Puppy Chow

“I never get powdered sugar on my clothes when I eat puppy chow,” said no-one ever.

I say, just own the mess and make a batch of puppy chow coated in so much chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar that you’ll look like one of my children after eating a meal: powdered sugar in your hair, on your eye brows, on your ankles, and somehow on the toys you played with hours before (how does that work, exactly?).

If you’re anything like me, this puppy chow will be gone in less than one hour. Do yourself a favor: put on your favorite pair of sweatpants, turn on Netflix, and dig in.

---

Puppy Chow
from Show me the Yummy

1 (12 oz) box rice chex
1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (2 lb) bag powdered sugar

Make the puppy chow: Pour the box of chex into a very large bowl.

Place the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds and then stir until smooth. If the chocolate chips haven't fully melted , microwave for 30 second intervals, until the mixture is completely melted. Then mix in vanilla.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and, using a spatula, stir gently until the cereal is coated.

Slowly add the powdered sugar. Mix. And pour again until mixture is completely white. There will be extra sugar at the bottom of the bowl but this is the best part.

---

Mini Cranberry Crack Pies

I had a dream the other night that I had a cake to deliver in the morning. It was in the refrigerator and someone placed a heavy plate on top of it. And squished it.

I told my husband about the dream and his response was: I bet it was me in your dream. And then he laughed at me. He clearly does not understand the amount of stress baking disaster dreams have on me and, no, it was not him in my dream.

A better dream is the one I've been having about Milkbar’s crack pie. I made it earlier this fall and wish every day for a slice to appear in front of me at 2PM. Sadly, this wish has yet to come true.

But luckily for me, I’ve had a few bites of the pie every evening for the last week as I’ve been playing around with how to make it a bit more festive. I tried apples and molasses and ginger and oats. Don’t get me wrong, they all tasted good…sometimes the fork in my right hand forced me to eat multiple slices of each version to determine how much I didn’t like it.

My favorite variation is the one I filled with a cooked cranberry mixture and topped with a molasses cookie crumble. It is sweet and tart and when you eat it from a ramekin you feel less gluttonous. Right?

---

Mini Cranberry Crack Pies
adapted from Milkbar

Filling
150g sugar
90g light brown sugar
10g milk powder
3/4 tsp salt
113g (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
80g (1/3 cup + 1tbsp) heavy cream
1/4tsp vanilla
4 egg yolks

Cranberry Sauce
255g frozen cranberries
115g sugar
90g water

Molasses Cookie Topping
130g all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
56g (1/2 stick) butter, room temp
105g brown sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp molasses
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Make the filling: Combine the sugar, brown sugar, milk powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low until evenly blended.

Add the melted butter and mix for 3 minutes until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Add the cream and vanilla and continue mixing on low for 2 to 3 minutes until any white streaks from the cream have completely disap­peared. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the egg yolks unit just combined (do not overmix the filling, simply mix until it is glossy).

Make the cranberries: Combine ingredients in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook on low to medium heat until the water has evaporated and the cranberries have popped and broken down a bit (~10 minutes). Let mixture cool.

Assemble: Preheat oven to 350°. Fill each ramekin about 1/2 way with the sugar and cream filling. Drop in 1-2 tbsp of the cranberries (amount will depend on size of ramekin) and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes then reduce temp to 325° for another 10 minutes. Filling will be very jiggly but will thicken once it cools.

Once you remove the ramekins from the oven, let them cool for about 15-30 minutes. Cover the ramekins in plastic and place them in the refrigerator or freezer for three hours or more to thicken. Sprinkle as much of the cookie topping on each ramekin as you desire (recipe below).

Keep the dessert in the refrigerator (or freezer) until ready to eat.

Make the cookie topping: Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). 

Add the oil, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Beat in the flour mixture until well incorporated.

Spray a sheet pan and line with parchment, or just line the pan with a silpat. Using a spatula or your hands, spread the cookie dough out until it is 1/4 inch thick. Bake for about 20 minutes.

Let cool completely. Break giant cookie into large chunks or place those chunks into a food processor with a one tablespoon of melted butter and pulse to get a finer finish.

---

Rainbow Cake with Black Frosting

I work for a great company filled with amazing people. One of those great people sits ten feet from me, loves my cakes, and has two daughters who happen to celebrate birthdays and holidays and request (read: demand) a cake at these events.

This friend’s youngest daughter requested a jet black cake filled with rainbow layers for her birthday. I used my favorite yellow cake recipe and dyed each layer a different color: pink, yellow, and green. I covered it with a smooth and glossy black frosting, added some sprinkles and then delivered it via the simplest delivery/pickup scenario: to a desk down the hall.

The birthday girl and her friends loved it which is all I can ask for.

---

Rainbow Cake with Black Frosting
adapted from Sweetapolita and King Arthur Flour

Yellow Cake Layers
397g sugar
390g all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
170g unsalted butter, room temp.
1 1/2 cups whole milk, room temp.
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
food coloring (optional)

Black Frosting
454g unsalted butter, room temp
500g powdered sugar
90g dark (preferably black) cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
240g dark chocolate, chopped or chips, melted
Soft gel paste color in Super Black

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease three 6" cake pans and line with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and beat with the paddle attachment at low speed, until the mixture looks sandy.

Combine the milk and vanilla and add all at once. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.

Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl.

With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.

Repeat this procedure with the second egg. Continue adding the eggs, scraping after each addition, until all 4 are added.

After the last egg is added, scrape the bowl once more, then beat at medium-high speed for 30 more seconds.

Transfer the batter to each pan, smooth the tops. and smack the pans on the counter to get the air bubbles out of the batter.

Bake for 24-27 minutes or until the cake is golden brown around the edges and just beginning to pull away from the edge of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting: In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 6 minutes.

Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. On low speed, add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, water, sour cream, vanilla, and salt and beat until incorporated.

Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 tsp of the black gel color and mix until combined. Wait about 15 minutes for the color to develop fully. Add more color if necessary until you get the desired tint.

---