Orange peel and brandy flavor these fried cookies from New Orleans. Enjoy the cookies as a snack, as dessert with brandy-spiked orange slices, or for breakfast with café au lait. A deep-fry thermometer is essential for determining when the oil is hot enough for frying. Makes about 4 dozen
6 tablespoons sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1½ teaspoons finely grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus additional for frying
1½ cups unbleached all purpose flourPowdered sugar
Combine sugar, egg yolks, brandy, whipping cream, orange peel, vanilla, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl; add 1 tablespoon oil and whisk to blend. Add flour ½ cup at a time, mixing until very thick dough forms; scrape out onto lightly floured surface. Knead until no longer sticky, about 3 minutes. Roll out dough to 12×10-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 3 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into ¾-inch-wide strips. Twist each strip of dough several times and place on large baking sheet; chill twists to set dough, about 30 minutes.
Pour enough oil into large saucepan to reach depth of 1 inch. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of saucepan and heat oil to 350°F. Working in batches, drop twists into oil. Fry until golden, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beignets to paper towels and drain. Sift powdered sugar over. Serve warm or at room temperature.
DO AHEAD: Beignets can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
These deep-fried cookies—called sfingi, sfinci, or zeppole in Italy—hail from a time when many Italian homes didn’t have stoves for baking. The cream-puff dough contains no sugar; rolling the freshly fried cookies in cinnamon sugar is what makes them sweet. Makes about 6 dozen
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup water
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour, sifted (measured, then sifted)
3 large eggs
4 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)
Mix sugar and cinnamon in shallow bowl. Set aside. Combine ¾ cup water, butter, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts. Increase heat and bring to boil. Add flour all at once and stir with wooden spoon to blend. Stir over medium heat until dough forms a ball in center of saucepan, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to bowl. Using electric mixer, beat dough 15 seconds. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of heavy large deep saucepan. Add oil to saucepan and heat to 370°F. Working in batches, carefully drop mounded ½ teaspoonfuls of dough into hot oil and cook until golden brown, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain temperature and turning fritters occasionally, about 3 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer fritters to paper towels and drain 10 seconds. Immediately roll fritters in cinnamon sugar. Serve fritters hot, or cool up to 3 hours and serve at room temperature.
bar cookies & brownies
Old-Fashioned Brownies
Fudge Brownies with Walnuts
Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Brownies with Pecans and Raisins
Chocolate-Espresso Brownies with Chocolate Glaze
Fudgy Hazelnut Brownies with Marbled Chocolate Glaze
Fudgy Toffee Brownies
Mint Chocolate Brownies
Coconut Checkerboard Brownies
Chocolate Brownies with Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
Raspberry Brownies
White Chocolate Suzette Brownies
Double-Lemon Bars
Lemon-Coconut Bars
White Chocolate and Lime Cheesecake Bars
Apricot-Walnut Bars
Triple-Cherry Streusel Bars
Classic Date Bars
Fig and Rum Squares
Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Squares
Banana-Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chunks
Coconut Macaroon Bars
Double-Nut Maple Bars
Brown Sugar Bars with Milk Chocolate and Pecans
Chocolate-Caramel Slice
Pecan Squares
Dried Fruit and Nut Bars
Sometimes all you want is a good, simple, classic chocolate brownie. Look no further. Makes 2 dozenNonstick vegetable oil spray
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13×9×2-inch metal baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving 2-inch overhang on both long sides. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool 15 minutes.
Whisk sugar and vanilla into chocolate mixture. Whisk in eggs and salt, then stir in flour. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan.
DO AHEAD: Brownies can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
Using foil as aid, lift brownies from pan and cut into bars.
A classic brownie with a bit of crunch. Don’t care for walnuts? Try chopped toasted pecans instead. Makes about 2 dozen
BrowniesNonstick vegetable oil spray
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed
61% cacao), chopped
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
Glaze
½ cup heavy whipping cream
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed
61% cacao), chopped
BROWNIES: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9×9×2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Stir bittersweet chocolate, butter, and unsweetened chocolate in medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.