Showing posts with label chocolate chip cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chocolate chip cookies. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Salted Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies


I've had four snow days in the past two weeks. Luckily, I've spent my extra time off pursuing an admirable goal: baking the ultimate grain-free chocolate chip cookie.

My quest began when I saw these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies on Alexandra's Kitchen. Alexandra's blog is one of my favorites. Everything she makes is mouthwatering, and I love her detailed tips and stunning, perfectly lit photographs. Basically, I'm a huge fan.

I had to have those cookies.


With a caveat, of course: I wanted them to be paleo-friendly and grain-free.

I've made paleo cookies before and thoroughly enjoyed them, but they weren't the kind of cookies that could blow regular, gluten-containing cookies out of the water.  They didn't have the holy grail: the perfect combination of crunch and chewiness.

I set out to find some grain-free cookies that fit the bill--cookies that were crisp around the edges, but chewy and a tiny bit underbaked in the center.

Yum

Monday, July 1, 2013

Double Malt Ice Cream Sandwiches #chocolateparty


Did you ever get a malt cup from an ice cream truck as a kid?  Malt cups were always my favorite.  It's not a bar or anything fancy--just a cup of chocolate malt ice cream that you eat with one of those little spoons.  I've been wanting one forever, so I finally ordered some Milo online and made my own version.  If you like malt, you will LOVE this.

I was just thinking about ice cream, but then I found out that this month's chocolate party secret ingredient was ice cream, and that the recipes had to call for both ice cream AND chocolate (so, not just ice cream with chocolate in it!).  Well, what else was there to do?  I baked up some lightly malted chocolate chip cookies and stuffed the ice cream inside.  These ice cream sandwiches would also be delicious with any other ice cream flavor--feel free to use store bought or your favorite homemade flavor.

P.S.  While you're here, check out this giveaway!  You could win a copy of an awesome food photography e-book.



Ingredients:

For the cookies (from Hummingbird on High's recipe, makes about 24):

1 cup flour
Rounded 1/4 cup Milo
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick butter (8 tablespoons), at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet baking melts)

For the ice cream sandwiches (makes 12):

24 cookies
1 quart chocolate malt ice cream (recipe below) or any other ice cream, softened

To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 375 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and Milo and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and two sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the other ingredients, and mix by hand JUST until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a tablespoon measure, spoon out tablespoon-sized balls of dough at least 2 inches apart on the parchment paper.  Bake for about 8 minutes, until cookies are just set and barely beginning to brown around the edges.  Let them cool for a few minutes on the sheet to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Once they are cool, stick them in the freezer for an hour or so.  This will make it easier to assemble the ice cream sandwiches.

To make the sandwiches, match the cookies up by size.  Place a scoop of softened ice cream on one frozen cookie (bottom side up), and top with the other cookie, top side up.  Smoosh a little to help the ice cream get to the edges.  Wrap each ice cream sandwich individually and store in the freezer for up to two weeks.  Before serving, let the sandwiches thaw for about five minutes.

Ingredients for the chocolate malt ice cream:

1/2 cup Milo
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups heavy cream, divided
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 cup Whoppers, crushed (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine the Milo, sugar, and half the cream.  Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar and Milo are dissolved and no clumps are left.  Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining cream and the milk.

Chill the mixture completely by refrigerating overnight or placing in the freezer for about an hour.  Once the mixture is totally chilled, freeze it in your ice cream maker.  When the ice cream is almost done, add the Whoppers, if using.  Store in the freezer in an airtight container.


Want to participate in this month's chocolate party by sharing a treat with chocolate and ice cream?  Here's how to participate:

1.) Blog about your chocolate treat. Your recipe must include the two ingredients we choose (chocolate and ice cream for July). It can be a simple no bake treat or a sophisticated layer cake, the complexity level of the recipe is totally up to you.
2.) Include a link back to a monthly round-up or the Chocolate party page. Optional, add the Chocolate Party logo in your blog post or on your sidebar.
3.) Your recipe must be published during the current month. Please do not link old recipes, they will be deleted.
4.)  Add your link below! 



Yum