Ginger and milk chocolate cookies and choosing recipes

To me, choosing a recipe might be hard sometimes, but it basically involves: a) if I want something sweet or savory, b) the ingredients I have at home, c) the amount of time I have at that moment, d) if I have someone in mind and/or e) there is something new/unusual about the recipe I really want to try.

Libbie Summers’ ginger cookies caught my eye because I absolutely loved her idea of rolling the cookies in minced crystallized ginger before baking them – it was genius! I had to try that. Then I remembered I had the ingredient in my pantry, with some molasses that had to be used within a month, and the choice was made – this time I had no one in mind but myself, for the only person I know that loves crystallized ginger as much as I do lives on the other side of the Atlantic. :)

These cookies pack a strong ginger punch, which is cooled down a bit by the milk chocolate (my addition), and the rolling in the ginger is indeed a great idea. They could have been a wonderful addition to my Christmas series, but if I couldn’t even wait for the cookies to cool to eat a couple of them how on earth would I be able to wait till December to share them with you? :D

Ginger and milk chocolate cookies
slightly adapted from the oh, so beautiful Sweet and Vicious: Baking with Attitude

2 ¼ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks/170g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (175g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup minced crystallized ginger, divided use
200g milk chocolate, in chips or chunks
½ cup (100g) demerara sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, molasses and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour mixture. Mix in half the crystallized ginger, then the chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the demerara sugar and the remaining crystallized ginger. Using 2 leveled tablespoons of dough per cookie, shape the dough into balls and roll them in the demerara sugar mixture. Place them 5cm (2in) apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden around the edges. Slide the paper to a wire rack and cool completely.

Makes about 35

Salted peanut blondies and "Wallander"

Since I got to the end of the third season of The Killing a couple of days ago – cannot wait for Netflix to launch season four – I needed a new show to follow (I realize that I sound like an addict, but well, I am addicted to TV shows, so there you have it). The idea was to start American Horror Story but I bumped into Wallander and then competition was over because of my love for Sir Kenneth Branagh.

I’m still at the beginning of season 1, but liking it a lot already – Mr. Branagh can do no wrong, he’s a fantastic actor. It’s a crime-drama show, which is always good in my book, and Loki is part of the cast – what’s not to like? :D

When I’m in a hurry and/or uninspired to choose something to bake, I usually resort to brownies; however, lately I’ve been going for blondies instead, for they’re equally easy to make – I’m beginning to think that blondies can do no wrong, especially if they’re freckled with milk chocolate and topped with salted peanuts – yum. :)

Salted peanut blondies
slightly adapted from the beautiful Sweet

2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks/170g) unsalted butter, softened
250g light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
115g milk chocolate, in chips or small chunks
100g salted peanuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 20x30cm (8x12in) baking pan, line it with foil leaving an overhang on the two long opposite sides and butter the foil as well.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. On low speed, add the dry ingredients ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the chocolate chips and beat until evenly distributed, about 1 minute.
Spread the batter into the prepared baking sheet, smooth the top, then sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the edges appear crisp and the top is slightly golden. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Cut into squares or bars to serve.

Makes 32 blondies

Milk chocolate brownies and a change of plans

There has been a change of plans around here: Somerset Maugham will have to wait a while, since I decided to buy "Gone Girl" after reading that turning the book into a movie is David Fincher’s next project. :)
Two friends of mine have told me that book is great and that it will probably cost me hours of sleeping – like the Millennium trilogy, years ago – and I cannot wait to start reading it. I’ll keep you posted.

And speaking of change of plans, I usually go for brownie recipes that call for cocoa – like Alice Medrich’s out of this world brownies – and/or dark chocolate, but decided to give Kathleen King’s milk chocolate brownies a chance. They turned out delicious, like everything I have made from that book - I hope Gillian Flynn surprises me in the same way. :D

Milk chocolate brownies
from the delicious Tate's Bake Shop: Baking For Friends

½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter
250g (9oz) milk chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (105g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, sifted
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven at 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 20cm (8in) square baking pan and line with foil, leaving an overhand in two opposite sides. Butter the foil as well.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and let it stand for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
Whisk in the sugar, then the eggs, one at a time. Whisk in the vanilla. Stir in the flour, cocoa and salt. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake until a skewer inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out with a moist crumb, about 20 minutes.
Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Cut into squares to serve.

Makes 16

Guinness brownies

One of the great things of having a blog for so long is that after all these years you and I have bonded in such a nice way that I no longer feel ashamed to tell you things like my caipirinha fiasco (no judgmental comments so far). :D I like me some booze occasionally, either for drinking or for baking.

Just like the cake I posted the other day these brownies are a great way of enjoying a beer without having to deal with a headache the morning after: they are chocolatey, very fudgy – to the point of being creamy – and delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Guinness brownies
slightly adapted from the delicious and foolproof Tate's Bake Shop: Baking For Friends

5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, chopped
250g milk chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup + 1 tablespoon (80g) all purpose flour
½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder – I used Dutch-processed
pinch of salt
3 large eggs
½ cup + 1 tablespoon (112g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons (40g) brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
225ml Guinness or other stout beer
¾ cup (125g) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line 20cm (8in) square baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 5cm (2in) overhang. Butter the foil.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth, cool slightly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa and salt. In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar on high speed until well combined. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, mix in the chocolate mixture and scrape the sides of the bowl. Still on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients, then the stout. Finish mixing with a spatula, then transfer to prepared pan. Smooth the top and sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with moist crumbs, about 50 minutes. Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Lift up the brownies using the foil and cut into squares.

Makes 16

Milk chocolate cookies with malted cream

If I’m not mistaken – and over 6 years of blogging can play tricks on one’s mind, trust me – I first heard of “Food and Wine” magazine while watching season 1 of “Top Chef” when Gail Simmons was introduced. I’ve been using recipes from the magazine quite regularly lately, and if you’re not familiar with their website you should definitely check it out: there are tons of great recipes there, and these cookies are one of them – just be careful not to eat all the filling before putting the sandwich cookies together. ;)

Milk chocolate cookies with malted cream
slightly adapted from the always delicious Food and Wine

Cookies:
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks/170g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (88g) light brown sugar, packed
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
170g (6oz) milk chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups (245g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup chocolate malt powder, such as Ovaltine
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups (245g) confectioners' sugar, sifted

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy and smooth. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla and beat until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and beat at low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes – in the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to a 6mm (¼in) thickness and freeze for about 7 minutes. Using a 5cm (2in) round cookie cutter, stamp out as many rounds as possible and transfer to the baking sheets, 2.5cm (1in) apart. Gather the scraps and chill, with the cut-out rounds, for 10 minutes. Reroll the scraps and stamp out more rounds.
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time (keep the other in the fridge) for about 10 minutes, until dry and set. Cool the cookies completely on the sheet over a wire rack.
Filling: in a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the chocolate malt powder at medium speed until light, about 3 minutes – my mixture was a bit dry so I added 1 tablespoon sour cream to it (I would have used heavy cream if I had any). Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip. Arrange half of the cookies on a work surface, bottom side up, and pipe a 1-inch mound of filling onto each. Sandwich with the remaining cookies, pressing to spread the filling to the edges – I used a small cookie scoop instead of a pastry bag and placed rounded mounds of filling on the center of each cookie, topping with another cookie and pressing down gently to squish the filling.

Makes about 2 ½ dozen cookie sandwiches – I used a 4cm square cookie cutter and got 28 sandwich cookies

Almond joy tartlets

A couple of months ago my friend Ana Elisa and I were talking about the new Baked cookbook that was about to be released (it’s out now). We were talking about purchasing the book or not, since both of us have the other two Baked cookbooks but neither of us have baked much from them. Culinary coincidences, I guess. Then Ana decided to put those cookbooks into some good use and kept telling me how pleased she was with the results, that was when I thought I should do the same – that is why I baked these tartlets (that and the fact that I needed to use up some cream I had in the fridge).

I have never had an Almond Joy candy bar but thought that the combination of chocolate, almonds and coconut would certainly turn out delicious; the tartlets are a bit time consuming because of the three components that have to be made, but you can break the recipe down into little projects and divide the whole thing in two days – that is what I did.

Almond joy tartlets
from a cookbook I’m determined to use more often

Dough:
1/3 cup (33g) almond meal
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups + 1 tablespoon (195g) all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and chopped

Filling:
225g (8oz) white chocolate, chopped
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
2 cups (200g) sweetened flaked coconut
1 tablespoon Amaretto or rum

Glaze:
55g (2oz) semisweet chocolate, chopped
55g (2oz) milk chocolate, chopped
½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
6 whole toasted almonds

Dough: place the almond meal, sugar, flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process to combine. Add the butter and pulse until sandy. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg and vanilla together with a fork. With the machine running, pour in the egg mixture, a little at a time, just until the dough comes together – you might not need all the mixture. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Filling: place the white chocolate and the cream in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Lightly butter six 10cm (4in) tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and place each part between two pieces of lightly floured baking paper – dough is sticky, so make sure it’s cold when you roll it. Roll into a rough circle, then carefully transfer to the tartlet pan and gently press it to the bottom and sides of the pan. Remove any dough scraps. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Prick the base of the dough with a fork and freeze for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Line crusts with a piece of foil or baking paper and fill it with dried beans/baking weights. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans/weights and the paper and bake for 10 minutes longer or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely over a wire rack.
Place the chilled white chocolate ganache in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until soft peaks form. Do not overwhip. Gently fold in the coconut and the Amaretto. Spread the filling over the crusts and place one almond in the center of each tartlet. Refrigerate while you make the glaze.
For the glaze, place the chocolates in a small heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream until it just comes to a boil, then pour it over the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes, then spoon the glaze evenly over the tarts. Refrigerate again until glaze is set, about 10 minutes.
Tarts can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for 2 days.

Makes 6 – I halved the recipe above, used tartlet pans the same size called for and got 4 tartlets

Chocolate peanut butter cheesecake bars + "Man of Steel"

I've just had a delightful surprise during my daily visit to "Awards Daily": the lovely Sasha Stone posted not one, but two versions of the "Man of Steel" teaser, one voiced over by Kevin Costner (Jonathan Kent) and the other by the always amazing Russel Crowe, who will be playing Jor-El - if that isn't reason enough to anxiously wait for that movie I do not know what is. :)

The beautiful teaser comes with some cheesecake, a delicious peanut butter version by the always amazing Nigella Lawson.
To me, the chocolate glaze was unnecessary on the dulce de leche cheesecake bars I made a while ago, but here it’s perfect: the peanut butter has a slightly salty flavor and the milk chocolate compliments it beautifully.

Chocolate peanut butter cheesecake bars
adapted from the magnificent Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home

Base:
140g digestive biscuits
2 ½ tablespoons (35g) unsalted butter, softened

Filling:
300g cream cheese
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) sour cream*
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

Topping:
2/3 cup (160ml) sour cream
2/3 cup (120g) milk chocolate chips
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F. Lightly butter a 20cm (8in) square baking pan then line the bottom and sides with 2 pieces of foil, leaving a 5cm (2in) overhang on two opposite sides. Butter the foil as well.
Base: process the biscuits until ground then add the butter; process again until mixture resembles wet sand. Turn it out into the prepared pan and press into the bottom to make the crust. Put in the fridge while you make the filling.
Filing: place the cream cheese, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, sour cream, peanut butter and vanilla in the clean bowl of the food processor and process until very smooth. Pour into the base bake for 1 hour, though check after 50 minutes: the top – only – should feel set and dry.
Take the cheesecake out of the oven while you make the topping.
Warm the sour cream and chocolate with the brown sugar gently in a small saucepan over a low heat, whisking to blend in the chocolate as it melts, and then take off the heat. Spoon and spread the topping very gently over the top of the cheesecake, then put it back in the oven for a final 10 minutes**.
Once out of the oven, let the cheesecake cool completely in the pan over a wire rack, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
Carefully lift cheesecake from pan using foil overhangs and cut into 16 squares.

* homemade sour cream: to make 1 cup of sour cream, mix 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream with 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk until it starts to thicken. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 1 hour or until thicker (I usually leave mine on the counter overnight – except on very warm nights – and it turns out thick and silky in the following morning; refrigerate for a creamier texture)

** mine looked exactly the same after 10 minutes, so I baked it for 22 (until matte and firmer)

Makes 16

Milk chocolate stracciatella ice cream

The day is cold, gray, cloudy, the rain comes and goes, and I plan to spend the afternoon under the blankets, with a bowl of popcorn and a good movie. Too bad this delicious ice cream is long gone - it was so amazing I would certainly have a bowl of it even on this chilly day. :)

Milk chocolate stracciatella ice cream
from the always amazing The Perfect Scoop

225g (8oz) milk chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups (360ml) heavy cream
1½ cups (360ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
generous pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons Cognac
140g (5oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped

Combine the milk chocolate and cream in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from the saucepan and set a strainer on top.
Warm milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the hot mixture over the yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the custard through the strainer onto the milk chocolate cream, add the Cognac and mix. Cool completely, stirring occasionally, over an ice bath.
Refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours. Freeze custard in ice cream maker.
While ice cream is freezing, melt the dark chocolate in a clean metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring frequently, In the last minutes of churning, carefully pour the melted chocolate in a slow stream directly onto ice cream as it churns and continue to churn 30 seconds (chocolate will harden in streaks). Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Makes about 1 quart (950ml)

Rocky road brownies

I bought a bag of mini marshmallows last week with these cookies in mind – I found the recipe going through my folder of torn magazine pages and thought it would be great to use whole wheat flour in my baking (haven’t done that in a while now). But the reviews discouraged me to make the cookies. :(

Luckily, Alice Medrich – a.k.a. the Chocolate Queen – came to my rescue and I ended up with these brownies: they are so good, so sinfully delicious that I wished the recipe had yielded more than 16 pieces. :D
While tasting one of the brownies I knew I had done the right thing by buying Medrich’s new cookbook – cannot wait for it to arrive.

Rocky road brownies
from the wonderful Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies

120g (4oz) dark chocolate – I used one with 50% cocoa solids
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup + 2 tablespoons (90g) all purpose four
¼ teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon (262g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup mini marshmallows
90g (3oz) milk chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup (110g) pecans

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter an 8in square cake pan, line with foil leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Butter the foil as well.
Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool to lukewarm.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat eggs, sugar and salt on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale and about double in volume. Fold the chocolate mixture into the eggs until partially incorporated. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and fold just until blended. Transfer to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Distribute the marshmallows over the batter, followed by the pecans and the milk chocolate. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a cakey part of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Cut into squares.

Makes 16

Peanut butter sandwich cookies with milk chocolate filling + two favorite Tumblrs

I’ve been obsessing with sandwich cookies lately – I want to bake each and every recipe for sandwich cookies I see (and no, I haven’t forgotten about biscotti, believe me). :)
I’d planned making one of Martha’s fabulous cookies but the jam I had around was very chunky – the jam is actually quite good but not thin enough for filling the cookies. I turned to the Karen DeMasco’s wonderful book and made these fantastic cookies, which allowed me to finish off a jar of peanut butter as well. Win/win situation. :)

You know that when I like something I really like it and because I am a movie junkie I have now two favorite Tumblrs: “Old Love” and “This Had Oscar Buzz” – I am sure some of you will love them, too. :)

Peanut butter sandwich cookies with milk chocolate filling
slightly adapted from the wonderful and delicious The Craft of Baking: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets with Ideas for Inventing Your Own

Cookies:
1 ¾ cups (245g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup + 1 tablespoon (100g) light brown sugar, packed
¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (115g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil, such as canola
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg

Filling:
168g (6oz) milk chocolate, chopped
½ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup (35g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon table salt
¾ cup (180ml) heavy cream

Start by making the cookies: preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the oil, vanilla and egg and beat until just combined. Add the flour mixture beating just to combine.
Roll the dough into balls – 1 ½ leveled teaspoons of dough per ball – and place them onto the prepared baking sheets, 2cm (1in) apart. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown on the edges, about 12 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to a wire rack and let cool completely (unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week).

Make the filling: combine the chocolate, peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Remove the cream from the heat and pour it over the chocolate mixture. Stir until the ingredients are melted and the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate until thick enough to spread. Using an offset spatula, spread the filling over the flat sides of half of the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies*.
Filled cookies are best eaten on the same day but can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

* there was some filling left; I believe that ¾ of the filling recipe would be enough to fill all the cookies

Makes about 50 sandwich cookies

Nigella’s everyday brownies

These are called “everyday brownies” but that doesn’t mean you can eat them every day – that would be nice, though. ;) Or you can just pretend you never read my post and eat them on a daily basis – who am I to judge, anyway?

For some reason the chocolate chips sank to the bottom of the pan, but let me assure you that it did not make much difference as far as flavor is concerned – it just bothered me, the baker; I don’t remember anyone saying anything about that while tasting the brownies. ;)

Nigella’s everyday brownies
from the gorgeous and delicious Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home

¾ cup (68g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks/140g) unsalted butter
1 ¾ cups (306g) packed light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
170g (6oz) milk chocolate, chopped into small nuggety chunks (or 1 cup chips)
confectioners' sugar, to dust, optional

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F; lightly butter a 32.5x22.5cm (13x9in) baking pan, line with foil leaving an overhang in two opposite sites then butter the foil as well*. Whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and pinch of salt in a bowl; set aside.
Melt the butter over a gentle heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon (still over a low heat) to help it blend with the melted butter. Stir in the flour mixture - when mixed (this will be a very dry mixture, and not wholly blended at this stage), remove from the heat.
In a bowl or jug, whisk the eggs with the vanilla extract and then mix into the brownie mixture in the pan. Stir in the chopped chocolate and quickly pour and scrape into the prepared pan, spreading the mixture with a spatula then bake for about 20-25 minutes. It will look set, dark and dry on top, but when you feel the surface, you will sense it is still wibbly underneath and a cake tester will come out gungy. This is desirable.
Transfer the pan to a rack and cool completely before cutting. Sift with icing sugar before serving.

The brownies can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in airtight container (will keep for total of 5 days).

* I made the exact recipe above using a 20x30cm (8x12in) pan

Makes 20

Milk chocolate-filled cinnamon doughnuts

Still on the feasible side of promises and resolutions, I’ve been trying to make more yeasted recipes – because I always tell people I love working with yeast but taking a look at my blog that doesn’t sound very true.

I got this recipe here – the same magazine these buns came from – and highly recommend it: the doughnuts are tender, taste great and imho don’t necessarily need the chocolate filling.
Just need to warn you the recipe yields a lot – not a bad thing if you have a big family, but that is not my case. :)

Milk chocolate-filled cinnamon doughnuts
from Australian Gourmet Traveller

2 ¼ teaspoons (7g) dried yeast
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
¼ cup + ½ tablespoon (56g) caster sugar
5 cups + 1 tablespoon (710g) all purpose flour
¼ cup + 3 tablespoons (98g) unsalted butter, melted
3 eggs
pinch of salt
100g milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
milk, for brushing
vegetable oil, for frying
cinnamon sugar, for dusting

Combine yeast, buttermilk, sugar and ¼ cup (60ml) warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer and stand for 10 minutes or until foamy. Add flour, butter, eggs and a pinch of salt and mix using dough hook attachment. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth – I used the mixer for the whole process. Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat, cover with plastic wrap and stand for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 3mm thick. Using a 7.5cm (3in) round cutter dipped in flour, cut out rounds, re-roll dough and repeat. Divide milk chocolate among half the rounds, placing in center, brush edges with milk and top with remaining rounds. Using a 6.5cm (2 ½in) round cutter dipped in flour, trim rounds, pressing to seal. Place 2.5cm (1in) apart on a lightly floured tray and stand for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
Heat oil in a large deep saucepan or deep-fryer to 160°C/320°F. Deep-fry doughnuts, in batches, turning occasionally for 2-3 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Place over paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Roll in cinnamon sugar and serve immediately.

Serves 15 – I halved the recipe above and got 22 doughnuts

Milk chocolate cookies

Everyone is talking about “Lost” these days and I feel completely left out – I did not watch the show when it started and therefore never followed the episodes.:(

Since I cannot write about that popular show, I’ll choose something even more popular: chocolate. This is one of Lizzie’s gorgeous cookie recipes – the buttered rum meltaways are next on my list.

Milk chocolate cookies

1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (45g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
340g (12oz) good-quality milk chocolate, 170g (6oz) coarsely chopped and 170g (6oz) cut into 6mm (¼ in) chunks
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt 170g (6oz) of the coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; let cool slightly.
Put chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks*.
Using a 3.75cm (1½ in) ice cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 5cm (2 in) apart. Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 15 minutes (cookies should be soft). Let cool on paper on wire racks.
Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

* if you want, chop a little more chocolate and place 2-3 chunks on the top of each cookie before baking them

Makes about 3 dozen – I halved the recipe above, used ½ tablespoon (leveled) of dough per cookie and got 34

Oatmeal cookies with golden raisins and milk chocolate chips

I used to be a person who loved going to shopping malls, even if just for window shopping; now, one would have to lock me up in a straight jacket to get me into a mall without a very specific purpose – and lately, going to the movies has been the only reason.

I once arrived too early for my movie session and ended up in a book store to pass the time; that turned out to be a bad idea for my credit card: after taking a look at this beautiful book I ordered it the minute I arrived home. :D

Is anyone surprised that the first recipe I tried from the book is for cookies? :D

Oatmeal cookies with golden raisins and milk chocolate chips
from The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle

1 ½ cups (175g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks/226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 cup (175g) dark brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 egg white, room temperature
3 cups (345g) rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
224g (8oz) milk chocolate, chopped into ¼-in pieces
1 cup (155g) golden raisins

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.

In a dry bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Place the butter in the bowl of the stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes fluffy and lighter in color, approximately 5 minutes. Add the dark brown sugar and continue creaming for 3-4 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer down to slow speed, add the eggs and egg white, one at a time, and continue to beat until they are fully incorporated and the batter looks smooth and glossy, 1-2 minutes.

Add the dry mixture and the oats all at once to the butter mixture. Using a butter spatula, fold together for a few turns. With the mixer on slow speed, mix the dough until thoroughly combined, 1 minute. Add the chopped chocolate and the raisins. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix for another 30 seconds. The dough can be made up to this point and refrigerated, well wrapped, for up to 3 days.

Using 2 teaspoons scoop the dough into mounds and place 5cm (2in) onto prepared sheets (I shaped the dough into a ball using my palms).
Bake the cookies until they spread, rise, and turn a light golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheets.

The cookies can be kept in an airtight container, in room temperature, for 4 days.

Makes 40 large cookies – I halved the recipe, used 1 leveled tablespoon of dough per cookie and got 33 cookies

Triple choc brownies

Several months ago I told you how much I wanted to see “The Reader” – back then, there wasn’t even a release date for the movie in Brazil. Time went by, the movie premiered here, Kate got all the awards and I had not watched it. It’s now been released in DVD, I’ve finally seen it and knew that the beautiful poster was just the tip of the iceberg – the movie is sublime and so is Kate. I should not have waited so long to see it.

I bought Donna Hay’s Flavours almost three years ago and have had an eye on her triple choc brownies ever since. Now I’ve finally made them and it was pretty much what I felt about the movie: I should not have waited so long.

Triple choc brownies
from Flavours

¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (185g) unsalted butter
185g dark chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
1 ¼ cups (250g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup (94g) all purpose flour
½ cup (45g) cocoa powder
pinch of salt
¾ cup (116g) roughly chopped white chocolate
¾ cup (116g) roughly chopped milk chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF; line a square 20cm (8in) baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of pan. Butter foil; set aside.

Place the butter and dark chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until just smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Fold through the chocolate and butter mixture.
Sift the flour, cocoa and salt over the mixture and mix to combine. Add the white and milk chocolate chunks, mix well then pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until just set.
Allow to cool, unmold using the foil “handles” and cut into squares.

Makes 16