peach crisp

 

the goods:

 

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

6 peaches peeled and sliced

grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start with the crumb mixture: in a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the butter to the bowl and use a fork or pastry blender to cut it into the flour mixture.

Place the peaches in a bowl and add the lemon zest. Mix in the lemon juice and maple syrup and gently stir the peaches to combine. Pour the peaches into a 9-inch square or 8x12-inch baking dish. Top with the crumb mixture, evening out the surface with a fork. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 30 minutes more.

Texas sheet cake

 

the goods:

 

cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks unsalted butter

4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

 

icing:

1 and 3/4 sticks unsalted butter

4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

6 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pound confectioners' sugar

any topping you want: nuts, candy pieces, marshmallow bits, etc.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir together and set aside. In a glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Stir together with a fork. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the cocoa. Whisk together to combine. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil. When the butter is melted, pour the boiling water into the pan. Allow to bubble for a moment, then turn off the heat. Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture. Stir together lightly to cool the chocolate, then pour in the egg mixture. Stir together until smooth, then pour into an ungreased rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

While the cake is baking, make the icing: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, pour the warm icing over the top. Sprinkle with any topping you like. I had marshmallow bits lying around, so I threw those on... Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

apple galette

 

the goods:

 

pie crust:

1 and 1/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

5 tablespoons very cold water

 

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

2 tablespoons flour

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

sanding sugar

Make the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry cutter. Add water and mix with a fork until dough pulls together. Shape into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the apples, flour, lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt.

Roll out pie crust into a large circle and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the apple mixture on the crust. Fold over the edge of the crust so that it covers 2 to 3 inches of the apple mixture. Dot the top of the galette with chunks of butter and sprinkle with sanding sugar. 

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling is golden and bubbly. 

Allow to cool slightly, then slice into wedges with a pizza cutter. 

vegan orange zucchini bread

 

the goods:

 

2 small zucchini, grated (2 cups)

3 cups flour

1 scant teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

1/3 cup vegetable oil

zest of one orange

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon orange juice

 

glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 teaspoon orange zest

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well with a whisk and make a well in the center. In a glass measuring cup, combine applesauce, orange zest, juice, vanilla, oil, and sugar; mix with a fork. Add to the flour mixture and fold gently until combined. Fold in zucchini and divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans.

Bake for 40 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then run a small knife around the loaf to gently separate it from the pan. Place the loaves on a wire rack with wax paper below it to finish cooling.

Prepare the glaze: Mix the remaining orange juice and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Add the remaining zest and stir until combined. While the bread is still warm, spoon the glaze onto the top of each loaf and let is drip down the sides. Cool completely before slicing and serving.

Mississippi mud pie

 

the goods:

 

cookie crust:

16 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies such as Oreos (30-45 cookies), crushed

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

 

flourless chocolate cake:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

6 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent), chopped

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

1/4 cup coffee, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

 

chocolate pudding:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large egg yolks

2 and 1/2 cups whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent), chopped

 

whipped cream:

1 and 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

 

 

Make the cookie crust: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Line pan with parchment paper and lightly spray parchment and sides of pan. In a food processor, process cookies into very fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until combined. Pour crumb mixture into prepared pan and press evenly with bottom of a measuring cup or glass, into bottom and up sides. Transfer to freezer for 10 minutes, then bake until dry to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.

 

Make the flourless cake: Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water to melt; stir to combine. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together espresso powder, coffee, salt, and vanilla; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until light and almost doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl and mix on low speed for 5 seconds. Add coffee mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix on low for 5 seconds. Transfer to a mixing bowl. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually increase speed to high and slowly add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Transfer 1 cup egg white mixture to chocolate mixture and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold to combine. Add remaining egg whites and continue gently folding until they are almost completely combined; do not overmix. Pour into cooled cookie crust and bake for 38 to 42 minutes until cake is set but jiggles slightly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cake will deflate in the center as it cools. Tightly wrap cooled cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

 

Make the chocolate pudding: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Add egg yolks and whisk until combined. The mixture will look like a thick paste. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pan. Boil for 30 seconds and immediately transfer to a medium bowl. Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate; whisk until combined. Continue whisking until mixture is cooled slightly. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer to refrigerator until chilled, at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

 

Stir pudding to loosen and pour on top of cake. Using an offset spatula, spread pudding into an even layer. Transfer to refrigerator for 30 minutes.

 

Prepare whipped cream: In the chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a chilled whisk attachment, beat cream until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over cream and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pudding layer, working all the way out to the sides. Unmold cake and serve immediately.

white chocolate snickerdoodle cookies

 

the goods:

 

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3.4 oz. package white chocolate instant pudding mix

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup cinnamon sugar for rolling

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a stand mixer, cream together the butters and sugars. Add eggs first, and mix in, then add the remaining ingredients (reserving the cinnamon sugar). Mix well. Scoop out with a cookie scooper (about 3 tablespoons worth) and roll the dough into a ball. Coat the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar. Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until slightly golden and just set. Let cool on baking sheet.

vegan zucchini brownies

 

the goods:

 

1/2 cup canola oil

1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

chocolate frosting (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla until well blended.

Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Fold in zucchini.

When first combining the ingredients, they may seem dry, but as you fold in the zucchini, a doughy mixture will form. Don't fret. The zucchini releases a ton of moisture during baking and these brownies will be anything but dry!

Gently press the dough/batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until brownies spring back when gently touched or a toothpick comes out clean(ish).

Top with a dusting of confectioners' sugar or your favorite chocolate frosting. You'll have no idea you're eating vegetables!