Chewy Chip Cookies

I have an undeniable love for cookies. A treat with endless variations and possibilities, cookies are the ultimate, perfectly portioned treat. This year I was thrilled to participate in the 2nd annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, hosted by the bloggers of Love & Olive Oil and The Little Kitchen. I was excited to have a reason to create some unique, original cookie recipes to share with world and the opportunity to participate in raising money for Cookies for Kids' Cancer along the way. I had so much fun working on creating the perfect, crowd-pleasing cookie that I sort of, well...cheated. I couldn't pick just one cookie flavor, so I made two! Maybe I didn't completely break the rules because the two resulting cookies have the same cookie dough base with different additions - one with decadent white chocolate, pistachios, and cranberries the other with dark chocolate chips and candied BACON! I hope these two recipes showcase the diversity that can exist if you have a solid cookie dough recipe base. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients:
Chewy Cookie Dough Base (adapted from Alton Brown's The Chewy)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 tsp course salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp dried orange peel (I like Penzey's brand), or 2 tbsp fresh grated orange zest

White Chocolate, Pistachio, and Cranberry Version
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips or chunks (use real cocoa butter based chips such as Ghirardelli or Global Organics Fair Trade White Chocolate Chunks; it makes a huge difference in the flavor)
1 cup roasted, salted pistachios, chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Dark Chocolate with Candied Bacon Version
2 cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp organic maple syrup
3 oz candied applewood smoked bacon (about 4 large slices)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

• to learn how to candy bacon, view this post from pastry chef and cookbook author David Lebovitz

Instructions:
1. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the bread flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in orange peel/zest. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until fluffy.
3. With the mixture in stirring mode, add the sugar and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until well blended and fluffy.
4.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low/stir and slowly add the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute.
5. With the mixture once again in stir/low mode, slowly add in the flour mixture. I usually add mine in 3-4 batches, ensuring each batch is mixed in before adding more.
6. Once combined, add in the ingredients for the specific version you are making (either white chocolate or candied bacon)
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 1-2 hours.
8. Fifteen minutes before you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375 degrees farenheit.
9. Scoop tablespoon sized portions of cookie dough at least 2 inches apart (1 oz for two-bite cookies, or 1 1/2 oz for larger cookies) onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 1 oz cookies for 10-12 minutes and 1 1/2 oz cookies for 14-17 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes than remove cookies and place on a rack to cool.

Servings: Makes 36, 1 oz cookies or 24, 1 1/2 oz cookies.  

Eight Lemon Cake

Every year I ask Tristan what kind of cake he would like for his birthday. Without fail, he always replies 'lemon'. I don't want him to tire of the flavor he so often desires, so I try to mix things up and create a different cake every birthday. This year, I came up with this a cake I call 'eight lemon cake' aptly named as it does in fact contain eight entire lemons! I hope you like it as much as we did!


Vanilla Bean Butter Cream Frosting
(Adapted from William's Sonoma)

Ingredients:

6 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (don't skip this part, your frosting will be lumpy)  
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
5 Tbs. whole milk, plus more, if needed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 vanilla bean

Instructions:

Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise. Use the flat side of a butter knife to remove the inside of the bean from the pod. Take 5 Tbs. milk and put into a small bowl. Take the inside scrapings from the vanilla bean and stir into the milk. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to allow the bean to infuse into the milk.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners sugar, butter, the milk infusion, the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks. Makes about 4 cups.You will only need about 2-3 cups for the cake; the remaining frosting can be frozen for up to 2 months and or kept in the fridge for 3 or 4 days for another use.
 
Lemon curd filling
(adapted from fine cooking magazine)

Ingredients:

4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 lemons, zested (reserve lemons for juicing to make the lemon curd)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (it took nearly all 8 of the lemons I had to make this much juice)
Pinch salt
6 large egg yolks (5 reserved from the cake, plus 1)

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Whisk in the yolks until smooth. Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. To check if the curd is thick enough, dip a wooden spoon into it and draw a your finger across the the back of the spoon; your finger should leave a path. Don't let the mixture boil. Immediatly force the curd through a fine seive into a bowl, using a rubber spatula. Let cool at room temperature, whisking occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
 
Lemon Cake
(adapted from Fine Cooking)

Ingredients:

9-1/4 oz. (2-1/3 cups) all purpose flour; more for the pans
2-3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. table salt
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 lemons, zested (reserve lemons for juicing to make the lemon curd)
6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, completely softened at room temperature; more for the pans
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar  

Instructions:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven; heat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour two 8 x 2-inch round cake pans. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Pulse 1/4 cup of the sugar with the zest in a food processor until well combined.
 
In a large bowl, beat the butter and lemon sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 1-1/2 minutes). Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups sugar and beat until smooth (about 1-1/2 minutes). Beat in a quarter of the milk just until blended. On low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk in three batches, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; beat just until blended.
 
In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer (with clean beaters or the whip attachment) on medium speed just until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium high, and beat just until the whites form stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted. Add a quarter of the whites to the batter and gently fold them in with a whisk or a rubber spatula; continue to gently fold in the whites, a quarter at a time, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
 
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with the spatula. Bake until a pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the inside of the pans and carefully invert each cake out onto the rack. Flip them right side up and let cool completely.
 
With the palm of one hand pressed on top of a cake layer, cut each in half horizontally, using a long serrated knife. Put one of the four cake layers on a serving plate, cut side up. With an offset spatula or a table knife, spread a generous 1/3 cup chilled lemon curd on top of the cake layer. Lay another cake layer on top, spread it with another generous 1/3 cup lemon curd, and repeat with the third cake layer, using the last 1/3 cup lemon curd. Top with the fourth cake layer.
 
Frost with the vanilla bean frosting, using as much or as little as desired. If you want to avoid crumbs in your cake frosting, start by frosting the cake very lightly, cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes, then frost with remaining frosting. The thin layer will catch all of the crumbs and then harden slightly, allowing for a smooth surface and beautiful cake!

Let's Make Some Candy!

Tristan and I are not huge fans of corporate-created holidays which somehow manage to force the masses to go out and purchase flowers and gifts for no apparent reason. What are we huge fans of? Candy, of course! We have never made candy from scratch before, but we decided we would try it out, and boy are we glad we did! We made vanilla caramels and marshmallows, both came out delicious! Check out the recipes below and try em' out!


Vanilla Caramels

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
Coarse sea salt, crumbled

Instructions:
1. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with foil; spray it with vegetable oil. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Add the sugar, corn syrup and cream and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the vanilla seeds. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until a golden caramel forms and the temperature reaches 245° on a candy thermometer, 1 hour. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt and scrape the caramel into the prepared pan. Let cool and set completely overnight.
2. Lightly oil a sheet of parchment paper and line 2 baking sheets with wax paper. Invert the caramel onto the parchment and peel off the foil. Using a sharp knife, cut the caramel into 1-inch-wide strips and then into 1-inch squares. The caramels can also be dipped in melted chocolate and then stored in an airtight container for about a week, maybe longer if you don't mind their increasing firmness. This recipe makes about 7 dozen caramels and takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare. Reprinted from: Food and Wine Magazine Online (http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/). 


Alton Brown's Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients:
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray

Instructions:
1. Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.
2. In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.
3. Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping.
4. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows:

-Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.
-When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later.
5. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
6. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

This recipe makes about 6 dozen marshmallows (depending on how large you cut them) and takes about 40 minutes to prepare. As you can imagine, the marshmallow mixture is incredibly sticky, so be ready for it! Reprinted from Food Network Online ( http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes).

Papa's Lemon Meringue Pie

Tristan's Grandpa, Bob Evans created this masterpiece many years ago. Tristan and I decided to make it together, and it came out beautifully. The secret is using fresh Meyer lemons!

Ingredients:

Pie Crust
2 cups all purpose flour (I swear by King Arthur's brand, it's fantastic!)
2/3 cups non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (available at most natural food stores)
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons ice cold 7-UP

Bake at 450 degrees for 11 minutes

Lemon Filling
1 1/2 cups granulated cane sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch (if you like your filling on the firmer side, try 4 Tbsp)
dash salt
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
zest from 2 Meyer lemons (3 if they are smaller)
1/3 cup lemon juice

Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons granulated cane sugar

Instructions for pie:
In saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt. Add hot water and stir with whisk until dissolved. Cook and stir until mixture starts to thicken. Pour some of the mixture into the egg yolks, then return to mixture. Add lemon zest and return pan to heat, stirring constantly until absorbed. Return to heat and keep stirring until mixture becomes very thick. Don't let mixture burn on bottom of pan. Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Spread meringue over filling; seal to the edge. Bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

Instructions for meringue:
Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla with electric mixer until peaks begin to form. Gradually add sugar beating constantly until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks are formed. (Don't be afraid of this recipe if you have never made meringue before. The trick is to not over beat. You can be sure the peaks are stiff enough when the whisk on the electric mixer is raised and the egg white mixture stands up, like a snow-covered mountain.