Butterscotch Pignoli Cookies

Butterscotch Pignoli Cookies

Ingredients:
 1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220 grams)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/3 cup finely chopped toasted pine nuts (pignoli)
Fleur de sel, optional (flaky sea salt)

Directions;
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; whisk and cook until butter starts to foam and turns golden brown.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; whisk until combined.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together browned butter, brown sugar and corn syrup until combined.  Beat in vanilla and egg until combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture and pine nuts until just combined.

Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets, spacing about 2-inches apart (they spread quite a bit).  Sprinkle with a pinch of fleur de sel.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 1 minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 18 cookies

Butterscotch Budino

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Butterscotch Budino

Ingredients:
3 large egg yolks
2 1/4 cups half-n-half, divided use
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8-1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/4 cup half-n-half and cornstarch until combined.
Heat the remaining half-n-half in the microwave until boiling.

Stir together brown sugar and water in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Stop stirring, and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 5 minutes, or until sugar thickens and starts to turn golden brown.  The first bit of smoke that comes off the caramel is a sign you should whisk in the hot half-n-half.  Gradually whisk in the half-n-half until combined.  Temper the egg yolk mixture by gradually whisking a bit of the hot cream into the egg yolks, and whisking that mixture back into the saucepan.  Whisk and cook over medium-low heat until custard starts to thicken.  This will only take a minute or two.  Strain the pudding into a medium bowl; whisk in vanilla and fleur de del.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Makes 6 servings

Butterscotch Apple Cake

Butterscotch Apple Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups diced peeled apple
2 cups butterscotch chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla for 2-3 minutes or until well combined and doubled in volume. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in apple until combined.

Spread cake batter into prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle with butterscotch chips. Bake 45-50 minutes or until well risen, golden brown, and cake pulls away from edges of dish. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 15 servings

Cinnamon-Apple-Butterscotch Muffins

Cinnamon-Apple-Butterscotch Muffins

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup applesauce
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk
3/4 cup finely chopped apples
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 12 Texas-sized muffin cups with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk in oats and butterscotch chips until combined. In a large bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and brown sugar until creamy, about 1 minute; beat in applesauce, eggs and vanilla until combined, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture, alternating with milk, until combined - about 1-2 minutes. Stir in apple and pecans until combined.

Divide batter into muffin cups. I pressed dried apples into the surface, but that's optional, of course - and then I drizzled them with maple syrup and sprinkled the muffin tops with cinnamon-sugar. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, before running a knife around outside edges and removing muffins onto wire racks to cool.

Makes 12 big muffins

Cashew-Butterscotch Cookies

Cashew-Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups butterscotch chips
3/4 cup coarsely chopped salted cashews

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a large sheet pan.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir in oats until well combined.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and brown sugar until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and egg until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined; beat in butterscotch chips and cashews until combined.

Drop dough onto cookie sheet, in large, rounded spoonfuls (about 3 tablespoons per cookie). Bake at 350 degrees F, for 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 16-20 cookies, depending how big you make them

Browned Butter-Scotch Toffee Blondies

Browned Butter-Scotch Toffee Blondies
Ingredients:
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided use
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup toffee bits
Melted white chocolate with cinnamon, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8x8-inch square baking dish.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook butter, stirring frequently, until it starts to foam and brown - about 5 minutes; set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together 3 additional tablespoons butter, brown sugar and sugar, until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and egg until combined. Beat in browned butter until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in coconut, butterscotch chips, and toffee bits, until combined.

Scrape batter into prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack completely, before drizzling melted white chocolate with cinnamon over the top. Allow the white chocolate to set before slicing.

Makes 12 bars