BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE COOKIES: National Bittersweet Chocolate Day

Today is National Bittersweet Chocolate Day. Since I review, eat, and bake with chocolate, the word bittersweet isn't really part of my lexicon. Although I have purchased chocolate that is labeled bittersweet, I buy chocolate based on its origins, maker, taste, and amount of cacao. Bittersweet is just too vague a term for me.

According to Wikipedia, Bittersweet chocolate is chocolate liquor (unsweetened chocolate not liqueur) to which some sugar (typically a third), more cocoa butter, vanilla, and sometimes lecithin has been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate, but the two are interchangeable in baking. Bittersweet and semisweet chocolates are sometimes referred to as 'couverture' (chocolate that contains at least 32 percent cocoa butter); many brands (the ones I like) print on the package the percentage of cocoa (as chocolate liquor and added cocoa butter) contained. The rule is that the higher the percentage of cocoa, the less sweet the chocolate will be. The American FDA classifies chocolate as either "bittersweet" or "semisweet" that contain at least 35% cacao (either cacao solids or butter from the cacao beans).

So using this definition, almost any of my recipes will work since I use mostly very dark chocolate.

As in any of my recipes, the quality of the ingredients will make a difference in the flavor of your final product. I often have left-over chocolate (I know, who has left-over chocolate? I do), and I like to combine different brands of chocolate and amounts of cacao in this recipe--both in the melted chocolate part of the recipe and in the chunks that are folded in later. Very fun and yummy! Also you can also substitute brown sugar for white, but you'll have a different cookie!

Happy Bittersweet Chocolate Day!

Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
8 oz dark (bittersweet) chocolate (65-85% cacao, organic, fair trade), chopped into chunks
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar (this can be brown sugar or white-it will change the cookie)
1 tsp pure vanilla
6-7 oz dark (bittersweet) chocolate into small chunks (65-85% cacao)
1.5 cups chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk together the flour baking powder & salt. Set aside.
Melt together butter & bittersweet chocolate.
Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar & vanilla together.
When chocolate has melted, whisk in small amount of chocolate into egg mixture and slowly add in remaining chocolate, continuing to whisk. Stir in flour mixture
Fold in chocolate chunks & nuts.
Drop cookies 2 inches apart in heaping teaspoon onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 12-14 minutes.
Cool on wire rack.

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT SCONES: National Apricot Day!

Brr.. It's cold outside-- a perfect day for scones right out of the oven! I've posted many scone recipes over the years, but since today is National Apricot Day, here's a great recipe for White Chocolate Apricot Scones. There are no fresh apricots this time of year, at least not growing in my local area, so this recipe is perfect since it calls for dried apricots. I always have dried apricots in the refrigerator. I serve these scones with clotted cream (or unsalted butter if I don't have clotted cream) and a nice pot of tea!

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT SCONES 

Ingredients
2/3 cup unsalted butter
3 1⁄2 cups flour
1⁄4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2⁄3 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 cup white chocolate chips (make sure it's 'real' white chocolate!)
2 eggs
2⁄3 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional (sugar for sprinkling)

Directions 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In large bowl cut together butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt using pastry blender (or use 2 table knives crisscrossing ingredients in opposite directions) until mixture is crumbly.
Stir in apricots and white chocolate chips.
Add eggs, half & half, and vanilla so dough separates from side of bowl and forms a ball.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead lightly 10 times (don't overwork).
Divide dough into two equal portions.
On greased baking sheets pat each portion of dough into an 8" circle, and cut each circle into 8 wedges.
Optional: Sprinkle with sugar
Bake about 15 minutes, until golden. Serve warm.

Happy Birthday, ELVIS! Peanut Butter, Banana, Bacon, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy Birthday, Elvis!

We all know that Elvis loved his peanut butter and banana sandwiches, but add some bacon and chocolate chips and make these cookies to celebrate his birthday!.Elvis Cookies recipe from the CookingChannel.  Some interesting ingredients and preparation--in muffin tins!

ELVIS PEANUT BUTTER, BANANA, BACON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!

Ingredients 
10 slices bacon
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsweetened butter, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts
1/2 cup sweet dried banana chips, roughly chopped

Directions 
Cook bacon in skillet until crisp, then drain on paper towels. Once bacon is cool, roughly chop it (you should have about 1/2 cup).
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
In large bowl, beat butter, mayonnaise and sugars with mixer at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Add peanut butter and vanilla and beat until combined. At low speed, add  flour mixture in batches, beating until just combined.
Using wooden spoon, stir in  chocolate chunks, bacon, peanuts and banana chips.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Position racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners. Fill muffin tins about halfway full with batter (a 2-inch, 2-ounce ice cream scoop gives you just about the perfect amount, and helps prevent spilling).
Bake until tops are slightly golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. (Keep in mind that the cookies won't rise and form a dome like a cupcake.)
Let cool in muffin tins on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then unmold cookie cups and transfer to racks to cool completely.
Cook's Notes: The mayonnaise in this recipe makes these cookies especially tender. 

Elvis has left the building, and he took these cookies with him!

ENGLISH TOFFEE RECIPE: English Toffee Day!

Tomorrow, January 8, is a world-wide holiday: English Toffee Day, so I thought I'd make some to celebrate! I absolutely adore English Toffee. I'm a Toffee Judge at the International and San Francisco Chocolate Salons, so I've tried many kinds. I've also made many varieties.

I first had English Toffee on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. Don't ask! Yes, there was salt water taffy, but I was drawn to the English Toffee and White Chocolate. Both were rarities in our household, so they were special treats -- easily accessible on the Boardwalk candy shops.

English Toffee has several definitions, but for me it's any confection made by boiling sugar with butter or milk, surrounded by chocolate and nuts. What's your definition? Some people call this brittle. Whatever it is, you have the hard, soft, and chewy all in one.

The preparation for making English Toffee is much like that for making candy barks. English Toffee can be made with dark chocolate of varying amounts or even milk chocolate or a mixture of both. Nuts can range from almonds to peanuts to filberts to hazelnuts. Every time you make English Toffee, you can vary the ingredients to come up with a completely different taste. Have fun! One thing, though, be sure and use real butter!!!

I've adapted this easy recipe from Epicurean. You will need a candy thermometer.

ENGLISH TOFFEE

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (best quality)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla
6 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao or higher)
2 oz milk chocolate (40-55% cacao)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans,walnuts, filberts, or hazelnuts (you choose)

Directions:
Combine butter, sugar, water, and salt in a heavy 2- 1/2 qt pan. Cook over medium-high to high heat, stirring often, until candy thermometer reads 305 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately pour into heavily buttered 9-inch square pan, spreading to fill pan. Cool completely.

Melt semisweet and milk chocolate in top of double boiler stirring until smooth. Spread half of chocolate over 1 side of toffee and sprinkle with half of nuts Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

Reheat remaining chocolate until flowing. Turn toffee over and spread other side with chocolate and sprinkle with remaining nuts. Refrigerate until firm. When chocolate is set, break toffee into pieces. Store in airtight container in a cool place.

Cooking for Engineers has another great and similar recipe with photos.