2014 Baking Challenge Update

Well, I am officially a terrible food blogger. I've actually already accomplished several of the dishes I intended to try in my personal 2014 baking challenge... and I haven't blogged about (or photographed) any of them. In summary:

 Chocolate Chess Pie



Tried this. Terribly disappointed. Have another recipe I plan to try. I probably didn't document it because it was hideous. And just okay. I did cut the recipe to a smaller size, which may have effected it. Either way, it wasn't pretty enough to document.

2. German Dark Rye Bread



Another failure. Didn't turn out at all. With that said, I had bought all this rye flour and was determined to be successful. I did find a recipe I liked, in the end. It wasn't amazing, dried out quicker than I would have liked (that could be the desert air), but it was pretty tasty. The successful recipe was from An Edible Mosaic.

6.  Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Skillet Cookie



This wasn't beautiful. I didn't have the same sized skillet, so I used two smaller ones and they spilled over a bit (I had them on a pan, so no harm to the oven!). I can't remember why I didn't take pictures, except maybe that I was too busy eating. Because this was sooooo repeatable. It was scrumptious. It was terrible--I didn't want to stop eating. Yummy. Extra good with ice cream.

So, really, I'm 3/7 on my challenge already! Go me! Now I just need to be better about the pictures!

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have found. I used to use a different one, but moving to high altitude wreaked havoc on my cookies, and it took a while to find a new, BETTER recipe. The secret isn't so secret anymore... cornstarch! Perfect, fluffy cookies. With that said, the batch made on this post weren't the best I made (appearance-wise, they always taste great), and they still look pretty darn good!

Anyway, this recipe is like fool-proof. I will admit that I decreased the amount of chocolate chips, and that IS saying something (I'm always for more chocolate). It was just a little too much! They were rattling around in the bowl with nothing to stick to!

Recipe:

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Large Egg
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 cups Flour
2 tsp. Cornstarch
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
3/4 cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line pan with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter with sugars and add vanilla. Once creamy, add egg and mix.
3. Add dry ingredients (flour last) and mix until combined.
4. Add chocolate chips and place in tablespoon-fulls on pan (makes about 24 cookies).
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Bars

I already have myself a go-to chocolate chip bar, and this is a slight variation on that, but it was a recipe I decided to try. And I did... it was pretty good, although I'll confess that I think it is much better right out of the oven. However, I do live in a very dry climate and things dry out easily (it was too dry for me on day 2... maybe if I had done a better job wrapping it?).

Anyway, these are yummy and chewy right out of the oven, and you'll eat more than you should!

Recipe:

Chocolate Chip Bars
adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
2 1/8 cups Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
12 Tbsp. Butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 Egg Yolk
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 1/4 cups Flour
2 cups Chocolate Chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325. Line pan with foil or spray.
2. Whisk together melted butter and sugars until combined, and then add egg and yolk.
3. Add vanilla and baking soda. Fold in flour until just combined (do not over mix).
4. Fold in chocolate chips and smooth into pan.
5. Bake for 24-28 minutes. Cool to room temperature (or eat them hot, how I like them).

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

These are amazing. Amazing. They are like chocolate truffles. I know, that's what they're called. But seriously, they are! So soft and smooth... so chocolaty....

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

They are delish. That's all I have to say.

Recipe:


Chocolate Truffle Cookies
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup Butter, room temperature
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1/3 cup Cocoa
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 1/4 cups Flour
2 cups Chocolate Chips
1/3 cup Cocoa for rolling
1/3 cup Powdered Sugar for Sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325. Line pans with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar. Strain in the cocoa and salt into the butter mixture.
3. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Blend in flour and add chocolate chips.
4. Shape into 1 inch balls (may need to refrigerate first) and roll in cocoa before placing on the pan. Do not flatten.
5. Bake for 10 minutes - DO NOT OVER BAKE. Cool on the baking sheet 3-5 minutes. Once completely cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.