Cranberry Bliss Bars

A reinvention of Starbucks famous, delicious Cranberry Bliss Bar.  I sat there as the holidays swept past me eating that delicious, moist, sweet, Bar of Bliss, and a Breve latte, and it occurred to me I knew how to make them.

*Revised 12/23/11








Cranberry Bliss Bars
Cookie Base

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries, slightly chopped
4-6 ounces white chocolate BAR, coarsely chopped; pieces a bit bigger than an eraser head

White Chocolate Frosting
1/2 package(4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tsp Orange zest

4 tbs fresh juice from the zested Orange
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate baking bar, melted, separated into two 1/2 cups

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9-inch oblong cake pan with nonstick spray, or butter lightly.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Remove from heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until smooth. Transfer butter & sugar into a large bowl, and let cool to room temperature. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, And salt; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and white chocolate.

3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, orange zest and juice, and powdered sugar until well-blended. Gradually add the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost bars. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Refrigerate for about 3-4 hours.  These may be served brought to room temperature, or slightly chilled.

Melting White Chocolate - I would like to say there is some romantic stove top double boiler way to melt white chocolate.. save yourself the frustration and stick with the microwave.

Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium-power setting for 15-30 seconds at a time, checking it each time. Then whisk it smooth.

Grandma Rose's Diagonal Cookies

Christmas cookie recipes are plentiful, Diagonals are an adaptation of a recipe written by Rose Naftalin, a Russian immigrant, whose father passed away two years after their arrival in the US. Rose was a self taught baker that wanted to satisfy her husband, a lover of fine foods, who also died a short time after they opened their own Delicatessen during the Great Depression. Rose kept baking, supporting herself and children with Rose's Fine Food Shop.  Her food and baking gaining fans all over the nation, Rose finally retired after working 20 hour days.  She then wrote, "Grandma Rose's Book of Sinfully Delicious Cakes, Cookies, Pies...", as well as many other compilations of her recipes. I strongly recommend this cookbook.




Grandma Rose's Diagonal Cookies
Shortcake Cookie
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup each Raspberry Seedless Jam, Apricot Jam ; and Solo brand Almond Filling

Icing
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 1/4- 1/2 tsp milk ( Should be thick not runny)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease cookie sheet.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolk, flour and sugar. Mix completely,  roll dough into three parts, wrap in plastic wrap and cool for an hour.



Roll out one third of dough to about 1/4 inch thick in a long somewhat rectangular shape. (At first dough will be hard to roll out, but quickly become very pliable. Floor rolling pin as needed) Using a knife cut out  a long rectangle. Cut down the middle lengthwise making two 1 inch wide strips; saving irregular dough you cut off.  With a spatula carefully place strips on cookie sheet. Using leftover dough add and pinch a border of dough on each side of strip. (If you are short, I have illustrated how to use scraps to pinch into a border)

Fill between two sides of cookie with jam or almond filling.  Each 1/3 of dough will create 2 strips. Repeat steps with last two dough balls, one at a time.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until just golden brown. Let cool completely.  Drizzle with icing. Cut diagonally.
Makes about 60 cookies.
Enjoy!

Ganache Series- Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

This is a remarkable alternative to the Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tart...  Oh my Caramel. You are kind of my favorite.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Crust

1- 9 oz box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers finely crushed
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted- 1 stick

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 11-inch loose bottomed tart pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Hand crush or process the cookies in a food processor, until finely crushed. Add melted butter and pulse in processor or mix until combined.
Pat the crust into prepared tart pan using a flat bottomed glass to build up the sides to 1/4 inch high. Bake for 12-15 minutes and let cool thoroughly on a wire rack.

Ganache
4 oz semisweet chocolate, finally chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

Caramel

For the Caramel
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 Tablespoons water
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
6 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 Tablespoon crème fraîche ( a mixture of cream and buttermilk)

Flaked Sea Salt for Garnish- Should be Flaked for a light taste

Caramel-In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Cook, without stirring, until it reaches 350º F on a candy thermometer or until amber in color. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, cream, and crème fraîche (the mixture will bubble vigorously) until smooth. Return the caramel to a low heat and stir until any hard crystals melt. Pour the caramel into the cooled tart shell and cool slightly; refrigerate until firm, about 4-5 hours.

Ganache-Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl and bring cream to boil over medium heat. Pour over chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes then whisk together until smooth. Cool the ganache about a half hour at room temperature. 

Pour ganache evenly over caramel and refrigerate until set, about 4-5 hours. Allow tart to set at room temperature for 15-20 minutes (depending on how warm your kitchen is) before serving. Sprinkle the tart with flaked sea salt, slice, and serve chilled. Enjoy!

Adapted from a recipe by The Galley Gourmet

Ganache Series: Truffles- Holiday Decadence

Gift them, Eat them, Bring them to the party! These luxurious two ingredient deep rich chocolate pieces of heaven... Seriously just a roll in sack with some exquisite flavorings and this chocolate hits the toungue melts on contact and makes you fall in love all over again.
( see comments on ganache)











Homemade Chocolate Truffles

16 oz. Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar, Chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, vanilla, almond, raspberry or any flavoring (optional)
1 teaspoon espresso powder

Cocoa powder, Coconut, Chopped toasted hazelnuts, Theo's Chocolate Nibs

Chop the chocolates finely with a sharp knife. Place them in a heat-proof mixing bowl.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just boils. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds. Pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with chocolate. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the Grand Marnier, if using, coffee, and vanilla. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.

With 2 teaspoons, or I use a small scoop, spoon round balls, of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm. Roll each dollop of chocolate in your hands to roughly make a round ball. Roll in nuts, cocoa powder, or any flavorings you wish. These will keep refrigerated for weeks, but serve at room temperature.

For Nibs I like to roll a few into the truffle! Such a lovely tidbit in the middle.

Ganache Series: Basic Ganache Recipe

I have a love affair with ganache.  I find without a doubt the knowledge of a simple chocolate and cream mixture makes me a more decadent cook everyday.  It opens my options to ice a cake without a crumb in sight,  to make deeply rich and smooth love affairs with chocolate desserts, tarts, truffles that melt in your mouth! Chocolate Covered Strawberries, oh, and Molton Chocolate Cake! Cant forget that!
Its TWO, count them, two ingredients.  Nothing more.  Its warmed, its cooled.  That is all.  How can you go wrong?

A few words on ganache.

1. Dark and white chocolate are a bit more temperamental. Use semi sweet or ask if you want to try them! Ild love to tell you what I know!

2. Do not cool to quickly.  Let cool at room temperature for at least an hour before putting refrigerator.  Otherwise it looses its gloss.  Especially, if you are pouring into a tart or over a cake.

3. The addition of a small bit of espresso or coffee/espresso powder adds so much depth without actually influencing the taste!

4. Heavy whipping cream vs. whipping cream makes a difference. Use the heavy.

5. Use bar chocolate of excellence quality.  The others have fillers.  Do not use chips.

Basic Chocolate Ganache

7 minutes

16 oz. semi sweet chocolate bar- Use good quality. Organic is preferred. Chopped into small pieces
1 cup HEAVY cream


Chop the chocolates finely with a sharp knife. Place them in a heat-proof mixing bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just boils. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds. Pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with chocolate. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted.
Pour over a cake, Make a Raspberry Truffle Tart, a Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart, Dip Fresh Local Strawberries, Make Truffles,  put a truffle inside Cake batter for a individual Molton Chocolate Cakes! Endless Ideas!

Ganache Series: Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tart

Fair Warning* This is probably the best, richest piece of chocolate heaven you will ever eat! You will dive into a small to medium size piece, but rarely be able to tackle a large piece. It will amaze your friends, impress your enemies. Don't say I didn't warn you. And it's EASY!




Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tart
(Adapted from Bake it to the Limit, Dede Wilson)
25 minutes, aside from chill time. 5 ingredients.

Forming crust with a flat bottom glass

Crust

1- 9 oz box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers roughly crumbled by hand or in
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted- 1 stick

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 11-inch loose bottomed tart pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Hand crush or process the cookies in a food processor, until finely crushed. Add melted butter and pulse in processor or mix until combined.
Pat the crust into prepared tart pan using a flat bottomed glass to build up the sides to 1/4 inch high.  Bake for 12-15 minutes and let cool thoroughly on a wire rack.

Arrange raspberries in the crust

Filling
15 oz semisweet chocolate, finally chopped
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 pint Fresh, LOCAL fall or summer raspberries (I especially love local fruit because it has the best flavor! You will be sorely disappointed by other berries) (reserve at least half  for latter in recipe)

Once cooled arrange berries on the cooled crust with small amounts of space around each berry around the entire crust. Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl and bring cream to boil over medium heat. Pour over chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes then whisk together until smooth. Cool the ganache about a half hour at room temperature. Then, pour the chocolate over the berries using a spatula if needed.

Let cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours then refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours, or overnight.  Let rest on counter for around 30 minutes before serving thin slices, plated with drizzle of raspberry sauce.

Raspberry sauce
1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
Lemon zest
2 squeezes half a lemon

Bring to boil over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes,  I usually force through a wire mesh strainer with a spatula to remove most of the seeds.

Put back on stove over medium low heat.  Add 1 tsp corn starch and bring to low boil for 2-3 minutes.

Excellent variations: No raspberries? Consider a caramel layer below the chocolate, Caramel and Pecans, Hazelnuts and Caramel, Peanut Butter... the possibilities are endless!
Also individual tarts for friends, gifts, ladies tea, holidays and special occasions are darling and very indulgent!

Izzy thieves raspberries during the process!

Local Fall or Everbearing Raspberry Varieties

• Heritage - 1969, developed in New York. Very winterhardy but ripens after September first.
• Summmit - 1976, productive, small fruit, good flavor, some root rot tolerance.
• Fallred - 1964, New Hampshire. Earlier than Heritage, better size,flavor and firmness.
• Amity - Recent Oregon release similar to Fallred.
• Autumn Bliss
• Summit
• Fall Gold (yellow fruit)

There are also several varieties of gold, purple, and black raspberries. Many are less productive and less flavorful. Some varieties of black raspberries are severely affected by diseases to which red raspberries are tolerant.

Summer bearing varieties:

• Willamette - Earliest fruiting with large, dark berries. Industry standard from 1942 to 1970.
• Meeker - 1967. Popular, late, large, firm berries suitable for mechanical harvesting.
• Nootka - 1978. Short dark conical fruit, superior flavor to most varieties. Hard to find.
• Tulameen - 1990. Very large, firm fruit with very good flavor.

Derived from Nootka:

• Qualicum - 1996. Large fruit, good flavor, long shelf life reduces rots, fresh or processing.
• Malahat - 1996. Earliest variety, large fruit, good firmness,flavor good, for fresh market.

Where to buy them! 

Spooner Farms 

Pike Place Market
Farmers Markets
PCC
Whole Foods Market

Steelhead Diner- Theo's Chocolate Pecan Pie

I happen to be a VERY lucky girl, I am sure of it! I was invited to join other urbanites in the Dine Around Seattle annual event, featuring restaurants of noted reputations offering three course meals for $30. I carefully detailed the restaurants and menus determining which would not only be satisfying, but food that was unique or a treat that I have never prepared for my family. I concluded that Steelhead Diner, located right in the Pike Place Market, was definitely the one!
Best dining choice I have made so far! The restaurant itself is high end, gourmet food, but the atmosphere is lively, welcoming and casual! If you have followed me long enough you know I believe strongly in seasonal, local foods and sustainable eating. Imagine my absolute joy as I read the menu and boldy printed was "nothing south of oregon - nothing east of idaho". Did I chose right or what?!
But the food, what was the food like?  It ALL was amazing. I will be back, there was nothing that wasn't prepared perfectly. As for my plate of Olson Farms Yukon Gold Potato and Goat Cheese Gnocchi...The Herbed cream sauce was plate licking worthy, the gorgeous cubes of seasonal squash were a sublime addition and the gnocchi, well.. I've had gnocchi before. I wasn't impressed. These were the most delicate clouds, perfected and wrought by angels. I'm not kidding.  I couldn't even bring myself to share with my date.

#1 Delectable Dessert - THEO CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE with Cocoa Nibs & Bourbon Chantilly Crème
Sincerely the most incredible pie I have ever had.  I chose it because I have honestly never liked the idea of pecan pie, I've never made it, tasted it or ever wanted to. Tonight was my time to try new flavors, flavors that the masters of  the culinary world have perfected; this is one perfect recipe. Chewy, Caramelly, a crust that is like a shortbread, Crunchy bits of Dark Chocolate, Gooey, humbling perfection on a plate!
Nothing could have topped my evening off better than the Seattle P.I. posting the recipe two days later, a Thanksgiving article featuring the RECIPE for Theo Chocolate Pecan Pie! I'm giddy! Sooooo... go taste it. Go sit down for their perfect pie and a cup of joe with a friend, you wont regret it.  Once you can't seem to let it go, you want more, here is the recipe! But by all means, return to Steelhead to try something new! They do not disappoint!

Steelhead Diner's- THEO CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

PIE CRUST
1 ½ pounds all-purpose flour
1 pound chilled unsalted butter
8 ounces ice cold water
½ teaspoon white vinegar
Place flour into bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment.
Cut butter into ¼-inch cubes, add to flour and begin mixing at low speed. When butter and flour are incorporated and begin to resemble pea-size balls, add the ice-cold water and vinegar and mix until it is just barely held together.
Spread onto chilled baking pan and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour the inside of a steep-sided 9-inch cake pan. Roll out pie crust to roughly ¼-inch thickness and place in pan, making sure that there are no air pockets. (Allow for a generous overhang; our crust retracted considerably in the oven.)
Line inside of pie crust using heavy-duty tinfoil or parchment paper and fill with dried beans (or other pie weights) to make sure the crust does not bubble.
Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the beans and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Notes: It sounds like too much flour, but the amount is correct. This pie has an unusual crust, and it's important to use a cake pan rather than a pie pan. And as in all pie dough recipes, it is essential that the water and butter be very cold when added to the flour and that you are very careful not to overmix.


PIE FILLING
7 eggs
2 ¼ cups sugar
2 ¼ cups dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup Theo Ghana Dark Chocolate Bar 84%, cut into chip-size pieces
1 ½ cups whole pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, add eggs, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla extract and mix well until consistency is smooth and even.
Sprinkle chocolate pieces along the bottom of the pie crust followed by whole pecans. Gently pour in the custard mix.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, then place a lid over the pie (a cookie sheet will work) and bake for 30 minutes, covered. Remove lid from pie and bake for another 30 minutes if using a convection oven, or another 70 minutes if using a standard oven, until the pie has set and does not wiggle. Shield crust with foil if needed.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving


Garnish with Theo Chocolate Cocoa Nibs and bourbon chantilly creme (whipped heavy cream with bourbon and sugar)


Note: Theo Chocolate, made in Seattle, is available at many markets, including Metropolitan Markets, Town & Country Markets, PCC, Madison Market and Whole Foods.


-- Courtesy of Kevin Davis, chef-owner of Steelhead Diner

 Read more: Seattle PI

VISIT STEELHEAD DINER at 
95 pine street
pike place market
seattle, wa 98101

http://www.steelheaddiner.com
206.625.0129