Dobos Torte ( Daring Bakers' Challenge )

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonfulof Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: ExquisiteDesserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

Chocolate Orange Madeleines

I have had a madeleine tin in the cupboard for years. It would gaze at me with sad, teardrop shaped eyes, always hoping that I would be reaching for it every time I opened the door.

Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie (TWD)

Linda of Tender Crumb picked the Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe.

Kahlúa Bread Pudding

I always buy so much bread for the simple fact that I love the it! However, I tend to buy bread so often that there is usually way too much. It almost hurts to have to throw any away.

Jacques Torres' Chocolate Chip Cookies

Not quite as good as the Thomas Keller recipe but very, very close. Chocolate chip cookie recipes cast a wide net and which one(s) you prefer really depends upon...well, you.

Applesauce Spice Bars (TWD)

Karen, of the lovely blog Something Sweet by Karen , chose Applesauce Spice Bars as this week's recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons ( I know there are only four ).

Chipster-Topped Brownies

After a hard day at work some people like to wind down by watching TV, taking a bath, having a glass of wine, talking to their friends on the phone etc...I bake.

Brownie Buttons (TWD)

Brownies, brownies, everywhere but not a drop to drink. Yay! My major in English lit. has been put to some use.

Mint Oreo Brownies

I never really think about Oreos until there is an actual bag in front of me. But even though I wouldn't go out of my way to buy some, they really are quite addicting (especially the mint, Especially the mint).

What makes these cookies so irresistible are the dark chocolate wafers clinging to the creamy filling. The wafer sections are not really very sweet, so they form a perfect marriage with the cloyingly sweet center. (I'm as guilty as anyone when it comes to enjoying that center.)

I have no control over myself when it comes to eating/doing stuff that I love. Once I take an Oreo or 2, I see them as warm-ups for the next 5 or 10 that will soon be consumed. Wait for about 2 minutes...okay, I'm ready now for the full course.

This is why my refrigerator is only stocked with apples, grapes, and yogurt (unless I'm going to bake). Same thing goes for cleaning. Vacuum a cat littered rug, or spot on the floor covered in cookie crumbs and a half hour later the entire house has been Dysonized. I won't even tell you what went down with these brownies. :) Just know that they were made yesterday and now half are gone. They are just That good. I don't care that I will have to put in some extra running mileage. I'm not losing any sleep over it.

Even without the Oreos these brownies would be amazing. They are very, very fudgy. Not for cake-like brownie lovers. :) Just imagine one of the moistest brownies you have ever had and then throw in some chopped up mint Oreo cookies. Ta-da! That is basically what these taste like. Fudgy with bits of crunchy, minty goodness. Eat your heart out!

Mint Oreo Brownies

( recipe courtesy of Baking Bites )

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups of all purpose flour

1/3 cup of cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt ( I used 1 tsp. )

1 cup ( 2 sticks ) of butter Cut into pieces.

6 oz of chopped, unsweetened chocolate

3 cups of sugar ( I reduced mine by 1/2 cup )

2 tsp. vanilla extract ( I used Kahlua )

3 Cups of roughly chopped mint Oreos ( about 18 )

4 eggs ( I used 3 )

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 pan with foil.

In a small bowl. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in the sea salt and set aside.

In a medium saucepan. Melt the butter and unsweetened chopped chocolate until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Remove from heat. It will look 'grainy' because of the sugar but don't worry. Whisk/stir in the eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition. You should now have a smooth, satin-like mixture. Add the flour/cocoa and stir until uniform. Stir in the Oreos. Pour into prepared pan. Crush some extra cookies over the top. Bake for about 35 minutes. A tester should be free of any batter but have a few moist crumbs.

White Bread

In honor of the movie Julie and Julia ( opening on Friday ), I wanted to make one of Julia Child's recipes. Unfortunately my pantry isn't too stocked at the moment so I had to find something basic. And what is more basic than white bread?

Butterscotch Toffee Cookies

Why am I baking so many cookies lately? I wish I could answer that. When the urge to bake hits I just let my stomach rule my brain.