ALZHEIMER'S IDAHO SUPPORT GROUP MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER

For those of you who follow this blog you will know that I volunteer for Alzheimer's Idaho (local grassroots organization). One of the things I do is to make the dessert for their monthly dinner. Normally the dinner is the last Friday of the month but this month it was the third.

I was still having that "Aloha spirit" so I made them macadamia-white chocolate blondies with a little Kauai coffee.

 Simple recipe ....

Recipe:

• 8 Tbs. (1 stick)  butter
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. instant espresso powder*
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup  macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
• 3 to 4 oz.  white chocolate, coarsely chopped
•  

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°. Butter (or spray) an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, espresso powder and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat until very fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour and beat just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and white chocolate just until blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool. Cut into bars and serve. Makes 12 to 16 bars.

*If you do not have instant espresso powder you can use regular coffee and grind it in a grinder or crush with a mortar and pestle.

 Cooks note:  I made two batches of these blondies and the second one I reduced the oven temp to 325° and baked them a little longer and they came out better the second time.

The hostess and I take turns providing the "door prize" and this month it was a reversible tote from Hawaii!

Ready for delivery with some Kauai coffee ice cream.

Ice Cream recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Directions:

Put the condensed milk in a bowl and stir in the espresso powder. In a separate bowl whisk the cream until it reaches soft peaks. Fold the cream into the condensed milk mixture, then pour into an airtight container and freeze for 6 hours or overnight. 

 

Resource:

 

Cake stand, William's Sonoma

Petal plate, HomeGoods

Blondie recipe, adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Ice cream recipe, adapted from Nigella Lawson

Thank you for stopping by.