Blondie

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I'm not talking Deborah Harry's iconic rock band of the 70's, or the American comic strip featuring Dagwood's wife, but the confection with close ties to the popular brownie. 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 as it's soft batter spreads across sheet like pan to bake. Other types of sheet cookies would include brownies and rainbow cookies. After sheet cookies are baked they are cooled and can be cut into squares, rectangles or any other shapes. 

Blondie

Makes 12-18 Blondies 

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2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

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

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoons 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 flufly. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, cream on high speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. 

On a low speed add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, stopping 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 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 baking pan making sure the batter is spread evenly and smooth. If using coconut sprinkle extra on top of the batter. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes. caution to not over bake. Blondies are baked when 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 rectangle or square pieces.

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Chocolate Pecan Filo Pie

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This is one of those desserts that your guests won't forget. I promise they will ask you for the recipe. TIP: Be sure to use really good quality chocolate; this will add to the success of this crowd pleasing dessert recipe. 

image: Hirsch Media

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Warm Apple Cobbler

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Call it a crisp, a crumble or Betty, doesn't matter when you taste this quick version of apple pie!

Granny: This Australian native was discovered in 1868 as a chance seedling by "Granny" Anne Smith of Ryde, New South Wales. One parent might have been a French Crab Apple. Grannys are known for their distinctive green flesh, which sometimes bears a red blush, and their very tart flavor. An all-purpose apple, Grannys work equally well as a snack or in pies and sauce. U.S. Grannys are harvested beginning in August, and are available year-round.

Gala: This variety originated in New Zealand, a cross between Kidd's Orange Red and Golden Delicious. The Royal Gala strain was named in honor of Queen Elizabeth II, who deemed it her favorite during a visit to New Zealand. It was brought to the United States in the early 1970s, and is now one of the country's most popular apples. This crispy, juicy, very sweet apple is ideal for snacking. Galas can vary in color, from cream to red- and yellow-striped. U.S.-grown Galas are harvested beginning in mid-July, and are typically available year-round.

George’s Warm Apple Cobbler Recipe

Makes 4 –6 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

For Topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup flour

3/4 quick oats

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup melted butter 

Mix all sugars, flour, oats and nuts. Pour in butter and mix until topping looks like wet sand. Do not over mix; topping should have a lumpy consistency.

For the Filling:

4 cups Apples- 1/2 granny and 1/2 gala or other sweet apple, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces. 

1/3 cup water or *simple syrup

1/4 cup raisins, plump in simple syrup

Pre heat a 375 degree oven.

Grease small individual ramekins or one nine inch ovenproof casserole. Add chopped apples, raisins and simple syrup. Top with a generous amount of crumb topping.  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until crumb topping is crisp and light brown. 

Serve warm topped with powder sugar, whip cream or powder sugar.

*To make simple syrup:

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

1 orange, cut into quarters

Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Remove and cool.

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Tres Leches

Tres Leches, aka pan tres leches (three milks bread) and three-milk cake - which is a cake perforated and soaked in a mixture of three different milk products; evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk or heavy cream. 

Why three milks? A cake using canned evaporated or condensed milk originated in Latin America to promote the use of the their canned product. Evaporated and condensed milk is widely available throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America. So it's only natural if a highly appealing dessert would use these products, product sales would increase. Both became an immediate success in urban areas where fresh milk was lacking distribution from farm regions. But who knew this cake would become such a highly appealing global dessert.

So what’s the three milk difference? 

- Condensed milk first came into use in the mid-1850’s as a way to preserve milk in cans without refrigeration. 

- Evaporated milk first became available during the 1870’s when milk companies were able to heat the evaporated milk so that it would not spoil in the cans, thereby making the sugar unnecessary. 

Butter or sponge cake is the foundation of this dessert; I suggest sponge cake since it's a better option for a lighter, airy texture and not as soggy, because it can better absorb the cake soaking up the three milks. 

Sponge Cake Tips: 

- It’s all in whipping the egg yolks and egg whites separately to build a light airy cake batter. 

- Use the freshest eggs. The quality of the eggs affects the cake's volume and texture.

- Prepare cake pans by brushing with melted butter, dusting with flour and lining with parchment paper.

- Whisk the eggs and sugar until they have increased in volume about four times it’s original volume and the strands from the whisk are stiff enough to hold a trail on top of egg batter for at least 30 seconds.

- For maximum lightness, use sifted flour; and add flour into the mixture in three stages. 

- Fold in the whipped egg whites using a long-handled spatula with an up-and-over motion, while turning the bowl in the opposite direction.

Pastel de Tres Leches

Makes about 10-12 servings

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For the cake:

5 large eggs, separated

1 cup granulated pure can sugar

1/3 cup milk, warmed

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 Tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Grease a 13 x 9-inch cake pan or baking dish with butter and flour. 

In a mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar and the egg yolks until light and fluffy for about 5 minutes. 

With a very clean wire whisk or whip, beat the egg whites to soft peaks, adding the cream of tartar after 20 seconds. Slowly add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until the whites are glossy and firm, but not dry.

Into the egg yolk mixture fold in the flour, baking powder; milk and vanilla. Then, gently fold the whites into the yolks. Add melted butter. Pour batter into cake pan. 

Bake the cake until it feels firm about 30-45 minutes, you can test by inserting a skewer or a toothpick and it comes out clean. Cool completely in baking pan. 

Pierce the cake all over with a skewer about every 1/2 inch to allow the milk syrup to soak into cake. Prepare milk syrup as directed. 

Milk Syrup

1 12 ounce can evaporated milk

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon Myers Dark Rum 

Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream, vanilla and rum in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well blended. Pour the syrup over the cake, spooning the overflow back on top, until it is all absorbed.

When ready to serve top with additional fresh whipped cream or ice cream.

And, Tres Leches is ideal serve after a bowl of Posole, my pre-Columbian soup or stew from Mexico! 

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Molten Chocolate Cake, aka..

 Lava cake, or HOT CHOCOLATE BERRY CUPCAKES..This sweet was created in my restaurant years ago, as a hot dessert to satisfy every chocoholic. it's my warm bit of chocolatey goodness I include in my St. Valentine's Day line up. A little like a foolproof soufflé only easier to prepare and a hit every time! 

And, guild the lilly and serve with my

Best Chocolate Sauce!

from George Hirsch Living it UP! Cookbook

HOT CHOCOLATE BERRY CUPCAKES

makes 8-10 

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George Hirsch Living it UP! Cookbook 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 

1 1/3 cups sugar 

1/3 cup *Good Dutched cocoa powder 

3/4 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 cup milk 

1 Tablespoon white vinegar 

1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 

1 egg 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 cup fresh raspberries 

*Dutched cocoa means the cocoa underwent a process that results in milder chocolate flavor notes by reducing acidity. The dutching process can also change the color from light red to brown to black. Dutched cocoa works well in chocolate desserts such as devil’s food cake or brownies.

For the Hot Cupcake filling: 

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 

1 teaspoons grated orange peel 

2 Tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a medium bowl combine the flour,1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and mix well. 

Combine milk with the vinegar in a separate bowl and allow to stand 5 minutes for the milk to sour. Add the oil, egg, and vanilla; mix well. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Do not over beat. 

In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, orange peel and chopped chocolate and mix until well blended. 

Pour the batter evenly into four or six ounce buttered ceramic ramekins or cupcake tins. Divide the cream cheese mixture into 10 equal balls and drop one into the center of each batter. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove the ramekins, let stand for 2 minutes, and serve with ice cream on the sid

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