#but I also added dark chocolate chunks

[dinosaurcharcuterie]

I could say that I messed up bad on my first two batches of blondies. Nothing burned, the flavor was right, but the texture and consistency were way off. Like, I somehow missed fudgy, chewy and cakey and ended up at the hard crack candy stage. On a tray bake. Which was also oily af on the bottom. (Long story short: batter height matters, don't pour bubbling hot butter into room temp ingredients.)

Instead of admitting failure, we're gonna call this a learning experience and also an opportunity to make the world's most failsafe brownies.

The lady presenting this is a trained food scientist, but I'm still amazed each time I make this, either from stale baked goods, or cake scraps or "hide the evidence" situations. The batter just looks wrong. Every time as I'm patting it into the mold at a different height, it looks like it's gonna fail in a different way. Too stiff, too dry, too grainy, too imbalanced with whatever crumbs it's based on this time. This time, I think, this time it won't work. Especially if it's made with a failed bake.

20-25 minutes later, there's brownies. Sometimes cakier, sometimes fudgier, and not always the prettiest, but always yummy.

So I might have messed up, but no one is going to find any blondie brittle in our house. Brownies are on the counter in the haribo tub, though.

[tonyspep]

~*~big, big plans~*~

A/N: this is for the 24k winter fic exchange put together by the amazing @wyattjohnston I know this is a little late, and I'm so sorry. I've never written for Nico Hischier before, so I hope I do him justice for the great @kurlyteuvo. This doesn't take place during a specific season with the Devils as I know next to nothing about their lore. I hope you enjoy this and you've had a wonderful holiday season and have a great year this year. @fallinallincurls also helped me so much with this so shout out to her.

~*~big, big plans~*~

pairing: nico hischier x oc

summary: it's the holiday season and during the break, nico has some big, big plans on the little hawaiian island his girlfriend nadia's family has been spending the holidays since she was a little girl

rating: t

she don't know /i got some big, big plans

build a little house on some hand-me-down land

find a little island where we go to get tan

i bet we take our kids down there one day

and i know she wouldn't mind if i

did a little somethin' like find a flight

overnight to paradise and leave tonight

and i'ma put a diamond on her hand

“big, big plans” - by chris lane

Nico didn't expect to find love when he was drafted by the Devils. Honestly, he was just trying to hope he would get by with what little English he knew. Then he moved into the townhouse Hallsy recommended and he met his neighbor. Nadia turned his whole world upside down. He still remembers her wide deep brown eyes meeting his own and the cute little gasp that fell off her full strawberry pout when she realized who was standing in front of her.

She fixed her hair and babbled in the most adorable way, but her excited energy as she talked about how her family had owned season tickets to the Devils forever had him smiling. She rattled off his stats with ease and before he could say anything, she hugged him close and said softly, “Welcome to New Jersey, Nico,” and from that day on he couldn't get her out of his head.

That was six years ago. He still couldn't believe they had known each other that long. How when everything fell apart with her boyfriend, she had come to him, her beautiful brown eyes red rimmed with tears, her long dark hair piled atop her head. He comforted her and though he desperately wanted to tell her he had long fallen in love with her, he kept that secret close to his heart not wanting to take advantage when she was at her most vulnerable.

Everything changed during the pandemic. Though, her parents were close by, she stuck by his side as his family was a world away in Switzerland. She showed him how to use Zoom and surprised him by learning Swiss in additon to making way too much banana bread. She added chunks of chocolate just for him. He taught her his mother's famous Swiss food and one night, everything changed when she stood on her toes – in her kitchen – flour dusting her cheeks and smelling of vanilla and cinnamon, and she initated their first kiss.

It was everything he could have dreamed of and more. Her lips so soft and warm, her scent so beautiful and alluring, everything about her drawing him in deeper and deeper.

Now there she was at the Prudential Center cheering him on at every home game. Since she was a yoga instructor, the hours worked out perfectly for her to be able to come to nearly every game. Her parents – David and Savannah – welcomed him with open arms, which he was thankful for considering he had bought a beautiful ruby ring two months ago before both the Thompson and Hischier clans would be converging on the big island of Hawaii to spend the holidays together.

Vacationing in Hawaii to escap the harsh Jersey winters had been a tradition for Nadia's family since she was a little girl and the past two Christmases Nico had come along. Now, his family was coming. He could still hear his Mom's excited shouts in Swiss when he told her and his Dad of his plans of proposing. They had loved Nadia from the first moment they met. Welcoming her as if they had known her for years after their very first interaction.

“I can feel you staring,” Nadia as sweet as she was had a sharp tongue, and Nico could hear the teasing tone of her sweet voice. “I can enjoy the view,” He easy volleyed back, taking in her alluring shape as she finished packing her suitcase.

“What if I want you to do more than enjoy the view, huh?” Seeing her tongue wet her perfect pout had Nico groan low and deep in his throat.

Easily crossing the threshold of their bedroom, Nico had the petite brunette wrapped in his strong arms in seconds. Bending slightly as she stood on her tip toes, they kissed sweetly, their tongues tangling as her fingers found purchase in his thick hair while his roamed her back. Pulling away, they were breathing heavily and their eyes were full of love and heat. Nadia let one of her hands stay tangled in Nico's soft hair while the other trailed down his toned chest, feeling the muscles underneath his cotton t-shirt. He felt nothing but heat from her fingers.

Her soft sigh sent his blood rushing through his veins. “Can't wait to be on the beach with you,” Nadia mused. “Love seeing you get tan and how you can't keep your hands away from me. I packed the red bikini just for you, Neeks.”

“Nadi,” A desperate growl as she gave an impish smile promising nothing but trouble. “It's your favorite,” Her tone was dilberately innocent as she batted her lashes coquettishly. “How could I not bring it?”

They were talking too much Nico decided as he swept his girl up into another passionate kiss and laid her down on their bed, covering her petite body with his strong frame. They spent the rest of the night before they would leave for Hawaii in the morning, wrapped up in each other and with every kiss and every touch, every soft pant of his name, he knew more and more that Nadia was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

He could see her walking to him on David's arm in the most beautiful white dress. Giving him a cheeky wink and sticking out her tongue to make him laugh – you're too serious, neeks loosen up, baby – and how he would stick his tongue back out at her. He could hear him say I do and her say the same words back. He could see them fixing up their spare room; painting it a sweet and sunny yellow with sage accents the perfect mix of boht of them as their little girl would be. He could see them bringing her to the same resort they would be staying at once they touched down in Hawaii. Watching her play in the sand and the surf giggling as he chased her and Nadia, cuddling with her, seeing her grow and learn and change.

Kissing Nadia's head as he listened to her breath while she was wrapped in his arms, Nico couldn't imagine a better life for himself.

He only hoped when he got down on one knee, Nadia would say yes.

The first night was spent unpacking and enjoying a traditonal luau as the two families toasted each other and the holiday season. Nico was sure he had never seen a more beautiful woman than Nadia under the tiki lamps and the pink and orange of the setting Hawaiian sun. Her beautiful green and teal maxi dress hugged her figure perfectly. Her eyes were bright with happiness, her laughter infectious, every little thing she did made him fall deeper and deeper and only made him more certain of what he was going to do.

Her father David sent him knowing looks and winked, and he couldn't help but flush. His Mom couldn't resist mentioning how beautiful the resort would be for a wedding and Nadia murmured in his ear, “I always thought so. I wouldn't mind getting married here,”

Their fingers were linked together and she had brought their intertwined hands to her lips when she said that, and Nico felt his heart skip several beats. He wouldn't mind getting married here. The sun setting behind them and making her look like an angel.

He finds his voice, kissing her softly and says, “Me neither,” the smile he receives back is absolutely blinding and he's more confident than ever she'll say yes.

Being a yoga instructor, Nadida is an early riser. Even on vacation, so to no one's surprise both she and Nico are up early the next morning. Nico can't resist his eyes shamelessly roaming over Nadia's beauitful body in her choice of a red two piece sports bra and leggings set. The red ribbon tied in her high ponytail makes her even more adorable to him.

He can feel Nadia's eyes on him. The sight of her biting her lip has the heat rising and he smiles as he wraps his arms around her, ready for their morning yoga session as she giggles and tries to wriggle free. He kisses her all over as he lifts her from her feet making her giggles grow louder as he laughs, his hands roam over her curves. They fall into the lush grass, a tangle of limbs before he manages to get her tiny body under his strong frame.

“You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen,” His voice is husky and honest, making her shudder. “Neeks,” His nickname falling from Nadia's lips, makes him want her so much. Her deep brown eyes are shimmering in the morning light, making him love her even more.

He can feel the ring inside the pocket of his shorts and he knows this is the moment. The sun peeking through the palm trees, the birds chirping, the ocean lapping lazily against the sand and Nadia looking like a princess even her sports bra and leggings.

Caressing her cheek softly with his finger tips, he uses his other hand to reach into the pocket of his shorts and her little gasp is the cutest thing he's ever heard.

“Nico...” She whispers. “Shhh, Nadi,” Nico says softly. “There's only one thing I want you to say, but let me say what I have to first.”

“Okay,”

“I couldn't believe the most beautiful girl I had ever seen was so close when I had first moved to Newark after being drafted, that she was right across the hall from me. I never wanted any sadness to come to you and I hated that I was happy when Jason broke your heart because all I wanted was to have you for myself, but the thought of someone hurting of you, of you feeling any pain was something I never wanted. When you came to me, your beautiful eyes red rimmed, your tiny body shaking, all I wanted to do was hold you and do whatever I could to make you smile again...”

“And that's exactly what you did. You gave me everything I could ever want. You're my Prince Charming, Nico,”

“And you're my Princess, Nadia. So there's only one thing for Prince Charming and his Princess to do; to live happily ever after. Nadia Isabel Thompson, will you do me the utmost honor of becoming my wife and making me the happiest man in the world?”

Nico watched as Nadia's eyes went wide when he presented her with the gorgeous ruby ring. Her beautiful face was awash in pure happiness as tears filled her big beautiful chocolate eyes while she nodded and said in the sweetest voice, “Yes, yes! Yes, yes! Yes, Nico I'll marry you,”

Just as he slipped the ring onto her shaking ring finger, they heard the happy yells and cheers from their families as they ran from their respective bungalos on the resort, champagne in her Dad's hand and the other family members holding champagne flutes.

Hugs and kisses were exchanged. He shook hands with her Dad and Nico felt like he was floating. Nothing could be better than this.

Except for when Nadia was by his side when he was lifting the Cup and then when he was holding their beautiful little girl.

@nicohischier @nadia_yoga said yes!!!! #engaged #hawaiianholiday #merrychristmas

@nadia_yoga i said yes beaches!!!! #engaged #hawaiianholiday #merrychristmastome #merrychristmastous

@jackhughes way to go cap!!! congrats u crazy kids!!! gonna be so turnt for the wedding!!!

@dougieham i have the most incredible best man speech planned. vince vaughan and owen wilson ain't got nothing on me #shout #bestmandougieham

More and more comments flooded both Nico and Nadia's instagram pages as the day went on. After celebrating with their families, they spent the rest of the day wrapped up in each other as they showered each other with love more happy than they ever dreamed they could be.

As the sun set behind them, they danced on the beach, holding each other close. The waves and their heartbeats providing the music as they swayed softly together.

In this moment, they knew they were meant to be together and that their lives were just beginning, both of them imagining being right back here as husband and wife and then with their kids; a strong willed, funny girl with Nadia's big brown eyes and a sweet, soft spoken little boy who had the same smile as Nico.

all i am, i'll be

everything in this world

all that i'll ever need

is in your eyes

shining at me

when you smile /i can feel

all my passion unfolding

your hand brushes mine

and a thousand sensations

seduce me cause i

i do cherish you

for the rest of my life

you don't have to think twice

i will love you still

from the depths of my soul

it's beyond my control

i've waited so long to say this to you

if you're asking do i love you this much

i do

“i do (cherish you) – by 98 degrees

songs used “big, big plans” by chris lane and “i do (cherish you) by 98 degrees

[mamamittens]

500+ follower event!

As decided by popular vote, a food themed ask box event!

Running from 9-12-23 to 9-19-23, hopefully the menu makes sense!

Milkshake themed!

Here’s our menu for the special 500+ follower event running from 9-12-23 to 9-19-23! To enter your order, just put it in my ask box! I may suspend the ask box if I get overwhelmed, but all asks put in during this time frame are eligible for this event.

Who can go on an order? Why, you and a character of your choice as long as they are +18. Please clarify if this is a character from a specific fandom, otherwise I will assume One Piece as that’s my most active fandom at this time.

For yourself, please include a short description for your pronouns (F!, M!, GN!, AFAB, and AMAB), appearance, style, and personality. I just need a reasonable amount of information to write your stand in with. If there’s a particular quirk or detail you want focus put on, please do include it!

If I’ve written for you before, an OC may go in your place! I’m sticking to just what’s in the ask box, so if you don’t include it, I won’t know!

All I ask is that you keep it relatively simple, polite, and short since I don’t know if there’s a character limit to the ask box. Should you need multiple asks, make it clear which are yours.

If you intend to ask for a +18 order (smut), I advise you to be at least 18 as I voluntarily flag all my +18 content. In this particular context, I especially need to know AFAB/AMAB so I may write appropriately.

Flavor – Universe

Vanilla – Canon

Chocolate – Modern

Toffee – coffee shop au

Vanilla swirl – Office au

Strawberry – Fantasy

Cake – royal au

Chunks – fantasy creature au (feel free to specify who is what)

Add ins – Relationship

Caramel syrup – Childhood friends

Chocolate syrup – Strangers

Strawberry syrup – Unbalanced relationship

Fruit – Arranged marriage

Gummy candy – Enemies to lovers

Cookies – Coworkers

Flambe (on fire) – Fling

Powdered sugar – One sided crush

Toppings – Reception?

Sprinkles – Nervous

Whip cream – Confident

Cherry – Sweet

Fries - Casual

Additional shots* - Get a room!

NSFW+18 ONLY

Alcoholic shots (kinks) to be added to your milkshake or your partners! Please phrase it as “shot of X for (A)/me” to identify who receives the act. There is no limit but bear in mind a complicated order could take much longer! And some shots may interact in unusual ways, so if you have a squick please bear that in mind.

To specifically request something not be present when it is otherwise implied, please ask “to hold X”.

White Russian – Creampie/Cum play

Hot Damn – Praise kink

Mind Eraser – Degradation

Afterburner – Choking/breathplay

Jell-o shot – Edging

Pineapple Upside Down Cake – Oral

Alice in Wonderland – Size Kink

Motor Oil – Marking

Kamikaze – Temperature play (Served hot or cold for temp preferences)

Jager Bomb – Rough Sex (Extra strong is hate sex)

Green Tea shot – Soft Sex

Pink Schnapps – Dom/Sub (The person receiving this shot will be designated the ‘Sub’)

Black Jack – Restraints

Brain Hemorrhage - Overstimulation

Special side treat (totally optional!)

Mochi Ice Cream – Yandere

Vanilla – Obsessive

Red bean – Possessive

Grean tea – Delusional

Strawberry – Protective

Coffee – Manipulative

An example of an order would be as follows:

“Hi! Doffy and I would like a strawberry cake milkshake with strawberry, caramel syrup and powdered sugar (for me!). Whip cream and a cherry on top, please! A red bean mochi would also be nice! Add in an Alice in wonderland, black jack (for me), pink schnapps (also me), and a hot damn too! I go by “Sky” and I’m a short but lanky guy (masc pronouns please) with black curls, tan skin, and dark eyes. I’m nervous and tend to freeze when shocked before rambling. I blush really easily too… unfortunately.”

[sundere1181]

Now that we’re getting into winter and Christmas, hot chocolate is something that people are making more.

Hot chocolate never impressed me. I dont know if its the autism, or i never tried the right hot chocolate, or just plain old superiority /j, i never liked instant hot chocolate (aka the only hot chocolate ive ever tried). I’d add whipped cream, mini marshmallows, but it just never did it for me.

When i imagine ‘hot chocolate’ i imagine a decadent, rich, creamy, thick, delicious blend of chocolate flavors that warms you from the inside. However, it never lives up to my expectations.

To remedy this, i have made it my mission to create the most delicious hot chocolate from mix.

So, in a pot i threw together:

Half and half

Hot chocolate mix (swiss miss)

Half of an 85% dark chocolate bar

About two teaspoons of cornstarch

At this point, I realized that i added too much cornstarch and it was more of a pudding so i added a bunch of more half and half. I also realized it tasted like fucking air (i could barely taste the chocolate) so i also added some sugar and semi sweet chocolate chips.

This was the result:

Its not entirely bad. It tastes like what chocolate pudding would taste like if it was good. Its thick, creamy, but not exactly decadent and maybe only middle class wealthy rather than rich. The top kinda solidifies so everytime you have to take a sip you bring it to your lips and you have to suck on the chocolate balloon until you can actually sip your drink and then it leaves a little bit on the top of your lips like a terrible doodoo mustache. Also, there are a few chunks of what i assume are cornstarch chunks in it, that have the texture between pudding (again) and tapioca pearls with erectile dysfunction. It also leaves gunk all over my tongue, which is a thing that happens with nearly every drink i like other than soda in water.

In conclusion: i need to try again.

[rannadylin]

Recipe recommendation! I made these yesterday to go along with Lord Eshteross' maple ginger cookies in gift boxes to my department colleagues and (like the Eshteross cookies) they are fabulous. They look (and, while baking, smell) like your basic choc chip cookie but the combo of cardamom and sea salt added to that makes it like cookies just leveled up. <3 If you're looking for holiday baking ideas or just for an extremely tempting snack/treat, I highly recommend this one! (Along with milk chocolate and dark chocolate chips, I also threw in some cream cheese chips that caught my eye at the store when stocking up on baking supplies yesterday and those are fabulous, too!)

[thepomegranatewitch]

tu bshvat 5784

Welcome to the new tradition around here, sharing my family's tu bshvat table! Pictures imperfect because we needed to sit and eat!

Image description. Three photos of a table set with a meal, described below. One from overhead, the other two from just over tableheight at two different angles.

The whole table! This is a secondhand dropleaf table that I fixed up a bit with oilcloth, but I'd love to have one of those old country kitchen wooden tables that serve as prep table, dining table, and ad hoc operating table for La Résistance. The kids keep grabbing onto the edge and trying to swing off this, and you can imagine that will one day soon end very poorly.

Since I live an actually not aesthetically cottagecore life, we have nothing but the finest dollar store plain white dishware for us adults, and metal sets for the kids. I haven't finished making all the colour coded napkins, but eagle eyed individuals will notice each blue gingham napkin has a flower embroidered in the corner in each of our colour coding scheme, from top left clockwise that's red, yellow, green, orange. Each setting has a bowl on a plate, a fork and spoon on a blue napkin, and a haggadah with a pomegranate branch on blue circle. Adult settings also have a butter knife and a stemmed port glass, and the kid settings have two small square sticker sheets and a turkish teaglass.

The table has, from top left clockwise, an adult place setting, a fruit plate on glass, a child setting, a red plate with four servings of melanzane alla parmigiana, an adult place setting, a paper packet of parsley seeds, a small glass jar with cardamom pods, a glass bowl of wash water with three star anise floating in it, a gray towel with white stripes, and a child setting. Down the center of the table from left to right is a bowl of fruit and nut studded barley, a bottle of white and a bottle of red wine, a square container with mixed roasted vegetables, a half gallon mason jar with water, a pecan pie with circular pattern, and a plate of homemade thick matzah. Yes, I made matzah because I thought it would be easier than making bread. Yes, my oven hasn't been cleaned in a while and so started smoking. Yes, the smoke alarms went off multiple times. Yes, I did have to stand there facing the street while it rained pumping the side door while all the windows were open to get all the steam and smoke particles out of the air. Holiday adventures with Sahar!

Image description. Four close up shots of foods, described below. All are birds eye except the barley, which is at an angle to show the careful mounding.

the fruit plate! Our minhag is at least twelve tree fruits so we piled most of them on the tasting plate. From the ramekin going clockwise, that's a ramekin of pomegranate arils, a chunk of pomegranate, segmented tangerine slices, dried apricots, almonds, dried figs, golden raisins (the baby calls them 'ravens'), extra-dark chocolate chunks (cacao is a tree fruit, it's what the ancestors would want), a ramekin of pitted kalamata olives, and some dried medjool dates. Bonus: the kids ate the plate remnants as a serve-yourself breakfast the next morning. Always wonderful when a holiday yields some batch cooking and child autonomy.

a pecan pie. We use the King Arthur Flour Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie recipe because corn syrup tastes off to me. The changes we made this time are making a savory not sweet pie crust (my spouse makes it with iced water and vodka), cream instead of milk, toasting the filling nuts just shy of burnt, and cream instead of milk. It worked really well to reduce the sweetness from 'sickening' to 'very.' It's our traditional dessert and we eat it only once a year because it's so sweet. I like laying the pecans flat side up in rings on the top for full coverage and so it looks a little like tree rings.

The washwater bowl. It's just a glass mixing bowl with water, but I dropped in some orange blossom water and floated some star anise to make it pretty, and I liked it. Will have to repeat the anise for pesach, but skip the orange blossom water - the anise completely overpowered it.

The barley. We cooked it plain and then added walnuts, pine nuts, dried cherries, fresh pomegranate, and a lot of olive oil. We didn't salt it, which was fine, because we let the kids salt the eggplant before we roasted it, which was not fine. Together they taste great. For those keeping count, the barley dish rounds out the tree fruits to thirteen, and with the whole-wheat matzah that makes all seven species! Side note on the matzah, keep your eyes peeled around pesach for my recipe. Once I learned how to make it, I'm never going back to store matzah. Mine is delicious and oil rich, and we eat it as a pleasant flatbread, not just the bread of affliction.

Image description. Two photos of amanita mushrooms from overhead angles.

As a final bit, please enjoy these amanita mushrooms from the JCC. The groundskeeper is in a months-long battle with this patch that just keeps coming back. He keeps knocking over all but one so the preschoolers can safely enjoy looking only, and they keep popping up. I'm delighted - I thought these were mythical and didn't realize they grew where I live now!

If you'd like to support my work, you can buy a copy of my tu bshvat haggadah here, and the two tu bshvat stickers here and here.

[spooniechef]

Versatile Chocolate Fudge (1 spoon)

Decided against the meal recipes that were an option for a recipe today, and decided to move on to something a little sweeter - namely, chocolate fudge. Yes, fudge can easily be purchased, but it can also be expensive, and this particular fudge recipe, repurposed from a mocha fudge recipe from Alida’s Kitchen, is very forgiving when it comes to the quality of the chocolate being used, so that helps a lot in terms of keeping the costs down.

There was another benefit for me when I started making this recipe, and it was honestly more important: the morale boost making something like this can provide. One of the things that still gets to me to this day about having fibromyalgia is my current set of limitations. It always feels like there’s so little I can actually do that’s fun because I’ve got so few spoons and most of them have to be saved for things like work and cooking meals and cleaning the house. Just survival stuff. We always need more than survival. I found that little things like candy-making gave me a little more than survival. I could do things, and enjoy the rewards. Maybe it costs a spoon to make, but it’s just the one and just making something that was more than just the basics for myself did great things for my mental health.

Here’s what you’ll need:

12oz (340g) dark chocolate (seriously, just get the supermarket own brand value stuff; it’s totally fine)

1 can sweetened condensed milk (note for the lactose intolerant; vegan sweetened condensed milk sort of works but it doesn’t set nearly as well. I’d recommend using the regular sweetened condensed milk and stocking up on Lactaid)

Flavouring of your choice (see notes below)

Insofar as flavouring goes, the original recipe was for mocha fudge and asked for a teaspoon of espresso powder, which worked great. I decided to try it with other flavourings as well, and had a lot of luck with a teaspoon of peppermint extract for mint chocolate fudge, and with a teaspoon of orange extract and a half-teaspoon each of vanilla extract and cinnamon for a sort of spicy chocolate orange fudge. I have some other flavourings I’m keen to try, and it might be worth adding a half-cup or so of walnuts at the flavouring stage. But it’d probably also be great on its own. As well as being easy, this recipe’s wonderfully versatile.

Here’s what you do:

Put your chocolate (broken into chunks if you got the value-brand bars) and the sweetened condensed milk into a pot; heat it on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted and everything is smooth. You don’t need a double boiler for this because of the sweetened condensed milk; just keep the heat low so you don’t burn your chocolate.

While that’s going on, line a square 9″ cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Take the chocolate mixture off the heat, add flavourings if desired, give it one more stir to mix the flavouring in properly.

Transfer your mixture to the cake tin (I recommend a reasonably firm rubber spatula; it helps get everything out of the corners of the pot) and smooth down

Move the cake tin to the fridge and leave it for a few hours for everything to set.

While waiting, lick the spatula. Life’s too short not to lick the spoon after making something nice.

Remove from fridge and cut into squares.

These should keep in a reasonably airtight container for a few weeks. This is good, because it’s a bit rich and I personally can’t get through a whole tin of this in just a few days.

So there you have it - easy, versatile chocolate fudge. The hardest part about this one is transferring the mixture from pot to cake tin, so it gets a one-spoon rating. As well as being a morale booster and just plain delicious, it’s also a great one to have in the recipe file if you’re doing homemade gifts for people.

[chefilona]

CHEF ILONA: The secrets to the best chocolate chip cookies ever!

Chocolate is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a wide range of dishes, both sweet and savoury.

"Our love for chocolate varies from person to person, and is a cherished indulgence because of its taste, texture, cultural significance, and personal associations."

From childhood to adulthood, we always find a way to come back to the classic comfort that chocolate inherently is.

Secrets to softer cookies

One of the keys to a tender chocolate chip cookie is our choice in sugars. Sugar is hydroscopic. In simple terms this means that sugar has a property of attracting and absorbing moisture from the surrounding environment. I have used a combination of both white and brown sugar. Brown sugar is more hygroscopic than white sugar primarily due to its higher molasses content, making it an essential component of the best chocolate chip cookie.

Cocoa Butter Percentages

Cocoa butter percentages in chocolate indicate the proportion of cocoa butter in the overall composition of the chocolate. Higher percentages generally correspond to higher-quality chocolate with richer flavors and smoother textures. For example, a chocolate bar labeled as "70% cocoa" means that 70% of the chocolate bar's weight is derived from cocoa products, including both cocoa butter and cocoa solids. The remaining 30% may include sugar, milk solids (if it's milk chocolate), and other ingredients.

White Chocolate

White chocolate is made primarily from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids. Unlike dark or milk chocolate, white chocolate does not contain cocoa solids, which are responsible for the brown color and characteristic flavor of chocolate.

The cocoa butter provides the creamy and smooth texture of white chocolate. Sugar is added to sweeten the chocolate, giving it a pleasant taste.

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 1 dozen cookies

½ cup butter, melted ½ cup white sugar ¼ cup packed light brown sugar 1 Tablespoon vanilla 1 egg 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ cup 75% dark chocolate chunks (I just smash up a chocolate bar)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Microwave the butter for about 30-40 seconds to just barely melt it. (It shouldn’t be hot)

Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the butter with the sugars until creamy.

Add the vanilla and the egg; beat on low speed until just incorporated; about 10 seconds. (Extended beating of the egg will make the cookies tough)

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Add the chocolate chips and incorporate either with your paddle whisk if using stand mixer or use your hands if using electric beaters.

Scoop the dough into 12 large balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate the cookies for 1-2 hours.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden. DO NOT OVERBAKE. You will know the cookies are done when the bottom of the cookies are just becoming golden across the entire surface, and the top is gently puffed and pale.

It is a must to cool the cookies on the tray for 30 minutes. These should stay soft for many days if kept in an airtight container. I also like to freeze them.

[kirstielol]

food log for may 4th 2023

(38 calories) coffee

(240 calories) chocolate protein shake

(780 calories) mr.sub

(132 calories) chocolate protein ice cream

(372 calories) greek salad with chickpea pasta

daily total - 1,562 calories & 90g protein

slightly over my daily budget. bf wanted mr.sub for dinner, and i'm too easily persuaded to not have to cook and get takeout instead 🫠 also yesterday's chocolate protein ice cream is my favourite creami recipe yet.. it's literally just fairlife protein chocolate milk.. after spinning it i added half a fibre one brownie and a tbsp of dark chocolate chips and ran a "mix-in" cycle, and it's amazing. 132 calories for a bowl of chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips and brownie chunks seems broken.

also a little NSV - my size 12 jeans fit comfortably again :') the scale's only gone down a few pounds, but i've gone from size 14 jeans to size 12 in the past 3 weeks of regular calorie counting and weight lifting. my guess is i'm gaining a bit of muscle as well as losing fat??? feels nice 😌 i'd looove to be able to fit into last years summer clothes by the time it starts getting warmer out, everything's a size 10 🤞 i really don't want another summer of having to buy new shorts lol

[cicadabooks]

2024 Olympic Muffins: Gluten-free and dairy-free option version (with gram and ml conversions)

(Recipe transcript originally from this post above by @norabee)

(Edits: I baked the muffins and I have been rewriting this post with recipe changes!)

Muffins I baked (Gluten/Dairy free version)

Notes:

Makes about 12 standard muffins. Maybe 6 jumbo muffins?

I added gram and ml equivalents based on some websites for converting US measurements. I think 1 teaspoon is same-ish everywhere, it's about 5ml.

The muffins taste VERY chocolatey to me! A friend thinks they have a nice balance of not too much sugar and good chocolate flavor. Either way, it may be nice to pair the muffins with coconut ice cream or coconut whipped cream. Especially if (like me) you baked the muffins with soy milk instead of cow milk - adding back in some cream may complement the chocolate flavors.

FYI, I used decaf instant coffee.

Muffin ingredients:

¾ cup milk (175 ml) (sub in: soymilk or non-dairy milk of choice.)

¼ cup water (60 ml)

2 tsp instant coffee (10 ml)

½ cup cocoa powder (about 40 grams) (Dutch cocoa recommended*)

½ cup chocolate chunks to melt (about 70 grams) (sub in: non-dairy chocolate chunks)

8 TBSP butter (1 stick, or ½ cup, or 113 grams) (sub in: non-dairy butter)

2 cups flour (between 240 grams - 280 grams?) (sub in: gluten-free 1-to-1 mix flour)

1 TBSP baking powder (15 ml)

¼ tsp salt (sea salt or kosher salt) (1 ml?)

½ cup dark brown sugar, packed (about 110 grams)

½ cup granulated sugar (about 100 grams)

¼ cup vegetable oil (about 60 ml)

2 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)

Additional ⅓ cup of chocolate chunks (about 47 grams)

Filling ingredients:

½ cup heavy cream (125 ml) (sub in: coconut cream - scoop out the top cream from a can of full-fat coconut milk.**)

¼ cup chocolate chunks (about 35 grams)

pinch of salt (use sea salt or kosher salt)

Cooking instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).

Add milk, water, and instant coffee to a saucepan, bring to a simmer. (I turned off the heat once it simmered.) Add cocoa powder, mix well, then add chocolate chunks and butter. Stir until melted, transfer to a bowl, and allow to cool.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Once the chocolate mixture is cooled - add brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.

Add a third of the flour mixture to chocolate mixture and combine. Then add remaining flour mixture, folding in gently. Take care to not over-mix. Then add chocolate chunks (video says to fold in these choco chunks, but it also looks like choco chunks were added on top before baking).

Spoon batter into muffin tins. (Spoon about 1/2 cup or 120ml of batter, or just know that the muffin will poof up.) This might be when to add some chocolate chunks on top of the batter.

Bake for 24 minutes. (Baking time may differ with GF and DF substitutes, often takes longer.)

While waiting - For the filling: add heavy cream, chocolate chunks, and salt to a saucepan, heat until melted, taking care not to come to a boil.

After baking, fill muffins with filling (spoon filling into a ziploc bag, cut corner of bag, cut out a bit of the muffin center with a knife, squeeze filling into muffins)***

Serve.

More Notes:

* Dutch Cocoa suggestion is based on a tumblr tag I saw and also this article. “[....] Dutch-process cocoa powder is usually used for batters containing baking powder.”

** Coconut cream substitution as suggested on this recipe page. (One can had a little more than 1/2 cup cream, when I opened it.)

*** Muffin filling tips from @picturesque-about-it from this post:

"[....] But you could definitely just use a knife to cut out the middle and use a ziploc bag with the corner cut off to fill it." And more ideas -

#honestly…….. it would turn out a bit different but i feel like you could put the filling in before you bake it

#that’s how we made chocolate chip muffins at my old job

#scoop of ganache that would sink as it baked and chocolate chips on top

#they were soooooooo good

if you’re craving chocolate muffins after the olympic muffin man videos, jordan the stallion on tiktok has the recipe for you

[bluepoodle7]

#Target#TargetGoodAndGatherUncuredGenoaSalamiPepperJackCheeseDriedMangoAndDarkChocolateChunksCharcuterieBites#StoreBrandCharcuterie#SnackKitsReview

These Target Good And Gather Uncured Genoa Salami Pepper Jack Cheese Dried Mango And Dark Chocolate Chunks Bites were pretty good.

The was Uncured Genoa Salami firm and soft while lightly chewy in texture.

This had a light seasoned pork flavor that was lightly salty in flavor and firm while also soft.

This salami tasted natural and not oily in texture.

The pepper jack cheese was were smooth and creamy in texture while lightly soft in texture.

The pepper jack cheese had a light creamy milk taste and tasted natural while having a light non spicy pepper taste.

The pepper jack cheese were little firm and soft in texture with a light salty taste.

The dried mango had light sweet natural mango taste that wasn't super sugary in taste.

The dried mango was lightly firm and soft in texture while lightly chewy in texture.

The dark chocolate chunks bites were lightly sweet but had a bitter taste at the same time which is nice.

The dark chocolate was firm and a little crunchy in texture.

The dark chocolate went well with the dried mango which added a little more sweetness.

This snack kit was lightly sweet and salty but not overly of both.

Mine weighed 72 g.

I would eat these again.

Got at Target.

[dietfoodsandreviews]

Protein bars are definitely not required for a diet and tend to be on the pricier side, I just use them to help supplement my diet with more protein while keeping calories relatively low. I have heard protein tends to help you feel more full and helps to reduce your appetite which is why I wanted to give a try.

I have so far only tried 3 different bars (I'm still relatively new to this and I only buy one box at a time)

The first brand I tried via recommendation was Quest. They tend to be on the pricier side at about 16-17 USD for a box of 8, however I don't have them on the regular, just as a sort of meal or snack replacement if I dont have other things to have instead or am low on time.

These averaged at about $2.50 a bar and they have 180 Kcal, 7g Fat, 4 Net Carbs, 12g Fiber, and 21g Protein.

I like to use Quest as a meal supplement or replacement specifically because of the high protein and fiber in one bar at a relatively low calorie count, considering they have more fiber than anything by Fiber One.

For the taste, however, keep in mind this is not a candy bar or anything like a granola or snack bar. It is very dense and chewy. I opted for S'mores because I am typically not a fan of chocolate health food because it has a chalky taste and texture that just stays in your mouth and this bar is marshmallow base with graham chunks and dark chocolate pieces. The flavor was.. not bad, not super amazing, but definitely tolerable. If the tough chewy texture isn't great, I have also put them in the microwave for 5-8 seconds and it softens it up significantly though makes the grainy texture of any protein bar a tad more obvious. Do not microwave for more than 10 seconds though or you get a melty sticky mess all over the plate, speaking from experience.

All of my general pros and cons with Quest bars stay the same with this one, granted this one, while costing the same, has 1g less of protein putting its count at: 180 Kcal, 7g Fat, 4 Net Carbs, 12g Fiber, and 20g Protein, so still very good and again, better for a snack and partial meal replacement (if you are going for more small meals throughout the day)

The taste if this one is good for a protein bar as well. You get the general cake flavor, though I admit it is a bit odd when added to the chewy texture of the bar, like someone baked a cake but forgot all the leavening agents. That said, it is much softer than the smores bar though a little drier but not unbearably so.

The quest bars, while good, are sometimes a chore to eat sometimes for me personally but it is a small bar and if Ive not eaten much, its better to power through it so I have something because even though you are counting calories, it is always important that you still eat.

And lastly (for the moment) is the Pure Protein Galactic Brownie.

This brand is definitely more affordable with a 4 bar box costing around 6 USD with the nutrition being fairly similar to Quest. 1 bar will net you 180 Kcal, 4.5g Fat, 7g Net Carbs, 1g Fiber, and 20g Protein so while being similar, you do get much less fiber so its always a good idea to keep an eye on what else you eat to help out with that, but at the cost, having the protein isn't bad. I can have these bars more often (though personally I keep all protein bars to 1 a day if any) this one is more a snack replacement specifically because of the fiber and less of a meal replacement.

For the important part of taste, I was skeptical because chocolate and protein don't mix well for me, that said, this bar didn't have the overly powder and chalky taste others do and while its not very sweet, its not bitter like dark chocolate. Its almost like, to compensate for the lack of sweetness, it reduces flavor altogether, but thats not the worse thing. It is still fairly dense and chewy but it also has a melty and soft chocolate coating with helps with the texture.

Overall, if you have trouble getting enough fiber in your diet, while more expensive, I recommend the Quest bars. You get the same protein as a Pure Protein bar with the additional fiber of like 2 Fiber One snacks. If you eat enough fruits and vegetables or high fiber breads and grains and don't need the additional 12g, then Pure Protein is much better with cost at around $1.50 a bar (compared to $2.25 for Quest) but also remember that these are not snacks and candy bars, they will always cost a little more and will not taste as good, but they help you get your protein and/or fiber you need if you find you aren't getting enough in your diet and at a reasonable calorie cost. Likewise, the taste reviews are all to my personal taste and what I recommend or say may not always equal what someone else likes or doesn't like, but if they sound like they would help and be tolerable to you then definitely give them a shot if you feel like the price is worth the counts for you

[frankenfawn]

10, 34, and 82 :)

hey thank you!!!!!

10. how would you describe your style?

that's a GREAT question. i kind of flucuate from wearing dark blues/blacks and stuff to wearing bright colors. always denim, graphic tee's , lately a lot of bracelets/necklaces and always fun earrings :) and adding keychains to my belt loops has been a lot of fun. i also like to do my makeup! mostly fun eyeshadow, and some winged eyeliner! i like to be more mascish, i dont really wear a lot of skirts/dresses. today i was wearing a white button down with little blue and red rollerskates all over it, highwaisted jean shorts, cherry earrings, and my hightop black converse! i also like to match colors a lot! sorry for the dump :)

34. favorite actress?

oh man. i dont even know TBH!!! im just gonna go with sigourney weaver cause thats the first one that came to my mind. i think shes so stunning and im a big fan of the alien franchise!!!

82. favorite ice cream flavor

for classics i enjoy chocolate and strawberry!! ben and jerrys "churray for churros" and "strawberry cheesecake", and than turkey hill's double dunker my beloved <3

its like coffee icecream with chocolate swirl and chunks of cookie dough, amazing.

ask meme here!

[kedreeva]

#op please drop the recipe this sounds so good (via @sillypeachduck)

It is, I think, a fairly standard banana bread recipe to start with, my mom's recipe @mamaspark

Non-stick cooking spray

Standard loaf pan (8.5x4.5")

Turbinado sugar crystals (NOT in the recipe above, it's her secret)

DRY INGREDIENTS

1.5c All-purpose flour (180g)

1.5t Baking powder

1/4t Baking soda

1/8t Salt

-WET INGREDIENTS

2 Slightly beaten egg whites

3T Wheat germ

1t Cinnamon

1/2t Ground ginger

Dash nutmeg

1c Mashed ripe banana (2-3 medium, more or less to taste)

3/4c Sugar (150g)

1T Cooking oil

--OTHER

1c Chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:

Spray pan and set aside (I don't bother, I just spray before I pour batter in).

Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl. Mix wet ingredients together in medium bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until barely mixed (no dry powder but not blended smooth).

Add chocolate chips if you want and mix gently in. *someone in the notes also suggested using 2 older bananas like usual, and 1 less ripe banana, and adding the minimally mashed less-ripe one at this point, to leave banana chunks for dream!banana bread, and that sounds delicious actually.

Pour batter into sprayed loaf pan.

IF you desire to make Dream!Banana Bread, melt some butter in a double boiler (bowl on top of a pot, so it's not directly touching the heat source) on low heat, and slowly mix in some dark chocolate, completely mix together. Thin peanut butter by warming it in the microwave, you can thin with milk if you want but you don't actually need to. Load these into some form of pastry piping bag (plastic baggie with TINY hole in corner works fine, or get fancy and use a #230 piping tip) and swirl some into the bread. The amounts don't really matter, since you aren't using all of what you mix, just whatever you feel like. I would try a tablespoon of butter and 1/2c of dark chocolate nibs/chunks/chips, and 1/2c of peanut butter to start, and adjust to taste next time. *someone in the notes suggested thinning the chocolate/peanut butter with batter instead of milk, and you can, but it won't make as clean of a ribbon I think. It might work better for the PB than the chocolate. **I used smooth PB, but I think you could use a chunky PB and it would be fine.

Sprinkle turbinado sugar crystals over the top. Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes depending on your oven for normal bread, definitely 60+ minutes for Dream Bread, until a dry wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling wire and let cool at least most of the way. There is little else in the world better than a warm, fresh banana bread slice with a bit of nearly-melted butter on top, where the bread isn't quite warm enough to melt the butter too fast.

As my mom notes, this makes 1 loaf and unless you're the only person eating it, you will probably want to make 2 loaves. Because it's fucking delicious.

Last night I dreamed I baked banana bread.

But not just any banana bread.

I dreamed that I made the banana bread like normal. But then!

Then I thinned some peanut butter with milk (????) and melted some chocolate and thinned that with milk, too, and then put them into separate baggies, and put those baggies into a third baggie so their corners were all aligned. I cut the overlapping corner to make a squeezy bag like for frosting where they would both come out together but not mixed, and then I dipped the tip of it into the banana bread batter and swirled peanut butter and chocolate into it.

THEN I baked it.

I explained my dream to my neighbor and she gave me bananas and told me to make my dreams come true. So. I'm gonna try it tomorrow.

[cuisinecravings]

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough :Complete Guide

Are you searching for how to make chocolate chip cookie dough? Chocolate chip cookie dough is dear to the hearts of many bakers. An enticing delight is created by the soft, chewy texture and sweet, rich flavor. For home bakers, however, it might be challenging to make excellent cookie dough.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Even if you've never made chocolate chip cookie dough before, I'm here to teach you how. Use my advice to combine sugar and butter to achieve the ideal texture, choose the best chocolate chips, and assemble the dough to create delicious cookies that can be eaten raw or baked into warm, gooey treats.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: A Complete Guide

Ingredients

Let's begin by gathering the necessary components that give the dish its timeless, alluring flavour and texture. - All-purpose flour, 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups - Granulated white sugar, 1 cup - Baking soda: 1 teaspoon - Chocolate chips: 2 cups (or more!) of mini semisweet or bittersweet chips Wet Ingredients - 2 large eggs - Butter: 1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature - Vanilla extract: 1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract While the liquid ingredients make the cookies moist and tasty, the dry ingredients give them structure and texture. These essential ingredients join together to create the delicious dough that is flecked with the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chunks that we all love. For chocolate chip cookie success, make sure you follow this list of requirements, which includes everything from the flour base to delicious chocolate chunks!

Equipment Needed for How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?

The proper kitchen tools are necessary when making a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough at home. Let's go over the tools required and their respective roles in creating the ideal cookies. Mixing Bowls To fully incorporate the dry and wet components, you'll need at least one large mixing bowl that can hold three to four quarts of ingredients. Select a mixing bowl of robust stainless steel or heat-resistant glass that can withstand being scraped with a spatula.

chocolate chip cookie dough Brushes and wooden spoons Stock up on large silicone spatulas and wooden spoons to help you fold cookie dough and scrape down the edges of the mixing dish with ease. These essential whisks and folders aid in combining the components into a smooth dough. Measurement Tools For cookies to turn out well, measuring ingredients precisely is essential. To precisely portion out the dry ingredients, use graded dry measuring cups and liquid measuring cups for the wet ingredients. Remember to include the measuring spoons for the teaspoon and tablespoon measurements as well. Sheets for baking Raised edges on standard aluminium baking sheets work well for distributing heat evenly when baking cookies. To prevent the cookies from sticking, line them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. For optimal browning, dark cookie sheets are also a good choice. I covered the essential baking tools in a conversational style, emphasizing how each one helps you make delicious chocolate chip cookies. If you would like me to change or add to this area, kindly let me know.

How to Bake Cookies and How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

When baking up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, having an efficient technique for mixing up the dough is crucial. Let's go over each stage of the recipe, from creaming butter to dividing the dough into balls and placing them on baking pans. Use this tried-and-true recipe to make picture-perfect chocolate chip cookie dough. Mix the dry ingredients. First, to make the base for our chocolate chip cookie dough, combine and stir together the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together: - all-purpose flour - baking soda - salt These ingredients are blended to create a blank canvas that we can then add the remaining elements to. The added protein to the all-purpose flour provides the baked cookies with structure and chewiness. The distinctive nooks and cracks are made possible by the baking soda, which also helps the cookies rise. Additionally, the salt counteracts the sweetness. How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough? Verify that the basin is free of any remaining salt or baking soda lumps. For uniformly flavored dough, we want to include everything completely at this point. To include the chunky and wet mix-ins, set aside the dry mixture. Cream together the sugar and butter. The enjoyable part is almost here: creaming the butter and sugar together! One cup of room-temperature unsalted butter should be beaten for one minute on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until it becomes smooth and creamy. Add 1 cup of granulated white sugar gradually while mixing on medium-high speed for almost three complete minutes. Here, we want to add air to the mixture to give it a lighter texture. When the mixture is frothy and pale in colour, the butter and sugar have been adequately creamed. Even mixing is ensured by periodically scraping down the sides. Beat in Eggs and Vanilla To prevent splashing, add the wet ingredients to the mixer on low speed. - Eggs at room temperature - Butter softened - pure vanilla extract Let these ingredients mix thoroughly, stopping occasionally to scrape down the edges as necessary. How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough? The vanilla adds a sweet, fragrant flavour, and the eggs serve as the glue that holds everything together. Add the chocolate chips and stir. The chocolate, the finest part, is about to arrive! Switch off the mixer before incorporating it. Two cups of chocolate chips, semi-sweet Using a spatula, stir gently until just blended. Here, you don't want to overmix because that could melt the chips and combine them into a single, thick mass. As the cookies bake, those little bits of chocolate will melt into mouthwatering puddles of deliciousness. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures It's time to put everything together now! Finally, the moist and dry ingredients come together. After each addition, stir just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing for optimal results, as this will activate too much gluten and result in thicker cookies. A tiny bit of optional milk gives a little extra moisture and richness. The finished dough should be dense, tacky, and covered in tiny chocolate chips. Cool and Scoop Dough for Cookies Roll the dough into a disc, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least half an hour (or up to three days). This facilitates the hydration of the flour and the blending of the components. After the dough has completely chilled, split it out into golf ball-sized rounds and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper using a small ice cream scoop. How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough? To allow for spreading, space the sections apart by 2 inches. After that, bake it for 10 to 12 minutes at 375°F until the sides just begin to brown. Enjoy these freshly baked chocolate chip cookies once they cool! Related Articles : Can You Make Cookie Dough in a Food Processor? Why Is My Cookie Dough Crumbly? How to Make it Perfect? Can You Bake Edible Cookie Dough? Can You Freeze Cookie Dough? How to Freeze Properly? Why Sugar Cookie Dough Too Sticky? Fix It Now? How To Fix Over Mixed Cookie Dough – Easy Tips

Advice on How to Make the Greatest Cookie Dough How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough?

Make use of high-quality ingredients. How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough? Expert bakers stress that the key to making better baked products and cookie dough is to start with high-quality ingredients. Use fresh eggs at room temperature, choose genuine vanilla extract, and splurge on real butter instead of imitations. Higher-protein bread flour adds more structure and chew, while all-purpose flour provides a sufficient foundation. For chocolate, choose Guittard or Ghirardelli chips with a high cacao content for a robust flavour. Measure Precisely Precise measurements guarantee consistently delicious cookies. Professionals use a kitchen scale to weigh dry commodities like flour instead of cups, which compress contents unevenly. For the chocolate chips, stick to the recipe's directions as well; adding too much will upset the carefully calculated proportions. For a precise, level fill, don't forget to level off dry measuring cups. Avoid Overmixing Chefs advise avoiding overworking the gluten in the cookie dough, which produces a dense, rigid texture. Avoid combining the dry and wet ingredients into a single, homogenous mass by stirring only until they are combined. During the chilling process, the apparent flour streaks in the dough become evenly distributed. Make sure the dough is sufficiently chilled so that it solidifies and holds its shape while baking. Evenly scoop To ensure that your cookies bake to the same thickness and size, shape the dough into parts of consistent size. This is made very easy with a little spring-loaded ice cream scoop. As the cookies spread during baking, place the mounds that were scooped a few inches apart on the baking sheet. How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough? This encourages even browning as well. Make a stencil out of parchment paper to help guide the size for more assurance. Avoid Overbaking The biggest mistake made by amateur bakers is overbaking cookies, turning them into crispy, dry hockey pucks. As you follow the timing instructions, err on the side of pulling them out while they're still tender in the middle, by one or two minutes. Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and continue to cook the cookies. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then move to a rack. Keep Safely Cookies are best eaten fresh out of the oven on the day they are cooked for the finest just-baked flavour. However, allow the cookies to cool completely before putting them in an airtight container to store them later. Placing warm cookies inside a container retains moisture, which causes them to stain prematurely. To keep cookies from sticking, layer them between parchment paper sheets. Unbaked cookie dough keeps well for months when wrapped, so you can freeze it for later use.

Typical Errors to Steer Clear of: Things Not to Do!

When preparing chocolate chip cookie dough, even seasoned bakers sometimes encounter difficulties. However, staying away from these typical problems will help guarantee that your cookies always turn out flawlessly. Let's go over some common pitfalls to avoid when preparing that sugary dough. Using inappropriate butter It is imperative that unsalted butter be used. The excess salt in salted butter has the potential to disrupt the recipe's precisely measured level of saltiness. You can regulate the precise quantity of salt supplied while using unsalted. Spreads like margarine or butter have to be steered clear of as well because they contain more water and will not combine well with the sugar. Use premium unsalted butter with an 80% fat percentage for optimal results. Solution: Choose unsalted butter that has a high fat content at all times. Sugar makes it creamier. Neglecting to Refrigerate the Dough A lot of bakers become impatient and throw dough into the oven without giving it enough time to chill. However, it is essential to leave the dough in the refrigerator for the components to combine and the flour to hydrate. If this step is skipped, the cookies will spread too much and won't have the distinctive chewy tollhouse texture. Give that dough 30 minutes or so to set, and you'll notice a huge change. Solution: Give the dough enough time to chill, at least 30 minutes, before baking. Packing the baking sheets tight Make sure to give each round of dough ample room when you scoop it up; two inches is the optimal amount. This gives the cookies space to spread out without colliding and creating a single, oversized, distorted cookie cluster. Not amorphous blobs, but perfectly round, evenly baked cookies are what you want. Avoid packing the baking sheets too full. For optimal results each and every time, adhere to the recipe spacing instructions. One solution is to space the cookie dough balls on the sheets 2 inches apart. Therefore, be aware of these typical cookie dough mistakes, such as using the incorrect butter or rushing the chilling process. Making chocolate chip cookies worthy of a bake-off is made possible by avoiding these easy blunders! How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough? For the best cookie experience, let the dough fully rest and stretch out before baking.

FAQs: How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

What ingredients are in chocolate chip cookie dough? Typically, components for chocolate chip cookie dough include flour, eggs, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. The dough is then combined with chocolate bits to create chocolate chip cookie dough. What ingredients are in the chocolate chip cookie mix? Dry components, including flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, are included in chocolate chip cookie mixes, along with occasionally added additions like chocolate chips or oats. Simply add wet ingredients, such as butter, eggs, milk, or water, to make cookies. What is the composition of the cookie dough? Ingredients in cookie dough include flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. These ingredients hold together when combined, but they also spread out and bake correctly. Cookie dough has a sweet taste and texture that is best enjoyed unbaked due to its high fat and sugar content. Before baking, how is cookie dough made? Cream butter and sugar together, then whisk in eggs and vanilla to make cookie dough. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a different bowl. Till a thick dough develops, gradually mix the dry components into the liquid ones. Add other mix-ins, like chocolate chips, and stir. Read the full article

[librarychair]

I made this fudge for the work potluck, though I substituted half the chocolate chips with 80% dark chocolate chunks, which I think brought the sweetness down to a more palatable level for me. Also added more salt than just "a dash" since I like salted chocolate best. Hopefully my coworkers like it.