Yet another chocolate chip cookie. I wonder how many there are out there?? I made the Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies by Martha before and said they were the softer more cakey cookie recipe I use. This one is the opposite. These are crunchier, softer in the middle and crisp on the edges.  After coming home from the gym (yea, gym and cookies? not a good combo! But I’ve got another membership, and been going everyday this week! good for me right?) my mom requested some chocolate chip cookies that were crispy and thinner than the last ones I made. So I grabbed my book and got a recipe. Her and my brother consumed the entire first batch.. yes the entire cookie sheet. Alright I may have had one..or two. Sorry mom. I’m sure it was mostly Nick… right? So if you’re looking for a crunchy chocolate chip cookie I suggest you give these a try.

So you think that I would know by now, from baking so many things, the proper way to add ingredients. Sadly I have proved myself wrong. As I was making these last night (post gym) I thought it would be easiest to quickly make them(so I could go shower, change and eat them, obviously..and undo all the hard work at the gym.) But in doing so I made a mistake. While adding the eggs, one at a time, I thought what the heck, why not crack them on the side of the bowl, while the paddle attachment is on low. Why not indeed…Oooh maybe because half of the egg shell fell into the bowl and continued to beat into the cookie dough. Yes, this happened. Luckily my instincts kicked in and I turned the down the mixer to off, or so I thought. The swtich turned out to be the locking swtich, so I quickly pushed the (right) switch to off, and proceeded to dish out the hunks of shell. Luckily they hadn’t been smashed to little bits and I got them all out safely. Please, don’t do this. It is not fun.

Recipe from: Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips or 2 cups store-bought chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, or pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
2. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
3. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until well-blended.
4. 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, you can freeze 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.)
5. Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between spoonfuls.
6. 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.
7. Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Enjoy with a nice tall glass of milk!

After having the baby shower this weekend, I think I need to stay away from cupcakes for a while (we’ll see). I had wanted to enter the Iron Cupcake Challenge this month, but never got around to it as I was busy with the baby shower. But please vote for the people that enterered! I really wanted to, I loved the Coffee theme! I was going to make Mocha Cupcakes.. maybe i’ll have to make them sometime anyways.

xo Bakeaholic

This weekend I held a baby shower for my boss Mary, and her second little baby, a Girl! Named Elan.  I made  vanilla and chocolate, devil’s food cake, cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, chocolate buttercream and pink raspberry buttercream, as well as some shower finger foods. Here’s some pictures of the table with the cupcakes and food. I’ll post links to where I found the recipes for the baby shower menu below. Enjoy!

Welcome Baby Elan!

Tea Sandwiches, Quiche & Cupcakes

The Table – Fruit, Veggies, Cupcakes, Sandwiches, Deviled Eggs, Quiche and Meringues!

Me and the Guest of Honor – Elan

Mary, Elan and I – Someone was hungry!

Elan enjoying all the goodies!

One day you can eat all those sweets!

Cupcakes and Raspberry Meringues!

Welcome Baby

Elan!

Cupcakes, Cupcakes, Cupcakes!

Cupcake Tower – Chocolate & Vanilla with Fondant Accents

For the Baby Shower Menu I used these recipes for inspiration:

Mini Quiche – Recipe from Martha Stewart: Cheese & Tree’s Mini Quiches

Raspberry Meringues – Recipe from Beantown Baker

Vanilla & Devils Food Cake Cupakes – Recipe from Bakeaholic

Tea Sandwiches – Recipe Inspiration from Martha Stewart.

Show some love this Valentine’s Day by pouring your heart out! Or simply show you care with a cupcake choc-full of hearts! A perfect little treat for your sweet-heart! Cupcakes are quick and easy, but hey, its the thought that counts right? So whip up a batch next saturday, Feb. 14 in time for Valentine’s Day. 

Be sure not to skimp on the icing, layer it on! It’s a day of love afterall, and nothing says love like a huge dollop of frosting, at least for me that is. I have a definite sweet tooth, just ask my dentist! This is the day to indulge in a little extra sweet, so go ahead and have one, or two or three. Who’s counting? Or share one with someone you love!…and then get another one for yourslef later. Enjoy! & happy heart day!

Devil’s Food Cake Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 4 ounces (1 stick), room temperature
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
3. Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.
4. Using a mixer, preferrably with paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time until mixed.
5. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, then add milk. Finally stir in the other half of the dry ingredients.
6. Divide the batter into a prepared cupcake/muffin tin with liners. About 3/4 fulll.
7. Bake about 20 minutes, or until set. Let cool completely before icing. 

My Friend Steph’s birthday happens to be on Valentine’s Day too! Heart’s to you Juggdish! xo

Happy Valentine’s Day!

These little babycakes are a smaller bite sized version of the larger one I made. I got a mini cupcake tin for christmas and I’ve been dying to try it out! So I thought I would save some batter and make mini ones too. These little ones are perfect to take to school, or to give away!..or to eat. Your call. Use a small star tip to make them look like flowers on top, and sprinkle with mini hearts! 

Ingredients:

Batch of Devils Food Cupcakes

Directions:

Pour cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake about 15-20 minutes until set. Allow to cool completely in tin before removing, you’ll want to make sure you dont squish them trying to get them out. These babies are small and delicate! 

Pipe icing on with small star tip to make ribbons or flowers. Sprinkles with hearts and place a small fondant heart cutout on top. Send immdediately, with love. These look like a little garden of love!

Deliver some love to someone today, with a small token of affection! 

xx Bakeaholic