Nicole Hvidsten | (TNS) The Minnesota Star Tribune

MINNEAPOLIS — There’s one common ingredient running through the pages of Sarah Kieffer’s fifth cookbook, “100 Afternoon Sweets,” but you won’t find it in any recipes.

It simultaneously fills your soul and satisfies your appetite, whether you’re baking Blueberry Muffin Cake and Banana Bread Brownies or Scotcharoo Blondies and Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake. It’s nostalgia, and it’s not in short supply.

The recipes will conjure memories of childhood afternoons, whether those afternoons were bursting through the door following the aroma of mom’s fresh-baked brownies or were more self-sufficient, with toaster pastries always ready with a warm welcome.

“This book is geared toward afternoon sweets, which to me are all the baked goods that I would normally crave in the afternoon hours, complete with a cup of tea or coffee,” Kieffer wrote in the book’s introduction. “When I learned to bake, it was always in the afternoon hours that I did so: after school with my mom, or the late-afternoon shift at the Blue Heron,” the Winona, Minnesota, coffeeshop where she worked while in college.

Kieffer’s latest is divided into eight chapters: one-bowl bakes; brownies, blondies and bars; pie bakes; no bakes; for a crowd; weekend projects; beginnings and ends, which handles what you need to start or finish recipes, like crusts and buttercreams; and extras (think creams, curds and streusel).

What you won’t find? Cookies (there’s “100 Cookies” for that). We caught up with Kieffer, who in addition to writing cookbooks and the Vanilla Bean Blog, is the Minnesota Star Tribune’s baking columnist, about her most important baking tip and the recipe everyone should have in their culinary arsenal.

Thinking about afternoon treats reminds me of after-school snacks in the best way. What inspired you to write this book?

The afternoon holds a sweet spot for me in many ways: For many years I worked from midday to close as both a barista and baker at various coffeehouses, and I often set up camp in those same places, studying while sipping lattes and nibbling on treats. The afternoon can also hold a short space of solitude and stillness, and while I can’t find it every day, the days I can, I cherish. This book is a celebration of those stolen moments, alone, or shared; the brief minute (or two) of taking a breath, drinking that last cup of coffee and enjoying something sweet.

What is your ideal afternoon treat?

It changes by season! But entering autumn I would say that pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing are high on the list.

What is one sweet recipe everyone should have in their repertoire?

Well, cookies and bars are quick and easy and usually freeze well. I would say a good chocolate chip recipe is important.

What is one baking “reminder” that even the most experienced bakers need? (For me, it’s rotating the pans.)

I like to remind people that everyone’s oven does not bake the same! Getting to know your oven is essential for baking. Most home ovens have hot spots, and often aren’t calibrated correctly, which can affect baking outcomes and times. Using an oven thermometer is very helpful.

In cookbooks, culinary trends come and go, but baking seems to have staying power and is more popular than ever. Why is that?

I have always found baking to be both comforting and rewarding: the process (kneading, whisking, shaping), the nostalgic aromas (such as chocolate, cinnamon, ginger), and then the payoff (something delicious to eat, of course).

What’s next?

I still post recipes over on my website and will be working on another book, subject not yet announced.

By the author

Sarah Kieffer is now the author (and photographer) of five baking cookbooks:

“100 Afternoon Sweets:” Grab a big mug of coffee before picking up this book, because you’re going to want to sit a spell. From one-bowl bakes to no-bakes and weekend projects, you’ll be able to find a recipe suitable for any afternoon. Recipe to try: Giant Pop Tart, because sprinkles make everything better. (Chronicle, 2024)

“100 Morning Treats”: From sweet and savory to coffee cakes and quiches, there are recipes that will make the start of any day feel like a special occasion, regardless of your skill level. Recipe to try: Banana Bread Scones. (Chronicle, 2023)

“Baking for the Holidays: 50+ Treats for a Festive Season”: While tailored to the festive winter holidays, there are plenty of treats suitable for year-round baking and gift-giving. Homemade peanut butter cups know no season. Recipe to try: Confetti Cake. (Chronicle, 2021)

“100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen”: With that many recipes, there’s a surefire hit for all occasions, from lunchbox to the fanciest of dinners. Recipe to try: French Silk Bars, which is further proof that bars are, indeed, cookies. (Chronicle, 2020)

“The Vanilla Bean Baking Book”: Kieffer’s debut cookbook, named after her popular Vanilla Bean Blog, and the start of her 100-recipe cookbook journey. Find staples from quick breads to no-churn ice cream. Recipe to try: Blood Orange No-Churn Ice Cream. (Avery, 2016)

Scotcharoo Blondies

Makes 12 large or 24 small blondies.

From “100 Afternoon Treats” from Sarah Kieffer, who writes: “I’m not sure how these blondies evolved — I only know that my family is addicted to them, and I fear you will be, too. They combine the perfect crunch and peanut butter flavor of a Scotcharoo bar with the gooey, brown-sugary goodness of a blondie. Each bite leads to another, and there is no escape once you’ve made them.” (Chronicle Books, 2024)

For the Scotcharoo Crunch:

½ c. (108 g) creamy peanut butter (I use Skippy)
3 tbsp. corn syrup
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ c. (135 g) butterscotch chips
4 c. (120 g) Rice Krispies cereal

For the blondies:

12 tbsp. (1 ½ sticks or 170 g) unsalted butter
1 ½ c. (300 g) brown sugar
¾ tsp. salt
4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ c. (213 g) all-purpose flour
½ c. (85 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and line with a parchment sling.

For the scotcharoo crunch: In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, melt the peanut butter, corn syrup and butter. Add the butterscotch chips and stir until smooth (this will take a few minutes). Remove from the heat, pour the cereal into the hot mixture and use a spatula to stir until completely combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press it down into the pan in a compact layer, making sure the top is smooth. Set aside while you make the blondie batter.

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For the blondies: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, brown sugar and salt. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Add the egg and baking powder and whisk to combine. Add the flour and use a spatula to stir until just combined. Add the chopped chocolate and stir again until the chocolate is evenly distributed. Pour the batter over the peanut butter crunch layer and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly over the top. The batter will be very thick and will be a little hard to spread — just go slow. It will seem like just a thin layer across the top, but it will puff up nicely in the oven.

Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the blondies are set on the edges, the top is golden brown and just beginning to form cracks, and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a couple of crumbs. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Use the parchment sling to gently lift the blondies from the pan. Cut into squares and serve. The blondies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

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