Bready or Not Original: Bourbon Walnuts
Making homemade Bourbon Walnuts is pretty easy, and is a lot more cost-effective than buying them from a store!
You don’t need fancy bourbon for this recipe. Basic is fine. The bourbon adds a wonderful refreshing flavor. I know I’ll likely be asked if it can be omitted from the recipe, too. The answer: probably? The walnuts will still likely taste fine, but the lower amount of liquid will mean it cooks faster, so keep a close eye on things and reduce cook time as appropriate.
I doubt I will surprise anyone when I say that I enjoy candied nuts like this alongside cheese and other accompaniments. That said, these walnuts are versatile. Use them in a salad, or on ice cream, or as a snack for a road trip or during a work day.
Bready or Not Original: Bourbon Walnuts
Equipment
- rimmed baking pans
- aluminum foil
- medium pot
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole walnuts
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 Tablespoons bourbon
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- sprinkle cloves
- sprinkle kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil.
- Place all ingredients in a medium pot. Stirring all the while, bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to cook at a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until mixture has thickened to coat the walnuts.
- Spread the nuts evenly on the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the coating is quite thick.
- Transfer to another rimmed baking pan or plate that is heat-resistant, and use a spatula to stir and toss the walnuts for a couple minutes to break apart any large clumps and start the cooling process.
- Enjoy eating as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Let cool completely before placing in a sealed container at room temperature. Walnuts will keep for several weeks.
- Enjoy eaten straight, with cheese, in salads, on ice cream, or in various other ways.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Browned Butter Rye Chocolate Chip Bars
I’ve made this Browned Butter Rye Chocolate Chip Bars recipe about, oh, five times as I type this up. I have witnessed people go absolutely bonkers over how good these things are.
This is not an especially photogenic recipe. At a glance, the bars look like they may be made of whole wheat, which doesn’t exactly excite people. But then they bite in.
Rye flour gives a complex, nutty flavor. The browned butter amps that up. There is not a ton of sweetness within the bars, though the coarse sugar on top adds some glitter and dazzles the tongue.
I’ve found this is a great recipe to make ahead of time, too, and freeze fully baked stacked inside gallon freezer bags.
Bready or Not Original: Browned Butter Rye Chocolate Chip Bars
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
- waxed paper
- heavy glass
Ingredients
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter 1 and a half sticks
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 3 cups medium rye flour
- 2 cups chocolate chips any kind or a mix
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar for topping
Instructions
- Place butter in a pot on stove. Gently warm to melt, and continue to cook, stirring often, until the butter is browned. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a large bowl, combine both sugars, salt, vanilla extract, and baking soda. Beat in the egg until everything becomes smooth and creamy.
- Add the browned butter, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate everything. Mix in rye flour. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Dollop the dough into the pan. Use hands to press out as evenly as possible. Place a small piece of waxed paper on top, then use a heavy glass on top of that to fully compress dough, making sure to get all of the edges. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top.
- Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until dough is set. Remove from oven. Cool completely before slicing into bars.
- These bars will keep well at room temperature, in a sealed container, for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen soon after baking, and will thaw fast for a treat at a future date.
OM NOM NOM!
Impersonated by a Scammer
In recent months, most writers I know have had to contend with regular AI-written emails purporting to come from book clubs or Goodreads list curators or even radio stations. A new version I learned about this week is a fake invite to a genre conventions; when the writer expresses interest, of course, a fee is mentioned.
Well, I found out yesterday that someone–likely heading a spam bot army–is impersonating me.
I’m horrified. The people who are most likely to fall for these scams are new writers, eager for any kind of “in” to the industry. To think that someone in that position could be taken advantage of, in my name… ugh ugh ugh.
I’m mystified as to why the spammers even picked me. I’ve seen friends mention being “contacted” by Margaret Atwood, Donna Tart, and other big name, more literary authors that even non-readers might recognize. I am definitely not of that ilk, and yet, here we are. Goes to show that no one is safe.
I’ll say straight up: if you get an email from a “Beth Cato” out of the blue, it’s probably not me. I’m under a horrible deadline strain right now. I don’t even have time to do blog posts, but I had to make time for this one. (My Bready or Not posts are set up months in advance right now, for my sanity’s sake.) If you get a suspicious email, report it as spam and block it. Please. And do the same for any other spam of this nature. Warn other people about these scams, too, especially writers who are just starting out.
My Blue Sky post on this topic has gone viral. If you’re also on there, please share it as well. Awareness increases safety… and if the spammers stop getting business, they’ll eventually give up. I hope.
Be careful out there.
Read MoreBready or Not: Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Some cake recipes make a LOT of cake. If you need to celebratory cake to just feed a few people, make this Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting instead: it’s a simple one-layer cake that tastes incredibly good.
This is a case where folks can really tell you baked from scratch. The cake is sweet and moist, and the frosting? Wow. I have to say, the kosher salt in the frosting was a revelation. The little pockets of salt melted on my tongue and really amplified the flavor of everything.
I stored this cake in my cake dome at room temperature, and it kept just fine for days, too.
Modified from Bake from Scratch: One Layer Cakes Magazine.
Bready or Not: Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Equipment
- parchment paper
- nonstick spray with flour
- 9-inch cake pan
- offset spatula
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or soured milk (see note)
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2-3 Tablespoons buttermilk or soured milk (see note)
- multicolored sprinkles to garnish
Instructions
Make cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut parchment paper to fit in the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan. Apply nonstick spray with flour inside cake pan, then place parchment and spray again, being sure to coat the interior sides.
- Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk/soured milk, beating just until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Make frosting
- After the cake is completely cool, make the frosting.
- Beat butter until creamy. In another bowl, sift together confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and salt. Add cocoa mixture to butter, beating until combined. Stir in buttermilk/soured milk until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Use an offset spatula to adorn cake. Add sprinkles on top.
OM NOM NOM!
Notes
Bready or Not Original: Shortbread-Crust Brownies
If you like brownies that aren’t quite so hardcore on chocolate, these Shortbread-Crust Brownies are for you! The golden, buttery base provides the perfect complement to the chocolate flavor.
Also, I daresay, it makes these bars even prettier. Look at that lovely color contrast!
This recipe uses a 13×9 pan, so make this big batch to share with a crowd.
Bready or Not Original: Shortbread-Crust Brownies
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- foil
- nonstick spray
- wax paper
- heavy glass
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) cold
Brownie layer
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 ounces chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or extra butter.
- In a bowl, combine the three crust ingredients, cutting in the butter until everything is crumbly. Spread out on bottom of prepared pan. Use a piece of wax paper and a heavy glass to press down crumbs into an even layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until set and golden.
- In a large bowl, beat together flour, sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, egg, vanilla, and baking powder. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to be sure to combine everything. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the middle is no longer jiggly and passes the toothpick test.
- Cool completely, speeding process in fridge, if desired. Use the foil to lift the brownies onto a cutting board. Slice into bars. Store in sealed container at room temperature.
OM NOM NOM!
POSTPONED: Signing in Duluth
I’m very sad to announce that my author signing at the Bookstore at Fitger’s in Duluth, originally set for April 4th, needs to be rescheduled. Winter is not going away without a fight, alas. I’ll post again once we have a new date!
In the meantime, hey, they already have my books in stock, so if you’re in Duluth, please pop in and show support by buying a book or five! The image below is from their Instagram; they are well worth a follow.
