Oatmeal Ginger Cream Pies

       Be aware: I do not write the follow declarations lightly. If I ever had a small bakery, these would be a consistent menu options. They are downright phenomenal. The cookie is so perfectly chewy; I was shocked when I first bit into it. The texture is something I have strived for in many a cookie and when I finally achieved it in this one, I felt pure glee wash over me. 

       The oats are packed in to make a deliciously deep flavor and with the brown sugar, they create the most scrumptious sweet and nutty sensation. Now, I am not one of those people who rave about the healthy stomach benefits of crystalized ginger and truth be told, I am not its biggest fan. The one time I tried to eat it plain, I spit it out (just the honestly you needed, I am sure). However the way it plays with the sweet and simple cookie around it, and the harmony it has with the filling made me a lover. The large, chewy pieces of deep ginger flavor and hits of warm spice are how I want my oatmeal and ginger fed to me from now on. 

      Finally, the middle...the middle was what took this cookie from just being my happiness in a small little circle to being a wiggle back and forth, smile on my face, and pure joy of knowing this cookie was all I could ever ask of it to be. It was a simple combination of cream cheese, powdered sugar and plenty of vanilla. The plain cream cheese (no butter) base created an intensely creamy and tangy flavor profile next to the oats and ginger which I am convince made each of them taste their best. The large amount of vanilla used created a delicious, warm, simple and sweet accent that mellowed everything else out. 

     When I was making this cookie, I was not expecting to be head over heals for it you guys, but I am telling you, do not take this baby lightly. It will bring you kitchen bliss and if you have ever enjoyed a Little Debby Cream Pie, I am really positive you will completely forget about those very promptly.

Adapted from The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook's "Oatmeal Cream Pies with Ginger Cream"
Makes approximately 11 cookie sandwiches a.k.a. packages of love

Cookies
3/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 TSP baking powder
1/2 TSP baking soda
1/2 TSP ground cinnamon
1/4 TSP fine salt
3/4 C rolled oats
3/4 C instant oats
8 TBSP (1stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
2 ounce (approx. 1/3 C) chopped crystalized ginger
Filling
1 package (8 ounces) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature 
1/3 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 TSP vanilla extract

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl. Add in the oats. 
2. In a stand mixer (or with a handheld mixer) beat together the butter and sugars until light and creamy-desired texture pictured here. Add in the egg and beat until combined on low speed, then continue for an additional 20 seconds on medium speed.
3. On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides a few times until the mixture is fully combined (do not over mix here!) Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the crystalized ginger with a spatula.
4. Form the dough into an inch thick round and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Let it chill in the fridge for 4-24 hours (the longer rest time is better). 
5. Remove the dough and let it come up to room temperature for about an hour before baking. When ready, preheat the oven to 350F and scoop the dough into rounds on a sheet tray (I used a 40 scoop, making 22 cookies**)
6. Bake the cookies for 13 minutes, rotating the sheet trays at 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
7. To make the filling, beat the cream cheese for a few seconds, and then add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until thoroughly combined and some air has entered the mixture. 
8. Once the cookies have completely cooled, spread a dollop of the filling evenly over half of the cookies. Top with the other halves and melt into happiness when you dig in!
   Because of the cream cheese filling, these will need to be refrigerated the majority of the time, however you can take them out for 2 hours to come up to room temperature before eating if that is what you prefer; I do.

**Note: If you make cookies even once a year, buy one of these! It makes it so much easier and your cookies will bake evenly. You can buy various sizes depending on your cookie size preference. The larger ones are also a good way to measure out scoops of muffin or cake batter. I cannot stress how useful they are!  Look around for what you like or go to a kitchen store and they should have plenty of options :) P.S. They would also make a great way to measure equal filling amounts in all of the cookies. 

Love,
    Boulder Butter

Almond + Cinnamon Sour Cream Squares

         This is something you make for a person you love. If you are nice enough to give it to someone, you know you love them because: 1) You are willing to part with it and lord knows you will not be willing to do that for anything less and 2) it calls for two and a half sticks of butter, and butter is a very precious commodity. Then you add sour cream in the mixture, and you know you really want to impress them!

          The bottom cake is soft and slightly crumbly and kind of cakey, but really moist. The middle is gooey; like melt in your mouth goodness that simultaneously melds into the vanilla bottom. The top is sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar right before it bakes, and becomes a caramelized bite, and where it hits the edges becomes just slightly chewy.

          If I were not making this for someone I love, then I would be very tempted to stop writing this and go cut off all the edges of this cake and slowly savor my way around them. If you are like me, you may also struggle with that when you lift it out of the pan and have the cinnamon and almond scents filling your nose.

         You may also struggle not to just take a spoon right too it and burn your mouth when you pull in out of the oven. I did not do either of these things, but it was only by the greatest practices of self-restraint. I wish you luck.

P.S. The person I gave them too described them as "the perfect meeting of coffee cake and cinnamon roll." I really like that :)

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's "Gooey Cinnamon Squares" in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
Cookie/Cake Base:
8 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 TSP cream of tartar
1/2 TSP baking soda
1/4 TSP table salt
3/4 C sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 C (generous) full-fat sour cream
Gooey Layer
1/4 light corn syrup (honey is fine too)
1/4 C (generous) sour cream
1 1/2 TSP almond extract
1 1/2 TSP vanilla extract
12 TBSP butter, room temperature
1 C sugar
1/4 TSP salt 
1 large egg, room temp.
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 TSP cinnamon
Topping:
2 TBSP sugar
3/4 TSP cinnamon

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and butter and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Allow 2 inches of excess parchment paper to go up the sides so you will be able to lift the bars out.
The Base
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until incorporated.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add them to the wet mixture in 2 additions and mix until combined.
4. Pour the base into the prepared pan; spread it evenly over the pan using an offset spatula- the dough will be sticky. Set the pan aside.
The Goo
5. Whisk together the corn syrup, sour cream and extracts in a small bowl.
6. Wipe down the bowl of the stand mixer, and beat together the butter and sugar. Add the salt and egg and beat until combined. 
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and flour.
8. In alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour, add the sour cream and flour mixtures (flour, sour cream, flour, sour cream, flour). Mix until incorporated and scrape down the sides between the additions.
9. Dollop the cinnamon mixture over the cookie base and spread evenly.
The Top 
10. Stir together the cinnamon and sugar in a small cup and sprinkle it over the top. It will look like a lot but it will cook and while baking-don't worry about it.
11. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cookies have bronzed. Remove and all the cookies to full cool on a rack before removing. These will keep at room temperature for at least a week. 

Love, 
   Boulder Butter

Apple Cake with Walnut Streusel Topping + Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Streusel Topping

     I have posted a lot of cake-like things on the blog over time and to be honest guys, it is because I absolutely love to have tea cakes, frosted cakes, snacking cakes, cupcakes, muffins, (insert any cake substance here) around. I find them to be one of the most enjoyable treats and some of the most relaxing things for me to make. I enjoy the process and the end results. Teacakes can be a wonderful thing, but sometime they are so simple it seems like just a wah-wah type item. However, once you have a truly delicious base for your teacake, it will change your mind on that completely. 

       This base is perfect! My favorite part is the really unique combination of dairy in it that produces the richest, creamiest and lightest of batters. It is to die for! Part buttermilk, stirred in and part whipped cream, folded in is apparently the key to blissful creaminess.  Plus the cake is made with canola oil instead of butter so the creaminess from the whipping cream shines through since butter is not overpowering anything. It totally transformed my expectations of banana bread a few months ago and now I have adapted it to other flavors. 

     It is delicious enough, that I trusted this simple apple cake to be a shine when I brought it in to a bakery I interviewed with last week. This is a position I have been thinking about all weekend because although I wanted it before I talked to one of the owners, the interview made me unbelievably excited for it. I am trusting this cake, and doing dances to the baking gods in hopeful wishing right now. Maybe if you make it and do a little dance next to your oven, it just might help my cause along the way!

Adapted from Shirley O. Corriher's Banana Bread in "BakeWise"

Makes one 9x5 or 10x4 loaf pan and 3 jumbo muffins or 6 standard muffins

Notes: You can also use bananas and chocolate chips or nuts (2 C mashed bananas-about 5 medium +1 C chocolate chips/nuts). Just fold them in instead of the apples in step 4. I made a double batch here, which yielded two loaves and 6 jumbo muffins. I followed the same method until the add-ins. One was apple with walnut streusel and the other was banana chocolate chip with plain streusel. You can also wrap the muffins and slice the bread and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and they will last wonderfully in the freezer.

Cake

1 3/4 C sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 TSP baking powder-altitude (1 TSP at sea level)

1/4 TSP baking soda

1/2 TSP salt

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 C canola oil

1 TSP vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 C buttermilk

2 medium granny smith apples, pealed and diced* (see notes)

1/2 heavy cream

Topping

3/4 C walnuts

1 TBSP butter

1/4 TSP salt

1/2 C all-purpose flour

2 TBSP + 1TSP granulated sugar

3 TBSP brown sugar

1 TSP ground cinnamon

6 TBSP (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, and butter and flour your loaf pans and muffin tins.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, powder, and salt in a medium bowl. 

3. In a larger bowl, mix together the oil and sugar until combined. Next mix in the extract, eggs, and buttermilk until everything is combined. 

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and making large stirs, combine the two with as few strokes as possible. Once almost all of the flour is incorporated, fold in the apple pieces.

5. In a small bowl, beat the whipping cream to medium-stiff peaks and then add a small amount to the batter and gentle fold that in using large sweeping motions around the edges. Add the rest of the whipped cream and repeat. Your goal it to keep the air in the whipped cream and not collapse it so gently folding it in is key. 

6. Divide the batter into the prepared pans and muffin tins.

Topping

7. Toast the walnuts on a sheet tray at 350 for 3-5 minutes until you can smell the nutty-ness and they are just beginning to brown. Pull them from the oven, transfer them to a bowl and toss them with the 1/4 TSP salt and 1 TBSP butter. Set aside to cool.

8. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter, of your fingers incorporate the butter, until it is homogenous and crumbly. 

9. Sprinkle the streusel over the loaf and muffins, followed by the walnut pieces. 

10. Place the loaf and muffins in the oven and bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean (rotate half way through). Continue to bake the loaf for an additional 15-25 minutes until the skewer comes out clean (rotate when you pull the muffins).

11. Allow both things to cool for about 20 minutes before inverting them! Enjoy.

Love,

Boulder Butter

Spring Carrot Cake

      This Saturday I went to a yoga class at a local brewery. (Yes, take a moment to appreciate that I get to go to drop-in yoga classes at a brewery. Lord knows, I am grateful for them!) The instructor talked about following your intuition and the path of your heart, versus making a decision out of fear in the desire of "taking the safer path." Right now, I feel somewhat at a crossroads with life and not knowing exactly what my heart says versus what is the decision made from living in fear. Sometimes we get so muddled in our heads; it is hard to balance and remember what we even really want. 

       It is times like this I turn to my mixing bowls. I start in the motions that I know. The motions that bring me peace. I mix my wet ingredients and my dry ingredients. I bring them together, get them in the oven and I wait until they begin to produce some new glorious smell in the kitchen. I think such a simple thing sometimes awakens my heart enough that I can hear it again and start to sort it all out. 

      The simplicity of a cake is sometimes all you need to bring you to a more grounded place. Cake is nostalgic and I think carrot cake in particular has strong a resonance of comfort. This carrot cake does not venture to far off your traditional versions, but there are two things I particularly love about it.

     First, it is not a spice cake. It has cinnamon and it lets that speak, but it is not overwhelmed with it; nor is it packed with an elaborate spice blend found in so many carrot cakes. This is simply an extremely moist carrot cake with hints or warmth. I also love that is it is packed with tang and citrus throughout. There is an extremely subtle orange simple syrup, which would be impossible for the eater to pick out, but adds that extra oomph. The cranberries, tart and zingy, are a bright and chewy addition scattered throughout.

Sometimes, the best thing about cake is eating it with the people you love. You can spot a glimpse of my co-baker in the back :)

     Finally, the lemon cream cheese frosting is made with lemon zest and juice. It delivers a sweet tang to the cake and creates an absolutely heavenly balance. Then the walnuts on the side add a creamy nuttiness. Their crunch and natural richness are a perfect compliment for the bright frosting. 

     Everyone has had carrot cake, and there are so many recipes for it. I can tell you though, particularly with spring abloom, this one is worth making. 

Adapted from the absolutely awesome, Joy the Baker's Cookbook by Joy Wilson

Ingredients:
Cake
3 1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 TSP baking powder (2 TSP at sea-level)
3/4 TSP baking soda (1 TSP at sea-level)
1 TSP salt
2 TSP ground cinnamon
3 large eggs+1 large egg yolk
1 C granulated sugar
1 C + 2 TBSP packed brown sugar
1 3/4 C canola oil
1 C chunky (preferably homemade) applesauce
1 TSP vanilla extract
1 TSP hazelnut extract (or 1 more TSP vanilla extract)
3 C grated carrots
1/3 C moist, dried cranberries 

Instructions:
1. Place racks in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 F. Grease, line with parchment, and flour 2, 9" round cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and cinnamon. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars and eggs until fully incorporated. Next, carefully add in the oil and patiently mix it in until it has fully combined with the sugar and eggs. It will seem like a lot of oil, but don't worry, just keep stirring and it will all work out :) 
4. Add the applesauce and extracts to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry in one go and mix to incorporate but try to do it in as few strokes as possible. Stir around the edges and bottom and fold it for the most effective motion. 
6. When it is almost fully mixed together, add the carrots and cranberries and finish folding together. 
7. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 30-35 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean from the center.
8. Let the cakes cool for 15-20 minutes on a rack before inverting.

Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 C (1 stick), unsalted butter, softened

Pinch of salt

2 C powdered sugar

2 TSP vanilla extract

2 TSP lemon zest

1 TBSP lemon juice

1 C chopped walnuts for garnish (optional)

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment:
Beat the cream cheese for one minute, until light and pliable. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the butter and beat for another one to two minutes until there are no clumps left and the two are fully incorporated.
Add the lemon juice, zest, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla and beat on a low speed until everything is almost fully incorporated.
Scrape down the sides, and beat at medium speed until the mixture is smooth and all the powdered sugar has disappeared. 

Orange Flower Water Simple Syrup (optional): this will keep you cake moist for a longer time
Place 1 C water, 1 C sugar and 1.5 TSP in a medium sauce pan on medium heat and stir occasionally until the sugar has fully dissolved. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. (You could also use 1.5 TSP orange juice. It will be slightly different but if you wanted the oranginess. Also you can just make plain simple syrup and leave out the flavoring).
-You will have extra, you can half the recipe or just store in your fridge for any cakey goods you make soon. It lasts a good while. 

Assembly: 
Once the cake has completely cooled, place your first round down. Brush or drizzle on the simple syrup over the entire puck. Top with frosting and spread it evenly to the edges. 
Repeat with the second layer, this time topping it with all of the frosting, spreading it evenly out to the edges and then carefully spread down and around the sides with an spatula. 
Garnish the sides or top with nuts depending how you like it and how patient you want to be with trying to get nuts to evenly cover the sides.

Serve immediately. This cake will last about 3-5 days in your fridge.

Love, 
Boulder Butter

Citrus Baked French Toast

        I must let you guys know the most important fact about this before I go any further: it is the most ridiculously simple, sweet breakfast, which yields irresistible results. You can throw it together in minutes the night before, get up on a lazy morning and put it in the oven for 30 minutes. Sip on your coffee and relax, then voila yourself and others will beam with happiness. 
      French toast already has a simplicity appeal.  However, this kicks it up a notch to essentially all hands off in the morning with still getting to eat an epic breakfast. Isn't that just so awesome? 

     It was particularly perfect for my purposes of a brunch potluck on Sunday. The night before, my roommate and I went out to a concert that we had been long awaiting. Around 8 o'clock, I took the whole 10 minutes this requires to put it together, placed it lovingly in my fridge, and prepared to dance the night away. 

        After a luxurious sleep-in sesh the next morning, I woke up, took it out of the fridge, preheated the oven, and popped it in. I walked away and got ready for company-you might be able to hear my sigh of relaxation right now. Thirty minutes later, I was meet with puffy topped, golden brown, custardy, warm, blissful French toast and the guests began to arrive. My friend was kind enough to bring a whiskey and cayenne maple syrup that make the custardy texture and bright citrus flavors simply sing with happiness in my mouth. 

      For brunch party folks or those simply wanting a mouth-watering, smell-wafting dish in their house on a lazy Sunday morning, I cannot emphasize enough how much this is for you. A lot of baked French toasts call for much more of everything: more eggs, both milk and cream, more this, more that. I can fully attest it is not necessary for the texture you seek. You only need the basic things you probably already have on hand to create a whimsical weekend morning of French toast, coffee, and appreciation of the finer things in life. 

Ingredients:
1 loaf challah (nothing fancy needed)
3 c whole of 2% milk 
3 eggs
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP brown sugar
1/2 TSP salt
1/4 TSP cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon

Instructions: 
1. The day before, slice the challah in 3/4-1" slices. Lay it out and let it sit on your counter for the day, flipping over when you happen to be in the kitchen (no worries if you're not around though).
2. At night, arrange the slices in a 9x13 baking dish in two layers. Sprinkle half the zest on the first layer, lay down the second, and sprinkle the rest on top. 
3. In a bowl, melt the butter, let it cool for a few minutes. Next, whisk in the milk, eggs, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. 
4. Pour the mixture over the bread, cover, and place in the fridge over night. 
5. The next morning, take the French toast out, uncover and let it sit out while the oven preheats to 350F. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is lightly golden and puffed up. Remove, cool for 5 minutes and serve with butter and maple syrup.  

For the Whiskey Maple Syrup:

Melt 4 TBSP of butter in a sauce pan over low heat. Next add in 2 C pure maple syrup, 1/4 TSP cayenne, a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg, 1/4 C+ 1 TBSP whiskey, and stir until the ingredients have mixed together evenly. Remove from heat, allow the syrup to cool, and transfer into a glass serving bottle. 

This could be you. 

Love,

Boulder Butter