Snickerdoodle Blondies

I would have to say these are harder to resist than the actual Snickerdoodle cookie!!!

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.

Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan (mixture will be somewhat cookiebatter-ish).

Combine white sugar & cinnamon in a little bowl. evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool slightly. While still warm, cut into bars with a sharp knife.

BYU Mint Brownies

I made these last week for dessert and Ian and Jen asked me to post the recipe. I got it from here, but will repost it here anyway. I used to not be able to make a decent pan of brownies to save my life. I'm not sure exactly what my problem was, but these have turned out really well for me twice :) They're chewy and soft and pretty tasty. I didn't make the mint icing, I just used a chocolate icing recipe that I found here. It's reposted at the bottom also..

BYU Brownies
MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)

MINT ICING

5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

Homemade Chocolate Frosting

3 cups Powdered Sugar
¾ cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 stick Butter, Softened
¼ teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ cups Whole Milk

Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, set aside. Cream butter and vanilla, then add 1 cup of the cocoa/sugar mixture to the creamed butter and then add a tablespoon of milk. Mix and repeat this step until all of the cocoa and sugar mixture is combined (adding a tablespoon of milk after every cup of the mixture) until you reach your desired frosting consistency.

* Use more whole milk if you would prefer the frosting thinner. Frosts 1 9×13 cake or brownies!

Nanaimo Bars

This recipe is in honor of Canadian Thanksgiving this past Monday. It is altered a little for what is available in the U.S.

I had to use instant vanilla pudding powder in place of the custard powder.

Bottom Layer:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup coconut (either sweetened or unsweetened)
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

In a saucepan over low to medium heat, melt the butter until just about all is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and cocoa powder and then gradually whisk in the beaten egg. Return to heat and stirring constantly. Cook 1 - 2 minutes. Take care not to burn.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and chopped nuts. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).



FILLING:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 - 3 tablespoons milk or cream
2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder (Bird's) or vanilla pudding powder
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners or icing) sugar

With your electric mixer, cream the butter. Beat in the remaining ingredients. If the mixture is too thick to spread, add a little more milk. Spread the filling over the bottom layer, cover, and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes).

TOPPING:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used 1 cup milk chocolate chips)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (use 2 Tbsp if using milk chocolate chips)

In a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and then add the chocolate. Take care not to burn the chocolate, this will make it crumbly instead of smooth. Spread over the filling and refrigerate.

This recipe is intended for a 9x9 inch pan; however I used a 9x13 so the squares were a little thinner.

I used salted butter since that is what I had on hand. They are wonderfully good!!!

Puffed Wheat Squares

So I think this is a Canadian treat because I have not met anyone here in the states that knows what I am talking about when I mention these.

One of my friends mentioned that she craved, and made, these this past month; which of course made me want some myself. I love these squares...

1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
8 - 9 cups puffed wheat (un-sugared)

Two different brands of puffed wheat I have found in the United States so far!

Melt butter in saucepan. Add syrup, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla. Bring to boil and boil for 1 -2 minutes. Any more than this will make them too crispy and crunchy.

Butter a 9 x 13 pan.

Place puffed wheat into a large bowl and mix with sauce. Press into buttered pan.

Let cool and cut into squares!