Maple Walnut Brownies with Maple Glaze

I grew up loving the flavor of maple because my mom is addicted and fed us kids maple-infused foodstuffs regularly. I've made maple desserts before. Try the Northern Maple Nut Pie on Happy Go Marni. Heaven. Or the Maple Walnut Cookies. Delicious. And as I've preached before, don't you dare use Aunt Jemima as a substitute for real maple syrup in these recipes! Not only is it tragedy, it's illegal! I'm going to call the Maple Police if you do that.

This maple-walnut brownie has a third of a cup of maple syrup in the recipe. And that's only for an 8-inch square baking pan! The raw batter was super mapley. Mmmm. I could have eaten the entire batter without baking it.

If you see multiple maple syrups in the grocery store and you're not sure which to use when, go for Grade B for baking and Grade A for drizzling on your waffles and pancakes. The way I remember it is B is for Baking. Easy!

I often skip frostings and glazes in recipes because I'm either lazy or it cuts back on the calories and doesn't seem necessary. With these brownies, though, I highly recommend you go forward with the maple glaze. It adds so much, not only in flavor, but it moistens the brownie. And it's simple to make.

Hooray for another successful maple dessert! Mom is probably bursting with happy tears right now.


Maple Walnut Brownies with Maple Glaze
Adapted from a recipe on the King Arthur Flour website
Makes 16 two-inch brownies

Brownies
1 1/4 cups (5 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (5 5/8 ounces) brown sugar
1/3 cup (3 1/4 ounces) maple syrup
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon maple flavor (you can use maple extract or imitation maple flavor, too)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8-inch square baking pan by lightly greasing the bottom and sides. If you want, line with foil and then grease. I did this so I could easily lift the bars out of the pan and cut on a cutting board (plus, it kept my pan nice and clean!).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside.

In a medium saucepan set over the stove or a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the butter and brown sugar together. As soon as the butter is melted, remove from the heat and stir to wet the brown sugar and make a smooth mixture. Stir in the maple syrup. Let the mixture stand about 20 minutes or until it cools to lukewarm.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and stir to combine well. Then stir in the maple flavor. Gently fold in the dry ingredients but don't overmix. Fold in the walnuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (it took me 21 minutes), just until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan. Don't overbake or the brownies will be dry. Err on the side of underbaking. :) Take the pan out of the oven and let cool on a cooling rack.

Once completely cool, cut into squares and drizzle the glaze on top. I placed the individual squares on a sheet of wax paper and then drizzled the glaze so the glaze didn't make a huge mess everywhere. Transfer the glazed squares to a container and place in the fridge for 20 minutes so the glaze can set.


Maple Glaze
1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream

Place the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl or 4-cup measuring glass. Add the maple syrup and barely any milk or cream. Whisk together and determine if you should add more milk or cream. My glaze was liquidy enough for drizzling with only 1 tablespoon milk. You want the glaze to be able to pour easily but you don't want it so thin that it slides right off the brownie and into a puddle on the wax paper.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside...

In a saucepan, melt together the brown sugar and butter...

Remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup, then let cool to lukewarm...

Add the eggs, one at a time...

Add the maple flavor...

Fold in the dry ingredients...

Fold in the walnuts...

Pour into the prepared baking pan...

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, then let cool completely...

To make the maple glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, and milk...

Stir until smooth and add more milk as necessary to make a pourable liquid...

Cut the brownies into squares and place on wax paper...

Drizzle the maple glaze on top and let set (you can place in the fridge to set more quickly)...

Enjoy!

Apricot Lemon Bars with Hazelnut Crust

Sometimes a few words explain it all. This time, I'm telling my tale with a limerick. Suffice it to say, the addition of apricot to a timeless classic dessert deserves a round of applause.

Apricot Lemon Bar Limerick
by Happy Go Marni

There once was a famous treat:
The lemon bar you thought couldn't be beat.
Then apricot was added
And my tushy was padded
From eating the whole cookie sheet!


Apricot Lemon Bars with Hazelnut Crust
Adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich in Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies
Makes 16 large (2-inch) bars or 25 smaller bars

Note: Feel free to swap out the hazelnuts in the crust with walnuts, toasted almonds, or another nut.

For the crust:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1.25 ounces) toasted and skinned hazelnuts
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the topping:
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (5.5 ounces) apricot preserves
1/3 cup strained fresh lemon juice
2 to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square metal baking pan with foil.

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

To make the crust:
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and nuts. Pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the melted butter and the vanilla and pulse just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the mixture begins to form a ball. Remove the dough and knead it on your work surface for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is well combined.

Pour the dough into the bottom of the pan and press it evenly with the back of a spoon or your fingers so that it is even thickness across the bottom. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden in the center, well browned on the edges, and no part looks undercooked.

To make the topping:
While the crust is baking, it's the perfect time to prepare the fruit layer! In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and flour until well combined. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Stir in the preserves and if you see any large chunks of fruit, break them up. Stir in the lemon juice. When the crust is done, turn the oven down to 300 degrees F. Take the crust out of the oven and pour the filling over the hot crust. Return to the oven.

Bake for 20 to 25 more minutes. You'll know it's done if you tap the pan and the fruit layer does not jiggle like jello; it should be firm. Cool completely on a wire rack in the pan.

When you're ready to serve the bars, lift up the foil that lined the pan and transfer it to a cutting board. Cut the bars with a long sharp knife into squares. If you want, sift powdered sugar over the bars (but don't do this ahead of time; do it just before you serve the bars - or buy non-melting powdered sugar from King Arthur Flour). Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and nuts in a food processor...

Pulse till the nuts are finely ground...

Add the butter and vanilla...

Mix until the ingredients are moistened and begin to form a ball...

Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan...

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden...

To make the apricot lemon layer, first combine the sugar and flour...
Whisk in the eggs...
Stir in the apricot preserves and break up any large chunks...
Stir in the lemon juice...
Pour the mixture over the hot crust...

Return to the oven and bake at 300 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes...

To cut the cooled bars, lift the foil lining out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Dust with powdered sugar if desired...

Cut into squares and enjoy!

Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Upside Down Cake

I love Emily Luchetti! It was my mom who first introduced me to this master baker. Emily was the Executive Pastry Chef of Stars Restaurant in San Francisco, and has several other impressive roles on her resume. I own a few of her dessert cookbooks; they are all fantastic. Plus, Emily is down to earth and approachable and actually responds to her Facebook fans. Follow along as she posts recipes and updates by becoming her fan here.


She posted a recipe for Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Upside Down Cake to her Facebook page a few days before Thanksgiving and explained that this is what she'd be serving for dessert on the holiday rather than pumpkin pie because pumpkin pie just doesn't do it for her. Well, my Thanksgiving didn't skip the pumpkin pie, but I did find time to make Emily's pumpkin pie-replacement over Thanksgiving weekend and bring it to my grandparents' house for a very special brunch.


All 11 of us sat around the table enjoying each other's company and when I sliced into the cake, there was a moment of silence, followed by ooohs and aaahs, followed by applause, followed by several requests for a slice, until most of the cake was gone. Ok, maybe the applause was an exaggeration, but everything else really did happen. One of us, and I won't name names (you know who you are!!!), had thirds.

My uncle Phil is one very happy camper

I am a fan of upside down cakes in general, because I think they make great presentations. There's that moment of nervousness and surprise when you invert the cake onto a serving plate and see what the underside looks like. With all the butter and brown sugary goodness, the topping is out of this world. But I had never seen a pumpkin upside down cake. I couldn't pass up the chance to make this. So glad I did! And my family was quite appreciative, too.


Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Upside Down Cake
Adapted from a recipe by Emily Luchetti on her Facebook page
Serves 10-12

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin or homemade puree, but NOT pumpkin pie filling)
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Choose your baking pan: either a 9-inch square pan or a 10-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of your pan with parchment. No need to grease it since you're about to put a whole lot of butter in the bottom of the pan!

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and stir until combined (a wooden spoon works well). Pour this brown sugar-butter mixture into the bottom of the cake pan and spread evenly around to cover the entire bottom.

In a medium bowl toss the cranberries and pecans together. Scatter them over the brown sugar-butter mixture in the pan so they look evenly placed.

To make the batter, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, and oil.

Cut a large piece of wax paper or parchment paper and place your sifter in the center. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt over the wax paper, then carefully lift the wax paper up and transfer the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Stir the dry ingredients in with the pumpkin mixture until well combined. Then spread this batter over the cranberries and pecans in the cake pan. Be gentle as you spread the batter so you don't pull up the cranberries or pecans or stir them into the batter.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes (less for the square pan, more for the round pan). The cake is done when a cake tester or toothpick is inserted in the center and comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then loosen the edges of the cake with a knife or metal spatula and invert onto a serving plate. Peel the parchment paper off the top of the cake.

Cool completely before serving. Enjoy! You are about to be in heaven!


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Melt the butter and add the brown sugar; stir until combined...

Pour the mixture into the bottom of the cake pan...

In a bowl, combine the cranberries and pecans...
Scatter the cranberries and pecans evenly over the brown sugar-butter mixture in the pan...

Sift the dry ingredients together...
Whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, and oil...
Add the dry ingredients and stir until well combined...

Pour the batter over the cranberries and pecans in the pan...

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

Cool for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate and peel the parchment off the top...

Cool completely, then slice and serve!

Black & White Brownies, Because Chocolate Comes in Many Shades

I've never been a huge fan of white chocolate. I don't hate it. I don't even dislike it. It's just not something I'd choose over dark or milk chocolate. Oooh dark. Drool drool drool. But the point is, I don't advocate on white chocolate's behalf.

This Black & White Brownie by King Arthur Flour just rocked my world so much that I'm willing to give white chocolate another chance to be on the Hot List. Give the recipe a try and see if you understand what I mean. Or maybe you were already a white chocolate fan and it's a no-brainer that you'd like this brownie and I'm preaching to the choir? But if you were like me, unimpressed, bored even, by the thought of white chocolate desserts, then view this as a very unique opportunity to grow your palate.


Besides the delicious taste and texture of these brownies, they are fun and whimsical looking because of the scattered dark chocolate pieces that bake on the top of the white batter. I recommend using large, geometric chocolate chunks, such as round wafers (Trader Joe's now sells these!) or square blocks.

Sorry I don't have step-by-step pictures of this brownie. But save the jawdrops and appalledness for someone else (with tougher skin). I'm not perfect (Doh! The cat's out of the bag!)! I didn't have my camera out during the making of this brownie and I'm pretty sad about it. I'm kicking myself enough already for the both of us. But come on, I know you can do it! You don't need photo instructions. There are very few ingredients, all basic, and no fancy technique to learn and apply. I believe in you!


Black & White Brownies
Adapted from a recipe from King Arthur Flour
Makes 16 brownies

1 cup (6 ounces) chopped white chocolate
1/4 cup (2 ounces, 1/2 stick) butter
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups (5 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (6 ounces) bittersweet chunks or chopped chocolate, divided

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan.

In the microwave, heat together the white chocolate, butter, and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Only heat for 30 seconds at a time because you don't want to burn the chocolate (and white chocolate has a tendency to burn easily). You can also do this over a double boiler, but I often find the microwave does the trick, and it's a lot easier!

Remove the bowl from the microwave when the butter is melted and the white chocolate has softened. Then stir in the vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Wait till the mixture has cooled down to lukewarm, then add the two eggs and beat to incorporate.

In a small separate bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Add these dry ingredients to the egg/chocolate mixture. Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chunks. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chunks over the top.

Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes, until light golden brown and the edges pull away ever so slightly from the pan. Remove from the oven, place the pan on a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely before cutting.