by sweetenuf | Jan 18, 2018 | Cookies and Biscotti
Sweetenufblog – chocolate chip cookies
I was looking for inspiration to fuel a stint of pie making. I figured a quick search on Instagram, maybe viewing a lemon meringue pie or an apple pie would get my creative baking juices flowing. Pie is just pie, right? After all the definition of pie is a baked dish of fruit, or meat and vegetables, typically with a top and base of pastry.
#pie…so simple. But once again I seem to have missed the memo related to searching in today’s tech world. I was expecting images of colourful scrumptious looking fruit pies with perfectly browned lattice tops or maybe, some fancy pastry cutouts adorning said pies. Unfortunately, this was not the case as I quickly learned!
Seems #pie isn’t for pies made with pastry and fruit. It’s for FEET! Oh yes, lots and lots of bare feet. Big feet and little feet. Some with wrinkly soles, long toes and polished nails. But sill feet and interestingly enough it seems to be just women’s feet. I’m pretty sure I’d recognize man feet if I saw them. Who knew there could be so many interesting ways to photograph feet…wet feet, bottoms of feet, jewelled feet and feet encased in strappy footwear and, well, it goes on and on.
After my inital ‘ick’ it was like a train wreck I couldn’t turn away from. It appears the ‘foot fetish’ people like their feet attached to scantily clad bosoms and behinds. Maybe the attractiveness of the bare feet increase with the barer the body attached to those feet. Since I had to stop looking before I saw something I wouldn’t be able to recover from my research into the #pie has come to an end.
This is why today’s recipe is for Chocolate Chip Cookies. I needed a chocolate fix to settle myself down and baking a pie will need to sit on the back burner for a while longer.
These chewy in the centre and crisp on the edges cookies are full of chocolate. This recipe from ‘Bake from Scratch’ has been made twice this week in my kitchen and I’m down to my last cookie. I modified the recipe slightly by using both whole wheat and all-purpose flours, both chocolate chips and chopped chocolate and a little less vanilla.
Using both chips and chopped chocolate makes for the perfect chocolate ratio in every bite. The chopped chocolate melts and spreads while the chips keep their shape.
Just make sure you have a few at the ready if and when you decide to starting look up hashtags on Instagam!
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Preheat oven to 350F. Parchment line 2-3 cookie sheets.
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped dark or semi-sweet chocolate
Method:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, soda and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrap the bowl halfway through. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla.
With mixer on low, gradually add in flour mixture and mix only until combined.
Fold in chocolate. Use large scoop and place cookies on prepared sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake cookies about 12-14 minutes. Cookies will brown around edges but remain soft in the centre.
If using a medium scoop check cookies after about 9-10 minutes.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
by sweetenuf | Jan 13, 2018 | Icings and Frostings
Caramel Frosting topped with Caramel Drizzle – Sweetenufblog.com
First comes Caramel sauce, next comes Caramel Frosting (or icing as we call it here in Canada). Well, actually, first comes the sugar and water boiled to a beautiful amber colour and then comes the cream, etc. but believe me you will not be disappointed in this sweet smooth icing and the extra effort to make the caramel from scratch is well worth the time.
Satiny, sweet and full of mellow flavour this sauce is Nirvana!! Set a little aside to drizzle over top whatever you currently have in the works or tuck it away for your next ice cream attack. A big spoonful when your craving something sweet or maybe a little drizzle into your coffee or on top of some fruit. I figure whatever you choose to snack on with Caramel Sauce or even Caramel Icing in the privacy of your own kitchen is your business. Who am I to judge!! You might just make the Caramel sauce again and again even if you don’t need any more icing.
Caramel Frosting (Bake From Scratch Cake Issue 2016)
Makes about 5 cups.
Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup whipping cream (35% cream), warmed slightly
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups icing sugar
Method:
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and 1/2 cup water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and leave the mixture to cook until it is amber in colour. (Very important to make sure your sugar mixture turns a nice deep amber colour.) If any sugar crystals form on the side of the saucepan use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down the sides. Remove from heat.
Add in the cold cubed butter and stir with a wooden spoon. The mixture will foam up. Gradually add the cream, vanilla and salt. Stir until mixture is smooth.
Transfer mixture into a medium bowl and place the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water to cool for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Once cool set aside 1/3 cup of the caramel to drizzle on top of your iced cake or cupcakes.
Place cooled caramel in a mixing bowl and add softened butter. Beat on medium speed until combined. Add in icing sugar gradually, beating well after each addition.
Use immediately as icing will harden.
by sweetenuf | Jan 7, 2018 | Baking Tips/Information, Cookies and Biscotti
Flourless PB Cookies with Twix Bites and Honey Roasted Peanuts – sweetenufblog.com
I’ve always made my pb cookies with flour (See recent post for Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies). I came across this recipe in my pile of ‘I should try these recipes’ (doesn’t everyone have one of these piles or drawers or binders….) and gave them a whirl.
With only 7 ingredients and one bowl these cookies come together so quickly you will be amazed.
Add-ins for Flourless PB Cookies
All 2 dozen cookies were only a memory within about 24 hours so I’d have to say they were a hit! I added in honey-roasted peanuts but roasted salted peanuts or plain salted peanuts would be fine. I also chopped up Twix bites instead of using chocolate chips since I had a bag in my cupboard so don’t be afraid to sub in white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips or any combination you prefer.
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 24 cookies. Preheat oven to 350F. Parchment line 2 baking sheets.
Ingredients:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts
Method:
Beat peanut butter, sugar, egg, baking soda and salt until well combined. Mix in chocolate and peanuts.
Moisten your hands and roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into balls and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Flatten slightly and bake 12-15 minutes until puffed and lightly browned around edges.
TIP: Check cookies after about 10 minutes. I find pb cookies often bake up quickly and every oven is different!!
by sweetenuf | Jan 1, 2018 | Scones
Tender Chocolate Chip Scones
I’m bringing in 2018 with light tender chocolate chip scones. These scones come together quickly, in a matter of minutes, and bake up in about 25 minutes. So turn your oven on and get to work (well its not really any work at all). I brushed the top of these with cream instead of the egg and sprinkled a little sugar on the tops before baking.
Baking tip: Use 2 baking sheets so your scones won’t brown too quickly on the bottom before the top is fully baked!
You can easily switch these up by omitting the chocolate or adding in a cup of craisins. Any way you make these scones from ‘Fine Cooking’ they are fabulous, simple to make and a sure hit! No more coffee shop scones for you once you try these lovelies!
Chocolate Chip Scones
Chocolate Scones
Preheat oven to 400F. Parchment line a baking sheet and set aside.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 cup chocolate (I used dark and white chocolate chips)
For Topping Scones:
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1-2 teaspoons brown or granulate sugar
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the largest pieces of butter are about the size of peas.
In a small bowl (I used the measuring cup I poured my cream into) stir the cream and egg yolks just to mix.
Add the cream/yolks to the dry mixture and stir with a fork until mixture begins to combine then use your hands to gently knead the mixture together until all the dry ingredients are absorbed into the dough and you can gather it into a moist, shaggy ball.
DON’T OVERKNEAD!!! This dough is sturdy but overmixing will toughen your finished product.
Oven ready Scones
Set the rough ball of dough in the middle of the prepared sheet and pat it gently into a round about 1-inch thick. With a sharp knife cut the dough into 8 wedges and brush it lightly with cream and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Bake about 18-22 minutes. Let the scones cool slightly.
Wrap leftovers well and don’t forget to warm gently before enjoying again!!
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