Cookies + Bars

And the Winner is……Chewy Ginger Cookies!

December 23, 2011 By Steve Dunn Leave a Comment

This is the year that my sibs and I finally cried uncle and decided to suspend holiday giving between our families. We did this for a couple of reasons. First, all of our kids are now teens and are basically impossible to shop for, preferring to receive cold-hard cash (large denominations, please) in lieu of any creative gift idea we stupid adults might arrive at on our own. Second, we stupid adults are so fortunate as to have all that we need or want, and so the whole idea of braving the hordes of holiday shoppers to buy token offerings seemed a bit nutty to us all. We decided instead (full credit given here to my brother) to arrange a cookie swap between our three families, with each sending the other 4-5 dozen cookies of various types.

It was such a brilliant idea that I wish it were mine.

Rugelach

November 11, 2011 By Steve Dunn Leave a Comment

These rugelach are a terrific cookie to add to your holiday dessert platter, though we like them so much we serve them year-round. Rugelach generally come in one of two forms, either shaped like a crescent roll, or prepared the way we have here, like a strudel. I've always liked them this way because it's easier to get a thicker layer of filling using this shape (hey….who are you calling a pig?), but if you prefer the look, or dough to filling ratio of the crescent shape, then by all means roll them that way.

Baked NYC – Sweet and Salty Brownies

October 6, 2011 By Steve Dunn Leave a Comment

In our seemingly endless effort to ferret out the best brownies on the planet, for you, our devoted readers, we come to you today with yet another contender for the title. Many of you will recall our first foray into "Baked NYC" territory with this post about them back in January. In it, we put the original "Baked" brownie to the test, and found we really loved it's deep dark flavor, and almost fudge like consistency.

Well, the guys at Baked Bakery in Brooklyn are back with not only a new cookbook called Baked Explorations , but also a new take on their now famous brownie. To put it simply, the Sweet and Salty Brownie is their original on steroids, and while we may hold steroids and all those stupid athletes that use them in low regard, in this instance, they are a VERY GOOD THING!

Chocolate-Caramel Slice

July 20, 2011 By Steve Dunn Leave a Comment

This little ditty is a treat my wife found recently and asked me to make to help feed the crowd that was joining us on the 4th of July. As it turns out, what with other goodies we had made along with treats that guests brought, we didn't even have to dip into these babies.

Pistachio and Dried-Cherry Biscotti

May 21, 2011 By Steve Dunn 22 Comments

I found this recipe in the latest Bon Appetit magazine, and knew immediately that I wanted to make it. First, because I’ve NEVER made biscotti before (I can hear my late Italian grandmother rolling over in her grave at this news), and second, because while I haven’t yet dined at Locanda Verde, I’m a huge fan of it’s Chef-Proprietor Andrew Carmellini, and have heard great things about the restaurant’s pastry chef, Karen Demasco. When I saw Karen’s name associated with these biscotti, I knew they’d be great.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chunk Cookies

April 25, 2011 By Steve Dunn 11 Comments

When Muppet had a hankerin’ for some peanut butter and chocolate action last week, we thought of a couple different ways to satisfy her craving. First, was to make a batch of Buckeyes, which are always a hit, but to me seemed out of season. Is it just me, or do you all find Buckeyes to be a winter holiday treat? It seems that the only time I EVER see them is when they are being served at a holiday cookie swap, or as part of a dessert party spread at a Christmas open house.

Her next thought ran to modifying her world famous ganache filled cupcakes to have a peanut butter ganache filling, which was an idea I was totally getting behind until I looked at the clock and realized that we didn’t have the time for such an elaborate undertaking…ugh. What we settled on were these lovely peanut butter cookies dotted with milk chocolate chunks, that come to us courtesy of the original Baked: New Frontiers in Baking cookbook by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

Sarabeth’s Chocolate Chubbies

February 4, 2011 By Steve Dunn 19 Comments

Every night before dinner we pause for a moment and take turns giving “gratitudes” for things we are grateful for each day, it is our non-denominational spin on a meal-time prayer. A few weeks ago my gratitude went something like this….

“I am grateful that Sarabeth Levine decided to name our dessert treat tonight Chocolate Chubbies, because their name will give me pause each time I am fighting my crack addict urge to eat six of these at a sitting. Were it not for their name, I’ve no doubt that I’d eat enough of these in short order to soon be looking like the Hindenburg.”

Thank you Sarabeth.

"Baked" Brownies

January 10, 2011 By Steve Dunn 24 Comments

There are days when I feel that I am just seconds away from renaming this blog “Oui, Chef – The Chronicle of Teaching My Kids How to Fuel Their Chocolate Addictions”, what with all the attention we’ve given brownies, bouchons, cakes, meringues, ice creams, cupcakes, sauces, and cookies that feature the freakin’ stuff.

In our never ending quest to discover the ultimate brownie (see Ad Hoc, and Killer KA), and with the help of a tip from one of our readers, Lauren, we’re here today to talk about these most fabulous “Baked” Brownies. Here, “Baked” is not a reference as to how the brownies are cooked, but rather the name of the world renowned bakery in Brooklyn that gave birth to these lovelies. After Lauren had tried the Ad Hoc brownies that we posted, and given them high marks, she asked if I had ever tried the “Baked” brownies, and was kind enough to forward a link to a story about them.

"The" Cookies

June 19, 2010 By Steve Dunn 28 Comments

When I first learned of these cookies, they were called something like “Showhouse Cookies” , or “Show Stopper Cookies”, or maybe they were even called “Heart Stopper Cookies”. Honestly I can’t remember, and I don’t really even care because for a long time now, we’ve simply called them “The” Cookies. They are a decadent mix of white chocolate, toffee bits, brown sugar, and nuts, rendered in form of a perfect, sweet – chewy – crunchy cookie.

A perennial favorite with Grid, he rarely goes more than a few days without some reference to them.

“Hey Dad, you think you can make some of THE cookies this week?”

“It’s been a while since you’ve made THE cookies, what gives?”

When caught hunched over in front of the freezer, arse in the air, and his head in the chill zone, one can often hear him mumbling, “I just know there has to be a bag of THE cookies in here somewhere….there just HAS TO BE!”

Thomas Keller’s "Ad Hoc" Brownies

March 26, 2010 By Steve Dunn 28 Comments

I have been struggling for the past few days about whether or not I should post this brownie recipe. For starters, it has only been a few months since I blogged about the King Arthur Brownies, and one of the things I really strive to do, not just for my family, but for all of you who are taking the time to read our blog, is to offer up a nice variety of dishes to enjoy. I guess I’m concerned that by posting two brownie recipes in about as many months, I’m not trying hard enough to bring fresh ideas to the table….Boo.

The second reason for my balking at writing this post is that the recipe happens to be YET ANOTHER one from Thomas Keller, you remember him right, the brilliant chef of “French Laundry”, “Per Se”, and “Bouchon” fame? So…..not only am I double-dipping with brownies here, but I am passing along my third Keller recipe (I’ve already written about Bouchon’s Quiche Lorraine and Chocolate Bouchons, and I have YET ANOTHER one in the “Oui, Chef” pipe-line) ….talk about a rut.

Will you ever forgive me?

« Previous Page

Cookies + Bars

Footer