Chocolate, Dessert, Holiday Treats, Recipes

Triple Chocolate Brownies

June 12, 2023

Chris Morocco, Food Director at Bon Appetit magazine, calls these the “fudgy, crackly brownies of my dreams.” Chris baked 144 brownies before declaring these his ideal version of brownies. His hard work, patience and determination paid off. With three types of chocolate, hence the name Triple Chocolate Brownies, these rich and decadent brownies have become one of my favorite chocolate desserts.

The original recipe recommends using 70% bittersweet chocolate but I used 60% since it was what I had on hand.

Lining the pan with parchment paper will make it much easier when it’s time to lift out the brownies once they are cooled. Since parchment paper is a bit stiff, it’s best to cut two separate pieces that are the same dimensions, then overlap them. This will allow for neater corners.

Butter and bittersweet chocolate are melted in a bowl set over a saucepan with barely simmering water.

Sugar and eggs have been added to the butter and chocolate mixture.

Once the bowl is removed from the heat, the vanilla extract, dry ingredients, and chocolate chips are mixed in.

Look at that gorgeous shiny, crinkly top. These are exquisite chocolate-loaded brownies that have perfect rich, fudgy centers and slightly crisp edges.

Triple Chocolate Brownies
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Triple Chocolate Brownies

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

12-16

servings

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

  • Nonstick vegetable spray

  • 1/2 cup (62g) all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup (50g) Dutch-process cocoa powder (such as Guittard cocoa rouge)

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal or 1/2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt (increase Diamond Crystal to 1 1/2 teaspoons and Morton to 3/4 teaspoon when using unsalted butter)

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter

  • 4 ounces (113g) bittersweet chocolate (60% or 70%) broken into pieces

  • 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 4 ounces (113g) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on two sides. Lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray.
  • Whisk flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl to combine.
  • Combine Earth Balance Buttery Stick (or unsalted butter) and bittersweet chocolate pieces in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not be touching water, see photo above). Heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.
  • Whisk in granulated sugar, then add eggs one at a time, whisking very vigorously between additions. Once all eggs are incorporated, continue to whisk 1 minute more. Remove bowl from heat and whisk in vanilla extract, then whisk in dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, stir in semisweet chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth surface.
  • Bake brownies until set across top and tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 27-30 minutes. Let cool in pan at least 1 hour before removing from the pan and cutting into 12-16 pieces. If you live in a warm climate, transfer the pan to the refrigerator once cool enough to place on the refrigerator shelf and chill for 30 minutes. This will help firm up the brownies.

Notes

  • Thoroughly cooled brownies can be frozen in an airtight container (separate layers with wax paper) for a few months.
Appetizers, Bread, Cheese, Dinner, Italian, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

Pull-Apart Rosemary Garlic Bread

May 31, 2023

This made to share pull-apart rosemary garlic bread is baked until the crust is a gorgeous shade of gold, and the interior is soft and fragrant from the herbs, butter, garlic and parmesan cheese. It’s so delicious that you will be going back for seconds and thirds.

Food & Wine magazine mentions that making this bread is for bakers of all skill levels and after making it multiple times I absolutely agree. It’s a lot of fun to make and the final result is a delicious variation on garlic bread.

All-purpose flour, a bit of sugar, rapid rise yeast, milk, and butter are mixed up in a stand mixer before being formed into a ball and set aside in a warm area to rise.

When the weather is warm (always in Hawaii) I cover the dough and place the bowl out on the deck to rise. Some toaster ovens offer a dough proofing setting. If your climate is cool, you might put your bowl in the oven with the light turned on. Otherwise you may leave it out on your counter but expect it to take a bit more time to double in size.

While the dough is rising, make the filling.

Butter, cheese, parsley, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper are mixed in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

One hour of rise time and the dough has doubled in size.

It’s time to roll the dough into 12 round disks. Don’t worry too much about getting them perfectly round.

A tablespoon of filling is spread over the dough rounds that are stacked on top of one other before placing in the baking pan.

Occasionally the dough can be a bit uncooperative, meaning it will resist keeping its shape once rolled out. If it springs back just give it another roll or two and it should be fine.

The stacked dough circles are placed in the baking pan and set aside for the final rise.

After 45 minutes the dough has risen and filled up the empty spaces in the pan.

Baked for 45-50 minutes, the bread emerges from the oven looking spectacular.

The final touch is melted butter brushed over the warm bread followed by a sprinkling of Maldon salt.

This bread goes with just about anything. I serve it often with pasta dishes, but it is superb with roasted chicken, grilled steaks, fish and chicken, herb baked tofu and salads. Any leftover slices would be perfect toasted and topped with sunny-side up eggs for a quick lunch.

Pull-Apart Rosemary Garlic Bread
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Pull-Apart Rosemary Garlic Bread

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4-6

servings

Adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

  • For the dough

  • 2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar

  • 2 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)

  • 2/3 cup (158g) whole milk, warmed

  • 3 tablespoons (42.6g) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter

  • For the filling and topping

  • 6 tablespoons (85g) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 cup (90g) finely grated parmesan cheese

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley

  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary (1 1/2 teaspoons for a milder rosemary flavor)

  • 1 large garlic clove, finely grated (Microplane works well)

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter, melted (to brush on baked bread)

  • 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt such as Maldon (to sprinkle on baked bread)

Directions

  • Place flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With mixer running on low speed, beat in warm milk and Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter. Beat on low speed until just combined, 30-45 seconds. Remove paddle attachment from mixer; attach dough hook. Beat on medium speed until dough is smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Transfer dough to a medium bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. For colder climates, turn your oven light on when you start mixing the dough, then place covered dough bowl in oven. The warm oven environment will help your dough to rise.
  • Meanwhile, stir together butter, parmesan, parsley, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
  • Once dough has doubled in size, punch down in bowl and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough evenly into 12 pieces (about 3 tablespoons each). Using a small rolling pin, roll dough rounds into a 4-inch disk. You may also flatten each piece of dough with your hands (the disks do not need to be perfectly round). Spread about 1 tablespoon of filling onto one side of each disk. Stack disks, cheese side up, on top of each other. Turn stack of dough onto its side, and place in an 8 1/2-4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Slightly separate disks in loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Bake loaf on middle rack until golden brown, 45-50 minutes, covering loosely with aluminum foil if needed to prevent over browning. Transfer loaf pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Invert loaf onto wire rack, turn upright, and let cool for 10 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Leftover garlic bread can be frozen and reheated (covered in foil) in a toaster oven.
Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Pasta, Pork, Recipes

Pork and Asparagus Soba

May 18, 2023

We’re starting to harvest our homegrown asparagus spears which is one of the reasons I was drawn to this recipe. The other reason is that I love soba. Though dried soba cannot compare to fresh, it works well enough for this dish which turns out to be a real winner.

There’s not much to it, in terms of the amount of ingredients called for. However, you may need to make a quick trip to the market if you don’t have tahini or chili crisp in your refrigerator. There is a multitude of chili crisp/crunch options available these days. You can find it at Costco, the Asian food section of your local markets, or online. My current favorite is Zindrew O.G Batch from Amazon. They offer a much spicier version as well (X Batch). Though the jar says chili oil, I consider it to be a chili crisp since it has lots of crunchy bits of garlic and does not contain an excess amount of oil.

Tahini adds a rich and creamy note to the sauce. Mixed with soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili crisp, the flavor is an umami rich seasoning for the noodles and pork.

The soba is cooked briefly before adding the asparagus. It’s a one pot deal. Not having to blanch the asparagus separately saves time and dishes.

The sauce is added to the cooked pork before getting mixed in with the soba and asparagus. It’s so delicious.

Everything goes back into the pot with some of the reserved soba cooking water. A quick stir to warm everything up and it’s ready to be served with extra chili crisp or sriracha.

Pork and Asparagus Soba
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Pork and Asparagus Soba

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4

servings

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup chili crisp (1/3 cup if you want it spicier) + more for serving

  • 1/3 cup tahini, well stirred

  • 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon soy sauced divided

  • 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 9.5 ounces dried soba noodles (1 package Hakubaku soba, or about 10 ounces of your favorite dried soba)

  • 1 bunch (10-12 ounces) asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces (thinner spears work well in this dish)

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 pound ground pork

  • Thinly sliced green onions (for serving)

  • Roasted sesame seeds (for serving)

Directions

  • Whisk chili crisp, tahini, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, and vinegar in a small bowl. Taste and add a few extra teaspoons of chili crisp if you want it spicier. Set aside.
  • Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water for half the time noted on the package directions. For Hakubaku brand soba, cook for 1 1/2 minutes (no longer). Add asparagus to noodles and cook for 45-60 seconds. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid just before the 45-60 seconds is up, then immediately drain noodles and asparagus in a colander and run under cool water to stop the cooking; reserve pot.
  • Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork in an even layer undisturbed, until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 3 minutes (adjust heat as needed if too hot). Add reserved sauce and cook, scraping up browned bits, 1 minute.
  • Transfer pork, noodles, and asparagus to reserved pot. Drizzle a teaspoon of soy sauce (or a few pinches of kosher salt) plus 2/3 cup reserved cooking liquid into the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring gently with a spoon adding more cooking liquid if needed, until noodles and meat are warm and well coated with sauce but not watery, about 1 minute (leaving the soba on the heat much longer can cause the soba to be over cooked). Taste and adjust with more soy sauce or kosher salt if necessary.
  • Transfer pork and asparagus to a large, shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with extra chili crisp or sriracha.

Notes

  • If you want to make this for two people, use half of the soba, asparagus and cooking liquid called for. I recommend making the full recipe for the pork and reserving half for the next day. It’s delicious with ramen (the dried wavy type) cooked al dente and warmed in a bit of vegetable oil seasoned with soy sauce. Mix it all together to warm up and shower with lots of green onions, roasted sesame seeds and sriracha sauce. Serve with crunchy bok choy on the side.
Breakfast, Dessert, Lactose Free, Recipes, Summertime Meal

Blueberry Pie Bars

May 9, 2023

Looking for an irresistible summer dessert? Search no more. These blueberry pie bars from Trisha Yearwood will meet all of your requirements. Fresh, juicy blueberries tucked between a tender crust and crisp, buttery topping are the perfect combination.

To make this recipe lactose free, I used vegan butter and lactose free sour cream. I use both of these indispensable products in many of my recipes.

The dough for the crust is pressed into the foil-lined baking pan.

The filling for this recipe is what distinguishes these from other blueberry bars. A mixture of sour cream, egg, sugar, cinnamon and a generous amount of lemon juice are combined with a portion of the blueberries which are then poured over the crust. Trisha refers to the filling as a custard.

A handful of reserved blueberries are scattered over the filling before adding the crust topping.

The topping emerges from the oven beautifully browned and the blueberries beneath are delightfully jammy.

These blueberry pie bars are irresistible. I love everything about them. Eat them while they are slightly warm or at room temperature.

Blueberry Pie Bars
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Blueberry Pie Bars

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

16

servings

Recipe adapted from Food Network-Trisha Yearwood

Ingredients

  • Crust

  • 1/2 cup (113g) Buttery Sticks, chilled (or unsalted butter)

  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • Filling

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/2 heaping cup (125g) Green Valley lactose free sour cream (or regular sour cream)

  • 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 4 teaspoon cornstarch

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 2 cups (296g) fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained well

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with foil that reaches the top sides of the pan.
  • In a bowl of a food processor, combine the Buttery Sticks, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Process until the mixture begins to clump together, 40-60 seconds or so. Remove 1 cup and reserve; press the remaining crust mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, flour, cornstarch, vanilla extract and cinnamon until smooth. Mix in 1 cup of the blueberries. Pour filling mixture over the crust, shaking the pan gently to settle the custard and berries. Scatter remaining 1 cup blueberries over the top, spreading them evenly.
  • Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture over the berries. Squeeze mixture with hands to encourage large lumps.
  • Bake 1 hour. Let cool on wire rack. Lift foil from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Slice blueberry pie bars into 16 squares, or larger pieces if you prefer.

Notes

  • Leftover blueberry pie bars can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended as the filling can become a bit soggy when defrosted.
Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Cucumber Salad with Roasted Peanuts and Chile

April 29, 2023

This easy to make crispy cucumber salad has a lot going for it. Not only is it very simple to put together, it is an uncommon but tasty combination of ingredients.

Cucumbers with minimum amount of seeds and tender skins are best for this salad. You really want that “crunch” in each bite you take. Japanese cucumbers work well if you can find them.

The addition of nuts adds so much flavor and texture to salads. Including a small amount each day in your diet is very nutritious. The salad also has red pepper flakes for a bit of spice and cilantro for its unique je ne sais quoi. Of course if you don’t care for cilantro, switch it out with fresh mint or parsley.

The peanuts, cilantro, and chile flakes are chopped up together. I found that this is best done close to the time you are serving the salad. If you want to chop these ingredients in advance, it’s best to separate the cilantro from the peanuts and chile flakes as the moisture from the cilantro can affect the texture of the peanuts.

Once you have everything ready to go, toss the cucumbers with the dressing then sprinkle it with the peanut topping. A drizzle of your favorite chile crunch is the icing on the cake.

Cucumber Salad with Roasted Peanuts and Chile
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Cucumber Salad with Roasted Peanuts and Chile

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

2-4

servings

Recipe adapted from NYT Cooking

Ingredients

  • 6 Japanese or Persian cucumbers (about 1 pound), cut lengthwise into thin spears, then cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

  • Kosher salt

  • 1/4 cup salted, roasted peanuts

  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves (or substitute with fresh mint or parsley)

  • 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar

  • 1 small garlic clove, grated

  • Chile crisp or chile oil (optional but recommended)

Directions

  • Toss sliced cucumbers with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander. Set aside to drain.
  • Chop peanuts, cilantro and red pepper flakes together until very fine. If you are not serving the salad within an hour, chop cilantro separately and combine with peanuts and chili flakes before serving. This will prevent the peanuts from taking on moisture from the chopped cilantro.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and garlic. Transfer salted cucumbers to the bowl and toss to coat.
  • To serve, place half the cucumber salad on a plate, sprinkle with half the peanut mixture. Repeat with the remaining cucumbers and peanut mixture. Drizzle with chile crisp or chile oil if using. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Leftovers will keep for a day stored in the refrigerator. Note that the peanuts may lose their crunch from being stored with the cucumbers and dressing.
Dessert, Lactose Free, Recipes

Black Magic Cake

April 20, 2023

This is an exceptionally delicious and easy to make chocolate cake. You can make it in a fluted tube pan, two 9-inch round cake pans as I did, or a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. The cake is very tender and moist and has just the right amount of sweetness. When you serve this cake, everyone will secretly be hoping you’ll send them home with a slice for the road. It’s not at all surprising this cake recipe from hersheyland.com gets rave reviews and a 5* rating.

No fancy ingredients are required for this recipe. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, an acceptable substitution is to make your own by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and filling with milk to reach the 1-cup marker. Stir to combine, and let milk sit for 5-10 minutes before using in your recipe.

The cakes baked in round pans are done in 30-35 minutes (up to 50 minutes for fluted tube pan). Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Once again, no fancy ingredients required for the chocolate frosting. I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks for my lactose free version, however, go ahead and use regular butter when making your frosting.

Frosting the cake adds the final touch to what has become my favorite chocolate cake. I used Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting (recipe on the back of Hershey’s Cocoa box). If you choose to use a tube pan or make one layer in a 13x9x2-inch pan, frosting the cake is not required. You can simply choose to dust powdered sugar over the top before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

A slice of Magic Cake.

Black Magic Cake
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Black Magic Cake

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

12-14

servings

The best chocolate cake! Adapted from hersheyland.com.

Ingredients

  • Cake: 2 layers, 9-inch cakes

  • 2 cups (396g) granulated sugar

  • 1 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup (63g) Hershey’s cocoa

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cup (227g) buttermilk or sour milk (sour milk: add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and add lactose free or regular milk to reach 1-cup marker. Stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes before using in recipe.)

  • 1 cup (227g) strong black coffee or 2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee plus 1 cup boiling water

  • 1/2 cup (99g) vegetable or canola oil

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Frosting

  • 1/2 cup (113g, 1 stick) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (or regular butter)

  • 2/3 cup (56g) Hershey’s cocoa

  • 3 cups (340g) powdered sugar

  • 1/3 cup (76g) lactose free or regular milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment rounds in pan then grease and flour pans including the sides.
  • Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk or sour milk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed with a hand mixer for 2 minutes (batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
  • Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pan and transfer to 2 wire racks that comfortably hold each cake. I found it easiest to place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the cake pan followed by a flat cutting board and turn the cake out then place a wire rack over the bottom of each cake and flip right side up. Cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, melt Buttery Stick or regular butter in microwave just until most of the butter has melted. Stir to melt the remaining bits of butter. Whisk in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add a small amount of additional milk if needed. Stir in vanilla.
  • To assemble, place one of the cakes flat side up on a serving platter or cake board. Using an offset spatula, frost the top of the cake with 1/3 of the frosting. Place second cake rounded side up on top of the first layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

Notes

  • You may chill the cake in the refrigerator if made earlier in the day using a cake cover or by tenting foil over the cake being sure to secure the foil to the edge of the platter so that the cake does not dry out. Remove cake an hour before serving. Leftover cake can be frozen for a few months.
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