RECIPES
Homemade Caramel Apple Cider Syrup
This delectable homemade syrup is simple to make (no candy thermometer needed), but the result is complex and elegant with flavors of apple and sweet buttery caramel. Drizzle it over ice cream, baked apples, yogurt, or on the whipped cream sitting atop a slice of your favorite pie. To make Clare’s Caramel Apple Latte, simply add a few tablespoons of this syrup to the bottom of a cup. Stir in a fresh shot of espresso (or extra-strong coffee) and pour on steamed milk. Or use the syrup to make a Caramel Apple “Steamer” by mixing this syrup with warm milk alone. Just keep in mind that this syrup should be stored in the fridge, and it will firm up. To use, simply reheat in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Or, if storing in a chef-style squeeze bottle, warm the bottle in a hot water bath. Then drizzle with caramel apple joy!
Makes about 1 cup
1 cup apple cider
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup heavy cream
⅛ teaspoon salt
Place the apple cider in a saucepan and boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the cider is reduced to ¼ cup—it should take 10 to 15 minutes. Now stir in remaining ingredients and bring everything to a rolling, frothy boil, stirring frequently, for 7 to 9 minutes (do not undercook). Syrup is done when it thickly coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken up more as it cools. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely before pouring into an airtight container or plastic squeeze bottle and storing in the refrigerator. Once chilled, syrup will firm up. To use right out of the fridge, reheat in your microwave for about 15 seconds. Or set the container in a hot water bath, stirring the syrup as it warms.
Cooking tip: Chefs say stirring in a continuous circle is not the best way to mix ingredients. Instead, stir in a figure eight, an S-shape, and a circle. In other words, vary the way you stir the pot to make sure the ingredients are blended well.
Dark Chocolate Syrup for Coffee, Cocoa, or Ice Cream Topping
The deep, dark chocolate flavor of this syrup makes it a rich, sophisticated topping for ice cream or as a base for cocoa or coffee drinks. The Village Blend uses it to make its Koko-Mocha Latte, a drink Clare whipped up for Nancy the night of the Gun Girl incident. To make your own Koko-Mocha Latte, place a few tablespoons of this syrup at the bottom of a mug, stir in a fresh shot of espresso (or strong coffee), and add steamed coconut milk. It’s also fantastic served warm over ice cream. Or simply mix it with warm milk for a hot chocolate treat.
Makes about 2 cups
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, sifted
⅛ teaspoon salt (standard table salt or finely ground sea salt)
1¼ cups water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Step 1—In a bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt (but not the vanilla). Add the water and whisk well until thoroughly blended. Pour into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir frequently until the mixture comes to a rolling boil; continue stirring and boiling the mixture for a full 7 minutes. (You’re watching for the syrup to reduce and thicken. It will also darken.) If the mixture threatens to boil over, just reduce the heat and keep stirring.
Step 2—After 7 full minutes, remove from heat. Allow to cool a minute and stir in vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and place in refrigerator. When completely chilled, remove any skin from the top, and store the finished syrup in the fridge in an airtight container or plastic squeeze bottle. Once chilled, syrup will firm up. To use right out of the fridge, reheat in your microwave for about 15 seconds. Or set the container in a hot water bath, stirring the syrup as it warms.
Homemade Caramel Syrup
This easy, foolproof caramel syrup can be made on your stovetop without any special equipment (no candy thermometer needed). It has a lovely, buttery sweet flavor and can be used to flavor your coffee drinks. To make a Caramel Latte, simply add a few tablespoons of this syrup to the bottom of a cup. Stir in a fresh shot of espresso (or extra-strong coffee) and pour on steamed milk. Or mix the syrup with hot milk alone for a Caramel “Steamer.” Try it drizzled over ice cream, baked apples, grilled peaches, yogurt, or on the whipped cream dolloped atop a slice of your favorite pie. Just keep in mind that this syrup should be stored in the fridge, and it will firm up. To use, simply reheat in your microwave for about 15 seconds. Or, if storing in a chef-style squeeze bottle, warm the bottle in a hot water bath.
Makes about 2 cups
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
1 cup light corn syrup
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ teaspoon salt, preferably finely ground sea salt
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a nonstick pan, combine the cream, whole milk, corn syrup, sugars, and salt. Stir over medium heat until smooth and blended. Bring to a rolling boil and maintain for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep stirring (do not let it burn). After 10 minutes, stir in butter and continue heating and stirring for another 3 minutes until butter is completely melted. Remove from heat. Let stand a minute, then stir in the vanilla. Serve warm in your latte or try drizzling over ice cream, baked apples, or pie. Let syrup come to room temperature before pouring into an airtight container or plastic squeeze bottle and storing in the refrigerator. Once chilled, syrup will firm up. To use right out of the fridge, reheat in your microwave for about 15 seconds. Or set the container in a hot water bath, stirring the syrup as it warms.
Chocolate-Caramel Syrup
This combination of caramel and chocolate flavor is fantastic drizzled over ice cream. Try it stirred into warm milk for an outstanding twist on hot chocolate. Or follow the Village Blend’s example and use it to create unique coffee drinks like their popular new Turtle Latte. To make the drink, add a few tablespoons of this syrup to the bottom of a mug. Stir in a fresh shot of espresso (or extra-strong coffee) and pour on steamed milk (dairy or nut milk). Top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of finely chopped pecans.
Makes about 2 cups
Use all of the ingredients in the Caramel Syrup recipe (before this one), plus:
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
Step 1—Follow the directions for previous caramel syrup recipe. When caramel syrup has finished simmering and the recipe asks you to add butter, increase the amount by 2 tablespoons—for a total of 4 tablespoons added to caramel syrup mixture. Stir until butter is melted and then stir in the sifted unsweetened cocoa powder. (Make sure cocoa is sifted or you’ll be battling lumps.)
Step 2—Remove chocolate-caramel sauce from heat and stir in ¼ teaspoon vanilla—as per previous caramel syrup recipe. If your hot sauce is still lumpy, transfer to heatproof mixing bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Let sauce cool to room temperature before pouring into an airtight container or plastic squeeze bottle and storing in the fridge. Once chilled, the sauce will firm up. To use right out of the fridge, reheat in your microwave for about 15 seconds. Or set the container in a hot water bath, stirring the syrup as it warms.
Amish Cinnamon-Apple Bread
Growing up in a humble household in Pennsylvania, Clare learned the value of hard work and simple pleasures, including the comfort of baking, cooking, and sharing joy through food—ideas the Amish also value. No wonder “friendship bread” is an Amish tradition. While this recipe is not the classic yeast-based version of that bread, it is adapted from a recipe that originated in Amish country, and it gives Clare joy to share it with you. Some versions of this bread add apples in chunks. Clare’s adaptation shreds the apples to promote better texture and includes applesauce for moistness and even more apple flavor. Take note also of her suggestion to use Vietnamese (aka Saigon) cinnamon, which will give your bread an especially beautiful flavor and aroma. This bread is a delight to toast for breakfast; try it slathered with butter. Or enjoy it in the afternoon with a warm cup of coffee and the warmth of good friends.
Makes 1 loaf
1½ cups shredded apples (2 large Golden Delicious apples, see end note*)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten with fork
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground Vietnamese cinnamon (see end note**)
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt (standard table salt)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour, spoon into cup and level off
Cinnamon sugar topping (1 tablespoon sugar mixed with ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
Step 1—Prep oven and pan: First, preheat oven to 350°F. Also, prepare a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan by lightly greasing the bottom and sides with oil. Using parchment paper, create a sling. Cover the bottom of the pan with the paper and allow excess paper to drape over the two long sides (the grease in the pan will act as glue). This sling will help you easily remove the baked bread from the pan.
Step 2—Make batter: Peel the apples. Using a boxed grater, shred the fruit by hand into a bowl (discard core and seeds) and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar. Add the brown sugar, applesauce, beaten eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and blend well. With the mixer on low, mix in the flour until completely incorporated. Finally, measure out 1½ cups of your shredded apple, lightly packing the shredded fruit into the measuring cup and including any liquid. Fold it into the batter.
Step 3—Bake: Scrape the batter into your prepared 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and use the back of a spoon to even it out. With clean fingers, evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top. Bake for about 60 minutes. Loaf is done when a toothpick (or long strand of uncooked spaghetti) inserted into the bread’s center comes out with no wet batter clinging to it. Let the loaf cool off for 10 minutes before removing from the pan this way: Run a knife carefully between the bread’s edges and the pan. Then use the “handles” of your parchment paper sling to lift the bread out. Do not slice until the loaf has completely cooled. Hot quick bread crumbles easily. Once it cools, use a serrated knife to gently slice and share with joy! To see a photo of the finished bread, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com, where you can also download a free, illustrated guide to this recipe section.
*Apple note: Clare recommends using the Golden Delicious variety of apple for this recipe (not to be confused with Red Delicious). The Golden Delicious has a rich and mellow sweetness and good texture for baking, especially in this bread.
**Cinnamon note: Clare highly recommends using ground Vietnamese (aka Saigon) cinnamon for this recipe. It has a uniquely powerful flavor and aroma and will disperse more fully through your bread (and your other baked goods) than milder cinnamons. If you use a cinnamon with lesser oomph, consider increasing the amount in the recipe from 1 teaspoon to 1½ or even 2, depending on your taste.
Birthday Cake Biscotti
When she was only twelve years old, Joy Allegro invented a basic “cake mix” biscotti recipe by adding butter, eggs, and flour to a box of cake mix. “What do you think?” she asked her mom. Clare loved the idea and used it for one of her In the Kitchen with Clare columns. In this adaptation, Clare used Funfetti cake mix (with rainbow sprinkles in the mix) to create Italian biscotti with the flavor and appearance of a child’s rainbow-sprinkled birthday cake. To see a photo of these whimsical “Birthday Cake” cookies or get the “from scratch” version of this recipe, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com, where you can also download a free, illustrated guide to this recipe section.
Makes about 20 cookies (each 4 to 5 inches long)
For Biscotti
¼ cup rainbow sprinkles*
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs (1 should be separated, reserve the white)
1 package Funfetti cake mix (see note*)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 cup all-purpose flour (plus a little more for kneading)
For Rainbow Glaze
2 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
10 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Rainbow-colored sprinkles for garnish (about ⅓ cup)
*Note: Funfetti cake mix already includes some sprinkles. This recipe intentionally adds more. If you can’t find Funfetti cake mix, simply use a white cake mix and increase the additional rainbow sprinkles to ½ cup. For a “from scratch” version of this recipe (without cake mix), visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com.
Step 1—Form the dough: First preheat oven to 350°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat your 2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk. (Be sure to reserve the egg white for use later.) Add the cake mix, rainbow sprinkles, vanilla, lemon zest, flour, and finally the melted and cooled butter. Using an electric mixer, beat for a full minute. A soft dough will form. With flour-dusted hands gather the dough pieces together into a ball. On a floured work surface, knead the dough a little, adding extra flour if necessary, until it feels dry and smooth. Roll the dough into a long log about 2 inches wide (exact length of log doesn’t matter). Transfer the log to your prepared baking sheet. Lightly press down on the formed log to flatten out another inch. The log should now be 3 inches wide (again, length doesn’t matter). Generously brush the log’s top and sides with the egg white. The egg white coating will help the biscotti brown and deter crumbling when you slice it later.
Step 2—Bake the log: Bake for about 35 minutes. The log is finished when it is firm to the touch and cracking on the surface, and the middle is completely baked—to test this, insert a toothpick deep into the log’s center. When it comes out free of any traces of wet batter, the log is done. Remove from oven, allow to cool on the pan for 15 minutes, and then use the parchment paper to slide the log carefully onto a rack. Let cool completely for a full 3 hours or you may have trouble with the log crumbling as you cut it. Using a serrated knife, cut the log into slices on a diagonal (use a gentle sawing motion). Slices should be between ½- and ¾-inch thick, no thinner or they may crumble. Lay these slices flat on a baking sheet.
Step 3—Biscotti means twice cooked: Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake the biscotti slices for 15 minutes on one side. Carefully turn the cookies over (use two forks so you won’t burn your fingers!) and bake for another 15 minutes. Cookie sides should appear dry and lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and allow the biscotti to cool on the hot pan for 1 hour. Finish the cookies with Rainbow Glaze (recipe directions follow).
Rainbow Glaze: Makes 1 cup. Into a bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Wisk in the heavy cream until the glaze reaches a smooth but thick consistency. If the glaze is too thin, whisk in more confectioners’ sugar to thicken. If the glaze is too thick, add a bit more heavy cream to thin it out. When you’re happy with the consistency, scrape the glaze into a pie or cake pan. Gently drag the top edge of each cookie (lengthwise) through the thick glaze (you want every bite to include the icing). Immediately scatter rainbow sprinkles over the wet glaze. Allow to set before serving.
The Village Blend’s Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes
These elegant, melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes are a chocoholic’s dream. Light in texture, yet rich and bold in dark chocolate flavor, they pair beautifully with coffee and espresso. They’re also a bestseller at the Village Blend—so popular they usually sell out before closing. Lucky for Esther, an armed woman, a potential hostage situation, and an early closure prevented all of these airy chocolate treats from flying out the door. To see a photo of these light and lovely cupcakes, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com, where you can also download a free, illustrated guide to this recipe section.
Makes 12 cupcakes
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet bar chocolate (60–64% cacao)*
8 tablespoons salted butter, cut into pieces
1¼ cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten with fork
Step 1—Make the batter: Break or chop the bar chocolate into pieces and place them into a large, heatproof mixing bowl. Add the butter and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (creating a double boiler). Stir with a rubber spatula until the two ingredients have melted together. Set the bowl aside for one full hour. Be patient—the chocolate must cool and thicken a bit. After the hour is up, sift in the confectioners’ sugar, flour, and cornstarch. Add the lightly beaten eggs. Whisk well by hand for a good 30 seconds until the batter is smoothly blended.
Step 2—Prep oven and pan and bake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. If your liners are uncoated, spray the papers lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Measure ¼ cup of batter into each of the paper-lined cups. Divide any extra batter evenly among the 12 cups. Bake for no more than 30 minutes. The cupcake tops should be set (you can touch them lightly to test this). But do not overbake. They should still be moist inside when they come out of the oven. Just like a soufflé, these light cupcakes will puff up during baking and fall slightly as they cool. Serve with coffee, espresso, or a cold glass of milk and eat with joy!
*Cooking tip: Use a good-quality chocolate for this cupcake recipe and be sure to use bars, not chips. Chocolate chips often contain stabilizers, which help them keep their shape but compromise their flavor and make them more difficult to melt than bar chocolate.
The Village Blend’s Espresso Shortbread
This buttery shortbread is laced with the beautiful flavor of freshly roasted coffee. The Village Blend bakes and serves it in traditional, rustic wedges, the perfect shape for dunking into hot mugs of joe. To see a photo of these cookies, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com, where you can also download a free, illustrated guide to this recipe section.
Makes 12 wedges of shortbread (for 24 wedges, double this recipe and divide the dough between two 8-inch round cake pans)
1¼ cups all-purpose flour, spoon into cup and level off
1 tablespoon cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon salt (standard table salt)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk (save the white for brushing top)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon espresso powder*
2 (extra) teaspoons granulated sugar (for topping)
Step 1—Prep pan and dry ingredients: First preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of one 8-inch round cake pan and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt, and set aside.
Step 2—Make dough: Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk (reserving the white for later), vanilla, and espresso powder. Beat until all liquid is absorbed. Add dry ingredients all at once, and beat until a dough forms (about 1 minute). With clean hands, gently gather the dough pieces together and transfer to the buttered cake pan.
Step 3—Prep for oven: Lightly flatten and press the dough to fill the cake pan. Place plastic wrap on top of the dough and use the tips of your fingers to sweep back and forth lightly, smoothing the top (or use the flat bottom of a glass). Do not press hard or compact the dough, simply try to make it as level, smooth, and even as you can. Discard the plastic. With a knife, cut the dough all the way through completely into 12 wedges. With a fork, make pricks on each wedge, pressing all the way through to the pan bottom. Start at the edge of each wedge and work toward the center, spacing the pricks out in a neat pattern. (This will prevent the dough from puffing up in the oven.) Brush the top lightly with a bit of your reserved egg white. (Do not use the entire egg white, only enough for a light coating to protect the pastry during cooking.) Finally, use your fingers to evenly sprinkle the top with 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar.
Step 4—Bake and cut: Bake the shortbread in your preheated 325°F oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300°F and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes (for a total of 45 to 50 minutes baking time). Remove pan from oven and gently re-cut shortbread wedges while hot. After cutting wedges, carefully run the knife around the inside edge of the pan to separate the pastry from the pan’s sides. Do not remove wedges from the hot pan. Allow the shortbread to remain in the pan for 30 minutes, preferably on a cooling rack to allow air to circulate around the pan. Then remove the cooled shortbread wedges and eat (and dunk) with joy!
*Cooking tip: Espresso powder (or instant espresso) is not ground coffee. It is brewed (liquid) espresso that has been freeze dried and then ground into powder, which can be reconstituted in hot water or dissolved into the liquid ingredients of a recipe. A good-quality brand to look for is Medaglia D’oro, but whatever brand you use, make sure it’s espresso. Do not substitute instant coffee. It gives a harsher and more sour flavor than instant espresso, which brings a richer, earthier note.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Scones with Vanilla-Lemon Glaze
These scones are tender and light with wonderful flavor. The tiny bits of lemon zest in the vanilla glaze and the cream cheese in the scones perfectly balance the sweetness of the glazing sugar and nearly bursting blueberries. After Clare spent a blissful night with Mike Quinn, the pair enjoyed this traditional British breakfast treat, which turned out to be prophetic. Between satisfying bites of scone, Quinn announced an impending trip to London for the NYPD. Clare was sorry to see him go, but her own plate was more than full—figuratively speaking. After the pair started eating these breakfast scones, their actual plates were emptied in record time. May you, too, eat with blueberry scone joy!
Makes 8 scones
1 cup fresh or (unthawed) frozen blueberries (tossed with the next ingredient . . .)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cold heavy cream, plus a little more for baking
1 large egg, lightly beaten with fork
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2¼ cups all-purpose flour, spoon into cup and level off
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt (standard table salt)
½ cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 ounces very cold cream cheese (block, not whipped), cut into cubes
⅓ cup granulated sugar
Vanilla-Lemon Glaze (recipe follows)
Step 1—Prep the blueberries: If using fresh berries, wash and dry well. If using frozen, do not thaw. Toss the berries in 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour. The flour will help soak up excess liquid during baking and give you a prettier result. Set berries aside in refrigerator.
Step 2—Make the dough: In a small bowl, whisk together these three wet ingredients: 3 tablespoons cold heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Set aside in refrigerator. (Keeping things cold is key in this process.) In a large bowl, whisk together your 2¼ cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Using clean hands, work the very cold cubes of butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture. Rub and squeeze until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs—there should be no “lumps” of butter or cream cheese left. All crumbs should be no larger than a pea. Now stir in the sugar with hands, combining well, and gently fold in the blueberries (try not to crush them). Finally, pour in the chilled wet ingredients. Gently mix with hands until a dough forms.
Step 3—Form and chill: Generously flour a flat surface and turn the dough out onto it. Flour your hands well. Being careful not to crush the berries, very gently work with the dough, forming it into a ball. Pat the ball into an even circle of 7 or 8 inches in diameter and ¾ inch in thickness. Use a sharp knife to slice the circle into eight wedges—do not fuss with the wedges or try to perfect the edges, handle very little. Chill the wedges in the refrigerator for at least 30 full minutes while preheating oven to 425°F. (The cold dough going into the hot oven will help give you nice, flaky scones.)
Step 4—Brush and bake: Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place it into the oven to heat it. After the dough has chilled, brush the tops lightly with cold heavy cream and place the wedges on the hot pan, allowing space between the wedges for rising. Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F, rotate the pan, reduce the temperature to 375°F, and continue baking for a final 5 minutes. Cool and ice with Vanilla-Lemon Glaze (recipe follows). To see a photo of the finished scones, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com, where you can also download a free, illustrated guide to this recipe section.
Vanilla-Lemon Glaze
Makes ½ cup glaze
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1½ cups (or so) confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice (for stronger lemon flavor, increase to 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (see cooking tip*)
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Whisk in the lemon juice and lemon zest (adding ingredients in this order will prevent curdling of the cream). Now whisk in ¼ cup more of powdered sugar. Test the glaze on a plate. If it seems too thin (and won’t set), keep whisking in powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it seems too thick (and won’t pour), splash in more cream. Finally, glaze the scones. For a drizzle effect, dip the tines of a fork into the glaze and move it back and forth over the scone top. To ice the tops completely, generously dollop on the glaze and quickly even it out with the back of a spoon, allowing a bit to drip decadently over the sides. Serve and eat with plenty of joy!
*Cooking tip: Lemon zest is simply the grated rind of a lemon. When you “zest” the lemon with a hand grater or “zester,” use a light touch so you don’t end up taking the bitter white pith beneath the skin, as well. You only want those tiny but flavorful pieces of bright lemony rind.
The Village Blend’s Banana Bread Muffins
Another favorite of Clare’s customers, these tender, slightly sweet muffins are kissed with the flavors of banana and vanilla. They can be made in any standard muffin or cupcake pan, yet they bake up big and beautiful enough to be served in a café or bakery. While amazing on their own, Clare takes them to a whole new level of goodness by crowning them with her Homemade Maple-Crunch Frosting (recipe follows). Her customers devour them in the morning for breakfast and in the afternoon or evening as a satisfying snack; and, yes, they pair spectacularly with Clare’s freshly roasted coffee.
Makes 12 muffins
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
½ cup whole milk (mixed with the next ingredient . . .)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt (standard table salt)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3 very ripe bananas (medium to large), mash well with fork and measure out exactly 1 cup mashed bananas (see cooking tip on how to ripen bananas fast*)
2 cups all-purpose flour, spoon into cup and level off
Maple-Crunch Frosting (recipe follows)
Step 1—Prep oven and pan: First preheat oven to 375°F. Line 12 cups of standard-size muffin (or cupcake) pan with paper liners. Coat the papers lightly with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Step 2—One-bowl mixing method: Whisk the eggs well. Add the oil, whole milk that you’ve premixed with white vinegar, vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk until well blended. Add the white and dark brown sugars and whisk until smooth. Now whisk in exactly 1 cup of mashed ripe bananas, combining well. Switching to a rubber spatula, stir in the flour, making sure all of the flour is incorporated into the batter, but do not overmix. Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups—for exact measure, spoon ⅓ cup of batter into each cup, which should nearly fill them.
Step 3—Bake and cool: Bake in your preheated 375°F oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a test muffin comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan after five or so minutes of cooling. (If left in the hot pan, muffin bottoms may steam and become tough.) Finish cooling on a rack. These muffins are absolutely delicious on their own. Or try finishing them the way Clare does for her shop with her Homemade Maple-Crunch Frosting (recipe follows)—just be sure the muffins are completely cooled before frosting.
*Cooking tip: To ripen bananas fast, place yellow bananas on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 5 minutes on each side (for a total of 10 minutes). Bananas will blacken. Peel right away (be careful, they’re hot) and cool flesh in fridge before mashing.
Clare’s Homemade Maple-Crunch Frosting
Clare developed this magnificent maple frosting years ago for her In the Kitchen with Clare column, which she wrote while raising her daughter in the suburbs of New Jersey. The frosting has a delightfully crunchy texture and pairs beautifully with spice cakes and muffins, including plain, pumpkin, oatmeal, zucchini, and banana. Clare shared the recipe with her baker, instructing her to use it on the Village Blend’s Banana Bread Muffins. Now she happily shares it with you.
Makes about 2½ cups frosting (enough to generously frost 24 muffins or cupcakes)
*For Maple Nut Crunch:
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (packed)
1 heaping cup chopped walnuts or pecans
For Maple Frosting:
10 tablespoons (1 stick + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
3½ cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons whole milk
½ teaspoon salt (standard table salt)
Step 1—Make the crunch: First preheat oven to 325°F. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the maple syrup and stir in the dark brown sugar until dissolved. When mixture begins to simmer, pour in chopped walnuts or pecans and stir to coat well. Spread mixture evenly on a foil-covered baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, stir well, and finish baking for another 3 to 4 minutes. Watch carefully and do not allow the nuts to overcook and scorch. Cool these super-crunchy, maple-sweetened nuts before using them in the next step. To speed up the cooling process, transfer the foil (with the nuts on them) onto a cool pan and slip the pan into the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Step 2—Mix maple frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until fluffy. Add 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, half the milk (2 tablespoons), and all of the maple syrup and salt. Beat again and continue adding the rest of the sugar (1½ cups) and milk (2 tablespoons). If the frosting seems too thick, add a bit more milk. If it seems too thin, add more sugar. When you’re happy with the spreadable texture of the frosting, fold in the heaping cup of nut crunch. Before frosting your muffins (or cakes), make sure they are completely cool first, and . . . eat with plenty of joy!
*Cooking tip: If you double the amount of Maple Nut Crunch in this recipe, you can use 1 cup for the frosting and reserve the second cup for sprinkling on yogurt, ice cream, or salads.
Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich with Bavarian Beer Cheese
Clare’s late-night snack on the Hudson River is a favorite Oktoberfest treat at Pier 66 Maritime. These crunchy chicken schnitzel sandwiches are served on seeded buns with mayonnaise, beer cheese, and a squirt of lemon juice. Romaine lettuce usually tops the sandwich, but iceberg lettuce works just as well with its cool crunch. The secret to great schnitzel is pounding the chicken thin and pan frying until the breading is golden brown and crunchy. Though not traditional, you can substitute panko for bread crumbs in this recipe to achieve added crispiness.
Serves 4
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten with fork
1 cup bread crumbs, or panko (unseasoned)
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil or olive oil for frying
4 sandwich rolls
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 lemon (optional)
1 cup chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
2 tablespoons Bavarian Beer Cheese (recipe follows)
Salt and pepper to taste
Step 1—Prepare the chicken: Cut the breasts in half lengthwise and place pieces between 2 sheets of heavy plastic. Pound on a cutting board or other firm and solid surface using the flat side of a meat mallet until filet is ½ to ¼ inch in thickness. Season pieces with salt and pepper.
Step 2—Bread the chicken: You need 3 shallow bowls for this step. Place the flour in one bowl; the beaten eggs in another; the bread crumbs in a third. Dredge each piece of chicken in flour, dip in the beaten eggs, and thoroughly coat with the bread crumbs.
Step 3—Frying: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, fry breaded chicken in batches of 2, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. You can hold the chicken in a preheated 200°F oven for 30 minutes before the chicken begins to dry out.
Step 4—Assemble the sandwiches: Slather mayonnaise over the bottom half of each sandwich roll. Top it with 1 piece of chicken, a dash of (optional) lemon juice, and chopped lettuce. Spread a thin layer of Bavarian Beer Cheese (recipe follows) on the top half of each sandwich roll, and assemble the sandwich.
Bavarian Beer Cheese
Obatzda is a classic “beer hall” spread made with a few simple ingredients that combine to create a delightfully complex flavor. Obatzda is typically served with soft, warm Bavarian pretzels, on rye bread, or with rings of raw radishes. It also makes a great spread for chicken or pork schnitzel sandwiches, or liverwurst sandwiches. It’s even a great substitute for cheese on a good old American ham sandwich.
1 pound Camembert (or Brie) cheese, roughly chopped
¾ cup cream cheese
3 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sweet or hot paprika (your choice)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
⅓ cup German beer (or slightly less, see directions)
Step 1—With a fork, mash together the Camembert (or Brie), softened cream cheese, and softened butter until mixed well. You won’t be able to smash all the cheese chunks, but that’s okay. The lumps give the spread rustic texture.
Step 2—Mix in the finely chopped onions, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the beer, a tablespoon at a time, mixing well. Keep adding the beer until you reach desired consistency. It should be easy to spread, but not wet or runny. (Note: You do not have to add all the beer!) Let the spread sit for 30 minutes to reach room temperature. Serve garnished with a little extra paprika. Enjoy with rye bread, warm pretzels, bagged pretzels, raw radishes, or as a sandwich spread.
Matt’s Creamy Chipotle Chicken
When Clare needed Matt’s help to create her own Cinder profile, she went to his warehouse, where her ex-husband served up this Mexican-inspired chicken. Though based on a traditional recipe, Matt added a unique coffee-based marinade that livened up the flavor of the dark-meat chicken and complemented the creamy, smoky chipotle sauce. Warm flour tortillas are a must, to sop up the hot pink gravy. To see a photo of this dish, visit Cleo Coyle’s online coffeehouse at coffeehousemystery.com, where you can also download a free, illustrated guide to this recipe section.
Serves 4
8 pieces bone-in chicken thighs, drumsticks, or both
2 to 3 cups cold coffee
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder, divided
1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce, see note*)
3 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 tablespoon flour
4 to 6 flour tortillas
*Note: For this recipe, use canned chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce.
Step 1—Marinate the chicken: In a shallow airtight container, mix the cold coffee, cumin, 1 tablespoon of the chili powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Roll each piece of chicken in the marinade and arrange the pieces in a single layer (no overlapping) with their skin sides up. Marinate for 1 or 2 hours in the refrigerator but no more. Drain the chicken and let it reach room temperature.
Step 2—Roast the chicken: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and blend in 1 tablespoon of the chili powder and the onion powder. Roll the chicken pieces in the warm butter mixture and line them up on a foiled and greased baking pan, skin side up. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cover loosely with foil. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 20 more minutes. Remove from oven and let the chicken rest under the foil.
Step 3—Make the sauce: In a food processor, blend the evaporated milk, the chipotle pepper, and the adobo sauce. Set aside. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, then add 1 tablespoon of flour. Stir until a thick roux forms, about 2 minutes. Add the milk-chipotle-adobo mixture to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step 4—Serve: Serve the chicken pieces in individual bowls and spoon on sauce. Be generous with Matt’s creamy, smoky sauce, including plenty of extra for sopping up with warm flour tortillas.
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin with Pineapple
As young newlyweds, Matt and Clare first enjoyed this sweet and savory pork dish in Hawaii, during a sourcing trip for Kona. Clare loved this dish so much that she asked their hosts for the recipe. Back home in New York, Matt tweaked it with a few favorite spices. Tenderized by the pineapple, with a gentle heat, this pork serves up as a mouthwatering fusion of flavors and a truly satisfying feast.
Serves 4 to 6
3- to 5-pound pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 to 8 slices bacon
1½ cups pineapple juice (divided)
4 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Wondra flour (optional)
Step 1—Prep the pork: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash pork and pat dry; let it sit until it reaches room temperature (about 15 minutes).
Step 2—Dry rub and roast: In a deep dish, thoroughly blend the cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, sweet paprika, and white pepper. Rub the pork loin until it is completely coated. Line a roasting pan with foil and grease the foil with vegetable oil. Wrap the bacon around the roast, starting at the front, just slightly overlapping each piece. (The amount of bacon will depend on the size of your roast, but a rule of thumb is two slices per pound.) Pour 1 cup of your pineapple juice over the meat and place the pan in the oven for 40 minutes.
Step 3—Make the glaze: In a small saucepan, melt the butter and sugar together, then add the remaining ½ cup pineapple juice. Set aside. At the 40-minute mark, take the pork out of the oven, pour the sugar and juice mixture over the roast, and cover the pan tightly with foil (be sure it’s sealed). Lower the temperature to 350°F and roast for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, basting every 20 minutes with the glazed meat juices.
Step 4—Serve: Remove from oven, uncover, and let the juices collect in the meat for about 20 minutes, and then slice and serve. You can spoon drippings over the meat, or if you prefer thicker gravy, pour the drippings into a saucepan, heat to a boil, and make a paste from 1 tablespoon Wondra flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Slowly add the paste to the boiling drippings and cook for 2 to 5 minutes or until the gravy is thick.
Matt’s Quick and Easy Brandy Mushroom Gravy
When you love cooking, but you live in a warehouse with no oven and a couple of hot plates, you make do. Charcoal grill on the roof? Check. Boiling ramen noodles in a coffeepot? Ditto. You do what you have to do—and one of those things is make gravy. Matt Allegro’s Brandy Mushroom Gravy beautifully brightens a boring boiled chicken breast or plain pan-fried pork chop. The rich caramelized taste—from that dash of brandy—complements grilled meats, too, especially beef (even when cooked on a warehouse roof).
Makes 2 to 3 cups
½ cup (1 stick) butter
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 scallions, sliced
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons brandy
1½ cups heavy cream
Step 1—Cook the veggies: Melt the butter in a pan over moderate heat and add the crushed garlic, sliced scallions, and mushrooms. You can use button mushrooms, chanterelles, cremini, portobellos, or a blend. Cook until mushrooms are soft and golden brown, 6 to 10 minutes.
Step 2—Finish the gravy: Add the brandy and cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
Step 3—Serve: Serve over grilled or roasted beef, pork, or chicken. Or try it over mashed potatoes. Matt’s recipe for Fluffy Garlic Mashed Potatoes follows this one.
Matt’s Fluffy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Matt Allegro can’t help adding a dash of Italian to many of his dishes. For his famous fluffy mashed potatoes, he infuses crushed garlic into rich cream. The final perfect texture comes not from a food mill or electric mixer, but from his own elbow grease. With his pared-down kitchen, he first uses a hand masher to crush the cooked potatoes. Then he whips them into a light and fluffy cloud with nothing more than a simple fork—and you can, too; just follow his recipe.
Serves 4 to 6
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 pounds white potatoes
1 tablespoon salt (standard table salt)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Step 1—Into a small saucepan, combine the cream, butter, and garlic. Bring to a simmer over low to medium heat. Promptly remove from heat and set aside, allowing the flavors to mingle as you complete the next step.
Step 2—Peel and dice the potatoes into pieces of roughly the same size. Place them in a large saucepan and toss them with the salt and garlic powder, then cover completely with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and maintain a rolling boil throughout the cooking. When the potatoes break apart after being stabbed with a fork, they are done. (Test the potatoes after 15 minutes, but the cooking may take up to 30 minutes, depending on the size of your potato pieces and the intensity of your boil.)
Step 3—Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain well. Mash them with a potato masher and set aside. Return to the garlic-cream mixture that you made in Step 1 and strain out the garlic pieces. Add the infused cream to the mashed potatoes and whip with a fork until fluffy. This potato side dish is fantastic with gravy, but flavorful enough to stand on its own.
Pork Chops Smothered in Onions
This down-home Southern comfort food is a Jones family tradition. Leonidas Jabari Jones prepared it every Sunday for his wife and daughters. Lee Jones’s favorite musician, Jimi Hendrix, was a fan of soul food, too—and some say smothered pork chops was his favorite dish. At the special dinner Madame hosted for her son, Lee’s chops were served over Matt’s Fluffy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, with a side of Hard Cider Green Beans, a popular specialty at the Village Blend’s upstairs jazz supper club in Washington, DC. You can find the recipe for Matt’s potatoes on page 330 of this book, and the recipe for the Village Blend’s Hard Cider Green Beans can be found in the back of Coffeehouse Mystery #15: Dead to the Last Drop.
Serves 4
4 large, bone-in pork chops, well marbled, at least 1½ inches thick
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt (standard table salt)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, enough to cover bottom of pan
3 tablespoons salted butter
2 large Vidalia or yellow onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1⅓ cups chicken broth
½ cup buttermilk (see end note*)
Salt and pepper to taste
Mashed potatoes (optional)
Step 1—Brown the chops: Preheat oven to 250°F. Season the chops with the poultry seasoning, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, begin browning the chops well, about 6 minutes per side. Remove the chops from pan and reserve in preheated oven.
Step 2—Prepare the onions: Pour the excess fat out of the pan and return it to medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan and add the onions. Sauté for 15 to 20 minutes—the onions must be caramelized a golden brown before you continue with the recipe! Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes.
Step 3—Finish the sauce: Add the chicken broth and buttermilk to the pan of onions. As the mixture comes to a simmer, scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat to low and let the onion gravy simmer for 15 minutes. Add a little water if it becomes too thick.
Step 4—Combine: Add the pork chops and any juices (that were shed in the oven) back into the pan with the onions and coat the pork with the gravy. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the chops reach an internal temperature of 155° to 165°F. Add salt and pepper to taste, serve over mashed potatoes, and dive into soul food joy!
*Cooking tip: If you do not have buttermilk on hand, add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to ½ cup of whole milk and let stand for 15 minutes before using in the recipe.
Sparkling Pear Pick-Me-Up
Despite the twelve-dollar price tag, Clare fell in love with this brisk and bubbly fruit drink from the Euclid—a slick juice bar in the Equator luxury gym. Since she wasn’t a member, Clare decided to create her own homemade version. The drink is deliciously refreshing after a walk in the park or Clare’s new favorite workout with Tucker and Punch at the McBurney YMCA: Sweatin’ with the Seventies. Madame enjoys this drink, as well, although she notes it can be greatly improved by the addition of prosecco!
Makes four 16-ounce servings (or eight 8-ounce servings)
2 cups chilled pear nectar
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup raw honey, or ½ cup granulated sugar
2 quarts very cold seltzer* (or 1 quart seltzer + 4 cups prosecco)
1 chilled, fresh pear, quartered
4 to 8 cinnamon sticks (optional)
*Note: Be sure to choose seltzer for this recipe and not club soda or mineral water. Seltzer is simply carbonated water. Club soda and mineral water include other ingredients (e.g. sodium bicarbonate) and will not give you the best results.
In a large container, combine the pear nectar, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, honey (or sugar), and cold seltzer. Cut a fresh pear into slices (4 or 8, depending on glass size). Place one slice in each glass and pour the punch over the fruit. For a garnish, add a cinnamon stick. For an alcoholic version of this recipe (Madame’s favorite), simply replace 1 quart of the seltzer with 4 cups of chilled prosecco.
The Euclid’s World Famous ($18) Banana Smoothie
Renowned for its creative and beautiful drinks, the Euclid juice bar’s most popular item is this Banana Smoothie. This thick dream of a drink delivers layers of flavor from banana and pineapple to cinnamon and coconut. Despite its fame, Clare felt the drink’s price tag was a tad high (even with Southampton honey), so she asked Nancy to charm the recipe out of a Euclid bartender. Now you, too, can drink this famous, overpriced smoothie—and you don’t even have to sneak in through a luxury gym’s grubby back door to do it.
Makes 1 very large or 2 average servings
3 frozen organic bananas, chopped into 1-inch pieces
½ cup lite coconut milk
½ cup pineapple juice
½ cup plain Greek yogurt (Not to be confused with geek yogurt, says Nancy, which would be a typo.)
1 tablespoon raw, local honey (the Euclid sources from Southampton)
Pinch of finely ground Himalayan pink salt (or any posh sea salt)
Pinch of quality ground cinnamon (the Euclid favors Saigon)
2 ice cubes (the Euclid uses bottled spring water)
Cinnamon sugar (for glass rim)
(Clare’s optional addition) Generous splash of Plantation rum!
Peel the bananas and freeze them. Into a blender, measure the coconut milk, pineapple juice, Greek yogurt, honey, salt, and cinnamon. (If using Clare’s optional addition of Plantation rum, add it now.) Cut 2 frozen bananas into 1-inch pieces, and add them to the blender with the 2 ice cubes. Pulse the blender until your ingredients are smooth—no lumps. If too thin for your taste, add more frozen banana pieces (from your third frozen banana) or add more ice and blend again. To serve, pour the smoothie into a glass with a rim dipped in coconut milk and encrusted by cinnamon sugar (see below for method).
How to rim a glass with cinnamon sugar—Into a shallow bowl, mix ¼ cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon (or halve the recipe by mixing 2 tablespoons sugar with 1½ teaspoons cinnamon). Invert your glass and dip its rim into a bit of coconut milk (or another liquid). Now dip the same moistened rim into the cinnamon sugar to encrust the edges. Pour your libation into the glass, carefully avoiding disturbing the pretty edges, and . . . drink with joy!
Mommy and Me Chocolate Chip Cookies
Like so many parents, Clare Cosi did her best to get her baby through all the hardships and humiliations of childhood. From bruised feelings to heartbreaking crushes, the kitchen is where they talked things over and cried things out. And sometimes, during those bittersweet talks, she and her daughter baked together. This simple yet wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe was one of their favorites because it made just enough for “Mommy and Me.” Easily whipped up in one bowl, in just a few minutes, these cookies truly are amazing with perfect crispy-chewy texture and buttery-caramel flavor, laced with just the right amount of chocolate.
Makes 4 large, flat, absolutely delicious cookies
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt (table salt or finely ground sea salt)
1 yolk of a large egg
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
2½ tablespoons mini semisweet chocolate chips (see end note*)
(optional) 2 teaspoons finely chopped walnuts
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and set it into the freezer to cool for five minutes while you preheat oven to 350°F. Once the butter feels cool to the touch, whisk in the following ingredients in this order: the vanilla and salt; the egg yolk; and the two sugars (white and light brown). Measure in the flour, sprinkle in the baking soda, and switch to a rubber spatula to stir into a sticky, loose dough. Finally, fold in the mini chocolate chips (and nuts if using). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop the dough in four equal-size mounds on the pan, leaving plenty of space between the cookies for spreading. For perfect-looking, café-style rounds, flatten the mounds very slightly and shape into circles. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove cookies when golden-brown but still slightly underdone. Allow to finish cooking by sitting on the hot baking sheet, outside the oven, for another 8 minutes, and . . . Eat with Joy (or your own daughter)!
*Cooking tip: For best results, use mini chips. If you prefer to use standard chocolate chips or chunks, chop them into smaller pieces and measure after chopping.
Clare’s “Secret Ingredient” Café-Style Peanut Butter Cookies
Crispy on the outside yet beautifully chewy on the inside, these sweet, nutty circles of goodness are the very cookies Mike Quinn was pining for while working in London. Clare’s secret to the outstanding chewy texture comes from a baker’s trick that’s been around for years. When an astringent ingredient (in this case, a small amount of apple cider vinegar) is mixed with the proteins in the egg, the resulting combination enhances the chewy texture of the cookie’s interior. To preserve it, Clare warns not to overbake the cookies, and she gives you tips to get the best results in her recipe. Like Mike Quinn, the Village Blend customers have fallen in love with these cookies—may you, too, eat with joy!
Makes 28 to 32 cookies, depending on size
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1¼ cups peanut butter (standard creamy, do not use “natural” separated)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten with fork
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (the secret ingredient)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt or finely ground sea salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup (or so) granulated sugar for rolling dough balls
Step 1—Make the dough: Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with the (secret ingredient) vinegar and add this mixture to the large bowl, blending well. Now mix in the vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Finally, blend in the flour until a soft dough forms. Cover with plastic and chill to firm up (2 hours).
Step 2—Form the balls: Pinch off generous pieces of dough and roll into big, golf ball–sized rounds. Gently roll the balls in granulated sugar.
Step 3—Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the cookie balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, keeping the balls a few inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake them for about 17 minutes. Do not overbake. The cookies are not done until they flatten out with cracks appearing across their tops. Be patient and wait for this to happen. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to continue baking on the hot pan for another 5 minutes before moving the cookies to a rack to finish cooling. These sweet, nutty circles of goodness are especially delicious with a mug of hot coffee. And on that note . . .
From Clare, Matt, Madame, Esther, Tucker, Dante, Nancy, and everyone at the Village Blend . . .
May you eat and drink with joy!