Cinnamon-coated graham crackers

These are beyond adorable, more spectacular than any graham cracker you have ever tasted from a box, and such an unexpected gift. We made up generous gift bags but had to gift some back to the cook for snacking—we just couldn’t part with them. Give these to friends and family who have children, as the recipe card tells you how to turn these crackers into an ooey-gooey delectable treat of s’mores. And you don’t need a campfire to make them.

YIELD

Makes forty (2-inch square) graham crackers

INGREDIENTS:

11⁄2 cups graham flour, plus more for dusting
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
3⁄4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1⁄3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1⁄4 cup honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon-sugar Topping
1⁄4 cup turbinado sugar
11⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Implements
Measuring Cups and Spoons, Medium Bowl, Flour Sifter, Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment or Hand Mixer, Rubber Spatula, Small Bowl, Rolling Pin, Ruler, Dinner Knife, Fluted Pastry Cutter or Paring Knife, Toothpick or Wooden Skewer, Two Large Rimmed Baking Sheets, Parchment Paper or Nonstick Baking Liners, Cooling Rack

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 14 minutes |

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large bowl, sift together the graham flour, all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, and egg on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the honey and vanilla and beat until smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl once with a rubber spatula.

With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted ingredients in 2 batches, beating after each addition until the flour disappears. Do not overmix. The dough should hold together and feel manageable for rolling.

Press the dough into a flat disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, make the cinnamon-sugar topping. In a small bowl, combine the turbinado sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Position one rack in the center of the oven and another rack in the lower third of the oven. Pre- heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners, or use nonstick baking sheets.

Transfer the dough to a work surface liberally dusted with graham flour. Dust the top of the dough with graham flour. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into an 1/8- inch- thick rectangle. Use a ruler to measure and a dinner knife to lightly mark 2-inch squares. Using a fluted pastry cutter or paring knife, cut out the squares and transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing the crackers 1 inch apart. Place the pan of crackers in the refrigerator while you roll the remaining crackers. Gather up the dough scraps, lightly dust with graham flour, and cut out crackers until all the dough is used. Using the blunt side of a toothpick or wooden skewer, prick each cracker to form a 3 by 3 grid of evenly spaced holes (9 holes total). Using your fingers, sprinkle each cracker generously with the cinnamon-sugar topping.

Bake the crackers until firm and nicely browned, about 14 minutes. Switch the pans between the racks at the midpoint of baking if the crackers appear to be baking unevenly. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
Storing: Layer the graham crackers in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper. Store at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

Gift Giving Tips: Wrap the crackers in attractive tins or laminated gift boxes lined with decorative waxed paper. To turn this into a gift basket, consider including marshmallows, 2 bars of semisweet or dark chocolate, a jar of rich- tasting chocolate sauce, and the following recipe for s’mores.

Homemade vanilla

Anyone who loves to bake will treasure this present, and you don’t even have to bake to make these gifts! There’s nothing to it: Select attractive glass bottles; buy plump vanilla beans, rum, and vodka; slit the beans and fit them into the bottles; pour the liquor over the top; and seal. Either make the vanilla and store it for months or give it freshly made and let the recipient watch it turn from light amber to a deep, luscious brown. It’s an especially treasured gift because it keeps on giving—just replenish the amount in the bottle by adding vodka to re-cover the beans.

YIELD

Makes three (7- to 8-ounce) bottles of vanilla extract

INGREDIENTS:

9 whole vanilla beans
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 (750-milliliter) bottle premium vodka

Prep Time: 20 minutes / Infusing Time: 7 months

Implements
Three (7- to 8-Ounce) Glass Bottles with a Screw Top or Hinge Cap, Paring Knife, Cutting Board, Measuring Spoon, Narrow-Neck Funnel

INSTRUCTIONS:

Wash the bottles, including the lids, in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Alternatively, run the bottles through the regular cycle of your dishwasher; wash the lids by hand.

Using a sharp paring knife, carefully slit the vanilla beans lengthwise to expose the seeds, without cutting the bean in half. Fit 3 vanilla beans into each bottle.

Using a narrow-neck funnel, pour 1 teaspoon of rum into each bottle. Add enough vodka to cover the beans completely, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, secure the lids, and label.

Storing

Store the bottles in a cool, dark place, gently shaking the bottles once a week. The vanilla is ready to use 7 months from the date it was made.

Gift-Giving Tips
Tie each bottle with raffia or ribbon and attach a gift card. To turn this into a gift basket, add the recipe that follows for crème brûlée, a half-dozen fresh eggs from the farmers’ market, some organic heavy cream, and, if desired, 6 traditional white porcelain crème brûlée dishes. You could even add a chef’s torch!

Gift Card
This homemade Seven-Month Vanilla Extract was bottled on [give date] and can be enjoyed for up to 7 years—just replenish the used portion by adding vodka to cover the beans.

Recipe Card
Crème Brûlée
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Set six (6-ounce) ramekins in a roasting pan. Bring 3 cups heavy cream to a boil. Set aside. Whisk together 6 large egg yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 t. vanilla extract, and 3/4 t. salt. Slowly add the cream and whisk until smooth. Strain the mixture into a 4-cup glass measuring cup or bowl. Fill the ramekins. Place in the oven, and pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides. Bake until the centers are set, 30 to 35 minutes. Lift from the water and cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate. Sprinkle 1 T. of sugar evenly over each custard. Broil until the sugar bubbles and turns caramel color. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

New potatoes tossed with extra-virgin olive oil and fleur de sel

YIELD

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 to 1 1/4 pounds new red potatoes halved
2 tablespoons Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Fleur de sel for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on medium-high.

Poke the potato halves once with the tines of a fork. Place the potatoes in a bowl and toss them with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season lightly with kosher salt and pepper.

To create a cool zone, bank the coals to one side of the grill or turn off one of the burners. Oil the grill grate. Arrange the potatoes, cut side down, directly over the medium-hot fire, cover, and grill until dark brown grill marks appear, about 4 minutes. Turn cut side up, re-cover, and grill for 4 minutes longer. Move the potatoes to the cooler part of the grill, cover, and grill until tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes longer.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and toss. Serve immediately, or keep warm until ready to serve.

Limoncello

The saying goes, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” We say, “When you are handed lemons, make limoncello and lemonade.” It takes 15 lemons to make limoncello, and since only the peel is used, that leaves all the fruit to juice for a refreshingly large pitcher of homemade lemonade—that’s the beauty of making limoncello in the summer! In addition, since it takes 40 to 80 days for the mixture to infuse, if you make it over the summer you’ll have bottles of limoncello ready for holiday gift giving. Use the freshest, most blemish-free, most fully ripe lemons you can find. In addition, buy organic ones if possible. Since the limoncello is made from the lemon peel, you want to make sure they haven’t been coated or sprayed with pesticides.

YIELD

Makes four (1-liter) bottles of limoncello

INGREDIENTS:

15 organic lemons
2 (750-milliliter) bottles 151- or 190-proof grain alcohol, such as Everclear
4 cups granulated sugar
9 1/2 cups water

INSTRUCTIONS:

Implements

1-gallon glass Jar, vegetable Peeler, Long Wooden Spoon, Measuring Cups, Large Saucepan, Four (1-Liter) glass Bottles, Fine-Mesh Strainer or Coffee Filter, Large Bowl, Narrow-Neck Funnel, Ladle

Wash a 1-gallon glass jar and lid in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Alternatively, run the jar and lid through the regular cycle of your dishwasher.

Scrub the lemons in warm water and pat dry. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from each lemon in wide strips. Be careful not to remove the white pith, which will impart a bitter flavor to the limoncello.

Place the lemon peels in the prepared jar. Pour in 1 bottle of the alcohol, and push down the lemon peels with a wooden spoon to completely submerge them in the liquid. Tightly secure the lid, and set the jar in a cool, dark place to steep. Stirring is not necessary.

After 20 or 40 days, add the second bottle of alcohol to the mixture. Place the sugar and 7 1/2 cups of the water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Decrease to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to ensure that all the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool.

When the sugar syrup is completely cool, add it to the lemon and alcohol mixture in the jar. Tightly secure the lid, and return the jar to a cool, dark place to steep for an additional 20 to 40 days. Over time, the liquid will absorb the flavor from the lemon peels and turn bright yellow in color.

To bottle, first wash the bottles in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Alternatively, run the bottles through the regular cycle of your dishwasher.

Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, or coffee filter set in a strainer, into a large bowl. Add 12/3 cups of water to the limencello if you used 151-proof grain alcohol; add 2 cups of water if you used 190-proof. (Note: The addition of the water will turn the liquid cloudy and pale yellow in color. This is the desired outcome.) Let it rest for a moment so that any remaining sediment will fall to the bottom of the bowl.

Using a narrow-neck funnel, ladle the limoncello into the prepared bottles, leaving 1 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and label.

White chocolate dipped pretzel logs

Turn pretzel rods into magical, brightly coated Christmas delights by first dipping them in white chocolate and then picking your favorite holiday sprinkles to decorate. I like to use nonpareils, the tiny sugar balls that commonly come in white, but at Christmastime are packaged as a combination of red, green, and white. This is another fun cooking project with kids and a delightful gift to give to children. Long, clear cellophane bags work best for wrapping these pretzel logs.

YIELD

Makes 12 pretzels

INGREDIENTS:

4 ounces white baking chocolate chopped
12 pretzel rods
1/3 to 1/2 cup Christmas sprinkles (mixed red, green, and white nonpareils)

INSTRUCTIONS:

To melt the chocolate, place 3/4 of the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove the top of the double boiler or the bowl and wipe the bottom to prevent any water from coming in contact with the chocolate. Stir in the remaining chocolate. Continue to stir until all the chocolate is melted.

Have ready a rimmed baking sheet lined with waxed paper or use parchment paper. (Do not spray the paper with cooking spray.) Dip the top half of each pretzel in the melted chocolate and allow the excess to drip back into the pan. You can also use the back of a spoon to remove the excess. Place the pretzel on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to dip all the pretzels. Allow the chocolate dipped pretzels to cool and set slightly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the chocolate-covered halves with the sprinkles, turning to coat all sides.

Refrigerate until the chocolate is hardened, about 20 minutes. The pretzels will release from the paper once dry. (The dipped pretzels can be made up to 1 week ahead. Store the pretzels without touching in a flat airtight container between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)

Shortbread stars

I find these cookies impossible to resist. Buttery shortbread with a tender crumb is cut into eye-catching shapes—stars are my favorite. Make all the cookies a uniform size, or vary the size of the stars and have a plateful of big stars and tiny ones. Any fun cookie cutter will work. One year I even made these in the shape of dog bones. You can also add sweet spices, nuts, or even finely ground espresso beans to enhance the flavor of the cookies. For example, add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the flour for a cinnamony shortbread, or substitute 1/4 cup finely ground pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts for 1/4 cup of the flour. Or, for a deliciously intense espresso shortbread, substitute 1/4 cup extra finely ground espresso-roast coffee for 1/4 cup of the flour. It’s time to put on your baking apron and play.

YIELD

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen shortbreads

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature for 30 minutes, cut into small cubes
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, add the salt and flour, and mix just until the flour disappears, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl once with a rubber spatula. Do not over mix. The dough should look dry. Form the dough into a disk about 3/4 inches thick and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners, or use nonstick sheets. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Using a star cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as possible. (I have a nesting set of star cutters and make star cookies in various sizes.) Place the cookies close together but not touching (the cookies do not spread) on the prepared baking sheets. Gather up the dough scraps, lightly dust with flour and sugar if needed, reroll the dough, and cut out cookies until all the dough is used. Refrigerate the baking sheets for 1 hour.

Position one rack in the center and another rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Bake the cookies until firm but not brown, 25 to 30 minutes, switching the pans between the racks and rotating them 180 degrees at the midpoint if the cookies appear to be baking unevenly. The cookies should be lightly golden on the bottom but not have any browning at the edges. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.

Store the cookies in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature. The cookies can be frozen up to 1 month.

Roasted white chocolate dipped apples

After a lengthy conversation about making truffles with Portland-based chocolatier David Briggs of Xocolatl de Davíd, he mentioned roasting white chocolate until it turned a luscious caramel color and using it as the center for truffles. I was intrigued; more precisely, I became obsessed. I’m not sure I have ever tested and re-tested a technique and recipe as much as this one, but the results are spectacular. Once I mastered the roasting technique, I played in the kitchen thinking up all sorts of ways to use the chocolate—and dipping apples came to mind. Step aside, caramel-coated apples—there is a new decadent treat in town. Use high quality white chocolate; in my experience, this recipe works best with Valrhona Blanc 35%. As the chocolate roasts, it will look grainy and even clump, but with frequent stirring it smoothes out until it is silky and creamy—the texture is simply incomparable. Once the apples are coated and placed in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to set, the coating will turn whitish and then after about twenty-four hours it turns back to the original rich caramel color.

YIELD

Makes 6 large or 8 medium-size chocolate-covered apples

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8.82 ounce) bar Valrhona white chocolate (Blanc 35%)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 large or 8 medium-sized firm, very crisp apples such as Braeburn, Gala, or Golden Delicious, at room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS:

Implements
Shallow 2-Quart Baking Dish, Kitchen Timer, Silicone Spatula, Measuring Spoons, Sturdy Rimmed Baking Sheet, 6 to 8 (4 1/2-inch-by-3/8-inch) Wooden Popsicle Sticks, Parchment Paper

Instructions
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 250°F. (Use an oven thermometer, if necessary, to make sure your oven is calibrated accurately.) Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in an even layer in a glass or ceramic baking dish.
2. Bake the chocolate for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, stirring thoroughly every 10 minutes, until the chocolate is the color of peanut butter and has a nutty flavor. (Be sure to set a timer; it is critical to stir the chocolate every 10 minutes as the bottom is what begins to brown first. I like to set a second timer for 90 minutes to help me keep track of the overall baking time.)
3. Set the baking pan on a hot pad or cotton towel. Add the salt to the chocolate and continue to stir until it loosens up and becomes a silky consistency, about 5 minutes.
4. Twist to remove the stems from the apples and insert a popsicle stick into the top of the apple. Have ready a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Working with one apple at a time, set the apple in the baking dish and, with the aid of a soup spoon, pour the melted chocolate over the apple, coating it completely. Lift the apple up and let the excess chocolate drip back into the pan. Transfer the coated apple to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to coat all the apples.
6. Refrigerate the apples until the chocolate is set and completely hardened, 24 hours.

Storing
Refrigerate up to 10 days.

Gift-Giving Tips
Cut clear cellophane wrap into 13-inch squares. Set the apple in the center of the cellophane square, gather up the sides and secure at the top with raffia or ribbon. Attach a gift card.

Gift Card
This handcrafted Roasted White Chocolate Dipped Apple was made on (give date) and can be enjoyed for up to 1 week.

PMS espresso-chocolate-walnut brownies

Light, gooey, and very chocolaty, with just the right amount of buzz to counter a monthly mood attack. On the bodacious brownie scale, a 10!

YIELD

Makes 64 bite-sized brownies

INGREDIENTS:

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
3/4 cup walnuts chopped
1 cup cake flour, or 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons espresso beans finely ground
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil; then spray the foil with cooking spray.

Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder into a small bowl. Stir in the ground espresso and set aside.

Fill a medium saucepan one-third full with water and bring to a simmer. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl and set over the simmering water. Turn the heat to low. Melt the chocolate and butter, stirring frequently, until completely smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture just until the flour is absorbed. Stir in the nuts.

Pour the batter evenly into the pan. Bake until a crust forms on top and the center is still somewhat gooey, but not Baywatch jiggly, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pan set on a rack. Refrigerate 2 hours. Cut into 1-inch squares to serve.

COOKS NOTES

Keep those extra brownies in the freezer. As the crabby mood kicks in, pop one of these trufflelike gems. Better than Motrin, and twice the fun.