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Dessert

Mini Drunken Pumpkin Coconut Pies

 

Have you ever served on a jury?

I have. A few years ago I was put on a federal case at the Los Angeles court house. The defendant was a smarmy little man who was, without a doubt, about a thousand percent guilty of smuggling 3 million dollars worth of Ecstasy into the country using teenage drug mules.

For two weeks I had to watch him represent himself, after firing his public defender, and very poorly and arrogantly cross examine those miserable teenage girls who had come to testify against him as well as anyone else who took the stand. At one point, the detective who had spent the better part of the previously year building a case against him took the stand to defend the piles and piles (quite literally) of evidence against him, most of which was collected in his home.

"well,do you have picture of me with these alleged drugs? or with the alleged thugs?"

The detective responded with, "First, the drugs are not alleged they are real and right on that table. Second, No, I did not take a picture of you with any drugs, or thugs, or in a box or with a fox. Doesn’t make you any less guilty."

I laughed so hard, and for so long it required a shushing for the judge. I was LOUDLY shushed by the oldest man I had ever seen still earning a living. A man who fell asleep twice the first day of trial.

Later that day, after I had composed myself, I looked over to see Old Man Judge flipping through a sketch book of artfully drawn pictures of naked women. I was probably the only one who could see the cartoon style smut, I was seated in the far top seat of the Jury Pit, closest the judge. Ok, I’m sure "Jury Pit" isn’t the right term, but it was either that or  "Judicial Dugout." Please, let me know if you know the real term.

The first thing I think is, "You MUST be old, your porn is hand drawn!" The second thought was, "I can’t believe he doesn’t have to pay attention to this, but I do."

At the end of a very long 2 weeks, we found Smarmy Drug Dealer very guilty, and I found later that he confessed to it all.

Why am I telling you ALL of this? Because, other than the pen and ink peep show, the most surprising thing about serving on a jury is how exhausting it was. I was SO tired at the end of the day, after doing nothing more than just sitting there forcing myself to listen to terms like bifurcate and per curiam.

And as I start to write this cookbook and I spend the entire day forcing creativity to get out of my brain and into my KitchenAid, I am exhausted at the end of the day. Really, not as surprising a 90-year-old man asleep on the job atop parchment inscribed with a nude Botticelli-esque drawing. But still, I wasn’t really expecting it.

 

Mini Drunken Pumpkin Coconut Pies

Ingredients
  

For the Dough

  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs sugar
  • 1 stick cold butter cut into cubes
  • 2 tbs ice cold beer high ABV works best

For the filling

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree if using canned, make sure it is not pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbs flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk fat scraped off the top of a can of full fat coconut milk
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin ale
  • 1 tsp coconut extract can sub vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, add the flour, salt and sugar, mix to combine. Add the butter cubes and rub into the flour with your fingers, or a pasty cutter, until well combined. It will resemble coarse meal. Add the beer and mix until combined, adding more until all the flour is moistened and the dough is able to form a ball. Form into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into 4 inch circles, a large margarita glass works wonderfully for this.
  • Spray the wells of 12 to 14 muffin tins with butter flavored cooking spray. Place each circle into a well and gently press into shape, allowing for a bit of an overhang.
  • In a bowl, add all of the filling ingredients, whisk until well combined. Pour into mini pie crusts. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until the filling has set and no longer jiggles when the pan is shaken.

 

How To: Make Candied Bacon

Before we get started on the essential skill of making your very own batch of candied bacon, I need to pause to tell you some amazing news:

I signed a cookbook deal last week.

And so begins the frantic, not enough time, spending to much money on groceries, stress, lack of sleep that has nothing to do with my toddler, phase of my life. The book is focused on cooking with craft beer, the subject of my other blog, The Beeroness, from which the book truly sprang.

Even with all the warnings from those who have gone before me, all the friends I have who have written cookbooks, novels, non-fiction research books, I am thrilled. Even though I realize that writing a book is light years more work and far less money than anyone ever thinks, I’ll never stop being grateful for being given this opportunity.

Now all I have to do is write it.

So for now, lets make some candied bacon.

First, what do you DO with candied bacon? The better questions is, what wouldn’t you do with candied bacon?

For starters, here are some fabulous ideas:

Candied bacon topped brownies (just sprinkle on top of your favorite brownies before baking)

Candied bacon & Vanilla ice cream

Candied bacon sprinkled on maple doughnuts

Candied bacon mixed into your favorite pancake batter

Candied bacon waffles

Candied bacon on salad (for real)

Candied bacon chocolate chip cookies

Candied Bacon sprinkled on a chocolate tart

It’s endless.

 

Ingredients:

12 strips of bacon

1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Sprinkle one side of the strips of bacon with brown sugar.

Press it into the bacon well.

Place the bacon, sugar side down, on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. You are going to want to cover the baking sheet with a Silpat or aluminum foil, the drippings will burn and be difficult to clean.

Top the other side of the bacon (the side facing up) with more brown sugar and press into the bacon.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Using a pair of tongs, turn each slice and continue to bake until a dark brown and cooked through.

Bacon will not crisp in the oven. Bacon will not get crispy until it cools and the sugar has hardened.

Allow bacon to cool, chop and use in all sorts of amazing ways.

 

Creme Brulee Topped Chocolate Stout Brownies & Some Big News

I have some news.

If you Follow me on Twitter, you probably already know the Big News.

I signed a book deal on Thursday. A publisher has actually decided to pay me to write a cookbook.

How amazing is that?

Writing a cookbook has long been on my list of goals, and as I somewhat naively and idealistically jump into this process, I am reminded that it is you I have to thank for this milestone. The ones who share my posts, tell their friends about my little blog, believe in what I’m doing here,  the ones who read every silly word I write, and yes, even those of you who write creepy comments about wanting to wake up in my bed and email me about how you google stalk me on a weekly basis. I am grateful for all of you.

This isn’t just my book, it’s yours too. The ideas you give me, the way I’m inspire by your questions and humbled by being seen as a source of knowledge and beer-cooking wisdom.

I wish I could properly thank you all, over a beer and some possibly inappropriate conversation.  But for now, we’ll have to settle for some Creme Brulee Brownies made with two different types of beer. Which seems to be fitting, since chocolate stout was the first beer I ever cooked with and creme brulee was the subject of my first post. It’s an homage to my beer cooking beginnings, hope you like it.

If you are at all interested in helping me with this book, as an un-paid but thoroughly appreciated, recipe tester, for which you will receive my undying love and affection, a mention in the book, a sneak peek at never-before-seen-recipes, and possibly more, stay tuned. Once we get to that place, I’ll let you know how you can be my beer cooking partner in crime.

Creme Brulee Topped Chocolate Stout Brownies

Ingredients
  

For the Brownie Layer:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 stick butter
  • 7 oz dark chocolate 60%
  • 2/3 cup chocolate stout

For The Creme Brulee Layer

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup low-hop pale ale beer
  • 1 vanilla bean split and scraped or 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 3 eggs plus 2 yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tbs corn starch
  • Plus 1/4 cup sugar for the brulee topping

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the 3 eggs, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla on high for at least ten minutes. You need a meringue type consistency in order to create a crust on top of the brownies to insure the layers stay separate. In a separate bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt, stir to combine.
  • In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter and the chocolate. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted.
  • While the stand mixer is on medium speed, slowly add the chocolate until mostly combined. Add the beer and stir. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
  • Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour batter into dish and smooth out the top. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until the top is matte and a bit cracked. Don't over bake.
  • Allow to cool to room temperature.
  • For the creme brulee layer:
  • In a sauce pan over medium heat, bring the cream, beer and vanilla to a slight simmer, removing from heat when bubbles start to form around the edges. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the 1/2 cup sugar, eggs and yolk, and cornstarch until well combined and slightly frothy.
  • While continuing to whisk the egg mixture, slowly add the cream and whisk until well combined. Make sure the cream has cool or you will just have created vanilla scrambled eggs.
  • Return the cream to the stove and stir over medium heat until it comes to a low simmer. Continue to whisk until thickened, between 5 and 10 minutes. The cream should leave a track when you drag the whisk through it. Allow to cool to about room temperature.
  • Pour over the brownies, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill until set, about 1 hour.
  • Just prior to serving, cut into squares, cover with a light layer of white sugar and brulee the top with a kitchen torch until the sugar has melted and turned a dark amber color.

 

 

Chocolate Fudge Bourbon and Whipped Cream Sandwich Cookies

I had this really Idealistic feeling that once the election was over, and the Binders had spoken, we would all go back to love and cookie baking. Seems like this morning, waking up and reading Facebook, the world is more divided than it was yesterday.

Anger, hate, social media mud slinging, has never given anyone a better quality of life or made them happier. But it has destroyed friendships and divided families.

I understand the urge to express feelings of disappointment, and more than that, a feeling that you are "forced" into a decision that you didn’t make. It’s important to feel like your voice is heard, whether it be a victory cry or sobs of distain. But, please, bear in mind that expressing those feelings on social media will inevitably cause division between you and, statistically speaking, half of your friends. Is it worth it?

We need to take a step back, appreciate that no matter what outcome you expected, we had two great men fight to lead this Nation. We had a higher than expected voter turnout of engaged and passionate voters. We are lucky to live in a country that approved marriage equality in four states last night. We live in a place where we are free to post ignorant and hateful rants online, and the government protects that freedom. No matter who is president, we live in a great nation, run by leaders we get to vote for.

No one ever changes an opinion because of an angry Facebook status. But nearly every time someone posts a rant fueled update, someone loses respect for the poster, especially when half of the country dissagrees with you.

My suggestions on how to cope is find a space where like minded people dwell. Because, for the most part, what you really want is camaraderie, and people who agree with you and understand the feelings you have. Most people (in general) aren’t looking for a fight.

Instead of posting that angry status to Facebook, text it to a friend to get it out of your system, find a message board or Facebook group of people who feel like you do, or just take a cyber hiatus.

If you do need to post something controversial, take a moment before you hit send. Walk away from the computer, think about a person you love who will disagree with what you are about to post and speak in a way that is respectful to that persons feelings. Take at least one pass at it, to make it more diplomatic. The more you seek to understand the other side, the more likely they are to listen to you.

Anyone have any thoughts on how to tame the impulsive cyber rants we all seem to be close to from time to time?

Any perspective you can offer?

Or, just make some cookies. Because no matter what, we are headed into the Holiday Season and cookie swaps are almost here!

And those always have bipartisan support.

Chocolate Fudge Bourbon and Whipped Cream Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp espresso powder (this intensifies chocolate, it does not make it taste like coffee)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 4 tbs unsalted butter
  • 3.5 oz chocolate, broken into chunks
  • 2tbs bourbon

For the whipped cream filling

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, vanilla and both kinds of sugar. Whip on high for ten minutes to create a frothy meringue like texture.
  2. In a separate bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt. Stir until combined.
    In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate and the butter. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted.
  3. Gently fold the chocolate and the bourbon into the eggs until mostly combined (some streaks are fine).
  4. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the chocolate/egg mixture, stir until just combined. Place in the fridge and allow to chill until set up enough to scoop, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375
    Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, drop equal amounts of dough evenly space on the cookie sheet.
  5. Bake for 9-11 minutes, don’t over bake. Allow to cool.
  6. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the whipped cream, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on high set up, about 3-5 minutes. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
  7. Assemble sandwich cookies. Makes 12-16

Salted Chocolate Stout Truffles

 

This is totally easy. I promise.

At a beer event a few weeks ago, I had a guy call my recipes, "Foodie but accessible. They sounds hard and impressive, but once you read the recipe it’s actually really easy."

I like that.

This recipe is the same way. It sounds really hard, making truffles from scratch. And really, that’s the best part. It sounds hard, and impressive, and it has beer in it, which makes you a Christmas Party Superhero, but it’s really easy. And since so few people have ever made truffles from scratch, they won’t even know how easy it was.

I made these for the first time a few years ago to bring to a Thanksgiving party. A friend of mine, an artist from France, ate one. Without even knowing that I was the one who had brought them, he looked at me and said, "It’s like Paris at Christmas time."

That pretty much made my year.

 

There are a few things to keep in mind when making these. Although your active time is pretty minimal, it takes about 2 1/2 hours start to finish because of the chilling time.

Also, this is no place to skimp when it comes to chocolate. Use the good stuff. Don’t use chocolate chips, they contain additives that prevent them from melting together in the package and that could be problematic.

For the coating, you can go crazy. Roll them in anything that goes with chocolate, and make a bunch of different flavors and figure out which ones you like the best.

Some ideas:

Cocoa powder (the old standard)

Crushed Pretzels

Coconut shavings

Chopped nuts

Chopped bacon (yep, you should totally do that)

Crushed candy cane

Sprinkles

Crushed graham crackers

Crushed toffee

Seriously, anything that you think might taste good on chocolate, give it a try.

 

You can also try tempering chocolate to give them a nice, smooth, shinny chocolate shell with a satisfying snap when you bite into them. I would strongly encourage you to do this. It isn’t difficult and it gives you a really professional tasting final product.

 

 

For the filling:

1 cup stout beer

8 weight ounces (225 g) good quality chocolate (60% cocoa content)

For the coating:

8oz (225 g) good quality chocolate (from a shiny bar, this means it has previously been tempered) can be milk, dark or white chocolate

and/or

Cocoa powder, coconut shavings, chopped nuts, chopped bacon, etc.

1 tsp good quality coarse sea salt (I used Himalayan Pink Salt)

 

Add the beer to a pot over high heat. Reduce by half (about 1/2 cup remaining), stirring frequently. Remove from heat, break the 8 wt ounce of chocolate into chunks, stir until smooth and melted.

Allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Use a melon baller to scoop out a small amount of chocolate.

Roll into a ball with your hands, add to a plate and chill for 20 minutes to an hour.

To temper chocolate for the coating:

Chop the good quality chocolate into small pieces. Add about half of it to the top of a double boiler over medium heat (If you don’t have a double boiler, place a glass or metal bowl over a pot of water making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water).

Stir until the chocolate reaches 115 for dark chocolate, 110 for milk or white chocolate.

Remove from heat. Stir continuously, adding a bit of the reserved chocolate at a time until the chocolate reaches 90 degrees (88 for milk or white chocolate). Stir, stir, stir like crazy.

Add the chocolate truffle balls, roll around with a fork until coated.

Remove from chocolate and place on parchment paper, sprinkle with a small amount of sea salt. Chill until ready to serve.

If you don’t want to temper chocolate, just place the coating in a small bowl, add the chocolate truffle and turn until coated.

 

 

IPA Cherry Tart

 

 

 To be honest, I haven’t always loved IPA’s. It took me a while, although not as long as resolving my mint aversion, and now I can pretty firmly place myself in that Hop Heads category I used to shy away from. I discover that a dry hopped IPA gives me the delicate flavors of the hops that love, that are lost without the dry hopping process. I also found myself lurking on the Home Brew Talk website in a creepy way that usually lands someone in a face to face interview with Chris Hansen.

If I was going to homebrew, jump feet first into the mash tun world, I’m not sure if an IPA would be first on my list. My love of stouts would probably pull me in that direction first. But once I made it around to an IPA, it would most definitely involve dry hopping. And possibly Sriracha.

It’s probably a good thing I don’t homebrew, sounds like I’d waste a lot of money on crazy ideas.

 

 

IPA Cherry Tart

Ingredients
  

  • 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
  • 3 cups sweet dark cherries pitted (I used Bing Cherries)
  • 2 tbs corn starch
  • 1/2 cup IPA
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg lightly beaten

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a tart pan with a removable bottom, press into shape, remove excess. If you don't have a tart pan, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, place puff pastry in the middle, fold about 1 inch of the sides inward to form edges. Place puff pastry in the fridge until ready.
  • In a pot over medium high heat, add the cherries, cornstarch, IPA and sugar. Allow to boil until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove pastry from the fridge, prick all over with a fork, make sure the holes are small. Brush with lightly beaten egg.
  • Pour the cherries into the tart.
  • Bake until the pastry has turned golden brown, about 20 minutes.

 

 

 

5 Boozy Whipped Cream Recipes

Boozy whipped creams!

Not just one, but 5 recipes for you. This is a great way to bring your holiday desserts to the next level. Because serving a Chocolate Tart is great, but people remember a Chocolate Tart with Orange Cointreau Whipped Cream. And you don’t even have to tell them that it only took you 3 minutes to throw that whipped cream together.

And Homemade Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Schnapps Whipped Cream will give you the win at Girls Night In this December.

Making homemade whipped cream is incredibly easy, but here are a few tips to make it completely fool proof:

1. Cold, cold, cold. Seriously, cold ingredients or you will be churning butter.

2. You can whip it by hand, with a whisk, of you can use  a stand mixer. Don’t over beat, stop when you have soft peaks.

3. Make it right before you serve it, it tends to break down fairly quickly at room temperature and doesn’t last all that long in the fridge.

4. Taste and adjust as you go. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar. More booze? Go nuts.

Orange Cointreau Whipped Cream. I love this on a rich dark chocolate tart, cranberry apple crumble or a vanilla sponge cake with berries.

Orange Cointreau Whipped Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp orange juice
  • 1/2 tsp orange zest
  • 1 tbs cointreau

Instructions

  1. Put all ingredients in a stand mixer, beat on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.

Vanilla Elderflower Whipped Cream. I love this on a lemon cake, peach pie, or strawberry tart.

Vanilla Elderflower Whipped Cream Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp elderflower liquor (like St. Germain)

Instructions

  1. Put all ingredients in a stand mixer, beat on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.

 

Pumpkin Bourbon Whipped Cream. Of course, this is great on pumpkin pie. But also great on pancakes, waffles, caramel cupcakes and pecan pie.

Pumpkin Bourbon Whipped Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbs pumpkin puree
  • 2 tbs bourbon

Instructions

  1. Put all cream, sugar and cinnamon in a stand mixer, beat on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gently stir in pumpkin and bourbon.

Peppermint Schnapps Whipped Cream. This is perfect for your Christmas Hot Cocoa, garnish with a mini candy cane. Also great with chocolate fudge cake, or just chocolate mint cupcakes.

Peppermint Schnapps Whipped Cream Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp peppermint schnapps

Instructions

  1. Put all ingredients in a stand mixer, beat on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.

 

Tequila Lime Whipped Cream. Of course, this is awesome on key lime pie. But it’s also great on pineapple cake, and vanilla pound cake with strawberries.

Tequila Lime Whipped Cream Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp zest
  • 1 tbs tequila

Instructions

  1. Put all ingredients in a stand mixer, beat on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.

Chocolate Stout and Bacon Skillet Brownies

 

I hope you don’t mind my excessive use of stout over the past few weeks, but to be honest I’m really not sorry. I love stouts, I’m  unreasonably excited about stouts being back "in season," and we are only about 2 weeks away from International Stout Day.

I’m geting you all stocked up on stout recipes, in case you want to celebrate via beer infused baked goods.

Which, of course, I hope you do.

You can use a chocolate stout for this, and that will be perfectly fine. You can also use a smoked porter or stout, or you can use a coffee or espresso stout.

Whatever you choose, this is best served warm, in the middle of a table full of fun people, each with a spoon in one hand and a stout in the other.

Chocolate Stout and Bacon Skillet Brownies

Ingredients
  

  • 2 strips thick cut bacon
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 3.5 oz 100g dark chocolate (60%), broken into pieces
  • 1/2 cup stout chocolate or coffee stouts work best
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tbs espresso powder
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • Preheat oven to 350.

Instructions
 

  • In a 8 or 9 inch cast iron skillet cook the bacon until done. Remove bacon from skillet. Swirl the bacon fat to coat the pan, discard the excess bacon fat.
  • Add the butter to the skillet, return to heat and cook until melted. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Add beer and stir.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined. Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and espresso powder over the eggs, whisk until just combined.
  • Add the egg mixture to the chocolate skillet and stir until just combined. Chop bacon and sprinkle over the top.
  • Bake until the top has set (don't over bake) about 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, top with vanilla ice cream if desired (and I'm pretty sure you should desire) set in the middle of a table full of hungry people. Add spoons.

Chocolate Mint Stout Lava Cake

 

 

 

Let’s talk about mint for a second.

If you know me well, you know I have an issue with mint. Although it would be hard to tell, given that I’ve made you Chocolate Porter Brownies with Mint Frosting, Chocolate Mint Stout Ice Cream, and our neighborhood beer float hussy, The Dirty Girl Scout. You could have even assumed that I LOVE mint by all of those recipes, but the truth is that this is my culinary equililant of Exposure Therapy.

The devolution of mint in my life happened in Morocco. I was traveling though Middle Atlas a few year ago with my sister, being carted from one town to another in the back of what was surely the car of a Moroccan drug dealer (or at least drug dropper-offer-guy, *actual term). I can’t even really pinpoint which incident linked Mint with Morocco in my brain. Maybe it was the cave dweller in Middle Atlas who made me mint tea, or the three Moroccan rug makers who locked me in the back of the factory plying me with mint tea in an effort to convince me to spend $6000 on a rug, or maybe it was the mint vendors waving their wares at me in the walled maze that was the old City Medina.

To be honest, the experience wasn’t entirely bad. Terrifying and life changing, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to have gone to the other side of the world, even if it did involved running for my life through the late night streets of Fez. The rumor is that your sense of taste is more strongly linked to memories than images. Which makes sense. Because even when I see my photos from that trip, it doesn’t even come close to evoking the memories that come screaming back when I smell or taste fresh mint.

I want to like mint, it’s an incredible flavor. It’s fresh and bright, and makes me gag. But I’m working on it. Exposure therapy, one chocolate mint dessert at a time.

Months ago, when I found out about the Ken Schmidt / Iron Fist / Stone Mint Chocolate Imperial Stout I was excited that my self imposed mint affliction could extend into my love of craft beer.

This might do it. And with a bold and creamy taste, and a gentle, but not sweet, mint flavor, I have high hopes that I will someday be the cure to my mint aversion. I think I need to send Ken Schmidt a mint flavored thank you card.

 

Chocolate Mint Stout Lava Cake

Ingredients
  

  • 3.5 oz 100 g Dark Chocolate 70%
  • 1 1/2 sticks butter 10 tbs
  • 2/3 cup Chocolate Mint Stout or chocolate stout
  • 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
  • 3 eggs plus 3 additional yolks
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 tsp espresso powder this will not make the dessert taste like coffee. Espresso intensifies chocolate
  • 2 tbs dark chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425.
  • Butter six soufflé dishes very well. The best way to do this is to soften butter (or use vegetable shortening or margarine) and a wadded up paper towel, smear a large amount inside each dish, making sure to get into the edges.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, add the chocolate and butter. Stir constantly until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add beer, and peppermint extract, stir to combine.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks and powdered sugar.
  • Pour chocolate mixture over egg mixture, stir to combine.
  • Sprinkle cocoa powder, espresso powder and flour over chocolate mixture, stir until just combined.
  • Divide equally between souffle dishes, making sure not to fill more than 2/3 full. Press about 4 to 5 chocolate chips into the very center of each cake (can be made one day ahead, cover and chill).
  • Bake at 425 until the outside is set, but the center is still liquid, about 9 minute no more than 13. (Note: Glass baking dishes cook much faster then ceramic dishes. Take these out of the oven when it looks as if they "need a few more minutes," you want a very runny center.)
  • Run a butter knife around the edge of the cake. Place a plate on top of each ramekin, turn upside down, lift ramekin to reveal cake. Serve immediately.

 

Triple Berry Blueberry Beer Cobbler

You inspire me. You really do. One of my favorite moments of my day is reading emails from you, those of you who read my blog and like what I’m doing.

And sometimes,the emails have a common theme. A thread that runs through out the world, across the internet, and remind me of how we are all connected, in one way or another, and more similar than we all think.

In the past month I’ve received four emails from all over the world about blueberry beer. Not so much along the avenue of, "I love this, you MUST try it!" but more in the vein of, "This is interesting, but not totally drinkable, what do I do with it?"

And to be honest, I feel the same way. At a beer event six months ago, an overly zealous beer server shoved a glass of Shipyards Smashed Blueberry into my hand. And, as one who will never let a beer go untasted, I began to drink. It was interesting. The presence of blueberry with bready, toasty notes that where really well balanced. It wanted to love it, but it just wasn’t for me. It’s a great example of a blueberry beer, one that you should go out and drink, if fruit beers are your thing, but just not for me. Even still, it stayed with me, because in my world there is a different place for cooking beers. And this was a great cooking beer. One that I believe in, in theory, a well crafted beer with great flavors, but one that I wasn’t eager to run home and drink.

So here we are, me and you, with blueberry beers that we find interesting but not necessarily ones we want to fill our glasses with.

So here is what I propose: an easy berry cobbler made with this intriguing beer. And here are some great ones to go out and try:

SLO Brewing Blueberry

Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Beer

Bluepoint Blueberry Ale

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry

Triple Berry Blueberry Beer Cobbler

Ingredients
  

  • Six cups of berries I used 2 cups each blackberries, strawberrries, and blueberries Frozen is fine
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar plus 2 tbs divided
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs corn starch
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberry beer
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 12 tbs butter 1 1/2 sticks cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup beer
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs beer

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 450.
  • In a pot over medium high heat, add 4 cups berries (reserve 2 cups mixed berries for the end), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, corn starch and beer. Allow to simmer until reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, add reserved 2 cups of berries, stir to combine. Add to a deep dish pie pan.
  • In a bowl, add 2 tbs brown sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and stir to combine.
  • Add the butter, rub into the flour until well combined and resembles course meal.
  • Add the milk and 1/2 cup beer, stir until combined.
  • Gently add the flour topping, a bit at a time, to the pie pan until the berries are covered.
  • Bake at 450 until the topping has turned a light golden brown, about 18 minutes.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 tbs beer. Whip on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
  • Serve the cobbler topped with whipped cream.

 

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I spent the morning interviewing ex-cons.

For them, the employees of Homeboy Industries, it’s a second chance and fresh start. A non-profit that works with gang members, fresh out of jail, provides culinary training, GED prep, job placement, parenting skills and so much more. "It’s like a big family, but everyone believes in you." Said one guy, back for a second chance at his second chance.

But sitting at the front of the Homegirl Cafe, interviewing and photographing the employees, it felt like a second chance and fresh start for me too. I was hired to write an article about food. Paid to go there, talk to people and take photos. A rare opportunity it seems for me to bulldog my way into this food writing world that I’ve been fighting so hard to be  a part of. An article I hope to do justice to, undoubtably spending the better part of the next week working on.

So here we are. Me and them. My transformation so much less dramatic, so much less important to my survival. They inspire me. When I asked the man I met, the one who is back for his second time and only 3 days out of jail, how he is going to do things different this time around, he shrugs, "I’m just going to keep showing up. That’s all."

I think he’s on to something there.

Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 2/3 cups white sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 2/3 cup cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Makes 2 dozen

Instructions

  1. In a pot over medium high heat, add the butter. Stir until butter has melted. Continue to cook, swirling the pot continuously, until the butter has turned an amber brown color and remove from heat. This will take about 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the sugar. Add the vanilla and the browned butter, stir until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl add the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined, don’t over mix.
    Line two baking sheets with a Silpat or parchment paper.
  5. Form dough into balls a bit larger than a golf ball. Place on the baking sheets.
  6. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, and up to 24.
  7. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for about 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Keep an eye on your cookies at about the 12 minutes mark. Cookies that aren’t as chilled will cook much faster.

 

Pumpkin Ale Cheesecake with Beer Pecan Caramel Sauce

I conducted a very non-sientiffic study on my Facebook page about pumpkin beer. To be honest with you, I have always been a touch hesitant of fruit flavored beer. And although pumpkin is a squash, therefore  not a fruit, it seems to fall under the same umbrella in my mind since I make pies out of them.

But I love nothing more than trying new and exotic beers. And I always want input and feedback from other craft beer fans. So, my very un-scientific study yielded the final conclusion: based only on comments and likes, I want to search the town for the following Pumpkin Beers for another non-scientific Beer Tasting Study:

Dogfish Head, Pumpkin

Avery, Rumpkin

St Arnold, Pumpkinator

Southern Tier, Pumpking

If you have any suggestions, please chime in. I’m looking to expand the reach of my non-scientific study.

Pumpkin Ale Cheesecake with Beer Pecan Caramel Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

For The Cheesecake

  • 9 standard sized graham crackers
  • 2 tbs brown sugar
  • 4 tbs melted butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cup pumpkin ale
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs flour

For The Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin beer
  • 1/4 cup corn syrup
  • 1 tbs butter
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 1/3 cup pecans

Instructions
 

  • In a food processor add the graham crackers and brown sugar, process until only crumbs are left. While the food processor is still running, add the melted butter and process until it resembles wet sand. Dump into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Press into the bottom until well compacted.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the brown sugar, white sugar and cream cheese. Mix until well combined. One at a time, add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until well combined, scraping the bottom, before adding more.
  • Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon nutmeg and salt, mix until very well combined.
  • Add the beer and stir until combined.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the bowl, stir on medium speed until just combined.
  • Pour over the crust.
  • Bake at 350 for about one hour or until the center no longer jiggles when you shake the rack the cheesecake sits on, it will still look wet in the center. The secret to a great cheesecake is not to over bake it, it's better to slightly under bake it for a smooth mousse like texture.
  • Chill until set, about 3 hours.
  • To make the caramel sauce, add the sugar, beer and corn syrup to a pot and stir over medium high heat for about 1 minute. Stop stirring and allow to boil, untouched, until it turns an amber color, about 10 minutes (230 on a candy thermometer). Add the butter and cream, stir until combined. Add the pecans and stir. Allow to cool to approximately room temperature before serving over chilled cheesecake.


Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups

 

 

 

I’ve got a bone to pick with Reeses. First, they make the only store bought candy that I can’t stop eating. The only Halloween treat I’m actually tempted to eat in bulk.

But my real issue is with their so called Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkins.

On first glance this Halloween treat seems like it contains, or at least tastes like, pumpkin. Which lures me into breaking my self imposed ban on store bought candy only to be left with the realization that the only thing Pumpkin about it, is the shape.

So I give to you the exact opposite. An Unprocessed, homemade treat that is not shaped like a pumpkin but contains real life, home roasted pumpkin.

If you want to make it a touch easier, you can combine canned pumpkin pie filling with peanut butter until it tastes right to you, but I like to roast my pumpkins myself. I just love real life produce that much, I pledge my allegiance to the framer and not the factory.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dark chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 tbs honey
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

(you will also need mini muffin tins and mini muffin papers)

Instructions

  1. In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, stir and repeat until melted. Line a mini muffin tin with mini muffin papers. Add about 1 1/2 tsp of melted chocolate to each paper. Using the back of a spoon, gently "paint" the chocolate up the sides of the papers, making sure to leave enough on the bottom for a sturdy base.
  2. Place muffin tin in the refrigerator, chill until set, about ten minutes.
  3. Place the remaining ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined. (Taste filling, add more honey for a sweeter filling.)
  4. Once the chocolate has set, add a small amount to the middle of the cups, making sure to avoid the top edges.
  5. Remelt chocolate if necessary.
  6. Top the muffin papers with melted chocolate, tap the muffin tin lightly on the counter to evenly distribute chocolate. Make sure the pumpkin filling is completely covered.
  7. Chill until set, about 10 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen.

 

Pumpkin Ale Waffles & How To Roast A Pumpkin

 Although most of you are in the giddy early stages of fall, here in Los Angeles it’s still over 90 degrees. So what the rest of the country is referring to as "Fall," I am calling Pumpkin Season. And to curb my near constant urge to shove as much pumpkin into everything I consume, I have elected to only make pumpkin from scratch, no cans.

It’s only really helped a little. It’s pretty easy to roast a pumpkin and turn it into massive quantities of pumpkin treats.

If you haven’t roasted your own, don’t be intimidated, its pretty simple.

Start with a pie pumpkin. They go by various other names, but they are not Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins used for carving. They are small, about the size of a cantaloupe.

Preheat oven to 375.

Remove the stem by running a butter knife around the edges and then prying it off. The most stubborn one I removed by whacking it on the edge of the counter. Popped right off.

Cut the pumpkin in half, right through the hole left by the stem.

Scoop the seeds out with a spoon.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place pumpkins on baking sheets, cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast at 375 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until a fork can easily slide into the skin.

 Allow to cool and sccop the flesh out.

For a smoother texture, process in a food processor for about 3 minutes.

See, that’s not so hard. You can totally do that.

Pumpkin Ale Waffles

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 eggs divided
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 1 cup Pumpkin Ale

(Makes 6 to 8)

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat waffle iron.
    • Get out three bowls.
    • In the largest bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking power, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon, stir until well combined.
    • Divide the eggs between the last two bowls, egg whites in one, yolks in the other.
    • In the yolks bowl, add the milk and pumpkin puree, stir until well combined. Add the melted butter and stir.
    • Using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.
    • Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined, don't over mix. Add the beer and stir until combined. Gently fold in the egg whites.
    • Spray waffle iron with butter flavored cooking spray. Cook waffles according to manufactures directions.

     

     

    Chocolate Mint Stout Ice Cream

    There are two ways to look at this.

    It’s either the summer death rattle manifesting itself in an ice cream during the first week of fall, or it’s the nexus of the best of summer treats and the best of fall beers joining forces at the perfect moment.

    For this, I used Bison Chocolate Stout. Rich, dark and beautiful. Although I did try and hold out for the Stone Chocolate Mint Stout that I’ve been teased with for months now, I may have to give this recipe another try when the red tape is lifted and the world is able to indulge in that.

    I also used Green & Blacks Mint Dark Chocolate, adding a smooth peppermint flavor.

    Resulting in a rich, smooth ice cream that’s like a Girl Scout Thin Mint, but with beer. And, that’s really what those cookies need: beer.

     

     

    Chocolate Mint Stout Ice Cream

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 3 fresh mint leaves
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 cup chocolate stout or chocolate mint stout
    • 7 ounces of 60% dark chocolate with peppermint oil such as Dark Chocolate Mint from Green & Blacks, broken into chunks
    • 4 egg yolks
    • 1 1/4 cup white sugar

    Instructions
     

    • In a pot over medium high heat, add the cream, milk, mint leaves cream and stout. Bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, remove and discard mint leaves, and stir in the chocolate until melted.
    • In a separate bowl, add the egg yolks and the sugar, whisk until well combined. Slowly add the chocolate milk, whisking continually, until about 1/2 the mixture has been added to the egg yolks. Add the egg yolk mixture back into pot, whisk until well combined. Return pot to heat and bring to a mild simmer.
    • Refrigerator until chilled, about 3 hours.
    • Churn in ice cream maker according to manufactures directions. Chill until firm.

     

     

     

    Green & Blacks provided me with a sample of chocolates used in this post. I was not monetarily compensated for this recipe. All thoughts, opinions and ideas are my own. 

    Beer & Bacon Pecan Bars

     

     

    Clearly, I’m ready for fall. And in Los Angeles, that just means that Dodgers games are starting to end and I get to wear a light sweater. If I feel like it. Oh, and fall produce. If I haven’t mentioned to you before my favorite part of living in Southern California, its this: Farmers Markets.

    This Golden State that I live in grows half of all the produce grown in the United States (that’s a lot) and we get to have Farmers Markets nearly every day of the year. And although mid-rant I realize that this post doesn’t even contain any produce, it does contain those fabulous flavors of fall. With bacon. And beer. And fall farmers markets are my favorite. No matter what day of the week, somewhere in Los Angeles there is a Farmers Market in which I can unnecessarily bundle up and walk from stall to stall with a cup of coffee buying local vegetables in the "chilly" mid 60 degree weather.

    Pecan pie will always remind me of fall and for nearly a year I’ve wondered what it would be like to add bacon. And of course, beer.

    Turns out, these are the best damn pecan pie bars I’ve ever had.

     

    Beer & Bacon Pecan Bars

    Ingredients
      

    For The Crust:

    • 1 stick plus 2 tbs 10 tbs unsalted butter
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tbs water

    For the Filling

    • 1 cup stout
    • 1 stick butter
    • 2 cups chopped pecan
    • 2 cups brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
    • 1/4 cup heavy cream
    • 2 eggs
    • 5 strips of bacon cooked and chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350
    • In a food processor add the flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and salt, pulse to combine. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the food processor. Process until butter is incorporated into the flour mixture. Add the water and process to combine. Add additional water, 1 tsp at a time if there is flour that still hasn't been dampened.
    • line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper (this will make it easier to remove from the pan) and dump the shortbread into the pan. Press into the bottom of the baking pan in one even layer.
    • Bake at 350 for 12 minutes of until a light golden brown. Allow to cool before adding the filling or the crust and filling will mesh together.
    • In a pot over medium high heat, add the stout, cook until reduced by half. Add the butter and stir until melted, remove from heat. Add the sugar, pecans, cream, corn syrup and stir until melted. Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, add the eggs and stir until combined.
    • Pour the filling over the crust, sprinkle with cooked bacon and bake at 350 until the filling no longer jiggles when you gently shake the pan, about 25-30 minutes.

     

     

     

     

     

    Compost Toffee

    There is this bakery in New York called Momofuku Milk Bar that sells baked goods so perfect, they defies the laws of baking. They have this incredibly popular Compost Cookie recipe that people line up to buy fresh out of the oven.

    And I’ve been missing New York a lot lately, and the time I used to spend there, before I was a mom. I miss the roof top parties, the back stage passes, the music festivals, the rock shows, chatting with celebrities, chefs tastings, my single friends with fascinating careers, and epic dinners that lasted all night.

    Which might be why I wanted to a little piece of the NYC I miss, turned into a toffee.

    But then last night I got to do something even better than all those night in New York during my 20-something life. I ran around the back yard playing "I’m gonna get you" with my little girl, while my husband volunteered to do the dishes, and then my daughter curled up in my lap to eat rasins and watch Sesame Street.

    No passes, no list, no plane tickets.

    As much as those pre-mom nights had a higher marquee  value, this is the good stuff. This is what I’ll miss when I’m old, and even my grandkids have babies.

    I loved my 20’s, and I’m glad I was able to run around the world with my husband, but now I’m glad to run around the back yard with my daughter.

    And if all I have left of New York is memories and cookies I turn into toffee, I’m ok with that. Because it all comes down to my life’s motto: Figure out what is great about the situation you are in and enjoy the crap out of it. 

    Compost Toffee

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter
    • 3/4 cup brown sugar
    • 3/4 cup white sugar
    • 2 tbs corn syrup
    • 2 tbs water
    • 2 cup 60% dark chocolate
    • 1/4 cup pretzels, smashed
    • 1/4 cup potato chips, smashed
    • 2 tbs butterscotch chips
    • 2 standard sized graham crackers, smashed

    Instructions

    1. In a large pot over high heat add the butter (make sure to use a large pot) and stir until melted. Clip a candy thermometer onto the edge of the pot, add both types of sugars, corn syrup and water. Stir continuously until it turns an amber color and hits 300 degrees. This process will take between 15 and 20 minutes from start to finish. pour onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a Silpat. Allow to cool.
    2. Add the chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until chocolate is melted. Pour over the toffee and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle remaining ingredients evenly over the warm chocolate. Allow to cool until set.
    3. Cut into pieces.