Blizzard Baking

Hey, everyone! It finally stopped snowing! We ended up getting something like 25" here, but we never lost power, so I won't complain (much). While the snow fell, we ate, watched movies, ate, read, ate, played games, ate ... that sort of thing. 

And Julie baked! Years ago I clipped a page from the Sunday Times magazine that listed three variations on chocolate-chip cookies: thin and crisp, flat and chewy, and thick and gooey. We are all about flat and chewy here, so that's what she made. They were delish:

Flat and Chewy Chocolate-Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon kosher salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups chopped bittersweet chocolate (chunks and shavings)
2 cups chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at once and blend until a dough forms. Fold in the chocolate and walnuts. Chill the dough.

Roll 2½ -tablespoon lumps of dough into balls, then place on the baking sheet and flatten to ½ -inch-thick disks spaced 2 inches apart. Chill the dough between batches. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a baking rack.

Makes 30 to 35 cookies (we got only 24).

* * * * *

Julie also made yet another winner from Abby Dodge's Desserts 4 Today:

Chocolate-Banana Soufflés

⅓ cup sugar, divided use (plus more for sprinkling)
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 medium very ripe banana, peeled
3 egg whites and 1 egg yolk (large eggs) 
1 tablespoon water 

Heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease six 6-ounce ramekins with cooking spray and sprinkle granulated sugar in the ramekins, tilting to coat completely. Tip out the excess and arrange the ramekins on small jellyroll pan.

Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave or over simmering water. Set aside to cool until barely warm, about 5 minutes. Add half of the sugar, the banana, egg yolk, and water. Whisk until smooth and blended.

Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Continue beating while gradually adding the remaining sugar. Beat until medium-firm peaks form. Whisk about a quarter of the whites into the chocolate-banana mixture until blended. Add the remaining whites and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold in until just blended.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Bake until the soufflés are puffed and jiggle when nudged, about 13 minutes. Serve immediately. We put vanilla ice cream on top, but whipped cream wouldn't be bad, either.

 

Comments

[Pat]

Apparently, you're NOT all about nuts in your cookies... ;-)
Is it possible you got only 24 cookies because some family members were "making sure the dough was OK" prior to baking?
Sounds like some blizzard-y fun was definitely had.

[Senka]

Hi,
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Senka