The Classic: Banana Nut Bread

Hey guys!  I came back to school after Thanksgiving break to some perfectly ripe bananas!  This recipe is really quick and easy - and delicious.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and butter or grease one 8'' x 4'' bread pan.
Ingredients:
Dry
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

• Whisk dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Wet

2 ripe bananas (mashed)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup walnuts

• Whisk wet ingredients and nuts into a large bowl.
• Fold in dry ingredients just until combined.
• Pour contents into bread pan and bake for 30-40 minutes.  If you think the top is getting too dark you can cover the pan with tin foil.  Test the center of the bread with a toothpick or thin knife until it comes out clean.

Enjoy it while it's warm! yum!

M&M Brookies

We couldn't decide what to make with the ingredients on hand, so instead of making a decision we just combined a couple recipes instead.  We give you...DUH DUH DUH DUUUH!!!!! M&M Brookies!

Jamming to the Beach Boys sparks creativity in the brain!  The creation involves brownies and cookie dough mixed.  Ideally we wanted the cookie dough to be just that, dough, but we realized we took out the brownies and mixed in the dough a little early, baking the cookies past their dough state, so make sure it isn't too much like pudding when you mix in the cookie dough.

Our results were soft and gooey! ...don't worry, we made sure to run today...may need to go again.

For the Brownies:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.

3. Put the chocolate and butter saucepan whisk until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined.

4. Add eggs and vanilla.  Whisk to combine, but do not over whisk or brownies may become cakey. 

5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes.

Meahwhile...Prepare cookie dough.

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1/2 cup packed (7 ounces) light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
m&ms (as many as you love!)

1. Whisk the flour, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the m&ms to taste.

THEN...

Take brownies out of oven and drop clumps of cookie dough into partially baked brownies.  Swirl dough into batter or leave clumpy if you prefer.

Return to oven for 10-12 minutes.

Eat with a HUGE glass of milk and defibrillator!! 

Rachel's Chocolate Caramel Birthday Cake!

Hi! Stef here! Today is Rachel's birthday and NOW our blog's birthday.

I toyed around with many ideas for Rachel's birthday cake but they ALL included caramel. Rachel is a HUGE fan of caramel.  For my birthday a few months back, Rachel made me a chocolate cake with chocolate chip cookie layers! It was to die for! I obviously needed to return the favor.

The chocolate cake itself is incredible and the caramel buttercream frosting was even better! The chocolate ganche was a little runny on top but that can easily be fixed!

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit's Chocolate Cake with Fleur de Sel Caramel Filling

CAKE

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee
• 
  

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of each with parchment paper; butter paper and dust pan with flour.
• Sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Add milk, eggs, and melted butter. Using electric mixer, beat at low speed until blended. Increase speed and beat 2 minutes. Stir 1 cup hot water and espresso powder in small bowl to dissolve. Add to batter; beat until blended (batter will be thin). Divide batter between pans (about 3 cups each).
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around cakes; turn out onto racks. Peel off parchment and cool completely.

CARAMEL FROSTING

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Large pinch of sea salt

2 sticks butter

3-4 cups powdered sugar

Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in deep medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium; cover pan and cook 4 minutes. Uncover; increase heat to high. Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, occasionally brushing down pan sides with wet pastry brush, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Whisk in butter, then sour cream, and pinch of salt. Cool completely. 
Beat butter with a mixer until smooth and fluffy ( 3-4min). Add powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time. Stir in the caramel. If the consistency of the frosting is not spreadable, add more powdered sugar.

GANACHE TOPPING

• 8 ounces  bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
•  2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 
  

*Melt chocolate and corn syrup in a medium sauce pan. Add cream. Use while still warm.

CAKE ASSEMBLY

Once the cake has cooled, frost the first layer with caramel frosting. Set the next layer on top and frost the rest of the cake with the caramel frosting. Pour warm ganche over the cake.

*  To make the ganache for this cake I warmed the heavy cream and poured it over chocolate chips, but it turned out a little runnier than planned.  I suggest this alternative method, as I have used it successfully before.