Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Daylight savings time (FALL BACK) and I have an hour to spare!  Since it was raining so hard today, I was craving for a warm cookie and nothing beats our loving classic chocolate chip cookies.  I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I do.

Whenever I bake with chocolate, I feel so guilty not being able to share with Snoopy.  So, I scooped enough  batter out to make six mini cookies for my lil' dog today.  He very much appreciates them without the chocolate chips too.

The plus side of baking today is, I got new pans that fit exactly into my oven.  It was able to hold 24 mini cookies each time, YAY!  

MINI CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Yield: 72 (1 1/4") Cookies


Ingredients:

1 Cup - Butter, @ room temperature
1 Cup - Light Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup - Granulated Sugar

2 Large Eggs, @ room temperature
2 tsp - Vanilla Extract

3 Cups - All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp - Baking  Powder
1 tsp - Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp - Salt

6oz - Mini Chocolate Chips (you can find these in Target or Smart & Final)

Procedure:
1.   Cream Butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes, scrape the bowl.

2.   Add the egg slowly one at a time, then add the vanilla extract, mix for 4-5 minutes, scrape the bowl.

3.  Sift the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add to the mixture into 3 parts until incorporated.

4.  Stop the machine, toss in the mini chocolate chips and fold into the batter.  Scoop onto baking sheets and chill in refrigerator for 1hr or chill in freezer for 15 minutes.

5.  Bake at 350F for 10 minutes, pull cookie tray out, use a spatula and lightly flatten the cookies.  Put into the oven for  1.5 - 2 more minutes.

6.  Remove from baking tray and cool.

Persimmon Bread

Persimmon is one of those lovely fruits in the fall.  The rich orange tone and its sweet flesh from leaving them to ripe make them taste amazing when baked.  I came across this recipe from one of James Beard book.  Enjoy!  Did I mention, this recipe calls for COGNAC! Mmmm.... 

Persimmon Bread
Adapted from: Beard on Bread
By: James Beard

3½ cups - Sifted Flour
1½ tsp - salt
2 tsp - baking soda
1 tsp - ground nutmeg
2 to 2½ cups - sugar
*note:  I only used 1 3/4 cup of sugar; amt of sugar makes cake softer
1 cup - unsalted butter, melted and cool at room temperature
4 - large eggs, @ room temperature
2/3 cup - Cognac, bourbon or whiskey
2 cups - persimmon puree (from about 4 squishy-soft Hachiya persimmons)
2 cups - walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
2 cups - raisins, or diced dried fruits (such as apricots, cranberries, or dates) 
*note:  I would use less raisins next time, two cup was a little much for me

1. Butter 2 loaf pans. Line the bottoms with a piece of parchment paper or dust with flour and tap out any excess.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Sift the first 5 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

4. Make a well in the center then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, persimmon puree then the nuts and raisins.

5. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Storage: Will keep for about a week, if well-wrapped, at room temperature. The Persimmon Breads take well to being frozen, too.

Buttermilk Waffles

My husband finally gave in and bought himself a second Xbox since his previous one had finally retired.  I love how he would justify that it's quite an old machine since he bought that in 2005.  Who would have known he would buy another one since he recently bought a PS3, too. 

A great reason for me to not feel guilty and reward myself since I've been contemplating on this waffle maker from William Sonoma!

ALL - CLAD :)

HACHI BUTTERMILK WAFFLES
Yield (12 Waffle Squares)

3/4 Cup - Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup - All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup - Cake Flour
1/4 Cup - Almond Meal
2 tsp - Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp - Baking Soda
1/4 tsp - Salt
3 Tbsp - Sugar

70g - Melted Butter
2 - Egg Yolks
2 - Egg Whites
2 tsp - Vanilla Extract
2 Cup - Buttermilk

Procedure

1.  Melt butter, set aside to cool.
2.  Combine all dry ingredients, set aside.
3.  In a stainless steel bowl, whip egg whites until stiff peaks, set aside.
4.  Whisk egg yolk, vanilla, melted butter, and buttermilk until incorporated.
5.  Mix all the dry and wet together.
6.  Stir in 1/4 of the egg white until combined.
7.  Fold in the rest of the egg white altogether, do not over mix.
8.  Pour batter accordingly as instructed from the waffle maker.

Enjoy!

Almond-Grape Tea Cake

I came across this recipe from the Everyday FOOD Magazine, September 2011 issue.  The image was lovely and I was intrigue to taste tea cake with grapes being bake.  The baking grapes were bursting in my mouth filled with a bold sweetness to it, similar to dates.  Who knew texture of baked grapes can be this phenomenal.  Enjoy!

Almond-Grape Tea Cake
(ADAPTED FROM Everyday FOOD, SEPT. 2011)


Ingredients
10 Tbsp - Butter, @ room temperature
1 Cup - All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup - Sugar
3 - Large Eggs
8 oz - Slivered almonds (I used almond meal)
1/4 tsp - Salt
1 tsp - Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 tsp - Lemon Zest
18 grapes, halved crosswise

(Creaming Method)

Pina Colada Cupcakes

I was prepping some baked goods for my lil' brother's wedding ceremony since they were having a dessert bar for their guests.  It was an honor to be able to share my joy in baking and end their night on a sweet node because they were the sweetest couple. 

After 48 mini cupcakes were baked, there were still batter left from the mix.  What does one do when there are batter left from baking mini cupcakes?  Bake regular size cupcakes!  These are delicious Pina Colada Cupcakes...Mmm...