Chocolate Chip Cookies, Baked from Baked

Did you notice what I just did?
Did you see my attempt at being funny?
Hahaha, I simply crack myself up sometimes!!

Anyway, seeing soo many chocolate chip cookies on the web has really intrigued me. I've been baking Jen's, and now my favorite chocolate chip cookie almost exclusively, for quite a while. But all those recipes got me thinking, what if there's something better? What if I'm missing out? Ofcourse the NY times recipe was on the top of my to-try list, but I wanted something quick, so I chose the chocolate chip cookies from the ever so famous and loved Baked cookbook.

One thing I liked about this recipe was the high chip-to-dough ratio! I love those!! And plus, Jessie from CakeSpy highly recommended these! I went to work, and it was here that tragedy struck. I injured my hand pretty bad while using the hand mixer!! That's why I haven't been able to post for a while. Luckily, I had almost finished preparing the dough, only the last mix-ins were to be added, so my dad finished that up for me, and the ready dough was in the fridge for a few days, till my hand healed. Which was probably a good thing, because I really wanted to try the refrigerate dough for 36 hours technique, but uptil now, have never had the patience. Though I didn't have anything to compare it with, I'm sure all those hours of rest must have worked in its favour, because the cookies tasted amazing!!



Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking via Cakespy


2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks [1 cup, 225 g] unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar - I used a mix of half light and half dark
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions :

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter, and then the sugars too, until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between additions. Beat in the vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
4. Add this mixture to the creamed mixture in parts, mixing between additions.
   
5. Fold in chocolate chips, or whatever other add-ins you choose, and mix to incorporate
6. Refrigerate for atleast 6 hours - There is usually quite an improvement on refrigeration, but ofcourse, this step can be skipped if you're in a hurry.
7. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, preheat oven to 350 F [180 C].
8. Make rounds of cookies as per your size preference, and bake accordingly - I made them about 1 1/2 tablespoon sized, it took 14 minutes. If you want them smaller, bake only for 12 minutes.
   
9. When the edges start browning, and the middles lose their sheen, they are done.
10. Take cookies out of the oven, and cool on a wire rack - I ate about half of them still warm from the oven.
11. Eat, and enjoy :D :D

I liked these cookies, they were really good, and gone in no time. They are great when you want a quick, easy cookie. I will be using this recipe more in the future, for sure. However, I still prefer my go-to cookies over these, though that can probably be chalked up to the ground up oats, and addition of nuts, that takes them to a whole other level. Two different kinds of cookies, both will be kept in my arsenal. And there's going to be a lot more experimenting of chocolate chip cookies, I have a LOT of other recipes I need to try out!!!




This part is super-long overdue, I've recieved a lot of awards, which I've always been forgetting about. So here goes -





I got the Kreativ Blogger award from Jaime of My Baking Addiction, which I like to pass on to -
Rita of Clumbsy Cookie
Deeba of Passionate About Baking
Both of these bloggers are always coming up with the most astoundingly creative stuff ever!



I got the splash award from Valerina, which I in turn would forward on too -
Aalia of One Of a Grind
Liz of Cake Or Death




And finally, I received the Honest Scrap Award from Parita, which is going to -
Valerina of Une Gamine dans la Cuisine - Love the name of this blog, though I have absolutely no idea what it means!!
Jacque of Daisy Lane Cakes

A HUGE thanks to all three of you! It really makes me feel great, that someone is reading my little blog, and likes it so much!! Gives me a sense of acceptance in the wonderful blogosphere <3

Quicky Sticky Biscuits

I was recently lucky enough to have a friend loan me a copy Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey , and since I've vowed to be more experimental in my baking choices, and try and make things that don't involve chocolate, the Quicky Sticky Biscuits immediately stood out to me. They involved making a biscuit - something I hadn't yet done, and making a caramel sauce - I'm still scared of caramel, though I have tried out a few caramel involving desserts.

And boy, was I glad I did. I did screw up the caramel once, as you can see, and ended a kind of toffee thing I have no idea what to do with after 2 days. I contemplated giving up and going with another recipe, but I struggled on, and ended up with a great dessert, though it looked nothing like in the picture. Despite this, I had pride in the fact that I had successfully conquered some other items on my list. =) I hope to add this book to my slowly but steadily growing collection soon, since that friend has already left town :(

Quicky Sticky Biscuits
Adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey



For the sticky pecan [walnut] sauce-

1 cup [200 g] firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup [180 g] dark corn syrup
1 1/2 sticks [175 g] unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups [120 g] chopped pecans - I used walnuts, cant find pecans here.

1. Preheat the oven to 220 C, grease a 9x13 pan and keep ready.
2. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and butter, over low heat, until the butter melts.
3. On melting, increase the heat and bring the sauce to a gentle boil, until it thickens, about 3-5 mins.
4. Stir the nuts in, and pour into the greased pan.

Mine never really thickened, probably because I took a chance with the corn syrup, using some store brand, since getting actual corn syrup here is quite a task. The first time, I waited and waited for it to thicken, ending up with this -


The second time, I just cooked it for the stipulated 5 minutes, because I knew it would just be a texture and appearance thing, not affecting the taste.





For the Biscuits -

4 cups [480 g] flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt [I didn't add, since I was using salted butter]
2 sticks [225 g] frozen butter
1 1/2 to 2 cups cold buttermilk

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture. It will not look like breadcrumbs, or how it does for a pie crust, but it will be crumbly.
3. Slowly add the buttermilk in, starting with 1 cup and adding more, till a soft dough is formed, making sure to not let it get sticky and mushy - I needed 1 1/2 cup
4. Cut the dough into 16 portions.

For the cinnamon topping -

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 stick [113 g] butter

1. Combine together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. In another bowl, melt the butter.
3. Brush both sides with butter, and then coat with the cinnamon sugar topping.
4. Place in the pan, over the sauce, evenly spaced.
5. Bake for 15-17 mins, until the biscuits brown, and the sauce is bubbling up around them - Mine took longer because I was using a smaller pan, they were cramped together.
6. Cool slightly, then invert onto a large serving platter, allowing all the sauce to fall on the biscuits. If any persistent bits remain, scrape out and place on the biscuits. Serve immediately.

I really liked the biscuits, I'm now going to try many other kinds. Any recommendations would be lovely. The sauce was a bit much, I'd try reducing the sugar, or maybe reducing the actual amount of it. But this could be chalked up to the faulty corn syrup, so if anyone tries it, I'd love to hear what you feel.

Double Chocolate Muffins... Blogs? Huh?

These double chocolate muffins are simply unbeatable! Rich, buttery, chocolatey, and totally satisfying! I make these a LOT! And they are extra special because, they are what introduced me to the Blogosphere. I was once looking for a good recipe, to make for my boyfriend who had requested chocolate muffins! Annd I landed on Meeta's amazing blog! Before that, I had no idea what blogs were, had just heard of them, hers was the first blog I actually saw!

And how! I went through her ENTIRE blog, at a stretch! I was hooked! I then went to soo many other blogs on her blogroll! I read through many of those blogs too, entirely!! I had no idea what a reader was, so I used to check back regularly for new post! Then, I discovered reader, many new blogs along the way, and now, here I am with my own blog! In a way, I owe to blog to her! Thanks, Meeta! xoxo




Double Chocolate Muffins
Adapted from What's For Lunch, Honey
Makes 15

Ingredients:
30 g unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
100 g semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup [170 g] semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup [120 g] all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup [210 g] brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup whole milk
1 stick [1/2 cup, 113g] unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions -

1. Preheat oven to 180 C [350 F]. Grease/line a muffin pan.
   
2. Melt the chopped unsweetened and semisweet chocolates in a double boiler or in the microwave. Allow to cool slightly
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. In a small bowl, beat the eggs at low speed, or by hand.
5. Add the brown sugar, milk, vanilla and melted butter, stir until incorporated.
6. Now pour in the melted chocolate mixture, and mix well.
7. Pour this mixture into dry flour mixture.
8. Stir until just moistened;, do not over mix. - The batter will be very liquidy. Dont worry!
   
9. Gently fold the chocolate chips into batter, I like to sprinkle a few on top of the muffins as well.
10. Pour into prepared muffin pan, only pouring until 2/3 full.
11. Bake for 20 to 25 mins, or until mufins test done.
12. Cool, and serve. [Though these taste absolutely fantastic warm from the oven]
    

Any words I'll use to describe these, in my opinion, will fall flat in comparison to Meeta's words, so I'm just going to paste those instead! "WOW! The ultimate chocolate muffin for the ultimate chocolate fan! These were so fluffy and rich that with every bite you know something so good must be a sin!"