Best of 2011: Our Favorites

I can't believe 2011 comes to a close today, it's seemingly flown by in the blink of an eye.  As I was looking back through my posts putting together these round-ups, I realized just how well we've eaten this year :)  Yesterday's round-up of the most popular recipes of 2011 was fun to put together, and while many of my personal favorites made the cut, several did not, and today I wanted to highlight those recipes.  I didn't realize how hard it would be though!  It took me forever to narrow down this year's nearly 300 posts to a few favorites.  I hope you discover something you may have missed this year that will become a new favorite in your house!  So, in no particular order, here are my top 15 - oh, and recipes marked with an * also made Shane's list! :)


S'mores Cheesecake - Any time I come across a s'mores-inspired treat, I bookmark it and over the years I've made quite a few of them.  This cheesecake reigns as my current favorite with its graham cracker crust, chocolate cheesecake interior and pillowy, lightly toasted marshmallow topping.  I wound never turn down a messy campfire s'more, but it's also quite nice to have this more refined version of the dessert as an option too!


San Francisco Garlic Fries - Inspired by a treat served at the San Francisco Giants' ballpark, these garlic fries became an instant favorite at our house.  They're baked, not fried, and with their crispy exteriors yielding to a fluffy interior, we found it all too easy to justify eating way too many of them.


Best Buttermilk Pancakes - I'm often too hungry (or lazy) to make anything more than cereal in the morning, but when I do, these pancakes are my go-to.  They're as easy as combining wet in one bowl, dry in another and mixing them together, and the result is a wonderfully light and fluffy pancake.  Sitting here staring at the pic has me thinking a batch might be the perfect way to kick off New Year's Day :)


Homemade Peppermint Patties - One of my favorite snacks is a peppermint patty that's been stashed in the freezer.  I love when I put one in there, forget about it and then find it weeks later - such a good surprise!  And now I can make homemade peppermint patties that taste just as good (ok, better) than the store-bought ones, which just blows my mind.


Chicken Tikka Masala* - A few years ago a meal like this was SO far outside of our comfort zone.  It makes me really happy that we've slowly become more adventurous with our choices, and hopefully we'll continue to do so.  I have no idea how authentic this version of the dish is, but it's so delicious I don't care all that much :)


Chocolate Croissants - I tackled homemade croissants for the first time in 2010, and this year I tried a completely different recipe and added chocolate to the equation.  Both were equally successful and so gratifying.  I bake a lot (obviously) but very little compares to the deliciousness of a buttery, flaky croissant.  And truthfully, they aren't that hard - I hope you'll give them a try in 2012!


Caramel-Filled Brownies - Rich fudgy chocolate brownies stuffed with an ooey-gooey layer of caramel - these are pure decadence.  They're pretty stunning visually too, which only makes me love them more.


Homemade Naan - If you've always wanted to make homemade bread, but aren't quite ready to tackle yeast, this naan is a great solution.  It's pillowy and light, and is the perfect vehicle for soaking up any extra sauce on your plate.  We always make it with the chicken tikka masala above - dinner is extra special on those nights!


Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes* - I actually made these for New Year's Eve last year so we've come full circle!  As a cookie dough addict, it doesn't get much better than these cupcakes.  A brown sugar chocolate chip cupcake stuffed with eggless cookie dough then topped with a cookie dough buttercream - have I convinced you yet?


Oven Braised Short Ribs* - I don't buy red meat very often, but these short ribs were an incredibly worthwhile splurge.  The recipe only calls for about 10 minutes of hands-on prep time, and then your oven does the rest of the work - can't beat that!  The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and unbelievably flavorful; I know it's only a matter of time until I can no longer resist the temptation to make them again.


Lemon Bars - I absolutely adore lemon curd, so it's probably not terribly surprising that a rich, creamy lemon curd sitting on top of a buttery shortbread base would be a stand-out dessert for me.  That said, I've made a lot of lemon bars and none compare to these.  Plus, the incredibly vibrant yellow color of the bars just makes me smile.


Cheesy Chili Mac* - Given how much I despise washing dishes, I'm always thrilled to find another one-pot dinner to add to my repertoire.  This one can be made in about 30 minutes too, which also makes it a winner in the "quick and easy" category.  Perfect for those long winter nights when you're craving simple comfort food.


Homemade Flour Tortillas -  Turns out you only need 4 ingredients to make flour tortillas that blow the store-bought variety out of the water.  Who knew?  I wound up eating most of my first batch plain I liked them so much, but these were also a fantastic base for homemade tacos.


Thin Crust Pizza - I'm a thick crust girl, but this year I also fell in love with homemade thin crust pizza thanks to this recipe.  The thin crust is super flavorful and really lets the toppings shine.  Plus, the dough can be made in advance so this is totally feasible on a weeknight!  


Blueberry-Streusel Bars with Lemon Cream Filling - Four layers of blueberry, lemon, and oat-streusel goodness - these are probably my favorite thing to have ever made with blueberries.  I only wish I didn't have to wait 6 more months for blueberry season to arrive...

I hope you all enjoyed these round-ups as much as I enjoyed putting them together. It's been a very delicious year and I look forward to more culinary adventures in 2012! Wishing you a fun and safe night tonight - I'll see you all in the New Year :)

Best of 2011: The Top 11 Recipes

Last year I put together a year-end round-up for the first time, and I enjoyed it so much I thought it would be fun to do again as 2011 comes to a close. I'm often surprised by which posts end up taking off once I hit publish, and this year was no exception!  Today I'm recapping the most popular recipes I posted this year (these homemade croissants still hold the top spot of all time), and tomorrow I'll be back to share my favorites that didn't make the cut on this list.

I also wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for your support this year. Today marks the 4th anniversary of this blog, and I'm so glad you're all along for the ride :) This year we crossed the 1000 post mark, which just blows my mind.  I can't wait to see what 2012 brings!

On to the recipes...


11. Margarita Cupcakes - I really don't drink much, but I love boozy cupcakes!  Brushed with tequila and topped with a tequila-lime buttercream, these are packed with flavor.  They were the perfect way to kick off summer with a few friends this year.


10. The Easiest Homemade Caramel Sauce - If you've ever struggled to make caramel sauce, I urge you to give this a try.  The trick?  Your microwave!  I made this recipe over and over this fall when I was working my way through the apples we picked at the orchard.  It became impossible to eat apple slices that weren't dipped in caramel :)


9. Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes - I love all things mint chocolate chip (especially ice cream and candles), but it never occurred to me to make a cupcake combining the flavors until earlier this year.  I topped one of my favorite fluffy chocolate cupcakes with a sweet, minty buttercream and they were definitely a hit.  Apparently my mom's coworkers (the recipients of most of them) still rave about these  9+ months later!


8. Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies - When it comes to cookies, I prefer soft and chewy all the way, and apparently you guys do too!  Of course, anytime you combine chocolate and peanut butter, it's bound to be a crowd pleaser so maybe that was the draw?  Either way, these were one of my favorites this year too; I really loved the addition of the oats here for just a little bit of extra texture.


7. Nutella Marshmallow Turnovers - Buttery, flaky puff pastry.  Creamy, rich Nutella.  Mini marshmallows.  Need I say more?  Seriously, only three simple ingredients and totally worth every indulgent bite.


6. Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies - 2011 will go down as the year I fell in love with the whoopie pie.  I've made at least six or seven variations, but this carrot cake version is the one you guys seemed most enamored with.  I love that you could see the little specks of carrot in the fluffy cookies, and it certainly doesn't hurt that these were sandwiched around my very favorite cream cheese frosting.


5. Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos - I'm not exaggerating when I tell you we ate these taquitos at least once a week (often more) for months after I tried them for the first time.  And why not?  They're delicious, and really easy to whip up.  You can even make them in advance and stick them in the freezer for another day.


4. Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread - I think just about every food blog I read has posted this bread, or some variation thereof.  It's easy to see why, this is basically just a fun variation on a cinnamon roll, and who doesn't like those?  There's a savory take on the bread floating around, and it's definitely part of my plans for 2012.


3. Homemade Wheat Thins - It would be fair to say I'm obsessed with learning to make homemade versions of things I'd normally buy pre-packaged at the grocery store.  I never imagined crackers would be so easy, but I'm definitely glad they are because these disappeared in record time.  And you won't believe how spot on the flavor is...


2. Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream - My mom loves strawberry cupcakes so I made these with her in mind, but we both wound up loving them.  The strawberry swiss meringue buttercream is particularly irresistible - so silky and rich.  These make me yearn to live somewhere like California where I could get perfectly ripe strawberries pretty much year-round!


1. Garlic-Rubbed Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Tomatoes - It thrills me that this was the most popular recipe I posted this year because I think it is seriously worthy of the top spot.  I think we all loved grilled cheese as kids, and this is just a slightly more sophisticated take on that childhood favorite.  It's easily adaptable to your taste preferences or what you happen to have on hand too.  If it weren't such a calorie bomb, I'd probably eat it for lunch several times a week :)

So, did any of your favorites make the list??  See you tomorrow for a list of my personal favorites!

Honey Barbecue Turkey Meatloaf

Confession: I just finished cleaning up the dishes from my Christmas baking marathon this morning.

Awful, right? It's been the very definition of a lazy week here. I really wouldn't mind if I didn't see another dirty dish for a few days (or weeks...) :) Due to said sinkful of dishes, I've been less than motivated to cook dinner this week. We had leftovers one night and might have ordered take-out on a few other occasions. The thing is, we actually have food in the house, and it makes me feel really guilty when we spend money to order in when there are a ton of options available to us here. So, last night I put a stop to the madness and revisited this meatloaf recipe that I'd made earlier in the month.

Meatloaf can be pretty divisive, people either seem to love it or hate it, and as you've probably guessed, we are big fans. It's such an easy meal and to me, is pure comfort food, especially when served with a big helping of mashed potatoes on the side. I always make ours with ground turkey but you could definitely substitute ground beef if that's what you prefer. I used a slightly spicy barbecue sauce for this recipe, and we enjoyed the sweet/spicy flavor combo we had going on. The recipe only dirtied one bowl and since I always line my baking sheet with foil, clean-up was an absolute breeze. Combined with the deliciousness factor, this one is a total win all-around!

Honey Barbecue Turkey Meatloaf
adapted slightly from Fake Ginger (originally from Can You Stay for Dinner?)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce, divided
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
3/4 cup barbecue sauce, divided
2 tablespoons honey, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb ground turkey

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

Add the panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the worcestershire sauce, the mustard, 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce, 1 tablespoon of honey, the salt and pepper to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add the ground turkey and use your hands to gently mix until just combined - do not overmix.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Shape into a rounded loaf. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 1 tablespoon honey and 2 teaspoons of worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Pour about half of the mixture over the surface of the meatloaf and spread to coat; reserve the remainder for serving.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted in the center registers 170 F. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve with reserved honey barbecue sauce.

TWD: Kids' Thumbprints

Well, after nearly 4 years, it's the last hurrah for Tuesdays with Dorie. Today we are sharing the final recipe from the book, and fittingly, Dorie herself is our host. Like so many of my favorite recipes from Baking, this one was simple but delicious. Little peanut butter thumbprint cookies filled either with jam for a sweet twist on PB&J, or chocolate, for those of us who are powerless to resist the peanut butter and chocolate combo. I crammed little mini peanut butter cups into my cookies since I had some in my pantry, and Shane and I both really enjoyed them. The cookies don't stand a chance of lasting through the week, even with all of the other sweets hanging around. You can find the recipe for these cookies and a really wonderful wrap-up on Dorie's site.



Back in 2008 when I joined Tuesdays with Dorie, I'd only just started to experiment in my kitchen. I had little to no experience baking, but with each passing week, I gained confidence with Dorie acting as a teacher through the words in her book, and the other TWD members the most supportive friends one could hope for. Today, the kitchen is my happy place - it's where I spend a majority of my time each week.  Whether I'm making meals for Shane and myself, or creating treats to share with friends and family, it's always time well spent.

So, I owe a huge thank you to Dorie, not only for writing this book which brought so many of us together, but also for her support of this group over the years.  I had the privilege of meeting her last year, and she truly exceeded all expectations.  Thank you also to Laurie who founded the group, and all those who have helped her to keep it running all this time.



A new group will start working its way through another of Dorie's books, Baking with Julia, in February, and while I won't be baking along with them, I know I'll check in on their blogs and follow along when I can. The friendships I have forged through my participation in TWD have been the highlight of the experience for me, and I know these friendships will last for many years to come.

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. Ours was really great, lots of time with family and friends, and oh so much delicious food! Santa was very good to us - he left me several of the cookbooks that were on my wish list, a ton of baking ingredients and lots of other toys to use in the kitchen. Shane is off from work this week so I'm really looking forward to spending time together and just relaxing, such a nice way to end the year. Today we're off to see the new Mission: Impossible movie, and since the theater is at the mall, it also means we'll be braving the after-Christmas crowds. Wish us luck :)



Remember the cheesecake project I mentioned the other day? I promised if it turned out well, I'd share today and let me just say, "well" would be a serious understatement.

Even though Christmas is over, maybe you're still searching for the perfect dessert for a New Year's Eve party? Make this cheesecake - you won't be sorry. The base is an Oreo crust, which is topped with a white chocolate peppermint cheesecake that is studded with pieces of homemade peppermint bark candy. As if that weren't decadent enough, a layer of white chocolate mousse sits on top and, if you want, crushed candy canes and chocolate shavings for garnish. I've never been a huge cheesecake fan; I like it, but it wouldn't be my first choice in a dessert spread. This one, though, blew me away - a great combination of holiday flavors with the white chocolate and peppermint, and the perfect creamy texture. The cheesecake received rave reviews all around at our Christmas celebrations - I was lucky to snag one piece to bring home and photograph :)



My favorite thing about this recipe is that the baking instructions were so easy. One of the reasons I rarely make cheesecake is because I hate guessing when it's cooked perfectly, and never take much comfort in the "until barely set" or "jiggles slightly in the center" instruction. This recipe has a two-step process - first the cheesecake is baked (in a water bath) in a moderate oven, and then the oven is turned off while the cheesecake remains in there. I followed the suggested baking times exactly and the cheesecake was cooked to perfection, it seriously couldn't have been more simple.

If you simply can't bear the thought of yet another sweet treat right now - I get it, trust me. If that's the case, bookmark this recipe and make it one of your first priorities when December rolls around next year!

You can find the recipe here over at Baked by Rachel.

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

By 8 am yesterday morning, my kitchen already looked like this. Because I waited until Christmas Eve eve to do all of my holiday baking, I had a marathon session in the kitchen yesterday. I absolutely love spending the entire day baking, especially when it involves whipping up treats to share with others. I made quite a few new recipes, but rather than post about each of them over the next week (I figure you're probably sugared out by now), I decided to share some of photos I took over the course of the day (thanks iphone!) and point you in the direction of the recipe in case you see anything you want to try.



The day started with a batch of biscotti.  These were packed with mini chocolate chips, toasted almonds and coconut, and even though I don't like nuts, I nibbled on more than my fair share of the ends/scrap pieces.  Highly recommend!  (You can see the biscotti in the kitchen shot above.)



Continuing my obsession with gingerbread this holiday season - gingerbread granola! Loved this, and it's relatively healthy with just a few tablespoons of canola oil and the only sugar coming from the molasses.





I knew I wanted to make fudge this year but wasn't sure what kind.  After seeing Dara's chocolate nutella fudge on Maria's site recently, it quickly became the one.  This is beyond easy to make - no candy thermometer required - and Shane loved it (and he's not even a Nutella fan).  Dara sprinkled hers with sea salt, and though I love the salty/sweet combo, I decided to play it safe and skip the salt since I was gifting the fudge.





Soft and Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies. A tried and true favorite here. They sort of remind me of a Christmas-y version of chocolate crinkle cookies, and that's a very good thing.





My very first fruitcake.  Wouldn't necessarily be my first choice when it comes to holiday baking, but it was pretty much the only thing my step-father told me he wanted for Christmas so I was happy to oblige.  That dried fruit was soaked in a ton of dark rum before being baked into the cake.  More rum was brushed over the loaf when it emerged from the oven.  I didn't tase it since it was a gift, but I'll report back.  Something tells me it'll be boozy :)



A cheesecake project that's still in the works (that's homemade peppermint bark on top of the batter).  If it turns out, I'll share it with you on Monday!



I spent my Friday night in front of the tv watching the Bruins (Marchand hat trick - woo!) and dipping homemade peppermint marshmallows in chocolate.



I even broke out the real camera to take a few good pictures for you :)  Homemade marshmallows have become one of my go-to holiday gifts.  They're not a ton of work, and they keep for weeks so if you want to get ahead, they're perfect.  Plus, who wouldn't love to stick one of these in a big mug of hot chocolate this winter?

Wishing you all a very happy holiday season!  :)



Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows
adapted from Alton Brown (inspired by My Kitchen Addiction)

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
nonstick cooking spray
12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil
crushed candy canes

Add 1/2 cup of the water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and set aside.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup water, the sugar, corn syrup and salt to a medium saucepan.  Cover and set over medium high heat.  Cook for 3-4 minutes (no need to stir), then uncover and continue cooking (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 240 F on a candy thermometer.

Remove the pan from the heat.  Turn the mixer on low, and slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture.  Once it's all added, increase the mixer to medium high and beat until the mixture is thick and the outside of the bowl is just lukewarm, about 8-12 minutes.  Add the extracts during the last minute of beating.

Meanwhile, combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.  Spray a 13x9 metal pan with nonstick cooking spray then coat the bottom and sides with the cornstarch mixture.  Reserve the leftover cornstarch mixture for dusting the marshmallows later.

When the marshmallow mixture has finished beating, pour it into the prepared pan.  Coat a rubber spatula with nonstick cooking spray and use it to spread the marshmallow in an even layer (you can also use damp fingertips to spread it into the corner if that's easier for you).  Dust the top of the marshmallows with some of the remaining cornstarch mixture.  Set the marshmallows aside (uncovered) for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows onto a cutting board and use a pizza wheel (either sprayed with cooking spray or well dusted with the cornstarch mixture) to cut them into small squares. Dust the sides of all of the marshmallows with the cornstarch mixture (to keep them from sticking together).

Add the chocolate and vegetable oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second bursts at 50% power, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip one end of each marshmallow in the chocolate then sprinkle with the crushed candy cane pieces. Transfer to a sheet of wax paper and set aside until the chocolate has set.

Store the marshmallows in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.

Cheez-It-Ish Crackers

If you're still on the hunt for an easy appetizer or snack idea for your holiday gatherings, these cheez-it like crackers from Dorie Greenspan are the answer.  I volunteered to bring homemade crackers to Shane's company party and wound up choosing this recipe from about 3 or 4 I'd considered and let me just say, I'm lucky there were any left to share at the party.  So, so good.  I'll admit, I've never been a fan of cheez-its.  My brother loved them when we were growing up so there were always boxes around the house, but they held no appeal to me whatsoever.  The "ish" is the key part of this recipe's title; though the scent of these crackers reminded me of cheez-its, their flavor was leaps and bounds better than anything that ever came from a box.  They're almost like a savory shortbread cookie - so buttery and light.  I used cheddar this go-round, but my all time favorite cheese is Gruyere so that's next on the agenda.



One of the best things about these crackers is the ease of preparation.  The dough comes together in about 5 minutes in the food processor - seriously. The instructions below have you roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter to cut the crackers, but if you want to make things even easier on yourself, you can shape the dough into logs and turn these into a slice and bake snack (you will need to chill the logs for at least 3 hours, which is longer than the chill period if you make cut-outs, so plan ahead).

I finally finished my Christmas shopping yesterday, but there's still a whole lot of wrapping to do. I'm thinking another batch of these crackers is bound to make that task a whole lot more enjoyable :)

Cheez-It-Ish Crackers
from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
1/4 pound grated cheese (cheddar, Gruyere, and Emmenthal are all good choice)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Add the butter, cheese, salt, and both peppers to the bowl of your food processor.  Pulse until the butter is broken into smaller pieces and the mixture forms small curds.  Add the flour to the food processor and pulse until curds form again (this might take a bit - my dough got very dry and crumbly first but then came together into curds).

Turn the dough onto your work surface and knead briefly to bring it together.  Divide in half, shape each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or up to 3 days).

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

Remove one disk from the fridge and roll it to a scant 1/4-inch thickness between sheets of parchment.  Using a small cookie cutter (about 1-1 1/4-inches) cut rounds from the dough.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet - you don't need to leave much space in between, these don't spread.  (Save the scraps of dough, you can combine them with the scraps from the second disk to roll and cut more crackers.)  

Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the crackers are firm and golden.  Use a spatula to transfer the crackers to a wire rack to cool.

Repeat with the second disk, and then the scraps.  The crackers are good warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container (they'll be good for at least 4 days).

Gingerbread-Maple Moon Pies

Ever since I made homemade moon pies over the summer, I've been itching to whip up a second batch. We left for vacation the day after I baked them the first time, so I didn't really have a chance to enjoy the fruits of my labor. Rather than get started on my holiday baking early this week so I could avoid the usual last-minute madness (when will I learn?), I decided it would be a good time to attempt the moon pies again. I was perfectly content to make the same recipe and fully intended to so, until I came across this seasonal variation: gingerbread-maple moon pies!

Gingerbread graham crackers with molasses maple marshmallow filling and a dark chocolate glaze.

I know, right?



Don't be intimidated by the various components involved in this recipe. Each of them is relatively simple and if you plan ahead, you can multitask and work on them in concert to speed things along. I do highly recommend reading the entire recipe before you get started - I say that only because I rarely (if ever) do, and I hate when it comes back to bite me. There is some hands-off time in the recipe for chilling/setting up, and I think it helps here to have a sense of the timing before you dive in.

The graham cracker cookies include whole wheat flour, honey, molasses and warm spices giving them a lot of flavor. They're also pretty sturdy too, which is handy when it comes time to sandwich them with the marshmallow filling and dip them in the chocolate. As for the filling, it's a fun spin on plain marshmallows that incorporates molasses, dark brown sugar and maple extract (I substituted maple syrup because I can't find maple extract in any of my local grocery stores), and though the flavors are subtle, they complement the graham cracker cookies perfectly.  In the past when I've posted things that are dipped in chocolate, I've had a lot of people ask how I get the chocolate so smooth.  I don't really have any secret tricks - I usually just place a fork underneath whatever I'm dipping, and use that to lift it out, letting the excess drip off.  The underside (where the fork was) won't be as pretty, but the top comes out perfectly!  I also reheat the glaze as necessary to make sure it's fluid - when it gets too firm, the excess won't flow off as nicely and your coating won't be as smooth.

If you find yourself with a little bit of extra time after Christmas is over, you have to give these a try! Whether you make the original or this variation, homemade moon pies are delicious, and just plain fun with a serious nostalgia factor at play :)



Gingerbread-Maple Moon Pies
from Gingerbread by Jennifer McGlinn

Gingerbread Graham Crackers
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Molasses Maple Marshmallow Filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons water, divided
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (a little less than 1 envelope)
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 maple extract

Dark Chocolate Glaze
12 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil

To make the graham crackers: Add the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat briefly to combine.  With the mixer on medium-low, add the butter one piece at a time.  Once you've added it all, increase the speed of the mixer to medium, and beat until the texture of the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  In a measuring cup whisk together the honey, molasses, milk and vanilla then add it to the mixer, and beat just until the dough comes together (mine was sort of crumbly, but it turned out fine).

Turn the dough onto your work surface and shape into a disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/8-inch.  Using a 2 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut rounds from the dough and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.  Reroll the scraps and repeat.  Use a fork to dock the graham crackers (poke holes in them).

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and firm.  Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks, and let the crackers cool for about 2 minutes before removing them to the rack to cool completely.  (At this point you can store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.)

To make the marshmallow filling: In a medium saucepan, combine both sugars, 3 tablespoons of the water, the corn syrup, and molasses.  Set over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Continue cooking, without stirring, until the mixture registers 238 F on a candy thermometer, about 7-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of water to a small bowl.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and set aside to allow the gelatin to soften.  Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  (Try to time it so the sugar  and meringue are ready at the same time - if the meringue is ready first, set the mixer on the lowest speed and continue beating until the sugar gets up to temperature.)

When the sugar hits 238 F, turn off the heat under the pan and immediately add the softened gelatin.  Stir to combine.  With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour the sugar down the side of the bowl into the mixer in a steady stream.  Add the vanilla and maple extracts then increase the mixer to high, and beat until the marshmallow is thick and the outside of the mixer bowl is cool to the touch.

Match the graham crackers in pairs by size.  Pipe 1-2 tablespoons of the marshmallow filling onto the bottom of one cracker in each pair.  Top with the other cracker, and gently press to sandwich, until the marshmallow filling is spread to the edges.  Repeat with all pairs.  Set aside for about 2 hours to allow the marshmallow to set.

To make the glaze: Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl.  Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring in between each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Stir in the vegetable oil.  Set the moon pies on a wire rack with a piece of wax paper underneath.  One at a time, add a moon pie to the chocolate and turn to coat completely.  Use a fork, lift the moon pie out of the chocolate, allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl.  Set the glazed moon pie back on the wire rack.  Let the glaze set for about 1 hour.

Store the moon pies in an airtight container between sheets of parchment or waxed paper for up to 1 week.

Makes 16-18 moon pies