YumSugar

52 Weeks of Baking: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:18:11 -0700

I love this time of year mostly because I have a great excuse to put pumpkin into my baking. I love pumpkin cakes, pumpkin pies and most of all, pumpkin cookies. The other day I pulled out my favorite pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe and headed to the kitchen. Half way there I had decided to make a few tweaks to it. The end result ended up being more like a muffin than a cookie; however it was perfect right after dinner, as well as first thing in the morning. To get your hands on a muffin-top styled pumpkin chocolate chunk cookie, read more

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cobbled together by YumSugar

Note: These come out fluffy like muffin tops. I should have smashed them down so they would have a wider spread. However left as is, they are perfect for breakfast.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp clove
pinch of ground ginger
1/ 2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
15 oz can of pure pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 cups chocolate chips (depending on your taste - I actually used cut up bars of dark and milk chocolate)

Preheat oven to 375F.
Sift together (or whisk in small bowl) flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger together and set aside.
Beat butter, brown sugar and sugar together in a large mixer bowl.
Add pumpkin and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Add egg and beat well until fully incorporated.
Gradually (I do it in 3 batches) beat in flour mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 13-15 minutes until edges start to brown. Remove from oven and let sit on hot baking sheet for 2 more minutes.
Move cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

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Love Chocolate Chips? You Better Thank Ruth Wakefield

YumSugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 01:01:01 -0700

As much as I love fancy pastries and innovative desserts, nothing can take the place of a really great chocolate chip cookie. Everyone's familiar with chocolate chip cookies and almost everyone has a memory related to it, but how long has it existed and who invented it?

Since today is National Chocolate Chip Day, I thought I'd let you in on how they came about, and surprisingly, it seems that chocolate chips may have been one of those happy kitchen accidents. In 1937, Ruth Wakefield - owner of the Toll House Inn near Whitman, Massachusetts - decided to make a chocolate butter cookie by putting together dough and chocolate. She assumed that the chocolate chunks would melt and mix into the dough, fortunately for us, they did not melt and kept their shape instead. Ruth called her happy mistake the Chocolate Crunch Cookie and went about making herself a deal with Nestle: they could put the recipe on their chocolate bar and in return she could have all the chocolate she needed. Initially they sold the bar with a mini chopper to help cut it up into pieces, but in 1939 they began distributing chocolate morsels aka chocolate chips. I love a great chocolate chip cookie, but I also love just snacking on these right out of the bag...

To check Ruth Wakefield's original chocolate chip cookie recipe, read more

Mrs. Wakefield's Original Toll House Cookie Recipe
From The Kitchen Project

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.)
1 cup chopped nuts

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

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Source: The Kitchen Project

Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

partysugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:59:19 -0700

Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Phew! Try saying that tongue twister three times in a row. The long name brings to mind a delicious and decadent dessert, doesn't it? If you're looking for recipes to make this weekend for St. Patrick's Day then look no further. All week we will be featuring fabulous recipes inspired by Ireland, the color green, and friendly little leprechauns. This time of year I love to use Bailey's Irish Cream liquor to enhance dessert recipes. I can't wait to make this cheesecake, it has an Oreo cookie crust and 1 whole cup of Bailey's! The long name will wow my guests and make it seem like I made an extremely difficult expert level dessert. To look at the recipe, read more

Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
From Recipe Zaar

Crust
1/2 cup toasted pecans, cooled and crushed
2 cups chocolate Oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
Filling
2 1/4 lbs cream cheese, at room temp
1 2/3 cups sugar
5 eggs, at room temp
1 cup Bailey's original Irish cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Coffee Cream Topping
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
chocolate curls or Skor English toffee bits, for decoration on top

Make crust: Preheat oven to 325°. Mix all ingredients. Press into a 10" spring form pan and up the sides one inch. Bake for 7-10 minute.
Make filling: beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth.
Beat sugar in gradually, and then add eggs one at a time. Blend in Bailey's and vanilla.
Sprinkle half of chocolate chips over crust.
Spoon in filling. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.
Bake at 325° approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes or until puffed, springy in center and golden brown. Place a pan of water on bottom rack of oven while baking to keep it moist.
Cool cake completely.
Coffee Cream Topping: beat all ingredients and spread over cooled cake.
Top with chocolate curls or Skor bits.

Make ahead: be sure to make and refrigerate at least one day before serving.

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Think You Know Chocolate Chip Cookies?

partysugar — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:29:33 -0700

Since we are celebrating National Cookie Month, I thought it would be fun to test your knowledge on America's most beloved cookie: the chocolate chip. Think you know everything about chocolate chip cookies? Take the test to find out!

Source

Take the quiz

52 Weeks of Baking: Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

YumSugar — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:08:31 -0800

This past weekend I hit the slopes with some friends. We ended up renting a place for three days and took turns splitting up the meals. On Saturday, after a full day of snow-shoeing, I decided to delight my pals to a baked treat (and, I knew I wanted to do something for my self-imposed 52 weeks of baking mandate). However, the place we were staying wasn't fully stocked (no mixer, a few bowls and utensils), so I went into robot mode and whipped up a batch of my chocolate chip cookies. This is the one thing I confidently know by heart, everyone loves them and I can make them anytime, anyplace and with any amount of wine in my system. Also, it's great because you don't need a fancy mixer or any special ingredients. To check out my cookies, read more

Fatty Chocolate Chip Cookies
From YumSugar - slightly adapted from the old fashioned Tollhouse recipe

This is the one recipe that my brain has memorized. It's my go to recipe whenever I need a quick homemade treat. And bonus, you don't need any kind of fancy mixer.

2 1/4 cups flour (this time I used all-purpose, but it works great with 1 1/2 cups wheat 3/4 cups all-purpose)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temp)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs (room temp)
1 tbsp milk
1 12oz package of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F.
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt into small bowl. Set aside.If you don't have a sifter, a sieve will work really well. Just fill and tap the sides gently.
In large bowl, beat butter until creamy - add granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth.
Mix in vanilla extract.
Add 1 egg, mix well. Add 2nd egg, mix well.
Gradually mix in flour mixture (I do it in thirds).
Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Add in milk. Mix well - batter should be slightly creamy, but not smooth like cake batter.
Once batter is thoroughly combined, mix in chocolate chips.
Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop out the mixture (level off with the back side of a knife) and place onto baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or silpat).
Scoop dough out until pan is full (about 2-3 inches apart).
Bake for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.
Leave on pan for 2 minutes then transfer to wire rack for cooling.

Makes 15-20 cookies depending on the size (and how much batter you nibble on).

Note: When cooking next batch, be sure pan is completely cooled before placing cookie dough.

Note 2: When making these cookies at home, I often beat the butter for several minutes before adding in the sugar.

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Vosges' Red Fire Tortilla Chips

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 09:58:19 -0700

I really enjoy Vosges Chocolates (at least the two exotic candy bars I've tried have been delicious) and really need to hunt down some of their (new?) Red Fire Tortilla Chips. I read about them yesterday and have been drooling ever since. They're organic corn tortilla chips, covered in chocolate and topped with ancho & chipotle chiles.

Um, chocolate covered tortilla chips with a hint of chile?? Sign me up! A 6oz can is available at Vosges for $20.

Anyone tried these? How do they taste?

Source: Trendhunter

Do You Prefer Chewy or Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies?

partysugar — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 01:30:52 -0800

Source

Come Party With Me: Inauguration - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:15:58 -0800

Although the Inauguration isn't until next Tuesday, I'm inviting friends over to kick off the ceremony on Sunday. Since Barack Obama was senator in Chicago, the menu has a Chicago theme. After finishing the deep-dish pizzas, wait an hour before serving this decadent dessert. Eli's is the Windy City's famous bakery known for its chocolate chip cheesecake. While you could order a cheesecake from Eli's and have it delivered, I recommend whipping up a homemade variation. This recipe features sour cream (like most Chicago-style cheesecakes) and results in a cake that is firm on the outside, but deliciously creamy on the inside.

To look at the recipe, read more.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
From Ghirardelli

Ingredients

1 cup(s) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 tablespoon(s) Unsweetened Cocoa
2 ounce(s) White Chocolate Baking Bar
2/3 cup(s) crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup(s) granulate white sugar
1/3 cup(s) (2/3 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 1/4 cup(s) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup(s) granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup(s) sour cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch springform cake pan.
To make the crust, in a small bowl, mix together the crushed graham crackers, cocoa, and sugar. Stir in the butter. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.
Press firmly to distribute the crust mixture onto the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Chill the crust while making the filling.
To make the filling, in a medium-size bowl, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar with an electric mixer at low speed until smooth.
Gradually beat in the eggs, increasing the speed slightly as the mixture softens.
Beat in the sour cream. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips with a large spoon.
Pour the filling into the chilled crust and set the pan on a baking tray. Bake for 75 minutes, or until firm. The cheesecake may deflate and crack as it cools, so turn off the oven and let cool slowly in the oven for about 1 hour with the oven door open.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight before removing from the pan.
Sprinkle the top with grated white chocolate. This cheesecake is best if eaten within 3 days of baking.

Serves 8-10.

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Come Party With Me: Sex and the City Marathon - Desserts

partysugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:15:51 -0700

To celebrate her new apartment, Fab and I are hosting a Sex and the City marathon. The entire menu is inspired by scenes from the show. Carrie and the gals are often seen enjoying cupcakes, so we'll serve mini ones. The cupcakes will be chocolate since Miranda ate chocolate cake from her garbage can.

Another Miranda scene inspires the second dessert, a chocolate chip cookie cake. To take a look at these sweet recipes, read more.

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes
Modified from Epicurious

Ingredients

Cupcakes
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon confectioners sugar for dusting
Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 drop red food coloring
3–4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

Bring water and dates just to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then transfer mixture to a food processor and add cocoa powder and chocolate, pulsing once to combine.
Let cool 2 minutes, then add brown sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and a pinch of salt, then purée until smooth. Add flour and pulse just until incorporated.
Spray mini muffin cups with cooking spray. If pan is not nonstick, line sprayed bottoms with rounds of wax paper, then spray paper.
Spoon batter into cups, dividing it evenly, and bake in middle of oven until a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack (remove wax paper, if using) and cool completely, right side up.
While cakes cool make frosting. Place butter, milk, vanilla, food coloring, and 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add remaining sugar until light and fluffy.
Ice tops of cupcakes with pink frosting. Serve on a beautiful tray or tiered cake plate.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Make ahead: cupcakes can be made and cooled (but not dusted with sugar) 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
40 ounces (5 packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make an even circle of batter, trace an 8-inch plate on the underside of a piece of parchment paper, repeat five times.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Put butter and brown and granulated sugars into mixer bowl; mix on medium until pale and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, eggs, and yolks. Reduce speed to low.
Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the cream. Stir in chocolate chips.
For each of the 5 layers, drop 1 level cup batter onto center of a baking sheet lined with parchment (keep unbaked dough refrigerated). Using a small offset spatula, spread into an 8-inch circle. Bake until edges are pale golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Use offset spatula to reshape circle.
Return to oven; bake until edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack; let cool. Can be stored airtight up to 1 day.
Mix cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in clean mixer bowl on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Spread onto 4 cookies.
Stack cookies, placing unfrosted cookie on top. Refrigerate until frosting is set, at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 16.

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Come Party With Me: Little Girl's Birthday - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:13:31 -0800

Even FitSugar admits that a birthday party is a wonderful occasion to splurge on a decadent dessert. Or in the case of her little girls' birthday party, two decadent desserts. Since it's a joint event that celebrates both her daughters birthdays, she is letting them each choose a dessert.

One has asked for a delicious cherry chocolate layered cake, and the other requests chocolate chip cupcakes. A spectacular mom, Fit will be using the following recipes to whip up these treats. Look at them when you read more.

Chocolate Cherry Trifle
From Nigella Lawson

2 (approximately 12 ounces each) chocolate pound cakes
1/2 cup black cherry jam
1/2 cup cherry brandy
2 cups drained bottled sour cherries (recommended: Morello)
Custard:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70 percent cocoa solids, chopped
1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon milk
1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
Topping:
3 cups heavy cream
1-ounce bittersweet chocolate
Special Equipment: Large wide trifle bowl [or any large bowl - preferably clear so that you can see the layers]

Slice the chocolate pound cake and make jam sandwiches with the cherry jam, and layer the bottom of a large wide trifle bowl. Pour over the cherry brandy so that the cake soaks it up, and then top with the drained cherries. Cover with cling wrap and leave to soften while you make the custard.
Melt the chocolate on low to medium heat in the microwave, checking after 2 minutes, though it will probably need 4 minutes. Once the chocolate is melted, set aside while you get on with the custard.
In a saucepan warm the milk and cream.
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cocoa in a large bowl.
Pour the warm milk and cream into the bowl whisking it into the yolks and sugar mixture.
Stir in the melted chocolate, scraping the sides well with a rubber spatula to get all of it in, and pour the custard back into the rinsed saucepan.
Cook over a medium heat until the custard thickens, stirring all the time. Make sure it doesn't boil, as it will split and curdle. (Keep a sink full of cold water so that if you get scared you can plunge the bottom of the custard pan into the cold water and
whisk like mad, which will avert possible crisis.) The custard will get darker as it cooks and the flecks of chocolate will melt once the custard has thickened. And you do need this thick, so don't panic so much that you stop cooking while it is still runny. Admittedly, it continues to thicken as it cools and also when it's chilling in the refrigerator.
Once it is ready, pour into a bowl to cool and cover the top of the custard with cling wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
When the custard is cold, pour and spread it over the chocolate cake layer in the trifle bowl, and leave in the refrigerator to set, covered in cling wrap overnight.
When you are ready to decorate, softly whip the cream for the topping [if you don't have an electric mixer, this could take a while] and spread it gently over the layer of custard. Grate the chocolate over the top.

Serves 16.

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Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
From Betty Crocker

2 packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups miniature or regular semisweet chocolate chips
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 container vanilla frosting

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and 1 egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips; set aside.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and 3 eggs on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Divide batter among muffin cups (1/4 cup in each). Top each with 1 heaping teaspoon cream cheese mixture.
Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan; cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Frost with frosting. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

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