christmas 2021 – FoodWatcher

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Cranberry Orange Cake Bars

Cranberry orange bread has long been a holiday tradition in my family, and in fact was one of the earlier recipes I shared on this site – about 16 years ago! Zesty orange and bright cranberries are a natural pairing. These Cranberry Orange Cake Bars take those classic flavors and …

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Cranberry Orange Cake Bars

One of the nice things about bar cookies is that they’re quick to make and even easier to share than a loaf cake. These bars are no exception.
The bars are cakelike and tender, almost more like pound cake than a brownie or regular cookie. They will just seem to melt in your mouth, leaving you with the delightful flavor of orange and cranberry. They include fresh orange zest, whole cranberries and dried cranberries. The whole cranberries are tarter than the dried, while the dried are sweeter and chewier for a nice contrast with the fresh fruit.

Like a classic pound cake, these bars don’t contain any leavening. The eggs in the batter add just enough air into the batter to give the cake an extremely tender crumb and a perfectly light texture. So don’t think it’s a typo that this recipe doesn’t contain baking powder or baking soda! The batter comes together very quickly and it will be ready to go into the oven in minutes.

I like to line the baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil to make it easy to remove the bars from the pan for slicing. Let the bars cool completely before slicing. I’ll slice one pan into about 20 pieces for easy sharing. If you want to make these bars the centerpiece dessert at a holiday dinner, cut them into larger slices and serve them alongside a small scoop of ice cream or whipped cream!

Cranberry Orange Cake Bars
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, butter, orange zest, vanilla extract and salt. Add in flour and whisk to combine, stirring just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in cranberries and dried cranberries.
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until bars are golden and set. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Makes 20 squares.

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Orange Chocolate Espresso Martini

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Orange Chocolate Espresso Martini

As a coffee-lover, it’s no surprise that I also love cocktails that incorporate coffee into them. Espresso martinis, as popular as they are at the moment, have been a favorite of mine for years. This Orange Chocolate Espresso Martini is a variation on the original that is a liquid version of the classic flavor combination of orange and chocolate. I particularly like to serve this drink around the holidays, but it’s enjoyable all year round.

The cocktail is made with chocolate liqueur, vodka, creme de cacao, espresso and triple sec. The espresso should be cold before going into the drink, so it doesn’t melt the ice when you’re mixing. Espresso will give you the best flavor, but cold brew coffee or other very strong coffee can be used in a pinch. There is plenty of chocolate flavor from the chocolate liqueur and creme de cacao, both of which add enough sweetness that you don’t need to add additional sugar to the drink. Triple sec, an orange liqueur, adds a nice orange flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.

The orange twist at the end of the recipe may just seem like a nice visual to add to the drink, but a twist is more than that. The twist is made of a 1/2-inch by 2 inch (approximately) strip of orange zest. The twist should be squeezed in half, expressing orange oil over the top of the drink before serving, before being dropped into the drink or laid over the rim of the glass. That orange oil coats the top of the drink and really gives the cocktail a bright, fresh orange aroma. In other words, you’ll smell orange, but still taste plenty of chocolate from the cocktail.

This recipe makes one cocktail, but you can easily scale it up to serve more. Don’t put more than two drinks at a time in your cocktail shaker, as it will be too full and too difficult to shake. If you are serving a crowd, however, you can prepare the martini glasses well in advance so you’re ready to fill them up when friends and family are ready to drink!

Orange Chocolate Espresso Martini
1 3/4 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
3/4 oz vodka
1/2 oz creme de cacao
1 oz espresso or strong coffee, cold
1/4 oz triple sec
Chocolate sauce, for garnish
Sugar, for garnish
Orange twist

Pour 2-3 tbsp of chocolate sauce onto a small plate, warming slightly if needed to make it a pourable consistency. Pour 2-3 tbsp of sugar onto a second small plate. Dip the rim of your martini glass into the chocolate sauce, then dip into the sugar. Set aside until ready to fill.

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously for 10-20 seconds, until cold. Strain into prepared martini glass.

Serves 1.

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Blood Orange Brownie Sandwich Cookies

Orange and chocolate is a flavor combination that never goes out of style. The bright, zesty flavor of oranges always pair well with rich, creamy chocolate. These Blood Orange Brownie Sandwich Cookies are a fun take on the classic pairing, sandwiching a filling made with one of my favorite citrus fruits between …

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Blood Orange Brownie Sandwich Cookies

The sandwiches start out with brownie-like cookie rounds. The cookies are made with a batter that uses two different types of chocolate, as well as cocoa powder, for an intense chocolate flavor. They are so tender that they almost melt in your mouth! That ultra-tender texture makes them perfect for making sandwich cookies, as they will begin to meld with a filling almost as soon as they are stacked together.

You’ll be able to spoon the batter into evenly sized portions if you have a small cookie scoop or are simply very accurate. If you don’t want to take chances with unevenly-sized cookies, you can actually put the batter into a piping bag. I like the piping bag method and that is what I recommend in the recipe below.

The filling in this case is a tangy mixture made with cream cheese, blood orange juice and blood orange zest. It is not unlike cream cheese frosting, but it should have a stiffer consistency so that it won’t run out the sides of the cookies when you are making your sandwiches. It is sweet, but the flavor of the cream cheese and the brightness of the orange makesa perfect contrast to the rich brownie cookies.

Every type of orange tastes different, so these cookies will have a slightly different flavor if you make them with naval oranges versus with tangerines. Blood oranges have a sweeter, more floral flavor than many other oranges, so they add a little bit of extra complexity to each bite. That said, if you don’t have access to blood oranges or if they are already out of season in your area, you can substitute a different type of orange and still have great results.

Blood Orange Brownie Sandwich Cookies

These little sandwich cookies keep very well in an airtight container and can be stored for several days after baking. The brownie-like cookies and the soft filling will meld together after the cookies are assembled and the orange flavor will become even well-integrated with the other flavors, leaving you with a perfectly balanced orange and chocolate combination in each bite!

Blood Orange Brownie Sandwich Cookies

Blood Orange Brownie Sandwich Cookies
Cookies
3 oz dark chocolate, chopped
3 oz milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp blood orange zest
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Filling and Topping
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp fresh blood orange juice
2 tsp blood orange zest

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or prepare a mini whoopie pie pan).
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt together the dark chocolate, milk chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest until well-combined. Stir in cooled, melted chocolate mixture.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk into the chocolate mixture, mixing just until everything comes together and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
Pour batter into a piping bag (or a large ziploc bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe quarter-sized dollops of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cookies will spread slightly as they bake, so leave about an inch between rounds of batter.
Bake for 5-7 minutes, until the cookies are set. Slightly larger cookies may need an additional minute or two of baking time.
Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Blend in orange juice and orange zest. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until icing is thick and fluffy.

Assembling and Decorating: Spread filling between cooled cookies and sandwich them together.
Transfer a small amount of leftover filling into another piping bag (or a ziploc with the corner snipped off) and drizzle lines of the orange mixture over the tops of the sandwich cookies.

Makes about 36 sandwich cookies.

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Double Chocolate Ginger Cookie Bars

Chocolate cookies are crowd pleasers any way you serve them. I bake up a variety of chocolate cookies all year round, and these Double Chocolate Ginger Cookie Bars are a hit in any season. The brownie-like bar cookies are studded with chunks of candied ginger and are packed with both dark and …

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Double Chocolate Ginger Cookie Bars

Candied ginger is a great ingredient to pair with chocolate of any kind because it is so versatile. It’s warm spice is a lovely contrast for creamy white chocolate, while its sweetness adds a nice counter to the bittersweet flavors in dark chocolate. While chocolate is the star of these cookie bars, the candied ginger is what makes them both addictive and unique.

These bar cookies are brownie-like and have a deep chocolate flavor, but they have a lighter texture than a regular brownie and are a bit crispier on top. The chocolate cookie dough is similar to brownie batter. It has a relatively small amount of flour and a very generous amount of cocoa powder, and it needs to be spread into a pan to bake evenly. Be sure to use high quality dark and white chocolate in the dough for the best chocolate flavor!

Double Chocolate Candied Ginger Cookie Bars

Let the bars cool completely before slicing them. I like to line my pan with aluminum foil so that I can lift the whole batch out before slicing it. I made narrow bars and cut 30 (10 by 3) bars out of the batch. You can cut them down into slightly smaller squares or larger, more decadent, pieces, if you prefer. The bars keep well in an airtight container for at least 2 or 3 days after baking.

Double Chocolate Ginger Cookie Bars
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup candied ginger chips

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla extract, then stir in the flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and candied ginger. Batter will be very thick.
Drop dollops of batter into pan, trying to spread it out as much as possible. Use a spatula to push the batter into an even layer (it will spread more as it bakes, so don’t worry if you can’t get it quite into the corners).
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bars are set on the edges and they begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow bars to cool completely in the pan – they will sink as they cool – then use the foil to lift them out before slicing them into bars.

Makes 30 bars.

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Cranberry Flourless Chocolate Cake

Cranberry Flourless Chocolate Cake
Flourless chocolate cake is a dessert that everyone should learn how to make. It’s a cake that doesn’t require very many ingredients, so you will probably always have what you need to bake one already on hand. And since it is simple, it’s not difficult to put your own twist on them. This …

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Flourless chocolate cake is a dessert that everyone should learn how to make. It’s a cake that doesn’t require very many ingredients, so you will probably always have what you need to bake one already on hand. And since it is simple, it’s not difficult to put your own twist on them. This Cranberry Flourless Chocolate Cake is perfect for the holidays. It adds sweet-tart cranberries to a melt-in-your-mouth flourless chocolate cake for a dessert that is downright addictive.

The cake batter for this Cranberry Flourless Chocolate Cake comes together easily, and in just a few minutes. It is made with dark chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs and cocoa powder. It has a rich, satisfying chocolate flavor because chocolate is the bulk of the cake. This also means that you’ll really be able to taste the depth of flavor from the chocolate that you use, so this is a great recipe to splurge with high quality chocolate in the the batter. The cake is also gluten free, which means that it will fit a variety of dietary needs, too.

Whole cranberries are folded in to the batter just before the cake goes into the oven. The cranberries have a bright, tart flavor that adds a wonderful contrast to all that chocolate. There are just enough cranberries that you should get one in every bite or two, giving the cake a great balance.

I really prefer using fresh cranberries in this cake over frozen ones. They have a slightly better texture because they don’t release too much extra liquid into the cake. That said, you can use frozen cranberries. If you do, mix them in quickly so they don’t thaw before the cake gets into the oven. You will also need to extend the baking time by 2-3 minutes.

The cake should be cooled completely before serving, but will keep for 2-3 days after baking when stored in an airtight container. Serve it at room temperature or slightly warmed, alongside a generous scoop of whipped cream.

Cranberry Flourless Chocolate Cake
4-oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup whole, fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 375F. Line an 8-inch cake pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and lightly grease.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt together chocolate and butter, stirring with a fork until very smooth.
Pour warm chocolate mixture into a medium mixing bowl with sugar. Whisk to combine. Beat in eggs one at a time, waiting until each has been fully incorporated to add the next, then mix in vanilla extract. Sift cocoa powder into the bowl and whisk until well-combined. Fold in cranberries until evenly distributed.
Pour into prepared cake pan.
Bake for 25-27 minutes, until cake is set and cranberries are bubbling slightly.
Allow cake to cool completely in the pan for 5 minutes, then lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper or aluminum flour. Slide cake onto a serving platter using a large spatula.

Serves 8-10

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Trader Joe’s Cookie Mug Hangers, reviewed

Trader Joe's Cookie Mug Hangers, reviewed
The holiday season is all about cookies, and as much as I love other desserts, I’m always looking for new cookie recipes to bake and new cookie treats to try. I couldn’t resist Trader Joe’s Cookie Mug Hangers when I spotted them while out shopping. These adorable gingerbred people are cut to fit …

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The cookies are sold in a package of 16, which is plenty for most gatherings. That said, you’re probably going to want to keep a box for yourself because these cookies are absolutely delicious. The gingerbread people are very crisp, but very tender. They have a great balance of sweet and spice, with nice punches of cinnamon and mace over a molasses backdrop. The spacers where they are designed to slip over the rim of a mug are generous, so they should fit over all but the chunkiest of handmade mugs. I found that they were particularly delicious with hot cococa topped with whipped cream or marshmallows, but I also enjoyed them with plain black coffee in the mornings. I’m not exaggerating when I say that their smiling faces were a fun holiday pick-me-up with my morning coffee!

In short, these are excellent cookies that look great and taste even better. This isn’t always the case with gingerbread people – nor with cookies that have a decorative purpose. I’ll be stocking up on a few extra boxes to enjoy into January.

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Coconut Cranberry Oatmeal Bread

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Coconut Cranberry Oatmeal Bread

Cool fall and winter mornings always get me in the mood for baking. A freshly baked quick bread or batch of muffins to start the day any time of the year, but we all know that baked goods are even more enticing during the end-of-year baking season. This Coconut Cranberry Oatmeal Bread is a perfect addition to any fall or winter breakfast – even if you end up baking up the loaf the night before and not the morning of! Packed with tart cranberries, sweet coconut and nutty oatmeal, my Coconut Cranberry Oatmeal Bread is a moist, delicious way to start your day.

This quick bread is very simple to put together. The dry ingredients are combined with the wet ingredients, then the butter is folded in at the end. Folding the butter in at the end of mixing tenderizes the batter before it goes into the pan to bake. It’s a great technique for many quick breads, which are easy to both under and over-mix in search of a tender crumb. It is seasoned with cinnamon and a generous splash of vanilla.

The batter includes a generous amount of sweetened shredded coconut, quick cooking oatmeal and whole cranberries. The coconut and oatmeal both add their own unique nuttiness to the bread. The oatmeal gives the loaf a pleasant density while the coconut adds just the right touch of extra sweetness to contrast with the bright, tart cranberries that dot each slice. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries in this bread, and both types can be used whole.

This loaf has a long baking time due to all those mix-ins, so don’t hesitate to give it a few extra minutes in the oven if your tester/toothpick doesn’t come out clean when your oven timer goes off. The bread is ready to eat has soon as it has cooled. Bake it early in the morning to serve for brunch, or the night before so it is ready to eat when you get up!

Coconut Cranberry Oatmeal Bread
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk (lowfat is fine)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in sugar and coconut.
In a medium bowl or a large measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla extract until well combined. Whisk in butter.
Pour butter mixture into dry ingredients and stir until just combined and only a few streaks of flour remain. Fold in blackberries and pour batter into prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer with a spatula.
Bake for about 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with only a few moist crumbs attached.
Turn loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf.

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Pumpkin Spice Milk Punch

Who doesn’t enjoy a cocktail during the holidays? I know that we like to toast to the holidays with a cocktail when we’re celebrating with friends and family. And I always like to make sure that our cocktails fit the holiday. This Pumpkin Spice Milk Punch is a cocktail that is perfect …

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Pumpkin Spice Milk Punch

Milk punch is an old fashioned cocktail that originated sometime in the 17th century. Fans of eggnog will note that it is similar to the classic holiday drink, but it doesn’t include any eggs. It uses brandy (or bourbon or rum), a bit of sugar and milk to make a cocktail that is rich and creamy without being too heavy.

Since it is such a simple drink, it is easy to use it as a blank canvas on which to add a few additional flavors. I’ve been having a lot of fun playing with my homemade Pumpkin Spice Extract over the last couple of weeks and added it to a milk punch recipe to create a very seasonal Pumpkin Spice Milk Punch.

The cocktail is a bit like drinking a milkshake – albeit a much boozier milkshake than you’re likely to find at your favorite burger stand. It has a generous dose of pumpkin spice to it, spice which blends very well with the brandy and rum that make this a very adult drink. I used half and half in my recipe with good results. You can substitute whole milk, but I recommend sticking with a higher fat dairy product for the best results. This recipe makes two reasonably-sized servings and can easily be doubled to serve a small crowd.

Pumpkin Spice Milk Punch

You will want to use a dark rum to get the best results in this milk punch. Dark rums have a rich molasses flavor that blends very well with the spices in the extract. A light rum will still make a drinkable punch, but you won’t get the same depth of flavor as you will with dark rum. I used both maple syrup and simple syrup (an easy to make sweetener for all drinks that is made by dissolving sugar in an equal amount of water) to sweeten the drink, using less maple syrup because I didn’t want it to overwhelm the pumpkin spices. You can adjust the sweeteners to your taste if you prefer you drinks to be sweeter or have a more brandy-forward finish.

Garnish the punch with freshly grated cinnamon and nutmeg, both of which will give the drink a wonderful aroma as you sip!

Pumpkin Spice Milk Punch
2 oz brandy
1 oz dark rum
2 tsp pumpkin spice extract
1/4 oz maple syrup
1/4 oz simple syrup
3 oz half and half
whole cinnamon sticks and nutmeg, for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously until well-chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into two ice-filled glasses. Using a microplane, grate some cinnamon and nutmeg over the top of each glass.

Serves 2.

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