The Search for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Not So Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last summer I made chocolate chip cookies for a going away potluck. They were the best chocolate chip cookies ever! Very thin and crisp around the edges, but soft and chewy in the middle. I wanted to make the cookies again, for the 4th of July, but I couldn't find the recipe! I thought I had used a Martha Stewart recipe so I looked at her website and thought this recipe might be it. Unfortunately, it was not. The cookies didn't spread nearly enough and therefore were much thicker than the cookie I wanted.

There is one more recipe on Martha's website that I'm really, really hoping is the right one. For now, here is the recipe for these chocolate chip cookies...which were good but just not the perfect chocolate chip cookies.

I Couldn't Even Take a Picture Before They Were Gone!

For Karen's birthday bonfire celebration I decided to make Nutella Sandwich Cookies. Everyone I know loves Nutella and these cookies were really yummy! I didn't get a chance to take a picture before the bonfire, which turned out to be a big mistake because they were all gone before I could snap a picture! So, I have the recipe and I will just have to make them again soon....I don't think anyone will mind =)

Mine turned out pretty similar to the original recipe so to see a picture visit Living Eventfully.

Nutella Sandwich Cookie

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt (I might reduce this to 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup Nutella
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Sugar for rolling cookies in
Nutella-Chocolate Ganache (see below)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In your stand mixer bowl place the butter, Nutella and both sugars. On medium low speed, cream together mixture for about 3 minutes.
4. Add the egg and vanilla and blend until combined.
5. Mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated.
6. Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
7. Shape the cookie dough into 1 inch, about 1 teaspoon sized round balls.
8. Rolls the cookie balls in sugar and place the cookies on a heavy cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
9. Place in oven and bake for 6 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes.
11. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
12. Spoon a small amount of the ganache on to the bottom of one cookie.
13. Top off with another cookie and allow to set.

Nutella-Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:
1/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup Nutella

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat heavy cream.
2. Put chocolate chips into a medium sized bowl.
3. Remove cream from heat and pour over chocolate chips.
4. Allow to stand for 2 minutes then whisk until smooth.
5. Add in Nutella and mix to combine.

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Ryan

Buttermilk Cupcake with Strawberry Mousse and Swiss Meringue Buttercream

So I made cupcakes for Ryan's birthday, but they didn't come out well so I'm not going to post the recipe. The strawberry mousse was yummy and so was the frosting...which is basically Martha Stewart's Swiss Meringue Buttercream with a little less sugar. I was very sad they didn't come out well, but hopefully I will try a new cupcake recipe soon.

Alfajores = Dulce de leche Cookies

Alfajores with Margaritas and Chips

A few weeks ago we had a taco potluck. I brought homemade Mexican rice along with these cookies. Alfajores are basically a cornstarch shortbread cookie filled with sweet dulce de leche.  Making homemade dulce de leche seems easy, but I had to try it twice before filling the cookies. The filling was thinner then I would have liked, but the first batch wasn't even spreadable.

Along with the variety of taco fillings, sides, churros and these cookies we had a yummy and successful taco party. Yum.

Alfajores aka Dulce de leche Cookies

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg plus one yolk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1-2 cups dulce de leche, see recipe below

powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and the sugar. Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat until incorporated. 
2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and baking powder. A little at a time, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and continue mixing until it forms a dough.
3. Remove the dough from the mixer and divide the dough into two balls. Wrap the balls in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap one ball of dough and roll it out on a floured surface. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness, then cut with a small round cutter (or a juice glass). Repeat the rolling and cutting until you have used all the dough. Repeat with other ball of dough.
5. Place the cookies on a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 15 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Cool cookies completely. 
6. Spread a generous dollop of dulce de leche on one cookie and top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Press gently together. Cover in sifted powdered sugar.

Dulce de leche

Ingredients:

1-14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

1. Fill a medium sauce pan with about an inch of water. Place a metal bowl on top, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
2. Pour a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk in the bowl and set it over the simmering water. 
3. Every 45 minutes, stir the milk.  Check the water level and replenish the simmering water with hot water as needed. 
4. When the milk is as thick as pudding and is a rich, dark caramel color, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, remove from heat, cool thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap, and use immediately or refrigerate for later use.

YUM

SO GOOD!

I just bought Nutella and strawberries at Costco and I wanted something sweet. This is the easiest, but tastiest sweet treat. It's silly to even put a recipe. Just slice and toast baguette, spread with Nutella, top with sliced strawberries and ENJOY!