Mt. Tamalpais, viewed from the south

Home of the Kudler/Vaughn Clan

Author: David Kudler

  • CHOCOLATE DECADENCE & SAUCE

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    CHOCOLATE DECADENCE

    Grandma Jackie's famed Death by Chocolate (aka "Baked Hershey Bar")!
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: French
    Keyword: baking, cake, cakes, desserts

    Equipment

    • Bain marie (double boiler)

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound bittersweet chocolate
    • 5 ounces sweet butter
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 tablespoon flour
    • 4 whole eggs

    Instructions

    • Melt chocolate with butter in bain marie until just melted. Set aside.
    • Beat whole eggs and sugar in bain marie until sugar dissolves and until mixture is lukewarm (DO NOT OVERCOOK).
    • Remove from heat and whip until quadrupled or more in volume and until thick.
    • Fold flour into eggs.
    • Stir 1/4 egg mixture into chocolate then fold chocolate into egg mixture.
    • Bake in 8 inch floured, buttered, papered pan in 425 degree oven for no longer than 15 minutes (cake will be liquid in center).
    • Freeze, preferably overnight, before removing from pan.
    • Carefully dip bottom of pan into hot water to unmold.
    • Mask with whipped cream.
    • Decorate with shaved chocolate.
    • Refrigerate until serving.
    • Serve with raspberry sauce

    Notes

    Makes 12 servings
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    RASPBERRY SAUCE

    This is a wonderful topping for chocolate decadence or other rich cakes
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: French
    Keyword: desserts, frosting, fruit

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 12 ounces of raspberries

    Instructions

    • Place sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan; stir, and bring to boil. Simmer until all the sugar is dissolved. Let syrup cool completely. Place raspberries and syrup in the jar of a blender; puree until smooth. Pour through a fine sieve or colander into a bowl; discard solids.
    • Serve (or store in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 5 days).

    Notes

    Makes 1 1/2 cups

  • Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

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    Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

    A delicious holiday dessert
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: bar cookies, desserts, fruit

    Ingredients

    • 7 ounces best quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • 1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
    • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
    • ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
    • ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 ½ teaspoons boiling water
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
    • In bowl of mix master, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes.
    • Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
    • In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
    • Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 ½ inch balls; place, two inches apart, on baking sheet. Bake until the surface cracks slightly, 13 to 15 minutes; let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Notes

    Preheat oven to 325 degrees
    Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

  • Kolacky Del Babbo Classico (Polish Cookies)

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    Kolacky Del Babbo Classico

    In fifth grade, Sasha made these cookies for some sort of cultural day where she and Heather Rose had to make Polish food. I think Heather’s mother provided this recipe.
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Jewish, Polish
    Keyword: baking, cookies, desserts

    Ingredients

    • 2 8- ounce packages of cream cheese room temperature
    • 2 – 3 tablespoons sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 pound butter room temperature
    • 3 cups flour
    • Confectionery sugar to liberally dust cookies

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees
    • Grease a cookie sheet
    • Cream Cheese Filling:
    • Combine 4 ounces of cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
    • Set aside.
    • Add dried fruit or nuts if desired.
    • Cookies:
    • Beat together 12 ounces cream cheese with 1 pound of butter.
    • Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
    • Add flour, one cup at a time.
    • Combine well.
    • Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
    • Refrigerate for 4 hours.
    • Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness.
    • Cut into 1 ½ inch shape.
    • Fill.
    • Fold together.
    • Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown.
    • Transfer to brown paper bag to cool.
    • Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

    Notes

    Makes 60 cookies

  • Applesauce Cake

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    Applesauce Cake

    Applesauce makes this cake exceptionally moist. It’s delicious on its own or served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you decide to use store-bought applesauce, choose one with a chunky texture.
    Course: Breads, Muffins & Quickbreads, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cake

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
    • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 2 cups packed light-brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 cups Basic Applesauce or store-bought chunky applesauce
    • Nonstick cooking spray
    • Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set aside.
    • In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and honey until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Beat in applesauce.
    • Generously coat a nonstick 9-inch tube pan with cooking spray. Spoon batter into pan; smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (but slightly wet), 50 to 60 minutes.
    • Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Turn out of pan onto a cutting board or baking sheet; invert cake onto rack, top side up. Cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving, if desired.

    Notes

    Prep:
    25 mins
    Total:
    2 hrs 30 mins
    Servings:
    10

  • Honey Whole-Wheat Bread

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    Honey Whole-Wheat Bread

    Oven at 325 Makes 2 loaves
    Course: Breads, Muffins & Quickbreads
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: baking, bread

    Ingredients

    INGREDIENTS:

    • 2 cups warm water 110 degrees
    • 2 cups whole wheat flour
    • 1 envelope ¼ ounce active dry yeast
    • 1 tablespoons salt
    • 1/3 cup honey
    • 1/3 cup Vegetable oil more for brushing
    • 5 cups all-purpose flour

    Instructions

    INSTRUCTIONS:

    • Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes.
    • Add honey, and stir well. Mix in whole-wheat flour, salt, and vegetable oil. Work in all-purpose flour.
    • Turn dough out onto a lightly-floured surface, and knead dough until smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl; turn several times in bowl to coat the surface of the dough and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
    • Punch down the dough. Shape into two loves, and place into two well-greased 9 x 5 loaf pans. Allow to rise until dough is 1 to 1 ½ inches above pan.
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    • Bake 25 to 30 minutes.
    • Let cool in pans on a wire rack 5 minutes.
    • Remove from pans, let cool completely on rack.

    Notes

    We have loved doing this recipe in the Bread Machine but by hand it is even better!

  • Croutons

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    Homemade Croutons Recipe

    Make homemade croutons at home with this easy recipe.
    Course: Breads, Muffins & Quickbreads, Salad, Soup
    Cuisine: French
    Keyword: bread, salads, soup

    Ingredients

    • 6 slices regular gluten-free, or low-carb bread (fresh or day old), crusts trimmed and cubed
    • 3 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of salt OR ½ teaspoon garlic salt
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

    Instructions

    • Preheat over to 300 degrees. Mix melted butter, garlic powder/salt, and parsley flakes until garlic powder is dissolved and mixture is clump free. Toss butter mixture with cubed bread in a medium bowl until cubes are evenly coated. Spread coated bread cubes on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes and check to see if they are dry, crispy, and golden brown. Stir the croutons around and bake for an additional 15 minutes until done. Store croutons in air-tight container or ziplock bag. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Prep time: 5 mins
    Cook time: 30 minsTotal time: 35 mins
    Serves: 3 CUPS
    Mine typically take 30 minutes baking time total – your baking time may vary.