Know Your Cookie

George Hirsch June 4, 2025

You could call the blondie the brownie's cousin. The brownie derives its character from a deep rich cocoa base for the chocolate flavor. A blondie's flavor is butterscotch-like, based on a high quantity of butter and brown sugar in the recipe.

Know Your Cookie:

A blondie is considered a sheet cookie because its soft batter spreads across a sheet-like pan to bake. Other types of sheet cookies include brownies and rainbow cookies. After sheet cookies are baked, they need to cool and can be cut into squares, rectangles, or any other shape.

George's Blondie

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 12-18 Blondies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound (2 sticks) of sweet butter, softened at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

1 1/2 cups semisweet chopped chocolate pieces; or chocolate, or butterscotch chips

Optional: 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2-inch baking pan.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt well. Set aside.

Cream butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, and cream on high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

On a low speed, add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, stopping the machine to scrape down the bowl well after each addition. On a low speed, add flour to the butter mixture and mix just until flour is absorbed. Do not overmix.

By hand, fold the pecans and chocolate in with a rubber spatula.

Optional: if using coconut, mix 3/4 of coconut with pecans and chocolate.

Using a spatula, spread the batter into the baking pan, making sure the batter is spread evenly and smoothly. If using coconut, sprinkle extra on top of the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. caution to not overbake. Blondies are baked when the cookie springs back when pressed lightly with your finger or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 2 hours, and cut the blondies into rectangles or square pieces.

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George’s Double Chocolate Brownies

George Hirsch May 26, 2025

Know Your Cookie:

A brownie is a sheet cookie, as its soft batter spreads across a sheet-like pan to bake. Other types of sheet cookies include blondies and rainbow cookies. After sheet cookies are baked, they can be cut into squares, rectangles, or any other shape when cool.

This is an often requested recipe from George Hirsch Lifestyle. It is ideal for every occasion. Enjoy it as is, or upgrade it by topping it with your favorite ice cream. The brownie derives its character from a deep, rich cocoa base for the chocolate flavor.

Did you know chocolate is a winter mood booster? Dark chocolate contains the amino acid tryptophan, a well-recognized serotonin producer. It’s also one of the best food sources of magnesium, an essential mineral that allows the body to relax.

A one-ounce serving of dark chocolate contains 64 mg of magnesium. That’s 16% of the recommended daily intake. Add to that an abundance of other essential minerals, antioxidants, flavanols, and prebiotic fiber—all of which make us feel better in more ways than one.

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Makes 12-18 Brownies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound (2 sticks) of sweet butter, softened at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

1 1/2 cups semisweet chopped chocolate pieces or chocolate or butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2-inch baking pan and line it with a parchment paper baking sheet.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt well. Set aside.

Cream butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and cream on high speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.

On a low speed, add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, stopping the machine from scraping down the bowl well after each addition. At low speed, add flour and cocoa powder to the butter mixture and mix until flour is absorbed. Do not over-mix.

By hand, fold the pecans and chocolate in with a rubber spatula.

Optional: if using coconut, mix 3/4 of coconut with pecans and chocolate.

Using a spatula, spread the batter into a baking pan, making sure the batter is spread evenly and smooth.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Be careful not to overbake. Brownies are baked when pressed. The cake springs back when pressed lightly with your finger, or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 2 hours, and cut the brownies into rectangle or square pieces.

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

George Hirsch May 4, 2025

Would you like a bite of old-fashioned-style cake equally suitable for a morning coffee break, mid-day snack, and even dessert. If so, then this is it.

What I like about this coffee cake recipe is that it isn't overly sweet. I created this recipe using all-purpose flour, not cake flour, which makes a denser crumb with a nice texture. The dairy mix of sour cream, yogurt, and milk is a harmonious trifecta that achieves a light and flavorful addition to every slice. Use fresh eggs and butter, and you'll have a hit.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

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Makes about 18 muffins

For the Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar

6 Tablespoons sweet butter, softened

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Place the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl and crumble together with your fingers until it forms a crumb mixture. Add in the nuts—reserve and mix the muffin batter.

For the Cake:

1/2 cup sweet butter, one stick softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup 2% milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated orange rind

Lightly grease 18 muffin cups or use paper liners.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (175 degrees C). Note: If using a dark-colored muffin pan, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Dark-colored pans absorb more heat while baking in the oven, become hotter, and carry heat faster than light-colored pans.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and orange zest, one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, and milk. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately in three stages with the sour cream, yogurt, and milk mixture, stirring and scraping the bowl with a spatula after each addition. Mix until just blended. Do not over-mix.

Add half the batter into prepared muffin cups and sprinkle with half the topping mixture. With the back of the butter knife, swirl the batter slightly to mix the crumb mixture into the bottom of the muffin cups. 3/4 filled. Add the remaining batter, then the crumb topping, and bake.

Bake the muffins in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until they test done. Cool for 15-20 minutes, and then remove them from the pan.

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Irish Bread Pudding

George Hirsch March 13, 2025

Lá Fhéile Pádraig: Gaelic for Saint Patrick's Day or St. Paddy's. I like to use day-old French bread in my bread pudding recipe, or Cinnamon-raisin bread, sweet rolls, and even leftover Irish Soda Bread can also be used. Serve with a vanilla ice cream spiked with a wee bit of Irish. Slàinte

Irish Bread Pudding

Makes 10-12 servings

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2 Granny Smith or baking apples, peel, cored, and chopped

3-4 cups cubed dry French Bread, Irish Soda, Brown Bread, or Cinnamon Raisin Bread

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup raisins, plumped in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

4 cups milk

8 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons vanilla

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup Irish Whisky

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pre-grease an 8 x 8-inch or 10-inch round cake pan.

CLICK to Watch classic Irish segment Pubs, Pints, People from George Hirsch Living it UP! — **CLICK to Watch** classic Irish segment Pubs, Pints, People from *George Hirsch Living it UP!*

Combine the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl and beat with a whisk until well blended. Add whiskey and slowly pour over the bread mixture. Add optional chopped chocolate. Poke the bread, completely covered with the milk mixture, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Place a pan larger than the cake pan or skillet in preheated oven and place the pan holding the bead pudding inside. Immediately fill the outer pan with enough hot water to come up one inch on the sides of the bread-pudding pan.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the water bath, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 25 additional minutes. Remove the bread pudding and allow to set for twenty minutes before serving. Serve with ice cream and a good Irish Coffee! Sláinte!

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Chocolate Sauce, take a dip

George Hirsch February 13, 2025

This is one of those sauces that must be in every chef's repertoire. It's a classic. In a matter of minutes, you can turn a simple sweet into chocolate decadence. So set aside the guilt and go ahead - dip, drizzle, and dunk your way through fresh strawberries, ice cream, and cake.

One study has shown that the smell of chocolate may relax you by increasing theta waves in the brain. Yes, we all have them.

Does chocolate contain any nutrients? Yes, it does, in small amounts. A 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bar contains recommended daily values of the following vitamins and minerals:

• 3 grams of protein • 15% of the Daily Value of riboflavin • 9% of the Daily Value of calcium • 7% of the Daily Value of iron

When choosing chocolate, look for a shiny finish, which is a sign that the chocolate was heated at the right temperature for the right amount of time. Also, look for a crispy snap when chocolate is broken into pieces. Choose a good chocolate for a sauce like Lindt, Callebaut, or Scharffen Berger. In a pinch, chocolate chips will do. This very decadent sauce is ideally served with fresh strawberries. Note: this chocolate sauce recipe is not ideal for coating dipped strawberries. Chocolate Sauce Recipe Below

***Dip or Drizzle Chocolate Sauce On Your Favorite Cookies***

George's Chocolate Sauce

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | George Hirsch Lifestyle TV Series

Makes about two cups

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 Tablespoons pure cane granulated sugar

3/4 cup cream

3 Tablespoons corn syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional: 1 Tablespoon Brandy or Grand Marnier

Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and set aside.

Place cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a small pot. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly. When it reaches a boil, pour directly over the chocolate and stir until all chocolate has melted. Add vanilla and brandy.

Use immediately or cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to two weeks. To reheat, heat the amount you need over a double boiler and stir until just melted.

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