{made it} Snickers Dip

I made this for a trivia night recently. It was, in one word…. addicting. 

Snickers Dip

1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature
4 ounces of whipped topping (or, half of an 8 ounce tub)
2 T brown sugar
3 regular size Snickers bars, chopped (I chopped them up with my knife first, then got the pieces a bit smaller in my Magic Bullet)

The directions are easy - mix it all up in a nice bowl, and serve with pretzels. I used some leftover Christmas candy to create some chocolate shavings on top. 

*Recipe Adapted from RelativeTaste.net

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Pair with a chocolate beer

12 servings

*Adapted from Kitchen Conservatory cook Kelly

1 c unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 c raw sugar (Demerara sugar)

4 extra large eggs

3 T espresso or strong coffee

1 2/3 c all purpose flour

2 gently heaped teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups skinned hazelnuts, coarsely ground

8 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy and pale.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating lightly after each. Don't worry if the mixture curdles a little. 
5. Stir in the coffee.
6. In a separate bowl, sift together the floor and baking powder. Fold the flour mixture into the batter.
7. Fold in MOST of the hazelnuts and chocolate, keeping a little back for the top of the cake.
8. Spoon the batter, which will be fairly firm, into the cake pan and gently smooth the top. Scatter the remaining chocolate and nuts onto the top. 
9. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the cake is springy and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving. Best served slightly warm. 

Grilled Scallops & Mexican Corn Salad

Grilled Scallops & Mexican Corn Salad

Pair with a fruity Belgium wheat beer

4 servings
*Adapted from Kitchen Conservatory cook Kelly

1 garlic clove, minced
1 T minced red onion
2 T fresh lime juice
8 small ears of corn, husked
Vegetable oil, for brushing
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 t pure ancho chile powder
4 oz cotija cheese, crumbled (1 1/4 cups)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Hot sauce
12 large sea scallops
Lime wedges, for serving

1. Brush the corn with oil and grill over moderate heat until charred and just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a work surface and cut the kernels off the cobs. Mix the garlic and onion into the corn. Set aside
2. Whisk together the mayonnaise, chile powder, and lime juice. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce.
3. Brush the scallops with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until nicely browned and barely cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Spoon the corn onto 4 plates, top with a drizzle of the dressing and crumbles of the cheese. Set a couple of the scallops on top. Serve with lime wedges.

Spicy Sriracha Chicken Wings

Spicy Sriracha Chicken Wings

Pair with a crisp lager
10 servings 

*Recipe adapted from Kitchen Conservatory cook Kelly

5 pounds chicken wings, split

1/8 cup coriander seeds, crushed

1/2 t cumin seeds, crushed

1/2 t cinnamon

1 T kosher salt

1 cup olive oil

1/3 c Sriracha chile sauce

6 T unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

3 quarts vegetable oil, for frying

1. In a very large bowl, toss the wings with the coriander and cumin seeds, cinnamon, kosher salt, and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the wings on 3 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 20 minutes, until firm but not cooked through. 
3. Wash out the bowl. Add the Sriracha, butter, cilantro, lime zest and juice.
4. In a deep fryer, heat the vegetable oil to 375 degrees F.
5. Fry the wings in 4 or 5 batches until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch; drain, shaking off the excess oil. As each batch is finished, add the wings to the sauce and toss well. Transfer the wings to a platter, leaving the sauce in the bowl for the remaining batches. Serve hot.

Beer Cheese Fondue with Soft Pretzels

Beer Cheese Fondue

6 Servings
*Recipe adapted from Kitchen Conservatory cook Kelly

1 pound cheddar cheese, grated
2 1/2 T all purpose flour
3/4 cup (or more) beer
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1. Toss cheese with flour in a large bowl.
2. Bring the beer and mustard to simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add cheese mixture, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and smooth, thinning with more beer if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer to a fondue pot to keep warm and serve with soft pretzels

Soft Pretzels

*Recipe adapted from Kitchen Conservatory cook Kelly

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 T sugar
2 t kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 oz all purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 oz unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 T water

1. Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. 
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone mats and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
3. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
4. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
5. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with pretzel salt or Kosher salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.