Skillet-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie

{Sorry, no TWD today.  Sharon from Simply Southern selected Bourbon Bread Pudding, and though I've tried, I'm just not a bread pudding fan.  Sharon will share the recipe on her blog today, and you can visit the TWD site if you'd like to read the other bakers' posts.}

This is a bit of an embarrassing story, but I'm going to tell you anyway because it's relevant and the memory kept popping into my head as I baked this recipe.  When I was younger, I was a competitive gymnast, and I trained pretty seriously from an early age up until I graduated from high school.  There were a few short periods I decided I needed a "break" though, and during one of those breaks, I was a cheerleader for several of my high school's sports teams.  One of those sports was wrestling, which at the time was a big deal as our team was in the midst of an unprecedented streak of consecutive State Championship titles (haha, it's even on Wikipedia!).  Although we cheered as a team, each girl was also assigned to a specific wrestler.  I can't specifically remember why we did it, but from time to time we'd bake and decorate giant cookies for "our" wrestler and present them to him after the match.  I wasn't much of a baker at the time so I shudder to think about the cookies I made, but the guys loved them, and I guess that's all that matters.  I wish teenage me had thought to take pictures of those cookies to share with future me and all of you!  I love random memories like that which spring up after having never crossed my mind for so many years.



My friend Jeannette suggested baking this recipe together via Twitter last week and I was instantly on board.  The thing I find least enjoyable about making cookies is having to scoop and bake sheet after sheet after sheet of cookies; it requires patience and I don't always have a lot.  I love that this recipe eliminates all of that.  I halved the recipe (though I've included the full recipe below) and wound up with just enough dough to bake in two 6.5-inch cast iron skillets.  I used mini chocolate chips and reduced the baking time for my cookies to about 25 minutes.  A scoop of vanilla ice cream and a little chocolate sauce were the perfect finishing touches.  The cookies were golden and crisp around the outside edges, while the inside was rich, chewy and packed with chocolate.  Without a doubt the texture was best warm from the oven, but I found that 15 seconds in the microwave for day old cookies nearly replicated that fresh-from-the-oven appeal.  I think this cookie would be a great sweet treat to end a home-cooked Valentine's Day meal if you're going that route like we are :)



Skillet-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie
from Martha Stewart

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (about 9 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and beat just until combined.  Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix to distribute.

Transfer the dough to a 10-inch ovenproof (cast-iron works well!) skillet, and press to flatten in an even layer on the bottom of the pan.  Bake until the edges of the cookie are brown and the top is golden, about 40-45 minutes.  Don't overbake; it will continue to cook a few minutes out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Meyer Lemon Sticky Rolls

Last year was the first time I was able to find Meyer lemons in my local store, and I went crazy, grabbing quite a few.  Meyer lemons are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange; they're slightly sweeter than regular lemons and have a brighter yellow, orange-tinted skin.  I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find them again, so I was really excited when they turned up again this year.  I had to restrain myself from buying the store's entire stash (which wouldn't have been as obnoxious as it may sound, they probably only had 15-20).  When I got home, I remembered this recipe for lemon sticky rolls, which several bloggers had adapted from The Kitchn last year.  My mind was instantly made up.  I love cinnamon rolls, and a fresh lemon version just sounded so appealing.  I was reminded of the lemon-scented pull-apart coffee cake I'd made last year, which I'd thought was similar to a citrus version of cinnamon rolls and I'd loved, so I had high hopes.



I made a few changes to the original recipe in my version below and will just point them out quickly.  I eliminated ground ginger from the filling because I found it overwhelming in my first batch.  I also decreased the amount of lemon juice and butter in the filling because a lot of the reviews complained the filling was leaking out everywhere so I wanted to make mine thicker.  For the dough itself I found I needed a lot less flour than the recipe indicated (hence the range listed below), but the amount of flour necessary in a yeast recipe is always a moving target anyway so just pay attention to the consistency of the dough.  Finally, my rolls baked up more quickly than expected; I definitely recommend using a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the rolls.

The rolls are just as good I hoped they would be.  From the rich, tender roll to the sweet, gooey lemon filling and the tangy cream cheese topping - yum!  My favorite thing about this type of treat is that you can prep them ahead of time and either refrigerate overnight, or pop in the freezer to save for another day.  I can't imagine a better way to start the day than with warm lemon sticky rolls.  Making yeast breakfast rolls is really fun and relaxing in my opinion, and when they taste as good as these, it's tough not to make them for breakfast every day :)    

Meyer Lemon Sticky Rolls
adapted from The Kitchn

Dough
2 1/2 teaspoons active yeast

3/4 cup warm milk (about 100-110 F)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 lemons, zested
2 eggs, at room temperature

Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
zest of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
4 oz cream cheese, softened
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 lemon, zested (optional, for garnish)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for a few minutes.  Add the butter, sugar, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, lemon zest, and one cup of the flour and mix briefly to combine.  Add the eggs and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft yet sticky dough.  Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.  (Alternatively, you could turn the soft dough out onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for 7-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.)  

Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray.  Add the dough and turn to coat.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot.  Let the dough rise until nearly doubled, about an hour.

To make the filling, mix the sugar with the nutmeg, then work in the lemon zest with the tips of your fingers until the sugar resembles wet, soft sand. Stir in two tablespoons of lemon juice.

Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.  On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle that is approximately 10x15 inches.  Spread the dough evenly with the softened butter, then spread the lemon-sugar filling mixture over top.  Starting with a long end facing you, roll the dough up tightly.  Pinch the dough at the end to seal the seam.  Cut the dough into 12 even rolls (I like to halve the roll, then halve each piece and finally, cut each piece into thirds), and place them, cut side up, in the prepared baking dish.

Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for an hour or until puffy and nearly doubled.  (You can also refrigerate the rolls at this point. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake the rolls, remove the pan from the fridge, and let them rise for an hour.)

Heat the oven to 350 F.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly browned and a thermometer inserted into the center of a roll reads 190 F.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze.  Whip the cream cheese (using a mixer or even by hand with a whisk) until light and fluffy.  Add the lemon juice and blend until well combined.  Mix in the powdered sugar until the glaze is smooth and creamy.

When the rolls finish baking, smear them with the cream cheese glaze, and, if desired, sprinkle the lemon zest over the top to garnish. Serve while warm.

Nutella Marshmallow Turnovers for World Nutella Day

Today I'm excited to be participating in World Nutella Day for the first time!  Thanks to Sara & Michelle, February 5 is the day to celebrate a love of all things Nutella.  I don't remember ever having had Nutella until a few years ago, but I'm so glad to have finally discovered it.  You can spread it on toast, bake with it, or even eat it straight from the jar with a spoon - it's delicious in every instance!



There are a world of Nutella recipes collected over on Nutella Day's site and I considered many of them for today's post but in the end, something else caught my eye - a unique twist on turnovers created by Jenny over on Picky Palate.  She used puff pastry, Nutella and marshmallows to bake a simple, yet decadent treat and I knew there was very little chance that combining those ingredients could result in anything but a yummy snack.

   

I can never leave well enough alone, so I complicated the recipe a little by making my own puff pastry instead of using a store-bought version.  Next week I'll show you exactly how I made the puff pastry but for today we're just going to focus on the turnovers.  They start with a square of puff pastry.  A dollop of Nutella is spread in the center (15 seconds or so in the microwave makes the Nutella easier to spread) and then topped with a few mini marshmallows.  To finish the turnover, fold the puff pastry over and crimp the edges with a fork - it's as simple as that. 


[Shane wanted me to make sure I gave him credit for serving as my hand model in this shot :) ]

Some of my turnovers popped open in the oven, but regardless of the way they looked, they were all delicious!  The marshmallows almost melt in the oven so you're just left with a gooey, Nutella-flavored filling in the buttery, flaky puff pastry.  The turnovers were equally yummy warm from the oven and at room temperature.  You could probably even prep them ahead of time, pop them in the freezer and bake them off at your convenience.

Jenny has detailed instructions on her site so head over there to find those, as well as some great photos! 

Baked Onion Rings

If you've been a reader for a while, you probably know that I love onions.  They're versatile and flavorful, serving as the base for so many great dishes.  I attribute my improved knife skills to having chopped so many of them.  I look for excuses to use onions whenever I can.  Homemade pizza goes on the menu sometimes just because I want to mound caramelized onions on top :)    



As much as I adore onions, onion rings are very seldomly made here, mainly because as I mentioned the other day, I think frying is a huge pain. Recently though, I came across this Martha Stewart recipe for baked onion rings over on The Bitten Word and was really intrigued. The guys loved them and the recipe looked simple enough.  The rings are dipped into a mixture of egg, buttermilk and flour then dredged in a combination of cornflakes and bread crumbs that have been ground together to make fine crumbs.  To ensure a nice crisp coating on the rings, a bit of olive oil is poured onto the sheet pan and heated in the oven for a few minutes before the battered rings are placed on the pan and head into the oven themselves.    





When the onion rings emerged from the oven they were golden and wonderfully crisp. I could barely wait a moment before popping one in my mouth and deciding these rings rivaled many of the best fried versions I've had. I've tried a few recipes for baked onion rings in the past and often find the batter falls off once baked, but it adheres nicely on these. I actually made the recipe twice this week I enjoyed them so much and I discovered I had the best luck with the rings that were from the center of the onion and flat on both sides. Those near the end of the onion with sloped sides didn't hold the coating quite as well.

I'm not specifically recommending these as Super Bowl food only because I think it'd be hard to make enough for a big crowd without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. The onion rings really are best shortly after emerging from the oven so I wouldn't suggest making them too far in advance.



Baked Onion Rings
from Everyday Food, June 2009

1 1/2 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
kosher salt and ground pepper
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 F.   Cut the onion into thick rings.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cornflakes and breadcrumbs until fine crumbs form, then transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.  Whisk the egg, buttermilk, flour and cayenne in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Dip the rings in the egg mixture (let any excess drip off) and then dredge in the cornflake mixture.  Transfer to a large plate or a sheet of parchment paper.

Pour the olive oil onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Pop the pan in the preheated oven and heat for 2 minutes. Remove the sheet from oven and tilt to coat it evenly with the oil.  Arrange the onion rings on the pan in a single layer.  Bake, flipping the rings halfway through, until onion rings are golden brown, about 16 minutes. Season with salt.

Caramel Crumb Bars

We haven't talked much about desserts this week, and you surely can't have a Super Bowl party without something sweet, right?  Wings and nachos and dips, they're all fantastic but even with all that goodness on the table, I think everyone appreciates one or two dessert options.  For me, bar cookies or brownies are great ideas for a party because they're easy to whip up and generally feed a lot of people.  These caramel crumb bars meet both of those criteria and would be a perfect addition to your Super Bowl menu.



This recipe comes from baker extraordinaire Nick Malgieri so when he says he would choose this cookie above all others in the recipe's intro, I sat up and took notice.  That's high praise!  Luckily, these bars live up to the hype.  The bottom layer is a buttery, slightly crumbly, shortbread-type crust which is topped with a sweet, creamy caramel filling.  The bars are finished off with a crumbly topping, which is made from the same buttery dough as the crust, so though the bars have three layers, you only have to make 2 components.  These caramel crumb bars are rich, so you could definitely get away with cutting them smaller than the suggested 2-inch size.  Hopefully your guests will enjoy them as much as Mr. Malgieri does :)  

Caramel Crumb Bars
from The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri

2 sticks (1/2 lb) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Caramel Filling
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 F with a rack in the bottom third of the oven. Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray, then line the pan with aluminum foil or parchment (leaving an overhang so you can lift the bars out) and spray again with cooking spray.

To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and salt on medium speed until soft and light, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.

With the mixer on low, add 2 1/4 cups of the flour, beating just until the dough is smooth and the flour has been absorbed, and stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl and the paddle as necessary.

Transfer 3/4 of the dough into the prepared baking pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan to form the bottom layer. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator while you make the filling and top layer.

Add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour to the remaining dough in the mixer bowl and work it in with your fingertips until 1/8 - 1/4-inch crumbs form. Set aside.

To make the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and condensed milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. When the mixture begins to boil, whisk frequently until it begins to thicken and darkens in color slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the refrigerator and pour the filling over the bottom crust. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly then distribute the crumb topping over the filling.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is gently bubbling and a dark caramel color. Cool the bars in the pan on a wire rack until lukewarm, about 15-20 minutes. Use the foil (or parchment) to lift the bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Once completely cool, cut into 2-inch squares.

Slow Cooker Sticky Wings

Wings are quintessential game day food so it seemed appropriate to share this recipe a few days before the Super Bowl.  Were you to ask Shane he'd tell you that if you're going to eat wings, they should be buffalo wings but I tend to disagree.  I am not a lover of spicy foods so although I'll eat buffalo wings from time to time (if they're mild), I like to switch things up too.  Also, frying?  It just doesn't happen here all that often.  Not because it's too unhealthy (everything in moderation!) but because I'm lazy and I don't want to deal with the big pot of oil once I'm done with the process of frying something.  Truth be told, I'm a little afraid of it too - hot splattering oil is not my friend.  If I make an exception to the "no-fry" rule it's usually for doughnuts; they're always worth the effort :)      



These wings are surprisingly easy.  The cooking process occurs in two phases - first, the wings are cooked in your slow cooker with a paste-like mixture consisting of soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cayenne.  Once the fat has been rendered and the meat is tender, the wings are removed and cooled slightly.  At that point, you can either proceed to the second phase of the cooking process, or, if you like to plan ahead, you can stash the cooled wings in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.  I love having the option to make things ahead of time and it's a real advantage to this recipe.  In the second phase of the cooking process, the wings are placed on a wire rack set in a baking sheet and brushed with a sweet and tangy sauce, which caramelizes nicely under the broiler.

I think even Shane would agree this recipe was a nice alternative to buffalo wings.  The meat was tender - almost to the point of falling off the bone.  Aside from a bit around the edges, the wings don't really get crispy under the broiler but they're not flabby either.  The sauce is thick, the perfect consistency for coating the wings.  My only change next time will be to cut back on the ginger; it was a bit too strong for my tastes.

Slow Cooker Sticky Wings
from Cook's Country

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 pounds chicken wings, halved at joint (wing tips discarded)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup tomato paste

Add 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the ginger, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until everything is finely ground and a paste-like mixture results.  Transfer the mixture to your slow cooker then add the wings and toss to coat them with the paste.

Cook on low until the chicken is tender, 3-4 hours.  Transfer the wings to a large bowl, leaving as much of the liquid behind as possible and discarding it when all of the wings have been removed.  Let the wings cool for about 20 minutes.  (At this point you can put the cooled wings in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.)

Preheat your broiler and position one of the oven racks about 10-12 inches from the broiler.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place a wire rack inside the baking sheet.  Spray the rack well with nonstick cooking spray. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the water, tomato paste, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.  Add half of this sauce to the bowl with the wings and gently toss to coat.  Place the wings on the rack, skin side up.  (I fit all 4 lbs of wings on one rack - spacing was very minimal between the wings.)  Broil until the wings are lightly charred, about 10-15 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and flip the wings over.  Brush the remaining sauce over them and return them to the oven.  Broil for another 3 minutes, or until the sauce caramelizes.

TWD Great Grains Muffins

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie was selected by Christine of Happy Tummy: great grains muffins.  I'll admit to being wary of this recipe when I saw the mention of "great grains" in the title.  While I'll occasionally use whole wheat flour in bread baking, I really prefer my other baked goods be made with all-purpose flour.  I guess I've had one too many bad experiences with whole grain goodies that were dense and heavy and just not very tasty.



I was pretty relieved when I opened my book and discovered that the "great grains" Dorie had in mind were whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat), oats and cornmeal.  Nothing too scary, and the recipe also included all-purpose flour and maple syrup, which I was hopeful would balance out the grains.  Just to be safe though, I used chocolate chips in my muffins instead of the dried fruit Dorie recommended :)  After I mixed up the batter I gave it a taste and thought it was pretty similar to sweet cornbread batter (a good thing in my book).  My muffins baked quickly, about 5 or 6 minutes faster than the suggested baking time of 18-20 minutes.



After their photo shoot, I ate one of the muffins while it was still just slightly warm.  The verdict?  A really delicious muffin that was light, tender and just slightly sweet from the maple syrup, with the cornmeal and oats adding texture.  The strong flavor of the cornmeal that was present in the batter definitely mellowed in the oven.  A repeat for sure, and I think I'll stick with the chocolate chips next time too.  I made these last week when I was house sitting for Shane's parents and went with a half recipe, which yielded 6 muffins.  The five that were left after I tried one went straight into their freezer, so I hope they enjoy them as much as I did! 



Many thanks to Christine for hosting this week!  You can find the recipe for the muffins on her blog or on pages 8-9 of Baking: From My Home to Yours.