Long Time No Bake!

Wow. Ages have passed since my last baking adventure. We had to close the Cafe in February, and since then my time has been spent doing many other things outside of the kitchen! Well, I have had an yearning for peanut butter cookies for about a month, and I finally had the opportunity to bake, so I splurged and made 6 dozen of the little devils! They are outstandingly (fyi, definitely a word, I dictionary.com-ed it) amazing just out of the oven. You're supposed to allow them to cool for 2 mins, then transfer off the baking sheet to cool entirely, but...I'm as impatient as they come. 4 cookies later.....I took a batch to work, stacked some in our cookie jar, put the rest in the freezer for good keeping. ENJOY!

**the following recipe can be found on the back of your JIF jar!
i won't deny having used a classic :) **

INGREDIENTS

2-1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1-1/2 cups Peanut Butter
1 cup Butter Flavor CRISCO® Stick
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 egg
3-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt

DIRECTIONS

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooling cookies.
2) Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs. Beat just until blended.
3) Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.
4) Drop by rounded spoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with fork.
5) Bake one baking sheet at a time for 7-8 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown. Do not over-bake. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely.

snow day baking extravaganza

--- cocoa spiced chocolate chip ---
these remind me of a gingerbread cookie, but with much added chocolate pazazz.
great with coffee!

2 cups flour, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp ground ginger,
generous 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp salt, 2/3 cup (1 stick + 2 2/3 tbsp) butter slightly softened, 1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup light molasses, 1 large egg, 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest (optional), and 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat over to 350. Grease baking sheets. In large bowl, stir together flour first 6 ingredients; set aside. In another bowl, beat together butter, sugar and molasses until well blended and fluffy (about 2 mins). Add the egg and zest, beating until smooth. Beat in half of the flour mixture until evenly incorporated. Stir in remaining flour and the chocolate morsels. Refrigerate the dough for 10 mins or until it firms up just slightly.

Shape dough into balls with lightly greased hands. Place on baking sheets about 2 in apart. With hands, pat down balls into 1/2 in think rounds. Bake the cookies for 7-9 mins, or until barelt firm in the centers. Transfer entire sheet to wire rack to cool for additional 1-2 mins. Then transfer cookies to wire racks and allow to completely cool. Makes about 35 2-in cookies.

--- coconut & banana drops ---
think coconut macaroon meets banana goodness!
and, they taste best when eaten fresh (of course)!

two cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup sugar, 3/4 (1 1/2 sticks) butter slightly softened, 1 large egg yolk, 1 1/2 tsp banana or vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp coconut extract, 1/8 tsp grated orange zest (optional), 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (1 small), 2 1/5 cups shredded or flaked coconut

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat together sugar and butter until well blended, about 2 mins. Beat in egg yolks, extracts and zest until evenly incorporated. Beat in half of the flour, then the banana and 1/2 cup coconut. Stir in remaining flour. Refrigerate for at least 1.5 hours or until firmed up.

Preheat oven to 325. Grease baking sheets. Shape dough into 1-in balls, then roll the balls in the remaining coconut until heavily coated. Space on baking sheets 2.5 inches apart. Bake for 17-22 minutes, or until lightly browned and just firm in the centers. Cool sheets on wire rack for 3-4 mins, then transfer cookies to racks and allow to cool completely. Makes about 35 cookies.

--- coffee & cocoa white chocolate chip ---
white chocolate and coffee are two of my favorites,
so combined they make me do backflips in the kitchen!

5 oz bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet baking chocolate (broken into pieces), 1/2 cup butter cut into chunks, 1/4 plus 1 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, 2 large eggs, 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, 9 oz white chocolate chips

In medium, microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter for 1 min. Stir, then continue to microwave at 30 sec intervals until almost melted. (Or, melt chocolate and butter in saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat immediately.) Let cool to warm.

In additional bowl, stir together flour and cocoa then set aside. In a large bowl, beat on medium sugar, salt, eggs, espresso mixture and vanilla for 2-3 mins, when slightly thick and lightened. Beat in the melted chocolate mixture, then the flour, until well blended. Stir in the white chocolate morsels. Refrigerate 1.5 hrs, until firm enough to shape.

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into balls and place on baking sheets about 3 in apart. Pat down slightly. Bake for 9-12 mins, until barely firm. Allow sheet to cool on wire rack 2-3 mins, then slide parchment paper onto rack. Let stand until completely cooled. Carefully remove cookies from parchment paper. Makes 20-28 cookies, depending on size.

i work as a personal assistant, where one of my responsibilities is to manage a small cafe. it is exhilarating! i do all of the baking--cookies, brownies, muffins, cakes, breads....it gives me the opportunity to experiment and work out kinks. this past saturday i spent 4 hours creating tasty treats---just because business was slow and i had the time. one of my personal favorites: peanut butter brownies; i sprinkle them with semi-sweet ghiradelllliiii chips and they are to die for. i also made these white chocolate chip walnut bars...they taste almost like a blondie (brownie), but better, of course. :) pictures to come soon.

my first wedding cake...

dark chocolate cake and carrot cake, altering tiers, cream cheese frosting

all from scratch.

what an intense experience!

robin and jason, making the cut!

from left to right: myself, mom, and my aunt.

3 chefs are we!

getting started

it has been almost 6 months since i initially formalized my knack and passion for baking : taste of heaven bakery! i ordered business cards. i set up an email account. then i had my first "job" within 2 weeks. i mistakingly assumed the out-of-my-home bakery would just take off in warp speed! ha. starting a business is harder than i thought. well, thanks to a very good friend's suggestion, i've set up a blog. i plan to talk about my new baking adventures, post some photos, and hopefully make a connection with some sweets-loving people out there. cheers to the kitchen!