Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Since it's been so dreary outside these past few days, I figured everyone could use a comfort food post. Zucchini bread is one of those things that you eat while curled up watching the rain fall (at least that's how it was in my house), and this transition into fall is the PERFECT time to make it! This recipe makes two loaves- perfect for sharing or freezing.

My garden produced copious amounts of zucchini this year, so I had plenty to work with. 

Vanilla Creme Brulee

Well, I didn't know what dessert to make this week, and I was browsing around on Facebook. I found the "Questions" tab, and decided to poll my friends to see what they thought. Most people thought I should make a tiramisu, but Savannah's response (below) was so enthusiastic that I just HAD to make creme brulee! Savannah also LOVES to bake, so hopefully she'll feature a dessert on A Dessert a Week soon.  I apologize for the crappy photos; my external flash decided to stop working immediately after I started photographing.

Creme brulee is such an easy dessert to make. I used to be a volunteer sous chef at an OUTSTANDING restaurant, The Brandon House, in downtown York, and I made their creme brulee a time or two, and it was so delicious. If you are ever in upstate South Carolina, then stop by there for a bite to eat.

If you don't happen to have vanilla beans in your house, then substitute 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract for the vanilla bean. Vanilla beans are wonderful though, and you can reuse them to make vanilla sugar!

As you see, I'm horrible about fully separating the white from the yolk. You can strain the creme brulee mixture before pouring into ramekins if you wish, but it'll turn out fine if you don't.

I waited until I put the pan in the oven to add water; I didn't want to spill extremely hot water all over myself, but it's whatever you feel comfortable with. I used a glass 9x13 baking dish and a square cake pan for the water bath. You can use anything that is oven safe to place the ramekins in.

I used a welding blowtorch to melt the sugar, but it would be a lot easier and safer to use a kitchen blowtorch or the oven!

Ingredients

• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 quarts hot water

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 
• Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. 
• Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

These were my first experience at making whoopie pies, and I was so pleased by the results! The first time I made them with a seven minute frosting (as pictured), and the second time I used a marshmallow creme filling. Both are delicious: the seven minute frosting is much airier and lighter, and the marshmallow creme is for those of you that love a filling with more substance. The seven minute frosting only keeps for a few hours before separating, so be sure to make it right before you plan to serve the whoopie pies. The marshmallow creme filling doesn't seem apt to separate, and could probably be made ahead of time. The whoopie pies last at least four days in a sealed container at room temperature.

Recently, I started collecting vintage cooking items for my soon-to-open Etsy store. This is my first experience with selling items, and I am SO EXCITED about it! I will be sure to update everyone when the items are up and put a link at the top of this website. Thank you so much for all of your support! 

If you have a large cookie scoop, then by all means use that. I haven't bought one yet, so I just used a large spoon to shape the dough. 

If you are using the marshmallow creme recipe for filling, then disregard the seven minute frosting photographs below.

Whoopie Pies
from Martha Stewart

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Seven Minute Frosting (recipe and ingredients below)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. Line two baking pans with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
• Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, place cookies onto lined baking pans, 12 per pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining batter.
• Spread 2 tablespoons frosting onto each of 24 cookies. Sandwich together with remaining 24 cookies.

Seven Minute Frosting

• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

• Heat 3/4 cup sugar, the water, and
  corn syrup in a medium saucepan
  over medium heat, stirring until sugar
  dissolves. Increase heat, and bring to
  a boil. Wash down sides of pan with
  a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook until it registers 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Meanwhile, whisk whites with a
  mixer on medium speed until soft
  peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes. Add
  remaining tablespoon sugar; reduce
  speed to medium-low. Pour sugar syrup
  into whites in a slow, steady stream.
  Increase speed to medium high; beat
  until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.
  Beat in vanilla; use immediately.

Marshmallow Crème Filling

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

• In a medium bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and remaining ingredients until light and fluffy.

Kahlua Refrigerator Pie

I received this recipe from a church member after lamenting on Facebook about how much Kahlua I had in my cabinet. She broke through the hordes of typical college students' comments to pass on a delicious, easy dessert! Monday is Labor Day, and this refrigerator pie is the perfect item to bring to the celebration!

This is the quickest dessert I've made on A Dessert a Week yet, but don't let that fool you about the taste. Once the flavors have time to mix, this dessert is as complex as any. Excluding chill time, this recipe took about 5 minutes to prepare.

If you prefer the taste of Kahlua to be more prevalent, then add 1-2 tablespoons extra.

Ta-da! Instant, delicious pie!


Ingredients:

• 1 chocolate pie crust
• 6 Heath Bars (or a bag of Heath Bar chips)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (reserve 2 tablespoons extra for the topping)
• 6 oz cream cheese
• 8 oz Cool Whip
• 1/4 cup Kahlua or to taste!

Directions:

• Crush candy with knife blade in food processor (or with a mallet, car tires, whatever). Add cream cheese to this and process. Add chocolate chips and Kahlua and process. Pour this over Cool Whip and mix.
• Place all in crust and put reserved chocolate chips on on top. Chill overnight or all day if possible to allow flavors to mix through. Freezes very well. You can pour extra Kahlua over the pie or drizzle some on the plate if you wish.