July 2016

The food: Baking bread is the greatest smell on Earth. For many beginner cooks, the idea of making bread from scratch is downright scary. Take a deep breath. I’m a novice here to tell you that homemade sandwich bread is not so difficult, especially when you use this basic recipe. Yes, it takes a lot of time, but that will just make you appreciate the result even more. And I promise the result is so much tastier than a store-bought loaf.

The music: Listening to Bread while baking bread is a bit cliché, I’ll admit, but it is truly the perfect pairing. This 70s band is the quintessential easy-listening act—I mean, look at their hair and leisure suits! I wouldn’t begin to claim that Bread is one of the greatest bands, or even a great band, but their smooth vocals and no-frills instrumentals will keep you in a calm mindset during the long, meditative process of baking bread. This 1977 album, the band’s last, is missing their biggest hits (remember “Baby I’m-a Want You” and “Make it With You”?), but offers up 11 songs that are pretty easy on the ears.

Homemade sandwich bread is made with just a few staples (below). Two important things to note: Yeast is what makes bread rise, so don’t forget it! Also, I suggest using bread flour rather than all-purpose flour. In fact, the two are fairly interchangeable. Bread flour has more protein to assist gluten development, which means you’ll get a chewier, denser loaf. If that’s not important to you, feel free to stick to all-purpose flour.

After mixing everything but the flour, you slowly work in the flour to form a soft dough ball. Adding all the flour too quickly will cause the dough to “seize up” and become difficult or impossible to work. Once you have the beginnings of a dough ball, move it to a floured surface for kneading. Again, take a deep breath. Kneading is easy—and an opportunity to alleviate stress! It just means folding, pressing, and flipping the dough again and again and again and again…

You’ll do this process a couple of times, with breaks in between, before baking the loaf and giving your house a wonderfully nostalgic aroma.

You can double the recipe to make two loaves at once (I highly recommend doing this because it makes you feel a little better about investing so much time). If you can’t eat the extra loaf quickly enough—though I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t—it makes a fantastic gift. Also, do yourself the favor of making French toast with this bread. You can thank me later.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 cups bread flour

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix juice, water, oil, sugar, yeast, and salt until yeast and sugar dissolve.
2. Mix in 2 1/2 cups flour, half a cup at a time, to form a soft dough.
3. Place dough on a floured board and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour one tablespoon at a time, as needed.
4. Form dough into ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel (not letting towel tough the dough) and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour.
5. Punch down dough and place on floured board. Knead for 2 minutes.
6. Shape dough into loaf and place in a greased loaf pan.
7. Cover with damp towel and let rise 30 minutes.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/duet-homemade-sandwich-bread/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Brownies are either great or awful, and most of that depends on personal taste. People who like their brownies cakey rather than gooey are probably good people, but I just don’t understand them. For my money, a brownie shouldn’t bother calling itself such unless it is nearly batter-like, but with a perfectly crisp crust. After plenty of trial and error, I’m happy to say I’ve come up with a recipe that meets my very particular demands. Plus, the chocolate chips add creamy goodness when warm and crunchy bite when cool. This is over-the-top chocolate that also happens to be the perfect foundation for a brownie sundae.

The music: Chocolate screams romance…or PMS. Either way, the perfect soundtrack is the moody and seductive Ray LaMontagne and his third album, 2008’s “Gossip in The Grain.” It kicks off with “You Are the Best Thing,” a fairly upbeat love song, but quickly transitions into “Let it Be Me” and the soulful, melancholy sound for which LaMontange is known. Feeling madly in love? This pairing makes delicious foreplay. Hate the opposite sex and want to wallow in your sorrow? This pairing feels your pain. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Want more chocolate dessert ideas? Try my recipes for Moist Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Covered Strawberry Truffles, too.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 ½ sticks butter, melted
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Using stand or hand mixer, beat eggs until fluffy.
3. Add sugars, beat until mixed.
4. Add cocoa powder, flour, vanilla, butter, salt. Beat until mixed.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Pour into greased 8×8 or similar pan.
7. Bake 40-45 minutes, until toothpick stuck in center comes out clean.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/chocolate-chip-brownies/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

Dress up chicken, beef, or pork before grilling, baking, or frying with this sweet and tangy Honey Mustard Marinade. It’s easy to make using ingredients you probably already have. With less or no garlic, this also makes a great dipping sauce for chicken fingers. Print Yum Honey Mustard Marinade Yield: 1/4 cup Ingredients1 tbsp. yellow mustard 1 tbsp. olive oil 1[…]

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Looking for an easy way to follow the latest updates to this blog? Sign up for Bloglovin’ (it’s free) and add us to your feed. You’ll see all the latest posts of our blog, and any others you like, in one space. They will even send an email when a new post is out. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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The food: There are two kinds of people—those who like sweet cornbread and crazy people. That may sound unfair, but this is my blog and I get to make the calls around here. Sweet cornbread is the perfect side for chili (try my Slow Cooker Chili recipe), red beans and rice, ham and beans, and many other Southern-inspired dishes. You could buy the boxed stuff, but 1) you can’t[…]

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The food: I only recently heard the term overnight oats when my Pinterest feed was flooded with recipes for them. For days when I get sick of cold cereal, I hoped this grab-and-go oatmeal would provide a tasty and easy alternative. After reviewing a dozen versions of overnight oats, I realized that making them boils down to an easy formula of a few base ingredients plus custom toppings. Spend just a few[…]

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The food: In the winter months, I eat chili at least a few times a month. It’s great comfort food for cold days; the spicy, hearty stew warms my body and my soul. Plus, slow cooker chili is something you can quickly prep in the morning and let cook all day. Who doesn’t love walking into a house that smells like chili after long and[…]

Read More

Dress up chicken, beef, or pork before grilling, baking, or frying with this sweet and tangy Honey Mustard Marinade. It’s easy to make using ingredients you probably already have. With less or no garlic, this also makes a great dipping sauce for chicken fingers. Print Yum Honey Mustard Marinade Yield: 1/4 cup Ingredients1 tbsp. yellow mustard 1 tbsp. olive oil 1[…]

Read More

Looking for an easy way to follow the latest updates to this blog? Sign up for Bloglovin’ (it’s free) and add us to your feed. You’ll see all the latest posts of our blog, and any others you like, in one space. They will even send an email when a new post is out. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Read More

The food: There are two kinds of people—those who like sweet cornbread and crazy people. That may sound unfair, but this is my blog and I get to make the calls around here. Sweet cornbread is the perfect side for chili (try my Slow Cooker Chili recipe), red beans and rice, ham and beans, and many other Southern-inspired dishes. You could buy the boxed stuff, but 1) you can’t[…]

Read More

The food: I only recently heard the term overnight oats when my Pinterest feed was flooded with recipes for them. For days when I get sick of cold cereal, I hoped this grab-and-go oatmeal would provide a tasty and easy alternative. After reviewing a dozen versions of overnight oats, I realized that making them boils down to an easy formula of a few base ingredients plus custom toppings. Spend just a few[…]

Read More

The food: In the winter months, I eat chili at least a few times a month. It’s great comfort food for cold days; the spicy, hearty stew warms my body and my soul. Plus, slow cooker chili is something you can quickly prep in the morning and let cook all day. Who doesn’t love walking into a house that smells like chili after long and[…]

Read More

The food: Burgers are a staple around our house because they are cheap and easy. Eating the same-old plain Jane patty with a slice of cheddar and some ketchup, however, gets old after a while. After trying many gourmet burgers at restaurants, we decided it was time to get a bit more adventurous at home. On a lark, my boyfriend mixed some jalapeño pepper jelly in[…]

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The food: My favorite cut of meat, hands down, is beef short ribs, which are larger and meatier than their pork counterparts. They aren’t exactly healthy, but these chunks of beef are definitely worth splurging on from time to time. Over the years, I’ve ordered short rib sliders, nachos, tacos, and more from restaurants. I decided it was time I learn to make the[…]

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The food: I am new to seafood. After being a strict vegetarian for most of my life, I returned to my carnivorous roots about 5 years ago. While I took to beef and chicken quickly, seafood remained on my no-way-José list. I was certain seafood was gross, an opinion based entirely on the fish sticks I ate as a child (there are no oceans near St. Louis!). After[…]

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The food: My boyfriend’s birthday was last week (I won’t say how old he is, but he does have more white hair than I), so I surprised him with a homemade cake. Cake is often much too dry for my taste, so I set out to make the moistest chocolate cake possible. Also, I’m not a fan of typical frosting, which can be gritty or[…]

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The food: Starting a food blog has its perks. For example, I recently attended a culinary class sponsored by Mann’s. There were about a dozen bloggers there, drawn by the promise of learning some cutting skills and a few recipes (oh, and receiving a copy of The Vegetarian Flavor Bible by Karen Page). We also learned a bit about Mann’s new Culinary Cuts products, fresh-packed sweet potatoes[…]

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The food: My boyfriend’s birthday was last week (I won’t say how old he is, but he does have more white hair than I), so I surprised him with a homemade cake. Cake is often much too dry for my taste, so I set out to make the moistest chocolate cake possible. Also, I’m not a fan of typical frosting, which can be gritty or flavorless, so went with a rich and creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting. As I type this, I’m starting to realize this cake was a lot more about me than him. Oops!

The music: When I’m making something sweet and rich, Ella Fitzgerald is my go-to gal (my Classic Cheesecake is another example). This time, I chose “Early Ella: Great Ballads by Ella Fitzgerald” because we had found it uncovered a few days earlier at an estate sale—for $1! This 1963 Decca LP includes 12 smooth and soulful that truly showcase the beauty of Ella’s voice. It’s one of the best albums for those who prefer slow, sweet Ella to peppy, sassy Ella. It’s the kind of album that will make you fall a little more in love, and it pairs perfectly with decadent desserts and white wine.

Don’t own “Early Ella”? Listen along with my “Moist Chocolate Cake” playlist on Spotify.

Although I much prefer pie to cake, this dense and super-moist chocolate cake recipe is something I’ll actually eat—and enjoy. It’s made all the better, of course, with a generous layer of the cream cheese frosting. In the past, I’ve been guilty of ruining cakes by being impatient and trying to ice them too quickly. For a photo-worthy cake, let the cake cool completely before adding this nicely spreadable frosting one section at a time.

Prefer bars to cake? Try my recipe for Chocolate Chip Brownies, too.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup cocoa
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• For frosting:
• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• ½ tsp. cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients with an electric mixer. Batter will be thin.
3. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center of the cake comes out clean.
4. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pans.
5. While cakes cool completely, make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Beat cream cheese, 3 tbsp. milk, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, cocoa, and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable. Add milk if needed to make thinner. Spread evenly between and over cakes.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/moist-chocolate-cake/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Pulled pork is a hit-or-miss meat. When it’s good, it’s moist, flavorful, and nearly impossible to stop eating. When it’s bad, however, it’s dry, tasteless, and not worth the calories. The good news is I have an easy recipe for getting it right every time, so you can dish it up with confidence at your Super Bowl® or Oscars® party. Best of all, it’s a slow-cooker recipe, so you can spend your time on other party prep while the meat cooks. In a few hours, serve up this juicy and spicy pork with creamy coleslaw for some tasty game-time sandwiches.

The music: BBQ and blues are a perfect pair (this isn’t a barbecue recipe, but pulled pork is often slow-cooked on a smoker). For this recipe, I’m serving up Willie Dixon’s “I Am The Blues” LP from 1970. The Chicago bluesman’s songs have been covered by Rush, The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead, and dozens more. He may be best known for his court battle with Led Zeppelin, who eventually paid a settlement for stealing lyrics for “Whole Lotta Love” from “You Need Love,” which Dixon wrote for Muddy Waters (listen to the similarities for yourself). While that famous ditty isn’t on “I Am The Blues,” you’ll likely recognize a few of the nine songs that are, including “Back Door Man” (made popular by The Doors) and “I Ain’t Superstitious” (from the Jeff Beck Group’s debut album in 1968). Notice all those rock legends I just mentioned? If you love music, you must have Willie Dixon in your library.

Back to the pulled pork. Whether you serve it on its own or as a sandwich, it isn’t complete without a heaping helping of chilled coleslaw on top. This recipe is a fine balance of sweet and peppery, creamy and crunchy.

Have leftovers? Use them up with my yummy recipe for Pulled Pork Nachos.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Creamy Coleslaw

Ingredients

• For the pork:
• 4 lb. pork butt/shoulder
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1/2 tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 small white onion, cut into large slices
• 3 tbsp. garlic
• 12-oz. bottle of good-quality beer (I used Schlafly Pale Ale)
• For the cole slaw:
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tbsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
• 1 small head cabbage, shredded
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Clean fat off pork; pat dry.
2. Combine brown sugar, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, cumin, and black pepper. Rub all over meat.
3. Line bottom of slow cooker with onions and garlic. Place spiced meat on top. Pour beer around the sides. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. While meat cooks, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, sugar, pepper, salt, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add cabbage and onion, combine to coat. Cover and refrigerate until meat is ready.
5. When meat is cooked and tender, remove it from slow cooker. Place it on a cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat.
6. Pour juices from slow cooker into a bowl, strain out onions.
7. Return meat to cooker and top with about half of the juices. Serve immediately, on browned brioche buns topped with cole slaw. Save the extra juice to add to leftovers.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/duet-pulled-pork/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Coconut is one of those foods that people tend to love or hate. As a child, I hated it. Now I love it. Sweet and crunchy coconut adds texture and depth of flavor to some of my favorite desserts. I think it’s at its best in the sugary, nutty frosting used atop German Chocolate cake. Interesting fact: There’s nothing German about the cake or topping—it’s an American dessert made popular in the 1950s. The name is not a reference to the country, but to the man who created the dark baking chocolate used for the cake. Whatever its origins, I have a serious addiction, so I decided to create a twist on the tradition with this rich and creamy German Chocolate Tart. I’m also certain this frosting would be killer on my recipes for Chocolate Chip Brownies and Moist Chocolate Cake.

The music: This dessert is seriously rich, and it has great depth and many layers. Its musical match may be an odd one, but it somehow works. Buddy Miles was a rock and funk drummer and vocalist best known for being in Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys. (Even if you don’t realize it, you definitely know Buddy Miles—he was the lead vocalist for The California Raisins in the late 80s.) As a solo artist, Miles released about a dozen studio albums, including 1975’s “More Miles Per Gallon.” This soulful LP has nine songs that sound similar to Stevie Wonder’s work from the same time, but with a harder edge. The souped-up rock sound comes from Buddy’s killer work on drums and guitar, plus his fearless vocals that can swing from sweet to scowling. I only recently discovered Buddy, thanks to my boyfriend who is a fan, and I was sad to learn that he died in 2008 at age 60. Before he died, Buddy told a magazine that he wanted to be remembered as “the baddest of the bad.” That’s exactly how I think of the big guy below with the big smile and even bigger talent.

Hear some of my favorite songs from Buddy Miles on my “German Chocolate Tart” playlist on Spotify.

The base of this German Chocolate Tart is a butter and chocolate graham cracker crust. The middle is very rich bittersweet chocolate that is made smoother with cream and eggs. Finally, the top is crunchy, sugary coconut-pecan topping. The layers come together in a symphony of texture and sweetness. We enjoyed the dessert at room temperature, a few hours after I made it, but discovered it got much better after it sat in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Love coconut? You’ll definitely want to try my recipe for delectable Coconut Macaroon Pie, too.

Ingredients

• For crust:
• 1 cup chocolate graham crackers
• ½ stick butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• For filling:
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ tsp. salt
• For frosting:
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cup coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For crust: Combine all crust ingredients and press into bottom and sides of tart ban. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
3. For filling: Bring cream to simmer. Add butter, and stir until melted. Add chocolate, one square at a time until melted and mixed. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Stir into chocolate. Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges are firm but center jiggles, about 20 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.
4. For the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk, sugar, yolks, and vanilla. Stir constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Let cool to room temperature before spreading on tart.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/german-chocolate-tart/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Coconut is one of those foods that people tend to love or hate. As a child, I hated it. Now I love it. Sweet and crunchy coconut adds texture and depth of flavor to some of my favorite desserts. I think it’s at its best in the sugary, nutty frosting used atop German Chocolate cake. Interesting fact: There’s nothing German about the cake or topping—it’s an American dessert made popular in the 1950s. The name is not a reference to the country, but to the man who created the dark baking chocolate used for the cake. Whatever its origins, I have a serious addiction, so I decided to create a twist on the tradition with this rich and creamy German Chocolate Tart. I’m also certain this frosting would be killer on my recipes for Chocolate Chip Brownies and Moist Chocolate Cake.

The music: This dessert is seriously rich, and it has great depth and many layers. Its musical match may be an odd one, but it somehow works. Buddy Miles was a rock and funk drummer and vocalist best known for being in Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys. (Even if you don’t realize it, you definitely know Buddy Miles—he was the lead vocalist for The California Raisins in the late 80s.) As a solo artist, Miles released about a dozen studio albums, including 1975’s “More Miles Per Gallon.” This soulful LP has nine songs that sound similar to Stevie Wonder’s work from the same time, but with a harder edge. The souped-up rock sound comes from Buddy’s killer work on drums and guitar, plus his fearless vocals that can swing from sweet to scowling. I only recently discovered Buddy, thanks to my boyfriend who is a fan, and I was sad to learn that he died in 2008 at age 60. Before he died, Buddy told a magazine that he wanted to be remembered as “the baddest of the bad.” That’s exactly how I think of the big guy below with the big smile and even bigger talent.

Hear some of my favorite songs from Buddy Miles on my “German Chocolate Tart” playlist on Spotify.

The base of this German Chocolate Tart is a butter and chocolate graham cracker crust. The middle is very rich bittersweet chocolate that is made smoother with cream and eggs. Finally, the top is crunchy, sugary coconut-pecan topping. The layers come together in a symphony of texture and sweetness. We enjoyed the dessert at room temperature, a few hours after I made it, but discovered it got much better after it sat in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Love coconut? You’ll definitely want to try my recipe for delectable Coconut Macaroon Pie, too.

Ingredients

• For crust:
• 1 cup chocolate graham crackers
• ½ stick butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• For filling:
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ tsp. salt
• For frosting:
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cup coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For crust: Combine all crust ingredients and press into bottom and sides of tart ban. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
3. For filling: Bring cream to simmer. Add butter, and stir until melted. Add chocolate, one square at a time until melted and mixed. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Stir into chocolate. Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges are firm but center jiggles, about 20 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.
4. For the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk, sugar, yolks, and vanilla. Stir constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Let cool to room temperature before spreading on tart.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/german-chocolate-tart/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Coconut is one of those foods that people tend to love or hate. As a child, I hated it. Now I love it. Sweet and crunchy coconut adds texture and depth of flavor to some of my favorite desserts. I think it’s at its best in the sugary, nutty frosting used atop German Chocolate cake. Interesting fact: There’s nothing German about the cake or topping—it’s an American dessert made popular in the 1950s. The name is not a reference to the country, but to the man who created the dark baking chocolate used for the cake. Whatever its origins, I have a serious addiction, so I decided to create a twist on the tradition with this rich and creamy German Chocolate Tart. I’m also certain this frosting would be killer on my recipes for Chocolate Chip Brownies and Moist Chocolate Cake.

The music: This dessert is seriously rich, and it has great depth and many layers. Its musical match may be an odd one, but it somehow works. Buddy Miles was a rock and funk drummer and vocalist best known for being in Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys. (Even if you don’t realize it, you definitely know Buddy Miles—he was the lead vocalist for The California Raisins in the late 80s.) As a solo artist, Miles released about a dozen studio albums, including 1975’s “More Miles Per Gallon.” This soulful LP has nine songs that sound similar to Stevie Wonder’s work from the same time, but with a harder edge. The souped-up rock sound comes from Buddy’s killer work on drums and guitar, plus his fearless vocals that can swing from sweet to scowling. I only recently discovered Buddy, thanks to my boyfriend who is a fan, and I was sad to learn that he died in 2008 at age 60. Before he died, Buddy told a magazine that he wanted to be remembered as “the baddest of the bad.” That’s exactly how I think of the big guy below with the big smile and even bigger talent.

Hear some of my favorite songs from Buddy Miles on my “German Chocolate Tart” playlist on Spotify.

The base of this German Chocolate Tart is a butter and chocolate graham cracker crust. The middle is very rich bittersweet chocolate that is made smoother with cream and eggs. Finally, the top is crunchy, sugary coconut-pecan topping. The layers come together in a symphony of texture and sweetness. We enjoyed the dessert at room temperature, a few hours after I made it, but discovered it got much better after it sat in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Love coconut? You’ll definitely want to try my recipe for delectable Coconut Macaroon Pie, too.

Ingredients

• For crust:
• 1 cup chocolate graham crackers
• ½ stick butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• For filling:
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ tsp. salt
• For frosting:
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cup coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For crust: Combine all crust ingredients and press into bottom and sides of tart ban. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
3. For filling: Bring cream to simmer. Add butter, and stir until melted. Add chocolate, one square at a time until melted and mixed. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Stir into chocolate. Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges are firm but center jiggles, about 20 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.
4. For the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk, sugar, yolks, and vanilla. Stir constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Let cool to room temperature before spreading on tart.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/german-chocolate-tart/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Coconut is one of those foods that people tend to love or hate. As a child, I hated it. Now I love it. Sweet and crunchy coconut adds texture and depth of flavor to some of my favorite desserts. I think it’s at its best in the sugary, nutty frosting used atop German Chocolate cake. Interesting fact: There’s nothing German about the cake or topping—it’s an American dessert made popular in the 1950s. The name is not a reference to the country, but to the man who created the dark baking chocolate used for the cake. Whatever its origins, I have a serious addiction, so I decided to create a twist on the tradition with this rich and creamy German Chocolate Tart. I’m also certain this frosting would be killer on my recipes for Chocolate Chip Brownies and Moist Chocolate Cake.

The music: This dessert is seriously rich, and it has great depth and many layers. Its musical match may be an odd one, but it somehow works. Buddy Miles was a rock and funk drummer and vocalist best known for being in Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys. (Even if you don’t realize it, you definitely know Buddy Miles—he was the lead vocalist for The California Raisins in the late 80s.) As a solo artist, Miles released about a dozen studio albums, including 1975’s “More Miles Per Gallon.” This soulful LP has nine songs that sound similar to Stevie Wonder’s work from the same time, but with a harder edge. The souped-up rock sound comes from Buddy’s killer work on drums and guitar, plus his fearless vocals that can swing from sweet to scowling. I only recently discovered Buddy, thanks to my boyfriend who is a fan, and I was sad to learn that he died in 2008 at age 60. Before he died, Buddy told a magazine that he wanted to be remembered as “the baddest of the bad.” That’s exactly how I think of the big guy below with the big smile and even bigger talent.

Hear some of my favorite songs from Buddy Miles on my “German Chocolate Tart” playlist on Spotify.

The base of this German Chocolate Tart is a butter and chocolate graham cracker crust. The middle is very rich bittersweet chocolate that is made smoother with cream and eggs. Finally, the top is crunchy, sugary coconut-pecan topping. The layers come together in a symphony of texture and sweetness. We enjoyed the dessert at room temperature, a few hours after I made it, but discovered it got much better after it sat in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Love coconut? You’ll definitely want to try my recipe for delectable Coconut Macaroon Pie, too.

Ingredients

• For crust:
• 1 cup chocolate graham crackers
• ½ stick butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• For filling:
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ tsp. salt
• For frosting:
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cup coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For crust: Combine all crust ingredients and press into bottom and sides of tart ban. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
3. For filling: Bring cream to simmer. Add butter, and stir until melted. Add chocolate, one square at a time until melted and mixed. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Stir into chocolate. Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges are firm but center jiggles, about 20 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.
4. For the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk, sugar, yolks, and vanilla. Stir constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Let cool to room temperature before spreading on tart.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/german-chocolate-tart/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Coconut is one of those foods that people tend to love or hate. As a child, I hated it. Now I love it. Sweet and crunchy coconut adds texture and depth of flavor to some of my favorite desserts. I think it’s at its best in the sugary, nutty frosting used atop German Chocolate cake. Interesting fact: There’s nothing German about the cake or topping—it’s an American dessert made popular in the 1950s. The name is not a reference to the country, but to the man who created the dark baking chocolate used for the cake. Whatever its origins, I have a serious addiction, so I decided to create a twist on the tradition with this rich and creamy German Chocolate Tart. I’m also certain this frosting would be killer on my recipes for Chocolate Chip Brownies and Moist Chocolate Cake.

The music: This dessert is seriously rich, and it has great depth and many layers. Its musical match may be an odd one, but it somehow works. Buddy Miles was a rock and funk drummer and vocalist best known for being in Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys. (Even if you don’t realize it, you definitely know Buddy Miles—he was the lead vocalist for The California Raisins in the late 80s.) As a solo artist, Miles released about a dozen studio albums, including 1975’s “More Miles Per Gallon.” This soulful LP has nine songs that sound similar to Stevie Wonder’s work from the same time, but with a harder edge. The souped-up rock sound comes from Buddy’s killer work on drums and guitar, plus his fearless vocals that can swing from sweet to scowling. I only recently discovered Buddy, thanks to my boyfriend who is a fan, and I was sad to learn that he died in 2008 at age 60. Before he died, Buddy told a magazine that he wanted to be remembered as “the baddest of the bad.” That’s exactly how I think of the big guy below with the big smile and even bigger talent.

Hear some of my favorite songs from Buddy Miles on my “German Chocolate Tart” playlist on Spotify.

The base of this German Chocolate Tart is a butter and chocolate graham cracker crust. The middle is very rich bittersweet chocolate that is made smoother with cream and eggs. Finally, the top is crunchy, sugary coconut-pecan topping. The layers come together in a symphony of texture and sweetness. We enjoyed the dessert at room temperature, a few hours after I made it, but discovered it got much better after it sat in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Love coconut? You’ll definitely want to try my recipe for delectable Coconut Macaroon Pie, too.

Ingredients

• For crust:
• 1 cup chocolate graham crackers
• ½ stick butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• For filling:
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ tsp. salt
• For frosting:
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cup coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For crust: Combine all crust ingredients and press into bottom and sides of tart ban. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
3. For filling: Bring cream to simmer. Add butter, and stir until melted. Add chocolate, one square at a time until melted and mixed. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Stir into chocolate. Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges are firm but center jiggles, about 20 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.
4. For the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk, sugar, yolks, and vanilla. Stir constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Let cool to room temperature before spreading on tart.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/german-chocolate-tart/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Coconut is one of those foods that people tend to love or hate. As a child, I hated it. Now I love it. Sweet and crunchy coconut adds texture and depth of flavor to some of my favorite desserts. I think it’s at its best in the sugary, nutty frosting used atop German Chocolate cake. Interesting fact: There’s nothing German about the cake or topping—it’s an American dessert made popular in the 1950s. The name is not a reference to the country, but to the man who created the dark baking chocolate used for the cake. Whatever its origins, I have a serious addiction, so I decided to create a twist on the tradition with this rich and creamy German Chocolate Tart. I’m also certain this frosting would be killer on my recipes for Chocolate Chip Brownies and Moist Chocolate Cake.

The music: This dessert is seriously rich, and it has great depth and many layers. Its musical match may be an odd one, but it somehow works. Buddy Miles was a rock and funk drummer and vocalist best known for being in Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys. (Even if you don’t realize it, you definitely know Buddy Miles—he was the lead vocalist for The California Raisins in the late 80s.) As a solo artist, Miles released about a dozen studio albums, including 1975’s “More Miles Per Gallon.” This soulful LP has nine songs that sound similar to Stevie Wonder’s work from the same time, but with a harder edge. The souped-up rock sound comes from Buddy’s killer work on drums and guitar, plus his fearless vocals that can swing from sweet to scowling. I only recently discovered Buddy, thanks to my boyfriend who is a fan, and I was sad to learn that he died in 2008 at age 60. Before he died, Buddy told a magazine that he wanted to be remembered as “the baddest of the bad.” That’s exactly how I think of the big guy below with the big smile and even bigger talent.

Hear some of my favorite songs from Buddy Miles on my “German Chocolate Tart” playlist on Spotify.

The base of this German Chocolate Tart is a butter and chocolate graham cracker crust. The middle is very rich bittersweet chocolate that is made smoother with cream and eggs. Finally, the top is crunchy, sugary coconut-pecan topping. The layers come together in a symphony of texture and sweetness. We enjoyed the dessert at room temperature, a few hours after I made it, but discovered it got much better after it sat in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Love coconut? You’ll definitely want to try my recipe for delectable Coconut Macaroon Pie, too.

Ingredients

• For crust:
• 1 cup chocolate graham crackers
• ½ stick butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• For filling:
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ tsp. salt
• For frosting:
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cup coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For crust: Combine all crust ingredients and press into bottom and sides of tart ban. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
3. For filling: Bring cream to simmer. Add butter, and stir until melted. Add chocolate, one square at a time until melted and mixed. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Stir into chocolate. Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges are firm but center jiggles, about 20 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.
4. For the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk, sugar, yolks, and vanilla. Stir constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Let cool to room temperature before spreading on tart.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/german-chocolate-tart/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Coconut is one of those foods that people tend to love or hate. As a child, I hated it. Now I love it. Sweet and crunchy coconut adds texture and depth of flavor to some of my favorite desserts. I think it’s at its best in the sugary, nutty frosting used atop German Chocolate cake. Interesting fact: There’s nothing German about the cake or topping—it’s an American dessert made popular in the 1950s. The name is not a reference to the country, but to the man who created the dark baking chocolate used for the cake. Whatever its origins, I have a serious addiction, so I decided to create a twist on the tradition with this rich and creamy German Chocolate Tart. I’m also certain this frosting would be killer on my recipes for Chocolate Chip Brownies and Moist Chocolate Cake.

The music: This dessert is seriously rich, and it has great depth and many layers. Its musical match may be an odd one, but it somehow works. Buddy Miles was a rock and funk drummer and vocalist best known for being in Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys. (Even if you don’t realize it, you definitely know Buddy Miles—he was the lead vocalist for The California Raisins in the late 80s.) As a solo artist, Miles released about a dozen studio albums, including 1975’s “More Miles Per Gallon.” This soulful LP has nine songs that sound similar to Stevie Wonder’s work from the same time, but with a harder edge. The souped-up rock sound comes from Buddy’s killer work on drums and guitar, plus his fearless vocals that can swing from sweet to scowling. I only recently discovered Buddy, thanks to my boyfriend who is a fan, and I was sad to learn that he died in 2008 at age 60. Before he died, Buddy told a magazine that he wanted to be remembered as “the baddest of the bad.” That’s exactly how I think of the big guy below with the big smile and even bigger talent.

Hear some of my favorite songs from Buddy Miles on my “German Chocolate Tart” playlist on Spotify.

The base of this German Chocolate Tart is a butter and chocolate graham cracker crust. The middle is very rich bittersweet chocolate that is made smoother with cream and eggs. Finally, the top is crunchy, sugary coconut-pecan topping. The layers come together in a symphony of texture and sweetness. We enjoyed the dessert at room temperature, a few hours after I made it, but discovered it got much better after it sat in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Love coconut? You’ll definitely want to try my recipe for delectable Coconut Macaroon Pie, too.

Ingredients

• For crust:
• 1 cup chocolate graham crackers
• ½ stick butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• For filling:
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ tsp. salt
• For frosting:
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cup coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For crust: Combine all crust ingredients and press into bottom and sides of tart ban. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
3. For filling: Bring cream to simmer. Add butter, and stir until melted. Add chocolate, one square at a time until melted and mixed. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Stir into chocolate. Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges are firm but center jiggles, about 20 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.
4. For the frosting: In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add milk, sugar, yolks, and vanilla. Stir constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Let cool to room temperature before spreading on tart.

http://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/german-chocolate-tart/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)