A surprise package in the mail

I go to my mailbox yesterday and found a great surprise waiting for me.  A nice envelope from King Arthur Flour.  My first thought was "I must of signed up for something a while ago" but I didn't remember signing up for anything.  I get inside and open it up and this is what I find.

why yes, yes I will
have happy baking

I thought thats a neat way to send a catalogue.  How cute. Then I flip it over and open it up



i do love to bake :)



a gift card!!
oh happy day!

And on the inside of one of the flaps was the sweetest note.  "Thanks Cookie Goddess.  From your #1 fans"
LYNDA AND BAXTER SENT ME A PRESENT!! Just for sending them some cookies! I was floored!  And I immediately texted them to thank them profusely.  I couldn't believe how nice that was of them.  I didn't expect anything in return from them, just wanted to send some cookies to them.  They told me they wanted to support me in my passion and let me bake my heart out.  Well, damn skippy thats what I'm going to do!

I look through the catalogue countless times, making a list trying to help me narrow it down.  I decided against ordering any of their mixes and stick with supplies and fun things that I don't have, like a tart pan.  But my first thing I knew I was going to purchase was something I have blogged about (and I believe is Lynda's favorite post) - yeast.  They have really good yeast and I decided to go all out and get the set of yeast, yeast spoon and an airtight canister.  I thought if I had really good yeast I wouldn't have anymore issues like I did at Thanksgiving. 

I placed my order and can not wait for it to get here!  Thank you once again Bax and Lynda - I'm sure I will be sending you many care packages to thank you for this great gift! :)

Lemon Madeleines

I figured I would take a break from making chocolatey, heavy things and go for something light.  Plus I had a request for something lemon from one of Heay's coworkers.  And the boys at her work were getting anxious because I had promised them treats this week and it was already Wednesday and there were no treats.  So yesterday I got to baking.  After a quick trip to the grocery store to get a couple of things, I came back home and got to work on the cookies.  Now, I always wanted to make these, but never bought the pans.  Over the years I ended up with 2 sets of Madeleine tins - two that are mini and two that are normal sized. 

my mini tins :)

I pull out the cookie bible (its getting a lot of use this week and still going strong, but I fear the final day will come soon) and get the batter going.  This cookie is so easy to make and it is a light and cakey cookie with a hint of lemon - delicious.   And the cool part is once you get it all together, you let it sit for 30 minutes and it thickens and doubles in volume.  I thought it was pretty cool the first time I made these.  But then again, I'm a nerd :) Make sure you butter the tins really well or spray the crap out of them with Pam or whatever cooking spray you use.  If you don't the cookies wont slide out and will stick to the tins and tear.   The first time I made these, I apparently didn't do a very good job at this step because half of them ended up stuck in the tins and I was a very frustrated CB.  So now I go above and beyond spraying down the tins every time and haven't had a problem with them sticking since. 

Once the cookies are done baking, you can coat them in confectioner's sugar.  I suggest you do this, it gives that cookie a little something extra, although they are delicious if you decide to keep them naked as well. 

mini Madeleines coated and cooling

I did one batch of minis and one batch of full sized ones.  Once they were all cooled and ready to go, I went off to go play cookie fairy to the boys at Heay's work and a bag went to Ween's coworkers as well (luckily they work a couple of minutes from each other.)

regular sized Madeleines

The boys loved them and so did Ween's coworkers, who told Ween that it must be a dangerous thing living with me because I make so many treats all the time. 

Lemon Madeleines

makes 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp coarse salt

3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pans

Confectioner's sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
2. Put eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on medium-high speed until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes.  Mix in butter.  Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into egg mixture.  Let batter rest 30 minutes. 
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two madeleine pans.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans, filling the molds three-quarters full.  Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until edges are crisp and golden, 7-8 minutes.  Let cookies cool slightly in pans on wire racks.  Invert, and unmold.  Dust with confectioner's sugar, if desired. 

Cookies in the Mail

I sent off a care package full of cookies to my friends that live in Denver.  I was like a little school girl all day yesterday waiting until their mail came so they could dive into the box and eat the cookies.  I was dying to know how they liked them.  I sent a bag of Aunt Polly's Raisin Cookies and Chocolate Thumbprints.  One of them is a HUGE shortbread fan, so I had to make the thumbprints.  The other has had my baking many times thanks to us meeting in school almost 10 years ago (wow thats a long time!)  We were talking and the request came down for cookies and I happily made them some and sent them off on their merry way to Denver.  Praying and hoping that they got there in one piece and still fresh and in good shape.  Then finally, I got my first email from them, saying that they got the package.  And then the fun began.  They were nice enough to take pictures of the whole event - which made me laugh so much.  But I'm only going to share my favorites of their experience. 

Needless to say, the 2 hour time difference was killing me.  So I didn't hear from them until around 6 PM my time.  Waiting all day really sucked.  But once I got the first email from Lynda - the fun really began. 



COOKIES!!! :) 
and all the bags I used
to make sure they got
their in 1 piece

I love getting feedback on my baking from people.  It lets me know what I need to tweak and when to leave a good recipe alone.  And people that know me give me great feedback - and it has helped me out a lot.  One time I made cookies that I thought were alright and I wouldn't make again, but everyone I gave them to said they were amazing and I must make them again! So what do I know?! Now, if you read the post about the thumbprints, Lynda and Baxter were nice enough to leave some very nice comments.....and amusing.  But most of our talking back and forth happened on Facebook and through texting.  They were so happy that I sent them cookies - but 2 kinds?! Forget it!



YAY!! COOKIES!!

Baxter has had my baking for years, but it was in the early years of my baking and I mainly stuck to just chocolate chip cookies and brownies and sugar cookies - you know, easy things.  Last year I got to have a great visit with Baxter and another friend of ours and then came the time when I introduced my better level of baking to Baxter.  :)  So Lynda has been hearing all these stories about my baking, so I had to share the goodness with her.  I didn't expect the comments they said at all...but it made me smile and feel loved from so far away.  I think my favorites were from Lynda "OMG, freakishly good. Like, JOIN THE CULT good. I'd drink the Kool-Aid for these cookies. THAT good"


Love with a raisin cookie :)

If you know me in real life, and you know Baxter and Lynda as well, I highly suggest you check out all of the amazing pictures of the cookie arrival on Facebook.  They are too freaking cute together! And my friend Amy is truly jealous that they got a care package of cookies and she got nothing.  Sissy - you know yours is in the works! :)  


Chocolate Thumprints

I love these cookies.  Acutally, they are one of my sisters, Ween, favorite cookies.  Everytime I can't decide on what cookies to make, she throws out 2 options for me - Snickerdoodles or Chocolate Thumbprints.  And who wouldn't love a shortbread cookie filled with a chocoalte ganache?!  Sign me up!  I think shortbreads are under rated in the cookie world and often get over looked.  They are an excellent cookie, and ridiculously easy to make.  If you've never tried a shortbread, you are missing out.  So why not start with these?!  So easy and the perfect bite size cookie. 

What made me want to make these was a conversation with one of my friends out west.  We were talking about my blog and how its been a long time since they've had my baking (actually one of them has never had my baking at all).  One of them loves shortbread, and it was like a lightbulb went off - Chocolate Thumbprints!  Perfect cookies to be sent in the mail.  So away I go and pull out my cookie bible (Martha Stewarts Cookies) - and I'm happy to say it has lived another day.  This is one recipe that I make so often the book actually opens right to the page - sad isn't it?  I pull out my stand mixer and get going on making the dough.  The first time I made these, I was surprised to learn that there are no eggs in a shortbread.  And then I thought to myself - thats why its called a shortbread.....Im super smart sometimes.  I get the dough all made and then comes the fun part, making little balls of dough.  Because the dough doesn't really expand you can fit a large amount of cookies on each sheet - which is awesome.



look at how many I fit on there! :)

You bake them for 10 minutes and then comes the fun part.  You get to make holes in the cookies for the ganache filling to go into.  I've used everything from my thumb (the cookies are really hot and I dont suggest using your thumb) to the end of a wooden spoon - which actually works the best.  So I poke holes in the cookies and back into the oven they go to get golden brown.  But don't press too hard when making the holes, you can break the cookie in half.



its fun making the
holes

Once these bad boys cool off, I make the ganache.  Yes - another ganache.  But I'm back to myself this time so there were no mistakes.  :)  I melt the chocolate, butter and corn syrup and let it thicken until the right consistancy and I get started on filling the cookies.  I've learned over the years of making these that the easiest thing to do is just pour the ganache straight from the bowl.  I've tried everything from using a spoon to fill each cookie to a pastry bag and everything in between.  The pastry bag worked great, but it was another thing to clean.  So I always use a small bowl with a spout on it to pour things.  It will make your life so much easier this way.  I fill each cookie and I always have some ganache left over, so I go back through another round of filling the cookies a little more. 




yum :)

Then all thats left to do is let the ganache firm up and you are ready to eat them.  Once they were ready to be eaten, I packed some up, along with some raisin cookies, and sent them on their way to Denver.  They should be getting their cookies today - and I can't wait to hear the feedback! And needless to say when Ween got home from work and found out I made cookies she was so happy.  But then she asked what cookies I made and I told her it was Chocolate Thumbprints, she went straight to the cookie jar to eat a few.  :)




Chocolate Thumprints

makes 4 1/2 dozen

2 sticks (1 cup) plus 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 tsp corn syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, the confectioners sugar, salt and vanilla on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Beat in flour, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium until combined.
3. Form balls using 2 teaspoons of dough for each; place balls 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.  Bake 10 minutes, remove from oven, and press thumb into cookies to make deep, wide indentations.  Rotate pan, and return to oven; bake until light brown on the edges, 7-9 minutes more.  (If the indentations begin to lose definition, remove cookies from oven and press again.)  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Combine chocolate, the remaining 6 tbsp butter and the corn syrup in a small heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water; stir occasionally until melted and smooth.  Allow to cool a bit until slightly thickened.  Fill thumbprints with the chocolate mixture, and set aside to firm up. 

Aunt Polly's Raisin Cookies

As you can tell, I've been not feeling like myself the past week.  My sisters decided to have a Girls Night Out Saturday night - dinner and drinks.  It was the best night.  Totally snapped me out of my funk and I feel like me again.  So what did I do yesterday, thats right, bake.  And at my parents house, with my favorite oven ever.  Now, when I started this blog I didn't think that anyone would read it.  When I told my mom that I started one, her reply was "Oh Cb, you've really got too much time on your hands".  I said yes I do but you should still read it mom.  Her next reply was "So its like that Julie and Julia thing?"  I laughed and said its like that but Im not going to go through Julia Childs cookbook and make everything, this is about me in the kitchen and my boo boos and triumphs.  I told her to get back to me once she read it and let me know what she thinks.  I never would of imagined that my parents would be my biggest fans of my blog.  My mom loves my posts and especially loves when I post things that I've made in her kitchen.  And my dad had told me that I can blog about him, but if I put a picture of him up on here he would "disown me".  And then he proceeded to ask me all weekend when I was going to make those Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes again.  :) 

So I was really in the mood to make these cookies - the best Raisin Cookies EVER!  I love to eat them warm - soooooo good.  And these cookies are so easy and it makes a ton.  My mom is a fan of having some in the morning with her tea.  It is a great alternative to a regular chocolate chip cookie or an oatmeal raisin cookie.

I get going on the raisins....first you have to boil them in some water for 5 minutes before you can do anything else.


trust me, dont skip this step - it makes
the raisins so juicy and delicious




Once thats done and they are cooled, you get going on the batter.  Kind of easy - its one of those throw everything in a bowl and mix it ones.  Then I get out my trusty cookie scoop - which I love - and scoop away



i love my cookie scoop
and my Silpat pads :)

 And then I take them out of the oven once they are golden brown



nice and warm

I suggest you eat them warm - sooo good.  But they are great fully cooled too.  I usually stick them in the microwave for a couple seconds if they are fully cooled. 



yummies

And once I was all done and putting them away in the cookie jar, Heays said that she would like these more if they were chocolate chip cookies.   

Truffle Brownies

Im on a roll, having a spectacularly crappy week.  So I thought that I would try to bake again....didn't really go that well. My heart is still not really into it.  I got out my Martha Stewart "Martha Stewart's Cookies" cookbook.  Now, I've used this thing so many times, it's falling apart on me.  :(  I will eventually have to break down and get a new copy of it since pages keep falling out and I've got numerous stains on pages (a sign of an excellent cookbook).  Everytime I use it I pray to the baking gods that it will make it through this session and live on for another day.  And I will most likey shed a little tear when the day comes that I have to throw it away....Im such a nerd.  But this is my "go to" book - never lets me down when I need a recipe for something or when I want to make my own version of something in the book. 

And I used this as an excuse to finally use my springform pan that has just been sitting in my baking cabinet, dying to be used.  So why not make a delicious fudgy brownie with a fantasic chocolate ganache topping?  Sounds perfect to mend my broken heart.  So I get to work and make the batter.  Things seem to be going pretty well and before I know it, I'm pouring the batter into my springform pan.



chocolatey and fudgey batter :)

Away it goes into the oven and I let it bake and then take it out to let it cool.  Once its fully cooled, I started on the ganache.  I love making these - always nice and rich and delicious.  It is time consuming because depending on which one I'm making (I've got a couple recipes for different types of ganaches) depends on how long it takes for it to set.  This one called for up to 30 minutes.  And against my better judgement I poured it ontop of the brownies.  I knew this was a mistake - I should of listened to myself. 



ganache - and my festive
winter spatula

 It needed another 15 minutes to finish setting up.  It wasn't thick enough and I thought it would be ok to pour it on top of the brownies to finish setting.  Big mistake.  :(  I've got high standards when I make things - I always want them to come out perfect and I'm not happy with them if they turn out "just ok" in my eyes. 
I stick it in the fridge praying that it will set up right, but I knew that it wouldn't really.  So I check on it hours later and it did set up. When I go to cut it up, the ganache starts to run.  :(  I knew it would still taste the same and my sister Heays coworkers wouldn't care about looks (its mostly guys - they really don't critique the look of the treats, just the taste.  They are more excited that she's got stuff for them to eat than what it is or what it looks like).  I stick them in the fridge until she goes to work. 



not the best looking, but
still delicious though

They were a hit with her coworkers, which I knew they would be.  I'm just more bummed that I couldn't get it right.  Lesson learned - stay out of the kitchen until fully ready to put my heart back into making things. 

Here is the recipe for those wanting to attempt it :) 




Truffle Brownies

makes about 1 dozen

for the batter:

1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

for the ganache:

4 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter a 9" springform pan.
2. Make batter:  put butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted.  Let cool slightly.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
4. Put sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Add chocolate mixture, the milk, and vanilla, and mix until combined.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture; mix, scraping down sides of bowl, until well combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, 27-30 minutes.  Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
6. Make ganache:  Put chocolate in a bowl.  Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until just simmering.  Pour over chocolate; let stand 5 minutes.  Gently stir until smooth.  Let ganache cool, stirring every 10 minutes, until slightly thickened, 25-30 minutes.
7. Pour ganache over cooled brownies in a pan; let set, about 20 minutes.  Refrigerate until cold, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
8. Let brownies stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes before serving.  Release springform, and remove brownies; cut into wedges, wiping knife with a hot damp cloth between each cut.  Scatter sprinkles on top, if desired.  Brownies can be refrigerated in a single layer in an airtight container up to 2 days.  Bring to room temperature before serving

Baking with a broken heart

I got dumped yesterday :( I kind of saw it coming, but it still hurts.  We just weren't on the same page with things. And I respect him for it - he did the right thing and it was the best relationship I've ever been in.  As I look back on it now, I can see more warning signs of the end is near.  We went over 2 weeks without seeing eachother (which was extremely uncommon for us), we were barely talking, he didn't say anything about my blog - I don't even know if he has read it at all.  The list goes on and on.  It always hurts when a break up happens, but this one is different.  I thought that he was "the one" - as cliched as that sounds, I could actually picture myself marrying this man and starting a life with him.  (I came close to marrying an ex, went ring shopping, looked into buying a house, and when it came down to it, I couldn't see myself marrying him and ended the relationship).  It was different with him, I was happy and everything in me told me it was right. 

So here I am, in my kitchen trying to bake and be happy.  Just not happening.  All I could do was pull out the tub of cookie dough from the freezer, let it thaw,




luckily i had some left over
from the cupcakes

  and bake off the cookies.

didn't make much, but
its something

 My heart just isn't in it today.  I will try to make something later, but who knows how it will turn out.