Chocolate Caramel Pecan Turtles

This recipe is so easy and delicious (and delayed!). But just in time for Valentine's Day. And they couldn't be easier. I made these the first time forever ago when I was prepping for a cross country trip to meet my then-boyfriend-now-husband's parents... and really wanted to impress them. The great thing about these little guys is that you can adapt them endlessly-- different nut, different type of chocolate, based on your preferences. They also pack and travel well in a tin. Great as a gift for your honey, to put out as a dessert snack at a party, or even as a homemade treat for your friends.

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups of pecans (not chopped)
1 bag of Kraft/Werther's soft caramels, unwrapped
1-2 tablespoons half-and-half
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz of your favorite chocolate, chopped (I prefer semi-sweet or dark)

Lightly toast the pecans in a pan and then let cool completely. Prep a few cookie sheets with parchment paper (to help reduce sticking) and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small/medium pot (preferably non-stick) heat the caramels with the half-and-half (start with 1 tablespoon) over low heat, stirring constantly until totally melted. Add the salt to taste and stir to combine.

Place about 4 pecans in clusters on the cookie sheet and pour some caramel on top, trying to get in the nooks and crannies, so the pecans stick together. Once your pecans have been "caramelized," melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds. Stir until smooth. Top each cluster with some chocolate. I like to layer in such a way that you can see each ingredient, so everyone know what they're eating. Let cool completely and store on the kitchen counter if its cool, or in the fridge if not. Serve and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Why have I never made these cookies before? How are they so delicious? Why do I now love chocolate and peanut butter together, when I never have before? I don't have all the answers for you. Regardless, these cookies are excellent and you should make them right now. They tend to pop up at parties and in cookie tins around Christmastime, perhaps because they resemble Santa hats? But really, they could should be made and enjoyed year round. This recipe, from the NY Times, makes close to 5 dozen cookies.

INGREDIENTS
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup smooth-n-creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 dozen hershey kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat again to incorporate. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt and then slowly mix into the wet ingredients and beat just until combined. Refrigerate dough for 30-60 minutes.

Roll the dough into small 1-inch balls and then roll them in sugar (if you have turbinado sugar or slightly larger granulated sugar, it will look beautiful after cooking) and then place them on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 6-8 minutes, remove from oven and lightly press a hershey kiss in the middle of each cookie, allowing it to crack slightly. Return to oven for another 2-3 minutes until very lightly browned. Let cool, serve and enjoy!

Cranberry Curd Tart

Citrus tarts/pies are some of my favorite desserts. Cool and refreshing, tart and sweet. I had never heard of a cranberry curd tart until about a year ago when I came across this recipe*. I've been wanting to make it ever since, but put it off last winter due to the number of steps and then the season passed and I couldn't find fresh cranberries anymore. BUT, 'tis the season again and I had some extra time this weekend and thought I'd give it a whirl. The cranberry curd is insanely delicious and although this dessert requires multiple steps, none of them are particularly challenging. The bright pink color is a show-stopper and it is delicious. Just do it!

*I've adjusted the original recipe a by making the crust easier and upping the volume of the cranberry curd so that the tart is filled completely.

INGREDIENTS

Almond Tart Crust

2 cups almond flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Cranberry Curd

16 oz fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup of blood orange juice and the peel of 1 large (or 2 small) oranges**

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a mixer or food processor, blend together the butter and sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the salt and flour and mix together. Pour dough into a 10" tart pan and press the dough into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Use a fork to prick the bottom and then freeze for 30 minutes (or a day, if making ahead). After the tart shell has chilled, cook in oven for 15 minutes until the dough is lightly browned. Remove and let cool completely. 

Meanwhile, make the cranberry curd. In a medium saucepan combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice and peel and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cranberries pop open, approximately 10 minutes. If you'd like to help this process and get a brighter colored tart, use a spoon to press some of the berries against the side of the pan, helping to release their juices. You can also take an immersion blender and give it a pulse 2-3 times (you don't want to blend the entire thing). Transfer to a fine mesh strainer and press cooking liquid into a glass bowl. Whisk the butter into the warm liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time until combined and melted. 

Put eggs and egg yolks into a bowl and beat lightly. Slowly whisk a cup of warm cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper, then combine both and whisk together. Return the liquid to a medium saucepan and cook over low heat until nearly bubbling and thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

Once cool, pour into prepared tart shell and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes until tart is just set. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store at room temperature same-day.

**I tasted the curd as it was cooking and thought it would benefit from a little extra zip, so I squeezed in about a half a lemon. Do or don't, I trust you.

Katharine Hepburn Brownies

These are the easiest brownies to make, but also some of the most deliciously rich and gooey. They are good enough to make for company, but quick enough to make when you're craving chocolate right now, which I currently am, hence the reason I made them this afternoon. I always have the ingredients on hand and they come together in about half an hour, start to finish. * Recipe adapted, slightly, from the one posted in the NY Times.

INGREDIENTS
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup toasted and chopped pecans
2 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9x9 inch square baking pan (or 8x8 inch).

In a small saucepan melt the butter and cocoa powder, whisking constantly until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and add the sugar, whisk and let cool. Add the eggs, one at a time, and whisk to combine. Stir in the vanilla extract.

In a small bowl mix together the flour, pecans, chocolate and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared baking pan and cook until a toothpick comes out mostly clean from the center of the pan (~ 20-30 minutes, on the shorter end if using a 9-inch pan and the longer end if using a 8-inch pan). Let cool, cut into squares, serve and enjoy!

Pumpkin Olive Oil Bread

The weather has cooled and it's officially soup season! Which means it's also officially pumpkin bread season! I saw this new recipe posted on Bon Appetit the other day and made it almost immediately. It is moist and delicious with a nice crunchy top. The olive oil addition is wonderful. The fresh ginger is important. The salted maple butter that I put on top was outrageous (don't skip it). This is my new go-to pumpkin bread recipe.

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg (fresh if you have)
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 15-oz can pure pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon of finely grated ginger
1 1/2 cups of sugar (plus an extra tablespoon to sprinkle on the top at the end)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds

MAPLE BUTTER INGREDIENTS
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and prepare a 9x5" loaf pan with nonstick spray all around, then line the bottom with cut parchment, leaving an overlay. Spray the parchment once its in the pan- you want this to come right out when its done!

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, grated ginger and 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Using a spatula fold in the dry ingredients in 2 parts, being careful to get everything incorporated without over-mixing. Carefully pour into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top and then the last tablespoon of sugar.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 65-80 minutes, rotating halfway through if your oven cooks unevenly, until a toothpick inserted into the center until it comes out (mostly) clean. Let cool and serve warm (out of the oven or lightly toasted later) with the maple butter smeared on top!

The maple butter is really very simple... just... whisk or beat together the butter ingredients until smooth. Serve right away or store in the fridge (but let come to room temperature before serving).

Ultimate French Lemon Tart

It is summer in New York! And when the weather turns hot I start dreaming of fruity desserts: strawberry shortcakes, banana pudding, lemon curd. This tart hit the spot. It is a stunning and luxurious dessert that requires a little more attention than a super simple dessert, but surprisingly doesn't require a ton of skill... the perfect combination. When you pour the curd into the prepared tart, a satisfied smile will wash over your face and you'll sigh with relief, realizing "it worked!" If you prefer a traditional tart shell, by all means, go for it! I was in the mood for graham cracker shell, so I went in that direction. I combined a few recipes to make this, but used this as my home base.

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

9 or 10-inch tart pan

Filling:

2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a 9 or 10-inch tart pan by lightly buttering it. 

In a medium bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and pour into the bottom of the prepared tart pan. Press evenly (and well) all around the pan and the sides so that you have an even and firm crust. Place in oven and bake until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

In a medium heat proof bowl, place the eggs, sugar, lemon zest & juice, and heavy cream and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler) and cook on moderate heat, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick and registers about 170 degrees F (or coats the back of a wooden spoon and leaves a clear pass when you run your finger through it). 

Remove the curd from the heat and immediate strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time and whisk until completed melted and mixture is smooth. Take your time with this part of the process- the whisking helps the curd become airy and light. Allow to cool until room temperature and pour into prepared shell. Refrigerate at least 4 hours until chilled. Serve with berries and freshly whipped cream.

Arugula & Farro Salad

I had this salad a few weeks ago at a friend's house for lunch and couldn't stop thinking about it. After a few days I made it myself and have since made it 2 more times. It is that delicious. It is the perfect early summer salad and can easily be served as a side dish or main course. You're going to want to make this. Recipe is adapted slightly and is served nightly at Charlie Bird, which I now want to visit ASAP.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup farro
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 bay leaves
6 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
70 grams Parmesan cheese, shaved
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
3 cups arugula leaves
1 cup basil and/or parsley leaves, torn
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup thinly sliced radish
Flaky sea salt for finishing

In a medium saucepain, bring farro, apple cider, vinegar, salt, bay leaves, plus 2 cups of water to a simmer. Simmer until farro is tender and liquid evaporates, about 30 minutes. Let farro cool, then discard the bay leaves.

In a large salad bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Add the cooled farro, parmesan and pistachio nuts and mix well. This salad base will keep for up to 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator (bring to room temperature before serving). Just before serving gently fold in the arugula, fresh herbs, tomatos, radish, and flaky sea salt to taste. Serve and enjoy!