Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies with Tahini Hot Cocoa

With blizzard Jonas billowing towards Virginia, we knew that meant one thing for certain: cookies and cocoa. Our grocery list was a meticulous itinerary for tasty treats to get through a long weekend. If we were going to be holed in, we needed something to look forward to after shoveling snow for hours on end.  

The husband loves cookies. It started off as an Oreo obsession but that has slowly waned as he has experienced more home-made flavors. He was shocked when he started to notice the difference between manufactured goods versus oven-fresh. His new go-to cookie is homemade chocolate chip. For such a standard recipe, it amazes me how even the slightest variation can cause a drastic change. 

I would give these Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies a B+. They're mighty good but lacked that something special. Yes, they are soft and chewy; you would never regret making them. It's just that this house has met other cookies that have caused us to pause in adoration on the first bite.

For the husband, his favorite chocolate chip cookie remains the recipe from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. For me, I love my go-to Bread Flour Cookies because they hold such a nice shape and do not require refrigeration before baking. The downside is that they are a little more cakey so I find a night in an air-tight container works wonders. On the total opposite end of the spectrum, I adore this recipe from Williams Sonoma. The one itty bitty detail that frustrates me is how the cookie can cling to the parchment because of the chocolate chunks. Your have to be careful with the bake time but aside from that, they're gold.

Snow is not complete without hot cocoa. My usual crowd pleaser is from Smitten Kitchen and we recently discovered tthe magic that is a touch of Mary Hite Bowman Carmel Cream liqueur (sorry folks, you have to visit the distillery in the Fredericksburg, VA to get a bottle).

Then out of left field, an entirely radical hot cocoa came into my tiny world: tahini hot cocoa. It sounds like madness... sesame in a cup... but I absolutely had to give it a try. I love the nutty flavor of black sesame and if this concoction held even a thimble of that magic, it would be my new best friend. Plus, it's vegan!

I definitely held back on telling Mike what was in his cup to avoid any bias. It's like no other cocoa I have ever tasted which is not a bad thing! Instead of regular milk, this calls for low-fat coconut milk - yummy! There's a little unsweetened cocoa power for the chocolate effect, a splash of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Instead of honey as a sweetener, I used maple syrup. Our organic, raw honey is not the sweetest and wouldn't contribute in terms of flavor.

This recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of tahini but a word of caution - start slow. Add one tablespoon at a time and taste test. I enjoyed the full glory of the sesame but the hubs needed a little more milk to thin it out. The overall flavor is subtle, mature, and not overly sweet. Serve with a dollop of coconut whip cream and cinnamon stick to stir.

One last observation for this recipe! Because it's coconut milk, only heat to the point of serving because the longer it's on the stove, the more the milk reduces making it thicker and thicker. If you should, oh I don't know, accidentally let it boil for an extended period of time because you're distracted by the super cute foster cat.... your hot cocoa is going to have a consistency akin to pudding. On the plus side, I now have a new recipe in the works!

Keep cozy and warm with some Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies (from, "Stuck on Sweet) and a cup of Tahini Hot Chocolate (from, "My Name is Yeh")!

Toasted Marshmallow Iced Coffee

Coffee has always played a special role in my life. Its scent is associated with childhood visits from family and friends coming over for dinner. When I went to college, I studied at a coffee shop for hours slowly slipping my non-fat iced latte. During a double shift at the restaurant, friends would drop off a Thai Iced Coffee to rocket me through. After college, I worked as a barista at Starbucks for a year. Now, amazingly enough, it is a weekend ritual and sweet retreat with my husband.

When I first met Mike, he was not a coffee or espresso drinker. For any other person, this would have been a deal breaker. They would have asked me out - I inevitably would ask, "hey want to get coffee?" and their "no" would have turned my agreement into, "Ohhh... THIS Saturday night? I have to wash my hair that night and walk the cat."

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating... maybe...  

 

Regardless, I'm not exactly sure what happened in the progression of our relationship that converted Mike to a coffee/espresso drinker. He would join me at cafes to listen to music and draw while I read a book or studied for an exam. There were a few sparkling lemonades and hot cocoas. Then he ventured into big game: espresso. His first affair was with the Turtle Mocha at Caribou, then a romp with Nutella iced-lattes, and has currently settled into a very light Mocha.

Real love is learning how someone like's their coffee. For example, my mother and (rest in peace) grandfather both like it super sugary and with tons of cream. I found that the hubby has a similar palette but doesn't like artificial flavors, heavy syrups, and overly-bitter notes. That's how I knew that this coffee was a must-try in our household!

This recipe calls for iced coffee, simple syrup (pictured on the right), a touch of cream, and marshmallow creme (pictured on the left). Making the iced coffee and simple syrup is extremely easy. 

The marshmallow creme, however, does take a degree of determination. The boiled sugar becomes precarious to handle and hardens quickly on anything it touches. Be sure to read the directions before jumping into it and you'll be fine. Also, you will need a candy thermometer. My mixing bowl took a beating with solidified threads of caramel but an overnight soak in the sink fixed it right up!

The good news is it's well worth the effort and makes the store-bought stuff look like a joke. I could see this being used as a topping on a myriad of other tasty treats, from raw strawberries to cupcake frosting.

The final special requirement of this recipe is the cooking torch. Miracously, I actually have one of these thanks to my brother! The year that I baked the Brûléed Bourbon-Maple Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving stood out like a sore thumb in his mind because I didn't have the proper equipment. I insisted that I didn't need a torch because I had no intent on making a brulee in the near future. A few weeks later for the holidays, he knew exactly what he wanted to give me. Thanks, Joey!

Who would have thought that I'd use it to toast marshmallows indoors? 

If you don't have a wicked little kitchen flambe torch device - no worries. You can either make the marshmallow creme and toast it with the oven broiler - or - you can use regular marshmallows and toast them in the oven (instructions below). It's not quite the same because they're not as gooey and soft as the creme but they can do the trick in a pinch.

To assemble, mix iced coffee with a healthy bit of ice. Add as much simple syrup as you want to your coffee (I like 1-2 tablespoons) and stir. Top with a splash of cream (or whatever you prefer) and healthy dollop of the marshmallow creme. Flambe the creme and bask in the glory of your Toasted Marshmallow coffee!

Toasted Marshmallow Iced Coffee
slightly modified from Confectionalism

Iced Coffee (makes 2-4 cups)
2/3 cups coffee beans
3 cups cold water

Coarsely grind the beans in a food processor; let soak in the water overnight.  Strain the beans with a fine mesh sieve or a cheese cloth. Set aside. 

Simple Syrup
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water

Mix the sugars with water in a small pot until it reaches a boil. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes; stir occasionally. When it cools, it will have a syrup-like consistency.  Store in the fridge or at room temperature.

Marshmallow Creme (option 1)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/6 cups water
pinch of salt
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium, heavy bottomed, saucepan over high heat.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 240°F on a candy/fat thermometer. Read next step to prepare meringue while you wait.

While the sugar is boiling: Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin whipping the egg whites to soft peaks on medium speed. (you want the egg whites whipped and ready, so when the sugar syrup comes to 250 degrees F you can immediately drizzle it in. If they’re whipping up faster than your syrup is coming to temperature, just stop the mixer at soft peaks until the syrup is to temp.)

When the syrup reaches 240°F, reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly pour about 3 tablespoons of syrup into the egg whites to warm them Slowly pour in the rest of the syrup, between the bowl and the whip. Increase the speed to medium high and whip until the marshmallow crème is stiff and glossy, about 6 minutes.

Add in the vanilla and whip 1 minute more.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Marshmallow Creme (option 2)

6 marshmallows per cup

Take 6 marshmallows and nestle them inside a cupcake tin. Using a cooking torch or oven broiler (careful now!), toast the top and edges until they lightly melt and bond together. Allow it to cool and place on top of combined iced coffee as a finishing touch.

The Workout Refresher: Fruity Coconut Water

It might be a health craze, but I love me some coconut water. My cardio routine is hardly marathon worthy so I avoid drinking anything that overcompensates. Coconut water is a natural source that is rich in potassium without all the crazy bells and whistles of a sports drink. There was a phase in college when I thought Gatorade was like orange juice until I realized there was direct correlation between sleeping poorly and having a bottle before bed. Smart, right?

At some point in time, I was inspired to make a concoction of blending coconut water, bananas, and frozen berries. It was absolutely delicious and a real thirst quencher drenched in potassium and antioxidants. The beauty is there are no necessary guidelines. The hubby prefers an almost water-like consistency so we skip the banana. His favorite combination is a handful of mixed berries blended with coconut water; a close second is an even mix of frozen mango/pineapple. I'm eager to try these versions from The Chic Site but honestly, we love it because it can be thrown in the blender with minimal thought!

And remember, not all coconut waters are created equal. I'm always searching for the highest potassium count for the hydration benefits and the pinkest color for the best flavor. Check the labels and compare!

Fruity Coconut Water

1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries
14 ounces of coconut water

Blend until berries are finely chopped; it may be a bit frothy at the top which is fine!

If you prefer a thicker consistency, drop a dollop of plain yogurt, a couple ice cubes, a frozen banana, or more fruit.

If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a splash of water or juice.

Magic Iced Coffee

Coffee and espresso are childhood friends of mine. They never missed a family dinner party and made the occasional breakfast appearance. The gentlemen enjoyed their shot of espresso straight up; sometimes they'd slip a little something-something in there. Oh how I envied their tiny cups with matching spoons! The ladies stuck with decaf coffee... though my mom fixed it to taste more like sweetened milk.

Café is cultural. We used to tease my mom that the reason she's short is from drinking too much coffee as a kid growing up in Portugal. The reality is coffee was used as a cheap substitute for milk and with ten kids, all corners needed to be cut. Their breakfast frequently consisted of bits of hearty bread mixed into black coffee- it's sort of like cereal? During our honey moon, Mike was thrilled to see a pastelaria on nearly every city corner. Even the rental car had a coffee cup light set for  X amount of miles as a reminder to take a driving break! Long story short... we got this thing for café!

The one thing that was never served in our home is iced coffee. It wasn't until its popularization as a commercial industry in America did syrups, chocolate, and whipped cream enter my cup. I instantly fell for the iced varieties; you don't have to worry about them getting cold (ha!) and spillage while driving to work has no burn risk factor. I used to loveeee iced Kona coffee with a splash of Kahlua in the summer... my goodness.

If you've never made iced coffee before, it's a cinch. Simply coarsely blend the coffee beans (I use a food processor but you can also ask a coffee shop to do it for free, i.e. Starbucks), dump into a large container, add water, and let it sit over-night. In the morning, strain the coffee to make sure there's no  bean fragments floating in your mug, throw in some ice cubes, and add milk to your liking. Ta da!

This iced coffee is magical because of the addition of brown sugar and cinnamon to the overnight concoction. The coffee absorbs the sweetness of the brown sugar while the dash of cinnamon balances out the flavor profiles. It's so good, you don't even need to add any milk.

PS. Pro tip: make sure you give the over-night mix a good shake to before straining to ensure everything comes out. Use a mesh strainer for the first round of filtering; this will get rid of the big pieces of coffee bean. Strain a second time with a cheesecloth to catch the finer particles.

If you're an iced coffee lover- you definitely need to give this one a shot! For the recipe, check out Food 52's post for Magic Iced Coffee!

Honey-Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

The holidays have flown by and I'm left in the wake of the lethargic aftermath. Even thinking of the right words for this post is an effort! It's a touch pathetic really but it's not entirely my fault. Fraiser's on the ol' Amazon Prime and it's like a moth to a flame. How can I win when a key character is a cute Jack Russell Terrier?

I would like to start with saying (finally), Happy New Year! Hello 2014! Here's to a joyous and wonderful  year ahead, no matter what the challenges. Salude! 

Before anybody jumps off the deep end and starts the New Year with the stereotypical health and fitness goals, please take a moment to relax! If you're anything like our family, getting through the holidays was a sheet act of survival between traveling, budgeting, gift shopping, present wrapping, scheduling, familial tensions, and cooking.  Quite frankly, Mike and I were so busy working till the last second in order to save PTO and trying to make all the details perfect, we kind of missed out on the holiday spirit. Most of Christmas Eve was rushed and stressful. I don't want December to lose its magic just because we're adults. 

These Marshmallows were made to capture the simple whimsy of winter and as a present for the in-laws. We were trying to think of home-made gifts and Mike recalled his mother's love for classic hot cocoa when they were stationed in Alaska. What's more nostalgic than that? Cozy up with mug and a good book! Heck, be a little naughty and make the adult version. Whichever way that you like it- make sure that it's loaded up with marshmallows!

I've never made marshmallows and found the process fun as well as educational. It's so wild to make something that you took for granted. Like babies come from the stork, marshmallows come from the grocery store and are made of mystery- duh.  No seriously.. what the heck is a marshmallow? Lo, the power of knowing what you're eating.

Turns out it's gelatin, cornstarch, corn syrup, and sugar. Not exactly my idea of appetizing and yet the end result is delicious. How does that even work? This recipe is particularly lovely because it incorporates vanilla bean and honey. It's not an overpowering flavor and adds a subtle sweetness. Sorry regular marshmallows- you just got schooled.

The marshmallows are easy to make- please be careful because the batter is sticky and you don't want that mess in your kitchen. I don't recommend microwaving them for smores as I have done in the past with the store bought version. Instead of puffing up all big- they melted which really makes one raise their eyebrow, "what the heck is in the store bought version that makes it puff??" These are best lightly toasted and in hot cocoa.

Check out Joy the Baker's adaptation of these delightful Honey-Vanilla Bean Marshmallows!

Magic in a Bottle

It's a bit late in the game for holiday gifts, but this idea can be applied to any occasion! For a handful of lovely ladies in the office, I handed out an assortment of dry hot cocoa mix, eggnog, and spiced chai concentrate. All were easy to make recipes and looked darling dolled up in these air-tight bottles from Crate and Barrel.

The labels were purchased at Paper Source. I wrote the names in a fun font, punched a hole, and threaded with baker's twine, which can also be found at Paper Source. Honestly, you can easily make these labels at home. Simply print a stencil, cut it out, and trace on some sturdy paper. Use any string/ribbon you so desire! You could even do peel-on labels and slap 'em on the bottle like I did for our anniversary.

Tied around the top of each bottle are chocolate-almond biscottis in sandwich bags. Don't get the ziplock kind with the seal at the top- they're can be annoying to twist; I picked the generic kind at CVS. These biscottis were homemade, courtesy of David Lebovitz. These biscottis were delicious, rich in both chocolate and almond. If you're not an almond lover, you probably won't care for this recipe. Rolling out the dough was one heck of a work out. 

As for the contents of the bottle, I played it safe with some good old fashioned hot cocoa mix. It contains powered milk already so simply add water for an easy cup of happiness. 

The spiced chai is a recipe I've wanted to make for a minute. It's not difficult however I strongly encourage going to a spice shop to get the ingredients. A regular store will make you buy more than you need; I hate to let anything go to waste. Personally, I would halve the amount of star anise in the recipe. It's a powerful flavor and really came through.

The eggnog was a solo addition. In a meeting before I made the mixes, I overheard my coworker raving how much she loves eggnog. This was a personal touch because she's one of my favorite people to work with- why the heck not! Plus, I wanted to take a crack at it for Mike's dad anyways- it made a solid test run. Season to your liking, we added lots of extra cinnamon. I did the "cooked" eggnog version. 

This formula is great for any occasion. You could do lemonade with shortbread cookies, mixers with a side of lime slices, or cider with mini pumpkin muffins. Have fun with it!

Recipes:

Dry Hot Cocoa 

Spiced Chai Concentrate

Eggnog 

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Note: When you do make anything for a bottle, make sure that you have a cooking funnel. It will make the process a million times easier and cleaner. We had a really hard time finding one at generic grocery stores. 

Healthy Strawberry-Banana Smoothie!

Kick back with this delicious summer smoothie! It's healthy and happy. Strawberries blended with bananas, yogurt, ginger, and honey served over a few ice cubes... really, there is no going wrong.

Of course, throw in some additional berries if you so desire. Mmmm blackberries.... I think this needs to be done.

The flavor of this smoothie is very mild and natural. You feel good drinking it!

I love it for breakfast. You can prep it the night before- just dump everything in a blender and refrigerate over night. When the morning sunshine hits- hit the pulverize button!

Make some delicious Blueberry muffins on the side and have a BERRY yummy morning. Okay that was painful to type. You get the idea!

Plus, Starbucks has these awesome Grande Cups for $5.00. That's 16 ounces of cute.

Natural and simple.

: )

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
by What Katie Ate

3 chopped bananas
Handful of hulled strawberries
2 cups milk
4 heaping tablespoons of natural yogurt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon honey

Put everything in a blender. Blend! Pour into a chilled glass with a few ice cubes.

Shower Nom Nom Recap

There was a moment where I was scared for people's lives in the kitchen. My brother had called casually to say he was on his way to the restaurant for lunch. Lunch? Already? What time is it? That's when Olga realized it was noon and not all the food was ready for the 1pm baby shower. Uh oh.

This woman is such a G, she kept cooking even with a burned hand from the bbq. Susana was wrestling to put ointment on her but couldn't hold her back. Bruised, bandaged and yelling at people.... lunch was on the table by 1. Food is an extension of love in this family. It's her only daughter's baby shower- ohhhh you could taste the love. Paella, roast beef, potatoes, salad, bread... my goodness.

I played it safe and stuck with desserts made in the safety of my kitchen: cupcakes, cake donuts, cake pops, monkey bread (per request), and blueberry lemonade.

Since women are pickers by nature, I kept the cupcakes as minis. The Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream frosting (frosting with Ovaltine mixed in? heck yah!) were topped with gum paste flowers from Sweet Perfections. No one believed the flowers were edible because of how pretty, dainty, and delicate they looked. Terra was super nice and threw in a few extra flowers in case they broke in the mail. Not a single one was broken! Thanks so much Terra!

Plus, found this cupcake stand for $10 at the Home Goods store. Added a few flowers and ribbon I stumbled upon at Michael's to go with the blue theme.

With the left over batter from one sheet of cupcakes, I made mini chocolate donuts with a coffee flavored glaze. The glaze was simply confectioners sugar with a splash of milk and some coffee extract. These were a gamble- I never made cake donuts but this recipe worked out amazing! Phew! Highly recommend.

The cake pops were made from boxed lemon cake (shush you hardcore foodies) mixed with 1 regular (16 ounce) package of cream cheese. Next time, I'm going to use lemon frosting instead. Wasn't feeling the cream cheese and lemon combination. For the coating, add a few splashes of blue food coloring to some white chocolate bark and melt over double boiler. Yes, they looked cute but they were a pain in the butt in terms of time.

To help wash down the sweetness, a lil more sweetness: blueberry lemonade. This was again, a part of the blue themed effort. It definitely wasn't blue though. You lied to me blueberries!! Simply take the delicious raspberry lemonade recipe and switch out the fruit portion. I halved the sugar.

Last but not least, the beloved monkey bread. This thing has become an epidemic in my family. Everyone LOVES it. Yes- it's time consuming because the bread has to rise twice but it's worth it. People are mystified by this sweet bread.

I topped the bread with these mesmerizing mini pinwheels from Aubrey. I'm enchanted by these pinwheels and have them in vases throughout the house. They're dreamy. I was even more tickled she used one of my pictures for her etsy! Thanks so much Aubrey!

Mission, complete! Now just waiting for summer to kick in for all the family bdays! Ah geez : )

Matcha Green Tea Malted Milkshake

Hey, you! Get off my cloud! You don't know me and you don't know my style! Ahem. Sorry, cleaning the house and there's a little Wu-Tang Clan blasting.

This is going to be a quickie post. There is ironing still to be done! Hooray? I wanted to share this recipe from Joy the Baker. This is probably going to be my treat after I put a dent in that pile of shirts. Thank you Lawd for chill Sundays.

This Matcha Green Tea Malted Milkshake is a little "exotic." The process of creating it is super easy- it's a matter of finding two ingredients:

1) matcha powder: finely grown green tea leaves; I found some in the tea section of Wegman's.

2) malt powder: there are several brands, I found one by Ovaltine.

Once you find these, it's a sinch! Dump everything into the blender and zzzzrrrrr! The end result is a smooth, sweet treat. It's hard to explain the actual flavor. Don't worry, it does not taste like those malt ball candies you buy at the movies. The vanilla and honey balance everything. If you like green tea deserts, you'll loves!

This does not taste like that crap you get at Starbucks. Yah I went there. That Green Tea Creamer Frappocinno makes me nervous. The matcha comes in this big white bag and one must question the quality. Matcha aint cheap. I'll stick to this home made version where I know what's going into my tummy thank you very much.

For your amusement, a photo of the ghetto set up done in an effort to take a nice picture of the milkshake. This is what happens when you don't have good lighting in your kitchen and want to take a photo at night. See how much I loves you?

Now go enjoy this chill Sunday afternoon.

Matcha Green Tea Malted Milkshake

by Joy The Baker

1/2 cup milk
1 generous cup vanilla ice cream
1 tablespoon matcha powder
1 1/2 tablespoons malt powder
dash of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons honey

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy and no big chunks remain.

Fin!

Adult Hot Chocolate and Books

Attention Northern VA: snow is coming! Supposedly... Don't disappoint me Weather Channel! Either way, you can use this yummy spiked hot cocoa recipe! The key is a splash of Amaretto; it makes you melt. The chocolate is rich but not overly sweet. It's very simple and easy to tailor to your liking. This makes Swiss Miss taste like chalk.

Buy some groceries and a little liquor. Warm a blanket in the dryer. Grab a good book. And make this cocoa.

My recommendation is The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. It was my sister's suggestion and, as usual, she was right on. This book took me by total surprise. Suspense. Intrigue. Twists and turns. Don't ask questions! Just read it! Oh... and in terms of content, it's rated R. This is not warm, feel good reading.

The book hording began in elementary school. I was a friendly but super shy kid. By 4th grade I was a volunteer library aide. Pretty cool, right?

When my brother was in high school, he would tell me these extravagant tales of halls made of mirrors, a king so fat they got stuck in their bath tub, and so forth. I loved it! My imagination absorbed. The next year, I had the same teacher and quickly realized these stories are real: European history. If you had Mr. Bailey or Mr. Carter as a teacher-- you know!

Be it written or oral, story telling is part of our nature. Friends sit around swapping memories and recreating moments. Books share a stranger's ideas and dreams. There's something fantastic about that.

What's your favorite book?

Adult Hot Chocolate
by Matt Lewis of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

2 ounces milk chocolate
5 ounces dark chocolate (60% at least)
1/2 cup water
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons Amaretto

Place chocolates in a heat proof bowl.

Boil water in a small sauce pan; pour over the chocolate and let it stand for a minute. Whisk till smooth. Set aside.

Heat milk and heavy cream in the small sauce pan. Add maple syrup and the chocolate mix; heat to your liking.

Pour into two mugs and add a tablespoon (or more) of Amaretto to each.

Now go get your read on with the perfect couch companion, spiked hot cocoa!