What you get: This lovely collection of recipes covers cookies, brownies and bars, breads, frozen desserts, cupcakes as well as The Ultimate Red Velvet Cake (Page 11). We want to try Red Velvet Crepes (P. 25), Molten Lava Cakes (P. 53), Marshmallow Rockslide Brownies (P. 78), Pull-apart Bread (P. 93), Baked Alaska (P. 103) and Red Velvet Eclairs (P. 110).
In her own words: "Today, it would be hard to find a cupcake bakery that doesn't feature a red-velvet cupcake on its menu. Many of them say red velvet is their most popular flavor. Red velvet also goes way beyond cakes and cupcakes. There are dozens of variations on the bright red concoction. Although some of these recipes may not have that famous 'velvet' texture, they still sport the things that make red velvet distinctive — the hint of cocoa and the bright red color." — Deborah Harroun
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What we made:
COOKIES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS (Page 65)
Makes 30
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ tablespoons red liquid food coloring
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups white chocolate chips
1. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl to combine.
2. Beat the butter with the granulated and brown sugars in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the food coloring, vinegar and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Form the dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Place the dough balls at least 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to three days.
Our assessment: These cookies are velvety, cocoa-y and sweet. Don't skip the step of allowing the dough to chill for an hour. Cooling down the batter makes it easier to handle and form into balls, plus the cookies don't flatten out.
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