INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups heavy or light cream, or half-and-half
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 5 egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar, more for topping

PREPARATION

Mix ingredients and strain into jars. Cover with water-tight lids.
Put in Sous Vide bath at 176 degrees for one hour.
Pour into ramekins and chill at least 2 hours, up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, top each custard with about a teaspoon of sugar in a thin layer. Place ramekins in a broiler 2 to 3 inches from heat source. Turn on broiler. Cook until sugar melts and browns or even blackens a bit, about 5 minutes. Serve within two hours.

Recipe from ALICE MEDRICH, epicurious.com

YIELD: Makes 16 large or 25 smaller brownies

INGREDIENTS

• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cold large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

PREPARATION

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Chocolate note:

Any unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder works well here. Natural cocoa produces brownies with more flavor complexity and lots of tart, fruity notes. I think it's more exciting. Dutch-process cocoa results in a darker brownie with a mellower, old-fashioned chocolate pudding flavor, pleasantly reminiscent of childhood.

YIELD15-18 brownies
ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 1/2 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan, if needed
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (about 70 percent), chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour

Special Equipment:
A 13x9" baking pan

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 13x9" baking pan with room temperature butter or nonstick cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment, leaving a generous overhang on both long sides, and grease parchment with room temperature butter or nonstick cooking spray.

Combine 1 1/2 cups butter, chocolate, and cocoa powder in a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring often, until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

Whip eggs, sugar, and salt in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer) on high speed, until tripled in size and lightened in color, 4–5 minutes. When you lift the whisk, the mixture should fall back on itself in thick ribbons and dissipate.

Add one-third egg mixture to reserved chocolate mixture and stir to combine with a spatula. Fold in remaining egg mixture in 2 batches. Sift in flour in three parts, gently folding with spatula after each addition. Pour evenly into prepared pan. Smooth top of batter with spatula.

Bake brownies, rotating in oven halfway through, until sides are visibly baked and center is set, 50–55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. After brownies have cooled, loosen edges with an offset spatula or a butter knife, then pull up both sides of the parchment to remove brownies from pan. Place brownies on parchment on a cutting board and cut into 15–18 pieces.

Do ahead: Brownies can be baked, covered with plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature, up to 3 days.

Prep: 15 m
Cook: 35 m
Ready In: 1 h
Recipe By:Marsha
"Super spooky dark chocolate cake. Suitable for all your black magic get-togethers."

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch pan. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.

Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Fill and frost as desired.

From Cook's Illustrated:

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

After arriving at satisfactory amounts of butter (lots), flour (very little), chocolate (not too much), and eggs (four whole eggs plus one yolk) we achieved our goal: a molten cake recipe that was rich and yet light, moist, intense, and dark. Cooking temperature was also a critical step in our molten chocolate cake recipe to produce a light, cake-like perimeter around a moist well of intense chocolate. We were happy to find that the batter can be made and poured into the ramekins ahead of time and refrigerated, then baked during dinner. Even better, we found that these cakes can be frozen for up to a month and baked without thawing, making them an ideal make-ahead dessert.

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

Ramekin Preparation

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Cakes

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS

The whipping time in step 3 will depend on the type of mixer you use; a standing mixer will take about 5 minutes, while a handheld mixer will take about 10 minutes. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, fresh berries, and/or dust the cakes with cocoa or confectioners’ sugar.

1. FOR THE RAMEKINS: Mix the butter and cocoa together to make a paste. Brush the paste evenly inside eight 6-ounce ramekins; set aside.

2. FOR THE CAKE: Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, whip the whole eggs, yolk, vanilla, salt, and sugar together at the highest speed until the volume nearly triples, the color is very light, and the mixture drops from the whisk in a smooth, thick stream, 5 to 10 minutes depending on your mixer (see note).

4. Scrape the egg mixture over the melted chocolate mixture, then sprinkle the flour over the top. Gently fold the egg and flour into the chocolate until the mixture is uniformly colored. Ladle or pour the batter into the prepared ramekins.

5. TO STORE: Cover each ramekin tightly with plastic wrap and then foil and refrigerate for up to 8 hours or freeze for up to 1 month.

6. TO SERVE: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Unwrap the cakes and place them on a rimmed baking sheet (do not thaw before baking). Bake until the cakes have puffed about 1/2 inch above the rims of the ramekins, have a thin crust on top, and jiggle slightly at the center when they are shaken very gently, 12 to 15 minutes (if refrigerated, the cakes bake in 11 to 14 minutes). Serve in the ramekins or unmold onto individual plates. To unmold, run a paring knife around the inside edges of the ramekins to loosen the cakes, then invert them onto individual plates and let cool for 1 minute before removing the ramekins.

Prep: 15 m
Cook: 30 m
Ready In: 2 h 45 m
Recipe By:Polly Welby
"A traditional English trifle all children in the UK grow up eating on high days and holidays. "

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) sponge cake, cut in cubes
• 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 8 ounces fresh raspberries
• 10 fluid ounces heavy cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 10 fluid ounces heavy cream
• 2 ounces sliced almonds

Directions

Spread a little jam on each piece of cake and place in the bottom of a large glass bowl. Sprinkle raspberries over cake.

Heat 10 fl. oz. cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. While the cream is heating, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow and smooth. Strain yolk mixture into a clean bowl. Pour hot cream into egg yolks and stir vigorously. Return mixture to pan over low heat and cook, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

While custard is cooling, whip 10 fl oz. cream until soft peaks form. Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast, in a 300 degree oven or toaster oven, stirring frequently, until golden, 2 to 10 minutes.

Spread cooled custard over cake in bowl. Top with whipped cream and toasted almonds. Chill 2 hours before serving.

Rated as 4.71 out of 5 Stars
Prep: 15 m
Cook: 10 m
Ready In: 25 m
Recipe By:BURYGOLD
"A very light and fluffy pancake that requires fresh buttermilk, but it's the best I've ever made!"

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready! Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
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Printed From Allrecipes.com 10/26/2018

Liz tops this recipe with pumpkin pie and the result is amazing!

Wow! Melt-in-your-mouth brownies that are easy and elegant. Chocolate brownies marbled with cheesecake make fabulous squares! This is by far my most requested recipe.