As long as I can remember, I have loved vanilla puddings, custards and creams whether oozing out of doughnuts, inside crepes or layered between cake. As a child, we often ate packaged pudding for dessert, which I slurped off the spoon slowly, savoring every bite.

In the past years, I have learned that homemade, old-fashioned pudding does not take that much more time and when using high quality ingredients, you will notice a major difference in the outcome. Once you leave the box, you’ll never go back. This recipe uses whole milk, a few egg yolks and a touch of butter for extra richness, and fragrant Spice Islands vanilla extract.

Spice Islands makes its vanilla extract exclusively with beans from Madagascar. In case you didn’t know, that is a small island off the southeastern coast of Africa. I first learned about Madagascar during a primatology course in college because it is the only place on earth where a host of bouncing, cartoon-like lemurs exist. As my cooking and baking skills advanced, I came to appreciate the unique locale for producing the most plump, flavorful vanilla beans in the world.

As if traveling to a far-off, primate-laden island isn’t enough of a chore, vanilla beans are not easy to grow. The beans are actually a fruit and grow out of an orchid flower. Each flower must be pollinated by hand on the day that it blooms. Because the plants can bloom at slightly different times, the growers must carefully look for open flowers numerous times a day, taking advantage of the short window of opportunity. After nearly ten months of waiting, the vanilla pods are ready to be plucked by hand and made into vanilla extract.

Sounds like a fairytale, doesn’t it? You can see why it is so common for many to take a short cut and use artificial vanilla flavor. Perhaps you are asking yourself, does the quality of the small amount of vanilla extract used in most recipes REALLY make a difference? Well, as they say, the proof is in the pudding.

Find my recipe for Old Fashioned Vanilla Pudding HERE at the Spice Islands Flavor Explorer Blog.

A few weeks ago, I admitted to my first encounter with Oreo cookie balls. I decided that the edible spheres would be an appropriate addition to my Stella & Dot jewelry-inspired menu. For the outside of the cookie pearls, I splurged and bought Callebaut white chocolate. I wanted to “dress up” the everyday sandwich cookies with the best white chocolate I could find. Like wearable pearls that can be a wardrobe staple (at least in the south) or a formal accessory, these cookie pearls have some common grocery store food on the inside and some glamor on the outside.

I also tested a recipe for Nutter Butter truffles. Unfortunately, on their own, the peanut-shaped cookies were a bit of a disappointment. I cherish such fond memories of the treats of my childhood but when I eat them at present, I often find the sweets to be flavorless. I suppose that working with a high end chocolate company for the past decade has made me a bit spoiled! When you’ve been eating these peanut butter bonbons, it’s hard to turn back.

After adding a half a cup of peanut butter to the Nutter Butter batter, it was greatly improved. I would suggest a good milk chocolate or dark chocolate to coat the peanut butter balls. The white chocolate was a little too sweet with the peanut butter centers, which called for a more chocolatey match.

These cookie pearls might just be the belle of the ball at a holiday cookie exchange! Help them look professional by tucking each in candy cups.

Oreo Cookie Pearls in White Chocolate
(a.k.a. Oreo Cookie Truffles, Cookie Balls)

1 package (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1 package (18 oz) OREO Cookies, finely crushed in food processor
4 ounces white chocolate, melted
Sprinkles, nuts or decorations (optional)

Pulse cookies in the food processor until they are finely crushed. Mix crushed cookies and softened cream cheese in a food processor until blended. Roll into 1 inch balls (about 40). Put the balls on a wax paper lined cookie sheet or plate and in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. If you use a microwave, stop and stir every 30 seconds until melted. Use a fork to dip the balls into the chocolate. Set them back on the wax paper and top them with sprinkles, nuts or decorations immediately. Let the “cookie pearls” set in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes or until chocolate is firm.

Nutter Butter Cookie Pearls
(a.k.a. Peanut Butter Truffles, Nutter Butter Cookie Balls)

1 package (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
24 Nutter Butter Cookies, finely crushed in food processor
1/2 cut creamy peanut butter
4 ounces white, milk or dark chocolate, melted
Sprinkles, nuts or decorations (optional)

Pulse cookies in the food processor until they are finely crushed. Mix crushed cookies, softened cream cheese and peanut butter in a food processor until blended. Roll into 1 inch balls (about 40). Put the balls on a wax paper lined cookie sheet or plate and in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. If you use a microwave, stop and stir every 30 seconds until melted. Use a fork to dip the balls into the chocolate. Set them back on the wax paper and top them with sprinkles, nuts or decorations immediately. Let the “cookie pearls” set in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes or until chocolate is firm.

Though I ate my share of Oreos growing up and though I’ve had them swirled into a flurry or two, I don’t think I have ever bought a package of them. I love baking from scratch and most of the baked goods coming out of my kitchen involve a more old school base of flour, sugar, butter and eggs. At an event last week, I was introduced to my first cookie ball and not only did the signature Oreo flavor tickle my nostalgia nerve, the sinful bites nearly unplugged my will power.

It is always fun for me when my work life and blog life collide. I had the opportunity to visit the Kraft Food Kitchens in Glenview, Illinois where I got a sneak peek behind the scenes and had the pleasure of meeting more than a dozen mom bloggers. I was invited by the hosting group to talk with the mom bloggers about food photography. I found that I also had a thing or two to learn from this group of in-the-know mom writers and product reviewers!

Between sessions, we were served lunch prepared by the Kraft staff. Only at a blogger gathering would nearly everyone capture a photo of the spread before digging in:

The desserts were artfully presented and had a timely Halloween flair. I helped myself to a little of this and a little of that, taste testing almost everything. The Kraft crew presented some candy bar bites that were some sort of mock Butterfinger. It actually tasted so much like a Butterfinger, it left me wondering, “Why not just buy a Butterfinger?”

I was tickled by a Jello-O brain mold and admired the various pretty pudding parfaits.

But it was the Halloween Oreo Pumpkins that inspired me to ask where I could find their recipes.  It shouldn’t be a surprise that Kraft has an enormous website of recipes including a vast Halloween section. There are some cute ideas to get your wheels turning, especially for Halloween party planning.

As for these cookie balls? Perhaps a bag of Oreos will be visiting the Whipped kitchen.

Oreo Pumpkin Cookie Balls
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 package 15.25 oz Oreo peanut butter creme cookies, finely crushed (regular Oreos would be good too!)
2 packages (6 squares each) Baker’s white chocolate, melted
1 cup orange colored sugar or sprinkles
10 pretzel sticks, broken into 4 pieces each

Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended. Shape into 40 1-inch balls. Freeze for 10 minutes. Dip balls in melted chocolate; roll in sugar or sprinkles to evenly coat. Place on wax paper lined cookie sheet. Insert 1 pretzel piece into top of each for the pumpkin’s stem. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Each summer when I travel to Greece to visit my in-laws, I enjoy my favorite traditional desserts that do not resemble anything from the American kitchen. Usually, I savor the sweet treats during the annual visit, convinced that I could not reproduce them at home.

This year is different. Our cousin Sophia spoiled us with all of our favorites and then took the time to handwrite her recipes for me. She promised that the sweet pies were very easy to make. My husband translated the precious code and for the past few weeks, I have tested the recipes, adjusting slightly for American ingredients or measurements.

The key to both Galaktoboureko and Bougatsa (recipe coming soon!) is the fine semolina in the custard. It may be hard to find for many of you. Luckily, we have a grocery store just blocks away that sells Greek food and ingredients needed for common dishes. The fine semolina (available online here)  is also called farina and reminded me of Cream of Wheat breakfast cereal I ate as a child.

Do NOT be afraid of working with phyllo. Often people complain that it is difficult and perhaps if you are making small pies and let it get dry, it will get finicky. But, if you are making large pies like this with full sheets, it is no trouble at all. Don’t skimp on the butter between the sheets. I use a large basting brush. Or, I should say, Mini Whipped uses the large pastry brush. (Brushing the butter between layers is a fun and easy job for kids.)

Though I usually find that traditional foods taste best in the location of their birth, our brood was quite pleased with our first, stateside Galaktoboureko. The enormous pan of sweet, caloric custard called to me hourly, like a Siren to the rocks. Sliver by sliver, I repeatedly convinced myself that I was just “evening out” the slices. So, I brought the rest of the pan to work and shared it with my office mates and clients. The reviews were positive.

Greek desserts, welcome to the Whipped kitchen!

Cousin Sophia’s Goulaktoboureko

6  cups milk
1 cup fine semolina
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
1  teaspoon vanilla
orange rind from 1 orange, finely grated
1 package phyllo (about 10-14 sheets)
2 sticks (1 cup) + 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Citrus Syrup:
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
orange juice from ½ an orange, about ¼ cup

Put milk, ½ cup sugar, vanilla, semolina and 1 Tablespoon butter in a sauce pan on medium heat. When it starts heating, keep stirring until it becomes thick like pudding. Take it off the fire and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Beat eggs with the rest (1/4 cup) of the sugar and stir it in to milk mixture. Stir the orange peel in.

To make the pie, the phyllo should be room temperature or slightly cooler. Open the package right before using it so the sheets do not get too dry. Melt two sticks of butter and start by brushing the butter on the bottom of your pan. In Greece, they use a large round pan about 16 inches in diameter. I used a lasagna dish, which works well (about 10 x 13 x 2). If you only have a traditional 9 x 13, you may not fit all the custard in the dish.

Lay down about 5-6 sheets phyllo or half of your package. Lightly press the sheets into the sides and corner and let the edges overlap on top. You will fold them over later. Do not skimp on the butter! You should use half on the bottom layers and half on the top.

Pour the slightly cooled custard on the bottom sheets and spread to the sides. Then layer another sheet on top. Mini Whipped has decided to name this process “putting the custard to bed.” We even told our custard a nice story, which I am quite sure added to its deliciousness in the end.

Continue brushing butter between layers until you have used all the phyllo, approximately 6 sheets on bottom and 6 on top. Then, brush butter on the overlapping sides and roll the edges down creating a “rim” around the edge of the pan. Liberally brush the top and the edge with the rest of your butter.

Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees or until the top is light brown all over.

While the pie is baking make the syrup by boiling the sugar, water and juice together for about 5 minutes. When you remove the pie from the oven, let it cool for about 15 minutes. Then, pour the syrup over the entire pie. Over time, it will seep in to the pie. Wait at least an hour before serving. Store the pie in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and continue to enjoy!

I know that blogger and blog reader relationships are not traditional friendships. Of course, I have never had a chance to drop off some fresh baked cookies, cook for you, or debate a hot topic over the dinner table. But, we are not exactly strangers either. Today, I treat you like a friend as I am going to ask you for a favor. I would really, really love to go to Portland, Oregon and compete in the Bob’s Red Mill Spar for the Spurtle contest. Why?  Well, I adore Bob’s Red Mill and I would love to meet this wonderful man who gave his multi-million dollar company to his employees. Also, my best pal lives in Portland and she and I could really use a visit with each other right now.

Though votes on this web page don’t guarantee a win, they help. And, since I am blatantly self-promoting today, I will just say that the recipe is pretty yummy. 

How did I come upon the idea for Chocolate Maple Oatmeal Topped with Bacon? I always loved warm, chocolate breakfast cereal. My mom often made oatmeal or Malt O Meal. Occasionally, we were treated to CoCo Wheats. When I heard about the Spar for the Spurtle, I knew the time had come to create a new, updated version of chocolate breakfast cereal. Pure maple syrup is my go-to for breakfast sweetening so it was an obvious choice. As for the bacon? Well, I have to entirely credit my friend Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut-Chocolat for that idea. Her bacon and chocolate creations have revolutionized chocolate as we know it. She has taught me that salty, smokey bacon is a near perfect match for all things chocolate.

Though Mini Whipped requested I leave the bacon off her bowl, she asked for seconds of the Chocolate Maple Oatmeal. Matter-of-fact, she wanted to eat it again for dinner the next night. So, it is seemingly kid-friendly and though it tastes decadent, this recipe is not that bad for you! Steel cut oats are loaded with health benefits as is dark chocolate. You can substitute the milk for water if you eat dairy-free. And, I believe that this recipe is gluten-free too.

Okay, enough plugs… thank you for putting up with all my self-promotion today. I will get back to the kitchen and eat some humble pie.

Chocolate Maple Oatmeal Topped with Bacon
Makes 4 servings

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill steel cut oats
1 Tablespoon butter (or bacon fat)
Pinch of sea salt
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup whole milk
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I like Valrhona)
4 Tablespoonds pure maple syrup
4 pieces of bacon, cooked until crispy
cream (optional)

Melt butter (or bacon fat) in a sauce pan. Add the oats and toast them for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. You will smell an aroma like popcorn when they are ready. Add the boiling water and reduce heat. Water and oats should be bubbling slightly at the proper temperature. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add a healthy pinch of sea salt and 1/2 cup milk and continue stirring for 5 minutes. The liquid should be mostly absorbed and the oats should be soft. Turn off the heat. Stir in the cocoa powder and syrup.

Spoon the Chocolate Maple Oatmeal into serving bowls. Top with coarsely chopped bacon. Drizzle with cream.

The ceiling fan whirring overhead, I saw slight goose bumps appear on her little arms and legs as she pulled up her blanket, inhaled heavily and sunk into a deep, nap time sleep. I can still feel that exhaustion from a day of swimming and water play in the warm sun. I remember how satisfying the near naked naps were after cooling down in the pool on a hot summer day.

I’ve been overcome with acute nostalgia as I witness Mini Whipped’s  gleeful engagement in summer activities. From every pore, I ache to return to the days of carefree fun. My memories of long, summer days are so palpable, it is hard to believe they happened decades ago.

We spent hours each day in the pool, only surfacing for forced sun block reapplication and occasional nourishment. Eventually, our bodies would become exhausted and chilled. We pulled ourselves out to the cement rim that surrounded the pool, which was hot from the sun. Stretched out along the thin, rough surface, we allowed our bodies to absorb the heat. Properly warmed and slightly rested, we rolled like sea lions back into the water for the next round of fun.

When we finally tired of the pool, we would cross the yard to the trampoline where we backflipped until the horizon line blurred and jumped to reach the ripe mulberries from the tree above. We ran through sprinklers, walked unsupervised around the neighborhood and ran when we heard the music of the ice cream man.

Sound like a privileged life?
It was.

It was a fortunate childhood and a time before mortgages, broken refrigerators and burst pipes.  Days were long and each summer seemed like forever. Multi-tasking wasn’t necessary and schedules were not calculated to the minute. Watching Mini Whipped, I yearn to go back and I believe that perhaps ignorance is bliss.

A few weeks ago, I decided that my disengaged longing wasn’t doing any good. Instead, I vowed to live in the current moment with my daughter and work hard to let go of adult stresses, if even for small moments. The plan was to get close enough to her contagious, carefree summer delight to catch it and then let it consume me entirely.

Since I went all out with the Triple Pink Cupcakes for Mini Whipped’s toddler birthday bash, I decided to take a shortcut for her family gathering a few days later. I must admit that I have a Duncan Hines marble cake mix in my cupboard. It was the cake of choice for our childhood birthdays and it still tastes good to me due to the heavy helping of nostalgia I gulp down with each bite. But, I have been meaning to try the new Vosges Haut-Chocolat Love Goddess Cake from Katrina‘s line of luxury baking mixes and I decided this was the perfect opportunity.

I like to keep a rule of full disclosure on Whipped so that you never stop trusting me or my opinions on products I recommend. You may have noticed the Vosges Haut-Chocolat ad on the right side of my blog. I have worked with Katrina at Vosges Haut-Chocolat for many years and I actually help manage many of their marketing programs. So, I am a little partial and love to support them:) However, I would not post about any of my clients’ products if I did not truly feel you would love them! And, lucky for me, Katrina is a client but also a friend and a creative genius who makes a darn good chocolate cake.

The Love Goddess Cake Mix is much more expensive than most grocery store mixes at $12 a box but you will taste the difference. As I opened the pouch of cocoa included, an earthy smell of cacao filled the kitchen. Instructions are a bit more complicated than adding a few eggs and water but not too hard for a beginning baker to follow. I have two favorite things about this cake:

1. The suggested whipped cream frosting. It is VERY forgiving. The most time consuming part of a layer cake is usually the assembly and frosting. Sometimes I am a glutton for the tedious task. The whipped cream frosting is so easy to manage that I didn’t level the cakes at all. I just spread the whipped cream between layers and all over the top and sides and it looked amazing! (I tinted my cream pink to please the birthday girl.)

2. This cake is BETTER if you make it ahead. Ever seen how whipped cream gets a little watery if you leave it in the fridge overnight? Well, that liquid soaks into the cake while the outside sets beautifully. Make this cake the night before your party and put it in the fridge. Buy one organic rose, pluck off all the petals and sprinkle them on top before putting this beauty on display.

If you are a novice baker or a pro without much time, I would highly suggest keeping a few of these cake mixes in your pantry. As always, it is up to you whether or not you choose to reveal that you started with a “box.” With this mix, your guests will not suspect it!

Clearly, nature has beat out nurture in creating my 3-year-old’s desire for all things pink. None of the main caretakers in her life are “pink lovers” and yet, Mini Whipped is drawn to all things rose-colored like a Goth is to black.

When she started choosing everything pink and wanted to wear pink clothes every day, I tried to encourage some variety. I would suggest other options offering enticing rewards, “But don’t you want this dolphin to swim around on your blue shirt all day long?!”  I rarely convinced the strong-minded tot. Then one day, I heard her saying to her grandmother with heartfelt emotion, “Grammy, it just makes me SO happy to wear pink.”  After that, I gave up my quest to make her a more well-rounded rainbow and gave in full fledged to the pink power.

Someone gave us colored pellets that turn the bath water blue, yellow or pink. The first time she got in the pink bath she hovered to a new elevation of excitement. She splished and splashed singing about her love for the pink water and even carefully leaned down to touch her cheek to the water professing, “I love you pink tub tub.” At that point, I became a proponent of pink love. If something so simple could bring such joy, I figured I better embrace it. Warnings of losing the priveledge of a pink bath have proved to be my strongest disciplinary force yet.

As we planned for Mini Whipped’s third birthday celebration, we decided to do everything we could to create a pink paradise for her. Her Daddy wore his pink shirt to work, Mommy searched her closet for the only pink she could find (in the underwear drawer), her babysitter wore all pink and we bought pink balloons. The birthday girl was thrilled with the idea of red velvet (dark pink) cupcakes with pink frosting and pink sprinkles.  She requested a special pancake and sausage dinner and Mommy even surprised her with pink pancake batter. They didn’t look very appetizing to us but the guest of honor claimed they were the best tasting pancakes she had ever had.

Parenting involves constant learning. My daughter loves many of the things that I do:  swimming, baking, reading and eating. As she continues to develop and grow into herself, I have realized she is going to find pleasure in some things that I don’t. If those things are healthy, I have learned that I must respect them and help her be her own individual.

There are many things a parent will do to give their child happiness on her birthday like go to two stores to find enough pink food coloring, wear pink underwear and even choke down pepto-bismal colored pancakes while smiling. Happy third birthday my little pink princess. May you continue to find as much easy joy in simple pleasures.

Triple Pink Cupcakes
(red velvet cake with pink cream cheese frosting and sprinkles)
Makes about 18 cupcakes.

2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons red food coloring
1 t white distilled vinegar
1 t vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put paper cupcake cupcakes in a cupcake pan. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa. In another bowl whisk oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla together until combined. Mix wet and dry ingredients together in a stand mixer with paddle attachment just until combined. Fill cupcake cups 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack completely before frosting.

Pink Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
Pink sprinkles (optional)

Mix softened butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Add powdered sugar little by little. Mix in food coloring to desired color. Put frosting in refrigerator until stiff enough to frost the cakes. Be sure cupcakes are cool before frosting. To make a piping bag, cut just a small tip off the corner of a plastic ziplock bag. Fill with frosting and squeeze out in a circular, pinwheel onto the cupcakes started on the outside and circling inward. Decorate with sprinkles.

There are very few things you have more time for when you are caring for a newborn. Your life is a cycle of feedings and diapers. However, I have been pleasantly surprised to find that I am actually catching up on some reading. For nearly a year I have been too busy with work to even read basic news let alone novels or magazines. Now, thanks to 8-10 feedings a day, I have a chance to read while I feed the baby. I actually feel up-to-date on current events, have read 2 full books in the past 6 weeks and have become happily acquainted with The Atlantic magazine.

Recently, while flipping through an InStyle magazine, I was drawn to the photos of Dita von Teese, international burlesque star.  Her home was featured and was as colorful as her persona. It turns out that Dita loves cooking for friends and was kind enough to share her recipe for Spiced Mice Butter Cookies. She is pictured in her flamingo-pink kitchen taking a sheet pan out of the oven while in high heels with perfectly coiffed retro hair. (Slight contrast to the yoga pants and ratty ponytail I was sporting when my mouse family was born.)

Mini Whipped age 3) and I worked together to form our mouse brigade. Her cookies had a few extra eyes, ears and tails but we had a blast making these cookies together. We were recently invited to a birthday party where the hostess requested “no gifts” for her 2 year old.  Since I can’t stand to show up empty handed, we tucked a dozen of these mice cookies in a box and included the recipe on top. This is one sort of mouse most people won’t mind finding in the kitchen.

Dita’s Spiced Mice Butter Cookies
Makes 3 dozen

12 Tbsp Butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup regular sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice

For Making the Mice:
1 egg
Dried Currants
Sliced Almonds
Chinese Noodles

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whip the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add both sugars and mix. Add one egg and vanilla and beat until combined. In a separate bowl, mix flour and spices until combined. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and combine.

Measure 1 tbsp of dough and roll into an oval. Make one side a bit pointed to form the nose. Put the cookies on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Mix egg with 2 tbsp water to form an egg wash. Brush it on each of the cookies. Add almonds for ears, a Chinese noodle for a tail and cut a currant in half to form two eyes.

Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes or until slightly browned.

Note: My mice spread out a bit more than I wanted. Next time I will put them in the refrigerator for an hour or so to try to keep them a bit rounder.

When my pal Kathy came over to meet Baby Whipped, she brought an enormous offering of food. Being the baking goddess behind the blog Stresscake, it is no surprise that her bag of goodies was one creative surprise after another. She brought two potpies along with two, small ramekin sized pot pies for Mini Whipped. Also tucked in her bag of tricks was a ziplock full of chicken steam buns for the freezer, which have proved to be perfect snacks and quick lunches. And finally, the sign that shows me that she is truly my kind of gal… a bag of frozen cookie dough – dark brown, nearly black little spheres of double chocolate cookie dough, just waiting to be whisked into my toaster oven in those moments of need.

(Confession time: I just stopped writing this post to go to my freezer and eat a ball of cookie dough… I have a problem.)

I have never tasted anything that Kathy had her hands on that was short of delicious. I am trying to stop begging/harassing her into opening her own bakery. I suppose that just because I want her to have a bakery doesn’t mean she should be waking up at wee hours to work the ovens and spread her taste treats far and wide. I mean, MAYBE she shouldn’t change her entire life so I can have her sweets at my beckon call whenever I need them. For now, I’ll just try to be happy that her double chocolate cookies are an arm’s reach away in my freezer drawer.

Kathy instructed me to sprinkle sea salt atop each little beauty before baking. I have determined that it is indeed these few crystals of salt that take these cookies from delicious to fabulously perfect. There is something about salt against chocolate that amplifies the flavor of the chocolate to an ultra addicting level. These cookies are rich so I suggest you make them bite-sized. They are an amazing compliment to a strong cup of coffee and provide just the satisfaction your sweet tooth needs after a meal.

Don’t skimp on the good chocolate. Make sure to search out some quality ingredients. And, use coarse sea salt, not table salt. Good luck… I’m off to eat another frozen ball of dough. Ugh

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Courtesy of Stresscake

Makes about 3 dozen

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ pound 60%+ bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (4 ounces)
¼ pound 60%+ bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped into ¼” chunks or chips (4 ounces)
½ cup unsalted butter (4 ounces/1 stick)
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or chocolate extract if you have it)
½ teaspoon large flake sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line 2-3 sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Melt the first ¼ pound of finely chopped chocolate with the butter. You have two options: Double boiler method: in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring until fully melted. Microwave method: in a microwave safe bowl, 45 second bursts at 50% power, stirring between bursts until fully melted. (My preference.)
3. Let the chocolate cool slightly while you sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Transfer the melted chocolate to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and on medium, add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and mix until combined.
5. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour/cocoa mixture.
6. Add the chocolate chunks/chips and stir on low until just combined. Note: the dough can be frozen up to two months at this point. Easiest is to shape it into balls, freeze on a sheet plan then transfer to a Ziploc once frozen. Or shape into logs, wrap tightly in plastic then slice-n-bake. Frozen dough’s can go right from the freezer to the oven, just add a few minutes to the baking time.
7. With a small ice cream scoop (1”) or a teaspoon, scoop Tablespoon size balls of dough and space cookies 2” apart on prepared sheet pans. Note: I refrigerated the dough overnight, which made it very firm and rather difficult to scoop. As shown in the pictures here, I flattened each dough ball so the cookies would bake more evenly. If you use room temp dough, you don’t have to do the flattening part as they will spread nicely in the oven.
8. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt on top of each cookie.
9. Bake 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking – top to bottom and front to back. The cookies will be quite soft coming out of the oven – once cool, they should be crisp on the outside but still soft on the inside. Adjust baking time if necessary.
10. Let cool on pans then carefully remove and place on serving tray.
11. Cookies will keep for a few days, tightly wrapped.