An Evil Think Tank (ETT) with the Professor... Fresh Raspberry-Chocolate Crumble Bars

Last week I got to go see my family for my mother's birthday and family reunion. It was the first time we've all been together in 3 or 4 years and it was epic. Among the grand events of the weekend, I got to do an Evil Think Tank with my darling brother John the Professor. He got that name from being...a real professor. Plus he's a super-smartie-pants-sassy-dude and I don't know if he'll ever stop being an older brother who is great at teasing me. We've been friends for years though I have to admit that in my teen years he had to drive his snot-nosed little sister to school every day. I know for a fact that a lot of people thought I was his girlfriend...and not because he was kissin' on me (that would be gross). They thought I was his girlfriend because I was so freakishly adorable and certainly way out of his league. Geesh. Actually  Professor John is a genius.John has written two Books! Composite Materials: Fabrication Handbook #1 (Composite Garage Series) and Composite-Materials-Fabrication-Handbook- #2 If you're at all smartie-pants-design inclined you should visit  John's Amazing Blog.

As of today, John is now the master-genius Evil Think Tank Guy. Yes. We're having matching T-shirts made. Be afraid when we walk down the street my darlings. It is a scary sight to behold.

Hello. Yes we're cool.

So Professor John had his little kiddos with him and his stunning way-out-of-his-league wife Queen Charlotte. She's seriously the most beautiful chick I know. So it comes as no surprise that their daughter  is just breathtaking. Here she is overlooking the gardens that my dad grew.

Then she started skipping. Why don't I have daughters? Boys don't skip. They punch each other and talk about bodily functions. My niece skipped...and then sat down and asked my brother to sit cross legged like a princess.

 Sorry sista'. He's not going to ever sit cross legged and act like a princess. I tried for years to get him to sit like a princess and he would pass me on the street the very same way he is here...{ Yes, he's saying in his very boy-mind,"I can't see you girlie-girl-princess with your legs crossed."}.

So all the girls sat down and crossed our legs like a group of princess chicks. It was cool. Oh...my nephew was in on that action. I'm okay with that.

 Here lies the fundamental difference in a nut shell between boys and girls.

Boy nephew (I call him "The Extra Miles" because he's just so busy!)

Me: "Extra Miles...what are you doing?" 
Extra Miles: "I'm covering a hole."
Me: "Um...why?"
Extra Miles: "Because that's what you do."

After I stopped giggling to myself I realized that it was just the age old truth coming together.

Truth: There is no reasoning with a boy. They have their own set of rules and logic. However, I decided that it wouldn't stop me from having some Evil time with my brother creating in the kitchen. Queen Charlotte picked up some beautiful fresh raspberries at the farmer's market while the Professor looked at cars. Further proof that girls are cooler than boys. ( Just kidding John...or am I? )

After eating an inordinate number of fresh berries...we decided it was to our best interest to make some dessert. I will not mention any discussion that my boy-brother had about bodily functions and too many berries. I will mention that I punched him in the arm. I will also mention that he still thinks I'm freakishly adorable and totally out of his league.

Chef Tess Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars
2 cups pastry flour
3 cups 6 grain rolled cereal or oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla or rum extract (I opt for rum most often...no comments

filling:
1 cup fresh raspberries (or frozen)
1/2 cup sugar
2T cornstarch

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions: Combine the first 7 ingredients until crumbly and thick and press half of the mixture into the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking pan. In a small saucepan combine the berries, sugar and cornstarch. Stir and cook over medium heat until berries release juice and cook into a thick jam-like mixture. Remove from heat. Allow to cool 5 minutes. Spread raspberry mixture over the crumble mixture in the pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips in your mouth over the raspberry mixture and then top with remaining half of the crumble mixture. Look at the Professor...

 There are many different layers of good and evil at play in the world. We just happened to capture all of them in one dish.

 Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven. Eat immediately with ice cream. Show a little restraint and take a nice picture for your blog. Eat a bar and cry because my stinky-genius smarty-pants brother is still so cool and freakishly, unquestionably... out of my league.

Our next exercise in pure evil was this double chocolate raspberry cobbler with fresh whip cream. Evil. Wrong...and total Perfection. I could share that recipe...but then I'd have to kill you and blame it on my brother.

Instead I'm just going to confess some age old truths:

• Boys will always be smarter and cuter when they bake with their snot-nosed little sister on any given day in July.

• Girls will always be perfect and totally out of their brother's league...especially when they sit cross legged like a princess.

•  Family will always be the most important thing in life.

•  My mom has the best kids in the universe.

Chocolate, like family, is forever.

There ya go.

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Broiled Coconut Pecan Frosting...is Evil.

Are you ready for something evil? Well. This is Evil Think Tank (ETT) worthy. I made it with my kids today but usually I make it for cooking classes and glorious events of flavor and food. I dare say, it's one of the most beautiful-bad-good things I make. Have you ever had a broiled coconut pecan frosting? This is perhaps one of the most tantalizing simple frostings out there. It's a buttery caramel with a hint of rum and heavy with toasted pecans and shredded coconut. When it's put on a cake and then slid under a broiler, the most amazing thing happens. The top layer of the frosting gets toasted and caramelized in a thin layer of candy-like crunch. The creamy layer below is warmed and gooey and oozes in sweet divine rivers of joy over the edges of your cake. It's really one of my absolute favorite dessert toppings.  Use fat flake coconut or macaroon coconut depending on your taste. Today I went with macaroon. If you don't like coconut...I can't help you. Bwhaha. I'm kidding. You can try using dried fruit or more nuts. It won't be exactly the same, but it will still be awesome.

This frosting is outstanding on carrot cake, white cake or any cake in-between. I've used it on spiced mango cake and used artistically arranged thin sliced fresh pineapple on the top of the frosting...with rave reviews. Usually I put it on my homemade Chocolate Toffee Buttermilk Cake. It's perhaps one of my favorite cake mixes...and I make it from scratch. You can, if you're in a pinch, use store purchased chocolate cake mix and prepare it using buttermilk for the liquid. It won't be exactly the same, but it will work. All I know is the buttermilk cake with a hint of cayenne, tart with a subtle hot finish, is the perfect companion for sweet crunchy-gooey frosting.  I used on 10 inch layer cake. 

 Stephanie's Broiled  Coconut  Pecan frosting

6T  butter (melted) 

1/2 cup sugar

2T Molasses

1/2 tsp rum extract

1/4 cup whipping cream (unwhipped)

3/4 cup coarsly chopped pecans or almonds (toasted)

1 cup  coconut (unsweetened looks cool, but use whatever you have. Today I used macaroon coconut)

 1/4 tsp Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East Spice Blend(optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven broiler. In a bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, molasses, and whipping cream.

Add the pecans,coconut and spice.

Spread the frosting in a thick layer on the cake. It's amazing on little cupcakes or smaller cakes as well, but take care to cover the top. This will be broiled so the cake needs to be on a metal tray that is heat safe. That's my only rule. I don't want any emails telling me you broke Great-grandma Pearl's antique cake plate by putting it under the broiler. For the record, that's not a good idea. Plus, Granny didn't give you that cake plate thinking you would be an idiot. Oh. Did I just type that out-loud? 

Let the record show, my broiler is under my oven...by the floor. I laid on my belly in my kitchen to take this picture. Be impressed (or be disturbed). You want the frosting about 6 inches from the flame. Don't put it right on the flame (why do I even have to type that?). If you have an "in oven" broiler, put the rack in your oven as close to the top of the oven as possible without the heating element actually touching the cake. Not only would that be messy, it would also be daggum near hilarious...for me to watch. Um...just watch the cake. 

It takes 3-5 minutes depending how close it is to the broiler. What ends up happening? The top gets crispy and toasted caramel while just below the crust...a  layer of buttery coconut and pecans goo. 

We usually drizzle a little chocolate sauce over the top. Because it's just evil enough to push it over the edge to insanely-evil. 

Oh...and if you want to just pass out...add a sprinkle of sea salt. Mercy.

There you go. Make some fabulous Broiled Coconut Frosting. I'm certain you'll either love me or hate me for sharing it...but I'm thinking you'll love me, kiss me...lick the computer screen. Just don't embarrass yourself...too much. Xoxo! 

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Homemade "Thin Mint" Cookies and Chocolate Dipping in the ETT

Today I visited Evil Tara and had some much needed girlie time in the Evil Think Tank-o-glory dipping chocolate for the holidays. I talked about the secrets for good chocolate dipping this week Here.  Tara had a heap of these dipped cookies to do. I am a friend. I'll dip chocolate out of the goodness of my heart. Bwhahaha! Well...I may have had other motivations. Case in point. These...

 I adore Tara's thin mint cookies. Even more, I love how simple they are to make! It's just six drops of LorAnn Peppermint Oil to a half pound of melted  dark chocolate...

 Oh...and a few sleeves of Ritz crackers. 

 I kid you not when I say they are pure genius! The light salt and the crisp and the chocolate...I get so excited I almost pop!

We also dipped a hundred of these...

 I know that Oreo makes chocolate covered Oreos now in  nice packages, but there's nothing like putting really nice chocolate on a chocolate cookie and drizzling it with more chocolate. You know...for artistic purposes. Purely artistic purposes.

Our friend Kayola was there and said I needed to do "like a red tree" on them. So...this one's for Kayola! Thanks for the how did you say?  "The Bass Ackward" way of doing the trees! Hillllllllarious my friend! Grin. 

Raspberry Clusters. Prepare to be dazzled! Insert Chef Tess and her lame cool-self making cheesy Jazz hands!   Last but not least on the list of Evil amazing...the chocolate dipped Freeze Dried Raspberry. Just a few in a little good quality chocolate.

 They come out in these little clusters that look like peanut clusters. However, this is big, they taste like a piece of heaven. The fruit is tart and the chocolate sweet. It's perfection. I loved that the fruit just stayed crispy like a raspberry rice-crisp{ almost}.  Picture me just rolling my eyes back in my head and passing out when I say, "A-freakin-mazing". If you want my humble (yet accurate) opinion...everyone should make them. 

There you go.

Another trip to the Evil Think Tank...totally worth it. Yes. I am going jogging in the morning! Xoxo!

We're having a great Giveaway this week too. So pop over and see what you could win! 

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

An ETT on BFFF...Brownie Pudding

This is going to be a very special Best Food, Finds and Friends Friday...because last night I was blessed to be able to visit with my darling culinary school friend Evil Tara! Yes, that is a term of endearment. Those who have been friends and readers of the blog-o-glory will know, all too well how we call our cooking adventures the Evil Think Tank or ETT. The ETT started originally at the beginning of this blog the first time I ever held a digital camera almost 3 years ago. Tara invited me over to cook...and to let me use her camera so I'd have some pictures to put on my blog. Yes, things at my house were *that* tight. I started this little adventure on a shoestring budget and a dream.  

The ETT went on from there as a grand delightful time when Evil Tara and Evil Tess needed time out creating culinary delights from a combination of ingredients of our choice. Sometimes we'd end up at a special market or grocery store. Always there was some new thing to create.  As it has progressed, I've had a few ETT's without Tara. I've been to other dear friends' homes and enjoyed creating with them...but always the resulting event was to be the same. Random ingredients and creative minds. It's like a melting pot of all things amazing...and usually involves a block of chocolate. Ironically, last night was not an exception. To my joy, we had a few sweet visitors and got to play "dessert fairies" after our adventures and deliver some little bowls of happiness to a few of our dear friends in the area. 

It's not an ETT without the 

Evil clip boards and evil bobble-head giant pens-o-love-and-destruction. Oh, and I can't even work my magic without my lucky socks.

 Tara found my camera and took a shot. Bwhaaha! Can you see the smoke coming out of my ears? OH...and the foot pop with the magic socks is a nice touch. Does popping one's foot out like that help them think better? I think YES. I know the pen the size of a rolling pin helped!

 So, we decided to make a variation of Brownie Pudding from the Barefoot Contessa. We'll give her full credit for this one because it was a truly amazing recipe. I think it's one to keep forever in my Evil notes.   What came out was a cross between a hot chocolate pudding and a fudge brownie. It's a warm, gooey, rich almost brownie fudge "cobbler" effect if I can put it that way. I was stunned by the simplicity and the straight forward heavenly globs of goo that ensued. Ahhh. You really want to have this in your life. 
Barefoot Contessa's Brownie Pudding

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup good cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur, optional
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow.

We did add the vanilla bean to the butter as it was melting. Small change but the vanilla will actually have a nice pronounced flavor if you do that. This is a vanilla bean collection. It appears I'm still, somehow, keeping up the bean week theme for this week by using these today...right?! Say yes. Please say yes. They may be the only healthy thing in this post.

Cut the bean in half with a sharp knife and add the contents of the bean to the butter...along with the bean.

Be sure to take the bean out of the butter before you put the butter in the batter. Ya know...because that would be just sad.

 Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the framboise, if using and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined.

Instead of the alcohol, we used 1/2 tsp of each of these. Amazing! I'm a big fan of the whole new Mix-a-meal line of these Powdered flavorings. I use them in a lot of my homemade cake, cookie and muffin mixes and today I just had to try them in this brownie pudding. I'm totally addicted. 

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. We did a large pan and then a second batch using 4 smaller loaf pans.

Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. (That "halfway up the side" is a key phrase here. If you go too high you will have only chocolate pudding...not brownie pudding. half of the pan will be cooking at a higher temperature than the water, producing that brownie on top!).

Tara also thought it was quite humorous that I had chocolate all over my hands and still managed to take pictures of the pudding. Look...I never claimed I had clean hands while in the Evil Think Tank.  

 A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding

How evil is that?!

I also managed to put some caramel  and chopped chocolate on half of the brownie pudding while it was still warm and it could melt. You know, strictly for scientific reasons. There must be a control side and an evil variation side, right? Only so we could compare flavors. (Wink, wink...) 

Friends who came by made the ultimate sacrifice...and ate some of the evil thing. Xoxo to Kim.

Hugs to Amy...who didn't stay for the tasting but brought us peaches!

Plus two or three late night chocolate deliveries from the ETT to girls we adore who spoke up on Facebook during the ETT! Xoxo ladies! You soooo got chocolate because you are loved. Plus...it was fun reading comments on Facebook while we created! How fun! It was almost as good as having you all here!

There you go! I love the ETT! We'll be doing this again really soon and look forward to many, many more culinary adventures together. God bless. Big hugs...and keep moving onward and upward!
Your Friend,
Chef Tess