Coconut Cream Cheese Brownies

Cookie-Crumbed Coconut Fudge Squares (original name) - made October 1, 2011 from Chocolate Chocolate by Lisa Yockelson

If you like brownies and if you like chocolate, this book is a must have.  Run, don't walk, to get it.  Many of the recipes are very similar with only slight variations but they're pretty much all delicious.  Lisa Yockelson is to brownies what Rose Levy Berenbaum is to cakes.  Meaning complete expertise and unparalelled goodness.  Seriously.  Out of all my cookbooks, this is one of perhaps a dozen that I would never give up.  I have yet to make the same thing twice but I also have yet to make a bad recipe from it.

This particular brownie has an Oreo cookie crust and the chocolate brownie is meant to be swirled with a coconut cream cheese batter.  I didn't swirl the two very much because I didn't want to disturb the Oreo cookie layer underneath but also because I wanted the coconut cream cheese parts to stand out against the brownie.  I also put the mini chocolate chips into the cream cheese batter so they would also stand out there rather than blending in with the brownie batter. 

I almost don't have to say this turned out pretty well.  The brownie was fudgy, I liked the Oreo cookie crust, the cream cheese flavor wasn't overwhelming (I don't like cream cheese per se) and the coconut gave it a nice chewiness.  Again, I only had a taste test sliver since most of this was for the bake sale but it was a pretty darn good sliver.  As with all brownies, I lined the baking pan with foil and sprayed it with nonstick cooking spray so I could take the whole thing out intact when it was baked and cooled, I used "the good chocolate" and I baked only until I had moist crumbs in the toothpick test from the center of the brownie.

Chocolate Cookie Layer

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to tepid

1 ½ cups plus 3 tablespoons chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (such as crumbs made from Oreo cookies)

Cream Cheese and Coconut Topping

2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sweetened flaked coconut

Brownie batter

2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to tepid

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to tepid

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.    Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Film the inside of a 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2.   Mix, bake and cool the cookie layer: Pour the melted butter into the prepared pan.  Spoon the cookie crumbs evenly on the bottom of the pan and press down lightly with the underside of a small offset metal spatula so that the crumbs absorb the butter.  Bake the cookie layer in the preheated oven for 4 minutes.  Place the baking pan on a rack.  Cool for 10 minutes.

3.   Increase the oven temperature to 350˚F.

4.   Mix the topping: Using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a medium-size mixing bowl on moderately low speed until smooth.  Blend in the egg yolks and vanilla extract.  Stir in the coconut.

5.   Mix the batter: Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper.  In a small bowl, toss the chocolate chips with ½ teaspoon of the sifted mixture.

6.   In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter and melted chocolate until smooth.  In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk until blended, about 15 seconds.  Add the sugar and whisk until combined, about 30 seconds.  Blend in the vanilla extract and melted butter-chocolate mixture.  Sift the flour mixture over and stir to form a batter, mixing thoroughly until the particles of flour are absorbed, using a whisk or flat wooden paddle.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

7.   Spoon the batter in large dollops on the cookie crumb layer.  Carefully spread the batter over the cookie layer, using a flexible palette knife or spatula.

8.   Spoon the cream cheese and coconut topping on the top of the brownie batter.  Gently swirl together the cream cheese topping and brownie batter, using a round-edged table knife.  When swirling the two mixtures, move the knife gingerly so that it doesn’t touch (or dislodge) the cookie layer.

9.   Bake, cool and cut the squares: Bake the sweet in the preheated oven for 30 to 34 minutes, or until set.  Let the sweet stand in the pan on a cooling rack for 3 hours.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  With a small sharp knife, cut the sweet into quarters, then cut each quarter into 4 squares.

10.  Remove the squares from the baking pan, using a small offset metal spatula.

11.   Refrigerate all squares not served on baking day in an airtight container.

Bake and serve within 3 days

Macadamia Caramel Brownies

Mother Lode Brownies (original name) - made October 1, 2011 from Mrs. Fields' I Love Chocolate by Debbi Fields (book #167)

Last Saturday, I was in serious baking mode to make enough to contribute to the bake sale.  I had several people tell me they were planning on buying the Chilled Peanut Butter Brownies I posted earlier and I couldn't help thinking, "eep, should I tell them there's only 9 pieces of that one available?"  I could make more of those but I also can never resist trying out more recipes and making a variety of different types of brownies.

I had a lot to bake though so I cheated a bit with this recipe.  Instead of making the caramel from scratch, I melted some Kraft caramels with a little milk until it was the consistency I wanted (liquid but not too thinly liquid yet not too thick or else it'll be too chewy rather than creamy once you bite into it) and used that instead.  I also didn't wait for the brownie to cool, put the caramel and toppings on top and reheat it back in the oven.  I didn't want to risk the brownies drying out by a second baking, however brief, and I was also trying to maximize my baking time so I baked the brownies until they were (slightly under-)done then I poured the caramel over the hot brownie and sprinkled on the toppings.  You get the same result with less fuss.  I also didn't make the caramel layer from scratch because when I've done the sugar/water thing, the caramel always comes out too sweet, even for me.

I have to say I loved these brownies.  Out of all the things I made for the bake sale, this was probably my favorite and it was just as well I had to give all but a sliver (for the taste test) to the bake sale because I might've eaten more than what was good for me if I hadn't.  These were moist and fudgy without being overwhelming and I loved the caramel, macadamias and chocolate chips on top.  They provided great texture and flavor contrasts and complements to the brownie.

I'm happy to report that the bake sale was a huge success.  They raised over $7000 (that's right, $7K, that's not a typo).  I think it was probably the generosity of family and friends who contributed and got baked goods in return rather than they actually sold $7000 worth of baked goods but either way, those are phenomenal results.  My friend Robbie told me my contributions netted $300 which I also found amazing for 4 batches of brownies and a pound cake but I was glad I could help.  The sobering part is I don't think $7K makes much of a dent in what the family needs to cover the medical expenses but it's $7K more than they had to put towards the bills before and I'm sure other efforts will be ongoing.  Thanks to all those who contributed and made it possible.

The top view

Brownie Layer
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter
1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Caramel Layer
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
¼ cup heavy cream, scalded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Toppings
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
9 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 ½ cups)
6 ounces milk chocolate chips (about 1 cup)

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.
2. Make the brownie layer: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.
3. In a double boiler, melt the unsweetened chocolate and the semisweet chocolate with the butter. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the brown sugar and eggs until lightened and pale in color. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture and the vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the center is set but still moist and a bit fudgy. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
6. Prepare the caramel layer: In a small heavy saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water over low heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then let boil without stirring until the syrup turns a deep amber. While the syrup is boiling, brush down the sides of the pan from time to time with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the hot cream. Continue stirring, over low heat if necessary, until all of the caramel is dissolved into the cream. Stir in the butter until smooth. Set the caramel aside until it has cooled slightly but is still spreadable.
7. To assemble: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spread the caramel over the cooled brownie. Sprinkle the toppings – macadamia nuts, semisweet chips and chocolate chips – over the caramel layer and place the brownies in the oven for 5 minutes to set the topping (do not let the chips melt completely).
8. Set on a wire rack to cool, then cut into squares.

Bake Sale Goodies

I'll blog each recipe separately in the next few days but I wanted to at least put up pictures of what I made for the bake sale tomorrow.  In case any locals in the Bay Area want to stop by, here's a sample of what'll be available for sale.  Remember it's for a good cause, to help a family in need after a horrific accident took the lives of the parents and injured their children.  The bake sale will be held at the Starbucks on Main Street in Los Altos, CA, starting at 9:30 am tomorrow, Sunday, October 2.  In addition to the Chilled Peanut Butter Brownies, I also made:

Macadamia Caramel Brownies

Coconut Cream Cheese Brownies with Oreo crust

Toffee Pound Cake

Almond Joy Brownies

My friend Robbie also gave me this sample of what her daughter Molly, also another baker, is baking for the bake sale - super cute, don't miss out!

They Won!!!! And the giveaway winners are.....

Thanks to everyone who voted for Trey's Field of Dreams - they came in 2nd place and won the $50K grant!!! This is such great news and I know Trey's family is thrilled to get that much closer in their efforts to build a park in his memory where other children can play and be safe.

And the giveaway winners are Cindy B in 1st place and Trina in 2nd place.  Although you're the only two who posted comments to let me know you voted, I did have a couple of other entries from people who emailed me personally and/or who weren't able to comment on my blog for some reason (there are times when blogger doesn't even allow me to comment on my own blog!).  But you ladies won the draw.  (Sorry for the slight delay in posting the results but I had to wait for a friend to come over to do the drawing this morning.)  Please email me your address at pastrychef17@gmail.com along with which books you want - Cindy gets first pick of 2 books and Trina gets her pick of 1 book after Cindy has chosen.  And thanks again for voting and spreading the word - every vote counts and you made a difference.  Thank you!

Chocolate Coffee Cake

Chocolate Coffee Cake - made September 28, 2011 from The Golden Book of Chocolate published by Barron's (book #166)

Last day to enter the baking book giveaway and to vote (see a few posts below) - please vote!

It never fails that when I don't have buttermilk, I come across all sorts of recipes I want to try that use it.  Then once I do buy some buttermilk, I can't find those recipes again and the recipes I do come across use milk, sour cream, heavy cream and every other ingredient except buttermilk.  Someone tell me that doesn't just happen to me.  Even if you have to lie to me.

Fortunately, after some exasperated flipping through the remaining baking books in my baking challenge, I did zoom in on this recipe that uses buttermilk and a whole cup of it at that.  This bakes into a simple 9 x 13 cake which is the easiest for me to cut up and give away.  I was meeting my friend Emily for lunch so it was a good excuse to share it with her to take back to her office/my old company.  This came out pretty well, although a bit more dense than your average box-mix cake but not as dense as a pound cake.  It did have a rich dark chocolate flavor due to the Pernigotti cocoa I used.  But that was nicely offset by the sweetness of the chocolate frosting.  I omitted the walnuts from the frosting (of course) and instead of lemon juice, I used milk.  I added more than a tablespoon because the frosting was too stiff.  I didn't measure exactly how much milk I added but you can adjust to the consistency you want your frosting to be.

Cake

2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (150 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup (125 ml) strong cold coffee

Walnut Frosting

4 ounces (125 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup (90 g) butter

2 ½ cups (375 g) confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used milk)

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1.    Preheat the oven to 350⁰F.  Butter and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

2.    Stir the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

3.    Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy.

4.    Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.

5.    With mixer at low speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk and coffee.  Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

6.    Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes.  Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.

7.    Walnut Frosting: Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over barely simmering water.  Set aside to cool.  Beat in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and lemon juice (or milk).  Stir in the walnuts and chocolate.  Spread over the cooled cake.

 

Chilled Peanut Butter Brownies

Chilled Peanut Butter Brownies - made September 24, 2011 from Glorious Chocolate by Mary Goodbody and the editors of Chocolatier Magazine (book #165)

(Last day is tomorrow (Sept 30) to vote for Trey's Field of Dreams and enter the baking giveaway a few blog posts below - please vote - thanks!)

I was asked by a friend to contribute to a bake sale trying to raise funds to help a family in need.  The family was involved in a car accident where both parents were killed and their two children were left with severe health issues.  Family and friends are trying to raise funds to help with the medical expenses.  This bake sale is part of the effort.  I couldn't have said no even if I had wanted to (which I don't).   Baking is the least I can do to help.  For any local folks in the Bay Area, the bake sale is being held in downtown Los Altos at the Starbucks on Main Street.  Starbucks is donating coffee and the bake sale will be held outside their store on October 2, starting at 9:30 am.  Please come by and support the cause (and enjoy some brownies).

As always, I fall back to brownies and other items that can be packaged easily for sale.  I'm mindful of my friend Robbie's advice that at bake sales, kids are the purchasing decisionmakers and there's nothing like candy to catch their eye.  So I went with this peanut butter brownie and garnished it with Reese's peanut butter cups on top.  I baked the brownies per the recipe then about 5 minutes before I took the brownies out of the oven, I placed the peanut butter cups on top to let them melt slightly into the brownie.  I only cut the peanut butter cups in half so they'd be nice and chunky to bite into as part of the brownie.  Since this only made an 8-inch pan and I needed all of it for the bake sale, I only cut off a sliver for the taste test.  Seemed like it turned out pretty well.  The peanut butter layer made a nice base for the brownie layer.  If you want more texture and for those who like nuts in their brownies, use chunky peanut butter instead of smooth.  Feel free to also garnish with chopped up Snickers bars instead of or in addition to peanut butter cups and/or to add peanut butter chips to the brownie layer.  Instead of mixing the chocolate chunks into the batter, I spread them in an even layer over the peanut butter layer then covered them with the brownie layer.

Peanut Butter layer

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

Chocolate layer

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup sifted unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder

½ cup all-purpose flour

5 ounces milk chocolate, cut into ¼” pieces

1.   Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350⁰F.  Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil so that the foil extends 2 inches beyond two opposite sides of the pan.  Lightly butter the top and sides of the foil-lined pan.

2.   Make the peanut butter layer: In a medium bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer set at medium speed, beat the peanut butter, sugar and egg for 1 minute or until just combined.  Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan.  Using your fingertips (I used a small metal spatula), press the peanut butter layer evenly into the bottom of the pan.

3.   Make the chocolate layer: In a medium bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer set at high speed, beat the butter and sugar for 4 minutes or until light.  Add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating for 2 minutes or until creamy and smooth.  At low speed, beat in the cocoa and flour until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate.

4.   Scrape the batter into the baking pan and spread it evenly over the peanut butter layer.  Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted 2 inches away from the center comes out clean (I go for moist crumbs rather than “clean”).

5.   Cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Using the foil as handles, lift the brownies out of the pan.  Invert the brownies onto a large plate and carefully peel off the foil.  Invert again onto a smooth surface and cut into 12 brownies.

High Ratio Orange Buttermilk Pound Cake

High Ratio Orange Buttermilk Pound Cake - made September 24, 2011 from Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri (book #164)

Really moist, really good

(Please enter the baking book giveaway 2 posts below and please vote!  They're in 14th place but need to move up higher before voting ends on Friday, September 30 - thanks!)

Nick Malgieri is another cookbook author whose recipes I can reasonably count on to almost always turn out.  I had the privilege of getting him to sign this cookbook for me when I met him during a baking demo he was doing at Sur La Table some years ago.  I think he does cakes exceptionally well, much like Rose Levy Berenbaum.  This recipe only enforces that.  Although it's now officially fall and the days are getting noticeably shorter, if not always cooler, if you want a last taste of summer, go find the freshest oranges you can and make this cake.  It seems like a standard pound cake but the orange flavor makes it much more than your average butter pound cake and will remind you of summer days gone by.

Brush all of the soaking syrup into the cake in stages: brush, wait a few minutes to let it absorb, brush some more, wait a bit, and so on.  It took me more than half an hour to use up all of the syrup.  Sometimes I get lazy or feel like I've used enough syrup and I don't want the cake to get too moist or soaked.  But this worked out pretty well to use up all of the soaking syrup because it really flavored the cake well.  The cake was moist but not overly so or and it wasn't gummy.  Make sure to bake it properly (toothpick should come out just barely clean) and don't underbake it or else it will be too gummy, especially after you use the soaking syrup.  This is actually the type of cake that tastes better the day after you make it because the flavors have had time to mellow and really settle into the cake.  Another good picnic cake or a good candidate to include in a care package.

2 ½ cups bleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

4 large eggs, at room temperature

3 large egg yolks

½ cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 tablespoons strained fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon orange extract

Orange Syrup

½ cup water

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh orange juice, strained

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

One 12-cup Bundt pan, buttered and floured

1.    Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325˚F.

2.    Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and beat on the lowest speed for about 2 minutes, or until the ingredients are well combined.

3.   Meanwhile, whisk all the remaining batter ingredients together in a mixing bowl until well combined.

4.   Increase the mixer speed to medium and add one-third of the liquid, and mix for 2 minutes.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater.  Add another third of the liquid, beat for 2 minutes, and scrape again.  Finally, add the remaining liquid and beat and scrape as before.

5.   Use a large rubber spatula to give the batter a final vigorous stir, then scrape it into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

6.   Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake halfway between the side of the pan and the central tube emerges clean.

7.   Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack to finish cooling.

8.   To make the syrup, bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan.  Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice, lemon juice and vanilla extract.  Brush the hot syrup evenly all over the cake.  Gradually brush until it is all absorbed.

Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies - made September 24, 2011 from Mrs. Witty's Monster Cookies by Helen Witty (book #163)

See the Oreo cookie lump?

I've mentioned in the past that I've wanted to try Oreo-stuffed chocolate chip cookies because they were the fad in the foodie blogosphere for awhile.  I kept getting distracted by other recipes, not to mention eating the Oreos "straight" but I finally got around to trying them last weekend.  I had a specific recipe in mind from one of the link parties I participate in but since I was trying to further my baking challenge, I decided to try a simple chocolate chip cookie recipe from one of my baking books.

Hmm, I might've been better off trying the other recipe.  I knew this likely wouldn't work well with Oreos in the middle because the dough was soft after I mixed it.  I chilled it for a few hours because I even wrapped it around an oreo then froze that before I baked it.  As expected, the cookie spread too much and the Oreo in the middle looked like a round lump with a big cookie skirt.  I might've been able to get over that though if it had tasted good.  Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed.  The chocolate chip cookie part was kind of average and more cakey than moist and chewy, possibly because I baked it a minute or two longer than I would've liked because the middle was still doughy, possibly because of that Oreo intruder in the middle.  But the deal breaker was the Oreo itself was soft after having been baked and cooled.  That stands to reason, of course, because of the baking heat but one of the reasons I like Oreos is because of the crisp texture of the sandwich cookies.  Having them soften in baking just didn't work for me.  Bummer.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

¼ cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces

1.     In a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or in the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and shortening together until well blended and soft.  Then beat in the brown and granulated sugars in turn, beating well after each addition, until fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each; then beat in the vanilla.

2.     Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, blending well.  Add the chocolate bits and mix well.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it thoroughly, preferably for 3 hours or longer.

3.     Preheat the oven to 350⁰F with the oven rack in the center position.

4.     Drop the chilled dough by slightly rounded measuring teaspoonfuls onto the foil-covered greased sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.  Bake them in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned and the centers have just become springy to the touch.  Cool on the pans for 5 minutes then place them on wire racks to cool completely.

Another Baking Book Giveaway

EDITING because I got the voting end date wrong

Please vote for a good cause!

I'm doing another slightly different post from the norm to ask for your help and to offer free cookbooks in exchange.  I blogged earlier this year about my 3-week trip to Australia and New Zealand.  On the trip, I met an extremely nice couple, Eileen and Dick, who were wonderful people to tour with and just wonderful people in general.  Sadly, Eileen and Dick's grandson, Trey, was killed over a year ago by a drunk driver.  Trey was only 6 years old.  I don't have kids but I don't need to be a parent or a grandparent to know what a devastating loss it is for someone to lose their child.  Trey's family is coping with their grief and loss by trying to build a "field of dreams" in Trey's memory and they are in the running for a $50,000 grant from Pepsi to add to their fundraising efforts.  They're currently in 15th place but it's very competitive and they need all the votes they can get in order to win the grant.  There are only 10 voting days left.

I need your help!  Please click on the link below to vote for Trey's Field of Dreams so his family can get the Pepsi grant.  Voting ends on September 30 so I will draw winners on October 1.  http://www.refresheverything.com/trey

Here's how to enter the giveaway (you can do either or both):
1. vote through the link and leave me a comment in this post that you voted.  You can either login via facebook if you have a facebook account or you can register an email with Pepsi and vote (you don't need to be on facebook to vote, you just need an email address).  You can vote once a day and leave me a comment every day that you voted.  Every vote is one entry.  Make sure when you do vote that you login and click vote.  Your vote is recorded when you get the "Thanks" message (just logging in is not voting).
2. Email me power vote codes that come under specially marked Pepsi bottles (it's on the underside of the bottlecaps).  Each power vote code is worth 5 entries in the giveaway.  Email is pastrychef17@gmail.com.

I will give away 2 baking books from the list pictured below.  First prize goes to the person who sends me the most power vote codes.  That person gets first choice of TWO cookbooks from the list below.  Second prize is a random drawing from all the people who emailed me power vote codes and left comments saying they voted.  Second prize winner will be able to pick one cookbook from the list below after the first prize winner has picked.  Drawing will be held on October 4.

Thank you for helping out a worthy cause in memory of a little boy who was taken too soon from his family and friends.  Please pass the word along as much as you can and get others to vote as well.  Every vote really does count and I know Trey's family appreciates each and every one.

http://www.refresheverything.com/trey

List of baking books in the giveaway - click on the link to see more information about each book
Cocolat by Alice Medrich
Indulge by Claire Clark
The Art of Chocolate by Elaine Gonzalez
Grand Finales: The Art of the Plated Dessert by Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty (has a little wear)
Perfect Pastry by Nick Malgieri
Elegantly Easy Creme Brulee & Other Custard Desserts by Debbie Puente
Shortbread by Jann Johnson
Christmas Cookies from the Whimsical Bakehouse by Kaye Hansen and Liv Hansen
Chocolate Companion by Cynthia Shade Rogers

Care Packages for College Students

This post is going to be a little different from the norm since I haven't had time to bake lately so I don't have any new recipes or baking experiments to blog about.  But I've been meaning to write this one for a few weeks to talk about care packages again.  But this is aimed at those of you who've sent kids off to college.  I've mentioned my nieces have started at different colleges this year so that naturally kicks in my need to send them care packages. 

Baked goods, of course, go into the care packages and I choose the ones they like that will ship well.  But I didn't want to send just brownies or bar cookies.  I wanted to also send fun stuff or useful stuff or both.  What makes a care package "useful" for a college student might be different than a care package sent to a non-student.  For one thing, if they live in the dorms, you know space is a premium so you can't send really big stuff that'll take up space.  You also have to be mindful if they have a microwave or a small refrigerator in their room or not as that affects food choices.  And college students tend to move every year so you don't want to send them something fragile, cumbersome or  what they'll never use.

So what can you send?  I had to think back to my own college days to try and remember what I would've liked at their age.  I also tapped my friends' knowledge and experience and they helped me come up with a great list of ideas, some of which I've implemented and some of which I'm holding back for future packages.  One thing I had to update is my knowledge of how far technology has come since my college days.  Quarters for laundry?  No need - now they just swipe their student IDs in the washing machines and dryers to pay for washing and drying each load.  Film for cameras?  In this day and age of cell phone cameras and digital cameras, forget it.

The key factors in my mind are the items had to be consumable, would get daily or near-daily use, be something they actually needed but didn't already have, and/or be something fun.  There's no one-size-fits-all list for everyone since the whole fun of a care package is to tailor it to the specific recipient's needs and wants.  I know a lot of my nieces' likes and dislikes so I had a lot to work with.  For their first one, I included:
- a stapler, staple remover and staples set
- packets of green ginger tea (they love tea)
- individual packets of Crystal Light (for something cold to drink since it was summer when I sent it)
- movie pack of Skittles (a favorite candy of theirs plus I didn't have to worry about it melting in summer temps like I would have with chocolate)
- highlighters
- 8 GB flash drive (for saving files from their laptop and plugging into a computer lab computer to print if they don't have a printer in their room)

In subsequent "follow ups", I also gave them each a mini LED flashlight they can keep in their purses and have handy if they're ever on campus at night, packs of microwave kettle corn, crackers and other dorm food-type snacks for when they're studying or else have to eat on the run on their way to class.  I also like to package food items in individual-sized portions so that they can share with their friends.  College and dorms are about communal living and making new friends.  Nothing like sharing treats to cement new friendships.

Other suggestions people gave me but which my nieces already had so I didn't include:

• post-it notes
• Command hooks for hanging stuff in their dorms
• Nail polish, nail polish remover, and other nail care items
• Shower caddy for carting their shower essentials from their room to the communal bathroom
• combination lock
• Robe

I'll save the rest for future care packages - I don't want to ruin all of the surprise.

Same packing tips apply as with all packages: pack carefully so that the items don't move around a lot or at all.  I used medium flat rate boxes so I didn't have to worry about weight.  Time when you send a package.  If it has something perishable in it, try sending on a Saturday or Monday so it arrives early in the week.  If you send mid-week and chance a Saturday arrival, if the dorms don't handle mail on the weekends, your package will sit there a couple of extra days until they deliver again on Monday.  I've also discovered that what I sent to one of my nieces took an extra day to be processed through campus mail.  A package I sent across the country arrived a day earlier than a package I sent to my niece in-state because of that extra processing day so now I have to plan accordingly.

Oh, and most importantly, include a handwritten card telling them how much you love them and how proud you are of them for being where they are and making the most of their opportunities.  And if your handwriting sucks like mine, cash in the same envelope is good too :).