Cheesecake Brownies

I've been making quite a few cheesecake things lately. And quite a few brownie things. And so, I come to the massive climax of these two trends: cheesecake brownies. For this recipe, I didn't want anything too fancy. I just wanted a good, quality cheesecake and a good, quality, chocolate-y brownie. And I got them. The cheesecake is has a rich taste and simple vanilla flavor, without being too heavy, and the brownies are perfectly gooey and chocolate-y.

I decided to use a brownie recipe I already had, because I knew it was the texture I wanted. So I created a little cheesecake mix-in recipe to go with it.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• One batch of brownie batter

Directions:

1. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Next, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
3. Then add in the flour and the salt and beat until just mixed.
4. Beat in the egg.
5. Pour about half of the brownie batter into a baking dish, then add the cheesecake before topping with the rest of the brownie batter.
6. Using a butter knife, swirl together the batters, taking care not to mix them into a homogeneous batter.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

These were moist and delicious, and I'd make them again in a heartbeat.

What desserts are you looking forward to as we head into fall? Any you've always wanted to know about, that you'd like to see on Confectious?

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Caramel Apple Pretzels

That's right. Caramel Apple + Pretzels. All this recipe took was a trusty pretzel recipe from Alton Brown, some apples, and a drizzle of hot caramel and perfection was achieved. They were sweet, salty, and delicious. Caramel apple fever is here, folks. Be prepared.

Pretzel recipe adapted from Alton Brown.
Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 6 tbsp butter
• 2 granny smith apples, diced
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp butter

Directions:

1. First, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attachment and mix to combine.
2. Next, add the water and butter before kneading approximately 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and not sticky.
3. Add the apples to the dough and knead just until incorporated.
4. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover. Allow it to rise for about an hour.
5. Cut the dough into 12 equal portion, roll into a long rope, and shape into pretzels (or cut into pretzel bites).
6. Preheat the oven to 450 F and place the shaped pretzels onto parchment lined sheet pans and cover while you bring 2/3 cup baking soda and 10 cups of water to boil in a large pot.
7. Boil the pretzels for approximately 30 seconds each and place them back on the parchment paper.
8. Brush the tops with egg wash, heavy cream, or water, and sprinkle a small amount of salt onto each pretzel.
9. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until the pretzels are nice and golden.
10. While the pretzels cool, add 1/3 cup water and 1 cup sugar to an oiled saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cook the sugar until it becomes a dark amber in color, then remove from heat.
11. Promptly stir in the heavy cream and butter. Allow the caramel to cool for a few minutes.
12. Drizzle the caramel over the pretzels once you think it's cool enough not to burn your mouth (or more likely until you can't wait any longer) and enjoy.

A few simple additions turn pretzels from awesome salty snack to perfectly balanced and fun dessert.

What's your favorite fair food? The most outrageous you've come across?

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Caramel Monkey Bread

I've been promising the fiancee monkey bread for quite a while now. Except both of us kept forgetting. Somehow monkey bread or monkeys would come up and we'd both go "Oh yeah." And then promptly forget again. This time, I actually made it though. Probably just because I was on a bit of a bread kick, but no one's complaining.

The dough recipe comes from one of my favorite cook books, The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread.

Ingredients:

• 3.25 oz sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2.75 oz butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 16 oz bread or AP flour
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 9 oz milk
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt. Once smooth, beat in the egg and lemon until smooth.
2. Add the flour, yeast, and milk, and knead until the dough passes the windowpane test.
3. Ferment for 2 hours.
4. Mix together 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and 2/3 cup heavy cream until smooth. Pour half of this mixture into the bottom of a bundt pan.
5. Cut the dough into small bites, about the size of a golf ball.
6. Mix together 2/3 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Roll each ball in mixture.
7. Place the balls into the pan, not packing too tightly.
8. Pour the rest of the caramel mixture over the dough and allow to proof at room temperature until doubled in size.
9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
10. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the bread is golden brown.

I promise I'll have more stuff on recipe development and the good 'ol Confectious you're all used to soon. In fact, I'm working on something really big right now! So stay tuned.

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