Coconut, almonds, chocolate make a moist bar cookie

When you've offered to bring dessert to a potluck or the office, bar cookies are a great choice. They're sturdy, easy to transport and can be cut into generous pieces or tiny tidbits.

Beyond those attributes, these cookies are buttery and delicious. With their combination of chocolate, coconut and almonds, they're almost like a Mounds candy bar in a pan.

COCONUT-ALMOND-CHOCOLATE BARS
Yield: 32 bars

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar, divided
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup thinly sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 cup flour until well combined. Add melted butter; mix well. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Press into the bottom of the pan with the palms of your hands, making an even layer. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes.

While the crust bakes, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla in the same large bowl. Add the remaining 1 cup brown sugar, the remaining 3 tablespoons flour, coconut, almonds and salt. Stir until well combined.

As soon as the crust comes out of the oven, sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Press the chocolate lightly into the crust. Add small dollops of coconut over the chocolate, then spread into an even layer, disturbing the chocolate as little as possible. Return the baking dish to the oven. Bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then cut into bars. (A chef's knife works best.Cut from the sides toward the center, turning the pan as needed.) Let cool completely before removing the bars from the pan.


Recipe adapted from  Mrs. Kolbert's Coconut Bars, published 20 years ago by Gourmet magazine.

Photo and story copyright 2013 by Judith Evans. All rights reserved.

The best brownie recipe -- bar none

The best brownies are made with cocoa powder, not chocolate.

Yes, cocoa powder. Hands down, those brownies are moister and more chocolaty than brownies made with melted chocolate.

As a bonus, they're also easier to make. You melt the butter on the stove or in the microwave, then stir in the other ingredients. Just make sure that everything is measured and lined up on the counter, because once you begin to mix the batter, the brownies will be ready to go into the oven in about a minute. And speaking of measuring, I weigh as many ingredients as possible on my digital kitchen scale for accuracy and ease.

Of course, high quality ingredients make the best brownies. Instead of supermarket cocoa powders, I like Penzey's. It's higher in fat than mass-market brands, and I think you'll agree that it's also much more flavorful.

You can make the basic recipe, try one of my variations or create your own. I've made brownies with matzo meal instead of flour for Passover and with coconut oil instead of butter for someone who avoids dairy products. I've flavored the brownies with coffee, mint and coconut, and I've stirred in chocolate chips, chunks of dark chocolate, white chocolate and nuts. If you love peanut butter, you could use miniature peanut butter cups. If you're a fan of chocolate-covered cherries, you could add chunks of candied cherries. As long as the additional ingredients match well with chocolate, I don't think you can go wrong.

BASIC BROWNIES
Yield: 16 to 32 brownies

3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter  
2/3 cup (2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1 2/3 cup (11 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) all-purpose or white whole wheat flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or semisweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Glaze, optional (see variations)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To remove the baked brownies easily, line the bottom and two sides of an 8-by-8-inch metal baking pan with a strip of aluminum foil, leaving an overhang to use as a handle. Grease the foil and the remaining two sides of the pan.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat or in a large glass bowl in the microwave. Stir occasionally, and remove from the heat or the microwave as soon as the butter melts completely. With a large whisk, mix in the cocoa powder until smooth.

Whisk in sugar and salt. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined. Add flour; mix in with a rubber or silicone spatula just until incorporated. With the spatula, mix in the chocolate. Batter will be thick.

Transfer to the baking pan, spreading the batter to the edges. Bake just until a toothpick comes out with a few clinging crumbs, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

If desired, spread Chocolate Glaze over cooled brownies. Let set completely before cutting into squares. (Cut plain brownies into 16 squares; embellished brownies into smaller servings.)

VARIATIONS

Glazed Brownies: Sift 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder into a small bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and up to 3 tablespoons water to make a spreadable glaze. For best results, spread the glaze with a small offset spatula.
Mint Brownies: Add 1 teaspoon natural mint extract to the batter along with the vanilla and eggs. Make the glaze with mint extract instead of vanilla. Spread glaze over brownies, then sprinkle immediately with crushed candy canes.
Mocha Brownies: Add 2 teaspoons coffee extract along with the vanilla or add 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder along with the flour. Make the glaze with cooled strong coffee instead of water, adding coffee extract as desired for a stronger mocha flavor. Garnish each brownie with a chocolate-covered espresso bean.
Coconut Brownies: Substitute coconut oil for the butter. (Virgin coconut oil, as opposed to refined coconut oil, will contribute a bit of coconut flavor.) Add 1/3 cup loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut to the batter along with the chocolate chips. Glaze, then sprinkle with more coconut.
Nutty Brownies: Add 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts to the batter along with the chocolate chips. If desired, glaze the cooled brownies, then garnish with more nuts.

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Deviled eggs assure potluck popularity

No matter the occasion for a party or potluck, deviled eggs are usually the first food to disappear from the buffet table. That's as true for holiday office parties as it is for summer picnics.

And why not? Deviled eggs are as tasty as they are tidy to eat.

The recipe below is technically a stuffed egg, not a deviled egg, because it doesn't contain cayenne or mustard or another spicy ingredient. Instead, these eggs are flavored with herbs, which add fresh flavors and beautiful flecks of color.

I have three hints for making deviled eggs. The first might surprise you: Use old(er) eggs. Try to buy them at least a week before you hard-cook them. That's because as eggs age, they shrink away from the shell slightly, making them easier to peel. And take your time peeling them. This is not a task that can be rushed. I once read that to peel eggs easily, you can cut them in half and scoop the egg away from the shell. Trust me, that doesn't work. I have discovered, however, that a salad fork can work better than a spoon to separate the egg from the clinging membrane between the white and the shell.

The next hint is to use a potato ricer to mash the yolks. This device forces food through thin holes about the diameter of a grain of rice. (That's how the ricer got its name.) Use a ricer, and your yolks (or mashed potatoes) will be fluffy and free of lumps. No ricer? Use a hand-held potato masher or even a wooden spoon, but be gentle and try not to compact the yolks as you mash them.

Finally, taste as you blend the yolks with the other ingredients. Some herbs are stronger than others, depending upon the time of year and how fresh they are. The amount of salt and vinegar you need will vary with the type of mayonnaise you use. I try to keep Duke's Mayonnaise on hand. This Southern brand, with a flavor close to homemade, migrated north in recent years. If your market carries it, give it a try.


DEVILED EGGS
Yield: 36 servings

18 large eggs
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh herbs (such as dill, parsley and chives), plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Salt, optional

Place eggs in a single layer in a large pot. Cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water boils, cover the pan and remove from heat. Set the timer for 17 minutes.

Have ready a big bowl of ice water. As soon as the timer goes off, transfer the eggs to the ice water. Let sit until cold.

Roll eggs gently on the counter to crack the shell, then peel. Eggs are generally easier to peel under running water and if you start with the wider end.

Cut peeled eggs in half lengthwise; pop out the yolks. Arrange the whites  on a dish or platter. Force yolks through a ricer into a large bowl. (If you do not have a ricer, mash with a potato masher or a wooden spoon.) Stir mayonnaise, herbs and vinegar into yolks. Taste; add salt and more herbs and vinegar if desired.

Spoon yolk mixture into egg halves or, for a prettier presentation, use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. To garnish, sprinkle with herbs.

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Tiramisu: a recipe for easy entertaining

I've seen tiramisu recipes that start with pound cake, angel food cake or sponge cake. In my mind, however, it's not tiramisu unless it's made with the crisp Italian ladyfingers called savoiardi. The soft American version won't do -- you need a crisp little cake to soak up the mixture of coffee and liqueur that gives tiramisu its name, which translates to "pick me up." Look for savoiardi with the imported cookies in well-stocked supermarkets or seek out an Italian grocery.

On the other hand, classic tiramisu is made with well-beaten but uncooked eggs. I prefer this custard-based version, which has an appealing texture and lovely flavor. Reducing worries about food safety, especially when transporting the dessert to a holiday potluck, is a bonus. Just keep the tiramisu cold, either in the refrigerator or in an insulated carrier.

I created this recipe when I was making dessert for my book club -- and the discussion following dinner was, in a word, spirited.

TIRAMISU
Yield: 16 to 20 servings

6 egg yolks (see note)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup milk (2 percent or whole)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
1 pound mascarpone cheese
2 cups espresso or strong coffee, at room temperature
1 cup coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua) 
About 12 ounces savoiardi (crisp Italian ladyfingers; see note)
About 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 

In a medium saucepan, whisk together yolks and sugar. Whisk in milk. Place over medium heat. Stirring constantly with a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon, bring to a boil. As you stir, scrape the bottom and the sides of the pan. When slow bubbles rise and break the surface, reduce the heat to medium-low. Still stirring, cook until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; pour into a large bowl. Stir in vanilla. Stir frequently until custard is cool enough to refrigerate. To prevent a skin from forming, cover the entire surface with a sheet of plastic wrap, pressing it against the custard. Refrigerate until cold.

When ready to proceed, whip cream until stiff peaks form.

Add half the mascarpone to cold custard; stir with a whisk until well blended. Whisk in the remaining mascarpone. Add whipped cream to the bowl. Fold whipped cream into custard mixture with a spatula, blending completely but being careful not to overmix. Set aside.

Stir together coffee and liqueur in a bowl or pan large enough to dip the ladyfingers. (A loaf pan is perfect.) One at a time, dip both sides of the ladyfingers into the mixture and arrange in a single layer covering the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Dip just enough ladyfingers to form a single layer.  Set aside the remaining ladyfingers and dipping liquid.

Dollop half of the custard mixture over the soaked ladyfingers. Smooth into an even layer. (An offset spatula is the best tool for this task.)

Dip as many of the remaining ladyfingers as needed in the coffee mixture, making an even layer over the custard. Top with the remaining custard,  smoothing it into an even layer. Spoon cocoa powder into a fine-mesh strainer and sprinkle over the top.

Cover with plastic wrap, taking care not to touch the surface of the tiramisu. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.

Notes:

• If you wish, use the egg whites to make meringue cookies. Don't make meringues on a humid day, however, or they'll stay sticky no matter how long you bake them.

• You can bake your own savoiardi using a recipe such as this one.