BACK TO SCHOOL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

So many kids are already back in school. It still seems odd to me, since when I was in school, we always started the day after Labor Day. Nevertheless, many schools are already in session for the 2024-2025 year. With that in mind, you can't have too many chocolate chip cookies to put in that school lunch box! There are so many recipes and varieties of chocolate chip cookies. I bet you could make a different chocolate chip cookie recipe every day of the year! I just love Chocolate Chip Cookies! Here's one more recipe for the start of school. This recipe is adapted from King Arthur Flour. It's a favorite! The vinegar is the trick! 

BACK TO SCHOOL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients
2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, either right from the fridge or at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vinegar, cider or white
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
In large bowl, combine sugars, butter, shortening, salt, vanilla, vinegar, and baking soda, beating until smooth and creamy.
Beat in egg, again beating until smooth.
Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is thoroughly combined.
Mix in flour, then fold in chips.
Use spoon (or tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1 1/4" balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2" between them on all sides; they'll spread.
Bake cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until edges are chestnut brown and tops are light golden brown, almost blonde.
Remove from oven and cool on pan until set enough to move without breaking.
Repeat with remaining dough.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE DONUTS: National Donut Day!

The first Friday in June is National Doughnut Day celebrating the doughnut, an edible, ring shaped piece of dough which is deep-fried and sweetened. This holiday event began in 1938 as a Chicago Salvation Army fundraiser for much needed funds during the depression. The day also recognized special women known as "Doughnut Lassies" who made and served doughnuts to homesick WWI soldiers in France, since doughnuts were thought to be the quintessential American food. Here's a song from a 1918 songbook celebrating doughnuts in WWI.

“A doughnut’s just a doughnut, boys, ’til you are “over there,”
And day and night you’re in a trench away in France somewhere;
You get a fresh-made doughnut, seems it comes from heaven above,
That doughnut, boys, reminds you of a slice of mother’s love.”

Read more.

The history of donuts, like so many foods, is debatable. Some believe that Dutch settlers brought doughnut making techniques from Holland. Hostess Donuts were first launched in the 1930's at a time in our history were looking for inexpensive ways to treat themselves. America's favorite doughnut is glazed, followed by chocolate, powdered sugar and plain.

There are 10 billion donuts made every year.

Chocolate Fudge Cake Donuts

I love this recipe from King Arthur Flour. It always works, and it's easy since you can bake these. The donuts come out moist, dense, and dark.  Icing is optional, but if you're a true chocoholic, you'll want to ice these donuts and add chocolate sprinkles. That makes it quadruple chocolate! 

Ingredients
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon espresso powder, optional  (but I think it enhances the flavor)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
 2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 2 teaspoons vinegar, white or cider
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) melted butter or 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Chocolate icing, optional
1 cup chocolate chips
4 tablespoons milk or half & half

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the wells of two standard doughnut pans. If you don't have two pans, simply bake the batter in two batches.
In large mixing bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips. Set aside.
In large measuring cup or medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and vinegar. You may notice some curdling of the milk; that's OK. Add wet ingredients, along with  melted butter or vegetable oil, to dry ingredients, stirring to blend; there's no need to beat batter, just make sure everything is well-combined.
Spoon batter into prepared pan(s), filling between 3/4 and full.
Bake doughnuts for 12 to 15 minutes, or until  toothpick inserted into center of one comes out clean.
Remove doughnuts from oven, and after 30 seconds or so, loosen their edges, turn pan upside down over rack, and gently let doughnuts fall onto the rack.
For sugar-coated doughnuts, immediately shake doughnuts in 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; add 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder to sugar for an additional touch of chocolate.
If you want to ice doughnuts rather than shake in sugar, allow to cool completely before icing.

To make icing: 
Combine chocolate chips and milk or half & half in microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Heat until half & half is steaming and starting to bubble. Remove from microwave, and stir until chips have melted and icing is smooth.
Dip top of each doughnut in the icing; or spread icing on doughnuts.

FANCY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: Guest Post by Alice Loweecey

I love when my mystery and chocolate worlds collide. I saw photos of this amazing "Giant Ho-Ho" on mystery author Alice Loweecey's Facebook page and had to have the recipe. Thanks, Alice!

ALICE LOWEECEY:

Fancy is in the Eye of the Beholder 

A few Christmases ago I was searching for a new dessert. I can hear you all now saying “Never try a new recipe for a holiday!” Sometimes you have to live on the edge. 

I’m not too edgy, so I figured chocolate would be a good compromise. I wandered through recipe sites waiting for something to catch my eye. The image of a chocolate, creamy swirl caught my eye. This was it!

Now for a nostalgia interlude. Back in May of 1984, a friend and I celebrated passing our senior exams with dinner at a tiny little French restaurant in Georgetown. We’d saved up so we could order what we wanted. I don’t remember the main course, but I was chosen to go to the bakery counter to choose dessert. I gazed at several fancy, sugary confections, but a swirl of chocolate and cream caught my eye. Our first bite confirmed the choice. Oh, my. 

So, of course, I clicked on the image of that chocolate, creamy swirl, which took me to the King Arthur Flour website. The recipe was simple enough for an experienced baker. I’ve been baking for about 46 years. I gave it a shot. 

I freely admit this version isn’t French restaurant quality. But the cake has a good crumb, whipped cream is always wonderful, and the ganache gives it an air of sophistication. 

Until my kids saw it for the first time. They dubbed it the Giant Ho-Ho. It was a hit and I’ve made it every Christmas since. It’s always the Giant Ho-Ho in our house now. 

Since time still has no meaning, I made it again this weekend for a combo belated birthday/Mother’s Day celebration. I fancied up the presentation, and no one complained. 

You can’t go wrong with chocolate. Enjoy! 

King Arthur Flour Company Chocolate Cream Roll 

Ingredients 

Batter 

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature 

• 3/4 cup (149g) sugar 

• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 2/3 cup (82g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 

• 1/3 cup (28g) Double Dutch Dark Cocoa, or other Dutch-process cocoa 

• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional; for richer chocolate flavor 

• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 

• 1/4 cup (50g) vegetable oil 

• 6 tablespoons (85g) buttermilk, at room temperature Filling 

• 1 cup (227g) heavy cream 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 1 tablespoon (14g) sugar 

• 2 teaspoons Instant ClearJel 

• 1/2 cup (85g) finely ground dark chocolate or 3/4 cup (75g) 

Sweet Ground Chocolate (Optional) 

Glaze 

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (85g) heavy cream 

• 1 1/2 tablespoons (29g) corn syrup, light or dark 

• 3/4 cup (128g) Guittard Semisweet Wafers, or chopped semisweet chocolate from a block 

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 1/2" x 14" jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick vegetable oil spray. 

To make the cake: 

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until thick and pale, then beat in the sugar, salt, and extracts. 

• Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder, and fold gently into the egg mixture. Whisk together the oil and buttermilk and fold in, stirring just until combined. 

• Spread the batter onto the pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake the cake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the top springs back when pressed gently. 

• Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes, then loosen the edges with knife. Turn out onto a tea towel lightly dusted with confectioners' sugar (or onto a piece of parchment), roll up loosely (starting with a short end), and let cool completely. 

To make the filling: 

Stir together the cream and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Mix together the sugar and ClearJel in a small bowl and sprinkle over the cream. Whip the cream (by hand, stand mixer, or hand mixer) until soft peaks form then fold in the finely ground chocolate or sweet ground chocolate. Refrigerate until needed. 

• To make the glaze: 

Gently heat all of the ingredients until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken slightly. 

• To finish the cake: Unroll the cake and spread it with the filling. Re-roll, and place seam-side down on rack set over a piece of parchment or wax paper. Trim the ends for a clean appearance. 

• Pour the chocolate glaze over the cake, spreading it to cover the ends and sides and allowing the excess to drip onto the paper below. Allow the glaze to set for 10 to 15 minutes, then if desired pour the excess glaze back over the cake. 

• Serve the cake immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours. Freeze for longer storage. 

***

Baker of brownies and tormenter of characters, Alice Loweecey recently celebrated her thirtieth year outside the convent. She grew up watching Hammer horror films and Scooby-Doo mysteries, which explains a whole lot. When she's not creating trouble for her sleuth Giulia Driscoll or inspiring nightmares as her alter-ego Kate Morgan, she can be found growing her own vegetables (in summer) and cooking with them (the rest of the year).

CHOCOLATE SOURDOUGH CAKE: National Sourdough Day

I used to bake a lot of bread, so I still have my own starter in the refrigerator. Some of the bread companies in the San Francisco Bay Area have sourdough starter that goes back well over a hundred and fifty years. There was a time when these bakeries kept their sourdough starter under lock and key. I imagine they still might be doing that. Read Julie Smith's Sourdough Wars. This mystery might be fiction, but there's some real history behind it. I've had my starter for about 35 years or more. Every baker should have sourdough starter in the fridge!

To learn about a good starter, go to www.sourdoughhome.com. Lots of great information on techniques, maintaining a starter, using a starter, storing a starter and even reviving a starter. Sourdough starter is a living thing, and it needs care.

One thing's for sure, it's easier and better to have a good starter. Since I'm posting a recipe from King Arthur Flour today, let me suggest you purchase your starter from them. You have two options from King Arthur Flour: Classic Fresh Sourdough Starter or French Sourdough Starter. The second is expensive, but might be easier for the novice who doesn't want to take care of a live starter culture. Always good to have an option.

A few years ago I posted a recipe for Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread. It's wonderful, but if it's too much fuss for you, Zingermann's makes a great Chocolate Sourdough Bread that's available via mail order.

But since today is National Sourdough Day, I thought I'd repost King Arthur Flour's Chocolate Sourdough Cake recipe. It's virtually foolproof. Just make sure you feed your starter the night before.. don't just pull it out of the fridge. It won't work that way! And, don't worry, this cake isn't tangy.. it's just right!

CHOCOLATE SOURDOUGH CAKE

• 1 cup "fed" sourdough starter
• 1 cup milk (whole milk or 2% preferred) or evaporated milk
• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa (not Dutch process)
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
• 2 large eggs

Icing

• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon hot water

Drizzle

• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup

Directions

Combine "fed" starter, milk, and flour in large mixing bowl. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. It won't necessarily bubble, but it may have expanded a bit.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.
In separate bowl, beat together sugar, oil, vanilla, salt, baking soda, cocoa, and espresso powder. Mixture will be grainy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Gently combine chocolate mixture with starter-flour-milk mixture, stirring till smooth. This will be a gloppy process at first, but batter will smooth out as you continue to beat gently.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake cake for 30 to 40 minutes, until it springs back when lightly pressed in the center, and cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven, and set it on rack to cool while you make the icing. OPTIONAL FOR ME... I'M NOT SURE IT NEEDS IT.. IT'S SUCH A GOOD CAKE BY ITSELF.
Sift confectioners' sugar into large mixing bowl, and set aside.
In small saucepan set over medium heat, melt butter, and add buttermilk or yogurt. Dissolve espresso powder in hot water, add to pan, and bring mixture just to a boil.
Immediately pour simmering liquid over confectioners' sugar in the bowl, and beat till smooth.
Pour warm frosting over cake. If you wait too long and frosting stiffens up, spread it over the cake.
Combine chocolate chips, milk, and corn syrup in microwave-safe cup. Microwave until chips soften, then stir till smooth.
Drizzle/drip chocolate over icing. You can do this while the icing is still warm, or wait till it's cooled.

Chocolate Graham Crackers: National Graham Cracker Day!

Tomorrow is National Graham Cracker Day, but I had to post this today on the Fourth of July because of this great WWII Ad with Uncle Sam that features all the 'recommended' National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) crackers, cookies, and biscuits.

I've made chocolate graham cracker crusts, and I've used graham crackers in most of my S'mores recipes, but I've never posted a recipe for Chocolate Graham Crackers. They're easy to make and delicious. My next S'mores will use these. I've seen lots of recipes, but this one from King Arthur Flour is one of the best.

CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRACKERS

Ingredients
1/2 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour, Traditional or White Whole Wheat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cold milk

Directions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Have two baking sheets and parchment paper to line them at the ready.
In medium-sized bowl, whisk together flours, salt, cocoa, sugar, and baking powder. With pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips, cut the butter into flour mixture until evenly crumbly.
In separate bowl, combine honey and milk, stirring until honey dissolves. Add liquid to dry ingredients and toss lightly with fork until dough comes together. Add additional milk, if necessary.
Turn dough out onto well-floured surface and fold over gently 10 to 12 times, until smooth.
Divide dough in half.
Work half the dough at a time, keeping remaining dough covered. Transfer one piece of dough to  piece of parchment. Roll into a rectangle a bit larger than 10" x 14"; dough will be about 1/16" thick. Trim edges and prick dough evenly with a dough docker or fork.
Repeat with  remaining dough and parchment. Place rolled-out dough pieces, on their parchment, onto baking sheets. Bake crackers for 15 minutes, or until you begin to smell chocolate. Remove them from the oven, and immediately cut them into rectangles with pizza wheel knife.
Transfer to rack to cool.
Store cooled crackers tightly wrapped for up to a week, or freeze for up to one month.

Sourdough Chocolate Cake: National Sourdough Day!

I used to bake a lot of bread, and I have my own starter in the refrigerator. Some of the bread companies in the San Francisco Bay Area have sourdough starter that goes back well over a hundred and fifty years. There was a time when these bakeries kept their sourdough starter under lock and key. I imagine they still might be doing that. Read Julie Smith's Sourdough Wars. This mystery might be fiction, but there's some real history behind it.  I've had my starter for about 30 years or more. Every baker should have sourdough starter in the fridge!

To learn about a good starter, go to www.sourdoughhome.com. Lots of great information on techniques, maintaining a starter, using a starter, storing a starter and even reviving a starter. Sourdough starter is a living thing, and it needs care.

One thing's for sure, it's easier and better to start with a good starter. Since I'm posting a recipe from King Arthur Flour today, let me suggest you purchase your starter from them. You have two options from King Arthur Flour: Classic Fresh Sourdough Starter or French Sourdough Starter.  The second is expensive, but might be easier for the novice who doesn't want to take care of a live starter culture. Always good to have an option.

A few years ago I posted a recipe for Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread. It's wonderful, but if it's too much fuss for you, Zingermann's makes a great Chocolate Sourdough Bread that's available via mail order.

But since today is National Sourdough Day, I thought I'd repost King Arthur Flour's Chocolate Sourdough Cake recipe. It's virtually foolproof. Just make sure you feed your starter the night before.. don't just pull it out of the fridge. It won't work that way! And, don't worry, this cake isn't tangy.. it's just right!

CHOCOLATE SOURDOUGH CAKE

• 1 cup "fed" sourdough starter
• 1 cup milk (whole milk or 2% preferred) or evaporated milk
• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa (not Dutch process)
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
• 2 large eggs

Icing

• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon hot water

Drizzle

• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup

Directions

Combine "fed" starter, milk, and flour in large mixing bowl. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. It won't necessarily bubble, but it may have expanded a bit.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.
In separate bowl, beat together sugar, oil, vanilla, salt, baking soda, cocoa, and espresso powder. Mixture will be grainy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Gently combine chocolate mixture with starter-flour-milk mixture, stirring till smooth. This will be a gloppy process at first, but batter will smooth out as you continue to beat gently.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake cake for 30 to 40 minutes, until it springs back when lightly pressed in the center, and cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven, and set it on rack to cool while you make the icing. OPTIONAL FOR ME... I'M NOT SURE IT NEEDS IT.. IT'S SUCH A GOOD CAKE BY ITSELF.
Sift confectioners' sugar into large mixing bowl, and set aside.
In small saucepan set over medium heat, melt butter, and add buttermilk or yogurt. Dissolve espresso powder in hot water, add to pan, and bring mixture just to a boil.
Immediately pour simmering liquid over confectioners' sugar in the bowl, and beat till smooth.
Pour warm frosting over cake. If you wait too long and frosting stiffens up, spread it over the cake.
Combine chocolate chips, milk, and corn syrup in microwave-safe cup. Microwave until chips soften, then stir till smooth.
Drizzle/drip chocolate over icing. You can do this while the icing is still warm, or wait till it's cooled.

Cranberry Fudge Pie

Since today is National Cranberry Day, I'm going to make this fabulous pie. It's also perfect for Thanksgiving, a great alternative to pumpkin pie.

I'm a big fan of King Arthur Flour, not just the flour, but all the food products, pans, videos, and more. Great gluten-free help for the holidays, too! Love their recipes, too. I'm signed up for email updates, and you might want to do that, too. If I hadn't, I might have missed this incredible Recipe for Cranberry Fudge Pie a few years ago.

For the crust, you can always use a prepared graham cracker crust, but it's so easy to make one yourself. As always use the very best chocolate and other ingredients! I've kept the link to glazing sugar. Definitely great to have in your pantry. I'm all about easy, and this recipe is simple!

CRANBERRY FUDGE PIE

Crust
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (One cellophane-wrapped packet of graham crackers (11 whole crackers) will yield this amount of crumbs)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar
6 Tbsp melted sweet butter

Filling
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate (Don't use bittersweet chocolate; with the acidic tang of the cranberries, it's just too much. You want a dark chocolate that's sweet; most chocolate chips will be fine)
2/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup diced walnuts or pecans

Topping
1 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup dried cranberries (I use Trader Joe's-they're always in my pantry)
12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries, a generous 3 cups
You'll need about 15 ounces (a scant 1-1/2 cups) topping for the pie.

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.

To Make Crust: 
Process graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter in food processor until crumbly and well combined.
Press into bottom and up sides of 9" pie pan.
Bake crust for about 7 to 8 minutes, until set, but not brown. Remove from oven and cool.

To Make Filling: 
Put chips (or chopped chocolate) and cream in  microwave-safe container, and heat for about 90 seconds.
Remove from microwave, and stir until mixture becomes smooth and dark brown; you're simply making a basic ganache.  (I tend to do this in a pot over a pot over simmering water)
Spoon hot ganache into cooled crust, and sprinkle nuts on top.
Refrigerate pie for at 2 hours, until ganache firms up.
While pie is chilling, make topping.

To Make Topping:
Bring sugar, salt, and cranberry juice to a boil.
Stir in dried cranberries, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add fresh or frozen cranberries, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until some of berries have burst.
Remove the cranberries from heat, spoon into bowl, and chill.

To Finish Assembling Pie: 
Spoon 1-1/2 cups cranberry sauce on top of fudge/nut filling.
Chill until ready to serve.

Photo: King Arthur Flour

Perfect Back to School Chocolate Chip Cookies

Back to School:

You can't have too many chocolate chip cookies to put in that school lunch box! I've done lots of Chocolate Chip Cookie round-ups.. so many recipes, so many varieties. I bet you could make a different chocolate chip cookie recipe every day! I just love Chocolate Chip Cookies! So here's one more recipe for the start of school. This recipe is adapted from King Arthur Flour. It's a favorite! The vinegar is the trick!

PERFECT BACK TO SCHOOL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients
2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweet butter, right from the fridge, or at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
 2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1 teaspoon vinegar, cider or white
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
In large bowl, combine sugars, butter, shortening, salt, vanilla and almond extracts, vinegar, and baking soda, beating until smooth and creamy.
Beat in egg, again beating until smooth.
Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is thoroughly combined.
Mix in flour, then fold in chips.
Use spoon (or tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1 1/4" balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2" between them on all sides; they'll spread.
Bake cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until edges are chestnut brown and tops are light golden brown, almost blonde.
Remove from oven and cool on pan until set enough to move without breaking.
Repeat with remaining dough.

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies: 2 Recipes

I've posted many recipes for gluten-free baked goods, but I'm not sure I ever posted a good Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Here are two of my favorites.

The first recipe for Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies is from King Arthur Flour. This is my favorite. I definitely want vanilla in my chocolate chip cookies! If you're not following King Arthur Flour on Twitter or Facebook, it's time. I get their emails, too. Their photos are enticing but even more, their products and recipes are fantastic! 

1. Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 1/3 cups King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1 tso baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts, optional

Directions
Beat butter, sugars, vanilla and salt till fluffy.
Beat in eggs one at a time, being sure to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl midway through to make sure everything is well combined.
Whisk together flour or flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda.
Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture, then blend in chocolate chips and nuts. Again, scrape  bottom and sides of bowl to be sure everything is well blended.
Cover bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour, or for up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a couple of baking sheets, or line with parchment.
Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets; a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. Leave space betweencookies so they can spread.
Bake cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, to set, before transferring to racks to cool completely. Or allow to cool right on baking sheets.

This second Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is from Rachael Ray. It's quick and easy. As I've said before, you can never have anough recipes for Chocolate Chip Cookies, especially Gluten-Free. Try both recipes and see what you think!

2. Rachael Ray's Easy Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 cups of gluten-free baking flour
1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup of crushed pecans

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Grease baking sheet.
In medium sized bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and stir until blended. Slowly add  gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop teaspoon sized cookies onto prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for about 8 minutes or until slightly brown and not wet.
Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before taking them off sheet.

Sourdough Chocolate Cake: National Sourdough Day

I used to bake a lot of bread, and I have my own starter in the refrigerator. Some of the bread companies in the San Francisco Bay Area have sourdough starter that goes back well over a hundred and fifty years. There was a time when these bakeries kept their sourdough starter under lock and key. Well, I imagine they still might be. Read Julie Smith's Sourdough Wars. This mystery might be fiction, but there's some real history behind it.  I've had my starter for about 30 years or more. Every baker should have sourdough starter in the fridge!

To learn about a good starter, go to www.sourdoughhome.com. Lots of great information on techniques, maintaining a starter, using a starter, storing a starter and even reviving a starter. Sourdough starter is a living thing, and it needs care.

One thing's for sure, it's easier and better to start with a good starter. Since I'm posting a recipe from King Arthur Flour today, let me suggest you purchase your starter from them. You have two options from King Arthur Flour: Classic Fresh Sourdough Starter or French Sourdough Starter.  The second is expensive, but might be easier for the novice who doesn't want to take care of a live starter culture. Always good to have an option.

A few years ago I posted a recipe for Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread. It's wonderful, but if it's too much fuss for you, Zingermann's makes a great Chocolate Sourdough Bread that's available via mail order.

But since today is National Sourdough Day, I thought I'd repost King Arthur Flour's Chocolate Sourdough Cake recipe. It's virtually foolproof. Just make sure you feed your starter the night before.. don't just pull it out of the fridge. It won't work that way! And, don't worry, this cake isn't tangy.. it's just right!

CHOCOLATE SOURDOUGH CAKE

• 1 cup "fed" sourdough starter
• 1 cup milk (whole milk or 2% preferred) or evaporated milk
• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa (not Dutch process)
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
• 2 large eggs

Icing 

• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon hot water

Drizzle

• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup

Directions

1. Combine "fed" starter, milk, and flour in large mixing bowl. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. It won't necessarily bubble, but it may have expanded a bit. 

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.
3. In separate bowl, beat together tsugar, oil, vanilla, salt, baking soda, cocoa and espresso powder. Mixture will be grainy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Gently combine chocolate mixture with starter-flour-milk mixture, stirring till smooth. This will be a gloppy process at first, but batter will smooth out as you continue to beat gently.
6. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
7. Bake cake for 30 to 40 minutes, until it springs back when lightly pressed in the center, and cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Remove cake from oven, and set it on rack to cool while you make the icing. OPTIONAL FOR ME... I'M NOT SURE IT NEEDS IT.. IT'S SUCH A GOOD CAKE BY ITSELF.

9. Sift confectioners' sugar into large mixing bowl, and set aside.
10. In small saucepan set over medium heat, melt butter and add buttermilk or yogurt. Dissolve espresso powder in hot water, add to pan, and bring mixture just to a boil.
11. Immediately pour simmering liquid over confectioners' sugar in the bowl, and beat till smooth. 12.  Pour warm frosting over cake. If you wait too long and frosting stiffens up, spread it over the cake.
13. Combine chocolate chips, milk, and corn syrup in microwave-safe cup. Microwave until chips soften, then stir till smooth.
14. Drizzle/drip chocolate over icing. You can do this while the icing is still warm, or wait till it's cooled.

King Arthur Flour Cocoa Page: Self-Saucing Chocolate Cake

February is Chocolate Month, and I have fabulous recipes this month. Lots of holidays, too, such as Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year and so many more!

I've often mentioned that I love the King Arthur Flour website, newsletter and products. Now they have a new page: All About Cocoa. Great information about Cocoa, Origins, Dutch or Natural and Specialty Cocoas.

Here's a great and easy gluten-free recipe from King Arthur Flour for Self-Saucing Chocolate Cake.. kind of like a lava cake, but a different recipe from ones I've posted. This chocolate treat can be dressed up with ice cream, whipped cream, or Irish Cream. I've used Kahlua!

SELF SAUCING CHOCOLATE CAKE

Batter
1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa, Cocoa Rouge, or Dutch-process cocoa
1/4 cup almond flour or hazelnut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Double Dutch Dark Cocoa, Cocoa Rouge, or Dutch-process cocoa
pinch of salt
1 cup hot milk or hot water

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease four 1-cup ramekins or oven-safe mugs.
2. To make the cake: Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, nut flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Whisk in the vanilla, melted butter or oil, egg, and milk.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins or mugs, using about 1/3 cup batter in each.
5. To make the topping: Whisk together the sugar, cocoa, and salt.
6. Divide among the ramekins or mugs, using two heaping tablespoons for each.
7. Top each ramekin or mug with 1/4 cup boiling water. Place on a baking sheet.
8. Bake the cakes for 18 to 22 minutes. The cake should be puffy, with some liquid boiling up around the edges.
9. Serve hot or warm. Top with whipped cream, a toasted marshmallow, ice cream, or a splash of Irish Cream (or Kahlua!).

Yield: 4 servings.

Photo: King Arthur Flour

Christmas Chocolate Barks: Red and Green and Chocolate!

I adore barks, and I've posted several Bark recipes over the past year including Chocolate Peppermint Bark for the holidays. Bark is so easy and quick to make and there are so many variations that it's perfect for this busy time of year! I especially that these two Bark Recipes because they employ both color and unique tastes along with chocolate! As always use the very best chocolate! Here's to a Red, Green and Chocolate Holiday!

The first recipe comes from Annmarie Kostyk, the Chocolate Goddess! She is the ultimate Chocolate Blogger with great reviews and recipes and interesting facts about chocolate. She truly is a Chocolate Goddess. Be sure and visit her website and scroll back for the 12 Days of Holiday Chocolate Candy and 12 Days of Holiday Chocolate Cookies! Exceptional!!!

Pistachio and Cherry Dark Chocolate Bark
from Annmarie Kostyk, the Chocolate Goddess

Ingredients:
3/4 cup roasted, shelled pistachios, (3 ounces), coarsely chopped (raw pistachios and/or other salted nuts, don't have the same saltiness)
3/4 cup dried cherries (or cranberries)
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
24 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped, divided

Directions:
1. Line the bottom and sides of a jelly-roll pan or baking sheet with foil. (Take care to avoid wrinkles.) Toss pistachios with cherries in a medium bowl. Divide the mixture in half; stir orange zest into 1 portion.
2. Melt 18 ounces chocolate in a double boiler over hot water. (or in a saucepan over a saucepan of simmering water) Stir often with a rubber spatula so it melts evenly.
3. Remove the top saucepan and wipe dry. Stir in the remaining 6 ounces chocolate, in 2 additions, until thoroughly melted and smooth.
4. Add the pistachio mixture containing the orange zest to the chocolate; stir to mix well. Working quickly, scrape the chocolate onto the prepared pan, spreading it to an even 1/4-inch thickness with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the remaining pistachio mixture on top; gently press it into the chocolate with your fingertips. Refrigerate, uncovered, just until set, no more than 20 minutes.
5. Invert the pan onto a large cutting board. Remove the pan and peel off the foil. Using the tip of a sharp knife, score the chocolate lengthwise with 6 parallel lines. Break bark along the score lines. Break the strips of bark into 2- to 3-inch chunks.

Hint: Never store Chocolate Bark in the refrigerator. It will sweat or bloom. For that matter, don't store any chocolate candy in the refrigerator.

The following recipe is from the King Arthur Flour website. I love the innovative recipes on the website and blog, and, of course, King Arthur Flour's great products! This recipe is very festive with red cranberries and crunchy pecans...and it uses both white and dark chocolate layers. Let's face it, you can never have enough bark! Woof!

Cranberry Nut Chocolate Bark
from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup toasted diced pecans
2- 2/3 cups chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
2- 2/3 cups chopped white chocolate, melted

Directions
1. Toss the cranberries and pecans together. Set them aside.
2. Melt the dark chocolate (in the top of a double boiler--see above), and spread it into an 8" x 12" oval on parchment paper.
3. Allow the chocolate to set, but not harden completely.

4. Melt the white chocolate (in the top of a double boiler-see above) and mix it with about 3/4 cup of the cranberries and pecans.
5. Spread this over the dark chocolate.
6. Sprinkle the rest of the nuts and fruit on top, pressing them in gently.
7. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes--no more than 20-- until hardened, then break it into chunks.

Happy Holidays!

Photo: Pistachio and Cherry Dark Chocolate Bark: Annmarie Kostyk
Photo: Cranberry Nut Chocolate Bark: King Arthur Flour

Cranberry Fudge Pie Recipe from King Arthur Flour

I'm a big fan of King Arthur Flour, not just the flour, but all the food products, pans, videos and more. Great gluten-free help for the holidays, too! The King Arthur Flour website also has wonderful recipes.

I'm signed up for email updates, and you might want to do that, too. I might have missed this incredible Recipe for Cranberry Fudge Pie. Perfect for Thanksgiving. You can always use a prepared graham cracker crust, but it's so easy to make yourself. As always use the very best chocolate and other ingredients! I've kept the link to glazing sugar. Definitely great to have in your pantry. I'm all about easy, and this recipe is simple!

CRANBERRY FUDGE PIE


Crust
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (One cellophane-wrapped packet of graham crackers (11 whole crackers) will yield this amount of crumbs)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar
6 tablespoons melted sweet butter

Filling
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate (Don't use bittersweet chocolate; with the acidic tang of the cranberries, it's just too much. You want a dark chocolate that's noticeably sweet; most chocolate chips will be fine)
2/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup diced walnuts or pecans

Topping
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup dried cranberries
12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries, a generous 3 cups
You'll need about 15 ounces (a scant 1 1/2 cups) topping for the pie.

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2) To make the crust: Process the crackers, sugar, and melted butter in a food processor until crumbly and well combined.
3) Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie pan.
4) Bake the crust for about 7 to 8 minutes, until it's set, but not brown. Remove from the oven and cool.
5) To make the filling: Put the chips (or chopped chocolate) and cream in a microwave-safe container, and heat for about 90 seconds.
6) Remove from the microwave, and stir until the mixture becomes smooth and dark brown; you're simply making a basic ganache.
7) Spoon the hot ganache into the cooled crust, and sprinkle the nuts on top.
8) Refrigerate the pie for at least 1 hour, probably 2, until the ganache has firmed up.
9) While the pie is chilling, make the topping. Bring the sugar, salt, and cranberry juice to a boil.
10) Stir in the dried cranberries, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
11) Add the fresh or frozen cranberries, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until some of the berries have burst.
12) Remove the cranberries from the heat, spoon into a bowl, and chill.
13) To finish assembling the pie: Spoon 1 1/2 cups cranberry sauce atop the fudge/nut filling. Chill until ready to serve.

Photo: King Arthur Flour