Gooey Turtle Bars, Where Gooey Describes the Homemade Caramel Layer!

I bought a new cookbook. I know I'm not supposed to because I'm out of room. But I couldn't resist. Alice Medrich came out with a new cookie cookbook. I spent an evening studying it from cover to cover. In typical Marni fashion, I sat comfortably on the couch in sweats, I had HGTV on in the background, and I had a pack of Post-It note strips to mark the pages of the cookbook that I'd want to return to. But by the end of reading this cookbook, I had marked so many pages that the usefulness of this page-marking technique had been lost. I can't wait to make, well, basically everything out of this book!


Gooey Turtle Bars has an adjective in the title that I'm quite fond of. Not only is homemade caramel gooey, but it is unbeatable. Alice Medrich's version is perfect. It does require a candy thermometer because caramel is very sensitive to temperature. You have to watch closely to be sure you do not go over the specified temperature or your caramel will not be caramel. But I have faith in your abilities as a baker and I'm sure you can handle it! If you want to experiment with different flavors, try adding something other than vanilla to the caramel, such as lavender or almond extract. Or maybe add some fleur de sel.

And remember, when you're tired of stirring (you aren't allowed to stop for the entire 15 minutes the caramel is cooking), and you're about to throw in the towel and you find yourself whining that it's never going to reach 235 degrees F, just remember, your bicep is going to be so impressive! And your tummy is going to be so happy. And then I promise you'll make it through okay.


Gooey Turtle Bars
Adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich in Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich

1 recipe Shortbread Crust (see below)
1 3/4 cups (12.25 ounces) packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey or light corn syrup
3/8 teaspoon salt (1/2 teaspoon for coarse or flaky sea salt)
1/4 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups (7 ounces) pecan halves, toasted
6 ounces milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1 cup milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

Line a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with foil on the bottom and all four sides, leaving some overhang for pulling the baked goods out of the pan to cut later. Follow the recipe below for the Shortbread Crust and then continue here with the instructions.

To make the topping: In a heavy 2- to 3-quart saucepan (about 8 inches in diameter) with a candy thermometer attached to the inside, combine the brown sugar, honey, salt, and water and cook on medium heat. Drop the 4 tablespoons butter into the pan. Stir constantly so the mixture doesn't burn (be sure you're using a heatproof spatula or you'll have delicious plastic in your caramel). Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan as you stir. Allow the mixture to reach a medium boil and continue stirring and scraping the pan for about 3 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and bring the mixture back to a boil. Don't stop stirring!

Continue boiling the mixture until the candy thermometer reads 235 degrees F. From beginning to end, it should take you about 15 minutes of stirring to make this caramel. Yes, your arm may get tired, but think of the biceps you're generating! As soon as the temperature reads 235, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Moving quickly, pour the caramel over the warm Shortbread Crust. You can tilt the pan or use an offset spatula to make sure the caramel is covering the entire crust. The caramel will start to set right away so you'll need to be quick. Sprinkle the toasted pecans and chopped chocolate over the sticky caramel and carefully press the pieces into the caramel with the palm of your hand so that everything is "glued" in place. Allow the caramel to cool and the chocolate to set before cutting into squares.

When you're ready to cut into pieces, lift up the overhang of foil, transfer to your cutting board, and peel off the foil. Use a long sharp knife to cut through the nuts and all the way down into the bars. Store in an airtight container for about a week.


Shortbread Crust
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups (9 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line the pan with foil on the bottom and all four sides.

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix well, then add the flour and mix just until incorporated. The dough will be oily and wet but that's totally normal. Use your hands to press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. Smooth out any bumps and make sure to get the dough to reach the edges and corners of the pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is a rich golden brown with well-browned darker edges. Let cool before adding the caramel layer of the Gooey Turtle Bars above.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
To make the crust, melt the butter with the sugar, vanilla, and salt...

Stir to combine...

Add the flour and stir just until incorporated...

The dough will be oily and wet but that's normal...

Press the dough into the pan so that the surface is even and smooth...

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are golden...

To make the caramel topping, combine the brown sugar, honey or corn syrup, salt, and water over medium heat...

Add the butter...

Allow the mixture to reach a boil and cook for about 3 minutes, then add the sweetened condensed milk and let it return to boil...

Stir constantly and maintain a boil until the thermometer reads 235 degrees F...

Stir in the vanilla, then pour the caramel into the pan over the crust...

Scatter the toasted pecans and chopped chocolate over the caramel and press the pieces down so they stick...

Let the caramel cool and the chocolate set before slicing and serving. YUM!!

Chocolate Babka Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Streusel and Caramel Brandy Sauce

Let the title of this post sink in, then pick up your jaw so you can get on with your day.

Everything about this recipe is perfect. It is a combination of several delicious ingredients. And applying that saying about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, if you put a bunch of good ingredients together, you are going to get one GREAT thing out of it.

It all started when my friend told me she had a chocolate babka loaf and thought it could be turned into a baked good. She suggested bread pudding. I knew she was onto something. Chocolate babka is great on its own; baked into something, it could be head-turning. I agreed to take her up on the challenge to create a chocolate babka bread pudding, so the only question was, what recipe. I browsed various recipe websites for inspiration and ultimately landed on Paula Deen's "Best Bread Pudding" recipe from the Food Network. I read several stellar reviews by others who tried the recipe, including several comments that the recipe was so sweet it could actually use cutting back on the sugar. So I cut the white sugar quantity of the bread pudding mixture in half. Perfection.


The Brown Sugar Streusel Topping is an amazing addition to an already amazing bread pudding because the pecans become candied and give every bite a bit of crunch and grainy texture on your tongue. The boozy sauce is, well, boozy, and I loved it. Not everyone is into alcoholic-tasting desserts, so I recommend leaving the sauce in a bowl on the table and letting people serve themselves.

Not only did my friend and her husband love this bread pudding (which was such a relief since they donated their babka to this experiment!), but I also shared a piece with another friend who has extremely discerning taste, comes from a dessert loving, food loving background, and is generally very picky and reserved when it comes to expressing positive superlatives about what he eats. But after finishing his serving of the bread pudding, he did not hold back on the superlatives. He said this bread pudding was one of the best desserts he had ever had in his life. Maybe you don't know this guy and can't grasp the meaning of his words (I guess you'll have to bake this and find out for yourself!), but to me, those were golden words. Coming from him, they formed the kind of compliment any baker would dream of hearing. Dessert perfection: Achieved!


Chocolate Babka Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Streusel Topping and Caramel Brandy Sauce
Adapted from a recipe by Paula Deen on FoodNetwork.com

Bread Pudding
1 cup granulated sugar
5 large beaten eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 9x5-inch loaf chocolate babka, cubed, and allow to get stale in an uncovered bowl overnight

Streusel Topping
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans

Caramel Brandy Sauce
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup brandy (warning: this is a LOT of brandy and creates a very boozy, strong alcoholic flavor; feel free to use less or omit completely)

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

For the bread pudding: In a medium bowl, mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk. Add vanilla. Place the cubed babka in a large bowl and pour the milk mixture over the babka so that all cubes are wet. Stir gently to coat all pieces. Let sit for 10 minutes.

For the Streusel Topping: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, softened butter, and pecans. Then with a fork or your fingers, crumble the ingredients together.

To bake: Pour the milky babka mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the babka and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.

For the Sauce: In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla over medium heat. Continue stirring until the sugar is melted. Add the brandy, if using, and stir until slightly thickened. Drizzle over the bread pudding. Can be served warm or cold.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Combine the sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla...

Pour the mixture over the cubed babka and let stand about 10 minutes...

Pour the milky babka mixture into the prepared baking dish...

To make the streusel topping, combine the butter, brown sugar, and pecans...

Crumble the ingredients together...
Sprinkle the streusel topping over the babka pieces in the baking dish...

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes...

To make the caramel brandy sauce, stir together the sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla...
Add the brandy and continue stirring until heated through and slightly thickened...
Drizzle over individual servings of the bread pudding and enjoy!

Psycho Donuts, or How One San Jose Donut Shop Reinterprets a Classic Treat

Last weekend I flew to the Bay Area to attend an amazing annual concert called the Bridge School Benefit in Mountain View. My mom picked me up at the airport, and instead of going home, we took a little detour.

First, we stopped at the Campbell Library to check the used cookbook rack for hidden treasures. Then we drove to a donut shop. But not just any donut shop. A donut shop that had caution tape posted all over the facade. The sign on the front door said, "Open for insanity." Employees were dressed as nurses.


And then there were the donuts. Donuts with a pumpkin in the center, or even a finger! There was a raised donut dusted in oreo cookies, filled with dark chocolate, and the sides punctured by chocolate pocky sticks. The result? The Eight Legs of Horror (a donut that looks like a black widow!)! I decided on a chocolate cake donut that was covered in crushed butterfinger.


What the heck kind of donut place is this? Is it just gimmicky but not delicious? Nope. It's campy fun and yummy, too. The donuts are not greasy at all, and the cake donut I had was the perfect texture.


I could see picky eaters or traditionalists having a difficult time ordering something since there are hardly any traditional options. Then again, the place was packed when we stopped by, everyone getting their crazy donuts with cereal or candy bars or marshmallows or pretzels on top. It was very bizarre for us. Fun, but bizarre. But for Psycho Donuts, it was just another normal day in the neighborhood.

Highly recommended!

Locations
2006 S. Winchester Blvd, Campbell, CA 95008
288 S. 2nd Street, San Jose, CA 95113

Photo Gallery of Unprecedented, Super Weird, Totally Delicious Donuts

Lick-Your-Fingers Kugel with a Praline Topping

This kugel recipe has become a staple in my family. It is served a couple of times a year and is always requested. It's even included in our family cookbook. For those still unfamiliar with kugel, it's basically a noodle pudding made like a casserole, and it's a very traditional Jewish dish.

For those of you who are not new to kugel, you may have had kugel before, but I'd bet money you have not had a kugel this sweet. It's almost dessert because of the praline-like topping, made from combining pecans with brown sugar and butter. If you want to make this pareve, simply use margarine instead of the butter. Because you place the mixture into a tube or bundt pan, the result is a beautiful ring-shaped kugel that is sure to impress your guests!


This is really one of my favorite recipes. It's one of the best kugels on earth, perfect any time of year, so easy to make, and brings back all sorts of happy family memories. The name it was given in Joan Nathan's cookbook says it all: Lick-Your-Fingers Kugel. I don't dare modify that already-perfect moniker, but I will suggest an additional one. So without further ado, I give you: The Kugel That Makes You Go Oooooh.


Lick-Your-Fingers Kugel
Adapted from a recipe by Joan Nathan in Cooking in America, and originally from the North Shore Hadassah

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter or margarine, divided
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup pecans, halved
1 pound wide noodles
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt

Choose your pan: either a 12-cup mold or a tube pan (angel food cake pan) or even a bundt pan. Divide the butter in half and cut into chunks. Place chunks of half the butter or margarine in the bottom of the pan, then place in the oven just until the butter melts. Swirl it around so it coats the bottom of the pan and also tilt the pan so it coats the sides. Sprinkle the brown sugar around the bottom of the pan and press down with the back of a spoon. Press the pecans into the brown sugar.

Boil the noodles according to the package directions. Drain.

In a large bowl, add the eggs. Melt the remaining half of the butter and add that into the bowl. Add the cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Combine these ingredients well, then add the noodles and stir until they are all coated. Pour the mixture into the baking pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the top of the kugel is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. You'll notice after you've inverted the kugel that the top, which has the pecans and brown sugar and butter, become slightly hard just like those delicious praline candies!

Serve the kugel cold or at room temperature. Yields 10 to 12 servings. Can be made dairy or pareve. Enjoy!


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Place chunks of butter in the baking pan...

Melt the butter and swirl around the bottom and sides of the pan...

Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter...

Press the brown sugar into the butter...

Press the pecans into the brown sugar...

Boil the noodles...
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt...

Stir well...

Toss the noodles with the egg mixture...

Pour into the baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour 15 minutes...

Let stand 15 minutes out of the oven (but still in the pan), then invert onto a serving plate (and notice the praline topping!)...
Slice and serve!