johnny Utah, which I always refer to as "The Yoot" because it’s more fun and reminds me to watch My Cousin Vinny again, which will also qualify as a break. So, in summation, your marching orders are to eat cupcakes and drink Georgetown beer while watching a young Marisa Tomei make a bunch of old men look like idiots. It will restore your faith in humanity. 

Beermosa Cupcakes with Lemon Meringue Frosting

Ingredients
  

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2/3 cup (150g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (114g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ¼ cup (2oz) beer
  • ¼ cup (2oz) orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

For the frosting:

  • 3/4 cup (175g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 3 large egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
  • Raspberries and lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions
 

Make the Cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F°.
  • Add the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • With the mixer on low, add the butter (must be softened, cold/hard butter will not work) a few cubes at a time until it’s mostly mixed and crumbly (this method of reverse creaming will feel strange if you’re a long time cake baker, but it is a great way to get tender cupcakes).
  • Add the egg whites one at a time, beating well between addition, this will build the structure of the cupcakes.
  • Stir in the beer, orange juice and vanilla extract, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure the batter is mixed well.
  • Pour into 12 cupcakes papers. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

Make the frosting:

  • in a metal or glass bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar, cream of tartar, egg whites.
  • Add to a double boiler or a small pot with gently simmering water. Whisk with a hand whisk continually until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved leaving no graininess when you rub it between your fingers.
  • Place the bowl in the stand mixer and beat on high with a whisk attachment until thick and glossy. Add to a piping bag.
  • Once the cupcakes are cooled, pipe the frosting on, and garnish with raspberries. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Cream Puffs with Browned Butter Pastry Cream and Espresso Stout Chocolate Sauce

Cream Puffs with Browned Butter Pastry Cream and Espresso Stout Chocolate Sauce

So, we’re eating our feelings this week, yes? Yes. Three-day weekends are built for long cooking projects and this week is built for emotional eating. I do this sometimes, bake really complicated things because it gives me a solid win when I need one. It also makes it hard for my mind to wonder when I have to worry about dough and baking times and if my pastry cream will set (it will, promise). 

 

It’s like this little secret that I hide behind my "I like to bring the most impressive treats to the party" persona, it’s more that I like to know that I have something that I can control that will make people happy. Beer and food make people happy, even if just for a moment. So put down the doom scrolling and just spend some time in your kitchen and make something that will bring some joy to this really messed up world. 

Cream Puffs with Browned Butter Pastry Cream and Espresso Stout Chocolate Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

Pastry Cream:

  • ½ cup (114g) unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups (16oz) whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Cream Puff Dough:

  • 1 cup (228g) pale ale beer
  • ½ cup (114g) butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cups (175g) flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • Egg wash optional

Chocolate Sauce:

  • 10 oz dark chocolate 62%
  • ¾ cup (6oz) stout beer
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Flaky sea salt for finishing

Instructions
 

Make the pastry cream:

  • Add the butter to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Allow to melt and become foamy, stirring frequently.
  • After about ten minutes the foam will subside, and the liquid will become more translucent and you will be able to see the bottom of the saucepan and small bits on the bottom. Whisk continuously until it smells nutty and the bits have browned, remove from heat. Stir in the milk, add back to heat until bubbles start to form around the edges of the saucepan.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the vanilla, cornstarch, egg yolks, sugar, and salt until well combined.
  • Whisk the egg mixture continually while slowly poring the warm liquid into the bowl.
  • Add the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat, whisking until thicken. Remove from heat, add to a storage container and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Make the cream puff dough:

  • Add the beer and butter to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and just starting to boil.
  • Remove from heat, add the salt, flour, and sugar.
  • Add back to medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon constantly until mixture becomes one large ball and clings to the spoon (this should only take a minute and the pan may be hot enough that you don’t need to reintroduce heat).
  • Add to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, allow to cool for ten minutes.
  • Preheat the oven the 450° F.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until the dough starts to come back together (after looking as if it may be breaking) before adding another egg.
  • Mix for at least 2 minutes after the last egg until the mixture looks creamy, and when you pull the mixer paddle up, it leaves a trail that looks like a bird's beak where the dough slides back down but still clings to the paddle.
  • The dough should be smooth and sticky. Add to a piping bag with a star tip.
  • Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pipe circles of dough onto the parchment, about 1 ½ inches wide.
  • With the tip of a wet finger, press the tip down so it doesn’t look like a sorting hat. Brush with egg wash.
  • Bake for 5 minutes and then reduce heat to 350°F without opening the oven. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the cream puffs are golden brown, allow to cool.
  • Use a bread knife to slice the top off the cream puffs.

Make the chocolate sauce:

  • Add all of the chocolate sauce ingredients to the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water. Stir continually until just melted, remove from heat.

Assemble the cream puffs:

  • Pipe pastry cream into the center.
  • Replace the top.
  • Top with chocolate sauce, sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Serve room temperate or chilled.

 

Beery Berry Skillet Cake

Beery Berry Skillet Cake, super quick and easy! One bowl and ten minutes and it’s ready to bake. 

You guys, I’m moving again. I know. I KNOW. In case you’re scoring at home, that will be 6 houses I’ve lived in since I started this weird "let’s see if I can cook all the things with beer" journey.  I’m only moving a few miles away, which is much easier than the time I moved from LA to Seattle and tore my entire life apart. This is just moving stuff from one place to another so it’s fine. IT’S FINE EVERYTHING IS FINE. 

I am living out of a box-filled house which looks slightly like an organized hoarding situation. I also have packed most of my kitchen stuff so I am limited in my ability to cook the things. Which means I made a cake in a skillet like a weirdo. This is also fine because it tasted amazing and it only looks like 7.5 minutes to get it in the oven. So if you have a limited kitchen situation or just a limited desire for long cooking projects situation, but still want a yummy cake you can eat out of the pan with a fork in one hand and a beer in the other, do I have a recipe for you my friend!



Beery Berry Skillet Cake

Ingredients
  

  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons (29g), divided
  • 1/3 cup (80g) beer Pilsner, wheat beer, pale lager
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cup (160g) AP flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (335g) frozen berries
  • Whipped cream for serving

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F
  • Melt 6 tablespoons of butter and allow to cool slightly. Add to a mixing bowl, stir in the beer.
  • Whisk in the egg, sugar, and vanilla.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, stir until just combined.
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to a 9-inch cast iron skillet. Add to the oven until the butter is melted.
  • Remove the skillet and swirl to distribute the butter.
  • Pour the batter into the pan in an even layer. Top with the frozen berries.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center has set and the edges are a dark golden brown.
  • Remove from oven allow to cool.
  • Top with whipped cream for serving.

Chocolate Christmas Ale Cake with Dulce de leche Cream Filling

Chocolate Christmas Ale Cake with Dulce de leche Cream Filling

Do you Christmas cake or do you Christmas pie? I do both. I love this chocolate pie that’s requested so regularly I am not allowed to attend holiday gatherings without it. But I also want cake because I’m like that. Apparently, I just love chocolate and beer, along with sugar and baked goods and I’m not picky beyond that. It’s an issue. 

I decided to do a cake this year for a holiday party and since I already had way more Dulce de Leche than I knew what to do with after making these, I decided to build an entire cake around the fact that I needed to get more Dulce de Leche in my face as quickly as possible.  

The cake disappeared without a trace about 30 minutes after I arrived at the party, it’s honestly one of my favorite cakes I’ve ever made. And since I still have Dulce de Leche left, I might make it again. Don’t judge me, it’s the holidays. 

Chocolate Christmas Ale Cake with Dulce de leche Cream Filling

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

For the cake:

  • 3 ounces dark chocolate
  • ½ cups (4oz) hot brewed coffee
  • 1 cup 8oz stout beer
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 ½ cups (375g) sugar
  • ¾ cup (180g) vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ cups (360g) sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¾ cups (168g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons (10g) baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoons (6g) salt

For the Filling:

  • 1 ½ cups (342g) softened butter
  • 1 cup (115g) powdered sugar
  • 1 cup (305g) dulce de leche* homemade or store bought

Frosting:

  • 1 ½ cups (342g)softened butter
  • ½ cup (114g) shortening
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (230g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

Make the Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Add the chocolate, coffee and beer to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted (this can also be done in a double boiler).
  • Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on high until light in color and well combined. Add the vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla, beat until well combined. Mix in the chocolate mixture.
  • In a separate bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  • Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients, stir until just combined.
  • Divide evenly between three 9-inch cake pans that have been greased and floured.
  • Bake for 35 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

Make the Filling:

  • Add the butter to a stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy. Add the dulce de leche and the powdered sugar, mix until well combined.
  • Add the filling between each layer of cake.

Make the Frosting:

  • Add the butter and shortening to a stand mixer, beat on high until well combined. Add the vanilla, mixing well.
  • Add the powdered sugar and salt, beat until well combined.
  • Frost the cake, keep chilled until ready to serve.

Notes

Dulce de Leche is easy to make, you just need a can of sweetened condensed milk and some time. For more info about making it yourself, read this post: https://domesticfits.com/2019/12/05/chocolate-stout-cookies-with-salted-dulce-de-leche-filling-pressure-cooker-or-stove-top/

Super Soft Beer Sugar Cookies

I’m the weird one, I know this, let me count the ways. First, there is this thing about how I hate drinking milk (gag) and believe that beer makes a much better pairing for cookies.

read more

Mini Lime Olive Oil Beer Cakes with Hibiscus Icing

Mini Lime Olive Oil Beer Cakes with Hibiscus Icing

Are you growing something? And by that I mean produce not resentment and anxiety, although that too. I’m growing tomatoes because I decided it would make more sense to spend $80 and eleventy billion hours growing a small basket full on my own than going to the farmers market. It makes sense. 

If you are growing the things (the ones not related to early childhood trauma), do you check them every day as if by some garden fairy miracle they will have multiplied and ripened overnight? And then you’re both not surprised and also super disappointed that they look basically the same as they did the day before? Just me? 

I had to go to the farmers market for giant gorgeous raspberries in order to sublimate my self-pitty while also reminding myself that other people are better at growing the things and I should leave such tasks up to them. I should just cook the things. And eat the things. I really shouldn’t venture too far out of my cooking-eating-drinking skill set. 

I used this Mini Cheesecake Pan 

Mini Lime Olive Oil Beer Cakes with Hibiscus Icing

Servings 24 mini cakes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup lime juice 3 large limes, juiced
  • ¼ cup beer
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 hibiscus tea bags
  • ¼ cup boiling water
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Raspberries for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on high until well combined, light, and more than doubled in size, about 6 minutes.
  • Stir in the oil, lime juice, and beer.
  • Sprinkle with flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently stir to combine.
  • Grease mini cake pans, or a mini muffin tin, pour in the batter until about 2/3 full.
  • Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 12- 16 minutes.
  • Allow to cool complete before removing from pan.
  • Add the tea bags to a small bowl or mug. Pour the boiling water over the tea, allow to steep for 15 minutes, discard the bags.
  • Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl, add half of the hibiscus infused water, stir to combine. Add the remaining water a bit at a time until desired consistency is reached.
  • Pour a bit of icing over each mini cake, top with a raspberry

Notes

I used this Mini Cheesecake Pan but a mini muffin tin will work as well, just start checking for doneness at 12 minutes. 

Brie Cheesecake Bars with Sour Ale Roasted Cherries

Brie Cheesecake Bars with Sour Ale Roasted Cherries

Cheesecake is my love language, but I have another one. It’s feeding people. I’m like an Italian grandmother with a dairy fixation who thinks you’re too skinny and you need to eat more so you’ll be big and strong! So I made you a cheesecake but I didn’t stop there (oh wait, there’s more!)  I roasted some cherries in beer because I know how to have a good time. 

I have to admit to you that I wasn’t entirely sure how these suckers would taste once I roasted them, would they even work with this dreamy brie cheesecake?! Spoiler alert: they DO. The combo is incredible and I give my full endorsement but I am also currently in love with all the cherries, all the time. If you come to visit me you will most likely be served cherries immediately upon arrival. But I will also give you a beer so hopefully, you will just put up with my pushy cherry fixation.

I used this Rain Shadows from Von Ebert, a great little brewery out of Portland. It’s an award-winning beer with gorgeous but subtle flavors that work really well with cheesecake and cherries, as well as hot weather and Italian grandmothers who try to feed you all the things. 

Brie Cheesecake Bars with Sour Ale Roasted Cherries

5 from 2 votes

Ingredients
  

Crust:

  • 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (40g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
  • 8 tablespoons (114g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 teaspoon (3g) vanilla extract

For the cheesecake:

  • 16 oz cream cheese
  • 8 oz brie weight after rind removed
  • 1 cup (200g) white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon (6g) salt

For the cherries:

  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
  • 1 (6g) teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113g) sour ale
  • 1 lbs. pitted Bing cherries

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  • Add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt to a food processor, pulse to combine.
  • Add the butter and vanilla extract, process until well combined.
  • Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper. Press the crust into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
  • Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on high until starting to look creamy and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Cut the Brie into chunks. While the mixer is running on medium speed add the chucks a few at a time mixing until the brie is well combined with the cream cheese
  • Add the sugar and salt, beating until well combined.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla one at a time, waiting until fully combined before adding more.
  • Pour over the crust in an even layer.
  • Bake for 55 minutes or until the center doesn’t slosh when the pan is nudged, but still jiggles a bit (cheesecake will firm up as it cools). Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before adding to the fridge to cool. Cheesecake is best made a day a head of time.

Make the cherries.

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Add the brown sugar, salt and beer to a large bowl, stir to combine. Add the cherries, toss to coat.
  • Add the cherries to a baking pan in an even layer. Roast for 20 minutes in the oven or until the cherries are soft and the beer mixture has turned to syrup.
  • Add the cherries and syrup to the top of the cheesecake, chill until ready to serve.
  • Cut the cheesecake into squares to serve. Alternately, you can cut the squares, plate them and then add the cherries to the top.

Salted Beer Caramel and Stroopwafel Ice Cream Sandwiches

Salted Beer Caramel and Stroopwafel Ice Cream Sandwiches

I wanted to make Stroopwafels from scratch because that sort of thing makes me excited. So I read recipe after recipe after historical articles of the origins of these things because obviously, I know how to party. 

Then I came to my senses and realized I didn’t really need to buy (and store) a Stroopwafel iron for the one or two times a year that I would actually make them. I did briefly wonder if I knew anyone who might own one in the Seattle area from whom I could borrow. I don’t. Because clearly, my friends are more normal than I am. 

But if you do see me one day and I have purchased such an iron because I absolutely NEEDED to make Belgian Ale Stroopwafels for a Christmas cookie exchange, feel free to shame me vigorously. I will obviously deserve it. 

Salted Beer Caramel and Stroopwafel Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients
  

For the salted caramel:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar*
  • ¼ cup IPA beer
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons butter

For the ice cream:

  • 1 cup heavy cream divided
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup sugar

For the sandwiches:

  • 8 Stroopwaffels

Instructions
 

Make the caramel:

  • Add the sugar, cream of tartar, and beer to a large heavy-bottom saucepan, stir until the sugar is dissolved, stop stirring.
  • Boil until a dark amber, about 8 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally if hot spots develop.
  • Remove from heat, stir in the heavy cream, vanilla, salt and butter until melted.
  • Add to a storage container, allow to cool until room temperature.

Make the ice cream:

  • Add the milk, vanilla, and cream to a pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently until the milk starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat.
  • Add the yolks to a mixing bowl with the sugar. Stir until well combined.
  • Slowly add the milk mixture while whisking continuously.
  • Pour back into the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
  • Add to an airtight container, stir in ½ cup caramel sauce. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours.
  • Add to an ice cream maker, churn according to manufactures specifications until a soft-serve consistency (in a KitchenAid ice cream maker, this takes about 15 minutes).
  • Transfer to a freezer container, freeze until set, about 2 hours.
  • Add generous scoops of ice cream in between two stroopwafels, sandwich them together.
  • Freeze until ready to serve.

Notes

*cream of tartar is optional but it does prevent crystallization, if grainy caramel has ever been an issue for you.

Almond Cake with Beer Caramelized Pineapples and Hibiscus Whipped Cream

Almond Cake with Beer Caramelized Pineapples and Hibiscus Whipped Cream

it’s officially Cake For No Reason Season. We did the thing a few months ago where we gave up things in January (after we ate all the things during the holidays) then we worked out a little so we feel better, and now we don’t have anything to celebrate so we make Cake for No Reason Season, which would be a reason and the paradox may implode the universe.  

But I’ll have cake and beer, so I don’t think I’ll notice. And if the world ends because of cake and beer, then the world had it coming and I can live with that. I didn’t make this cake with a hazy IPA, but I did eat it with a hazy IPA, (Mother Earth’s Flawless Imperfection) because the pairing of an IPA and pineapple is fantastic and worth a celebration all on its own. 

Almond Cake with Beer Caramelized Pineapples and Hibiscus Whipped Cream

Ingredients
  

For the pineapple

  • ½ cup (120g) pale ale beer
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
  • 2 cups (300g) fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the cake

  • 1 ⅔ cups (200g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (90g) almond flour (not almond meal)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (180g) full-fat sour cream
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup (120g) good quality olive oil
  • ½ cup (120g) pale ale beer
  • 1 cup (90g) sliced almonds

For the whipped cream:

  • 2 hibiscus tea bags
  • ¼ cup (60g) boiling water
  • 1 cup (140g) Heavy cream
  • ½ cup (60g) Powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Add the brown sugar and beer to a saucepan, stir to combine. Add the pineapple, simmer over medium-high heat until pineapple is soft and the sauce has thickened about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, line the bottom with a round of parchment paper, set aside.
  • Add the flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt to a large bowl, stir to combine.
  • Add the almond extract, vanilla extract, sour cream, eggs, olive oil, and beer, stir with a fork or whisk until just combined.
  • Add to the prepared pan.
  • Place the pineapple on top in an even layer (it will sink, that’s OK).
  • Drizzle with the caramel sauce left in the pan.
  • Top with an even layer of almonds.
  • Bake until the top has turned golden brown and the center springs back when lightly touched, 32-38 minutes.
  • While the cake cooks, start the whipped cream. Place the hibiscus tea bags in a small bowl or mug, pour over the boiling water. Set aside to steep for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Stir the hibiscus-infused water into the heavy cream, chill until cold.
  • Once cold, add to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the powdered sugar, beat on high until stiff peaks form.
  • Once the cake has cooled, remove from pan, add to a serving plate, top with whipped cream just before serving.

 

Chocolate Stout Covered Dates Stuffed with Dulce de Leche and Toasted Hazelnut

Chocolate Stout Covered Dates Stuffed with Dulce de Leche and Toasted Hazelnut

Forgive me. I’ve made more Dulce de Leche. Because it’s so easy to make and not screw it up by being on your phone ordering another pair of leggings you don’t need and all of the sudden the caramel is burned and you’re mad at yourself and the Amazon app again. It’s nicer, it’ll patiently wait for you to do all your non-essential work and be just as gorgeous and perfect as if you’d babied it along. 

 

So I decided to stuff it into dates because I forgot how much I love them and needed to celebrate the giant pack of dates that really wanted to come home with me. They’re so pushy. So we obviously needed something crunchy and invited hazelnuts to join the party because they’re always up for a good time, just ask Nutella. And the chocolate stout coating is because it’s fun to be extra sometimes. And of course, salt is a necessity. Just make sure to eat them all in one sitting because that might be a necessity too, at least that’s what I’ve been telling myself. 

Chocolate Stout Covered Dates Stuffed with Dulce de Leche and Toasted Hazelnut

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

For the Dulce de Leche:

  • 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt I used Maldon
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Dates:

  • 12 Medjool dates pitted
  • 14 hazelnuts lightly toasted
  • 1 ½ cups (9oz) dark chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup (2oz) stout beer
  • 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt

Instructions
 

Make the Dulce de Leche:

  • Pressure cooker method: Remove the top of the can of sweetened condensed milk. Cover with aluminum foil.
  • Add the cooking rack to the bottom of a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Add the prepared can. Pour water in the pressure cooker until about halfway up the side of the can.
  • Cover tightly, making sure the steam vent is closed.
  • Cook on high for 60 minutes. Allow the steam to vent naturally. Once the can has cooled, remove it from the pressure cooker.
  • Slow cooker method: Add the cans to a slow cooker, cover with water and cook on low for 8 hours, allow to cool naturally before opening.
  • Stir in the vanilla and salt, refrigerate until ready to use.

Stuff the Dates:

  • Spread the inside of the dates with Dulce de Leche, add a hazelnut, close tightly, set aside.

Make the Chocolate Coating:

  • Add the chocolate chips and beer to a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted and well combined (can also be done in a double boiler).
  • Dip the dates in the chocolate until coated, remove with a fork, and set on a sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat for all dates.
  • Allow to rest until the chocolate coating is set. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Dulce de Leche Beer Cinnamon Roll Knots

Dulce de Leche Beer Cinnamon Roll Knots (step-by-step) with photos

I know, I KNOW! I am the actual worst. Here you are, trying to be healthy in the New Year and I do THIS to you. This is because I am a world-class enabler and I like people to be happy. And these make people happy. It’s flawed logic, I know this as well, but I will continue along this path as if I don’t know this. Please look away, nothing to see here.

You can also use these for inspiration, for "pin it and make it later", for "this is what I will make when I’m not as concerned with health and fitness". Which, let’s be honest, will probably be in like 2.5 weeks.

I will tell you this, they are fantastic. Perfect for you to save for that day when you can have all your people over for brunch, and let’s all hope that day is SOON.

Dulce de Leche Beer Cinnamon Roll Knots

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 12 knots

Ingredients
  

Dough:

  • 2 ¾ cups (330g) flour, plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 packet 2 ¼ teaspoons rapid rise yeast
  • 1 cup beer pilsner, pale ale, wheat beer
  • 6 tablespoons (85.5g) melted butter
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 1 cup (138g) dulce de leche for homemade, see note below
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • Pinch ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar divided

Icing:

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dulce de leche
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions
 

  • Add the flour, sugar, and yeast to a stand mixer. Mix until just combined.
  • Heat the beer and melted butter to 120°-130°F (always defer to the liquid temperature listed on the package of yeast, regardless of what the recipe says. Your yeast package says 105°F? Heat the liquid to that temperature) add the beer to the stand mixer, mixing until all the flour has been moistened.
  • Add the salt, beat until the dough comes together and gathers around the blade. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled in size.
  • Add the dough to a lightly floured surface, roll into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 20-24 inches in length.
  • Cut in half.
  • Spread dulce de leche on half (warm if necessary to make it more spreadable) sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ¼ cup brown sugar.
  • Place the other dough half on top of the dulce de leche half to sandwich the filling between the two pieces of dough.
  • Cut into 10-12 strips.
  • Twist the strips.
  • Form into a loose loop.
  • Place one end over the top with the end in the center of the loop.
  • Place the other end underneath the loop to meet up with the first end.
  • Place knots on a baking sheet covered with parchment.
  • Sprinkle with brown sugar.
  • Allow knots to rest while you heat the oven to 350°F, about 20 minutes. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown. 
  • Stir together all the icing ingredients. Drizzle knots with icing, allow to cool until the icing has set. 

Notes

*I made dulce de leche in a pressure cooker, it just takes one ingredient (or three if you want to add salt and vanilla but that's optional) and about 3 minutes of active time. You can also make it on the stovetop. For full instructions see this post:
Chocolate Stout Cookies with Salted Dulce De Leche Filling
Keyword dulce de leche, knots, dough

Browned Butter Shortbread Salted Beer Caramel and Espresso Chocolate Bars

Browned Butter Shortbread Salted Beer Caramel and Espresso Chocolate Bars

We’re almost there, in the homestretch now. We are close to the end of the strangest year that ever was and we all deserve a treat to celebrate. We made it, we’ve survived, mostly intact, only partially traumatized. Spend the next handful of days letting yourself enjoy anything you want, and reminding yourself that when it’s all said and done, you did a pretty damn good job getting through it all. 

Did you murder anyone? No. Did you mostly feed your kids or pets or both? Yes. Did you shower most but not all the days? We think so. Then you did good. Good is the new amazing. So celebrate with something you want to eat or drink and let’s just all decide to make next year a better year where we are grateful for things we took for granted in 2019. And, you know, still feed the creatures and resist murder. 

Browned Butter Shortbread Salted Beer Caramel and Espresso Chocolate Bars

5 from 3 votes

Ingredients
  

Shortbread:

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup golden brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ 185g cups all-purpose flour

Caramel:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar*
  • ¼ cup water
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt

Chocolate:

  • 10 oz dark chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup stout beer
  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder or instant coffee powder not coffee grounds
  • 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Add the butter to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until it smells nutty and is a slight amber color, be careful not to burn it. Transfer the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 325°F.
  • Add the sugar, vanilla, salt, and flour, mix on low speed until just combined.
  • Line an 8x8 pan with parchment.
  • Press the dough into the pan in an even layer.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges just start to brown. Remove from oven, allow to cool.
  • Add the sugar, cream of tartar, and water to a large heavy-bottom saucepan, stir until the sugar is dissolved, stop stirring.
  • Boil until a dark amber, about 8 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally if hot spots develop.
  • Remove from heat, stir in the butter until melted.
  • Slowly stir in the heavy cream and then the salt.
  • Pour in an even layer over the shortbread, chill until set, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the chocolate chips, beer, and espresso powder to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted. Pour over the caramel in an even layer. Chill until set. Cut into squares to serve.

Notes

*cream of tartar is option but it does prevent crystallization if grainy caramel has ever been an issue for you

Chocolate Stout Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie

Chocolate Stout Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie

Apparently, there is quite a bit of disagreement about ice cream-related desserts. So, let’s get into it. Do you call this an ice cream cake or are you right and call it a pie? Do you like a layer of cake in the center of this thing or is it all a no-bake-just-freeze situation for you? This last one can be an either-or proposition for me, I’ll never turn down a layer of cake in my desserts, even if it’s weird that it’s there. 

We also need to agree to ignore anyone who tells you that ice cream pies are only for the summer because those people are wrong. We can agree to disagree on a lot, but this is not one of these things. Eating ice cream is an "all the days", "all the hours" type of activity. Since it’s milk-based, we need to normalize breakfast ice cream. Can you handle that? I’m over here trying to normalize eating beer so my hands are pretty full. 

Chocolate Stout Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pints vanilla Ice cream
  • 20 chocolate sandwich cookies
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 14 oz (about 2 1/3 cups) dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (8oz) stout or porter beer
  • 1 cup mini peanut butter cups
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel sauce:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar*
  • ¼ cup water
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Leave the ice cream out to soften enough to be spreadable.
  • Add the sandwich cookies to a food processor, process until just crumbs remain.
  • Add the melted butter, process to combine.
  • Press into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.
  • In a microwave-safe bowl add the chocolate chips and stout, microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until well combined (this can also be done in the top of a double boiler.
  • Pour half of the mixture in an even layer over the crust. Freeze until set.
  • Add 1 ½ pints of ice cream over the chocolate, smooth into an even layer.
  • Add the remaining chocolate mixture, top with mini chocolate peanut butter cups, freeze until set.
  • Add the remaining ice cream, smooth into an even layer.
  • Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer beat on high until well combined. Smooth over the top of the last ice cream layer. Freeze until ready to serve.

Make the caramel sauce for serving:

  • Add the sugar, cream of tartar, and water to a large heavy bottom saucepan, stir until the sugar is dissolved, stop stirring.
  • Boil until a dark amber, about 8 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally if hot spots develop.
  • Remove from heat, stir in the butter until melted.
  • Slowly stir in the heavy cream and then the salt.
  • Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for about ten minutes to soften enough to cut.
  • Drizzle with caramel before serving.

Notes

*cream of tartar is option but it does prevent crystallization if grainy caramel has ever been an issue for you.

Bourbon Beer and Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bourbon Beer and Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

Apparently, the holidays are here. And by "holidays" I mean an excuse to eat all the things and fatten up my neighbors with cookies and beer. It’s festive. Merry Cookies and Beer Every Day season, it’s a nondenominational holiday that we can all get behind. 

We need this right now, we might be divided on a lot of issues after a year like this, but we are all on the same page with cookies, right? RIGHT?! As in, chocolate chips are far superior to raisins which gives me trust issues when I find them in cookies and realize they are not the chocolatey goodness I assume the dark spots in my cookies to be. 

Also, we just need to agree that "cookies and beer" are way better than "cookies and milk". It’s just a fact, unless you’re a child in which case I have no idea how you found me but please, bake your mom some cookies and forget about the beer it’s gross. It’s spicy. Let your mom take a sip to make sure. Or several sips. Now she needs a cookie and some alone time. 

Bourbon Beer and Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 from 2 votes
Servings 3 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 13 tablespoons (185g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) brown sugar, packed light or golden
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons molasses not blackstrap
  • 3 tablespoons bourbon barrel-aged beer
  • 2 ½ cups (317g) bread flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • Sanding sugar*

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Add the butter and brown sugar to a stand mixer, beat on high until well combined, light and fluffy. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla, beat until well combined, and resembles frosting. Add the molasses and beer, beat until well combined.
  • Add the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt, stir until just combined.
  • Stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Add the sanding sugar to a bowl.
  • Using a cookie scoop, make balls of dough, roll in the sugar, then add to a cookie sheet covered with parchment.
  • Bake for 12 minutes, pull the parchment paper off the cookie sheet onto a flat surface to rest until cooled.

Notes

Sanding sugar is large grain sugar that won’t melt in the oven. You can also easily use clear/white sprinkles or just plain ol’ sugar.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout Fudge

Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout Fudge

Remember how cute we were in March when quarantine started and we all collectively yelled, "Two weeks?! We are going to be like this for two weeks?!" That was adorable. I’m glad I didn’t know how long we’d be doing this because I don’t know if I could have handled it. We just needed the hope of uncertainty. 

I need to plan stuff to survive these days, even embarrassingly small stuff like going to the dog park with my dog and my friend who has a giant floof. Driveway happy hours with my neighbors. Backyard firepit and too many beers with my husband. It’s survival of the optimistic these days. 

Food plans are happening. Like planning to make a bunch of ridiculous cookies and fudge and leaving them on my favorite human’s porch. Texting from a safe distance to say hello, here are treats, I just wanted to see your big dumb face and you can see mine. 

Plans of any sort are helping me break up the groundhogs day feeling of this very long decade that has been 2020. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout Fudge

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 16 squares

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter*
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
  • ½ cup stout beer
  • 1 cup mini peanut butter cups cut in half

Instructions
 

  • Add the butter, cream, and brown sugar to a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, boil for two minutes.
  • Remove from heat, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until combined.
  • Add the powdered sugar, stir until combined (if it starts to clump, return to heat until just starting to melt.
  • Line an 8x8 pan with parchment, pour the peanut butter into the pan in an even layer, chill until set, about 1 hour.
  • In a microwave-safe bowl add the chocolate chips and beer (this can also be done in a double boiler), heat for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted and well combined.
  • Pour over the peanut butter layer in an even layer. Top with mini peanut butter cups.
  • Chill until set. Cut into cubes to serve.

Notes

Cheap, store-bought works best. Natural or homemade peanut butters are too oily.

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Upside Down Beer Cake

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Upside Down Beer Cake, one bowl, super easy, crazy moist. 

This is NOT the week to pretend like you’re on a diet.  It’s a week to stress bake and eat your weight in cake, it’s the patriotic thing to do. Baking does help, it gives you something to do that results in good news in your day and tasty treats in your mouth. Win-win-win. Because it’s hard to be in a bad mood when you can open a beer and eat some cake, it’s just science. 

It’s also time to start baking with cranberries and remember how much we actually like them even though we pretty much forget about them the rest of the year. And I don’t care what you believe in the rest of your life, we all like cake. It’s the reason we use it to celebrate all the things. Cake is a unifying force and I think we all need that right now. 

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Upside Down Beer Cake

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup (50g) divided
  • ½ cups (114g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (4oz) beer pilsner, pale ale
  • 2 ¾ (340g) cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup crushed hazelnuts
  • ¾ cup chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Line the bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan with a round of parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
  • Toss the cranberries in ¼ cup sugar, add in an even layer to the prepared pan.
  • Add the butter and remaining 2 cups sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on high until well combined.
  • One at a time, add the eggs and vanilla, scraping the bottom of the bowl between additions, beat until well combined. Add the sour cream and oil, mix until well combined.
  • Stir in the beer.
  • Stop the mixer, sprinkle with flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Stir until just combined.
  • Stir in the hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
  • Add to the pan over the cranberries.
  • Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. If the cake starts to brown too much before the baking is completed, cover with foil. 
  • Remove from oven, allow to cool completely before removing from pan. 
  • Invert on a serving plate before removing spring form pan so that bottom of the cake is on the top. 

Notes

*If you only have a 9-inch spring for pan, you will likely have too much batter. Fill the pan to about ¾ full and use the remaining batter to make muffins.