by bakersroyale

Man-Whore Bars: Chocolate-Chip-Oreo-Peanut-Butter-Cup-Rice-Krispie-Treat-Chocolate-Ganache

I realize I’ve been a bit MIA, but lets make-up. To start, I bring you Man-Whore Bars. Remember Slutty Brownies? Well these guys make those look downright prude. These bars are appropriately named since they contains 4 desserts in one–2 cookies (chocolate chip and Oreos); candy (Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups); rice krispie treats; and chocolate ganache—plus more chocolate chip cookies for a final sprinkling.

Damn, right? I thought so.

Now more importantly, I’m on a mission to mainstream these like Jessica Simpson did for the Slutty Brownies on Katie Couric’s show. Which by the way, I birthed the cousin to those slut brownies with these Slutty Cheesecake Bars—seriously damaging stuff. But this–this, might be my all-time favorite over-the-top bar and the follow-up to the slutties.

So can I ask you guys a favor? {lease make these, pass them around and proudly refer to them as Man-Whores Bars, because maybe then they will reach Ryan Gosling who can then explain them to Katie.

Ah, you guys are fantastic. I’m so glad to be back, now let’s get busy and make some bars.

Man-Whore Bars

by BS

Baking for Friends: Linzer Heart Cookies

With the Beyonce Bowl come and gone, it must be about time to start focusing on the next food-obsessive holiday on the calendar.

Yes, Valentine’s Day can be dumb, but it also can be an excuse to bake up some over-the-top deliciousness, right? One of our favorite New York-based bakeries, Tate’s Bake Shop, is here to share this recipe for Linzer heart cookies from their cookbook, Baking for Friends.

Anyone who has picked up Tate’s crazy-crispy chocolate chips at a store around NYC understands that these folks know how to do cookies right. And, if you’re in need of a V-day gift, hop over to Tate’s website and get 20 percent off any cookie-centric just for being an ES-er. Use the code BLOG213 at checkout.

Tate’s Bake Shop Linzer Heart Cookies

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by unsightly

Tricks of the Trade: Vanilla Bean Powdered Sugar

My favorite vanilla to use when baking is from Penzeys. On top of having the best flavor of any vanilla I’ve used, I get the added bonus of an actual vanilla bean in the bottle. When the bottle runs out, I take the bean out and let it dry on parchment paper. I then pulse it with granulated sugar to make vanilla bean powdered sugar. The pods themselves have a ton of vanilla flavor, and there are still a good amount of vanilla seeds in the pods as well, creating a heavily vanilla-scented sugar, perfect for dusting on your french toast or adding to buttercream frosting.

You can also blend in coffee beans, lemon or orange zest, a pinch of cinnamon, etc. to add an extra layer of flavor to the sugar.

in Rants & Raves 0 comments

by hungry monster

Peanut Butter Toast Crunch Cereal Cake for One

I know this looks weird. It”s not exactly what you would think of when I say super rich and decadent peanut butter cake. But that”s what it is, I swear.

Ever since my resolution, I have not been buying sweets. It”s a sad time, folks. Well, it was a sad time. Until I rediscovered my love for microwave cakes.

I have two secrets I”m gonna let you in on. This cake took me 1 minute to cook and like one more minute of prep time. Also, it ended up being less than 120 calories (Obviously it depends on the ingredients you use; Mine was 112 calories–score!).

Oh, also. You know how cereal is awesome? I”m sure you know. I may have bought three boxes of this goodness (I”m a weak human, folks, it”s true).

Here”s the method to my madness.

Peanut Butter Toast Crunch Cereal Cake for One

in Desserts / Recipe 1 comments

by BS

Friday Fuck-Up: Cupcake Turds

Ya’ll know I am bakingly challenged, but I decided to give it a go this week and help in making cupcakes for a friend’s birthday. I must have been watching too much Food Network lately or something, because I thought I was cool enough to get fancy and try that thing where you pipe the frosting out of a plastic bag.

This is what happened. How the eff do you do this properly?!?

Also, did you guys know that frosting is just butter and sugar?!? OMG that is NOT healthy!

in Desserts 3 comments

by unsightly

Key Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies

While these cookies might not be able to compete with the over-the-top showiness of the Twinkie Key Lime Pie, they are a slightly more subtle (and just as delicious) alternative. Key lime zest and juice are combined with a chewy coconut sugar cookie and rolled in sparkling sugar to give them a nice crunch on the outside. Fiori di Sicilia gives these another level of complexity. You can substitute regular vanilla extract, but the splurge on this flavor is completely justified but the amazing flavor it gives. Regular granulated sugar can be substituted for the white sanding sugar as well. This dough is best baked right after making. Chilling the dough yields an uneven cookie.

Key Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies

in Desserts / Featured / Recipe 1 comments

by Miss K

In Search of Aesthetic Pleasure: Gingerbread Biscotti

Two years ago, I made some gingerbread biscotti that looked like this.

I was so darn proud of myself. Not only had I made a holiday treat that was just sweet enough and could be enjoyed all day, but they were beautiful, too. A little bit of icing, and I felt like the Queen of Christmas baking.

Then, the next four or five times I made them, they looked like this:

Still delicious, sure, but decidedly unattractive. Lumpy and crumbly, they were just too embarrassing to be shared with all but the closest of friends. Fortunately, my son was teething around the time that I was turning out batches of gingerbread blobs, so he took care of quite a few of them.

This year, I decided that I had had enough. I decided to do something bold. Something that I love to do when cooking, but greatly fear when it comes to baking: I changed the recipe. (Gasp)

The main problem seemed to be that the dough was too dry. My first instinct was to add water, but I remembered a time from my youth when doing just that had led to miserable results, so I rethought. I seemed to recall my mom saying that the best way to change a recipe is to increase or decrease the existing ingredients, not introduce something totally foreign (like water). I took a deep breath and gave it a go. I added an additional egg and just a tad more oil, plus I decreased the flour by a quarter cup. In truth, I fully expected an epic failure, something for which I am probably developing a reputation for around here.

But no! It worked! Before I could forget what had caused this miracle to occur, I made sure to record the changes right on the recipe. This was a success that I am determined to repeat. And, lucky for you all, it’s one that I am oh-so-happy to share.

Revised Gingerbread Biscotti

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