Brownie Bears

I think the best holiday gifts are the ones that really come from the heart, and that’s why I always try to make at least some of the gifts that I give each year. Of course, baked goods are high on my to-do list. I love to look for new recipes each year and put together an assortment that offers a variety of textures and flavors. I don’t have unlimited time to spend in the kitchen, but I can still create an impressive array of handmade goodies by choosing easy, big-batch recipes like bar cookies to complement the more labor-intensive ones.

If you have children or grandchildren, baking holiday treats together is a wonderful activity to get them into the spirit of giving. Easier recipes are a must when kids are involved, too, which makes brownies and bars a perfect choice. They can be frosted, cut, and decorated just like cookies, but more quickly and easily. The small cookie cutters that come with my cookbooks With Mommy’s Help and With Grandma’s Help are the perfect size for little hands to help cut shapes from soft brownies and bars (and eating the scraps is fun, too). Packed in a pretty tin with some parchment paper (and a bright bow with a cookie cutter attached), these make a thoughtful and delicious gift for anyone on your list.

And to dispel any notion that kid-friendly bars can’t be sophisticated, here’s a terrific recipe adapted from the wonderful Nantucket Open House Cookbook, by Sarah Leah Chase. I omitted the nuts in the original recipe and added a chocolate glaze that gives the bars a more polished look and can be dressed up with candies or icing. I also increased the ingredient amounts to make a large pan. This is my go-to recipe when I want a quick, yet elegant, finger-food type dessert for a crowd or when I want something special to add to a box of homemade goodies. These bars are moist, rich, and keep very well.

Ann
www.annclark.com


White Chocolate Brownies
This recipe makes a large pan of bars, perfect for a party or for gift giving. Be sure to use good-quality white chocolate here, not imitation white chocolate chips. I like to use Callebaut chocolate, which is available in chunks in the bulk or baking section of natural foods stores. If you like, replace the vanilla with kirsch.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 12 by 18-inch jellyroll pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on each end, and spray with cooking spray.
Melt in a large saucepan over low heat:
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter

Add and stir until melted:
- 15 ounces white chocolate, chopped small

Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then stir in:
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon salt

Stir in just until smooth:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour

Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake until the top is golden and the bars are just firm to the touch, about 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Cool completely in pan, then run a knife along the sides. Place another jellyroll pan on the bars and invert them, then peel the aluminum foil from the bottom of the bars. (Be careful not to leave any foil behind.) Place a sheet of parchment on the bottom of the bars and re-invert them back into the original pan. Spread warm Ganache over the top of the bars, sprinkle with nonpareils or other decorations if desired, then let the Ganache cool completely (chill in refrigerator if possible, to make sure it is firm).

To cut bars using your Ann Clark Ltd. favorite cookie cutters, place a sheet of clean parchment on the surface of the bars, place another jellyroll pan on top, and flip the bars over. Cut shapes from the sheet of bars with a cookie cutter (cutting the bars while upside down prevents the chocolate Ganache from smearing the sides of the bars).

Chocolate Ganache

Bring 1 cup heavy cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then add 14 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, remove from heat, and let sit 5 minutes. Stir the mixture until smooth, reheating over low heat if necessary to completely melt the chocolate. Let cool slightly before pouring over the pan of bars.