Double Chocolate Gluten Free Cookies

On Saturday mornings, I like to sneak downstairs and turn on the Food Network to get some inspiration for the weekend. I see chefs and shows that aren't on weeknights so it's like a special little treat for me to kick off my weekend. This Saturday was even brighter because the theme was 'comfort foods'- isn't that what the weekend is all about?!  For those of you that missed it, Giada De Laurentiis did a little dessert that will now be archived into my index of cooking fame - Double Chocolate and Espresso Cookies.  Keeping on my gluten-free train, I modified the ingredients and baked them up before my husband was even out of bed.  Here's the original recipe and my swaps:

Double Chocolate and Espresso Cookies

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:

12 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

19 min

Level:

--

Serves:

10 to 12 cookies

Ingredients

• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (recommended: Ghirardelli)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate-covered espresso beans (I used a little less than 1/3 cup instant ground coffee)
• 1 cup flour (I used Red Mill's Gluten-free All Purpose Flour)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (I used Kosher Salt)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (recommended: Nestle Toll House - I used Milk Chocolate)

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats - my silicone mat worked like a charm for this recipe.  They slid right off with no trace of chocolate behind. 

In a small bowl, combine the chocolate bar and butter. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
In the bowl of a food processor, finely chop the chocolate covered espresso beans (or instant coffee). In a medium bowl, whisk together the chopped espresso beans (coffee), flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, water, and vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients and stir until thick and smooth. Fold in the melted chocolate. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, scoop level 1/4 cupfuls of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets (I used my small cookie dough scoop which yielded slightly smaller cookies, about 22-24 in total). Bake until slightly puffed and the tops begin to crack, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets and serve.

Thank you, Giada, for this amazing and simple recipe! 

Deal of the Week-Sur La Table Revol Sale

This one is going on until December 1st, which makes it the perfect Holiday planning sale reminder.  The baking and serving dishes are beautifully crafted and can be used in a variety of situations.  Be sure to check out the bakers, the lids can be turned into trivets to take straight to the table...ingenious!

Sur La Table Revol Sale Up to 20% Off!

The Quick Cookie with Nutella & Toffee

Seriously, I think all family baking talents were funneled to my sister. Did I mention that my grandmother used to sell holiday fruit cake right out of her kitchen every year? She had recurring orders starting in August so they must have been delicious. We never met her but I am sure we are channeling her in the kitchen....apparently, I just need to focus a little more on the baking side.

So, to get up to speed with the baking skills train, I have put myself on a strict 'bake something at least 3 times a week' schedule. Let's just say this week's first two tries this week fell short...way short. I'll catch you up on those once I identify the issue and how to fix it- apple pie, I'm coming back for you! In the meantime, I decided a little confidence booster was in order so nothing easier than a dressed up sugar cookie! Really, it took less than 10 minutes thanks to a well know friend, Betty Crocker. These babies are quick, quick, quick. Equally tasty, little bit of crunch and melt in your mouth goodness. Sometimes you just have to be thankful for pre-made mix.

1 package Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix
1 stick butter
1 egg
Heath Toffee Bits
Nutella Hazelnut spread

Prepare the cookie mix according to instructions on package for drop cookies with the butter and egg. Using your cookie scoop, drop cookies on non-stick baking sheet (Airbake sheets are great for sugar cookies), top with as many little bits of toffee as you would like and bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until browning around the edges. Let stand for 1 minute and then transfer to a cooling rack. Spoon some nutella into a piping bag or a ziploc and snip the tip off. Once the cookies have cooled, pipe the hazelnut spread over the top anyway you like. See...nothing but easy. Confidence restored!

Who Wants a Cookie? Chocolate Melt & Toffee Bit Cookies

My husband is a routine kinda guy and apparently his new routine involves finishing dinner and asking me when the cookies will be baked. "What cookies?" is usually how I respond, but last night I was feeling the sugar craze myself (not that his sugar cravings are any less important than mine, but I am the one baking them so I say when...I say whoooo...I say wheennn. Anyone? Anyone?).  As you guys know, baking does not come naturally to me, but my friends might say that the one sugary treat I am confident in making is a delicious batch of toffee cookies.  The recipe used to be on the back of the Heath Bar Toffee Bit Pieces bag and it makes the most indulgent, chewy, buttery-goodness bites you've have ever had.  Last night called for chocolate though so the recipe got a few modifications and shake ups and the outcome was nothing short of a cookie masterpiece.

Here's what I put together:

2 sticks butter
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar
1.5 tsp pure vanilla
3 eggs
3 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 bag toffee chips
1/4 - 1/2 cup shaved semi-sweet baking chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350°.  In your favorite stand mixer, blend the 2 sticks, room temp butter (I used salted butter for this recipe which I think is ok because these are toffee and chocolate AND I am not sure how much I buy into the salted vs. unsalted baking controversy).  If you are taking straight from the fridge, pop the butter into the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen it up.  Put the mixer on low and add in sugars, vanilla and eggs one at a time.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the sifted ingredients. Hopefully your kitchen won't end up looking like the North Pole as mine did, but baking is meant to be messy, right? Once the ingredients are incorporated fold in the chips and as much chocolate as you like. 

Drop mounds on a non-stick or airbake sheet and bake for 8-11 minutes or until a beautiful golden color and should make about 3-4 dozen cookies.  They'll deflate a little at the very end and definitely when you bring them out to cool.  Served up warm with milk, you will be in heaven. I also thought about sandwiching two together with a marshmallow center...maybe I'll try that tonight...

I also froze the dough I didn't bake last night so I will be sure to post if those are just as tasty as the fresh.  What's your favorite cookie recipe? 

Comforting Calzones

[caption id="attachment_171" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="After."]

Before the bake...

Polenta Fries with Basil Oil and Parmesan Dipping Sauce

The last time we were in Philly visiting friends, we made a pit stop between sports bars at a swanky little restaurant to get some tasty treats.  One of which came in the form of a french fry served with a fondue dipping sauce and a drizzle of basil oil.  It was probably one of the best small plates I've had so I decided to give it a try for Supper Club.  Still working with the premade polenta I bought last week, I sliced the brick into fry sized pieces and tossed them in olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper.  We baked them at a really high temp in the oven until they came out crispy and golden on the outside and still fluffy on the inside.  As a base, I made a parmesan dipping sauce that could be made ahead and warmed through on the stove at a later time.  Here's the fix:

Dice 1/4 white onion and saute in about a tbsp of olive oil.  Once the onions are cooked through, add 1/4 - 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup italian cheese blend, 1/4 cup shredded parmesan, cracked black pepper and 1 tsp nutmeg.  Whisk until the cheese is melted completely and the sauce is creamy.  Once at supper club, I transferred the mixture back to a sauce pan and warmed it through again on the stove top.  I started a bit too early so I ended up adding a few tbsps of white wine to loosen it up again.  I am convinced that wine only makes everything better, so I'll add that to the recipe moving forward. Delicious!

The basil oil couldn't have been easier.  I have globe and sweet basil in my garden so I gathered a few handfuls and blanched the leaves in a little salted water.   Once I patted them dry, I added the leaves to a food processor, blended and added oil until I felt I had the right consistency.  The blanching brings out the basil flavor and helps to retain that beautiful green color.

When we were about to serve the 'fries', I placed the glass container of basil oil in a sauce pan with about an inch of hot water to help steep the basil even more.  I left it on the stove for about 10 minutes to warm through.

Plate it up!  I smothered the parmesan sauce over a dinner plate and placed the fries directly on top of the fluffy, creamy goodness.  Topped it all off with a little drizzle of the oil and then I forgot my manners. I couldn't resist grabbing one immediately off the plate before everyone else was served.  Whoops!

And because we take supper club seriously, we had many more delectable delights.  I am hoping Alison will share her bbq sauce recipe...and Squints her gouda mashed potatoes and corn bread...or maybe we can just have another supper club, PRONTO!

Whole Wheat Breakfast Muffins with Mix-Ins…Muffin-Top Shop Open for Business! (J/K, these are healthy)

I am trying to become a better baker...really, I am.  But, I am also trying to become a healthy meal-maker.  So, I found a traditional muffin mix recipe and modified it by reducing the sugar and substituting the butter (some).   I also used whole wheat flour which I am really starting to enjoy.   Give these a go, they are pretty tasty and you can feel good about it.

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup whipped honey

1/2 stick butter (I used 50/50 Smart Balance butter)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

Mix-ins - I had a few bananas-gone-bad, so I diced them up small and threw 'em in with some toasted walnuts.  This mix would be great with lots of fruit variations diced and folded in with almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.  One thing to keep in mind, this mix isn't super sweet so if you like the sugary goodness, try dusting powdered sugar on top of warm muffins or add a drizzle of honey.  Oooh, or a sugar glaze made from powdered sugar and lemon juice.  Yum!

Spoon into a muffin pan, 2/3's full in each cup and bake at 325 for about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Anyone tried using the cookie dough scoop from Crate & Barrel for batter?  Easy and clean!

Now go! And bake something healthy.