Baking

The mint element of these brownies is incorporated differently from the way the peanut butter was in the previous recipe. Mint extract is added to the base brownie batter and then an additional mint cream layer is made, using a batter similar to cheesecake. The cream cheese layer requires the brownies to be cooked for longer at a lower temperature. The resulting dessert has a rich texture but a somewhat less intense chocolate flavor than the other brownie recipes. The sour tang of the cream cheese also tempers the sweetness of this treat.

At the risk of offending traditional pastry chefs, I’ll admit that I’m actually a big fan of boxed brownie mixes. They’re always easy to make, and since the brownie is such a basic dessert, there’s often no need to get fancy. However, if you do have a little extra time, making them from scratch with good-quality bittersweet chocolate really elevates the flavor and texture, taking them from an after-school snack to a decadent dessert.

This is another great example of turning the flavors you like from a raditional dessert into a more modern form. Imagine the elements of tiramisù—ladyfingers, ricotta pastry cream, cinnamon, and coffee liqueur—and figure out the components of a cupcake that will best match up with those flavors. Then, voilà!, you have a new kind of cupcake. We assemble this cupcake without alcohol, but feel free to substitute Kahlúa or another coffee liqueur for the espresso (or in addition to the espresso) to give this dessert an extra punch.

This blueberry cake is a great alternative to classic cheesecake, especially in the summer, because it tastes less heavy. The Cream Cheese Icing makes this version of the cake less sweet than a typical vanilla cake. The graham cracker crumbs around the sides of the iced cake add a decorative touch, while completing the flavor and texture combination that brings cheesecake to mind. For an added element, try substituting Citrus Cream Cheese Icing (page 146) for the traditional icing.

Peanut Butter and Jelly is by far one of our most-asked-for cupcake flavors at the bakery. The Peanut Butter Icing is fairly thick, and it has a rich, intense peanut butter flavor, so a slightly tart jelly, such as raspberry, helps cut the richness. The composition is reminiscent of childhood’s favorite sandwich, but it has a sweeter edge to it. The Peanut Butter Icing also tastes great with Devil’s Food Cake (page 98) or as a filling for Sandwich Cookies (page 58).

Fresh strawberries add an element of tartness to the simple Vanilla Cake. The thin layers of strawberry jam inside the cake further enhance that flavor. At Tribeca Treats we typically offer this cake only when strawberries are at the height of flavor, making it a mouthwatering cake for a summer birthday celebration.

This is a traditional yellow cake. Pair it with Vanilla Icing (page 136), and that’s about as basic as you can get, but you’ll be surprised at what a buttery vanilla flavor it packs. For that reason, the Vanilla Cake/Icing combo is a favorite among both kids and adults. This cake is also a classic match for the Chocolate Icing (page 148), as well as for bolder variations, such as in the following recipes in this chapter.

The homemade version of the Girl Scouts’ Thin Mints cookies. Need I say more?

Like the Devil’s Food Cake recipe, this recipe is oil based, so it can easily be mixed by hand. Cake flour is used here, but not all grocery stores carry it. If necessary, you can substitute all-purpose flour—just use 1/4 cup less and be very careful not to overmix the batter. Also, you’ll notice that this is a raisinless carrot cake; that’s a personal preference. If you want to add raisins to yours, go ahead and add 1 cup. You can also omit the pecans, particularly if nut allergies are a concern.

Although you can use any of your favorite ice creams with the Chocolate, Vanilla, or Graham Cracker Cookie doughs, the Chocolate Cookie Dough pairs best with the widest variety of ice cream flavors.

These cupcakes have a lighter consistency than the other cakes in this chapter. Whereas the other cakes could almost double as bread, there’s no mistaking these as cake. Citrus Cream Cheese Icing (page 146) and the “Sassy” Cinnamon variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136) are scrumptious toppings. Use the cream cheese combination for a brunch dessert or the sweeter cinnamon icing to dress them up for an autumn evening. The brown sugar and mix of spices in the batter augment the woodsy sweetness of the pecans. For a slight variation, peel and dice a sweet apple and add it to the batter before baking.

We serve this seasonal cake from October through December, but it’s so good that people ask for it all year-round. I especially love it with the “Sassy” Cinnamon variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136), though Cream Cheese Icing (page 144) and the Cinnamon variation on the Cream Cheese Icing (page 144) are good matches as well. Pumpkin Cake or cupcakes are a great dessert to contribute to Thanksgiving dinner, and are often a welcome variation to all the pies.

This cake is a less dense version of banana bread, so it can be served in many ways. At Tribeca Treats we typically serve it with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing (page 150), but it also tastes great with Cream Cheese Icing (page 144), the “Sassy” Cinnamon variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136), or even consider baking it in a loaf pan, cutting off a slice, and serving it alongside chocolate mousse or whipped cream and fresh berries. The key to this recipe is to use overripe bananas. Typically, the browner the peel, the sweeter the banana has become. Since bananas are usually on the greener side in the grocery store, plan on buying them several days in advance of when you’ll be making the cake. Keeping them in a closed paper bag at room temperature will speed the ripening process.

These Sandwich Cookies are one of our signature items at Tribeca Treats. They are like homemade Oreos, but the fresh-baked cookies and the buttercream filling make them a richer, more delectable version. These cookies are also delicious when made with the Vanilla Cookie Dough (page 41) or Graham Cracker Dough (page 86) and using a variety of fillings, including vanilla buttercream, chocolate ganache, cinnamon cream cheese, marshmallow icing, peanut butter icing, and caramel. Use your imagination to mix and match and create a wide variety of cookies.

This fondue recipe is more of an accessory to than variation on the Chocolate Cookie Dough, but it makes a fun and unique addition to many desserts, especially chocolate cookies. Served with the cookies and a variety of fresh fruits, this chocolate fondue can make a conversation-starting dessert “station” for cocktail parties or a romantic treat after a dinner for two. This accessory also goes well as a sauce for ice cream or poured over a slice of Rich Chocolate Ganache Cake (page 111).

Royal icing is a sugar-and-egg-white-based frosting that fully hardens, making it a favorite icing for cookie decorating. Its pure white color also makes it easy to mix vibrant colors. Because the eggs aren’t cooked, this recipe calls for pasteurized egg whites, which can be found in most grocery stores, but separated egg whites may be used as well. Alternatively, many specialty cake supply stores sell meringue powder or royal icing powder (see Resources, page 190) to which you need only add water (and sometimes confectioners’ sugar) to mix it. Frosting cookies with royal icing is somewhat difficult and takes practice to do really well, but once you’ve mastered it, it will take your holiday and special events cookies to a whole new level (see For Royal Icing Cookies, page 12).

This is one of my favorite recipes for summer entertaining, and it works well for both casual and more formal events. These desserts can be set out on a tray at a backyard barbecue or passed with champagne at a swankier affair. The cookies are baked in a mini muffin pan in order to give them the shape of a small tartlet crust. Topping them with fresh whipped cream and macerated strawberries (strawberries that have been softened by soaking them in liquid) makes them a more unique option than traditional cookies, but they require minimal extra effort. Balsamic vinegar is a classic pairing with strawberries because the particularly sweet vinegar balances the sweet-tart flavor in the berries and brings out a more intense berry flavor.

Sprinkled sugar cookies are the easiest way to make a festive, special cookie in a variety of fun shapes. Making them is an easy activity to involve your kids in (especially younger ones). The cookies are a delicious, personalized gift for grandparents, teachers, or friends. You can stick with one shape of cookie cutter and one color of sprinkles, or you can mix and match for endless variations of this tasty treat.

This is one of the best cookie doughs to keep on hand in your freezer, especially if you have kids. Whether you are in need of a rainy day activity or a last-minute gift, pulling this dough out of the refrigerator or freezer, prerolled, gives you a solution at your fingertips. The only effort you will need to make depends on how you choose to decorate the cookies. Because this is such a simple cookie, imperfections in the dough will be hard to hide. For that reason, it is especially important to beat the butter and brown sugar until they are completely smooth. Any lumps of either ingredient will cause noticeable imperfections in the baked cookie and make the cookie more difficult to decorate.

With its rich dark chocolate flavor and smooth, glossy ganache filling, this cookie easily transcends the basic cookie plate to more formal occasions. A dark chocolate amaretto ganache fills the center, but this recipe can also be made with espresso in the cookie and ganache, instead of amaretto, or you can try it with other liqueurs or flavorings. Please note that the addition of the liqueur or espresso to this dough makes it much softer than the other thumbprint varieties, so the recipe requires a couple additional steps in order for the thumbprints to hold their shape.