MOLASSES-GLAZED PECAN SCONES

Ann Colton of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writes: "Just as T. S. Eliot's J. Alfred Prufrock measured out his life with coffee spoons, I like to measure out my days with interesting meals. Since I started teaching English literature to junior-high students about a year ago, I've had less time to cook because of all the papers I have to grade. I'm still a firm believer, though, that food makes life more fabulous, and I get such pleasure from tasting and experimenting. Sometimes I'll honor requests from my students and whip up new treats for them. My baked goods, like these scones, are the most popular."

These oversize wedge-shaped scones have a light muffin-like texture.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup pecans, toasted, broken into pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon maple extract
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon mild-flavored (light) molasses

Preparation

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Combine flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl; whisk to blend. Add 6 tablespoons butter; using fingertips, rub in until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. Mix in pecans. Whisk buttermilk, egg yolks, and extract in medium bowl. Add to flour mixture. Toss with fork until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Press dough out on lightly floured surface to 8-inch round; cut into 6 wedges.
Arrange wedges 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 16 minutes; transfer to rack.

Whisk remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, and cream in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in powdered sugar and molasses. Spread glaze over warm scones. Let stand until glaze sets, at least 30 minutes.

Makes 6.

Bon Appétit
March 2003
Ann Colton, Milwaukee, WI
Too Busy To Cook?
Epicurious Food © 2003 CondéNet Inc. All rights reserved.

MOCHA CUSTARD TART

Cream cheese enhances the texture of the custard in this tart. To create the pretty wave pattern, use an icing comb, available in cookware stores. Begin making the dessert a day ahead.

For crust

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 9-ounce package chocolate wafer cookies
1/2 cup walnuts
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling

2 cups whipping cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 tablespoons chocolate liqueur (such as dark crème de cacao)
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 extra-large eggs
2 extra-large egg yolks

For ganache

1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate coffee bean candies (optional)*

*Available at candy shops, specialty foods stores and supermarkets.

Make crust:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Wrap outside of pan tightly with double layer of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind cookies and walnuts in processor. Add melted butter; process to blend. Press mixture firmly onto bottom (not sides) of pan. Chill crust while making filling.

Make filling:

Bring whipping cream, milk and 1/3 cup water to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Whisk in cocoa powder, chocolate liqueur, espresso powder and vanilla extract.

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well blended. Add 4 whole eggs 1 at a time, then 2 yolks, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping bottom and sides of bowl. Gradually add hot cream-cocoa mixture and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.

Bake tart until custard moves just slightly in center when pan is gently shaken and tester inserted into center comes out with some custard still attached, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove pan from water; remove foil. Cool tart in pan on rack. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Make ganache:

Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla extract; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Let ganache stand until slightly cooled but still pourable, about 10 minutes.

Run small knife around pan sides to loosen tart. Remove pan sides. Place tart on platter. Pour ganache atop tart. Using thin metal spatula, spread ganache evenly over top of tart, being careful not to allow ganache to drip down sides. Using icing comb or tines of fork, make decorative concentric circles in wave pattern in ganache. Garnish top of tart with chocolate coffee bean candies, if desired. Refrigerate until ganache is softly set, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes before serving.) Cut tart into wedges; serve.

Serves 12.

Bon Appétit
February 1999
Epicurious Food © 2003 CondéNet Inc. All rights reserved.

ANISE-ALMOND BISCOTTI

These have a subtle anise flavor and would be nice with a caffè latte.

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons aniseed, ground
1 cup whole almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped
1 large egg white

Preparation

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, vanilla extract and ground aniseed in large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. Mix in almonds.

Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into 13 1/2-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer both logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing apart. Whisk egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush over top and sides of each dough log.Bake logs until golden brown (logs will spread), about 30 minutes. Cool logs completely on sheet on rack, about 25 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Transfer logs to work surface; discard parchment paper. Using serrated knife, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on same baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Turn biscotti over; bake until just beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Makes about 3 Dozen.

Bon Appétit
December 1999
Janet Mercuri, North Royalton, OH
Epicurious Food © 2003 CondéNet Inc. All rights reserved.

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