Tag Archives: vanilla

Deb’s Favorite Brownies from smitten kitchen

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  • 3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
  • 1 1/3 cups (265 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 2/3 cup (85 grams) all-purpose flour

    Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment, extending it up two sides, or foil. Butter the parchment or foil or spray it with a nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together until only a couple unmelted bits remain. Off the heat, stir until smooth and fully melted. You can also do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Whisk in sugar, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and salt. Stir in flour with a spoon or flexible spatula and scrape batter into prepared pan, spread until even. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free.

Let cool and cut into desired size. If you’re like me, you will prefer these and all brownies, cold, from the fridge. But I bet you’re normal and will just eat them hot from the pan. If desired, dust the brownies with powdered sugar before serving.

French Strawberry Cake from Pinterest

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  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 stick of softened butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (I use low fat)
  • 2 cups rough chopped strawberries
  • Sugar for finishing  
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch round pan. Add parchment paper to the bottom.
  2. In medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  3. Whip butter and sugar until fluffy.
  4. Add in eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each egg.
  5. Add in vanilla and beat well.
  6. Alternately, add in the flour mixture and the sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
  7. Fold in strawberries with a spatula.
  8. Spread batter in prepared pan and sprinkle top with sugar.
  9. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean.
  10. Cool and serve. Cake will come out of pan easily if you want to plate it for display.

Strawberry summer cake from smitten kitchen

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strawberry barley summer cake
  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
  • 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour (can swap 3/4 cup or 94 grams all-purpose flour with 3/4 cup or 75 grams of barley flour, see Note)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
  • 1 pound (450 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9- or 10-inch springform or cake pan. The 10-inch would make a thinner cake.

Whisk flour or flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer (though I had to overlap a few to get them all in). Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Do ahead: Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, loosely covered, but good luck with that.

best fudgy chocolate brownie cookies from cafe delities

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½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup white granulated sugar
½ cup melted butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour or plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
 ½ teaspoon salt
 ⅓ cup semi sweet chocolate chips add more if desired

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 cookie sheets or baking trays with parchment paper (baking paper). 
  • In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, white sugar, butter and vegetable oil. Beat in egg and vanilla until fully incorporated.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir the dry ingredients first before mixing them through the wet ingredients until a dough forms (do not over beat). Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Scoop out 1-2 tablespoonful of dough with a cookie scoop (or small ice cream scoop), and place onto prepared baking sheets. Press them down as thick or thin as you want your cookies to come out. 
  • Bake in hot preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will come out soft from the oven but will harden up as they cool. (Be careful not to over bake as they will dry out.)
  • Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Tip: Take the cookies out of the oven while they are still slightly soft in the centre and let them cool. This will provide you with that gooey, soft texture. 

best cocoa brownies from smitten kitchen

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  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, as I used)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, cold
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and (Medrich’s method) set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Or (Deb’s method) you can melt the butter with the cocoa in a microwave too.

Both methods: Set the bowl aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes is Medrich’s suggestion but it took me at least 10 minutes longer to get them set. Let cool completely on a rack. (I go further and throw mine in the fridge or freezer for a while; it’s the only way I can get them to cut with clean lines.)

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Magic Cake (Gâteau Magique) from Simply recipes

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  • 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, diced into tablespoon-sized pieces
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan with butter or cooking spray. Line the pan with a layer of parchment paper covering the bottom and up 2 sides with a slight overhang. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
  2. Heat the milk and butter: In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter on low heat just until the butter melts. Don’t let the milk come to a boil or simmer. It should be warm but not scalding hot, 105 to 115°F. Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they form stiff peaks, about 4 minutes. When you lift the beaters out of the bowl, the whipped egg whites should stand up at a point and hold that point
  4. Start the batter: In another large bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and nutmeg (if using) on high speed until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.Add the flour to the egg yolk mixture and beat on low speed until combined. It may seem like there is too much flour, but the batter will soon be thinned out.
  5. Add the warm milk and egg whites: Continue mixing on low speed, or switch to a whisk, and pour in the warm milk and butter a splash at a time. Once you’ve incorporated about half of the milk mixture, you can pour in the rest, and whisk to combine. The batter will be thin and smooth, like crepe batter.Add the beaten egg whites and use the whisk to gently mix until there are no large lumps of egg whites. Don’t overmix—there should still be a layer of foam on top of the batter.
  6. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden brown, the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan, and the center has a slight jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes.
  7. Cool and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack until it’s cool enough to go in the fridge, about 30 minutes. Let the cake chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. You can skip chilling and serve the cake at room temperature, though it won’t slice as neatly.Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, then slice it into squares. If desired, serve with fresh fruit and, for extra indulgence, a dollop of whipped cream.Store leftover magic cake, well-covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Magic cake does not freeze well. The freezing and thawing process will affect the texture of the custard layer.

Brownie in a Mug from celebrating sweets.com

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3 tablespoons granulated sugar
 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, plus more for topping
 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, melted coconut oil or melted butter
3 tablespoons milk
 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
 Ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, berries for garnish
Instructions
Place sugar, flour, cocoa powder and salt in a mug. Use a small whisk or fork, and stir until combined, and free of lumps. Stir in chocolate chips. Add oil, milk and vanilla, stir with a spoon or small rubber spatula until just combined (try not to over mix it). 

Sprinkle a few additional chocolate chips over the top and cook in the microwave for about 90 seconds (microwave times may vary). Eat immediately with ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, or berries.

Notes
I have a used a 12oz and 16oz mug for this recipe.
Although this is a single serving dessert, you can easily split this between 2 adults.

Chocolate Zucchini cake/bread from twopeasandtheirpod.com

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  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  •  1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa or unsweetened cocoa 
  •  1 teaspoon baking soda
  •  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  •  2 large eggs, at room temperature
  •  1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  •  1/4 cup canola, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil
  •  3/4 cup  packed light brown sugar
  •  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  •  1 1/2 cups packed shredded zucchini
  •  1 cup  semisweet chocolate chips, divided
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, add the eggs, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar. Stir until smooth. You might have a few small brown sugar clumps and that is fine.
  4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, don’t overmix. Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined. Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean, you might have some melted chocolate chips on the toothpick and that is fine. You just don’t want a lot of gooey batter.
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan. Let the bread cool on the wire cooling rack until slightly warm. Cut into slices and serve.
  7. Note-if you use coconut oil, make sure it is melted and slightly cooled. The bread will keep on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days. This bread also freezes well. To freeze, cool the bread completely and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost before slicing

chocolate lava cake for two from NYTimes.com

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  • 3 ounces/85 grams bittersweet chocolate, 70 to 74 percent cacao (not chips), chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for the ramekin
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for the ramekin
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  •  Confectioners’ sugar, to serve (optional)
  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees and butter a 10-ounce ramekin. Dust the buttered ramekin with granulated sugar.
  2. Combine the chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter in a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, combine in a bowl and microwave in 30-second blasts, stirring in between, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute.) Remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons sugar, egg, egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick, foamy and pale, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
  4. Using a spatula, add the chocolate to the egg mixture and stir gently until combined.
  5. Pour the mixture into the ramekin. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are set and puffed, but the center is still soft when lightly pressed. (You can also cover and refrigerate the batter up to a day in advance. Add an additional minute or 2 to baking time if you are baking the cake directly from the refrigerator.)
  6. Use an offset spatula or small knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the ramekin. Place a plate over the ramekin and carefully invert the warm cake. Use an oven mitt or clean kitchen towel to remove the ramekin, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

chocolate pudding from allrecipes.com

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  • 2 3/4 cups milk
  • heaping 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp room temp butter
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

In a saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Place over medium heat, and stir in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Let cool briefly, and serve warm, or chill in refrigerator until serving.