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French Silk Chocolate Pie

This is pretty easy, but it makes a lot of dishes for cleanup. 

Crust

• 24 Oreos
• ¼ cup butter

Chocolate Filling

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar divided
• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate baking bars, chopped small
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 teaspoon salt

Whipped Cream Topping

• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish: mini chocolate chips or peeled Hershey bar

INSTRUCTIONS

1: Make the crust: 

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• In a food processor, process Oreos and butter until it becomes a fine-grained/sandy texture.
• Press Oreos into a 9-inch pie dish and then bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

2: Make the filling: 

• In a heat proof bowl* whisk together the eggs and ½ cup granulated sugar. (4 eggs, ½ cup granulated sugar).
• Place bowl over sauce pan of simmering water on medium-low heat- making sure the bottom of the bowl DOES NOT come into contact with simmering water. If you think it will touch just remove some of the water- but be careful because it’s hot and can burn you.
• Whisk the eggs continuously for about 9-11 minutes until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. You want the temperature to reach 160°F.* If you don’t stir continuously you will scramble the eggs and will have to start over.
• Once it reaches temperature remove from heat and stir in the chocolate and vanilla. Once chocolate is stirred in completely, allow to sit and cool for another 10-15 minutes. If your chocolate doesn’t melt all the way simply place the boil back over the double boiler and stir until melted- then remove from heat and allow to cool (8oz semi-sweet chocolate bar chopped small, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract).
• While the mixture is cooling, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream on medium high speed until stiff peaks form, should take ~3-5 minutes. Refrigerate until step 8. (1 cup heavy cream)
• In a clean bowl, for a stand mixer or hand mixer works, beat the butter, remaining sugar, and salt until fully combined. Mixture should be light and fluffy. * About 2-4 minutes. (1 cup unsalted butter*, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt)
• Add in the cooled chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed until combined. Scraping down the sides occasionally.
• Fold in the whipped cream by hand until combined and there are no white streaks. Folding in keeps the air in the mixture and adds volume to the filling.
• Pour the filing into the cookie crust in a nice smooth layer and refrigerate until set- about 4-6 hours, or overnight. You want the pie to be chilled, set, and thickened before serving

3: Make topping (make same day as serving the pie)

• For the whipped cream topping simply add the heavy cream to the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip on medium high until trails appear in the cream. Then add powdered sugar and vanilla and then whip again until soft peaks form. (1 cup heavy whipping cream, ⅓ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla). Layer on the whipped cream and garnish as preferred.

WeCookiers Sugar Cookies

Without the blather: 

 

Ingredients

2 sticks (1/2 pound) of real butter, room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, room temp
1 egg, room temp
1 ½ c granulated sugar (vanilla sugar is nice if you're feeling wealthy)
1 ½ tsp vanilla paste
1 tsp butter emulsion
1 tsp salt
3 c flour

This makes roughly 20 three-inch cookies or 3 dozen regular size.

1.       Cream butter and cream cheese together until it looks fluffy and light yellow, about 2 minutes.

2.       Add egg, granulated sugar, and emulsions. Mix just until incorporated.

3.       Add the salt and flour. Mix only until the flour is mixed in. Add coloring but be careful: Over-mixing could cause tough cookies due to the egg.

4.       Spatula it out onto plastic wrap on a table. Form a nice ball. Flatten the ball out to a rectangle or disk shape about an inch high (or less).

5.       Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. I double the plastic wrap if the dough will be in the fridge for more than a couple of days. Place it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (I do overnight).

6.        When chilled, sift out some flour on your workstation or use wax paper. Place dough on the flour (or paper) and roll out. I choose to cut them at ¼” thickness. 

7.       Cut out the shapes and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets.

8.       Place sheets in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. 

9.       Preheat the oven to 350⁰.

10.   When cookies are frozen, pull them out of the freezer and place them immediately into the oven (yes, frozen). Bake for 13 minutes or until lightly browned, watching carefully.

 

 

 

 

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 pkg vanilla pudding mix
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups plus 1 c chocolate chips

Set out butter and eggs at least one hour in advance.

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pudding mix, and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Stir in 2 c chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Do NOT overbake. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes and sprinkle remaining 1 c of chips on top of cookies upon removing from oven. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

White Bread Dinner Rolls

4-4-1/2 c flour (all purpose or bread)
4 Tbs granulated sugar
2 envelopes Fleischmann’s® RapidRise Yeast 
1 tsp  salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons butter plus more for brushing

 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare pan as directed below.

 

Place milk, water, and butter in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Heat in 15 second increments until the mixture is between 120°F-130°F (very warm water).

 

Whisk sugar, yeast, salt, and 1-1/2 cup flour in the bowl of a stand mixer.

 

Add milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix for 2 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Using the dough hook works here. 

Add 1/2 cup flour and mix for another two minutes, then add an additional 2 to 2 1/2 cups more flour, until the mixture forms a ball in the mixer.

 

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes or until the dough is elastic and springs back when touched. Cover with a towel and rest for 10 minutes.

 

Cut and shape dough as desired (see below for instructions). Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

 

Brush with melted butter and bake for 10-20 minutes depending on size and shape, or until golden and cooked through.

 

Brush warm rolls with more melted butter.

FOR CLOVERLEAF ROLLS:

• Cut dough into 24 pieces, then each piece into 3 more pieces. Roll into balls. Place 3 balls per cup in a greased muffin tin.

FOR TWISTS:

• Cut ball of dough into 24 pieces. Roll each into a long thin rope. Fold in half. Twist the ends to form a twist. Place on a greased baking sheet.

FOR KNOTS:

• Cut ball of dough into 24 pieces. Roll each into a long thin rope. Tie each rope into a knot. Place on a greased baking sheet.

FOR BUTTERY ROLLED ROLLS:

• Roll ball of dough into large rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Slice into squares and roll each square up like a croissant. Place on a greased baking sheet.

Deviled Eggs

6 eggs, boiled and peeled
1/2 cap from bottle of vinegar
3/4 t sugar
2 t butter
Salt and pepper
Mayo to taste (maybe 1/2 c?)
Mustard (double the amount of mayo, maybe 1 c?)

Slice eggs; remove yolks.  Mash yolks and combine with all oher ingredients, spoon back into egg whites. Top with cayenne.

Sesame Potatoes

4–6 medium white potatoes
1 c melted butter
1/4 c soy sauce
Crushed corn flakes
Sesame seeds

Slice potatoes thinly, put on baking sheet, pour over soy sauce and butter (mixed together), sprinkle flakes and seeds, bake at 400 til crispy.

Oriental Salmon

1/2 c orange juice
1/4 c soy sauce
2 T oil
2 T ketchup
2 T parsley (optional)
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 shakes garlic powder
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t pepper

Mix; use to marinade salmon for a day.

Broil, basting with the same marinade every 3 min. 

Buttermilk Waffles/Pancakes

2 c cake flour
3 t baking powder
1 t baking soda 
1/2 t salt
4 large eggs separated
2 c buttermilk 
1/2 t cream of tartar
4 T butter, melted 
1 t vanilla 

Syrup

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar to stiff peaks. 

Whisk 4 dry ingredients in large bowl. 

Whisk yolks and buttermilk. 

Stir yolk mixture into dry ingredients until just moistened. Add butter and vanilla. Batter will be lumpy. Fold in egg whites; do not overstir. 

Use in heated waffle iron for 12 Belgian waffles or on griddle for 24 pancakes. 

Decorating Ideas

Chocolate Malted Cookies

1 c butter, softened
1-1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c malt powder
2 T chocolate syrup
1 T vanilla
1 large egg, room temperature
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1-1/2 c chocolate chunks
1 c milk chocolate chips

Beat butter and sugar, malt powder, syrup, vanilla. Add egg. Add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate. Shape into 2-inch balls, place 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Let cool 2 min. on sheets, then transfer to racks.