Texas Pecan Pie Bars [Menu]

I love Pecans. Despite how their price continues to rise in my area, they are, by far, my favorite nut to put into desserts or sprinkle - candied - on salads. So, when my turn came around for Project Pastry Queen, I figured I might as well celebrate that love with some Texas Pecan Pie bars.

Sadly, I don't have any pictures to go along with this post (although the recipe could speak for itself, I suppose), but I hope you'll head over to PPQ headquarters and see what the other ladies made of this challenge.

Texas Pecan Pie Bars

From The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

CRUST

- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

- 1 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar

- 4 cups all purpose flour

- 1 tsp salt

FILLING

- 8 large eggs

- 6 cups firmly packed golden brown sugar

- 1/4 cup bourbon (optional)

- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

- 2 Tbsp vanilla extract

- 1 cup all purpose flour

- 1 tsp salt

- 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

- 2 cups pecan halves

To Make the Crust….

1) Preheat the oven to 350[degrees]F, and grease a 12" x 17" baking pan with butter or cooking spray.

2) Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium speed (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat about 1 minute, until fluffy. Add the flour and salt; mix on low speed until evenly incorporated but still crumbly

3) Press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan.

4) Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until it has darkened to a deep golden brown. Leave the over at 350[degree}F.

To Make the Filling….

1) Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until blended. Stir in the bourbon, butter, vanilla, flour, and salt, then the coconut and pecans.

2) Pour the filling over the crust, spreading evenly. Bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes (mine took a little longer - about 35 - 40 minutes). Cool thoroughly, at least 30 minutes (once again, mine sat took well over an hour to fully cool and set properly - we ended up sticking it in the fridge for a bit), before cutting into 3-inch squares of diamonds. (Yields about 2 1/2 dozen bars!)

Apple-Smoked Bacon Cheddar Scones [Menu]

It’s Wildcard Weekend for Project Pastry Queen! That means we're tasked to go back through the PPQ archives and chose a recipe we missed along the way. I chose to post about the Apple-Smoked Cheddar Scones that were assigned way back in February and hosted by Marianna over at Food Junky (where you can find the recipe).







Truth be told, I've had this post on tap since late February, but I was just a little too late to post it along with the group. I can say confidently, though, that these scones are in my top three favorite Pastry Queen recipes (and probably my husband's #1 on his personal list). They're moist, flavorful, and an incredibly easy thing to grab quickly from the kitchen on your way out to work. I went with the black pepper variation suggested at the end of the recipe, and I was very thankful to have done so.







If you'd like to make your own version of these scones, pop on over to Marianna's post, and please free to check out what the other member's of Project Pastry Queen made of this recipe and their wild card week at PPQ headquarters!

White-on-White Buttermilk Cake with Jack Daniel's Buttercream [Menu]

This was my week to host Project Pastry Queen! I chose to whip up a three-layer White-on-White Buttermilk Cake with Jack Daniel’s Buttercream (because cake is always a good thing).

After a few adjustments, I’m happy with what is sitting proudly in my kitchen. To be totally honest, this was one of the most unusual cakes I’ve ever made. I baked the cake layers early on (Friday night, to be exact) to make sure I would be able to post early this morning - a task I believe I’ve properly failed at 10:00pm this evening. However, in the end, it worked out well enough.

There are a few mishaps and oddities when it comes to this confection. The batter, for one, is a little strange (although it provides a fabulously moist and flavorful cake without that saccharine sweetness some layer cakes lend themselves to). Before you put it in the oven, it’s almost like an angel food cake batter. Very fluffy. Very, very white. It’s really entertaining, and, between you and me, I enjoyed licking the beaters immensely.

The frosting is where I (and, subsequently, my husband) ran into some issues. Truthfully, I can’t recommend this icing. By the end of the day, we had to try three frostings before there was a decent option to top the three layers I finally see before me. The concept of the Jack Daniels frosting is attractive, but I believe the execution leaves something to be desired. Considering the cost of the ingredients (if you don’t keep Jack Daniels on hand it’s almost $5.00 for just a little airline bottle of the stuff) and the massive amount of butter (6 sticks or 1.5 lb of unsalted goodness), I believe there are better frostings out there. Personally, I love butter, but my husband likened the final product to sweet movie-theater popcorn butter. I have to admit it was pretty close, and I, honestly, would prefer something else, as well.

I think it's worth a try if you like very rich, buttery frostings. The whiskey lends it a nice flavor, and it may be worth it to you to give it a go. Although it wasn't my cup of tea, it did come together nicely. If you would like another option, however, this is the buttercream frosting I ended up using. It's my go-to buttercream, and it's never failed me.

Please pop over to the Project Pastry Queen HQ and see what the other members of the group did with this week's assignment! :]

Recipe ahead!

Hill Country Peach Cobbler [Menu]

I was (and still am) so excited for this week’s Project Pastry Queen recipe. I love cobbler, but I so rarely have a reason to make it. I consider it a very summery, potluck-ish type of dish. SO delicious, sweet, gooey, wonderful.. it seems silly to make it for just my husband and I. But, for the sake of the group, I suppose we’ll just have the burden of eating the whole thing.




This recipe is ridiculously simple and has an amazing outcome. It’s probably the best cobbler that’s come out of my kitchen, and I’m definitely looking forward to making it again.

If you’d like to make a cobbler of your very own, pop over to Josie’s blog for the recipe, and, also, feel free to check out what the other ladies of the group whipped up over at PPQ headquarters.


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Caramel-Filled Brownies [Menu]

I'm going to go ahead and say it: these brownies are not particularly pretty until totally frozen (and they take a little more effort to assemble than your average chocolate bar cookies). In fact, even though it's my week for Project Pastry Queen (and this was, indeed, the recipe I chose), I debated whether or not to post pictures until tomorrow simply for aesthetic reasons (as impatient husbands with brownie-shaped holes in their stomaches do not allow for total brownie cooling periods). BUT these brownies are very tasty. If you're not too worried about how evenly a square you can get out of the pan within a few hours, you should give them a try! They're definitely a crowd pleasurer!

Please go check out what the other members of PPQ did with this week's recipe at our main entry! Next week, Buttermilk Pecan Pie is on the menu! ♥










Recipe Ahead!

Strawberry Ricotta Cake [Menu]

I'm not sure where my love of ricotta originated. My mother's side of the family is Italian, but, while we did have it in some dishes when I was little, I never really grew to love it until I was in my late teens. I like the texture it lends to dishes and the taste it gives to sauces and pasta. I've never had it in a dessert, though (outside of the rogue cannoli).

So I was quite pleased to see that Amanda over at Fake Ginger chose this week's assignment and recipe: Strawberry Ricotta Cake.

My husband was a little apprehensive (but willing) when it came to this recipe, so we ended up keeping half of the angel food cake plain - which meant that I assembled slices on a made-to-order basis. I think this may have taken away from the over all flare of the dish, but it definitely didn't diminish how delicious it was!
I, honestly, can't foresee this dish traveling well, as it tends to be a little tipsy and not quite as stable as your everyday cake, but it would be fantastic for a luncheon at home (or if you're like us and only make one big dessert a week to nibble off of until the following Sunday).

If you'd like to see the recipe to make this yourself, please journey over to Amanda's post. And if you'd like to see what the rest of us made of the dish, take a peep over at the PPQ Group Post.

Happy Baking!

Chicken Satay with Yogurt-Cucumber Dipping Sauce [Menu]

I am thrilled to announce that The Powdered Plum is hosting this week’s Project Pastry Queen challenge! So far during my time being a member with PPQ, I have sampled and tried several recipes for baked goods - which have been mostly wonderful. It would make sense that we would have mostly sweeter treats coming out of a book called The Pastry Queen. That being said, when my turn came around, I was really excited to try one of Rebecca Rather’s savory recipes. So I picked several out, laid the options in front of my husband, and Matt chose this recipe. And it was a good choice!






As with every recipe, we made some changes to suit our tastes. A short little fact about me is that I absolutely abhor the smell of cilantro, so, unless it’s a special occassion involving Matt (who could literally sit with a bowl of cilantro under his nose all day) it generally gets left out of recipes. But the major change we made was the amount. We only made a third of the recipe (what with there only being two of us). But, as a result, I can safely claim that this recipe reduces very well. So, if you can’t eat six whole chicken breasts worth of satay by yourself (or, like me, don’t want to admit to yourself you can), you should feel safe only making just as much as you need.






Another funny thing about apartment living.. no outdoor grill! But it actually worked quite well on ye olde George Foreman! I would really recommend using an outside grill, if you have it, though. I think the smokey flavor would really compliment the final product. Still, they were delicious, all the same.






Overall, although a wee bit time-consuming, this makes for an excellent, flavorful meal! I encourage you to try it! I’m so excited to host my first challenge for this amazing group, and I hope you’ll pop over to the group post on Project Pastry Queen to see the other bloggers in action!



Recipe Ahead!

Fresh Ginger-Pear Quick Bread [Menu]

I have always liked creative assignments. I'm not sure if that goes against the basic principles of art or not, but it's something I really enjoy. This is a large part of why I joined Project Pastry Queen. I really love the weekly assignments, and, outside of one recipe, I've had nothing but wonderful experiences with the recipes from The Pastry Queen.




That being said, I had never made bread before this week. And I, certainly, had never considered "pear bread" a viable option of where to start. I mean, I like pears. But I didn't think the texture would translate well, and they don't have an especially strong flavor so I didn't think anything positive would really be garnered by trying to incorporate them into the finished product.
But this recipe and this bread is fantastic. The ginger really lets the pear flavor shine, and using the chunks of pear, rather than just a puree, is really the way to go.

I made two loaves at once. One for my visiting parents and grandma (and Matt and my dear co-worker, Caroline) and one for our upstairs neighbors/friends. And it seems like when you're chopping it all up you're going to be using WAY too much pear. But just go with it. The finished product is moist and flavorful - with a pleasant zing from the ginger and a subtle sweetness from the fruit. Everyone who had some (at least from what I was told) really loved it.




So I hope you try it soon! Although I'm now two weeks late to really participate in the actual assignment, I really wanted to try this. And it was the first thing baked in our new oven! But, even though I'm late, in the spirit of the project, I want to give credit where it's due. This recipe was chosen for our group by Aliza of Baker By Night. Please hop over to her blog for the recipe and enjoy your baking exploits! If you've never made bread before (like me!) this is a great place to start.

Grasshopper Pie [Menu]

This week's Project Pastry Queen challenge was a Wildcard! We were to pick anything that we had missed previously and make a post. I was really happy for this week, because I had all the ingredients for Grasshopper Pie ready and I missed the opportunity! So thankfully, I was able to jump on board the second time around.

Back in December, this was Tara's selection, and it was, indeed, a very good one. If you enjoy the texture of marshmallows and sweet mint, you should like this. I encourage you to look over on her blog for the recipe. It's pretty simple to make, and it's really quite delicious.




As many of you know, my husband and I are in the process of moving. We're really excited to start over fresh (even if it's only a few blocks away), but we'll fiercely miss our current apartment. It was the first place we called "home" as a married couple. Once we move, though, I'll be posting pictures of the kitchen, and, thankfully, I'll finally be back to a regular posting schedule on all my blogs.

Happy baking!
xoxo
B

Sugar Saucers [Menu]

Hello, Friends! I apologize for my long absence. I have no other excuse than that life became incredibly busy towards the end of the semester and around the holidays. And, on the side of vanity, I'm unable to find the battery charger for my DSLR. What a silly reason to avoid posting! So, I've gotten over that, switched to my old camera in the meantime, and I am back and looking forward to new projects and challenges for this next year!



This particular post is an introduction to my involvement in Project Pastry Queen! As life permits, there should be a new post every Sunday involving one of the fantastic recipes from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather. This week's recipe is hosted by Katy, and, for her selection, she chose the, aptly named, Sugar Saucers.



Now, I can't take credit for the baking of these sugary disks, sadly. My husband did all the manual labor in order to treat me at the end of a long, draining day. But they are fantastic and deliciously simple to make (the least complicated sugar cookie recipe I've ever seen). Admittedly, I can never wait until they're properly cooled. But they're fantastic 20-seconds out of the oven! And I'm sure they'll be great tomorrow, too (assuming they last).
I recommend making these on the thicker side since large, thin sugar cookies tend to be a wee too crunchy (in my personal opinion). But then again, if you like that sort of thing: these will be perfect.



Grab a glass of milk and enjoy! And, if you're curious for the recipe, please visit Katy's blog!

All the best and happiest of New Years!
xoxo
B