Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• Vegetable oil
• 6 3/4 ounces cake flour, plus extra for pan
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces sugar
• 5 whole eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup half-and-half

For the topping:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 ounces sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake:

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour a 13 by 9-inch metal pan and set aside.

Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. This will appear to be a very small amount of batter. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.

Remove the cake pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork. Allow the cake to cool completely and then prepare the glaze.

For the glaze:

Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the half-and-half in a 1-quart measuring cup. Once combined, pour the glaze over the cake. Refrigerate the cake overnight.

Topping:

Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. Change to medium speed and whisk until thick. Spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.


Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007

Dulce de Leche Cake

Ingredients 

1 tbsp. plus 2 cups flour2 tsp. butter

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1⁄2 tsp. fine salt

6 eggs, at room temperature, separated

1 1⁄4 cups sugar

1⁄2 cup whole milk

1 1⁄2 tbsp. dark rum

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1  14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1  12-oz. can evaporated milk

1 cup heavy cream

1  16-oz. jar dulce de leche (milk caramel)

1. Heat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9" × 13" baking pan with the butter and dust with 1 tbsp. of the flour. Invert the dish, tap out the excess flour, and set aside.

2. Sift the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside. Put the egg whites into a large bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. While the mixer is still running, add the sugar in a gradual stream and continue beating again to soft peaks. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add the reserved flour mixture and the whole milk in 3 parts, beating until smooth after each addition. Add the rum and vanilla and beat again briefly until smooth.

3. Pour batter into reserved baking pan and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Set the cake aside and let cool slightly for 30 minutes.

4. Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a bowl. Using a knife, poke the cake with holes all over, penetrating to the bottom of the pan. Pour the milk mixture over the warm cake and set aside to let cool completely.

5. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled and liquid is absorbed, at least 4 hours. Spread the dulce de leche across the top of the cake and serve.

MAKES ONE 9" × 13" CAKE

Creamy Black Bean and Corn Dip

*Combine in a large bowl (don't stir):

1 Can Black Beans, drained (I also rinse them w/ cold water)

2 Corn on the cob, (you will need to  cut corn from the cob. You could

probably use 2 cans of Corn niblets or frozen corn that's been thawed

& drained but I haven't tried it that way yet. Fresh corn is just so

good)

1/2 Chopped red onion

2 Chopped Tomatoes ( I like the tomatoes on the vine)

1-2 Garlic cloves, minced (the amount depends on your personal taste)

Minced Cilantro (Amount depends on your personal taste)

*Combine in a small bowl:

1 Hidden Valley Ranch Dip packet

1 8oz Light Daisy Sour Cream (more or less depending on how thick you

want your dip)

Pour over veggie mixture and stir in.

Garlic Salt, Tony Chachery, & pepper to taste. (I've also put cayenne

pepper in it or red pepper flakes)

Squeeze 1-2 wedges of lime over top and mix in.

Garnish with cilantro

Serve w/ Tortilla Chips (the lime ones are amazing)

The amounts are all just me mixing and adding what I like. So don't

feel like you need to stick to the amounts.

Also, it seems to make alot, but it is so good we like having the

extra in the fridge.

Brookie (Brownie/Cookie)

Ingredients

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 tsp. unsalted butter

2 c. semisweet chocolate chunks (52-62% cacao)

2 large eggs

¾ c. light brown sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ c. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1. While the oven preheats to 350°, melt the oil, butter, and 1 cup of the chocolate together in the microwave on high heat for 2.5-3 minutes, stirring at 1-minute intervals. Or melt the mixture in the stainless-steel bowl of a double boiler. Let cool.

2. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla until combined. Fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

3. Whisk together the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine the flour mixture with the chocolate mixture, and then fold in the remaining chocolate chunks.

4. Freeze the batter in a shallow pan (such as a pie plate) 6-8 minutes until it sets and hardens slightly.

5. Spray two cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper. Scoop about 10 tablespoons of batter onto each sheet. Bake 11-12 minutes, until the tops look dry and cracked (the insides will still be quite moist). Cool completely. The brookies will be perfectly soft and chewy.

Variation: Try adding white chocolate chunks or peanut butter chunks in place of the semisweet chocolate chunks.

Sloppy Jane

Instead of using ground beef for this retro American favorite, I substituted ground turkey but you could definitely make this recipe using ground beef or  TVP (textured vegetable protein) if you are a vegetarian. I also highly recommend American cheese if you want to add a bit of melty gooeyness to your sandwich. 

Sloppy Jane

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 yellow onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t dried oregano

3 oz tomato paste

2 T  brown sugar

1 t worcestershire sauce

2 T apple cider vinegar 

1/2 cup water

1 T chili powder

1 t cumin

1 t paprika

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1/4 t white pepper

Salt to taste 

3-4 brioche buns, toasted

american cheese, sliced (optional)

Method

1. brown turkey in pan, add onions and carrots and cook until onions are translucent and carrots are soft. Add garlic. cook 1 more minute.

2. deglaze pan with apple cider vinegar. add worcestershire, water, tomato paste, brown sugar, and all spices. mix well. consistency should be on-point. but if (by chance) there is too much liquid, simmer until it reduces. if it needs more liquid, add a bit more water. once consistency is perfect, salt to taste.

3. toast buns and then pile them high with meat mixture. 

4. enjoy! 

Recipe from Le Femme Epicure

Toffee Pudding

Ingredients

For the pudding1 lb. dates, chopped in food processor

2 c. hot water

2 tsp. baking soda

5 oz. unsalted butter

1 lb. sugar

5 lg. eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

Pinch salt

For the sauce

1 lb. dark-brown sugar

1 lb. butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with butter and coat lightly with flour; shake out excess flour.

3. Combine dates with hot water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Set aside to cool.

4. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar on high speed for 3 minutes.

5. With mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, and salt.

6. When fully mixed, add the dates and their liquid.

7. Pour batter into greased pan and bake in preheated oven until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean (30-45 minutes).

8. Cool on a baking rack before removing from the pan.

9. For the sauce, stir together the brown sugar, butter, and vanilla extract on low heat until blended and brown sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.

10. Whisk heavy cream into the brown sugar-and-butter mixture.

11. Spoon warm sauce over a serving of the pudding and top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

Adapted from The Schlafly Tap Room recipe

Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

For the brownies:

3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 oz red food coloring (this is one small bottle or a scant 2 tbsp)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided

1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

For the white chocolate buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 oz good-quality white chocolate (not chips), melted – I recommend Callebaut

1 – 2 tbsp heavy cream

To make the brownies:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour an 8″x8″ baking pan.

In a small bowl, slowly stir together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and 1 tsp vanilla into a thick paste until no lumps of cocoa remain. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the remaining 1 tsp of vanilla.  With the mixer off, add in the cocoa mixture, then turn the mixer to medium and beat the two mixtures together until they are one uniform color.  Slowly add in the flour and salt and mix on medium-low speed, just until combined.  Do not overmix.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir up the batter with a rubber spatula once or twice just to ensure all of the flour has incorporated from the sides of the bowl and there isn’t anything stuck on the bottom of the bowl.  You’ll want one uniformly colored (red) batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the brownies.  Allow brownies to completely cool in the pan on a baking rack, about 45-60 minutes.  Frost brownies in the pan, cut into 12 bars, and serve, or remove the entire batch from the pan to a cutting board, cut into 12 bars, frost, and serve.

To make the frosting:In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until soft and fluffy then beat in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time; allow the sugar to mix in before adding the next 1/2 cup. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat on medium speed for 30 seconds and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add in the melted white chocolate and beat on medium speed until incorporated.  With the mixer on low, add in heavy cream 1 tbsp at a time and beat at medium speed until the frosting has reached your desired consistency.


source: adapted from How Sweet It Is