Brownie-Pecan Shortbread Bars

If you have been following along with my blog so far, I'm sure you've seen a bit of a pattern.  Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter BANANA Bread, APPLE Whoopie Pies.  It's a lot of fruit.  Which is fine.  I like fruit in my desserts.  But this week, it think it's time we focus on chocolate.

Which is why I chose to make Brownie-Pecan Shortbread Bars.  These treats are the best of both worlds, with a rich chocolaty brownie on top and a flaky, sweet shortbread cookie as a crust.  So, if you like Ben and Jerry's Half Baked ice cream (I certainly do!), then you'll love this dessert.  The pecans, both finely chopped in the crust and more coarsely chopped in the brownie, give the bars added texture and crunch.

The original recipe called for 1/4 cup of white sugar for the crust.  I changed this to 1/8 cup of white sugar and 1/8 cup of brown sugar.  Personally, I enjoy the flavor of brown sugar in my cookies and crusts, and I believe mixing the two types of sugars for this crust pairs well with the brownie on top.  If you don't like to use brown sugar, then the 1/4 cup of white sugar will work for you.

The original recipe also called for unsweetened chocolate in the brownie portion of this dish.  I incorporated the unsweetened chocolate into my bars this week, but I have re-written the recipe below to include semi-sweet chocolate.  For me, the brownie just wasn't sweet enough with the unsweetened chocolate.  If you serve your bars with a dollop of Cool Whip or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it may bring that needed sweetness to the dish.  However, if you plan on serving your bars plain, I would recommend using the semi-sweet chocolate.

Lastly, I could not find a 9x9x2 inch pan ANYWHERE.  Well, maybe I only looked at my local grocery store, but I really didn't feel like trekking all over Boston for an aluminum pan.  So instead, I used an 11x9x2.5 inch pan.  Because it was a bit larger than the original recipe called for, I increased the recipe by one and a half.  This ensured that I had enough crust to cover the bottom of the pan, and enough brownie batter for a thick brownie on top.

Enjoy!

Crust Ingredients

Brownie Ingredients

Crust Dough

Cooked Crust

Final Product

Final Product Before Jumping Into My Mouth...

Brownie-Pecan Shortbread Bars
Crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/8 cup white sugar
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping
3oz semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1.) Crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line the bottom and sides of a 9x9x2 inch baking pan with non-stick foil, extending over the edges of the pan

2.) In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Beat in egg yolk, then vanilla.  On low speed, beat in flour, pecans and salt until just combined.

3.) With floured fingertips, pat the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until crust is lightly golden.  Place the pan on a rack in the refrigerator to cool completely.

4.) Topping: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter 30 seconds to one minute, stir to blend.  Let cool slightly, then stir in vanilla

5.) In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder.  Whisk in chocolate mixture, then stir in pecans.  Spread mixture over cooled crust.

6.) Bake 26 to 28 minutes, until top looks slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Use foil to lift bars out to cool completely on a wire rack.  cut into 9 to 12 bars, depending on size preference.

Apple Whoopie Pies

It was 45 degrees when I walked outside this morning.  Which means my shorts/t-shirt ensemble was probably a poor choice...but it also means that Fall is almost here!

Apples are a flavorful and versatile ingredient to any Fall dish.  Whether you are baking a fragrant homemade apple pie, chopping up apples and mixing them into your stuffing for your turkey on Thanksgiving, or just dipping the whole piece of fruit into a tub of  warm caramel and then popping it on a stick for a delicious grab-and-go treat; apples are one of the many delicious flavors of Fall.

Which is why I chose to make Apple Whoopie Pies for this week's blog.  These treats have a taste similar to that of a spice cake with warm flavors of cinnamon and vanilla.  The unsweetened applesauce adds moisture without the extra sugar.  The sweet Fluffy Filling has notes of nutmeg, which rounds out the Fall flavors and aromas in this dessert.

I have a special baking sheet made specifically for making whoopie pies, which helps to create even, perfectly round cakes for each side of your whoopie pie.  If you make whoopie pies as much as I do, then this tool is a great addition to your kitchen. However, I'm assuming most of you do not have one of these baking sheets, so I've catered the recipe to you. 

Fall is my favorite season.  I hope this recipe helps you celebrate the cooler weather, beatiful colors and fuzzy sweaters of Autumn!

Cake Ingredients

Fluffy Filling Ingredients

Cake Batter

Pre Oven

Post Oven

Chillin'

Fluffy Filling

My Attempt at Being Artistic Don't Judge.

I Ate This One About Three Seconds After I Took This Picture... 

Apple Whoopie Pies2 cups packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups unsweetend applesauce3/4 cup whipping cream
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 recipe Fluffy Filling

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside
2.) In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and butter.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined.  Add applesauce and whipping cream; beat well.
3.) In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add flour mixture to the beaten mixture, beating until well mixed
4.) Drop batter by spoonfulls about 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are light brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

5.) Spread Fluffy Filling on bottoms of half of the cooled cakes.  Top with the remaining cakes, bottom sides down.  Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator and serve within 24 hours.

Yields about 24 whoopie pies

Fluffy Filling
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup marshmallow creme
1/4 cup whole milk1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1.) In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients with the exception of the powdered sugar and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed.

2.) Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well mixed and fluffy.


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I love banana bread.  It's one of the easiest things to bake, it doesn't take a lot of ingredients, and it's pretty hard to screw up.  Which is why I chose to use this recipe first for the blog.  Also, I had some extra bananas lying around, so also a plus. 

Banana bread is very tasty on it's own.  It's extremely moist, it's dense and personally, it's my favorite way to get my dose of potassium.  However, when you throw some peanut butter and chocolate chips into the mix, you really can't go wrong.  And that is what I like to do when I make my banana bread.  The peanut butter adds a little more moisture to the bread, along with a bit of a salty flavor, which pairs well with the pockets of sweetness from the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

The recipe below is the one I use when I make my go-to Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.  But feel free to put your own spin on it.  I've also used almond butter, which adds an excellent flavor and consistency similar to that of the peanut butter.  Chopped walnuts provide some crunch and texture to the bread and raisins deliver a different kind of sweetness and chewiness. 

And, if you're someone with a severe sweet tooth (like me), you can top the bread with a homemade Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe also listed below).  I chose to opt out of the sugar coma this time, so I kept my banana bread naked.  However, if you do want to add a little something to your bread when you are serving it (without giving your guests cavities), you can sprinkle some powdered sugar on top, or serve it warm with a drizzle of honey.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Ingredients

Batter

Getting Hot...

Done!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 mashed bananas
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup smooth/creamy peanut butter
1/2 to 1 full 8oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (add to taste)

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease one 9x5 inch pan.
2.) Cream butter and sugar together until smooth.  Beat in eggs, then bananas.  Add flour and baking soda, stirring just until combined
3.) Add peanut butter and stir until well combined.  Fold in chocolate chips, half to full 8oz bag, depending on taste
4.) Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from pan and let cool


Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional)
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
4 ounce cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer.  With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Wait until the banana bread is completely cooled before topping with frosting.


Some Notes: 

1.) Banana bread recipes usually call for bananas that are fairly to completely ripe (the skin is completely brown on the outside).  But sometimes I want to make banana bread and my bananas are not quite there yet (they have some brown spots that look like freckles, but not completely brown).  At this point, they are not very mushy.  So in order to make them more malleable and easier to work into the batter, I peel the bananas and toss them into the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute max.  This makes them much softer and much easier to mash up when you throw them into your mix.

2.) When I made this recipe this time, it took a little more than an hour for the bread to fully cook, about 75 minutes actually.  Every oven is different, so the baking time will vary depending on your oven.  However, 60 minutes is a safe bet to start with because it is always easier to keep it in the oven for a couple minutes longer if you toothpick doesn't come out clean, rather than putting your bread in for 75 minutes to start and coming back to your oven to find a black, smoking brick.  Just something to keep in mind.

How This Works

I have a problem

I buy cooking magazines in the check-out aisle at grocery stores. I spend hours searching through recipes online. I have most Food Network shows set to my favorites on my DVR. And then I take it one step further. I clip all of the intriguing recipes from those cooking magazines and file them away into my recipe folder. I email myself and bookmark all of those delectable options online. I buy the cookbooks of my favorite Food Network stars.

All of that sounds great....besides the fact that I have never done ANYTHING with my recipe collections...EVER...until now.

Every week I plan on sifting through those tattered clippings, those dated online articles and those dusty old cookbooks. I will pick out the one baking recipe that I deem appropriate (and doable), then bake it! I must warn you, however, I'm no Martha Stewart, no Julia Child. You will not find dainty, flower-laced cakes with perfectly embellished fondant boarders in a pretty pastel pink on this blog.

I am messy. I am awkward. But I have been known to pull some pretty delicious treats out of my oven. This will be a learning experience for me, but I'm hoping I can teach you some things as well.

Welcome!

Everyone has a sweet spot. It's something that makes you laugh, makes you giggle, makes you smile.  It causes you react in such a way that nothing else can.  It has an effect on you that you can't explain, can't ignore, yet you love the way it feels and don't want it to stop.  Well my sweet spot really is sweet.  I love sweets.  Anything with sugar, dough, chocolate or the combination of all three really hits a chord with me.  I love to bake and love to share my creations with the people I love.  So if your sweet spot is sweets too, please follow along with me as I share my baking experiences and recipes.  They may turn out to be a disaster, they may be quite delicious, but whatever they are, I can guarantee they will hit your sweet spot!