Wait, what are Haole Brownies?

Holy Moly!  This whole Hawaii obsession is out-of-control.  I came across this recipe from the Kamehameha School District and was intrigued ... I grew up in Tucson and had my list of favorite school meal recipes ... Little Smokies with baked beans, tortillas, and a piece of sheet cake.  Super simple but looking back it was really fun.  So, naturally when I came across a school recipe, I had to try it.  I'm sure somewhere this means something to someone.

Since lord only knows I do not need 48 brownies ... I'm going to half it.   Let's do this!

Haole Brownies Makes 48 2" x 2" brownies 2-1/2 cups brown sugar (packed) 2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2-1/2 sticks (10 oz.) butter or margarine 1 level tablespoon baking powder (double acting) 4 cups all-purpose flour 6 large eggs 1-1/2 cups diced walnuts Cream together brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, butter (or margarine) and baking powder. Add and mix all-purpose flour until incorporated. Add and mix eggs until creamy. Add diced walnuts. Mix on low with paddle for 30 seconds if using KitchenAid-style mixer. If not available, then mix with wooden spoon to incorporate, but if mixing by hand, add eggs before the flour. (A hand held mixer may not be powerful enough for this heavy batter, but try if you like.) DO NOT OVERBEAT! Scrape down sides of bowl and then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes or by spoon for 5 minutes. Grease two 13" x 9" x 2" pans and preheat oven to 375-400 degrees. (Note: If pan sizes are different, pour batter to a maximum of 3/4 of an inch deep.) Divide mix evenly into pans and place on bottom rack and bake. Brownies will rise gradually for about 25 minutes and then flatten.  Wait for 3 minutes after they have flattened completely, then remove from oven and place on rack to cool. When warm to the touch, cut to desired size.  From Kamehameha Food Services:  http://kapalama.ksbe.edu/foodservices/recipes/haole_brownies.html And, as you can see from above I had to sneak a little taste before the rest of the crowd got to it.  Quality Contol.  Well, let's just say, by the time it was time to be served ... The whole top row was gone, vanished.

I'm calling it now ... We invented the Double Decker Bundt Cake.

This past week we were asked to help with a friend's wedding that is to take place early next year, and needless to say ... Totes stoked.   Tonight, I started looking through some ideas and realized one of our favorite weddings is about to come up on their 3rd anniversary.

They asked us for a dessert bar and we came up with a variety of desserts ... But my favorite was a non traditional wedding cake - we came up with a double layered Ricotta Bundt Cake With Browned Butter Glaze .  I still can't find another one any where - so, yeah we invented that.

Ricotta Bundt Cake With Browned Butter Glaze

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, stirred before measuring
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• ***Glaze:***
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla or vanilla bean paste
• 3 to 5 tablespoons whole milk or half-and-half

Heat oven to 300°. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan or spray with baking spray with flour.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter and ricotta cheese with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar until light. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Stir in the flour mixture.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold the beaten whites into the batter until well incorporated. Spoon into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger.

Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Glaze with the browned butter glaze (below) or dust with confectioners' sugar.

Glaze: Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Be sure to remove it from the heat as it turns golden, because it can darken very quickly. Pour the butter into a bowl, leaving most of the sediment in the pan. Sift confectioners' sugar into the bowl and add 3 tablespoons of milk. Stir until smooth. Add more milk as needed to make the glaze thin enough to spoon over the cooled cake.

Source:  http://southernfood.about.com/od/bundtcakerecipes/r/r90315e.htm

Happy 3rd Anniversary Jen & Ryan