Brooksters

The best of two worlds rolled up into one cookie-brownie concoction that will knock your socks off!  You will go back to this recipe and bake it over and over again because everyone will request it!

This recipe is found in the Baked Elements cookbook which I think just may be my favorite Baked cookbook.  It is found in the chocolate chapter along with many other tempting chocolate treats.

 You make a simple chocolate chip cookie dough with flour, salt, baking soda,  sugar, dark brown sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and chocolate chips.  The recipe makes way too much and you always have loads left over...which is okay if you want to make chocolate chip cookies.  But I half the cookie part of the recipe and I still end up with extras so I made some kitchen sink cookies with it.  My hubby loved it!  He always complains he never gets any of the stuff I bake so I baked those especially for him.  I just threw in some oats, coconut and pecans...he said they were really good and has eaten over half of them already...lol!  Then you make this lush chocolatey brownie batter and put that in a cupcake pan then you chill both for 3 hours.  You then top the brownie batter with the cookie dough, bake and magic happens!

I make these Brooksters every year for our annual Pig Roast...along with many other treats.  The chill time takes a long time so you have to plan 
ahead and really read the recipe well before starting to 
make them, but that they are really quite easy.

I also bake them in cupcake pans...I do have some 4 inch tart pans but I just think that they would be too large so I like to make them in nice little easy to handle portions.  But I would imagine the 4" tart pan version would be great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce!

So here they are all packed up and ready to go.  We have a visit at work from some higher ups and I always bake them some kind of treat.  I know, I am a real brown noser....but, hey baking is what I do and it makes me happy 

 to make people smile and I kinda think they have come to 

expect some kind of treat from me.

Until next time...

Stay sweet and as always,

Enjoy!

Get the recipe HERE

Chocolate Sprinkle Sandwich Cookies

The perfect cookie to celebrate a 6th birthday! 

These are great as sandwich cookies or not!  They are equally as good just

as a cookie without the frosting.  I liked them both ways.

I wanted to make them festive.  So I sandwiched them and put a 
lollipop stick in them!  Looks like a celebration to me!

Happy Birthday Syringa!

Chocolate Sprinkle Sandwich Cookies

adapted from sprinklesbake.com

source:  The Decorated Cookie

12 sandwich cookies

Cookies:

 2/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder 

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp kosher salt

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup rainbow sprinkles 

12  6-8-inch lollipop sticks, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until creamy.
3. Add granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix well until combined.  Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula as needed.  Beat in the all purpose flour.  Dough should not be sticky.
4. Fill a small bowl with the sprinkles.
5. Measure out dough by the level tablespoons.  Roll into a ball between your palms and roll dough ball in sprinkles until completely coated.  When all of dough has been rolled into balls and sprinkle-coated, place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. Bake for 12 minutes.

Filling:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1. Beat butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer on low speed.  When almost incorporated, add vanilla and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Transfer to a piping bag and fill cookies, or fill by spreading frosting on cookies with a small spatula.

Enjoy!

Coconut Raspberry Cupcakes

I have not made cupcakes since my nephews wedding.  I volunteered to bring something sweet to a meeting for all the managers in the district for the company I work for.  Through a process of elimination...I went for these coconut cupcakes. I found a recipe for both the cupcakes and frosting and went at it!   The recipe I found paired lemon curd and vanilla whipped cream with the coconut cupcakes and as good as that sounds I wanted to pair it with raspberries instead.  So I did!  I filled them with raspberry jam and topped them with a pretty fresh raspberry.

The cupcake recipe was quick and easy and came out very moist with a beautiful crumb.  I really like the addition of vanilla bean in them.

So pretty!  These would be a lovely Easter dessert.

The buttercream had butter (of course), coconut milk and confectioner sugar with vanilla and coconut extract.  It whipped up light and fluffy and compliments the cupcake perfectly.

This recipe is a keeper!  Going to add it to my cupcake favorites!

Coconut Raspberry Cupcakes
adapted from Cooking for Keeps
Coconut Cupcakes with Lemon Curd, Vanilla Whipped Cream and Toasted Coconut

Cupcakes
makes approximately 16 cupcakes

2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 sticks softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
Seeds of one vanilla bean
3/4 cups plus 1/8 cup coconut milk
1 egg
4 egg whites
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
raspberry jam
fresh raspberries

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a regular muffin tin with liners.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
3. Cream butter an sugar in the bottom of a stand mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add vanilla bean.  Mix until combined.  Add egg yolk, mix until combined.
4. With the mixer on low, add in the flour and coconut milk alternating each in three batches beginning and ending with the flour.
5. In a separate bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until medium stiff peaks form.
6. Fold the coconut in the batter until combined
7. Fold in the egg whites carefully being sure not to deflate.
8. Fill liners 3/4 full and bake for 25-25 minutes turning cupcakes halfway through. They are done when a wooden skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached.

Frosting
adapted from Paula Deen
this made more than enough frosting, I had leftovers

9 ounces of coconut milk
2 cups, (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1.5 pounds (about 5 3/4 cups) confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Instructions:
1. Place the coconut milk into a medium saucepan with high sides.  Over medium heat, bring the coconut milk to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and reduce the coconut milk for about 20 minutes.  Turn the burner off and allow the milk to cool completely.  Cover and chill (about an hour), this will cause the coconut milk to thicken up a bit.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and reduced cooled coconut milk on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes. 
3. Turn mixer down to low speed and gradually add in the confectioners sugar until it is completely incorporated.  Add the extracts and mix until incorporated.  Turn off the mixer and check the buttercream for taste and texture.  Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the mixture for about 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Assembly:

1. Cut out a small circle in the center of the cupcake and fill with raspberry jam replace the cake on top of the jam.  
2. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled and filled cupcakes as desired.
3. Sprinkle with coconut and top with a red raspberry.

Toffee Coffee Cake Surprise: Baked Sunday Mornings

Here we go again, the Baked group is baking a coffee cake this week.  

It was an odd way to make it...anyway, I thought so...you took the butter, sugars, flour and vanilla and put it in your mixer and mixed it until it resembled sand, then added the eggs and sour cream.   

 My batter was very thick but I went ahead with it anyway...I greased the pan really well and layered in the batter and the filling. It looked really good. I got it out of the oven, It still looked great so I let it sit for 30 minutes then ran a knife around it to loosen it, as instructed. 

 I flipped the bundt pan over and only 2/3rds of the cake came out.  

ARGH!  

I dug out the remainder of the cake and patched it up the
 best I could but it was not a pretty sight. 

 so sad

Yeah, I got a surprise alright! 

 Sooooo....

it was drizzle time! 

Instead of just dusting it with powdered sugar,  

 I made a brown sugar glaze and drizzled it with that then melted some chocolate and gave it another drizzle.

It made it look a whole lot better!  

I also took the time to make the toffee no surprises there!  

Turned out nice

The cake? Well, it tasted good... it was nice and moist with a rich caramel flavor.  I cut a few pieces and wrapped up the rest and put it in the freezer to use for later...hopefully it freezes well! 

Until next time...
Enjoy!

Hopefully the other bakers had better luck! You can check it out here.

Next up is Cherry Almond Crisp!  

Now that sounds like my kind of recipe!

Coconut Dream Cookies

Here it is again, my eldest granddaughter's birthday!  

It snuck up so fast!  And she will be 16 to boot!  She is a beautiful young woman!  So as you all know, if you follow my blog at all, I bake cookies and send them on my grand daughters birthdays.  It is Stella's turn...I am currently on one of my wonderful juice fasts so I wanted to make this one quick and easy....not too much fuss, but delicious.  

I found this recipe on Pinterest (where else!). Yeah I am still addicted to it and pin far too many recipes!  More than I could ever make!  But like I said...I am addicted!  Sad but true.

It caught my eye because it was made with coconut oil instead of butter.

And I used Truvia baking blend instead of all sugar.  So they are delicious as well as a little bit healthier for you.  And yes...I ate a bit of one just to see if they were good....you gotta taste it!  I know, I know there is little hope for me...haha!  Hopefully it won't set back my fast too drastically!

They came together very fast and smelled heavenly!  I think I would try them again making them even healthier using flax "eggs" and some kind of gluten free flour option.  I think it could work!  I hope Stella likes them.

Happy Birthday Stella Blue!

Love you to the moon!

Until next time...

Enjoy!

Coconut Dream Cookies Recipe

Coconut cookies make a for a favorite of holiday cookie recipes.

These Coconut Dream Cookies are filled with mounds of coconut,

chocolate, and use coconut oil.

Serves: 20 cookies ( I got 24 cookies)

Ingredients

½ cup firm coconut oil 

¾ cup granulated sugar ( used 1/2 cup Truvia)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325º F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking

mat.

2. Cream together the coconut oil (or shortening) and sugar until light and fluffy with an

electric mixer. Mix in the egg and vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour,

baking powder and salt. Mix into the shortening and sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips

and coconut flakes.

3. Drop cookie dough by the tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1½-

inches between each cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies have turned lightly

brown and are set. Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe by Cooking | Add a Pinch at http://addapinch.com/cooking/coconut-dream-cookies-recipe/

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins: ABC

This is our first bake from the blog Scientifically Sweet. Last year we had a great time baking from the King Arthur Flour site...we tried some really great recipes.  I made as many as I could and they all were good!  This year, I am really looking forward to using Scientifically Sweet for our inspirations.  I took a look at the blog and there are some 

wonderful looking goodies on there!

 I followed the recipe, but added a little something extra...the chocolate crumb topping made of butter, banana, cocoa, flour and milk chocolate chips.  The muffins on their own are very good!  The banana/chocolate ratio is just right and I quite liked my little addition.  It just made them look pretty!  And you know me, I love pretty food.

This is a quick and easy recipe. Would be a nice little breakfast treat or a yummy snack with a nice cold glass of milk or cup of hot tea.

If you would like to see what the other Avid Bakers did with this challenge....just click here.

Our next challenge is Orange, Date and Almond Biscotti!  

Sounds like a winner!

Until then,

Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 ¼ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¾ cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas, previously frozen)

1/3 cup sour cream

1 large egg

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup canola oil

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk together to blend evenly and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas and sour cream until smooth. Whisk in egg, sugar, canola oil and vanilla extract until well blended. Add the flour mixture and the chocolate chips and fold gently until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until the muffin tops spring back when touched gently and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean despite any melted chocolate chips, 20-22 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Hair of the Dog Cake: Baked Sunday Mornings

Here it is the new year already!  I can't believe how fast 2014 flew by!  I had quite a few good things happen to me this past year....one big was that I lost 70 pounds!  Never thought I would be able to do that! 

Pretty cool huh?

Way cool in my book.  While I still have a ways to go I am very proud of the progress that I made last year.  I have been working very hard at achieving this goal so I haven't been baking as much as I have in the past.  But I so love to bake!  I don't know why something I enjoy doing so much has to be so bad for me.  I have practiced moderation and am trying to only have one taste of whatever I bake.  Oh my gosh, that is so hard sometimes.  But so far I have been able to be pretty much in control.

Well enough of that...on to the Hair of the Dog Cake!

This is a milk cake infused with Rum.  Then topped with a sugary rum syrup that is place under the broiler to get all crackly and brown.  It is really very good!  I took to a party and got it out of the house!  Whew!  That could have been very dangerous!  This cake could be very addictive!

I halved the recipe and baked it in a long vintage loaf pan that I had.  It worked really well.  I love how the rum syrup oozed into the cake.  This recipe is the second one I have baked from Baked Occasions.  Both have been delicious! To see what the other bakers did just click here.

 To get this wonderful recipe click here

Next up is Gingersnaps with Lemon Sugar...sounds like a good one!

Until then

Enjoy!