Tag: vanilla extract

BERRY ALMOND BRUSCHETTA

I’ve had the Italian-style (tomatoes, basil, mozzarella) version of bruschetta many times, but had never seen anything like this one until I came across this recipe in my Taste of Home Holidays and Celebrations 2011 cookbook. I made a few tweaks to the recipe and was amazed at how delicious this is! Bruschetta is typically an appetizer but I think this berry almond version could also work as a breakfast dish or even a dessert too!

Berry Almond Bruschetta

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp half and half

1/4 tsp almond extract

2-3 tsp grated orange peel

1 Tbsp orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

dash ground nutmeg

12 slices French bread baguette

butter

1 1/2 cups fresh mixed berries

1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted

To toast the almonds, just place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes or until lightly toasted, being careful not to burn them!

Add the half and half to the cream cheese and mix until smooth. Add the sugar, almond extract, orange peel, orange juice, vanilla and nutmeg and stir until well mixed. Set aside.

Lightly butter both side of each slice of bread and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Broil 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Spread cream cheese mixture over the toast and then top with berries. Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top and enjoy!

(forgot to include the vanilla extract in this pic but don’t leave it out!)

SALTED CARAMEL BROWNIE TOWER

Brownie recipe:
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon (3 teaspoons) vanilla extract

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and line 9″x13″ pan with nonstick foil.
In a large bowl, add 4 eggs, and beat with cocoa, salt, baking
powder, and vanilla. Stir until fully combined and
smooth.
In the microwave, melt butter. When melted, add sugar, and stir to
combine.
Add warm butter/sugar mixture to the egg/cocoa mixture, stiring until
smooth.
Add the flour to batter and stir until fully incorporated.
Spread batter into prepared pan, and smooth as needed.
Bake brownies about 30 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a
toothpick. You should find moist crumbs.
Cool and cut into small bite sized squares. Adapted from King Arthur Flour

BEST SALTED CARAMEL RECIPE-

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups heavy cream (WARM IT IN THE MICROWAVE FIRST)
2 Tbsp salted butter
3/4 tsp coarse sea salt

Method to make the caramel sauce:

1.
Spread the sugar in an even layer in a large metal pot, at least 6 quarts. Set over a moderate heat and cook without
stirring, until the sugar near the edge just starts to liquify.

2.

Use a wooden spoon and begin stirring, encouraging the melted sugar
around
the edges toward the center, delicately stirring up any sugar melting on
the bottom as well. The sugar will start to look pebbly as it cooks,
but keep going until it is melted completely and an amber color. If you
think it is cooking too fast, lower the heat and keep stirring. Be
patient.

3.
Continue to cook until the sugar turns deep brown. Once brown, take it off of the heat!!!!

4.
Time to add the cream but here is my trick….only add a DROP at a time
and stir, stir, stir. This will eliminate the seizing of your caramel
and you will love me for this trick. Keep adding a drop at a time and
stirring until all of the cream is mixed in. Be patient…you have a
lot of cream so this will take a few minutes. Once smooth, add butter
and salt. Let cool. Will store in fridge up to one month. HA! As if it
will last that long…ever!!!! TOO delicious!! Makes 2 cups

ADAPTED FROM MANU’S MENU

GANACHE POKE BROWNIES

Brownies:

1 tablespoon plus 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
3 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Fudgy Topping, recipe follows

Directions

Brownies:
Make sure the oven rack is in the center position and preheat the oven
to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil or grease foil with the 1 tablespoon butter listed.

Place the remaining 1 1/2
sticks of butter and the chocolate in a large glass measuring cup or
medium glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high power
for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave, uncover, and stir well. Return
the butter and chocolate mixture to the microwave and cook 30 to 60
seconds, or until the chocolate is melted. (If you don’t have a
microwave, melt the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler.)
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the
granulated sugar and whisk until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of the flour and
whisk to combine. Crack and add 1 egg and whisk to combine. Alternate
adding the remaining flour and eggs, whisking well after each addition.
Stir in the vanilla and mix well. Pour the batter into
the prepared pan. Bake until the brownies rise
and a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean,
about 25-30 minutes.
Remove the pan
from the oven. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes into the
brownies every 1 to 2 inches. While it is still warm, pour the Fudgy
Topping over the brownies and smooth it with a rubber spatula. Let pan
cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving brownies.

Fudgy Topping:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 pound confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine
the butter, cocoa powder, and ceam in a medium saucepan and heat
until the butter melts and the mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from
the heat and whisk until smooth. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a
medium mixing bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla extract to the
powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.

adapted from Emeril