"There's No Reason to Let These Cool Completely"

This year my birthday present to my dear friend Leslie was a pan of Bacon-Bourbon Brownies with Pecans. She loves bacon, she loves brownies and I love to bake. It was decided that I would make them over Thanksgiving weekend while I was visiting.

I couldn't actually eat the brownies because I'm a vegetarian and there is plenty of bacon and bacon fat in the recipe. (Les' dog couldn't have a taste either, so both had to sit and watch her eat them.)

Her review: They are thick and fudgy and not too sweet or sugary. "I'm putting bacon and bourbon in everything now."

My version
Photo by the birthday girl Leslie Ryann McKellar

Bacon-Bourbon Brownies With Pecans:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 C. pecans

1/2 pound sliced bacon

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 stick plus 2 T. unsalted butter

1 C. granulated sugar

1/2 packed C. light brown sugar

3 T. bourbon

4 large eggs

1 t. salt

1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

PREPARATION:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop the nuts.

In a skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp, 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and let cool; reserve 3 tablespoons of the fat. Finely chop the bacon.

In a saucepan, combine both chocolates with the butter and stir over very low heat, until melted; scrape into a large bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat in both sugars with the reserved 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Beat in the bourbon. Add the eggs and salt and beat until smooth. Sift the cocoa and flour into the bowl and beat until blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the bacon and pecans on top. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the brownies are set around the edges but slightly wobbly in the center; a toothpick inserted into the center should have some batter clinging to it. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the brownies cool completely.

***I used the 6 tablespoons of cocoa with 2 tablespoons of butter to make the 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate.

***Leslie cut into them before they were completely cool. Let's be honest, brownies are best warm out of the oven.

***I found the recipe here: Food & Wine

I made these - and wow!

In my search for a vegan chocolate chip cookie, I found this recipe. I like Mexican hot chocolate (chocolatey AND spicy) and I love snickerdoodles. What could be better than these?

This recipe is amazing. The cookies are the perfect little crisp on the outside but completely soft and chewy. And the taste! First you get the chocolate flavor and then ever so slightly you get that cayenne spice. So good.

Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles:

INGREDIENTS:

For the topping:

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cookies:

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons almond milk (Or your preferred non-dairy milk)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon chocolate extract (or more vanilla extract if you have no chocolate)

1 2/3 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the topping ingredients together on a flat plate. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, use a fork to vigorously mix together oil,  sugar, syrup, and milk. Mix in extracts.

Sift in remaining ingredients, stirring as you add them. Once all ingredients are added mix until you’ve got a pliable dough.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls. Pat into the sugar topping to flatten into roughly 2-inch discs. Transfer to baking sheet, sugar side up, at least 2-inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

***I added a couple teaspoons of flour to make the dough a bit stiffer. I also rolled the balls of dough in the topping, rather than flattening them out into discs. Like I do with regular snickerdoodle cookies. They all looked great.

***I found this recipe here: Post Punk Kitchen.

Chocolate Cobbler

My friend Lindsey and I discovered that chocolate cobbler goes really well with homemade mango cinnamon ice cream.

I found this recipe in a magazine years ago.

Lindsey and I did not eat this whole thing in one sitting. Half was sent home in a doggy bag.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
2 T. cocoa
2 T. butter
1/2 cup milk
1 t. vanilla

Directions:

Mix ingredients and place in 11x7 pan. Cover with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Place 2 T. cocoa on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.