TWD-In the great words of Carrie Bradshaw

Me no likey...

Rachel of Confessions of a Tangerine Tart chose Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops, and I valiantly attempted his weeks TWD recipe despite my dislike for whoppers and malt in general. I know, utter madness. Stop me before I hurt someone, or myself. I also used peanut butter whoppers since me and PB are BFF now. I think that was the wisest decision I made because the slight detection of PB in this cookie is the only reason I didn't vom.

After last weeks peanut butter breakthrough I felt bold and daring. I felt like the baking diva of yesteryear! Who knows? Maybe I would discover my favorite new cookie! MAYBE I WOULD BE ONE STEP CLOSER TO TAKING OVER THE WORLD WITH MY MAD BAKING SKILLZ PEOPLE! Unfortunately neither one of these phenomenons transpired. These cookies are weird, and chewy, and cake like. The malt flavor is very pronounced and sorta made me want to gag. Truth be told, that picture you see down there with the bite it...yeah, that one. I spit it out.

Straight out of oven these are really gross. The malt is like a crazy punch in the face. After they cool they are still gross, but you dont feel the sudden desperate urge to puke if you take a bite.

If you like malt flavored goodies you may like these (or if your taste buds are broken).

Be sure to check out the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll to see everyone else's yummy *barf* cookies.

You can find the recipe @ Confessions of a Tangerine Tart for all of the daring souls out there.

XOXO
Stay Sweet;)



UPDATE: After reading several blogs that made these same cookies and hearing them ooohhh and aaahhhh that they tasted like brownies I grew perplexed. Are these people crazy? Are everyone's taste buds broken? With much despair I headed over to the host's blog and realized that I left out an ingredient (this is why you should only bake when you are coherent and not at 11:00pm when you are sleep walking in the kitchen). I left out the cocoa powder! I wonder if that is why the malt taste was so pronounced? Maybe if I added the cocoa powder I would have loved them? Anywho I hold firm to my opinion until I feel brave enough to make them again. Things that make you go hmmm....

OK, OK, I know I'm late

My apologies for making you wait such an inordinate amount of time between posts, but I was away (yes again. I know, I'm sorry). These last few days of summer seem to be flying by, and I barely have time to shave my legs before the next recipe is up on everyone's blog. So without further adieu I give you Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters (or crack cookies, which is what i'm calling them from now on, because these suckers are dangerously addictive).

This weeks recipe was chosen by Stefany from Proceed With Caution, and Stefany my dear you are a goddess for this pick. I briefly considered not making them (i am being measured for my straitjacket as we speak) due to the fact that I am not a huge peanut butter fan (an understatement considering just the smell makes me want to vomit; no i dont like chocolate peanut butter cups either), but thank the heavens for Operation Baking GALS! (i'm sending these to the troops) or I would never have attempted these.

These cookies are sinful. One bite of these will have all sorts of profanities spewing forth from your delicate lips. I, in good conscience, would not be able to eat one of these in front of my grandma because I might get my teeth knocked out (grandma don't play she will back hand me, and leave me with a broken lip and no teeth). These cookies are so #@$%^&* good that you will offer sexual favors in return for them. No joke. And the cookie dough...OH.MY.GOD dont get me started on this satanic cookie dough. The cookie dough in itself is a feast of flavors and textures that just have your mind wondering into the most wicked places...Lets just say these cookies are your one way ticket to hell. Make them now. You'll be in good company...I promise;)

Be sure to check out the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll to see everyone else's crack cookies.

You can find the recipe here @ Proceed With Caution.

XOXO
Stay Sweet;)

Dorie and I are having a love affair...

(From Dorie Greenspan's "Banking from my home to yours")

If I weren't already married I would propose to her. This woman's genius knows no bounds. I love you Dorie, and I put out!

Today is my boss's birthday and as a token of appreciation/extra special birthday gift I decided I would bake some of his favorite treats for him. Then I'd have some goodies to post for my weekly TWD update. This weeks TWD recipe (Madeleines) was choosen by Tara of Smells Like Home and I can't begin to tell you how amazing they are and everything else was just as awesome. The pound cake was to die for; the madeleines are out of this world and the chocolate chip cookies....O.M.G. I think I need a cold shower because I'm excited at the mere mention of them. I'm serious. The sounds of pleasure that were emanating from my mouth were loud enough to have the neighbors thinking that I was gettin' some in the kitchen. They were so good I felt like I needed a cigarette after them and I don't even smoke. If you haven't purchased this book yet then your life is just an empty shell of existence. You can't possible go on without experiencing the phenomenon that is Dorie Greenspan. Just thinking about your poor soul saddens me. I'm telling you this book is the first step to world peace. So do it for the children! And now let's give each of these stars their five minutes of fame...

Here she is in all of her regal elegance. The madeleine is a pastry with grace and confidence. You may underestimate her because at first glance she appears lackluster, but as soon as you sample this amazing cake like cookie you are running back for another. She needs no adornments for she is comfortable in her own skin. In fact I know several women who would do well to take the example of madeleine. She's light and fluffy and absolutely delicious. You must make these If only to learn to love yourself as she does;)

Aaaaahhh the pound cake. Absolutely amazing buttery delicious goodness. I made 4 mini loafs, and only packed two for my boss. After the first bite I couldn't part with the other two. It was everything a pound cake should be. Firm yet soft and exceptional in flavor. Its better than Sara Lee (and I would cut someone for Sara lee. She's my peeps)!

Where do I even begin with these cookies. They are truly extraordinary. The texture and flavor are perfect. The combination of the crunchy edges and chewy center is outstanding as far as cookies go. These are worth the 10lbs I probably gained from eating a dozen of them before I even had a chance to pack any for my boss. These will have you saying OMG like you just had some amazing sex. Once cooled they are fabulous, but straight out of the oven they are borderline illegal. Make these NOW. You haven't had it this good in a loooooooog time. Trust me;)

My boss's favorite cookie is a traditional NYC black and white so this cookie was a must for me to make for him. I found this recipe on Phe/MoM/enon's kick ass blog (she is the bomb). It is the beloved outcast of the night (meaning not by Dorie). Not that is wasn't great. In fact it was quite possibly one of the most delicious black and white cookies I've ever had (and that is saying a lot because I'm from NY. Home of the black and white cookie), but when compared to the amazing masterpieces from Dorie's book. It was waaay out of its league. Give it a try if you like black and whites. Its a really, really good black and white cookie.

Don't forget to see what all the other TWDer's have been up to this week!

XOXO

Stay Sweet;)

Traditional Madeleines
By Dorie Greenspan

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon (you know i left this out)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 stick (6 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Working in a mixer bowl, or in a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the eggs to the bowl. Working with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale, thick, and light, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. With a rubber spatula, very gently fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, or for up to 2 days. This long chill period will help the better form the hump that is characteristic of madeleines.(For convenience, you can spoon the batter into the Madeleine molds, cover and refrigerate, then bake the cookies directly from the fridge; see below for instructions on prepping the pan.)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter 12 full-size madeleine molds, or up to 36 mini madeleine molds, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Or, if you have a nonstick pan, give it a light coating of vegetable cooking spray. If you have a silicone pan, no prep is needed. Place the pan(s) on a baking sheet. Spoon the batter into the molds, filling each one almost to the top. Don't worry about spreading the batter evenly, the oven's heat will take care of that. Bake large Madeleines for 11-13 minutes, and minis for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden and the tops spring back when touched. Remove the pan(s) from the oven and release the madeleines from the mods by rapping the edge of the pan against the counter.

Gently pry any recalcitrant madeleines from the pan using your fingers or a butter knife. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to just warm or to room temperature. If you are making minis and have more batter, bake the next batch(Es), making certain that you cool, then properly prepare the pans before baking. Just before serving, dust the madeleines with confectioner's sugar.

Perfection Pound Cake
by: Dorie Greenspan

2 Cups all-purpose flour or 2 1/4 Cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 Cup sugar
4 large eggs, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla

Center a rack in the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9X5 inch loaf pan or an 8 1/2X4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Put the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked one on top of the other.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, a full 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beater and reduce the mixer speed to medium. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1-2 minutes after each egg goes in. As you're working, scrape down the bowl and the beater often. Mix in the vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it is incorporated-don't over mix. In fact, you might want to fold in the last of the flour, or even all of it, by hand with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and smooth the top.

Put the cake into the oven to bake, and check on it after about 45 minutes. If it's browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. If you're using a 9X5 pan, you'll need to bake the cake for 70-75 minutes; the smaller pan needs about 90 minutes. The cake is properly baked when a thin knife inserted keep into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven, transfer the pan to a rack and let rest for 30 minutes.
Run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan and turn the cake out, then turn it right side up on the rack and cool to room temperature.

My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
By Dorie Greenspan

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 2 cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until well-blended. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is incorporated. On low speed, or by hand with a rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate and nuts. (The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen. If you'd like, rounded tablespoonfuls of dough, ready for baking. Freeze the mounds on a lined baking sheet, then bag them when they're solid. There's no need to defrost the dough before baking-just add another minute or two to the baking time.)

Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between spoonfuls. Bake the cookies- one sheet at a time and rotating the sheet at the midway point- for 10-12 minutes, or until they are brown at the edges and golden in the center; they may still be a little soft in the middle, and that's just fine. Pull the sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for 1 minute, then carefully, using a wide metal spatula, transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature. Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Black and White Cookies
Source:Phe/MoM/enon

For cookies:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg


For icings:

2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (i left out this part. why ruin a good thing with fruit flavor)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder



Make cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth. Spoon 1/4 cups of batter about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet (or lined with parchment).Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and allow to cool completely.

Make icings while cookies cool:Stir together confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as white icing.

*Bow Chicka Bow Wow*

Have you ever wondered what would happen if an Oreo and a thin mint had an illicit affair in a dark corner of your kitchen cabinet? Poor thin mint wouldn't stand a chance against Oreo's creamy seductive filling. He would have thin mint melting off her minty chocolate coating in no time, and 10 minutes later you would have these little guys running all over your kitchen. Aren't they the most adorable things you've ever seen?! Mini oreos with minty chocolate coating, just like mama thin mints only better.

Last night I was suddenly attacked with the midnight munchies. So I ran for my cabinet for the perfect treat to satisfy my tormenting taste buds, And I saw them there. Hiding in the corner, the blue bag shining proudly in all of its mini Oreo glory. I hurriedly shoved three in my mouth waiting for sweet satisfaction, instead all I felt was disappointment. My taste buds turned up their snotty little noses at the mini Oreos. Since it was late, and I knew I couldn't bake because I was exhausted, and I've become quite the vixen in the kitchen (Hey I like that, I'm going to Make that my new display name) as of late I decided to come up with a quick fix for the mini oreos. So into the microwave went some chocolate with a bit of mint extract and when it came out I tossed in some mini Oreos scooped them out and let them harden and TADA!

Sweet, sweet victory over the midnight munchies. They were chocolaty, they were minty, and they were perfect. I am thin mint lover, but these truly will make you convert to minty oreo minis. Try them, they will concur your midnight munchies with their gentle minty flavor and smooth chocolate coat. America's favorite cookie gets a make over, and its looking damn sexy.

Minty Oreo Minis

Source: The Kitchen Vixen (That's me people)

25 Oreo Minis

1/2 cup of chocolate (I used merckens)

1/4 tsp of mint extract

white chocolate design (optional)

Source: Cupcake Project

1/4 of white chocolate

Directions

Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl at 50% power for about 5 minutes or until melted. Stir in between. Once melted add the mint extract and mix. Drop a few cookies in at a time and scoop them up and place them on foil or wax paper to harden (I put mine in the fridge because time was of the essence). While they are hardening microwave white chocolate using the same directions stated above, but do not add the mint extract (I mean you can if you want to, your kitchen, your rules). Once they have hardened sufficiently put the melted white chocolate in a small sandwich bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners and decorate your cookies.

Enjoy!

XOXO

Stay Sweet;)

The best of both worlds

Two of my favorite things in the world are chocolate chip cookies and brownies. So I had an epiphany! Wouldnt it be amazing to combine them?! (I'm sure they have been combined before, but dont be such a debbie downer. Let me enjoy my moment.) I mean, how can I go wrong with chocolate chip cookies and brownies, right? So in my attempt to take over the world and have the ground upon which I walk endlessly worshiped, and have you shout my name at this most amazing discovery I began my search for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. You see I already have a brownie recipe that I LOVE. Now because I don't think I have conveyed the love I have for my favorite brownie recipe let me elaborate further. If I were given a choice between never using this recipe again, or eating apple pie (which I hate as we have already established in my introductory post by my loathing of fruity desserts) I would eat apple pie for the rest of my life just to use this recipe one more time. THAT is how much I love this recipe.

I found it online in a search for the recipe for Mrs. fields brownies, and it was love at first bite. I swear its the most magical thing to happen in my mouth in a long time, well technically since last night (I'm talking about the flan, get your mind out of the gutter people). The brownies are fudgey and gooey and an absolute dream come true. Anyway I digress, lets get back to the issue at hand which was finding a great chocolate chip cookie recipe. One that would be as amazing as the brownie recipe. Now this was going to be tricky because my absolute favorite chocolate chip cookies in the world are the pillsbury ones that come in a roll and you bake them on a whim, and they are perfection. Every. Single. time. I briefly considered using them, but that would be cheating my amazing brownie recipe by not pairing it with a home made cookie dough so on I went to search the web. I came across this recipe on allrecipes.com for "the best big fat chocolate chip cookie" and with over 2,000 raving reviews I was sold, and the mission for world dominance began.

I have to admit that I was bit skeptical initially because I love the pillsbury ones so much, BUT this was one great cookie recipe (pillsbury it was not, but great none the less). I decided to make it a couple of ways so that I could decide how I liked it best. I made mini chocolate chip cookie brownie cupcakes and chocolate chip cookie brownie bars. Half of the cupcakes had brownie on the bottom and chocolate chip cookie on the top and Some had it the other way around with cookie on the bottom and brownie on the top. Both mini cupcakes were heavenly, but for some odd reason the chocolate chip cookie brownie bars were AMAZING!

I think the mini cupcakes were too small to get the full effect of both flavors since the the top layer was the more dominant flavor. The bars on the other hand...O.M.G. Please dont be deterred by the horrible picture above. I forgot to take a picture of them after they were done and I only remembered after I had already put them inside tupperwear and then proceeded to drop the tupperware on the floor so they survived quite an ordeal to say the least. The layer of cookie (bottom) and brownie (top) complemented each other perfectly. Each layer had its own moment in the spot light as each bite was an even combination of delightful chocolate chip cookieness (yes, I know that is not a real word) and fudgey brownie goodness. I seriously think I have hit the mother load. I highly advise you try this recipe because a life that never knows the beautiful love story of chocolate chip cookie brownies is a life not lived.

Chocolate chip cookie brownie bars (or mini cupcakes which ever you prefer)

Chocolate chip cookie recipe
Source: Allrecipes.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg ( I used two eggs because the thought of just yolks in my cookies kinda skeeves me out)
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I only used 1 cup because I don't like a lot of chocolate chips in my cookies, I'm a weirdo, I know).
1/2 cup of nuts if desired

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts by hand using a wooden spoon. Set in refrigerator while you prepare the brownie recipe.

Brownie recipe

6 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup salted butter, softened
3 large eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine unsweetened baking chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan. Melt over medium-low heat and stir until smooth.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs until light yellow in color, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and blend on low until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla and melted chocolate to the egg and sugar mixture. Blend on low speed until smooth. Add the flour and mix thoroughly by hand.

For mini cupcakes:

Grease mini muffin mold. Measure about 1/2 tablspoon of batter of each. bake at 300 F. for about 15 minutes. Start checking at 10 min since ovens vary. Brownies should be gooey when a toothpick is inserted. If you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean you've cooked them too long. Cool to room temperature.

For brownie bars:

Grease 9*13 inch baking, mold cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the pan. Try to get the cookie layer as even as possible. Pour brownie batter over cookie dough smooth top. Bake until cookie layer is done and brownie is gooey about 20-25 minutes, but start checking at 15 since all ovens vary. Warning over baking will result in rock hard brownies and cookies. Brownies should be gooey when a toothpick is inserted. If you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean you've cooked them too long. Cool to room temperature.

They are seriously like hot sex on a platter.

XOXO

Stay sweet;)