Peanut Butter Cake With Chocolate Buttercream

The coolest thing in the world has happened. I, Hannah Jeffries of Burnaby, British Columbia of the former British colony that is now known as Canada, and the daughter of Dan and June; met Joy the Baker. Thee Joy the Baker. Not just some Joy that bakes, not that they aren't cool too, but the one and only Joy the Baker.

Back in February, Salivz and I woke up at an ungodly hour after a night of facetime and wine to drive all the way down to Seattle (otherwise known as C-@Z) for her book signing in Fremont. Now I've never been cool but, boy, did I fool her. Not only did I have the shakes and the sweats but whenever anything exciting happens, tears pour. Thank God I locked the tears down.

She is totally awesome and pretty and she looks so hip, hop and happening. After I walked out of the book store, I broke out into a dance that was a mix of a crump and Irish dancing whilst singing 'Ni**as in Paris.' Please don't judge me, I was definitely in my zone.  

Peanut Butter Cake With Chocolate Buttercream

From the Joy the Baker Cookbook

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter, softened

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter 

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3 eggs

1 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 with the racks in the upper and lower third. Butter and flour, or baking spray it up, two 9 inch cake pans. Set them aside. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a larger separate bowl, beat together the butters and sugars until they are light and creamy. Beat it up for about three minutes with some elbow grease. Then beat in the eggs one at a time until it is all nice and combined. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined and then pour in all of the buttermilk. Stir and just as it's about to come together, add the rest of the flour mixture. Now divide the batter between the two pans. Bake the cake for 15 to 25 minutes, alternating halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let them sit in the pan for ten minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream

From the Joy the Baker Cookbook

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 to 3 cups of powdered sugar, sifted

Scant 1/2 cup of heavy cream 

1/3 cup ovaltine powder

In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, cocoa and salt at a medium speed until combined and fluffy. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in the milk and vanilla. Beat to combine. Now add 2 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar. Slowly beat at first so that it doesn't fly up everywhere and attack you and then increase the speed to combine it all up. That should take about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. In a one cup measuring cup, mix together the cream and ovaltine to combine. With the mixer going at a slower speed, slowly pour in the cream mixture until it is all combined. Keep beating until it looks nice and fluffy and delicious. I threw mine in the fridge for 30 minutes before I used it on the cakes.. and ate some while I waited.

Assembly Line Time

2 cups quartered mini reese's cups (optional)

Take one of the cooled cakes and plop it on a cutting board. Grab a big old serrated and thin blade knife. I run this puppy along the top to get rid of the dome on the cake. Mine normally dont turn out to even but as long as you have most of the dome top gone, you're in the clear. Repeat with the other cake. Now grab a pretty cake stand and throw a cooled cake on it, with the cut side facing up. Grab some of the buttercream and spread it on the cake so there is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of buttercream. Cover the buttercream with some quartered reese cups, if you wish. You can skip this part if you don't like them, which is strange because you are making a peanut butter and chocolate cake. Anyways, then plop the other cake on top, with the cut side down. Once it's secure, spread a thin layer of buttercream all over the cake. Put the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This is the crumb coat. It keeps all the crumbs from ruining the pretty appearance of the cake. Once the 30 minutes are up, grab the cake and spread the rest of the buttercream on the cake. Sprinkle the rest of the peanut butter cups on top of the cake. Eat up! Makes one two-layer cake.

Date and Nut Cookies

Do you ever have a day when every single thing is just freaking agitating and it all just explodes into a meltdown? Today was one of those days. It was a long day of silent treatment and death glares at work. I rounded up the day by inexplicable and hysterical sobbing to the Glee finale. Then I sprawled on the basement floor and attempting to eat popcorn. Heads up, it's difficult.

To try to get rid of my nasty post-crying face, which is red and blotchy and disfigured, I made cookies. The cure to unreasonable mood swings and my family's uncomfortable attempts to understand why I'm crying on the floor. Cookies means a happy family. That should be in parenting books if it isn't already. 

Date and Nut Cookies

Adapted from Food Magazine

These are healthy cookies. It's a contradiction and I feel like a tool saying it but they are nonetheless. Perfect for attempting to slim down and look like Brooklyn Decker in a bikini! 

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 pound dates, pitted and roughly chopped (This came out to a scant 3 cups but I would recommend using 2 cups or a half pound) 

1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and then roughly chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper third and middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or butter them. In a bigger bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Throw in your dates and pecans and stir them around so they are coated in the flour mixture. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, lemon juice, salt and vanilla until combined. Then beat in 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until it is all nice and combined. Create a well in the flour mixture and add the sugar mixture. Mix it up until it is fully combined. In a tiny bowl, mix together the cinnamon and remaining two tablespoons of brown sugar. Scoop out heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, about an inch apart. Sprinkle them with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, switching the sheets halfway through, until they have golden edges. Move to a wire rack to cool completely. Chow down. Makes 4 dozen cookies. 

* I totally published this as Date and Nute Cookies. 

Coffee Coconut Nutella Loaf

Sometimes I just want to do something out of the usual. Like have my coffee in seven shot glasses instead of a mug, go into a high-end store and try on fifteen dresses that will not be purchased by this guy, go get a tattoo.. or another cat, or maybe just drive to Texas one day to see if everything really is bigger. 

 As a routine follower and hater of change, I need to do these things every once in a while. Seriously, it took my mum five years to convince me to buy a new set of sheets because she was tired of repairing the tears in the old ones just because I'm a "nut case." 

Since Texas is out of the question until school is over, I have to settle for baking up weird concoctions and drinking coffee out of shot glasses. Luckily the two actually go together pretty well. And luckily this bread worked out too. I was contemplating throwing the batter out which is something that does not happen in my kitchen. Thank Gale that didn't happen. 

Coffee Coconut Nutella Loaf [-acinnos! Zoolander anyone?]
Adapted from Martha Stewart

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp coconut extract
1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup nutella

Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter a loaf pan, preferably 4 x 8 inches, and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside. In a cereal bowl, whisk together the egg, extract, coffee and milk. Add to the flour mixture. Stir until almost combined, there are a few bits of flour left, and stir in the coconut. Mix the batter just until combined. The batter will be very thick. Take half of the batter, it will be a thin layer, and spread it in the prepared loaf pan. Take heaping tablespoons of the nutella and plop it over the batter. It will essentially cover the batter. Top with the remaining coconut batter. Take a knife and attempt to swirl it around. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let it sit in the pan for 10 mintutes then remove to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Makes 1 loaf.

* I recommend adding 1/4 cup of oil or melted butter to the batter. If you decide to do this, add the oil/butter to the egg mixture before adding to the flour mixture.

Chocolate Loaf Cake

I've always been easily influenced. Now now, not by the drugs or the kids on the block but by movies, books and the like. After watching Captain America last night (does not compare to Batman but it's manageable), my mind was set on stepping up the fitness game. Then morning hit and sleep overruled.

I had set up some pretty slices for photos but they were all blurry. My books were due at the library, what could I do? 

Another wave of inspiration hit when all my unused sat cookbooks against the wall staring at me. I made up a list of baked goods and recipes for each month so that it would encourage me to try something new. This month's list had a three layer cake. This is not that three layer cake. Turns out sleep overruled again. Never fear! It's the quick fix for those morning chocolate cake cravings.

Chocolate Loaf Cake

Adapted from Blue Eyed Bakers/Two Peas who retrieved it from the Baked boys 
Side note: this is amazing with caramel sauce. That sauce has become a staple in my fridge, It goes with everything minus raw tomatoes because nothing goes with those.   

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup buttermilk (fat-free not recommended, it dries it out a bit)
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F with the rack in the center. Butter and flour a loaf pan (or a 9 x 9 square baking pan) and line with parchment paper. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Turn the mixer on low to incorporate all ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk until blended, then add the buttermilk,oil, and vanilla. Whisk again until just combined. With the mixer to low, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring just until combined. Fold in the dark chocolate chunks by hand. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 1 loaf.

Coconut Nutella Bird's Nests

I've tried several times to write this post and nothing seems to work. Anything that's come across the screen seems superficial or just too simple to capture what I want to say. It's hard to handle huge waves emotion and most people deal with them differently. I don't know how to handle, talk about or even think about grief and it seems that the only thing I could do was hurt someone else.

But as soon I walked away, all the emotions I'd tried so hard to lock away overflowed. And for the first time in four years, my heart hurt. This immeasurable weight was pressing on my chest and it felt like I was sinking. It's funny, in that way, how sadness can be forced and self-inflicted. It turns out the stories are true, I really didn't know what I had until it was gone.

Basically, emotions are hard to handle but if the rest of the stories are true, time can heal most hurts. Let's have some cookies and throw some cares away. And hey! Happy Valentine's Day! I hope that didn't sound sarcastic, it was supposed to be sincere. Promise.

Coconut Nutella Bird's Nests
These pups are so easy to make you should make them right now. The cookies are three ingredients. Three. Plus, they are a tasty shortbread that can be rolled in and filled with just about anything. Except cilantro.

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, beaten until frothy 
3/4 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup nutella

Preheat the oven to 350º. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or butter 'em up. In a bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until nice and fluffy. Beat in the flour just until combined. It won't be the smoothest of doughs, it is more like a shortbread dough. Scoop up heaping tablespoons and roll into balls and flatten slightly between your palms. Roll the flattened ball in the egg whites then roll through the coconut. Place on the prepared baking sheet and press a dent into the center. Hold the sides of the dough with one hand and press the dent with a finger from the other hand. Repeat. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the coconut is golden. Remove from the oven and press on the dents again. Allow to cool. Once cool, plop in a teaspoon of nutella in the dent. Voila! You have yourself some birds nests.. minus the evil birds. Makes 24, on the dot, cookies. 

Peanut Candy Bar Caramel Corn

It was one of those mornings that was really the afternoon when I woke up with a pounding head. As I went to rub my face, as if to wipe away the pain, this inflicted even more pain on my throbbing nose. On the floor beside the bed, two dirty and wet socks were thrown near a pile of last night's clothes. At this point, I reached around for the time. But alas, no phone. 

And nope, it wasn't the morning after New Years so there is no logical reasoning except that my cousin had just arrived to town and a certain friend is very encouraging. Turns out, the pounding is because of a dance battle that involved a head stand. The wet socks are from an evening stroll that was so important that shoes were not. And to add insult to injury, my phone was at the taxi office on the other side of town.

When all is wrong, make some caramel corn. It gives a sense of accomplishment and it softens the blow of a hangover and the jokes being thrown around about last night's dance off. Don't worry, they are clearly just jealous of my mad dance skills.. and popcorn.

 

Peanut Candy Bar Caramel Corn

Adapted from my favourite recipe

3/4 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 quarts popped popcorn (3 regular size bags of popped smartpop)

2 cups honey roasted peanuts
3 cups chocolate bars chopped (peanut butter cups and snickers are da-bomb)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn and peanuts in two very large bowl.* In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.** Place in two large shallow baking dishes lined with tin foil and bake in preheated oven, stirring and alternating sheets every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and immediately toss in the chocolate bar chunks. Let cool completely attacking it with your face.

* I didn't listen to my own advice from my own recipe. Two huge bowls are needed and it will still flop over the edges. Think of it as a bonus snack to eat along the way.
** The popcorn won't be completely coated but as it bakes it will melt and coat as it's tossed. So remember to stir it around in the oven for maximum awesomeness. 

Apple Cheddar Scones

The "at the end of the day thoughts" can be trouble. One part allows you to focus on what really matters like family, love, keepin' it realz in yo life and appreciating everything that comes your way. Then there is the other part that allows you to blow stuff off because "at the end of the day" it does not really matter. But tomorrow comes and the stuff you did not do catches up brings regret alongside.

But then the ability to power through comes. The assignments are finished, showering has worked its magic and it masks the feeling of dying inside and somehow apple cheddar scones have been produced to share that feeling of relief that it is the final freaking tutorial of the semester. Wake me up when Christmas comes until then enjoy the scones. They manage to make everything seem a little better. 

Apple Cheddar Scones

Adapted from my favourite scone recipe and the idea was from a Martha pie and the genius Smitten Kitchen

Notes: These are such a killer Autumn/it-is-cold-give-me-something-comforting combo. This scone texture is my favourite. It is never dry and it is the perfect crumb. Oh and get some homemade freezer strawberry jam, toast these babies and spread that sweet love on top. 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp sugar

5 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 medium granny smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch chunks

1 cup extra old cheddar cheese, 1/2 inch cubed

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 375º. Line a sheet with parchment paper or butter it. Spread out the apple chunks in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, just until they are looking dry and a little cooked. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a bit.

f using a food processor: Pulse together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Sprinkle the butter over the flour mixture. Pulse about ten times until the butter has been distributed to make a grainy sand. Dump this mixture into a bowl. Mix in the apples and cheddar cheese. 

If using a old school method: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Using a pastry cutter or your hands or some knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is a grainy sand with the odd larger pea here or there. Mix in the apples and cheddar cheese.

Now pour the cream over the mixture and mix just until getting combined. Dump out onto a lightly flour surface and knead together. I dump it onto a large sheet of parchment. Then I softly flatten it out a bit then fold it in half and softly flatten it again. Repeat again if there is still lots of dry flour bits. I then form it into a 8 inch circle. Take a knife and cut 8 wedges. Place on a buttered or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, turning the sheet halfway through. They should be golden and the bottoms should be slightly golden too. Allow to cool on the sheet for about two minutes then transfer to a wire rack.. or just dig in right then and there. Makes 8 scones.

* By the way, that photo is of little baby scones that I made for my class. Every weekend I've been making them into wedges but it always slips my mind to take a photo of them. The little baby scones were about an inch size circle and it took about 8 to 12 minutes to bake. Mini love.

Nutella Coconut Caramel Pecan Bars

Canada is awesome. The one little problem is Thanksgiving. We get to celebrate way ahead of the States, all the way in early October. This gives us a few months to rest before the Christmas turkey rolls in. 

But the issue is the internet. Before food blogs came into my life, American Thanksgiving slipped by without me even knowing. Now the minute November strikes, I know something bad this way comes. Every food website becomes a turkey/potato/pie palooza.

Americans, this is my plea. Please stop making every-dang-thing you bake and cook look amazing. The drool has ruined my keyboard. Since there is nothing I can do about this, the only option is to give in and bake. And bake I did. This little number is like a pecan pie but one that likes to party with nutella and coconut on a shortbread dance floor. 

Nutella Coconut Caramel Pecan Bars

Adapted from my favourite shortbread and very loosely from beloved Buns in the oven

crust

2/3 cups flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup icing sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

filling

1 egg

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup salted caramel or caramel sauce

2/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut

2/3 cups pecans toasted, some left whole and some halved

3/4 cup nutella

Preheat the oven to 300º. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, icing sugar and salt. Set aside. In a larger bowl, beat the butter. Dump in half the flour mix and stir until almost combined. Add the rest of the flour mix and stir until just combined. Press the dough into a ungreased 8 x 8 inch pan*. Bake for 20 minutes, until it starting to look dry on the top but not golden or coloured. Meanwhile this is cooking, beat together the egg, brown sugar and caramel sauce. Fold in the coconut and pecans. Spread the nutella over the hot crust. I let it sit on the crust so it would loosen then I spread it around. Pour the pecan mixture over top of the nutella. Return the pan to the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the pecan mixture looks set. Remove from the oven. Immediately run a knife around the edges. Allow to cool completely then slice into squares and enjoy! Makes 12-16 squares. 

* My pan is boss. It is has a removable bottom. This is a life saver. Instead of having to panic about lifting things out of it or trying to get them from sticking, all I gotz to do it pop it out. If you do not possess this, perhaps line the pan with parchment paper to make your life a little easier. Or be a rebel, and do not do a thing. 

Peanut Butter Bacon Chipped Cookies

I am always hooting and hollering about my Mum, so here is my Dad. My Paps is the kind of guy that strikes fear into young children's hearts. Let me rephrase, he is the type of man who intentionally strikes fear into young children's heart. He was that dad who would threaten to split kids up at a sleepover if they didn't stop shooting the flying ballerina across the room. The kind of dad that waited in the living room to slowly lower the newspaper like the Godfather and nod at my friends with the look that said 'you best be well-behaved.'

But it turns out that while he was 'that dad' to other people, he's the perfect Paps for me. He is the calm before the angry storm that my crazy brothers and mother brews, his love for burnt cookies makes my screw-ups feel like total wins, he has the driest humour known to mankind that causes me to snort publicly, he is now a crazy cat man and he is the reason why I love peanut butter and bacon sandwiches.

 My Paps' cooking skillage stretches from raisin bran, toast and jam, pickle or peanut butter and bacon sandwiches. If my Mum ever was out working one of those was our dinner and I love every single one of those dinners. But it turns out I was flying solo for a long time on the peanut butter bacon front until I started reading blogs when it was everywhere. Right then and there food blogs and I became one. Give this combo, like peace, a chance.

Peanut Butter Bacon Chipped Cookies
Adapted from my all time favourite peanut butter cookie recipe

1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar + extra for coating the dough
1/2 brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and diced
1/3 cup toffee chips

Preheat the oven to 350º. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, powder and salt. Set aside. In a larger bowl, beat together the butter and peanut butter. Beat in the sugars until it is nice and smooth and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Dump in the flour mixture and mix until it is combined. Stir in the peanut butter chips, bacon and toffee chips. Scoop heaping tablespoons and roll them into balls. Place a couple tablespoons of sugar in a bowl. Roll the balls of dough in sugar. Place on a baking sheet that has been buttered or lined with parchment. Slightly flatten them with a spatula. Bake for 12 minutes, alternating halfway through. They will look underdone but they are not! They will be golden on the edges and a little bit on top. Pull them out and let them sit on the sheets for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack. Makes 24 cookies.

Maple Bacon Scones

I'm thee most vague person to walk the planet. It's a pretty bold claim but it's legit. My friends believe I lead a secret life and not like the strange TV show. No werewolves here. But when I used to do gymnastics for roughly ten years of my life, no big, it was a secret. "Of course it is true, those bruises all over my body are from when I fell off the couch the other day. Why don't you believe me?" As I'm writing this I see why everyone thinks it's nuts. 

The Bakers Market down on Prince Albert Street* in Vancouver is my new secret life. (Who is precise now?) It involves me baking up a storm for a few days, packaging like a freaking elf and then trying to look normal so people will actually look at my stall. This market is basically loaded with people who have shops, who rock a business or just straight love to bake like myself. Some people bake gluten-free goods, some make fresh bread, some make pies (ayo!), one lady makes lychee marshmallows that are amazing and it is all making me expand like a balloon. But I sort of love it. 

It's an excuse for me to bake all of my favourite things, not raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, and put my piles of cake plates to use. Double bonus. My list of goods is cookies, some bars and scones. Including these bad boys. Every week I've changed the formula until when this photo was taken because they were perfect. Turns out everyone loves bacon because these are a hit. One fella comes in every week and buys four. Probably my new favourite person. 

Maple Bacon Scones

Rough rough roughly adapted from my favourite recipe a la America's Test Kitchen

scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup butter, chilled 

1/2 pound of bacon (half a package), cooked and diced

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup maple syrup

wash

1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream

1 tbsp maple syrup

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400º. This method is the old school method that I use but the food processor instructions are below. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the chilled butter into smaller pieces and toss it into the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, some knives or your fingers, blend the butter in until it looks sort of sandy with a few pea sized ones here and there. Toss in the bacon and mix it in. Pour the heavy cream and the maple syrup in. Using a spatula, mix this in just until a dough forms about 30 seconds. Then transfer the dough and all the floury bits to a lightly floured surface or a counter with a big piece of parchment. Knead this until it forms a nice old dough, just about 10 seconds. Pat the dough until it is about 1 inch thick and using a 2 inch cookie cutter, cut out little scones. Grab the scraps, and repeat. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Mix together the wash and brush it over the scones. Bake those puppies for about 12-14 minutes, alternating the sheets halfway through. Makes about 10 scones.

Food processor method: Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Pulse together about 6 times. If using food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. Cover and pulse 12 times, each pulse lasting 1 second. Add the bacon and pulse once. Dump this mixture into a large bowl. Proceed as you would with the other directions.

Make Ahead: You can shape these and put them on a baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for about an hour. Then throw them in a freezer bag and freeze them for up to a month. Just pull them out and bake as directed, maybe a couple minutes longer. 

* Coincidence? I think not.

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

I hope these don't seem weird to you but if they do, may I something stranger to make these sound good? For Halloween one year, I dressed up as a cat ballerina. Not a cat or a ballerina, but a cat ballerina.* Talk about compromise at its finest! Compromise can be a beautiful thing. Instead of having to choose between two (awesome) options, you get to have both. Like cats and ballerinas or pumpkin and chocolate. 

This pumpkin and chocolate brownie idea has been floating around for a while but there were mixed reviews for every recipe that came my way. One said that it was too gummy and the flavours did not work, the other said that the pumpkin was too watery and the brownie was too dry. Compromise time. Take my favourite brownie and jack up the pumpkin swirl and voila, we have the perfect mix.

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

Idea from Martha, brownie recipe from here, filling adapted from Betty Crocker

brownies

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
2 tsp instant coffee 

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, very finely chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, browned!
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp canola oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla 
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

filling

3 oz cream cheese, room temperature

3 tbsp brown sugar, packed

1/8 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp cinnamon

a couple big pinches of allspice

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350º. Butter (or non-stick spray) a 9" x 13" baking pan then line with foil with an overhang so the brownies can be lifted from the pan. Butter or cover with non-stick spray. 

filling Beat the cream cheese, sugar, salt and spices together until combined. Beat in the egg yolk. Mix in the pumpkin until fully combined, set aside.

brownies Whisk cocoa, instant coffee and boiling water together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in butter and oil. (The mix will look curdled and weird, it's hokay.) Add eggs, yolks and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and combined. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix in with a rubber spatula until combined. Fold in chocolate. Spread about half of the batter into prepared pan. Grab the filling and drop big spoonfuls over the brownie batter. Pour the rest of the brownie batter on top. Run a knife through the batter a few times to marbleize it. Bake until toothpick inserted halfway between the edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1 1/2 hours. Using foil overhang, life brownies from pan. Return to wire rack and let cool completely, about an hour. Cut and serve. Makes 18 brownies.

 

* At least when my future children want to be avocado bats and easter reindeer I will know what is up.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Rice Krispie Squares

"Hello? Is it me you're looking for?" That's me, Lionel Richie beeteedubz, saying sorry. I brought squares to make it up to you! But let me tell you a little story about how these bars came to be. It all started back when this shining ray of light was brought to banana bread for the first time back in the late twentieth century. I'm totally not being dramatic at all.

Banana bread has always been my favourite thing to eat. I can down a loaf and the remaining batter, that was purposely left in the bowl, in less than twenty four hours. It's been done and it is never pretty. It involves a lot of rolling on the ground, staring at a treadmill and then falling asleep. Regardless, we always find our way back to each other. But I'm still always searching for new ways to bake bananas. 

 In my long list of banana recipes to bake, there was this. It contains everything that is right in the world: chocolate, peanut butter and bananas. It's like a rice krispie square on 'roids. In the best possible way.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Rice Krispie Squares
From Bakers Royale (check this site out, it will blow your mind.. and stomach) 

rice krispie square
6 cups Rice Krispies
5 cups marshmallows
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 banana (2.5 oz, approximately ½ of 1 large size one)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

topping
1 ½ cup mini marshmallows
1 tablespoon butter
½ banana (2.5 oz, approximately ½ of 1 large size one)
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips

To make the squares: Place marshmallows, butter, banana, peanut butter and chocolate chips in a non-stick pan and melt over low heat. Stir to combine. Quickly add marshmallows and Rice Krispies and stir to combine. Press mixture into an 11 x 13 pan. Set aside.
To make topping: Place marshmallows, butter, banana and peanut butter in a non-stick pan and melt over low heat. Stir to combine. Pour topping over Rice Krispie mixture. Melt chocolate and pour small dots of it throughout the topping. (Or be a dork like me and mix the chocolate into the topping.) Using a knife gently pull it through the chocolate dots to create a swirl pattern. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours fo the topping to set. Makes 24 bars.

 

(Vegan) Mocha Coconut Banana Bread

There's something wrong with brains. They convince you that you must have your nails done perfectly everyday otherwise you don't feel right. They make you believe it's the school library's computer's fault that you didn't plug your headphones in properly and everyone was staring at you as you continued to turn up the volume for the Arcade Fire soundtrack whilst remaining completely oblivious. They make you believe that a loaf of banana bread is healthy because it has bananas. All of this seems logical according to brains.

remember this phota?

While this is mostly false in reality, banana bread is still glorious. It is probably to the thing that is whipped out of my kitchen the most. I intentionally buy loads of bananas knowing that they will never be eaten in time thus become brown and nasty. Banana bread likes them that way. 

(Vegan) Mocha Coconut Banana Bread
Adapted from Joy the Baker
 

1 cup mashed very very ripe bananas, about 3 bananas
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved into 1 tbsp of hot water

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut 

2/3 cup milk chocolate chips (or a vegan alternative to make the bread, well, vegan) 

1-2 tbsp cinnamon sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the bananas, oil, coffee and sugar briskly to combine. Sift the flours, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. Fold in the coconut and chocolate. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if you’d like. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should be lightly browned and a knife inserted through the center should come out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before transferring out of a pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and lather it in caramel sauce and enjoy!

Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

I like "this time I'm not leaving without you" being stuck in my head all day. I like when it's my turn to leave the wait room so the lady demanding texts "fo' fray" from her cell phone company is shut up. I like free apple juice from nice ladies, in a non-creepy way. I like changing life plans. I like Jeff Bridges. I like cookies.

My awesome Mum got us tickets to see Jeff, first name basis baby, and we manage to fight our way to the front. We really just walked up and sat down but the fight makes it seem as if my love knows no boundaries. It doesn't. Age is but a number and love is blind but in this case it needn't be blind as he is smokin'. 

These cookies may not be smokin' but they are everything (everything related to cookies - not men) that I like: maple, pecan, chocolate, very chewy, little bit of crisp exterior, brown sugar but no Jeff. He is awesome but not in a cookie. That's weird. These aren't, so go eat up some cookies and change some plans. That's all.

Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Everybody Loves Sandwiches

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 large egg
1 tsp maple extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup toasted and roughly chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, extract and maple syrup together. Add in the egg and combine until fluffy. Dump in the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until just blended before adding the chocolate chips and pecans and stirring again. Drop by tablespoon 2 inches apart onto a parchment or silpat covered cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes 24 cookies.

Chocolate Malt Sandwich Cookies

The first week of school has already got me panicking. What does one do when they are panicked? I resorted to baking cookies (lots of cookies), read the Great Gatsby (at least I read something) and organized all my magazines. Turns out that procrastination of school got me to stop procrastinating on cleaning my room. Yay for avoiding!

Sorry for the crap photo. My brother went to Vegas and took the camera with him. Son of a gun. Blackberries do not take the best photos. How could they, they're fruit! Sorry that was not funny.. heh heh. The cookies, on the other hand, are delicious. My Mum loved them but that's because she said her generation was all hopped up on Ovaltine. Whatever floats your boat. 

Chocolate Malt Sandwich Cookies
From Martha Stewart Cookies aka my fav cookie book

cookies
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 cup plain malted milk powder like Ovaltine
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons hot water 
filling
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup plain malted milk powder
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make cookies: Sift together flour, cocoa powder, malted milk powder, baking soda, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, creme fraiche, and hot water. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture. Space tablespoon-size balls of dough 3 1/2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until flat and just firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on parchment on wire racks.

Making filling: Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Let cool. With an electric mixer, beat malted milk powder and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually mix in half-and-half, chocolate mixture, and vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, until thick, about 30 minutes. Mix on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Assemble cookies: Spread a heaping tablespoon filling on the bottom of one cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat. Makes 1 1/2 dozen sandwiches