peanut-butter-filled cupcakes

 

the goods:

 

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon fine salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 and 1/2 cups marshmallow topping

confectioners' sugar, for dusting

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray, then dust with cocoa, tapping out excess. In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using a mixer, bet in eggs, buttermilk, oil, and 3/4 cup water on medium until smooth, 3 minutes.

Divide batter among cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes and let cool completely on rack.

In a large bowl, using mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and peanut butter on high until light and fluffy, 3 minutes; fold in marshmallow topping. Transfer to a zip-top bag and cut off one corner to make a 1/2-inch opening.

 

With a melon baller, scoop out center of each cupcake base and set aside (these pieces will plug cupcakes after filling). Hollow out each cupcake a bit more, discarding crumbs. Fill cavities with peanut butter mixture and replace plugs.

 

 

To serve, dust with confectioners' sugar.

(to store, refrigerate in an airtight container)

brownie-ice cream sandwich

 

the goods:

 

1 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 pints ice cream, softened

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on short sides, then butter paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together butter and sugar, then whisk in eggs and salt. Add flour and cocoa and mix until just smooth. Spread in pan. Bake until brownie is dry to the touch and edges have begun to pull away from pan, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Using paper overhang, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Transfer brownie to a work surface and cut in half crosswise. Cover pan with a large sheet of plastic wrap and place one cake half on it. Spread with ice cream, invert remaining brownie half on top, and wrap tightly in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Unwrap, cut into bars, and serve. To store, wrap each sandwich in plastic and freeze.

fudge bars

 

the goods:

 

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 and 1/2 cups whole milk, divided

1 and 1/3 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 

In a medium saucepan, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth; whisk in remaining milk, cream, sugar, cocoa, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring constantly, and cook 1 minute.

 

Transfer to a large liquid-measuring cup and stir in vanilla. Pour into ten 3-ounce ice-pop molds and insert ice-pop sticks. Freeze until pops are solid, about 6 hours (or up to 1 week). Just before serving, briefly run molds under hot water to release pops.

peach crumble

I'm not going to lie, I ate the leftovers (trust me, they were few) for breakfast the next morning!!!

 

the goods:

 

filling:

2 pounds peaches, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

 

crumble:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup light-brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make filling: Combine peaches, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish.

 

Make topping: In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium until light and fluffy.

 

Add flour and salt and, with your hands, mix until large pieces form. Scatter over filling.

 

Bake until center is bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes, tenting loosely with foil after 30 minutes.

 

Let cool 20 minutes before serving.

apricot-blueberry cobbler

 

the goods:

 

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

12 apricots, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

1 and 1/4 cups blueberries

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing

sanding sugar

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with racks in middle and lower thirds. In a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Stir in apricots and blueberries. Spread mixture into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.

 

In a food processor, pulse remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Add heavy cream and pulse 2 or 3 times until combined.

 

Spoon batter in 8 mounds on fruit mixture. Press lightly on tops to flatten, brush with heavy cream, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

 

Bake on middle rack with a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on lower rack to catch drips, until biscuits are golden and juices bubble in center, 40 to 45 minutes.

 

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Serve warm.

peaches-and-cream bundt cake

 

the goods:

 

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, divided, plus more for pan

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for pan

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

4 peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced small

2 and 1/4 cups sugar, divided

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 and 1/4 cups sour cream

1 and 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter and flour a 14-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Whisk together 3 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Toss peaches with remaining 2 tablespoons flour to coat. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat 2 sticks butter and 2 cups sugar on medium-high until fluffy and pale yellow. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with sour cream, and beat until combined. Fold peaches and vanilla into batter and transfer to pan.

 

Tap pan firmly on counter several times to remove any air bubbles and smooth top. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet; let cool 15 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, melt remaining 1 stick butter. Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Using an offset spatula or small knife, loosen cake from pan, then invert onto rack. Working in sections, brush cake with butter and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon-sugar.

 

Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if desired.

fudgy ice cream cake

 

the goods:

 

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 and 3/4 cups heavy cream, divided

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for serving

3 pints vanilla ice cream

18 graham crackers

1 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

 

Lightly coat an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray; line pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 6-inch overhang on two sides. Freeze pan at least 10 minutes. In a medium pot, combine corn syrup, 1/4 cup cream, butter, granulated sugar, cocoa, and a pinch of salt; bring to a boil, whisking, over medium-high. Remove from heat and let fudge sauce cool. Meanwhile, remove 1 pint of ice cream from freezer and let soften, 15 minutes.

 

Evenly press softened ice cream into pan. Top with a single layer of graham crackers, breaking to fit. Drizzle with 1/4 cup fudge sauce, spread and freeze 15 minutes. Repeat twice, omitting sauce on final layer (so graham crackers will be on top). Wrap in plastic and freeze until firm, 8 hours (or up to 3 days). Cover and refrigerate remaining fudge sauce.

 

To serve, you can either slice individual pieces (flipping so the graham cracker top is now the base), or invert pan onto a platter and remove plastic. Microwave fudge sauce for 30 seconds, or until pourable. Pour over cake and freeze to solidify, 5 minutes. In a large bowl, using a mixer, whip 1 and 1/2 cups cream and confectioners' sugar on high until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Dollop cake with whipped cream and dust with cocoa.