Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Bars

I'm kind of a cookie snob. If it's a chocolate chip cookie, it HAS to be chewy. Crispy is fine every once in a while, but cakey is not an option. This time of year, everything has been pumpkin-ified, whether it is by the addition of real pumpkin or just pumpkin pie spices. Unfortunately, pumpkin has a high water content, and when it's added to baked goods, it can seriously affect the texture. In terms of cookies, that means it will make them so cakey that they are basically muffins in the shape of a cookie.

Almost a decade ago (!!!), the creative genius of How Sweet It Is shared a CHEWY pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe, and it quickly became one of my favorites. I even shared it once already on this blog seven years ago! It is perfect every single time I make it. However, sometimes I don't feel like waiting for multiple batches of cookies to bake. And without fail, I always end up with chip-less batter in the end. I decided I wanted to turn her recipe into cookie bars. And you know what? I didn't even need to do anything to it! I compared her recipe to some cookie bar recipes, and the amounts of flour and butter were basically the same, so I threw the whole thing into a 9x13 pan (lined with parchment paper), baked it for 30 minutes, and it turned out perfectly. 

Since then, I have made this recipe as bars countless times. I actually prefer this to the original cookie recipe, since you get thicker and chewier cookies with half the work. I have also made this in two 8x8 pans and that works really well, especially if you want to make one for you and one for a friend :) 

Tips:

• As with the individual cookies, the bars will seem underdone when you take them out, but that really is the trick to a chewy cookie.
• The cookie bars cut very well once they are cool, so please resist the urge to eat them immediately (unless you're okay with a big mess, which is probably worth it for warm cookie bars). 
• Once the bars are all cut, I like storing leftovers (if there are any) in the fridge. For long-term storage, put them in the freezer!
• They store well for a week (I honestly haven't had them last longer than that), and you can definitely make them in advance. I would just recommend letting them warm up to room temperature before serving, because not everybody likes cold cookies. 
• If you're feeling really indulgent, these are incredible when topped with a dark chocolate ganache. 
• I originally always made these cookies with homemade pumpkin butter, but it also works perfectly with pumpkin butter from Trader Joe's - just make sure to stock up when they have it! 
• As I mentioned in my previous post about the cookies, I really like adding some cinnamon chips in with the chocolate chips - also, use dark chocolate chips if you can find them.
• It's a lot cheaper to make your own pumpkin pie spice - here is a good recipe! 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Bars

Yield: 24 medium or 32 small bars
Adapted slightly from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (312 grams)
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 (heaping) tbsp pumpkin pie spice 
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup packed brown sugar (200 grams)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin butter (144 grams)
1 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup cinnamon chips (can use more chocolate chips if you can't find these)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a 9x13 pan (or two 8x8 pans) with parchment paper.

Mix flour, salt, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until well mixed. Stir in the pumpkin butter until smooth.

Add the flour mixture gradually and mix until a dough forms. It might look crumbly at times, but I promise it will all come together. Resist the urge to over-mix it. When the dough is almost together, fold in the chocolate chips.

Dump the dough into your prepared pan. If you are splitting into two pans, try to split the dough evenly - using a scale helps, but isn't necessary. 

Using an offset spatula (or your hands), press it down evenly and make sure it gets into all of the corners. If desired, top with a few extra chocolate chips and cinnamon chips. 

Bake for 30-35  minutes, or until lightly golden and the edges are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. The top will have a crackly crust and the middle will seem underbaked, but it will setup once it cools.

Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes, then lift the bars out of the pan (using the parchment paper) and cool on the cooling rack until completely cool.

Melted butter mixed with sugars

Egg and vanilla mixed in, with pumpkin butter just added

Dry ingredients were gently folded in

Dark chocolate and cinnamon chips added to dough

Dough split between two 8x8 pans

Dough spread out evenly

Baked perfectly - crackly on top but still gooey in the middle

This was a 9x13 batch

Chewy centers!

They sink a little bit in the center because they are so gooey

Tips and Tricks for Making Perfect Macarons

I love baking macarons


They are so beautiful, so delicious, and honestly, impress anyone you share them with. They require some precision and patience, but really aren't the most difficult thing to bake. I am not a pastry chef and I'm certainly not an expert, but by following the advice and tips below, I have had success every single time I've made macarons. I wanted to share all of my tips in case they would be helpful for anyone else! This is very long (I'm sorry), but bear with me and I think you will be able to make your own beautiful macarons. 

Ingredients

You must use a kitchen scale! All of the measurements are extremely precise, and this is really the only way to accurately measure your ingredients. They aren’t that expensive to buy, and will make your life so much easier. A lot of recipes put ingredients with both volumetric and weight measurements, so you can use it for many other recipes.

Almond Meal

I've found that buying almond meal in bulk is the cheapest way to do it. This will be your most expensive ingredient, but if you get a lot of it, each batch of macarons will be incredibly inexpensive to make. I found a 3 lb bag of the good stuff (Bob's Red Mill) for only $13. If you do buy in bulk, keep a portion of it in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. The high fat content can cause it to go rancid if you leave it out. Let it come to room temperature before using it - it works well to pull it out at the same time you pull out your egg whites (see below). 

I have seen recipes that claim otherwise, but I have had the best success with blanched almonds that are super fine or finely ground. Blanched almonds have had their skins removed. You will get a much prettier, much smoother macaron with these tips (and you will save time sifting). 

Egg Whites

Always use fresh – do not use egg whites from a carton, they just won’t beat up properly.

Eggs separate best when they are cold, so separate the whites straight from the fridge. Then you need to let the egg whites 'age' for a bit. You can sit them at room temperature for 24-48 hours, or in the fridge for longer than 48 hours. If you do put them fridge, let them come to room temperature before using.

Do not get any traces of fat in your egg whites. Even a drop of egg yolk can prevent the whites from beating properly. I like to put a little vinegar on a paper towel and wipe down everything that comes in contact with the egg whites – the mixing bowl, the whisk attachment, the container the egg whites go into age. The vinegar won’t affect the taste or smell of the macarons.

Some recipes use cream of tartar to help stabilize the egg whites. I have never found this to be necessary, so I don't use it if a recipe calls for it. The red white and blue macaron recipe below calls for cream of tartar, and mine turned out perfectly without it.  

Colors

Do not use liquid food color – it will completely change the consistency of your batter. If you are going to add color, make sure to add powdered or gel/paste food color.

I have tried both Wilton and AmeriColor gel/paste food color, and I prefer AmeriColor. It is a little more expensive, but there are many features that I prefer. It comes in a squeeze bottle, so you don’t have to dip in dozens of toothpicks. This also allows you to be more accurate – once you figure out the correct number of drops to get your desired color, you can repeat that in the future. AmeriColor has given me more vibrant colors, and the colors don’t change after they have baked. (If you overbake your macarons, they will turn brown regardless of whose colors you are using.)

 

Wilton - even a TON of drops didn't make a very vibrant color, 

and the color faded after baking

Another side by side of before and after baking (Wilton)

AmeriColor - it took a lot, but I finally achieved a vibrant color

The color didn't change very much after baking

You will have the best chance of getting the color you want if you add the food color to your egg whites. It takes more mixing than you would think to get the color incorporated evenly, and you don’t want to overmix your batter in the process. I usually add a drop or two at a time, then beat the egg whites well to get the color mixed in while also trying to maintain the consistency.

This is just a recommendation, but I would suggest making separate batches if you want more than one color. If you have multiple bowls and whisk attachments for your stand mixer (or hand mixer) then you would be fine splitting your egg whites in half. Otherwise, I feel that the second half of the batch suffers.

Method

I have only done the ‘French’ method, versus the ‘Italian’ method. This means I beat my egg whites with granulated sugar, and then fold in the powdered sugar and almond meal. The other method involves a sugar syrup that is beaten into the egg whites. Many have had success with each method, so I’m not saying one is better than the other. The French method is the one that I have used, and I have had success every time.

Sifting

Sift 2-3 times. I know this sounds crazy, and I know it takes forever, but it is essential to a smooth macaron. First sift the almonds on their own (at least 2 times). Then you will want to sift the almonds and powdered sugar together, so they get mixed well prior to adding to the egg whites.

You want to use a sieve with fine pores. I made some recent batches with a larger sieve because I was lazy, and I could tell right away that the batter wasn’t as smooth. They turned out just fine, but I think I will go back to a fine sieve in the future for a better appearance.

These were my first two batches, back when I was being really careful about sifting

The piped macarons look smooth and shiny

By now I had become lazier, and I think that the macarons look less smooth

I tried to take some pictures of my two sieves, so you can see what two sizes I'm referring to. The pictures aren't fantastic, but you can see the one with the long handle has tiny diamond-shaped holes, while the holes in the free-standing sieve are bigger. You can use the bigger sieve for your final sift, when combining the almond meal with the powdered sugar. However, I recommend using the smaller sieve for the first two sifting steps. 

Small sieve on the left, larger sieve on the right

Close-up of the pore size

Mixing

I was most nervous about this part when I first made macarons. I had worked so hard to get fluffy egg whites and didn’t want to completely deflate them. Well it turns out that you do need to deflate them quite a bit! It is easiest if you use some kind of flexible spatula, I like the silicone style. Dump all of your dry mixture on top of your fluffy egg whites, and then push your mixture firmly from the middle out to the sides of the bowl. Turn the bowl a quarter turn after each push. Once everything is combined, keep folding your mixture until you can lift it up and a ribbon of batter drips off the end. It is okay if the ribbon is only for a couple of seconds before it breaks. Another way to test consistency is to make sure the ribbon that dripped off disappears into the batter within 20 seconds, but doesn’t immediately. It is okay to be a little under-mixed, since putting it into the piping bag and squeezing with your hand will continue mixing it a bit.

Piping

I trace circles onto parchment paper and then turn it over when piping, so I don’t get any pencil on the macarons themselves. I use a round cutter that is 1 ½ inches in diameter (from the Ateco round cutter set). Leave around 1 inch between circles in case of spreading. Always trace a few extra circles. Even though the recipe says it makes 30 sandwiches (60 macarons), you might make yours slightly smaller or bigger. You don’t want to be scrambling around while holding the dripping piping bag in your hand!

I have always used a disposable piping bag fitted with a Wilton 12 tip. This is just over ¼ inch (5/16 to be exact). If you are splitting up your batch, a 12-inch piping bag works really well (25-30 macarons, or 10-15 macaron sandwiches). I would recommend a larger piping bag for a full batch so you don’t have any batter that squeezes out the top.

The easiest way to fill a piping bag without getting it all over everything is to put it in a tall glass or vase. Fold over the top edges so they remain clean, and then transfer your mixture into the piping bag. Then you can un-fold the top edges and roll them down so you have all of the batter trapped inside.

This is not an example of making macarons!

I was making two-toned frosting for cupcakes

However, it does show how to use a tall glass for a piping bag

I do not like using a coupler – this is really useful when you need to switch tips for the same batch of frosting, but if you are using the same tip throughout you just end up having a lot in the bag that you can’t use. If you just snip off the end of your piping bag you can easily slide your tip in without a problem.

If you want to make a few colors at the same time, I recommend getting a few of the same size piping tip. Otherwise you will have to quickly remove the tip from one bag before moving onto the next.

When piping, hold your piping bag completely vertical in both hands. I like putting my dominant hand toward the top, to control the flow, with my non-dominant hand toward the bottom to help steady. Put the tip about a half inch above the parchment paper, directly in the center of your traced circle. Squeeze gently and with constant pressure until you have just barely filled the circle. The batter will come up the side of the tip while you are doing that. Some recommend a fancy wrist flick while finishing piping to give you a smooth top, but that has never worked for me. Just follow the tips in the next section and you can fix any bumps in the top. 

Before the oven

As soon as you pipe out the macarons, you want to gently tap the baking sheet on a flat surface to get any air bubbles out. Be very careful – you don’t want to drop the sheet!

Use a dry small paintbrush (like one you would use for watercolors) to very gently smooth out any imperfections. I always end up with a little ‘nipple’ at the top. I tried a few different techniques to try to get rid of it, and the paintbrush works wonders. I tried using a damp fingertip, but the extra water messed up the texture (see below). I’ve also tried using a toothpick, but it would stick to the batter and honestly make it look worse than it started. Using a paintbrush helps gently coax the batter into the shape you want. This way you can get rid of any bumps on the top, as well as smooth out any air bubbles that rise to the top. 

See the off-color spots on the blue macarons?

That is where I used a wet fingertip to smooth down the tips

Don't do that!

If you want to top with any edible decorations, now is the time to do it! The macarons will start to dry quickly (this is a very good thing), so the window of time to get anything to stick to them is small. You can add sprinkles, a sprinkle of cinnamon, edible flowers. Just make sure that you don’t add anything too heavy that will interfere with the bake.

This is important - let the macarons dry out a bit before baking them. I mentioned a few times that they will dry quickly, but this all depends on the weather. This will take anywhere between 15 and 60 minutes. They will be ready to bake when they are no longer shiny and they do not feel sticky when you touch them very lightly. If you skip this step, you might not get the pretty 'feet' at the bottom that are what give the macaron their signature look. 

Baking

I have found that the baking temperature and time actually depend on how runny your batter is. In my latest batch, I had split everything in half to make two different colors. My first half of the batch was slightly thicker, and did not spread at all once they were piped. These did very well in a 300 F oven and were perfectly baked after 16 minutes. They also peeled off of the parchment paper perfectly. My second half of the batch was a little runnier – they spread a little after piped (completely normal). They started to brown before they were cooked completely through, and I think would have benefitted from a slightly cooler oven with a longer baking time.

You don’t want to underbake your macarons. If they are gooey when they come out, that ends up collapsing after they cool, and you end up with macarons that are hollow in the center. Make sure that if you touch them gently (very very gently), they do not jiggle at all or move away from the ‘foot.’

Bake only one sheet at a time. They have a relatively quick baking time, so the other sheet of macarons can wait until the first one is done.

This is an underbaked macaron - the center collapsed slightly leaving a hole

This is very important – cool COMPLETELY before even attempting to get the macarons off the pan. If you take them off too soon they will stick. Once cooled, they should peel off easily. Don’t worry if there is a little residue left on the parchment, or if the bottoms are a little wrinkled. You won’t see anything once they are filled.

Filling

This is the main way you are going to add flavor to your macarons. The most popular fillings are jam (or curd), buttercream and ganache. When choosing a filling, think about how long it will be until you serve them. The softer and wetter the filling, the quicker the macarons will need to be served before they become soft and soggy. Ganache lasts the longest, and I know from experience that macarons filled with ganache can be refrigerated or frozen with no negative effects.

The macarons themselves are pretty sweet, so I like using a filling that is a little bitter or tart. Cream cheese frosting or buttercream adds a nice tang, lemon curd gives a tart pop, and a bittersweet chocolate ganache provides an intensity to a dessert that could otherwise be one-note sweet. You can always do a combination – one day I would love to pipe a ring of buttercream around the outside and fill in the center with lemon curd.

To get pretty sandwiches, line up your macarons in size order before filling. Choose two that are of similar size to go together. You will have a range in size, even if you use a guide while piping. Depending on whether you were at the beginning or end of your batch (or if you made multiple batches), some will spread more than others. It works best if you decide in advance which two are going together.

Choose the macaron that is flatter to be on the bottom, otherwise it will roll all over the place while you are trying to fill it.

* If you are putting together macarons of different colors, or have another reason why you can’t match the size, make sure to put the filling on the smaller of the two. This will prevent filling from coming out the sides and making everything messy.

I recommend a layer of filling that is roughly equal to the height of one macaron cookie. Add your filling to the bottom cookie (either pipe or spoon it), gently place the other cookie on top, and then give a slight twist to the two macarons (in opposite directions). The twist allows you to adhere the macarons to each other and the filling without having to push and risk damage.

If you want to pipe your filling using a star tip, I recommend Wilton 21.

Buttercream piped with Wilton 21 (star tip)

If you are using a ganache that is still a little warm (and hasn’t thickened up completely), make sure to just put it on the center of the macaron since it will squeeze out to the sides. If you are using a filling that is already in its final state, then make sure to put it all the way to the edges.

Transportation and Storage

Now that you’ve made some beautiful macarons, you want to bring them somewhere to share (and show off a little). They are incredibly fragile, so you need to be careful otherwise you will end up with a lot of broken shells. Think about when you go to a fancy pastry shop – they have fancy little boxes for macarons with them all on their sides. This is because the top/bottom of the macaron are the most delicate, but the sides are a little sturdier.

via

If you will be consuming the macarons soon, you should keep them in the refrigerator. This is especially helpful when you have filled them with something on the softer side, like jam, curd or buttercream. Allow them to sit out for a few minutes to come to room temperature before eating.

Most macarons will freeze beautifully. The shells will always freeze perfectly, you just need to make sure the filling does as well. I have had great success freezing macarons filled with ganache. Just let them thaw before eating.

Recipes I have had success with

https://bakingamoment.com/red-white-and-blue-cherry-cheesecake-macarons/ (didn’t add cherries to mine)

https://theculinarychronicles.com/2011/04/15/vanilla-bean-macarons-with-dulce-de-leche-buttercream/ (didn’t use vanilla bean or the buttercream, but I’m sure they would have been delicious)

https://theculinarychronicles.com/2016/03/20/chocolate-and-peanut-butter-macarons-happy-macaron-day/ (didn’t use the peanut butter buttercream, used the ganache below)

Fillings

https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/chocolate-peanut-butter-cake/ (Used the ganache from this recipe, with bittersweet chocolate)
http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/how-to-make-lemon-curd/

Tools

Some of these I own, some of them are just examples of what I think I would be very useful

Decorating kit with tips and bags (I own)

100 pack of 12-inch bags

12 pack of 16-inch bags

Round cutter (around 1 ½ inches) - this is the set I have

Wilton 12 tip (part of my kit)

Wilton 21 tip (part of my kit)

AmeriColor gel food color kit - I own and recommend

Watercolor brushes - this is overkill, but an example of what you can look for

Parchment paper

Kitchen scale - I own and recommend


Disclosure - I have included affiliate links in this post. If you buy any of the products I recommend on Amazon, I get a tiny tiny percentage of the sale, but it's still the same price for you

Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blueberry Lime Swirl

I went to look up the recipe for this ice cream, and realized that it was hidden in a post featuring a different recipe, one I didn't even like all that much. This ice cream is so fantastic it deserves the spotlight!

I've made a lot of homemade ice cream recipes, and this is by far my favorite. It is super creamy, even after being in the freezer for weeks. But let's be real, it never lasts that long!

Many of the times I make this I don't get true swirls. You need to wait as long as possible before adding the blueberry mixture to the ice cream machine, and then turn it off after just a few spins, otherwise it will incorporate into the ice cream fully and you will get blue ice cream. It does taste exactly the same so don't worry about it too much. If you are set on getting the swirls, you can even layer it in the container and swirl by hand before putting in the freezer. It is pretty sot when it is first made, so I recommend making it at least a few hours before you want to serve it.

Recipe: Blueberry Lime Cheesecake Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp lime zest
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp corn starch
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
2 tsp lime zest
3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Combine the blueberries, 3/4 cup sugar, lime juice, and 1 tbsp lime zest in a small pot. Whisk together the water and cornstarch, and add to the pot. Turn the heat onto medium and let simmer until thickened, about 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely.

Beat together the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until fluffy and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, mix until creamy and set aside.

Bring 3/4 cup of the milk to a boil over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and add 1/4 cup of the milk to the cream cheese mixture and mix until combined and smooth. Continue with another 1/4 cup at a time of the milk, and then add the entire mixture back to the pan.

Stir over medium-low heat until thickened slightly. Remove from heat, strain mixture, and let cool completely.

(Everything works best if all of your ingredients are really cold, so put in the fridge to cool if possible)

Combine the zest, heavy cream, remaining milk, and cream cheese mixture together. Pour into your ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

* I use this ice cream machine and really like it

Cuisinart ICE-30R Pure Indulgence Frozen Yogurt Sorbet & Ice Cream Maker, 2 quart, Brushed Metal/Red
When ice cream is thickened and finished freezing, slowly pour in the blueberry lime syrup and let swirl a few times in the machine before turning off. (Or create layers in a container, then swirl with a knife a few times.) 

Homemade Marshmallows

This is my favorite time of year. The days are still slightly warm, getting up to 65-75 degrees, but the mornings and nights are crisp and refreshing. The air just feels different. It becomes socially acceptable to wear flannel shirts (seriously the most comfortable things ever) and leggings. Although maybe not together. Hot chocolate and spiced cider are the preferred beverages. And oh yes, it's time to make marshmallows.

I first started making this recipe several years ago. One of my good friends is allergic to corn syrup, and I was determined to find a way to make marshmallows that she could actually eat (and that didn't include really weird ingredients). It ended up being so much simpler than I thought it would, and no weird ingredients at all! Besides gelatin, which to be honest, is kind of a weird ingredient. With these marshmallows, we made the best s'mores I have ever tasted. In my life. We used thick graham crackers from Trader Joe's, and good quality dark chocolate.

Since then, I have only made these marshmallows a handful of times. I've made them for holiday gifts, and put pretty red/green sprinkles on top. I tried cutting them into fun shapes one year, but they were just too sticky for that to work.

These marshmallows can be used for so many things! Obviously, they are amazing in s'mores. I made them at the end of the summer, and they were a HUGE hit at the party I brought them to. Like I said, they make really cute gifts over the holidays. Include them with a package of good hot chocolate (or make your own mix), and your friends and family will love you forever. I haven't tried baking with these marshmallows, so I don't know how they would hold up in something like rice krispies treats. Honestly, I'd probably use regular store-bought marshmallows for those.

As a general warning - these are very different from marshmallows you buy in the store. They are so much fluffier, and a lot taller. You can probably pour them into a larger pan to make them less tall. They also melt a lot more under heat, so you have to be careful when making s'mores. It's hard to get them toasty on the outside before they start falling apart (but it is possible!) I think the best part is that even people who say they don't like marshmallows, love these.

Recipe: Homemade Marshmallows (WITHOUT Corn Syrup)
From: Sugar Plum
Yield: About 36 marshmallows, depending on how they are cut

Ingredients:
2 tbsp unflavored gelatin (2 Knox envelopes)
1/2 cup cold water
pinch salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
butter to grease the pan
powdered sugar to coat the pan

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Over medium heat, stir the sugar, salt and 3/4 cup water until dissolved. Once it comes to a boil, let it boil for 10-15 minutes, until it reaches 236 degrees F. This will depend on how hot your stove gets, so keep an eye on it.

Note: contrary to popular belief, you don't need a candy thermometer for this. I used a regular probe thermometer and it worked just fine. Make sure you are very careful when taking it in and out of the hot sugar, and that you run it under hot water after you take it out, to remove any sugar crystals.

Once the sugar syrup reaches 236 F, take it off the heat and slowly pour it into the mixing bowl. Have the mixer on low, with the whisk attachment. You want everything to be evenly mixed in, and you definitely want to avoid splatters. Add the vanilla. Turn the speed up to medium, and beat for 20 minutes. You want the mixture to be completely white (that change happens first), fluffy, and partially cooled. The mixture and the bowl will still feel warm to the touch. It's similar to making whipped cream, in that you want stiff, glossy peaks when you pull the whisk out of the mixture. If you don't get nice peaks, then it will never set up. On the other hand, if you overmix, it will be hard to pour into your prepared pan.

While the mixture is beating, prepare your pan. Use an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking pan (can use larger pan for less tall marshmallows), and line with parchment paper or wax paper. Butter the paper, and then dust really well with powdered sugar.

When the marshmallow fluff is ready, pour/spread it into the prepared pan. It might be difficult. A large offset spatula works really well to smooth out the top. Resist the temptation to use nonstick spray with the spatula - it will discolor your marshmallows. Instead, just put the spatula under hot water if it starts to have marshmallow stick to it. Dust the marshmallows with another layer of powdered sugar.

Now, you are basically done! Let it set completely before cutting - either put it in the fridge/freezer for a few hours, or sit out overnight. Use a sharp knife to cut, preferably one that is large, so you can cut a whole row with just one slice. The top and bottom of the marshmallows shouldn't be sticky, from the powdered sugar, but the sides will be extremely sticky. I like giving them a roll in a bowl of powdered sugar, so every side is evenly coated. You can be creative here, and use colored powdered sugar, or sprinkles. Cocoa powder could be a nice touch for a subtle chocolate flavor.

The marshmallow fluff has just been poured, and the top is nice and smooth. It is still shiny, which means it hasn't been dusted with powdered sugar yet. 

 

I've started the process of cutting and rolling in powdered sugar. It makes a bit of a mess, and I find it to be a lot easier if you lift the whole thing out, and place the parchment paper or wax paper on a cutting board. I cut them kind of thin, so they would fit better on s'mores. 

I put some sheets of wax paper between the layers, to make sure they didn't stick together

We completely filled this container, and still had a bunch more!

Look how fluffy they are! They're almost a bit spongy. There are a few air pockets - you can probably prevent that by tapping the pan a few times before smoothing out the top. It won't affect anything besides appearance

Separate note - most of the recipes I post here are vegetarian, with the exception of anything with seafood (although you can usually just omit that and be okay). These are not strictly vegetarian - gelatin is an animal-derived product. Using gelatin in a recipe will definitely not be okay with anyone who is vegan, and is questionable for vegetarians, so make sure you check with anyone you will be making these for. In a separate note, gelatin is also not kosher under the Jewish dietary laws of kashrut. Here is a post about some alternatives to gelatin (that are still acceptable for kosher Jews and vegans alike). 

Super Fudgy Brownies

I wanted to bake something very chocolate-y for my dad, for both his birthday and Father's Day. I found the perfect recipe in these brownies. They were incredibly rich, and completely worth the extra steps it took to make them. Normally I use Baker's Chocolate when I need unsweetened chocolate for a recipe, but the store was out! I used Ghirardelli, and it was delicious. I also didn't feel like dirtying my mixer, so I hand-beat the egg/sugar mixture. Lastly, I took them out of the oven at 35 minutes on the dot, and felt that they probably could have stayed in an extra few minutes, since they were just a little underdone. My dad didn't complain at all - he loved how fudgy they were. He loves cold brownies, so that helped firm up the insides.

Recipe: Super Fudgy Brownies
From: Handle the Heat
Yield: 16 brownies

Ingredients:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray, OR line with parchment paper.

In a double boiler (metal bowl set above a pot of simmering water - do not let the bowl touch the water), melt the chocolates and butter. Set aside and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until thick and pale in color, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula (make sure the chocolate is not too hot - you don't want to scramble your eggs!) Gently fold in the flour and salt until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, giving the pan a tap on a counter to release any air. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached. Let cool to room temperature before cutting (they cut better when cold). Serve chilled or at room temperature (or heat up and serve over ice cream)

I may have eaten a few before I took these pictures...

Birthday Celebrations

Here is a late, but long recap of everything I did on my birthday! I have all of the recipes included at the bottom.

I turned 28 on March 5th, and basically had an entire week of birthday celebrations! It started with the Saturday before - we went out to 9 1/2 lounge with some friends. I had never been there before, and it was a lot of fun. It's modeled as a "speakeasy" and you have to give a password just to get in! Of course the password is written right on the door, but somehow that manages to prevent the people who drink too much at the restaurant below from stumbling upstairs and getting in. The drinks were really yummy (my favorite was Cary Nation).

On Wednesday, my actual birthday, Joey and I cooked a birthday feast :) The menu was gruyere popovers, creamy mushroom pasta, garlic shrimp, and a skillet cookie. Everything was just fantastic. The popovers were still a little undercooked inside, but had great flavor. They probably didn't work perfectly with the rest of the meal, but whatever, I wanted them, and they tasted great! The pasta was just so so good. It wasn't too heavy, which is surprising with a creamy pasta dish. I've made the garlic shrimp before, and it's a nice variation on the typical roasted shrimp I make. It really doesn't take any longer than roasted, it just requires paying a bit more attention, since it's a lot easier to overcook them. Finally, the skillet cookie was just ridiculous. The recipe was from Jess (How Sweet It Is), so obviously it was over the top. As you can see in the picture below, it was bigger than my head! We had the cookie every night for more than a week. Once it was gone, Joey asked for more cookies, so obviously we didn't get sick of it in that time.

Joey gave me most of my presents on or before my birthday (a cast iron skillet cookbook, a hanging planter for flowers, a set of stacking silicone bowls for cooking, new jeans, and kettlebell!). The day after my birthday, he surprised me with a homemade planter! It's vertical, so we can fit a lot more plants in one space. I'm so excited to fill it with herbs and veggies. Once the weather is reliably warm, we're going to fill it up.

That night (Thursday), we went out with another group of friends to the C&O to get birthday drinks, part 2. I really like the atmosphere there - it's in the basement below the (super pricy) restaurant, and it feels really cozy. Plus they make homemade ginger beer for their dark and stormy :)

The weekend after my birthday, Joey took me to Richmond for some shopping! He made me a pre-shopping breakfast, after I finished run #1 of the weekend. And then was a serious trooper as we spent several hours shopping. I got some new bras (so pretty), and some shirts at Express and Limited that would work well for dressier occasions, or for presentations/interviews.

Sunday, we made a true birthday breakfast after I did run #2 of the weekend. We made a vanilla bean dutch baby with caramelized vanilla pears. While that was cooking, Joey made me an egg on toast to hold me over (I was starving after running 11 miles!) The dutch baby was so so yummy, and I loved the pears. I was nervous about them, since had only bought the pears the day before, and of course it's impossible to find ripe pears when you need them. They worked out perfectly - cooking them softened them and brought out their flavor.

Gruyere Popovers:
Yield: 7 popovers
From: Completely Delicious
Notes: I halved the recipe, since I didn't need a ton of popovers. The original recipe called for 12, and I have that listed below

Ingredients:
5 oz cheese (I used gruyere and it was amazing)
4 tsp kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (I used almond milk)
4 large eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Place muffin tin in the oven while oven is preheating.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Heat the milk until steaming, but not boiling. This can be done on the stove or in the microwave. Slowly add the milk to the eggs, mixing constantly. Gently stir in the flour mixture, being careful not to overmix.
When oven is preheated, moving quickly, pull out muffin tin and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup all the way. Sprinkle with a handful of cheese.
Bake until puffed and golden, about 45-50 minutes. Try not to peek on them while baking - air can prevent the popovers from rising.
Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Serve immediately.

Nutrition:
124 calories
5 g fat
13 g carbs
0.7 g fiber
6.7 g protein

Baked Mushroom Linguine:
From Baked Ezra
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
4 oz dried mushrooms (such as porcini)
4 cups boiling water
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 tsp finely chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk (I used almond milk)
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 onion, diced
1 lb button mushrooms, chopped
1 lb cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 lb linguine
1/2 cup grated or shaved pecorino romano cheese

Directions:
Place dried mushrooms in a bowl, and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit for 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the mushrooms and place them in another bowl. Press mushrooms to release any extra liquid, and pour liquid back into bowl. Set mushrooms aside. Strain mushroom liquid through a fine-mesh sieve.

Wrap the rosemary and thyme sprigs in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine. Set aside.

Place a large saucepan over medium heat, and melt butter. When the butter starts bubbling, add the flour. Cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Still stirring, slowly pour in the mushroom stock. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles and thickens.

Stir in the milk, goat cheese, and bouquet garni. Reduce the sauce to a gentle simmer, and cook 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until it begins to soften. Add button and cremini mushrooms and cook until they begin to release their juices. Add the rehydrated mushrooms and chopped thyme, and cook until all are tender.

Add cream sauce to mushroom mixture, stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 F and butter a 9x13 inch pan.

Boil water and cook pasta according to manufacturer's instructions, but reduce cooking time by 2-3 minutes. Transfer noodles to a colander, and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.

Stir the noodles into the sauce mixture, and transfer to prepared baking pan. Top with cheese, and bake until bubbling and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition:
366 calories
11.4 g fat
103.3 g carbs
11.8 g fiber
22.2 g protein

Simplest and Best Shrimp Dish:
Yield: 4 servings
From: Mark Bittman

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10-12 large cloves garlic, slivered or minced finely
1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled, rinsed and dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Directions:
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Spread the olive oil over the bottom of the pan, make sure it covers the bottom. Add garlic and cook just until it turns light golden, be really careful because it can burn in an instant.

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp and spices. Stir to blend and continue to cook, shaking the pan once or twice and turning the shrimp once or twice, until they are pink all over and the mixture is bubbly, about 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition:
315 calories
16.6 g fat
4.8 g carbs
0.4 g fiber
35.2 g protein

Dark Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie:
Yield: 1 GIANT cookie (I seriously don't know how many servings, I would guess at least 16)
From: Tasty Kitchen a la How Sweet It Is
Note: The following ingredients are for a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, and made a very tall cookie

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups dark chocolate chunks (either cut up some chocolate bars, or buy it pre-chunked)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in sugars and remove from heat. Let rest until warm but no longer very hot, about 5-10 minutes.

Whisk in the vanilla and eggs, working quickly so the eggs won't cook before mixed in. Stir in the dry ingredients. It will take a few minutes for it to come together (I promise it will mix in!)

Fold in the chocolate, again working quickly, so it doesn't melt too much.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the top is light golden, the edges are a darker golden and beginning to pull away, and the center still jiggles slightly. Serve warm (with ice cream).

Nutrition (if split into 16 servings):
392 calories
18 g fat
62.5 g carbs
2.3 g fiber
4.7 g protein

bigger than my head!

Planter:

Pre-shopping breakfast:

Birthday Breakfast:
Pre-breakfast: Fried egg on toast with gouda

Vanilla Bean and Caramelized Pear Dutch Baby:
Yield: 4
From: Turntable Kitchen

Ingredients:
3 eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar or splenda
1 vanilla bean
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1 large pear, cored and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Place a 12-inch castiron skillet in the oven while preheating.

Combine the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a blender. Scrape out the seeds of the vanilla bean and add to the blender, saving the empty pod. Blend until smooth.

Remove the skillet from the oven, and add the 2 tbsp of butter, swirling to melt and mix. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 18-25 minutes, until puffed and golden.

While the pancake is baking, melt the 1 tbsp butter and vanilla bean in a large pan over medium heat. Add the pear slices and cook for a few minutes, without moving. Flip the slices over, to let them caramelize on the other side. If necessary, do the pears in batches, adding butter with each batch. You want the pears to be soft, but not mushy, and golden brown on each side.

Serve the pancake warm, with the pear slices, and syrup if desired.

Nutrition:
284 calories
12.8 g fat
36.1 g carbs
2.3 g fiber
7.4 g protein

Joey's plate with steak and eggs:

My breakfast, part 2: