Since this is my first post of 2010, I guess a Happy New Year is in order! I hope all of you have had a great start to this new year and that you will have the inspiration, energy and passion needed to reach success in all of your goals. How wonderful it is to get a fresh start every new year!
I can hardly believe my blog is 2 years old today! I feel like it was just yesterday that I decided to post a few photos and recipes and see what would come of it. 130 some posts and 122 followers (!) later, I'm still at it, albeit a little inconsistently lately. Balance is hard to achieve between obligations and the things I love to do, choices have to be made. I'll get there though, that's what life is all about!
I want to share one of my family's favorite desserts with you today. When I get a request for pecan pie but I don't have time to make the pie dough, I make these squares. They're so easy to make, almost too easy, I could have them everyday! For a change I used hazelnuts and golden raisins in this batch but you could use walnuts, pecans, currants, dried cranberries or pretty much any combination of dried fruit and nuts you like. As I said, it's all about choices!!! :)
Maple Hazelnut Butter Tart Squares
adapted from here and here
for the base:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
for the topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cups golden raisins (or other dried fruit)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnut, skins removed, coarsely chopped (or other nuts)
To make the base:
Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment or aluminum paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, with your mixer of choice, cream the butter and sugar together well. Add the flour and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the prepared pan and bake at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes. The base with be golden when ready. Don't over bake it as it will become hard but don't under bake it either or it will be too soft.
To make the topping:
Combine all the ingredients for the topping and mix well.
Spread the mixture over the base and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes. The top will be golden and cracked and beautiful!
Let cool to room temperature in the pan then cut into squares. Top with whipped cream or the ice cream of your choice.
As if I didn't have enough cookbooks and baking books and foodie magazines that I love to bits already, I keep discovering new magazines that are so fabulous I can't help but to buy them on the spot! One of those magazines is Delicious. I think the first one I bought was last January and I promised myself I would stop looking for it in news stands because, well, I just have enough magazines, you know. But it just jumps out at me! The articles, the recipes, the pictures, oh, the pictures!
I do make it a point to write a list of recipes I want to try as soon as I get the magazine, which isn't very hard as all the recipes are mouthwatering! In the most recent one I got there was this recipe for a Chocolate and Hazelnut Slice, which I also found on their website but under the name Chocolate and Hazelnut Truffles. I think these are really more like truffles, considering the amount of chocolate and cream they contain! Perfect for the Holidays, which are just around the corner you know, better start baking!
Chocolate and Hazelnut Truffles
Adapted from Delicious Magazine
50g butter, plus extra for greasing
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting the pan
150g skinned hazelnuts*
90g plain flour
100g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
500g bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
2 large eggs
225ml heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease the base and sides of a 20cm square cake pan with a little butter. Dust all over with cocoa powder, knocking out the excess. Or use a springform pan and line the bottom with parchment before buttering and dusting with cocoa powder.
In a food processor, place 100g of hazelnuts, the flour, sugar and salt and process until coarsely ground. Roughly chop the rest of the nuts and stir in. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat, then add 150g of chocolate. Let it melt slightly, then whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat, add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Stir in the nut mixture until well combined. Spoon into your prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan.
To make the ganache, put the rest of the chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Bring the cream just to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes then gently stir until melted and thickened. Spoon over the cold hazelnut base and spread out. Tap the pan on the counter to smooth the ganache evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours. Cut into squares with a warmed knife, wiping the knife after each cut. If you used a round springform pan, cut the round parts off and then cut the rest into squares. The baker needs a treat too, right?
To assemble as a gift: put in a decorative box or cellophane bag and decorate as you wish. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week.
*To skin the hazelnuts: Put the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes. Place the hazelnuts on a clean dish towel and rub them with the towel to remove skins.
I want to share one of my family's favorite desserts with you today. When I get a request for pecan pie but I don't have time to make the pie dough, I make these squares. They're so easy to make, almost too easy, I could have them everyday! For a change I used hazelnuts and golden raisins in this batch but you could use walnuts, pecans, currants, dried cranberries or pretty much any combination of dried fruit and nuts you like. As I said, it's all about choices!!! :)
