Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Tart

There are two types of desserts that I don’t like: cheesecake and pecan pie. Oh, and coconut macaroons. So, I guess three types of desserts I don’t like. Because of that, I don’t make them often, if ever.

As we head into a new school year with no way to plan for the day after tomorrow, I take solace in the time I was kind and baked a dessert for other people. Also, that pattern is hypnotizing and I think we could all use a bit of a distraction right now.

Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Tart
from Browned Butter Blondie

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust
16 graham crackers
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 egg white

Filling
4 tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, browned
3 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup light corn syrup
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
¼ tsp salt
1½ - 2 cups whole pecans

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease the bottom and sides of a removable 9 inch tart pan with either butter or a non-stick spray.

In the bowl of a food processor, add graham crackers, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Pulse together until it is all finely ground. Add the melted butter and combine until the mixture is fully coated. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and add the egg white. Mix until the crumbs are evenly coated.

Scoop the mixture into the prepared tart pan and use your hands to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Use the bottom of a glass/your hands to firmly press the mixture in place. Once this is complete, bake for 9 minutes until the crust is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

Make the filling: While the crust is baking, brown the butter: in a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat until it has completely melted. Stir it off and on while it begins to bubble and foam a bit. Continue stirring until you start seeing golden brown bits in the pan (~5-6 minutes). The butter will make a crackling sound and once that has stopped, and once you see a decent number of nutty-smelling brown bits, remove the pan from the heat and pour into a small bowl to let cool.

In a microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments (or use a double boiler) until smooth. Set aside to cool until ready to use.

Once the crust is baked, combine the corn syrup, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Combine the browned butter and melted chocolate until fully incorporated. Add this to the brown sugar and egg mixture and stir to fully combine. Pour mixture into tart crust and then arrange the pecans on the top of the filling.

Bake at 350℉ for 25-30 minutes or until the edges of the filling are set and the center jiggles slightly. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour and then chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight.

M&M Cookies

My kids recently came home with giant, partially eaten cookies that looked like a mouse nibbled the edges. My daughter, a black and white, and my son, an M&M cookie. He clearly wasn’t going to finish it so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and eat it myself.

I was immediately reminded of how good M&M cookies are which led to my three week long, batch after batch (after batch after batch) cooking phenomenon I like to call: Betsy, stop eating cookie dough and finalize the damn recipe, recipe.

I wanted a cookie that was caramelized, thick, chewy but not tender, and filled to the brim with M&Ms. I think I did it.

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M&M Cookies

226g (2 sticks) unsalted butter**
45g (4 tbsp) water**
250g (1 ½ cups, packed) brown sugar
150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
400g (3 ¼ cups) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
250g (1 1/2 cups) M&Ms

**When you brown butter, a portion of the moisture/water cooks off. When I brown my usual two sticks of butter (costco brand), I lose about 50 grams of water. The amount of water I have listed above is based off of my technique (how much I brown the butter) and the type of butter (the percentage of water varies brand to brand).

In order for the cookies to turn out as intended, I would suggest using a scale. Measure the butter before cooking and then again after cooking. Whatever the difference in weight is, replace that with water.

Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375°. Melt the butter in a stainless steel pot over medium heat. Continue stirring, scraping the brown bits that form on the bottom of the pot, until the butter is golden and no longer bubbling (10 minutes). Pour into a heat resistant bowl making sure to include all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture cool until nearly solid (feel free to throw into the freezer/fridge to speed up the process). **See note to the left on browning the butter**

Once the butter has solidified, combine it with the water, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until light, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until blended.

Whisk the flour and baking soda together then add to the dough, continuing to mix for 2 minutes. Stir in the M&Ms by hand.

Using a size 20 scoop, bake for 11-12 minutes.

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Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

I have a confession to make but not one that I am ashamed of: I don't like cream cheese frosting. Don't try to convince me that it tastes good. You know what tastes good? Cream cheese on a bagel with red onion and lox. Now let's move on.

But if you are thinking, "it is not humanly possible to eat carrot cake without cream cheese frosting," you are incorrect. I promise you won't even think about it when you make this brown butter frosting. You may even forget about the carrot cake itself. Or where you are. OR if you are wearing pants. It is that good.

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Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
from Smitten Kitchen and Always with Butter

Carrot Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp table salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
3 cups grated peeled carrots

Brown Butter Frosting
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp molasses
pinch of salt
6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup milk

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray two 8"/9" (or three 6") cake pans and line with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in medium bowl. Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture and stir until blended, stir in carrots. Divide batter evenly among cake pans.

Bake cakes for 40 minutes (but check as soon as 25/30 minutes), or until a tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let cool in pans for five minutes or so, then transfer cakes to a cooling rack.

Make the frosting: Place butter in a pan over medium heat. Cook until the butter becomes a rich amber color and little brown flecks appear at the bottom of pan. Stir quite often as to not burn it. Pour into a bowl, scraping in the little brown flecks, and let set in the refrigerator until it is the consistency of softened butter.

Beat the butter, vanilla bean paste and molasses until combined. Add in half the powdered sugar and half the milk. Beat until combined. Add in remaining. Beat until very fluffy.

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