Baking on a Snow Day

We are all home again, no school and 1/4 inch of snow. Who decides these things. As usual the whole neighborhood came over to my house after trying to sled in 1/4 inch of snow, which by the way does not work. First thing we made Nestle Mexican Hot Chocolate which is really good. It has cinnamon in it and is really chocolaty.

Then came the brownies. My pesonal all time favorite brownies come from Ruth Riechl's book, Tender at the Bone. The brownies are called Artpark brownies. They are perfect. Waffer top chewy and fundgy and in the middle. You have to folow the recipe exactly to get the right results.

Artpark Brownies

2/3 C butter
5 oz unsweetend, best-quality chocolate
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 C sugar
1 C sifted flour

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F
Butter and flour a baking tray (9 inch square is ideal)
Melt butter and chocolate in double boiler
When melted, add vanilla
Beat eggs and salt in mixer. Add sugar and beat on high for around 10 minutes (or until mixture is quite white)
Add chocolate mixture to egg mixture, beating on low until just mixed.
Add flour and combine quickly until no white streaks remain.
Place batter in pan.
Put pan in over and immediately turn temperature down to 350 degrees.
Bake for about 40 minutes - the brownies will be quite fudgy so even a toothpick test when the brownies are done should come out not-quite-clean.

After that Miranda and I still had the baking bug and made some Valentine Cup cakes. My mon had given me a decorating kit from King Arthurs Flour and we used the topings and paper cups and made some Orange Chocolate chip Muffins with Vanilla Cream Cheese icing. Miranda decorated.

Orange Chocolate Muffins from Epicurious.com

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

Finely grated zest of 1 navel orange

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup whole milk

1 1/4 cups semisweet mini chocolate chips (7 1/2 oz)

1 /4 cup heavy cream
Special equipment: a muffin tin with 12 (1/2 up) muffin cups, plus paper liners

PreparationPreheat oven to 350°F. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then beat in egg, zest, and vanilla.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and mix into butter mixture at low speed, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Fold in 1/2 cup chips and divide batter among lined muffin cups.
Bake in middle of oven until pale golden and a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn cupcakes out onto a rack to cool completely.
Bring cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan and add remaining 3/4 cup chips, whisking until smooth. Spread frosting on cupcakes.