chocolate chip cookie dough truffles

Some things I’d like to point out:

1) You’ll notice that the recipe calls for baking soda, and you might question why that is needed if there is no baking involved. It’s just there for the taste, making it more like the real stuff. If you want to leave it out, go right ahead.

2) It’s highly likely that your chocolate coating will cool and become a bit gloppy toward the end. I remedied this problem by just popping it back into the microwave for a few seconds. Just keep in mind that you’ll want to work fast for best results.

3) If you make a big batch but don’t want to eat them all in a week, pop some of them in the freezer. I stored mine there for three weeks, and they kept well. If you do freeze them, I know it will be hard to resist biting into them immediately upon removal from freezer, but try to let them thaw a little bit so as not to chip a tooth, okay?

Now what are you waiting for? Go make some of these for your sweetie. I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be the most awesome Valentine’s Day treat they’ve ever gotten!

chocolate chip cookie dough truffles

Makes approx. 3-4 dozen. Recipe from Love and Olive Oil.

ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

14 oz dark chocolate candy coating

directions:

Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.

When dough is firm enough to handle, form dough into 1″ balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate candy coating in microwave according to package directions. Using toothpicks as a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week

Toffee Crunch Cupcake

Toffee Crunch Cupcake with Caramel Frosting  ~ Grab your toffee crunch in a cupcake crumb with a little caramel frosting dipped in some chocolate and rimmed with chocolate covered toffee bits.  Its  decadence meets gluttony-but should a cupcake be anything else but that?

Toffee Crunch Cupcakes

If you haven’t noticed by now, I don’t have a subtle hand when it comes to cupcake decorating. I like my cupcakes loud, obnoxious, over stuffed, overfilled, and over frosted-basically over the top. Which is funny because that is totally the opposite of me?

When I say opposite, I’m not a loud a person, I’m about as a loud as 5 foot tall person and cat pieced together can be. I’m definitely not obnoxious, unless I’m playing Scrabble, then yes; I’m obnoxious and hate to lose to a word like qi. (And, Matt, if you’re reading, I still have never heard you or anyone for that matter use it or reference it unless it is to rack in some tiling points).  

As for the over frosted-WAY not me. I’m so simplistic. My wardrobe consists of two pairs of beloved holey jeans, tank tops and flip flops, and a skirt here and there. For work it’s an unissued uniform. You will find me in a black dress, black cardigan and black heels. Really it’s not so bad; it’s a bit awkward at first that is until you explain to your boss, “Yes, I did go home. I just prefer to not to burn through my time worrying about things like whether or not my blouse matches my pants or if I just wore this outfit a week ago”. Aside from that I find shopping incredibly overrated. That is unless it’s for kitchen tools or food props . . . then by all means, Sur la Table and eBay are my money tossing addiction.  

About the only thing I have in common with my loud cupcake is not being able to get enough of them. Seriously. I went a bit crazy this weekend baking after a full week of no-bake desserts.

So get ready for a serious week of eats!

A few notes:

• The cupcake can be made a day in advance. For the frosting, use homemade caramel for a deeper flavor. For a quick and simple tutorial to making homemade caramel sauce click here. The frosting can be made seven days in advance and then brought to room temperature for piping consistency.  The cupcake can be fully assembled the night before and refrigerated.
• This is an Alice Medrich recipe. The adaptations I made:  I added a half cup of hot coffee in place of the hot water portions. (Side note: last time I made this recipe I added Starbucks Via coffee to it. This time I wanted just a hint of the coffee something a little less strong that espresso granules). I also added a ½ cup of chocolate covered toffee bits (found in the baking section of the grocery store) into the batter.
• As always, I highly recommend Scharffen Berger’s Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder. It’s the best on the market and will make a huge difference in your baking results in terms of flavor.

Toffee Crunch Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from Alice Medrich for Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker

Makes 12 cupcakes | Preparation: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

• 1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon instant coffee (recommended: Starbucks Via)
• 1/2 cup hot coffee
• 1/2 cup chocolate covered toffee bits

Instructions:

1. Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a blow and mix thoroughly to combine. Add the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute. Add the butter and egg mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the hot coffee. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin enough to pour. Divide it evenly among the lined cups. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool. Store and serve at room temperature.

TIP: For light tender cupcakes, spoon flour and cocoa lightly into measuring cups (instead of dipping the cups into the flour or cocoa) and then sweep the measures level without tapping or shaking them.

Caramel Frosting

• 5 large egg whites
• 11/2 cup sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup caramel sauce (click here for a homemade caramel recipe) 

Instructions:
1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.
2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixture cools and doubles in volume.
3. Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add caramel sauce and mix to combine.

Chocolate Dipping Sauce
• 2/3 cups dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
• 5-8 tablespoons water, warm

Instructions:
1. Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

To assemble cupcake:

1. To frost the cupcakes: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and start piping from the outside working in to the center to create one even layer. Freeze cupcakes for 20 minutes before dipping in warm chocolate sauce, so that the frosting does not melt. Remove cupcakes and dip in warm chocolate sauce, and then rim with chocolate covered toffee bits.  Return cupcakes to freezer for five minutes for chocolate to set. Remove from freezer and finish piping frosting on top.

Bread

WHOLEMEAL BREAD

I’ve only just started baking bread. My first one, a granary loaf, wasn’t entirely successful. So I thought I’d go for a simple wholemeal this time. I found a very easy Delia recipe and tried it out and I was very pleasantly surprised by the result!

Ingredients

570g/1 lb 4 oz 100% organically produced wholewheat flour, plus a little extra for the top of the bread
2 level tsp salt
1 level tsp soft light brown sugar
2 level tsp easy-blend dried yeast
about 400ml/14 fl oz hand-hot water

You will need a 2 lb (900g) loaf tin, well buttered.

Method

Pre-heat the oven to its lowest setting.

Begin by warming the flour slightly in the oven for about 10 minutes, then turn the oven off for now.

Tip the warm flour into a large mixing bowl and add salt, sugar and easy-blend yeast.

Mix these together thoroughly, make a well in the centre and pour in the hand-hot water.

Then take a wooden spoon and begin to mix the warm liquid into the flour gradually to form a dough.

Finish off by mixing with your hands until you have a smooth dough that leaves the bowl clean.

Now transfer the dough to a flat surface and stretch it out into an oblong, then fold one edge into the centre and the other over that.

Now fit the dough into the tin, pressing it firmly all round the edges so that the top will already be slightly rounded.

Next, sprinkle the surface with a generous dusting of flour, then cover the tin with a damp, clean tea cloth.

Leave to rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes or at room temperature for about an hour.

Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6. When the dough has risen to the top of the bread tin or tins, bake the bread for 40 minutes.

When the bread is cooked, turn it out on to a cloth to protect your hands – it will sound hollow when rapped underneath with your knuckles. Then return the bread, out of its tin, upside down to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes to crisp the base and sides.

Cool the bread on a wire rack.

As you can imagine, when the bread is in the oven, your home smells amazing! And there is nothing quite like a slice of your very own, home-made bread with butter. Delicious.

Sausainiai „Kalėdiniai gyvūnėliai“

Ingredientai:

400 g ruginių miltų
300 g kvietinių miltų
1 puodelis pieno
1 stiklinė medaus
5 kiaušinių tryniai
2 šaukštai cukraus
1-2 lygūs šaukštai maltų prieskonių mišinio (cinamonas, kardamonas, gvazdikėliai, anyžiai)
0,5 šaukštelio sodos
4 šaukštai ištirpinto sviesto

Glaistui:

1 kiaušinio baltymais arba 2 šaukštai šalto vandens
1 stiklinė cukraus pudros
1 šaukštas citrinos sulčių

Gaminimas:

Į vieną didelį dubenėlį suberkite miltus, prieskonius, cukrų, sodą, nugesintą su citrinos sultimis, supilkite pieną, medų, sviestą ir įmuškite kiaušinių trynius. Viską gerai išminkykite.
Iš gautos tešlos iškočiokite tešlą.
Iš tešlos su formelėmis išspauskite sausainius.
Kepkite 180 laipsnių karštumo orkaitėje apie 15 minučių.
Atvėsusius sausainius papuoškite glazūra t.y. kiaušinio baltymą išplaktą su cukraus pudra ir citrinos sultimis.

Skanus pusrytukai savaitgaliui

Tau prireiks: riekės baltos sumuštinių duonos, dviejų rūšių dešros, geltono sūrio, salotų lapų ir alyvuogių.

Ant baltos duonos riekės uždėk geltono surio gabalėlį (geriausia - pusiau lydyto, kuris parduodamas supjaustytas kvadratėliais). Iš virtos dešros apskritimo išpjauk trikampiuką, o ant likusios dalies išdėliok nedidukus kitos rūšies dešros gabalėlius, kurie atrodys lyg boružėlės taškeliai. Vietoje jų gali rinktis vyšninių pomidoriukų puselės. Kad boružėlė atrodytų kaip tikra, nepamiršk iš alyvuogės pagaminti jos galvos bei kojyčių. Po sumuštiniu padėk salotos lapą!

Skanaus!

Agotos meduolis

Prekybos centruose jau papuoštos eglutės, pas blogerius jaučiamos pasiruošimo Kalėdoms nuotaikos, kai kurios kepa meduolius, brandinamus pyragus, o štai Viktorija siūlo visiems rašantiems kulinarinius tinklaraščius prisijungti prie akcijos „Kalėdų senis slapukas“.  Užsikrėtus tokia kalėdine nuotaika kepiau meduolį pagardintą obuoliais, dėl kurių jis drėgnesnis ir aromatingesnis.

380 g miltų;

110 cukrus;

65 g sviesto;

2 kiaušiniai;

200 g dirbtinio medaus (galima keisti natūraliu, tik reikės jį ištirpinti);

25 g kakavos;

150 g grietinės;

0,5 g gvazdikėlių;

2-3 g cinamono;

2 g vanilinio cukraus;

10 g sodos;

250-300 g nuluptų obuolių.

Kiaušinius, cukrų, grietinę, dirbtinį medų ir ištirpintą sviestą plakti kol ištirps cukraus kristalai. Sudėti obuolius, supjaustytus plonomis skiltelėmis. Miltus sumaišyti su kakava, soda ir prieskoniais. Suberti į obuolių masę ir atsargiai išmaišyti. Paruoštą tešlą išpilstyti į paruoštas kepimo formas 2-2,5 cm storio sluoksniu, išlyginti viršų ir kepti 200-210 ⁰C temperatūroje 35-45 minutes.

Indres Receptas

SAUSAINIAI “ŽVAIGŽDUTĖ“

Greitai paruošiami, traškūs ir skanūs sausainiai be kiaušinių. Labai primena parduotuvinius kvadratinius sausainius.

1 kg sausainių reikės:

540 g miltų;

280 g cukraus;

210 sviesto arba kepinių margarino;

150 g grietinės;

2 g sodos;

3 g vanilinio cukraus.

 

Sviestą suminkštinti, išplakti iki purios masės, supilti grietinę su joje ištirpintu cukrumi bei vaniliniu cukrumi. Suberti miltus sumaišytus su soda, gerai išmaišyti. Paruoštą tešlą iškočioti, išspausti žvaigždutės formos sausainius ir kepti 220 ⁰C temperatūros orkaitėje 7-10 minutes.