Sour Cherry and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I'm going to tell you a secret. If you add fruit and oatmeal to anything, anything, even if it contains two whole sticks of butter and nearly two cups of sugar, you can then call it healthy and feel very good about yourself and your superior self control.

Or, you can pretend, at least.

So maybe they're not exactly healthy, though they do have some healthy components. But who cares? These cookies are mighty tasty, and that's all me and my taste buds need to know.




Sour Cherry and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
(makes about 2 1/2 dozen)

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
1 c light or dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 c old fashioned rolled oats
1 c dried sour cherries (chopped)
3/4 c chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli dark chocolate)

Preheat your oven to 350 (f) and line your baking skeet(s) with parchment paper.

Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then stir in the rolled oats. Finally, mix in the cherries and chocolate chips.

Drop by 1 1/2 tablespoonfulls onto the baking sheet and cook 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to set up on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool.


Notes: You can, of course, customize this recipe until the cows come home (and if you've never had cows, that could be a lot of customizing). Add nuts, peanut butter chips, different fruit, coconut, you name it. You can also easily increase the amount of fruit added.

Roundup: Perfect Pancakes, Chocolate Cookies, and Homemade Ice Creams

Where have I gone to? Did I disappear? Of course not. Who would be writing this? Silly.

It's been one of those weeks. You know, those weeks, where everything conspires to trip you up. If it wasn't tornadoes it was Boy Scout mayhem, and if it wasn't Boy Scout Mayhem it was the appearance of a moderately inconvenient cold. Oh, week, what is up with you?

None of this derailed me from my typical baking/cooking path, but it did limit my endeavors to those that were of the simpler variety. While simple is delicious and nothing went screwy on me, it was just nothing to really write about.

Except for the pancakes.

Oh, my little thimblekins, I did perfect my pancake recipe. You'll thank me, you will. They are light and fluffy and moist and delicious and perfect. All true. I don't have a picture of them, but you will make them and you will see the light and you won't care one bit about pictures.


The Scone Gunman's Killer Aim Pancakes
(Makes about 9 pancakes)

1 3/4 c flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
1 1/4 c milk
2 eggs

Preheat a non-stick pan or griddle for at least 5 minutes over medium heat before you put the pancakes on.

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, then whisk in the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth (but don't over-mix). Drop by the 1/4 to 1/2 cupful (I use an ice cream scoop) into the preheated pan and cook until golden brown on both sides.

Tip: pancakes are ready to flip when they get bubbles on the top and are just set around the edges.

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In other news, we got an ice cream maker, which tickles me pink. My first go at it I made mint chocolate chunk, which is fantastic, even though very basic. My second go was a simple but very rich chocolate ice cream. This one isn't lasting very long, I'm afraid. Yesterday I made chocolate cookies (this recipe, sans chips and walnuts, and my god are they soft!)so I could make chocolate chocolate ice cream sandwiches.

They are awfully good.

Big, Fat, Moist Brownies

Alright, so there's two camps when it comes to brownies: those who like theirs rich and fudgey, and those who like it more cake-like. I personally love a fudgier brownie, but these here fall somewhere in between, which makes them a good go-to brownie.

These have a frosting, although you certainly don't need to use it. Actually, next time I make these I'll omit that part. They're so dense and rich, the frosting doesn't really add anything.


Food o' del Mundo's Million $$$ Brownies (ingredients kept the same, I tinkered with the instructions)
(Makes 9-12 brownies, depending on how you slice them. Adapted from here)

1 c butter (melted)
1 c flour
2 c sugar
3/4 c dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting (slightly modified):
1/2 c butter
3 1/2 c confectioner's sugar
1/4 c cocoa powder
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (f) and grease a 9"x13" baking pan (I couldn't find mine, so used a 9"x9" and increased the baking time by 10 minutes).

Sift together the dry ingredients. Add the butter and vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Set on a wire rack (pan and all) to cool.

Make the frosting: Melt the butter over medium heat, then add the remaining ingredients, whisking until smooth and thickened. Pour over still-warm brownies. Allow the frosting to set before slicing.


Tips: For easy removal and slicing, line your pan with foil (before greasing). When the brownies have cooled, simply lift them from the pan using the foil. This makes slicing and serving a breeze. To cut the brownies cleanly, heat your knife under hot running water, wipe off the moisture, and then cut. Repeat as necessary.

Locked and Loaded Chocolate Chip Cookies

Like everyone else out there, I've been on the hunt for "The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie" since birth (or thereabouts). One cookie will have a trait I love, but lack something in a different department, and another cookie will have that very thing but lack some other crucial trait. What's a girl to do?

Frankenstein her own recipe, of course.

Naturally, there is no one universal "perfect cookie". Maybe you like yours thin and crisp, while your best friend likes hers fat and chewy. I like mine loaded with chocolate chips, while others are more conservative with the chips.

These cookies lean more toward the soft, chewy side, and certainly aren't shy with the chocolate. I also add what I consider to be the game-stopper: cinnamon. Just enough to give it a spicy mystery, but not so much that it screams "Hey, there's cinnamon here!". Because cookies can do that.


The Scone Gunman's Locked and Loaded Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Makes 4 dozen)

1 c butter (softened)
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 c flour (sifted)
1 tsp baking soda
1 heaping tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 c (about 1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 (f). Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes with a hand mixer). Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Sift in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until just incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by the tablespoonful onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes, until the edges are just golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit on the sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool.

Chocolate-Glazed Baked Chocolate Doughnuts

I could tell you that I made baked doughnuts because they're easier, or healthier. But I would be a liar. The truth is that I'm am a terrible frier-of-things. Ok, so maybe fritters don't hate me, and my French fries came out pretty good, but my track record isn't even as good as 50/50, so when I even think of heating oil I get the cold sweats. And if I were really being truthful (hey, why not?), I'd tell you that my real problem is in not owning a thermometer, which invariably leaves me with smoking oil or oil that isn't hot enough.

You'd think I'd invest in a thermometer by now.

But back to the sweet at hand. Doughnuts! Baked doughnuts. Not as good as fried, I'll admit, but I wouldn't kick them out of bed for being crumby. And not just any baked doughnut, but chocolate doughnuts covered in a chocolate glaze.

And who could have a problem with that?


Baked Chocolate Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze
(Makes 18)

3 c all purpose flour
1 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1 c buttermilk*
2 Tbsp milk
1 stick unsalted butter (melted)
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (f). Sift together the first four ingredients. Add the eggs, buttermilk, milk, and butter. Stir well, but don't over-mix. Add the cocoa powder. Spoon batter into a lightly greased doughnut pan, filling them just barely halfway (they'll rise a decent amount). Cook for 11-13 minutes, until a fork inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Remove immediately to cool on a wire rack.

* If you don't have buttermilk on hand (and I never do), make your own by pouring 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar into a 1 cup measuring cup, and then filling to the top with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then use as needed.

For the chocolate glaze:
3/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (cubed)
2 Tbsp milk

Heat all of the ingredients in a double boiler until melted and smooth. Dip the tops of your doughnuts into the glaze and enjoy!

The Chimera

 

(me and this thing had words when it came time to plate)

AKA the Spinal Tap. Because it's cranked up to 11. Let's just jump right in with a layer-by-layer breakdown, starting form the ground up:

Layer 1: Chocolate chip cookie crust
Layer 2: Chocolate cheesecake
Layer 3: Chocolate ganache
Layer 4: Chocolate mousse

Garnished with chocolate shavings.

Truthfully, this thing is ridiculous. It's all of my favorite desserts crammed into one dish. It's too much chocolate. Who needs this much chocolate? I think I saw a tear in my husband's eye when he tasted this.

I'm not going to tell you that this is an easy or practical dessert (although the cheesecake layer is no bake). It's definitely a special occasion treat, and you're essentially making four different desserts. But if you pull it off, I swear people will build golden shrines in your honor.

The Chimera
(Serves a lot)

First, you're going to need a deep dish pie plate. This won't work in a wimpy everyday pie plate. It weighs as much as my firstborn as it is.

For the cookie crust:
3 c chocolate chip cookie crumbs (you can buy the cookies, but if you're going to do this, you might as well go all out and make some)
3 Tbsp butter (melted)

For the chocolate cheesecake:
2 1/2 packages of cream cheese (softened)
2/3 c sugar
1 c heavy whipping cream (whipped)
1 c cocoa powder

For the ganache:
2/3 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c heavy cream

For the mousse:
Slightly more than 2/3 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 c water (divided)
3 eggs yolks
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 c heavy whipping cream (whipped

Make the cookie crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (f). Mix the cookie crumbs and melted butter well. Press into the bottom and sides of the pie plate and bake 5 minutes. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.

Make the chocolate cheesecake:
Beat cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder until light and smooth. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour over the cooled cookie crust and smooth it out (you want a level base for the next layer).

Make the ganache:
Put the chocolate chips in a bowl and set aside. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it boils, remove immediately and pour over chocolate chips. Stir until blended well and smooth. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then pour over cheesecake layer. At this point, you'll need to keep the pie/monstrosity in the fridge when it's not being assembled.

Make the mousse:
Heat the chocolate, butter, and 1/4 cup of water in a double boiler until everything is melted and smooth. allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes. While that's cooling, whisk egg yolks, 1/4 cup of water, and sugar briskly over low heat for about a minute and a half, until the mixture reaches about 165 degrees. Whisk it in to the chocolate mixture and set in the fridge to cool for about 10 minutes (you want ti to be roughly room temperature). Carefully fold in the whipped cream, then pour over the ganache layer of the dessert, smoothing it out.

You can reserve some of the mousse (as I did) to pipe some decorations around the edges. You can also dust the top with cocoa powder or confectioner's sugar, or shave chocolate on top. You can also top with fresh berries. There's a lot you can do with this.

Let it set in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.

As large and absurd as this dessert is, it does not last long. Eat it while you can.

Chocolate Covered Chocolate Chip Cookies

Don't mind if I do.

Earlier this morning I was working on my latest recipe (which I'm hoping is going to rock harder than Hendrix), one that has a ganache layer (yes, layers.Mmm...). I had some leftover ganache, and I just happened to notice that I had some chocolate chip cookies leftover from the day before yesterday.

A light bulb went off. A big, wide-assed light bulb. I had to combine their powers. Wonder Twin powers, activate!

Thus, these chocolate-covered chocolate chip cookies were born into my loving arms. I promptly ate them.

I have about a million and one chocolate chip cookie recipes. It's one of those things that, I swear, there is no one holy grail recipe for. One day I want a fat, chewy cookie, and the next I was something wafer-thin and crisp. My most recent favorite recipe for these is Melanie's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies, which you can find at The Sisters Cafe blog.

But there really is no wrong cookie for a chocolate bath. You can use whatever recipe tickles your biscuit. However, I am particular about my ganache, so I'm including my recipe, which I've tweaked to my pleasure over time.


Fantastico Chocolate Ganache
(coats a hell of a lot of cookies)

Slightly more than 3/4 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like Ghiradelli for this)
1 c heavy cream
1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt (table salt will be too salty)

Make it: Put the chocolate chips in a bowl and set aside. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just boils (if you let it keep boiling and it will boil over quickly. Don't leave it). Immediately pour it over the chocolate chips in the bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy. Let it cool for a bit, until it's just somewhat warmer than room temperature.

Now you're free to drown your cookies, which haven't done anything to you, you cruel bastard. You can pop the cookies into the freezer for 10-15 minutes so they'll set up quickly. I like to keep mine in the fridge after this to keep the ganache nice and firm.

Cream-Filled Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

That sounds pretty good, doesn't it? It is pretty good. However, I spent quite a bit of time trying to perfect this recipe, getting my ratios and flavors where I thought I wanted them. And even though they are quite good (all 2 dozen were gone in a little over a day), the taste wasn't on par with the level of elevation achieved in my own mind.

Until the second day.

You see, like so many baked goods, the flavors didn't really develop until they had a chance to sit back, relax, and do their flavor-y thing. Where on baking day the cherry flavor was almost indistinguishable, day 2 brought just the right amount of cherry to the shindig. The cake was moister. The cream filling had really set up shop.

Day 2 is where these cupcakes are at.



Cream-Filled Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
(Makes 2 dozen)

For the cake:
 2 cups sugar
 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
 3/4 cup  Cocoa powder
 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
 1 teaspoon salt
 2 eggs
 1 cup milk
 1/2 cup vegetable oil
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 jar maraschino cherries
1/4 c boiling water

Preheat your oven to 350 and line your cupcake tins with cupcake/muffin liners (alternately, you could grease and flour the tins).

First, drain the juice from the jar of cherries, but reserve 3/4 c of it. Finely chop the cherries in a food processor or blender. Set the cherries and juice aside (separately).

Sift all of the dry ingredients together, and mix well. Add all of the wet ingredients (including the mashed cherries), minus the reserved cherry juice, and beat well. Add the boiling and cherry juice, mixing well.

Bake for 25-30 minutes (26 minutes is the exact right time for my oven. Yes, I've made these once or twice). Transfer them to wire cooling racks.


For the filling:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the filling: Cream butter, sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy (this is important). Gradually add the milk and vanilla.


For the frosting:
1 cup Milk
1/2-1 c cocoa powder (depending on how rich you want it. Just keep in mind that it's going on a cupcake that's already pretty decadent. Too much cocoa could be overkill)
5 Tablespoons Flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Butter (softened)
1 cup white sugar

Whisk milk and flour over med-medium/high heat in a small saucepan and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature (I put it in the freezer and stir periodically, so it typically cools in 5 minutes). Once cooled, stir in the vanilla.

Next, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy (3-5 minutes with a hand mixer on medium).  Add the cocoa powder, then the milk/flour mixture and beat until smooth and creamy.

Put it all together: Make sure your cupcakes are cool, otherwise your filling and frosting will just melt.

Now, there's a couple different ways to go about filing the cupcakes. Use whatever method works for you.

Method 1 (The Pastry Bag Poke): Fill a pastry bag with the filling and poke the tip through the bottom or top of the cupcake. Squeeze some filling in. The frosting will hide the hole you created if you poked it through the top.

Method 2 (the Scoop and Shovel): Use a knife (or even a small melon baller) to scoop out a chunk from the center of the muffin (going through the top, not the bottom). Save the cake plug. Use a spoon to shovel in some filling (or use a pastry bag), then replace the plug. The frosting will hide it.

Now that your cupcakes are filled, it's time to frost them. You can do this however you want, but I really prefer piping the frosting on with a pastry bag, because it's easier, quicker, less messy, and looks great. Pastry bags aren't expensive, and have a ton of uses in the kitchen (like making some super simple chocolate eclairs).

Next step: Enjoy, take pictures, and impress your friends with your crazy cupcake prowess.

Airy Chocolate Mousse Pie

Alright, so the word "airy" is in the title. However, you should not take this to mean that this little charmer of a dessert is easy on the thighs. I can attest that it is not.

It's airy because most of the components are whipped into a delicate, delicious frenzy. I love that this looks like you labored over it most of the day, infusing every morsel with love. When in fact you threw it together quickly because, well, it's damn good.

The filling here is a rich chocolate mousse over a chocolate chip cookie crust, topped with freshly-whipped cream. Sounds like a pain, right?

Well, it's not, but you don't have to tell anyone else that.

For the crust, I used chocolate chip cookies I had made the previous day (yes, I actually have cookie leftovers because I make several dozen at a time). You could use store-bought cookies, or even substitute a graham cracker crust.


Airy Deep-Dish Chocolate Mousse Pie
(8-10 servings)

For the crust:
12 chocolate chip cookies
4 Tbsp butter (melted)

Use a food processor to turn your cookies into coarse crumbs (you could do fine crumbs, but I like to keep them coarse for the texture). Slowly add the melted butter until it's fully incorporated. Press this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a deep-dish pie plate.


For the mousse:
3/4 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp butter  (not margarine)

3 egg yolks

2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

In a small bowl, whip the cream and set aside.

Heat the chocolate, butter, and half of the water in a double boiler until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.

While it's cooling, whisk the egg yolks, the other half of the water, and the sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, until it reaches 165 degrees. Take off of the heat and whisk in the chocolate mixture.

Allow it to cool to room temperature and then fold in the whipped cream with a large rubber spatula.

For the whipped cream:
1 c heavy whipping cream
Scant 1/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Using a whisk, or the whisk attachment on an electric mixer, whip the cream until it's nearly stiff. Add the sugar and vanilla and then continue whipping until stiff.

Put it all together:
Spread the mousse over the pie crust and top with whipped cream.

Finishing touches (optional): sift cocoa powder over the top (which I did), add chocolate shavings, and ring with fresh berries. Actually, there's a ton of options here.