Butterscotch Brownies with Chocolate Chips

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These moist Brownie-like bars are a perfect treat for those who have a demanding sweet tooth. The bars are incredibly easy to make and the recipe is great  for the first baking forays of young cooks. While those who prefer the barely sweet pastries of Europe may want to take a pass, the rest of humanity will love them. 'Nuff said. Here is how they are made.

Butterscotch Cheesecake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been searching for a new dessert to serve for the holidays and I finally found one that makes my socks go up and down. I can't wait to share it with my family and friends and I think that those of you love the flavor of butterscotch and the creamy texture of cheesecake are in for a real treat. This cake is really special. While it is very rich, when served in small portions it's a wonderful way to end a special meal. The recipe is straightforward, and, like all cheesecakes, this one is very easy to make. The only caution I have to share with you regards its propensity to stick to the pan. The springform pan you use must be well-greased and the cake itself should be released from the sides of the pan with a knife about ten minutes after it is taken from the oven. The trick here is releasing the sides of the cake without removing the springform ring. The soft cake needs a thorough chilling to firm, so I leave it in the pan to assure it keeps its shape and is not unduly nicked or gouged while in the refrigerator. This cake freezes well and can be made a week or so before it is to be served. That's always good news for the holiday hostess. For best results, the frozen cake should be allowed to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. I really hope you'll give this recipe a try. I'd love to have your feedback on this one. Here is how the cake is made.

Butterscotch Cheesecake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup cold 2% milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant butterscotch pudding mix
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Optional garnish: whipped cream and crushed butterscotch candies

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place a well-greased greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18-in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
2)  In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking  sheet  and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3) In a small bowl, whisk both milks and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set.
4) Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in pudding and vanilla. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large roasting pan. Add 1-inch  of hot water to larger pan.
5) Bake  for 65-75 minutes or until center is almost set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Remove ring and refrigerate overnight. Garnish with whipped cream and
butterscotch candies if desired. Yield: 12 servings.

      

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Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

              My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Things are proceeding apace here in the land of don't eat, won't eat and make me. I've been at my daughter's for several days now and cooking for elves rather than my gentle giant. So far, so good. It appears that no one will starve while I 'm in charge of the kitchen and hopefully my daughter will be able to reclaim her apron within a week or two. In addition to the stuff that's good for you, we've been making lots of cookies, including tonight's feature, which is a very special oatmeal cookie that we made to celebrate  the Silver Fox's birthday. He was unable to make the trip with me, so it was a long distance celebration The highlight of the evening was our youngest grandson, now just three, taking the phone to inform his grandfather that, "she's sleeping with me tonight." These cookies are easy to make, but you may want to cut back on the ingredients. The recipe, which comes from Taste of Home magazine, makes a lot of cookies. If you enjoy oatmeal cookies, I think you'll really like these. They are chewy and the addition of butterscotch chips gives the a real flavor boost. Here's the recipe.

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Baking Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
6 tablespoons butter-flavored shortening
1-2/3 cups packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
2-1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) In a very large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chips and pecans.
3) Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Yield: about 6-1/2 dozen cookies.












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Butterscotch Shortbread

My Weekly Menu page has been updated for the coming week. Take a peek when you have some time. Have you visited my new Facebook fan page? I've posted my thought for today. You can see it, here

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This unique variation of shortbread is as light and tender as the classic, but one bite of this version will transport butterscotch devotees to a cookie lover's Eden. Imagine a buttery cookie to which butterscotch chips and toffee bits are added, and I think you'll understand why these cookies have become a tea-time favorite. They are easy to make and bake, but because they are so short, the dough has a a tendency to crumble when it is rolled. If you encounter this problem, just keep reforming the dough as you go along. It also helps if the dough is kept cold and rolled on a well-floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. The addition of an egg yolk to the dough would probably make the dough more cohesive, but I was hesitant to alter a successful recipe without more time to test the result. If you like butterscotch, you'll love these cookies. They are great keepers if they are carefully packed in an airtight container. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. You might find you have a new cookie favorite. Here's how they are made.

Butterscotch Shortbread ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Baking

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butterscotch chips, finely chopped
1/2 cup milk chocolate English toffee bits

Directions:
1) Combine butter and confectioners' sugar in bowl of an electric mixer. Cream until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
2) Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in a separate bowl. Whisk to combine. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Mix well. Fold in butterscotch chips and toffee bits. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4) On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a floured 2-inch fluted round cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
5) Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 4-1/2 dozen cookies.








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Crispy Butter Pecan Ice Cream Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This dessert is the adult version of an ice cream cake that I make often for my grandchildren. It is really easy to assemble and it is surprising good for something that requires so little effort. The original version of the cake came from Real Simple magazine and it can be seen here. If you glance through their recipe, you can see that this is an easy recipe to make your own. The flavor combinations are limited only by the imagination of the cook and the cake is a lovely finish to an informal summer meal. The Silver Fox and I like the butterscotch version but our little guys were really fond of a peanut butter and chocolate combination that I made for them. I hope you'll give this a try with favorite flavors of your own. Here are the directions for my favorite version of the cake.

Crispy Butter Pecan Ice Cream Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Real Simple Magazine

Ingredients:
8 ounces butterscotch chips, melted
4 cups crisped rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
2 pints butter pecan ice cream, slightly softened
2 cups whipped topping

Directions:
1) Combine melted butterscotch chips and cereal in a large bowl. Toss until cereal is completely coated. Set aside 1 cup of mixture for later use. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Lightly press 3 cups of coated cereal into bottom of pan. Do not pack. Freeze just until firm, about 10 minutes.
2) Spread ice cream in prepared crust and freeze, covered, until firm, for at least 2 hours and up to 3 day. Just before serving, spread top of cake with whipped topping and sprinkle with reserved
coated cereal. Yield: 8 servings.






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Butterscotch Swirl Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm honestly not sure where to start with my review of today's recipe. I saw it in Taste of Home magazine several years ago, but, for whatever reason, I postponed giving the recipe a try. While I was curious and absolutely love the flavor of butterscotch, I was put off by the ingredient list and the time required to make the cake. I could tell from the photo that its frostingless nature would make it perfect for toting to meetings or alfresco meals, but I wasn't sufficiently swayed to begin cracking eggs or taking whisk to hand. I've had an awful of of people traipsing through the house this summer, and that amount of company means an awful lot of baking. To avoid repetition, I decided to try some new things, like this cake. After all, how bad can anything made with this much butter and sugar be? As it turns out, I can recommend the cake it, but only conditionally. My palate kept picking up the exaggerated flavors of artificial butterscotch and rum and I wasn't thrilled. The rest of my tasters, however, loved the cake and it was gone within the day. Since mine was the only dissenting vote, I'm going to share the recipe with you today, despite my personal reservations. Here's the recipe for those of you I haven't scared away.

Butterscotch Swirl Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 teaspoons rum extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant butterscotch pudding mix
3/4 cup butterscotch ice cream topping
Glaze
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan.
2) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 5 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in extracts. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition.
3) Transfer 2 cups of batter to another large bowl; beat in pudding mix, butterscotch topping and remaining egg until well blended. Pour half of plain batter into prepared pan. Top with half of the butterscotch batter; cut through with a knife to swirl. Repeat layers and swirl.
4) Bake for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
5) For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. Drizzle over cake; sprinkle with pecans. Yield: 12 servings.







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Glazed Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is not tea party fare, but if you picnic or provide snacks for a youth group or school sports team, you might want to add this recipe to your files. These cookies are really easy to make and what they lack in refinement they make up for in taste. The recipe is so straight forward, that I have little to add to the instructions that appear below. I've found the flavor improves if the cookies are made the day before you plan to serve them. They also freeze well if long term storage is your goal. I do have one small caution to share with you. While freezing does not harm their flavor, it will cause the gorgeous glaze to lose its sheen and become cloudy. I hope those of you who have children will give these a try. You won't be disappointed. Here's the recipe.

Glazed Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
Cookie Base
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons water
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Glaze
1-1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1) Grease a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) Cream butter, peanut butter and white and brown sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, water and vanilla.
3) Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture.
4) Spread in prepared baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 18-22 minutes.
5) Meanwhile, combine peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch chips in a microwave bowl. Melt, on HIGH power, stirring until smooth. Pour over warm bars, spreading evenly. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. Yield: 48 bars.







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Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies - Eat Good 4 Life

Butterscotch and Walnut Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The good news is these brownies are delicious. They're patterned after those served at Clementine in Los Angeles and they are really, really good. The Los Angeles Times first published the recipe, and while it was picked up by the wires and published by other news organizations, I haven't been able to find a review of the recipe that was written by a home cook or a blogger. Normally, I wouldn't care, but I was looking for validation. The fudge-like brownies I made look nothing like the cake-type brownies that appeared in the paper. Here's hoping I got it right.

This is one of the easiest recipes I've come across. It requires no special equipment, and, if you have 2 mixing bowls and a wooden spoon, you'll be able to whip these bars up in a matter of minutes. I'm sure you have the ingredients needed to make them in your pantry. I made no changes to the original recipe, although I did find it necessary to bake them five minutes longer than was recommended. I plan to make these again, though next time around I intend to put away my cups and spoons and measure ingredients by weight. I normally don't fuss with a recipe this way, but the brownies are so good I want to make sure I do them justice. I'll let you know what happens. I hope you'll try these. Here's the recipe .

Addendum: The brownies were made again, this time using a scale to weigh the the ingredients. No signicant changes were noted and the finished brownie was fudgy rather than cake-like.

Butterscotch and Walnut Brownies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Los Angeles Times

Ingredients:
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (3.5 ounces) flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (9.25 ounces) dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 extra-large egg
1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square pan. Set aside.
2) In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
3) In a large bowl, stir brown sugar into melted butter. Stir in egg, then vanilla.
4) Stir in dry ingredients, then fold in nuts.
5) Place the batter into prepared pan and bake until set (a toothpick inserted will have moist crumbs), 25 to 30 minutes.
6) Remove from heat and cool slightly before serving. Yield: 12 to 16 servings.







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Butterscotch Molten Lava Cakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a lovely dessert. It's easy, delicious and different enough to be interesting. While the cakes are patterned after the perennially popular lava cakes, their true parent is a wonderful dessert developed by Anna Ginsberg. Anna called her dessert Extreme Peanut Butter Molten Lava Cake. Her recipe and photographed instructions can be found here. I've altered it slightly and while my version contains peanut butter, its predominant flavor is butterscotch. When perfectly executed, the center of the cakes will look like caramel and run like a slowly moving lava flow. If the cakes are over-baked they will be moist and have wonderful flavor, but they won't run and there's not much point in making lava-free lava cakes. You'll notice that the recipe calls for an egg substitute. While it may be overkill, these cakes don't bake long enough to destroy any salmonella that might be lurking in your eggs. Raw eggs can, of course, be used but not if you're feeding the very young, the very old or someone with a compromised immune system. These should be baked just before you plan to serve them. They are lovely with a bit of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. I know those of you who try the butterscotch mounds will love them. They are perfectly sized and are a wonderful way to end a meal. Here's the recipe.

Butterscotch Molten Lava Cakes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Anna Ginsberg

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons room temperature butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided use
7 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butterscotch flavored chips
2/3 cup egg substitute or lightly beaten shelled eggs
1/3 cup lightly spooned cake or all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
6 small scoops vanilla ice cream
Optional garnish: 6 mint sprigs

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rub insides of 6 jumbo (1-cup) muffin cups thoroughly with butter. Reserve remaining 7 tablespoons butter.
2) Mix cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar evenly into buttered muffin tins and shake back and forth, tilting slightly, so that sugar coats bottom and sides. Turn pan upside down and shake off excess cinnamon-sugar.
3) Stir together peanut butter, butterscotch chips and reserved 7 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute to melt; stir until smooth and creamy.
4) Combine reserved 6 tablespoons of sugar and egg in a separate bowl. Stir, do not beat, egg mixture into butterscotch mixture. Add flour and stir until smooth. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop batter into sugared muffin cups.
5) Bake for 7-9 minutes or until tops appear just-set. Do not overcook. Some lava may peak through the top – this is okay. Remove from oven.
6) Hold a flat cookie sheet firmly over muffin pan and grasping both cookie sheet and muffin pan, invert muffin pan so that cakes come out on tray. Sift confectioners’ lightly over lava cakes. Carefully transfer each lava cake to a dessert plate. Place a scoop of ice cream and a sprig of mint on each plate. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

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Butterscotch Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The day started well and it ended well. There were, however, some very low points between sunrise and sunset. I'll start with my morning effort, a milk chocolate cake, that stuck like mortar to the pan. By the time I was able to release it, it was so raggedy that I was embarrassed to share it with you. Then we'll move on to the deluge that greeted an outdoor healthcare rally that Bob and I had promised to attended. It was more successful than the cake but it ran longer than expected and I still did not have a recipe for you or a plan for our dinner. Bob came through for me. At his suggestion we, actually he, made Smoked Sausage Casserole for us and I made butterscotch pudding for you. Both recipes are favorites in our home and they are quick, easy and inexpensive to make. I've shared the casserole with you before, but this is the maiden voyage for the butterscotch pudding recipe. It was developed by David Lebovitz and it's not only simple, it's delicious. If you, or any who sit at your table, are a fan of butterscotch, I urge you to give this a try. It is, in a word, wonderful. Here's the recipe.

Butterscotch Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of David Lebovitz

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2-1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons whiskey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add dark brown sugar and salt, then stir until sugar is well-moistened. Remove from heat.
2) In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with about 1/4 cup of milk until smooth (there should be no visible pills of cornstarch), then whisk in eggs.
3) Gradually pour remaining milk into melted brown sugar, whisking constantly, then whisk in cornstarch mixture as well.
4) Return pan to heat and bring mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Once it begins to bubble, reduce heat to a low simmer and continue to cook for one minute, whisking non-stop, until pudding thickens to consistency of hot fudge sauce.
5) Remove from heat and stir in whiskey and vanilla.
6) Pour into 4-6 serving glasses or custard cups and chill thoroughly, at least four hours, before serving. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

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Sugar Crusted Viennese Nut Bread - Outdoor Wednesday

A footpath leading through the Vienna Woods to the banks of the Danube River.



A romantic bend in the pastoral Salzach River in Salzburg.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely sweet bread was the inspiration for what I had planned to be a walking tour of old Vienna. I just couldn't bring myself to edit the assortment of monuments and landmark buildings I'd collected to share with you. So, the walk, instead, will be a simple stroll through the Vienna Woods and along the banks of the Danube, which coincidentally, may sometimes actually appear to be blue. This nut bread is typical of the barely sweet confections of Austria and Germany. It's simple to prepare and ages well. It has a lovely butterscotch flavor and the crisp sugar crust sets it apart from other breads of this sort. It's a modernized version of Viennese sweet breads leavened, before the advent of baking powder, with sourdough or stiffly beaten eggs. Chemically leavened quick breads originated in America towards the end of the 18th century, when it was discovered that pearlash, a byproduct of woodash, produced carbon dioxide gas in dough. I have no idea why someone would take hearth or kiln ash and put it into food, but I'm guessing it was an accident that caused the pot to boil over when ashes inadvertently fell into it. Baking powder, as we know it today, was not developed until after the American Civil War. Breads made with it are called "quick breads" because baking powder releases carbon dioxide at a faster rate than yeast fermentation. I love the simplicity of this bread. Like all nut breads, it's flavor improves with aging. I love a deep, rich butterscotch flavor, so I use dark brown sugar to make the bread. I've made this with golden brown sugar as well, so I leave the choice of sugar to you. Here's the recipe.

Sugar Crusted Viennese Nut Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons, buuer melted
2 large eggs
2 cups brown sugar
4 cups flour
1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups toasted pecans, chopped
Topping:
1/4 cup ground toasted pecans
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans. Set aside.
2) Place eggs in large bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat until frothy. Gradually add brown sugar, beating at low speed just until blended. Blend in melted butter.
3) In another large bowl, place flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk to combine.
4) Add flour mixture, alternately with buttermilk, to egg mixture. Mix just until blended after each addition. Fold in chopped pecans. Pour into prepared loaf pans.
5) To make topping, mix ground pecans, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over each loaf.
6) Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven. Let sit for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooking on a rack. Yield: 2 loaves.

Other quick breads can be found at these sites:
Cookie Madness - Carrot Pecan Bread
Recipe Girl - Mom's Banana Nut Bread
Peanut Butter & Julie - Toasted Coconut Macadamia Bread

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer