Checkerboard Cookies laced with Orange

I've been wanting to try my hand at Checkerboard Cookies for a l-o-n-g time now. And finally had slight gap in my schedule so I got to work. But first I had to find a recipe and whenever I'm searching for an adaptable cookie recipe I always start by looking in my handwritten 3by5 family recipe file. It's fun to go back and look at these recipes. I usually recognize the handwriting of the person who gave me the recipe or the name of a long ago neighbor.

When I was looking for a recipe I knew it was important that the vanilla and chocolate doughs be as close as possible in bulk, so I was looking for a dough that I could easily divide for the vanilla and chocolate doughs. When I came across my Great Grama's Ice Box Cookie recipe, I knew I had found the right one!

I remember whenever we were at Grama's house she always had what she called Ice Box Cookies. And she did keep them in a long small bread box container in the refrigerator. I remember whenever we were especially good Grama pulling out the box of Ice Box Cookies and sitting at her small kitchen table and eating them one by one.

Grama's recipe was easily divided into 2 bowls. I eliminated the brown sugar and because I added vanilla I cut the sugar to 1/2 cup and of course added cocoa powder to the chocolate dough. Also added some orange zest to the vanilla dough because I have a thing for Orange!






Ice Box Cookies
Adapted from my Great Grandma Will

1 c. butter, softened
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c. finely chopped nuts

Mix well in order given one at a time.

Press and shape dough into three loaves, about 2 inches square and 5 inches long on sheets of waxed paper.

Wrap tightly in waxed paper and put in refrigerator.

Chill at least 2 hours.

Place on inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 350 degrees until just lightly brown on the bottoms.






Checkerboard Cookies
Recipe developed by Big-Black-Dog

Vanilla Shortbread:
3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg, slightly whipped
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
Optional: Zest of 1 large orange

Chocolate Shortbread:
3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg, slightly whipped
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. flour

1 egg white, slightly whipped with 1/2 tsp water (for sealing layers of dough)

In 2 separate bowls cream the softened butter and sugar. Add the egg, baking powder, salt, baking soda and vanilla. For the vanilla dough blend in the orange zest. And for the chocolate dough blend in cocoa powder. Add the flour and mix just until all flour is incorporated.

Lay 2 pieces of plastic wrap on your counter. Put the vanilla shortbread on 1 piece of plastic wrap and pat it into a rough 5" by 8" rectangle, making sure that it is of even thickness. Now with light pressure roll over the top with a floured rolling pin to smooth the top. Repeat for the Chocolate dough.


Now I'm going to refer you to the below video by Dyann Bakes for an excellent demonstration on the construction of the Checkerboard Cookies.







All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Double Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding!

I had a yearning for some chocolate bread pudding the other day. So I went to work and made an excellent Double Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding!

I had a small amount of Artisan Bread Dough in my refrigerator and decided to make a loaf of bread laced with about 1/2 c. Sweet Chocolate Powder.



I made the Chocolate Bread Pudding previously but this time I made some changes. And my Mom gave me her recipe for a Custard Sauce that is out-of-this-world delicious!!




Chocolate Bread Pudding
Recipe adapted from "The Boston Cooking-School Cookbook" by Fanny Merritt Farmer

2 c. stale bread crumbs **
4 c. scalded milk
2 squares Baker's chocolate **
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

My changes and additions:

4-5 c. bread laced with sweet chocolate, cubed
2 squares unsweetened Baker's chocolate
1 square semi-sweet Baker's chocolate
3 bananas, 1/4" slices

Soak bread in milk thirty minutes; melt chocolate in saucepan placed over hot water, add one-half sugar and enough milk taken from bread and milk to make of a consistency to pour; add to mixture with remaining sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs slightly beaten and sliced bananas; turn into buttered pudding dish and bake one hour in a moderate oven.


Custard Sauce
Recipe adapted from my Mom

2 c. milk or cream
3 TBL flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Mix flour, sugar and beaten egg until well blended. Heat milk to a simmer. When the milk is hot, slowly pour the milk into the egg/flour/sugar mixture stirring constantly until smooth.

Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over low heat until thickened. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Custard should be pouring consistency, it not just add a little bit more milk or cream.




All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

What's Old is "New" and so delicious!

Believe it or not, I have never made a bread pudding. I've wanted to, but just too many other things get in the way and I run out of time. Being I was encouraged by my friend, Linda, to enter the Weekend Cookbook Challenge hosted by Carla of Chocolate Moosey, the recipe search began. The theme for April is "Vintage Cookbooks"...how fun is that!!! Great theme Carla and thanks for hosting this wonderful event.


I am a history junkie, in fact I minored in history, and so had a great time looking for a recipe. I found a wonderful Cookbook Archive at the Michigan State University Library. I was born in MI so visiting my home state was fun although I graduated from University of Michigan!

I downloaded and scanned several of the wonderful classic cookbooks and finally found a recipe in "The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book" by Fanny Merritt Farmer, published in 1896! The recipe for Bread Pudding sounded delicious and it was something I've been wanting to try for a long time now.

I mixed up the Chocolate Bread Pudding this morning and popped it in the oven. It smelled wonderful but when I took it out of the oven it looked odd and more like a meatloaf then a dessert. But the taste...OH MY, was wonderful. The recipe recommends 2 sauces but both were similar to a vanilla whipped cream and made with raw eggs. My friend Lucy suggested a simple Vanilla Sauce so I made her recipe instead and I added a little heavy cream and a dusting of powdered sugar.



Chocolate Bread Pudding
Recipe adapted from "The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book" by Fanny Merritt Farmer

2 c. stale bread crumbs
4 c. scalded milk
2 squares Baker's chocolate
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Soak bread in milk thirty minutes; melt chocolate in saucepan placed over hot water, add one-half sugar and enough milk taken from bread and milk to make of a consistency to pour; add to mixture with remaining sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs slightly beaten; turn into buttered pudding dish and bake one hour in a moderate oven. Serve with Hard or Cream Sauce I.

Vanilla Sauce
Recipe adapted from "Southern Living"

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash salt
Optional: Rum or Brandy

In small saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch.

Stir in 1 cup boiling water. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, vanilla extract and salt; blend well. Serve vanilla sauce warm with your favorite pudding or other dessert.

I added a 2 TBL of heavy cream to the sauce.



All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog