The Epicurious Cookbook (63 page)

Authors: Tanya Steel

BOOK: The Epicurious Cookbook

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chocolate
and
peppermint candy ice cream
sandwiches

These super-simple, kid-pleasing treats are delicious any time of year, but make for an especially festive dessert at a winter wonderland–themed get-together. Best of all, the recipe calls for just four ingredients: vanilla ice cream, peppermint extract, peppermint hard candies, and chocolate wafers. Try strawberry, mint, or chocolate chip ice cream for a sweet twist.

YIELD: MAKES 8 SANDWICHES

1 pint premium vanilla ice cream, softened slightly

¼ teaspoon pure peppermint extract

1 cup finely crushed peppermint hard candies (4 ounces)

16 chocolate wafers, such as Nabisco Famous

Special equipment: ¼-cup ice cream scoop

1.
Stir together the ice cream (reserve pint container), extract, and ½ cup crushed candy in a bowl until combined. Transfer the mixture to the reserved pint container and freeze until just firm enough to scoop, about 1 hour.

2.
Working very quickly, scoop the ice cream onto the flat sides of 8 wafers (1 scoop per wafer), then top with the remaining 8 wafers, flat side down. Wrap each sandwich individually with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

3.
Unwrap sandwiches and roll the edges in the remaining ½ cup crushed candy. Rewrap and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

“I made a few changes to these and they were still delicious. I had some great peppermint ice cream from a local place so I used that. Also, I couldn’t find the chocolate wafers the recipe called for so I used some thin sugar cookie wafers instead.”

Phillihg, Cincinnati, Ohio

Dried Cranberry and White Chocolate Biscotti

dried cranberry and white chocolate biscotti

This variation on the classic biscotti from home cook Andrea Daly in Plymouth, Massachusetts, which first appeared in
Bon Appétit,
integrates almond extract and dried cranberries, packing both sweet and tart flavors into each biscuit. The inclusion of fruit gives them a characteristic chewy-crisp texture. These visually appealing treats make great holiday gifts, excellent accompaniments to tea and coffee, and lovely endings for a holiday feast.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 28 BISCOTTI

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups sugar

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

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon almond extract

1½ cups dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)

1 large egg white

6 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), chopped, or white chocolate chips

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; whisk to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, eggs, and almond extract in a large bowl until well blended. Mix in the flour mixture, then add the cranberries.

2.
Divide the dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each piece into a 2½-inch-wide, 9 ½-inch-long, 1-inch-high log. Transfer both logs to the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly. Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until foamy, then brush egg white glaze on top and sides of each log.

3.
Bake the logs until golden brown (logs will spread), about 35 minutes. Cool completely on the sheet set on a rack. Maintain oven temperature.

4.
Transfer logs to a work surface. Discard the parchment. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs on the diagonal into ½-inch-wide slices. Arrange the slices cut side down on the same sheet. Bake 10 minutes; turn biscotti over and bake until just beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

5.
Stir the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the melted chocolate over the biscotti. Let stand until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

“The almond flavoring is what, for me, makes it so special. I added ground almonds to the dough to enhance the flavor and texture.”

A cook, Connecticut

do ahead:

The
BISCOTTI
can be made 1 week ahead. Freeze in airtight container. Thaw at room temperature.

triple chocolate cookies

A chocoholic’s dream, these cookies from renowned Seattle chef Tom Douglas incorporate melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips. The soft and chewy, decadently fudgy texture makes them brownie-like, and their generous size will satisfy the strongest of chocolate cravings. For a smaller cookie, use a tablespoon to portion the dough and reduce the baking time by a few minutes. Wrap either size cookie in parchment or wax paper and tie with a pretty ribbon to create a sweet edible gift, but be warned: if you take even one bite, you’ll want to keep them all for yourself.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 16 COOKIES

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

½ cup plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 large eggs

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Stir the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth; remove from heat and cool melted chocolate 10 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in another medium bowl until crumbly. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until the mixture is light, pale, and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the lukewarm melted chocolate and the vanilla, and beat just until blended. Fold in the dry ingredients, then add the chocolate chips.

3.
Drop the batter by ¼ cupfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the tops are evenly cracked but cookies are not yet firm to touch, about 16 minutes. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets.

“I made these with a hint of cinnamon and bourbon-soaked cherries, and they were killer. The chocolate is really intense, and I thought the cherries broke up the flavor nicely. I bet these would be great with mint chips or as ice cream sandwiches.”

GizelleMarie, Chicago, Illinois

cook’s note:

The
COOKIES
can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen. If giving as gifts, using a metal spatula, carefully transfer 4 cookies to each of 4 large resealable plastic bags, arranging in single layer, and freeze.

double chip christmas
fudge

Homey, comforting, chocolatey goodness: that’s Mama Braun’s Christmas fudge, as captured by her daughter and Epicurious member
Meridith Braun Schmalz
of Ontario, Canada. As one of seven children raised on a farm in Idaho, Schmalz grew up with this fudge recipe and considers it the best there is—maybe it’s the mellow butterscotch, maybe it’s the gooey marshmallow, or maybe it’s just the dense but crumbly fudge consistency. Any way you cut it, it’s a fabulous baked gift.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 36 (1½-INCH) SQUARES

2 cups (packed) light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter

1 (7½-ounce) jar marshmallow cream

6 ounces butterscotch chips

6 ounces milk chocolate chips

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped (optional)

Special equipment: 9-inch square baking pan; candy thermometer

1.
Butter the baking pan.

2.
In a medium pot over moderately high heat, bring the sugars, evaporated milk, and butter to a boil. Continue boiling until the mixture turns a deep golden brown and registers 245ºF on a candy thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.

3.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the marshmallow cream, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Stir until smooth, then stir in the walnuts, if using. Transfer to the prepared pan and cool at room temperature until set, at least 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.

Make sure the butter is room temperature before starting, otherwise the sugar cooks too long while the butter melts and the 15 minutes of boil time is compromised. You end up with fudge that crumbles when cut instead of staying nice and smooth.

—Meridith Braun Schmalz

do ahead:

The
FUDGE
can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

Peanut Butter and Fudge Brownies with Salted Peanuts

peanut butter and fudge brownies
with salted peanuts

A much-loved brainchild of the legendary cookbook author Dorie Greenspan, this recipe features a dense, peanut-studded cake topped with a creamy layer of peanut butter, which is in turn topped with a thick, rich ganache. The recipe yields 30 pieces, but you can cut the brownies into even smaller squares for larger parties.

YIELD: MAKES 30 BROWNIES

FOR BROWNIES

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1½ cups granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

FOR FROSTING AND GANACHE