Black Forest Cookies

While filming a segment on the Food Network's upcoming new show, The Kitchen, I demonstrated by Chocolate-Dried Cherry Bread Pudding. Host, Sunny Anderson, said it tasted like German Chocolate Cake. So when I stumbled upon her German Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe online, I thought it would be fun to adapt the recipe into a new flavor--using dried cherries and a brandy glaze. 

Sunny's recipe is an embellished version of the classic Toll House chocolate chip, and my Black Forest Cookie recipe is as well. While there are a great many ways to make a double chocolate chip cookie, and even more ways to doctor them up, keeping your base drop cookie batter classic is the way to go. Consider this a grown-up take on America's favorite, and the perfect addition to your holiday cookie tin or New Year's Eve celebration.

Black Forest Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon Brandy

2 large eggs, beaten

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, such as Hershey's

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 – 1 ½ cup dried cherries

Brandy Glaze

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2 tablespoons Brandy

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer or large bowl using a hand mixer, blend the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, brandy, and eggs. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and blend until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and cherries.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, 12 cookies per sheet, and bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.

For the glaze, Whisk together and add more brandy, 1 teaspoon at a time, until consistency of yogurt. Drizzle over cookies.

If you make either versions of these cookies and love them as much as I do, give Sunny a shout-out on Twitter! 

Pumpkin Pound Cake with a Maple-Pecan Glaze

This month I’ll be featuring all sorts of pumpkin desserts to help celebrate the season! To kick it off, I baked my favorite pumpkin pound cake with a maple-pecan glaze.

I like to combine equal parts roasted sugar pumpkin and kabocha squash puree for my pumpkin recipes. The kabocha squash is a bit more starch than sugar pumpkin and has a gorgeous bright orange flesh. Once pureed, kabocha makes a thicker puree and has an extra intense squash flavor that pumpkin lovers will really enjoy. And roasting gives the squash and pumpkin, a yummy caramel flavor that add to the warm spices used in the batter.

If y’all love pumpkin as much as I do, don’t forget: There’s much more to come this month!

Pumpkin Pound Cake with a Maple-Pecan Glaze

Makes 12-16 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

5 large eggs

2 cups Roasted Sugar Pumpkin and Kabocha Squash Puree  (recipe follows)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1.     Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup Bundt cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices and set aside.

2.     In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until just smooth. Evenly spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted in center.

3.     Cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a rack; invert onto a cooling rack and let cool until room temperature. Glaze with the Maple-Pecan Glaze just before serving.

Maple-Pecan Glaze

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Directions:

1.     In a small saucepan, bring the butter, maple syrup, and cream to a boil and let cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the confectioner’s sugar and salt into the hot mixture until smooth. Let cool for about 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the pecans, and pour over the cooled cake.

To make your own pumpkin-kabocha squash puree at home:

Roasted Sugar Pumpkin and Kabocha Squash Puree

Makes about 8 cups

Ingredients:

1 4-pound sugar pumpkin

1 4-pound kabocha squash

Directions:

1.     Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

2.     Cut pumpkin and squash into eighths. Place in large baking dish, fill with about 1/4-inch of water, and cover with foil. Roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until flesh is fork tender. Remove foil and continue to bake until just caramelized, 15 to 30 minutes.

3.     Remove from oven and once cooled enough to handle, use a large spoon to scrape flesh from skin. Puree the pumpkin and squash flesh in a food processor until smooth. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or using.