Nouveau Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm always in pursuit of new (Nouveau) cookie recipes. Here's a twist on the iconic All American Chocolate Chip Cookie. It contains the addition of Caramel and Sea Salt, both ingredients that have a French connection.

Caramel:
The English word that originates from the French word, Caramel.

Sel de Mer:
When I think of great Salt, it's always French Sel de Mer. When we travel to France we alway bring back plenty of Sel de Mer.

Chocolate Chips:
They were originally created by the Nestlé family in Switzerland as a Chocolate Chunk. The Nestle family has been credited for making some of the best Chocolate in the world, Swiss Chocolate.

Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Back in 1930, Kenneth and Ruth Wakefield purchased a Cape Cod-style toll house located halfway between Boston and New Bedford, on the outskirts of Whitman, Massachusetts. Originally constructed in 1709, the house served as a haven for road-weary travelers..
	Here, passengers paid tolls, changed horses, and ate much-welcomed home-cooked meals. It was also here, over 200 years later, that the Wakefield decided to open a lodge, calling it the Toll House Inn. In keeping with the tradition of creating delicious homemade meals, Ruth baked for guests who stayed at the Toll House Inn.

When you put these three ingredients together and the French, Swiss and American background, you have the Nouveau Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Nouveau Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Sheet Pans lined with Parchment Paper.

8 TBS Butter, room temperature
6 TBS Brown Sugar
4 TBS Granulated Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
1 tsp Vanilla
1 C Flour
1/2 tsp Medaglia d'Oro Espresso Coffee Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
2/3 C Dark Chocolate Chips, I use Guittard Noir or Hershey's Special Dark.
9 Caramel Squares sliced into 36 pieces. This recipe make 1 dozen Cookies and you need 3 slices for each Cookie.
Sea Salt

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment:
Butter
Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Beat for 5 minutes.

Add:
Egg Yolks
Vanilla
Mix just until combined.
Don't overbeat.

In a Small Mixing Bowl:
Flour
Espresso
Baking Powder
Whisk well.
Add to the Mixer and mix just until combined.

Add:
Chocolate Chips
Mix just until combined.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball.
Gently press 3 slices of Caramel onto the top of each ball without flattening the dough.
Place the dough 4" apart onto the Sheet Pan.
Bake 10 minutes

Remove the pan to a rack and immediately sprinkle each cookie generously with Sea Salt.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Lemon Pie

I just wanted to post a delicious recipe for Lemon Pie.

Meyer Lemon

Here's what you'll need:
1 - 9" Prepared, Baked and Cooled Pie Crust.
You can purchase one or make one from scratch.

1 C Granulated Sugar
3 1/2 TBS Cornstarch
1 C Whole Milk
1/2 C Fresh Meyer Lemon Juice
3 Egg Yolks, Beaten and set aside in a Small Bowl.
4 TBS Butter, room temperature
1 TBS Zest from a Meyer Lemon
1 C Sour Cream

Homemade Whipped Cream:
1 C Heavy Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
1 TBS Confectioner's Sugar.
Whip the Cream in a Stand Mixer with a Whisk Attachment.
Beat to Soft Peak.
Add:
Vanilla
Confectioner's Sugar
Beat to Stiff Peak.
Transfer to a Serving Bowl to serve.

In a small bowl:
Sugar
Corn Starch
Whisk well.

In a Saucepan on medium heat:
Sugar/Cornstarch
Milk
Lemon Juice
Whisk well.
Cook until it begins to thicken.
Reduce heat to low.
Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add 2 TBS of the Hot Liquid to the Egg Yolks.
Stir to temper the Yolks.
Repeat until it begins to thicken.
Spoon into the Saucepan.
Whisking to combine well.
Return to low heat and simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.

Add:
Butter
Zest
Stir until Butter is completely melted.

Add:
Sour Cream
Gently stir to combine.
Spoon into the Pie Shell.
Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Serve individual servings with Homemade Whipped Cream.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Whipped Cream

This is my favorite recipe for homemade Whipped Cream.

Homemade Whipped Cream:

1 C Heavy Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
1 TBS Confectioner's Sugar.
Whip the Cream in a Stand Mixer with a Whisk Attachment.
Beat to Soft Peak.
Add:
Vanilla
Confectioner's Sugar
Beat to Stiff Peak.
Transfer to a Serving Bowl to serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

This may be my favorite homemade BBQ Sauce. I use it on Vegetarian Meatless recipes, with Cream Cheese and a Sauce for Tamales and Enchiladas.

1 - 6 oz package of fresh Raspberries
3 Chipotle Peppers from a can in Adobo Sauce.
2 TBS of the Sauce from the can.
1 TBS Tomato Paste from a Tube. (the flavor is more intense than from a jar).
5 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBS Brown Sugar
1 TBS Soy Sauce
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 TBS Water

Place all of the ingredients in a Blender and purée on high.
Transfer to a canning jar and refrigerate until ready to use.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing

If you love Chocolate, there's nothing quite like a Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing.

This is my favorite one. The two important ingredients in this recipe are Guittard Noir Cocoa Powder and Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips. Try to find them if you can. Any substitutes will not result in the same Deep Dark Chocolate color or taste. 

Here's what you'll need:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3 - 8" round Cake Pans brushed well with Pan Release Mix. (Equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each mixed well and refrigerated in a jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing:

2 1/4 C Flour
2 1/4 C Granulated Sugar
1 C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Guittard Noir)
1 TBS Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 C Buttermilk, room temperature
1 C Hot Espresso Coffee (I use Medaglia D'oro, espresso coffee powder)
3/4 C Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Vanilla
3 Eggs, room temperature

Icing:
36 TBS Butter, room temperature (yes, you read that correctly)
3/4 C Confectioner's Sugar
3/4 C Guittard Noir Cocoa Powder
1/2 C Hot Water
1/2 C Sour Cream
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
A Pinch of Salt
3 1/2 C  Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips, melted.

Cake instructions:

In a Large Mixing Bowl:
Flour
Sugar
Cocoa Powder
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Salt
Whisk well.

In another bowl:
Buttermilk
Coffee
Oil
Vanilla
Whisk well.

Add:
Eggs
Whisk again to incorporate.
Add this to the bowl of dry ingredients.
Whisk well to combine.

Divide the batter evenly among the Cake Pans.
Bake 25 minutes.
Remove the Pans to a rack to cool for 5 minutes.
At this stage I remove the cakes, immediately wrap them in Plastic Wrap and freeze them.
(I learned this technique as a cake decorator)

Make the Icing:

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment:
Butter
Beat 5 minutes.

In a bowl, sift together:
Sugar
Cocoa Powder

On low, in the Mixer:
Add:
The Sugar/Cocoa \Water
Water
Sour Cream
Vanilla
Salt
Beat on low for 1 minute.
Increase speed to medium.
Beat an additional 2 minutes.

Add:
Melted Chocolate
Beat for 1 minute just to incorporate.
Remove the Cakes from the Freezer.
Assemble the Cake traditionally with a layer of Icing between each layer.
Ice the entire sides and top of the cake.
Allow to rest at room temperature at least 1 hour before serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake from Two Peas in Their Pod plus another favorite Lemon Pudding Cake recipe

From Two Peas and Their Pod. I recently received this recipe and I look forward to making it. I happen to like anything made with Lemons.
It was easier to post a link to the recipe than copy and rewrite it.

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/meyer-lemon-pudding-cake/

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Here's my other recommended Lemon Pudding Cake:

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - Roasting Pan
5 small Ramekins brushed well with Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) mixed well and refrigerated in a jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

3/4 C Granulated Sugar, divided
1/3 C Flour
1/8 tsp Salt
1 C Whole Milk
1/2 C Fresh Lemon Juice (preferably Meyer Lemons)
2 TBS Butter, melted
2 Egg Yolks
3 Egg Whites

In a bowl with a hand mixer:
Egg Whites
Beat while gradually adding 1/4 C Sugar.
Continue beating until stiff.

In a large bowl:
Remaining Sugar
Milk
Lemon Juice
Butter
Egg Yolks
Whisk well.

Add:
Flour
Salt
Stir to incorporate.
Fold in Egg Whites by hand.

Divide batter evenly among the Ramekins.
Place them in a Roasting Pan filled with boiling water.
Bake 25 - 30 minutes.

Transfer Ramekins to a rack to cool for 5 minutes.
Serve dusted with Confectioner's Sugar.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Coffee: Cappuccino, Latte, Café au Lait and other Coffee Drinks

I love Coffee served in a variety of ways. Friends often ask the differences in all of the varieties. What's the difference between........ Cappuccino, Latte, Café au Lait?  and the list goes on an on!
We travel to France often and the French are a bit more specific in the type of coffee you drink and actually when you drink the different choices. I don't think Americans have as many guidelines as the French. I though it would be helpful and easier if I simply posted this picture that describes all of the different types of coffee drink options.

Espresso - 1 oz.
Espresso Doppio - 2 oz.
Ristretto - .75 oz.
Lungo - 3 oz.
Cafe Macchiato - Foamed Milk first and then Espresso.
Cafe Crema - Double Espresso with 1 oz. of Cream. Or, an old fashioned term for Espresso.
Cafe Noisette - Espresso with Hot Milk.
Cafe Cortado - Espresso with a small amount of Foamed Milk.
Cappuccino - Espresso with Steamed Milk and Foam.
Dry Cappuccino - Espresso with only Foam.
Cafe Americano - Espresso with Hot Water.
Cafe Con Hielo - Double Espresso in a Tall Glass filled with Ice.
Breve - Espresso with Half and Half.
Mocha Breve - Espresso, Chocolate and Half and Half.
Mocha - Espresso, Hot Milk and Cocoa Powder.
Cafe Affogatto - Espresso , Vanilla Ice Cream and Shaved Chocolate.
Viennois - Espresso, Hot Milk, Whipped Cream.
Con Panna - Espresso, Whipped Cream.
Flat White - Espresso with A Dollop of Steamed Milk.
Black Eye - Double Espresso with 4 oz. Brewed Coffee.
Cafe Latte - Espresso with Steamed Milk.
Cafe Au Lait - Strong Brewed Coffee and Steamed Milk.
Cafe Con Leche - Brewed Coffee with Scalded Milk.

Enjoy!