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Can You Cut Down On Sugar Cookies Instead Of Powdered Sugar Recipe - Yahoo Recipe Search
YummlyRich and chocolatey brownies are the perfect dessert for celebrating any event or special occasion — or for no reason at all! This delicious brownie recipe is unique for a few reasons. It's made with cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture combined with delectable flavor. It also has a hint of orange zest which is an ideal pairing for the dark melted chocolate. On top of the added citrus flavor, the chopped walnuts give these homemade brownies a satisfying bit of crunch. These brownies are for true chocolate lovers looking for a new flavor experience. ## The History Of Brownies There are several interesting stories revolving around the mysterious arrival of the brownie. One features a chef who accidentally added chocolate to biscuit dough. Another tells the story of a baker who was making a cake but didn't have enough flour, so he ended up with a brownie-esque dessert. The most popular legend might be one that is listed in "Betty Crocker's Baking Classics" and John Mariani's "The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink." Both publications tell the story of a housewife in Bangor, Maine, who forgot to add the baking powder to a chocolate cake she was making. The cake didn't rise well, but she chose to cut the dessert into squares and served it anyway. Thus, the brownie was introduced in the U.S. and has remained a classic dessert for many years. The first time a homemade brownie recipe was published was in the early in the 20th century, supposedly by Fanny Farmer. In 1905, she refined her own chocolate cookie recipe to create a bar-shaped dessert by baking it in a rectangular pan. We may never know who intentionally or accidentally created the first chocolate brownie, but we are certainly glad it has stuck around. ## Recipe Variations This recipe is egg-heavy, so it's not going to be as cakey as a brownie mix from a box, rather, this recipe is on the fudgy brownie end of the spectrum, but like most good brownie recipes, this recipe comes with plenty of room for variations. _Nuts:_ If walnuts aren't your thing, try using chopped pecans, peanuts, or almonds. _Flavorings:_ If you don't want to use the orange zest, you can leave it out, add a teaspoon vanilla extract, or put the zest of another fruit of your preference in its place. _Different Chocolate:_ Feel free to experiment with different types of chocolate. Try regular milk chocolate, white chocolate chips, or a combination of different types. _Embellishments:_ You can skip the last drizzle of chocolate and top your chocolate brownie with ice cream or whipped cream instead if you want a sit-down dessert experience instead of a portable dessert experience. Trying new recipes is part of the fun, so be creative and create your own masterpiece!YummlyNot exactly a part of the bikini body diet, this creamy chocolate cheesecake is a decadent treat that should be enjoyed by chocolate lovers every once in a while. Made with a homemade buttery graham cracker crust, it perfectly blends the dreaminess of cream cheese with the richness of melted chocolate. Light and creamy, the cheesecake filling pairs well with the melted chocolate topping. It's a chocolate twist on the classic American dessert, ideal for nearly any gathering. It's elegant enough to enjoy for a special occasion, and yet works just as well for a casual birthday party or baby shower. It's the perfect cheesecake to serve at your holiday party, and works all year round. While it may sound complicated to prepare this recipe, the total time to make this cheesecake isn't actually all that long. You will, however, want to leave time to refrigerate it overnight, or at least five hours. From there you'll need about 35 minutes of cook time. If you want to cut down on prep time, you can use a pre-made crust for your cheesecake, but nothing beats the flavor of this homemade graham cracker crust! ## Variations While this chocolate cheesecake is amazing on its own, here are some ideas for putting a unique spin on the recipe. _Top with fruit:_ Add fresh blueberries, strawberries, or whatever seasonal fruit you have on hand. If the berries aren’t as sweet as you like, toss them in a bowl with a teaspoon of sugar and let sit for 20 minutes until they start to release some of their juices. _Add vanilla:_ For a subtle hint of vanilla to balance the chocolate flavor, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to your cheesecake batter. _Cookie crust:_ Prepare the crust the same way, and simply swap your favorite cookies or Oreo cookies for graham crackers to double the chocolate while keeping that extra crunch. If you don't have Oreos on hand, try using any type of cookie crumbs for a similar flavor and texture. _Add nuts:_ Chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts are a wonderful addition to this cheesecake. Simply sprinkle a handful over the top after topping it with the melted chocolate. _Dust with cocoa:_ instead of a chocolate drizzle, add a light dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder to complete the cake. _Add chocolate chips:_ add a bit of texture to your cheesecake by mixing in a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks. Add at the very end and avoid over mixing the chocolate. _Add caramel sauce:_ Instead of a chocolate drizzle, try caramel sauce to jazz up this chocolate cheesecake. _Add chocolate curls:_ Decorate your cheesecake with chocolate curls for an elegant spin on this cake recipe. ## Recipe Tips _Allow it to cool in order to prevent cracking:_ if it does crack, you can spread a thin film of sour cream over the top; the chocolate topping should cover it well. _Soften the cream cheese:_ because cold cream cheese won’t blend smoothly, it should be very soft. Leave it out for at least two hours if possible before baking. _Keep eggs and cream at room temperature:_ batters made with cold ingredients don’t come together as smoothly, so leave eggs and cream out as well. _Use a water bath:_ some cheesecake recipes call for a water bath, which is a method that helps your cheesecake bake gently without burning or cracking, and maintain a silky smooth texture. While you don't necessarily need it, feel free to use it in this recipe. To create a water bath, wrap the bottom of the baking pan in aluminum foil to waterproof it, and then place the baking pan into a larger pan that’s been filled partially with hot water. Using a water bath prevents the pan from being exposed to direct heat while it bakes. The gentler heat means the cake bakes slowly, and prevents the cake from cracking or collapsing after you remove it from the oven.YummlyCustard, sponge cake, and coffee — tiramisù is about as classic as you can get with Italian desserts. It's made with soft, coffee-dipped cookies layered with a rich mixture of mascarpone cheese, sugar, and eggs, and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. Though it's a celebrated dessert, trying to trace tiramisù to [its origins](https://www.eater.com/2016/10/24/13314196/tiramisu-history) won't give you concrete answers, but we do know three things: it is delicious, it is Italian, and the literal translation of 'tiramisù' is **not** "pick-me-up," despite what the internet tells you. However, this recipe can be considered a pick-me-up and with a little bit of background on this confection, you can whip it up so easily, you might consider yourself an honorary Italian for the day. ## Dessert Structure There are three major elements that make up tiramisù: the fluffy egg and cheese mixture (yes, this is a dessert!), the cookies, and the coffee. It's not hard to put it all together — this recipe is fool-proof; it only requires a few simple ingredients and the step-by-step instructions are easy to follow to complete it in 30 minutes. But if you're making tiramisù for the first time, it's helpful to be comfortable with a whisk and an electric mixer. ## Eggs And Cheese The eggs and cheese are transformed into a fluffy mousse-like layer to top the cookies. 1) First, the eggs are separated. 2) The whites are then whipped into foam and the yolks are whisked with sugar and gently heated over a double boiler (a heat-resistant bowl that fits over a pan of simmering water) to make a loose custard. 3) The cheese (mascarpone) is whipped to soften it. 4) The egg whites and the custard are then folded into the cheese. ## Ladyfingers If you're not familiar with ladyfingers, you're in for a sweet treat! Called 'savoiardi' in Italian, they are sponge cake cookies shaped to (kind of) resemble fingers. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they're fairly easy to make. [This recipe](https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Ladyfingers-1505090) makes about three dozen but to cut down on cook time for tiramisù, you can find ladyfingers at most grocery stores. ## Coffee Vs Espresso In Tiramisù Most traditional tiramisù recipes are made with Italian espresso, but you can use either coffee or espresso for this recipe. If you don't have an espresso maker but want the true tiramisù experience, strong coffee is best, but you can use decaf coffee if you want the flavor without the caffeine. This recipe calls for sugared coffee, so you'll need to add a spoonful of sugar to your brewed coffee or espresso. Some recipes you see for tiramisù call for instant espresso powder, but in this case, you'll need a full cup of coffee. ## Recipe Notes There is no one recipe for tiramisù — there are many ways to make it. Here are a couple of ways to make yours a little different. _Swap mascarpone for ricotta:_ If you don't have mascarpone cheese on hand, or prefer the flavor of ricotta, feel free to use that instead of the mascarpone. _Add zabaglione:_ Many tiramisù recipes call for zabaglione (zabaione or sabayon), which is kind of like custard made with marsala wine, egg yolks, and sugar, but it's a bit looser than custard — in Italy, people even use it like cream in their coffee. In the case of this recipe, you are making a crème anglaise which is zabaglione without the wine, so if you want to make it slightly boozy, you can add up to 1/4 cup of sweet wine to the egg yolks and sugar before combining everything with the mascarpone. _Mix in chopped nuts:_ To add a bit of texture, feel free to add in a 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to your mixture, and sprinkle over the top of your tiramisù. _Make it vanilla:_ For added flavor, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cream mixture. Vanilla blends wonderfully with the ladyfingers and the mascarpone. ## Storing Tiramisù Tiramisù will keep well in the fridge for up to four days, but not much longer. The bubbles in the eggs will start to deflate and the ladyfingers can become slightly soggy after a few days so while the flavor deepens the longer you leave it, it probably won't hold its shape. ## Serve And Enjoy This dessert would be the perfect ending to a big Italian feast. Follow your pasta dinner with a cup of espresso and a serving of homemade tiramisù, or enjoy it for a holiday dessert. It's delicious all on its own.
