Earl-Grey Infused Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies

I know. The name's a mouthful. A yummy mouthful.

Sorry the pictures are a bit awful. I swear the cookies aren't.
My baking girl in cahoots, Nina, helped me make these cookies for the Food Blogger Great Cookie Swap 2012.
Let me start at the beginning. The cookie swap is this genius idea hosted by Love & Olive Oil and Little Kitchen that goes like this: there are a ton of people who love to bake and who do it pretty well. These people love to eat and they love to feed others. How about we start a swap where once a year we connect these people and they can send each other cookies? In boxes? Using the postal service! (Well, at least that's how I imagine the idea came about. I dunno.) It makes a lot of sense, and even more once you start receiving cookies from across the country and they are so. Good. Because we bloggers want to impress each other so we go all out. Everyone sends one dozen cookies each to three people, and in return receives a dozen each from three different people. I got pumpkin-filled gingersnaps, double chocolate cherry, and chai-spiced gingerbread men. So. Happy.
I've been looking forward to doing this swap since last year, when I found out about it after the recipes from the 2011 swap were posted and I wished I had known about it a month before so I could participate. When I was finally sent my matches this year, I began to think: what cookie could I really knock 'em out with? Then I began to think about Rubyzaar. In New York City, we love a good flea market. Even more than a flea market, we love us a bazaar. Sounds like some exotic, very limited-edition, one-of-a-kind, locally sourced goodness. Where am I going here? The Union Square Holiday Market.

 

Once a year, UrbanSpace sets up red and white tents all over the until-recently-occupied-by-Occupiers space we all go to on Friday night. By we, I mean every nyc-public-high-schooler, and then some. I often take out-of-towners my age here, because it has so many amusements and it is so nearby many other cool neighborhoods: St. Mark's Place and the Lower East Side, Soho, Bryant Park (ice-skating in the winter!). Acually, Bryant park isn't so nearby. But it isn't too far away either. Nor is Chinatown, or the Theater and Fashion Districts. Each neighborhood leads to the next, and if you're with me, then you end up walking a lot before you know it, because there's this little place that sells only pudding ten blocks over, and just a couple blocks more, and we can go to this tiny spot that sells only belgian fries and, like, 50 dipping sauces! Oh, and there's that awesome dumpling place a couple avenues up! I like to think that all that walking burns off the food, but we all know it's a lie. 

But I digress. So, for about a month in early winter, the Holiday Market sets up in union square and is filled with people selling scarves, puppets, hot chocolate, and these weird hand warmer pads that turn soft and warm from this electromagnetic shock thing. Actually pretty cool. And among the vendors are tucked many food places, the ins and outs of which I know quite intimately at this point. Every year, I wait for Rubyzaar. Rubyzaar is a clothing store actually, but once a year for the holiday market, they rent a big kitchen space and become Rubyzaar baked, and make really, really amazing cookies. Not only are they great and exotic (they reflect the different places Rubyzaar designers have been for their clothes) but they are rendered extra-special because they are only available once a year. But here's my sneaky bit: I found their menu online. And from those delicious descriptions, I figured I could make the cookies myself. So for the Cookie Swap, that's where I turned.

See in the middle, the ones called Kashmir? Like the Led Zep song? My favorite. Rubyzaar describes them as "smoked almonds, earl grey, + dark chocolate". I decided these would be The Chosen Ones. So how to get the earl grey flavor in? I've done some experimenting before (chai flavor abounds on this blog) but never gotten truly satisfactory results. Then I remembered a very intriguing post on the Cupcake Project about using butter to infuse tea flavor into baked goods. Bingo.

The rest was simple. Using a chocolate chip cookie recipe that called for melted butter, to a floury bowl poured some incredibly fragrant earl-grey golden liquid, some chopped almonds, and some dark chocolate, mixed, and baked. They were very, very good. We made them in Nina's house, and her parents were nearly dying because they couldn't eat the cookies. Luckily, we made enough that once we packaged and sent off three dozen, there was still a dozen and a half for my family and the same amount for her. My father was not as much a fan. "They're a little... weird," he said, "like really nice scented soap." Whatever. If you don't like bergamot, they're not for you. I ate a lot of them.

Lastly, we put a bit of New York touch into the packaging that I'm proud of. We went down the street, stopped into the nearest Chinese takeout place, and acquired three takeout boxes. We stuffed the cookies into these and then cushioned the boxes with crumpled New York Times business section. I hope my bloggers in Texas and Kansas appreciated that bit!

Oh, and a last note? You have a lot of leftover butter soaked tea leaves when you finish this recipe. Let them dry overnight, then crumble them with granulated sugar and you have earl-grey sugar. I'm not too sure what to do with it, but it sure looks fancy! Probably a good thing to put in a jar, tie with a bow, and give as a holiday gift.

Earl-Grey Infused Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies
inspired by Rubyzaar Kashmir Cookies. recipe adapted from AllRecipes and The Cupcake Project.
makes 2 dozen medium sized cookies.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
10 earl grey tea teabags, or 10 tsps loose tea
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup turbinado or white sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup roughly chopped unsalted almonds (smoked would be awesome!)

Preheat the oven to 325 ºF (165 ºC). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Mix together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
If tea is in teabags, remove it so that it is loose. In a small saucepan, melt the butter until just liquid, then add the tea leaves. Heat on low for about 5 minutes, or until butter darkens and there is a buttery tea smell pervading the kitchen. Remove from heat and let sit for at least 5 minutes, then strain through fine mesh. Don't worry if a couple tea pieces slip through. You will now have less butter than what you started with. Depending on how much less, you may want to add some milk to the dough later.

In a medium bowl, stir the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until all is liquid. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until mixture lightens. Mix in the dry ingredients until just blended. At this point, of the dough is too dry and won't come together, add a couple tablespoons of milk. Stir in the chocolate chips and almonds. 

Drop cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. They don't spread much so if you'd like them flatter rather than mounded, press each cookie gently down. 

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm but not brittle. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.

 Bonus picture! Here's a bad one of me, packing everything up with my signature silver duct tape. Because I know you're curious :)

Chocolate Marzipan Cake

I intended this cake to be a seduction cake. There might have been a boy and it might have been his birthday and I might have tried to woo him with dark chocolate and almond paste.

Unfortunately, the day I brought him the cake, he was home sick. The next day, I fell sick. By wednesday, the cake was a little stale and I couldn't find him anywhere. My friends and I ate the seduction cake without him.

And, actually, now, he's got a girlfriend, who comically coincidentally has the feminized version of his name. We can forget them. They don't matter, in the grand scheme of things.

What matters is this cake. Two layers of dark chocolate, with thin sheets of marzipan sandwiched between them and ganache layered on top.

Yeah. So good.

And I was a genius (if I do say so myself)! When I cut the cake to pack it into my rectangular tupperware (no longer--I have since bought a round cake container) I deftly left behind a sliver from the middle, so that my family could share in the deliciousness and no one would notice. I'm proud. Of my cunning. With the cutting.

 Chocolate Marzipan Cake

makes 2 medium rounds

cake recipe adapted from Mad Hungry (it's vegan!)

2 chocolate cakes

2 marzipan rounds

chocolate ganache

for cake

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

6 tbsps cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsps white vinegar

2 cups cold water

Heat oven to 350 F and grease two round medium cake pans (between 9-12" will get you various thicknesses). 

In a large bowl, add the first five ingredients (dry) and whisk together.

Create a well, and add the remaining four ingredients and mix until batter is smooth.

Fill pans and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

for marzipan rounds

18 oz/500 g marzipan (about two foil-wrapped sausagey containers from the store)

Take half the marzipan and roll it out as circularly as you can manage and about an 1/8 of an inch thick. Place the cake pan onto the rolled out marzipan and cut a circle around it.

Repeat.

for ganache

2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

3 tbsps butter

1 cup heavy cream

Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.

Add to whipped cream and mix thoroughly.

Assembly

Cover the first cake layer with the first marzipan layer and trim the edges so it fits on top. Spread a layer of ganache over that. then stack the next cake. Repeat with the marzipan and ganache. Sprinkle with a little cocoa powder that's been mixed with powdered sugar to look artsy (but not pucker your mouth). Ganache will firm up in the fridge. Keeps for about 3 days.

Note: if (and you will) you have extra ganache, you can make truffles. Follow directions, though the end result will be lighter because you whipped the cream here. And with the extra marzipan? Eat it.

Chocolate Truffles

Happy Valentine's Day!

 I have mentioned before that I make food for my frisbee team on a regular basis. This is one of those moments. What is simple, elegant, and irresistable and just screams whispers sexily valentine's day?

 You got it. Truffles. My lovely friend Nina and I gathered in the kitchen near witching hour on saturday and cackled while stirring our cauldron. Uh, wrong holiday. We tenderly rolled these truffles between our gentle fingertips as we crooned softly with dulcet voices. Actually, we sort of did.

 It involved latex gloves. Truffles are basically melted chocolate and cream, but we added an extra-fancy touch (no need to do this if you aren't feeling fussy).

 Once you make and chill the truffles, roll them in a little dollop of melted chocolate so they acquire a thin pure chocolate covering that adds a little crunch when it solidifies.

 These truffles were so sexy. We couldn't take our mouths off of them.

 You drop them in a bowl of cocoa powder for a final coating. I love how the bitterness makes your mouth pucker right before you bite to the creamy center. The really cool thing is why they're called truffles. After dropping them into the cocoa powder, you fish them out with a fork, and it's like you're digging for actual truffles (of the fungi sort) in the ground. I like etymology stories.

We wrapped these up and tied them with fuzzy pink strings and attached tags with pickup lines that ranged from cute ("if I could rearrange the alphabet I'd put you and I together") to really nerdy ("I may look like an ewok but I'm all wookie where it counts") to very frisbee related ("I'd hammer your disc all night long."). Then, today, I ran around manically and flapped my arms like a valentine's fairy and handed these out. The boys were very happy, and so was I.

Make these anytime. Literally, they're just chocolate and cream. How badly could you mess that up?

Chocolate Truffles
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
makes about 60 truffles


note: Don't double the recipe. It doesn't work like that. So these are precious.


1 bag (about 11 oz) bittersweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup heavy cream
unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Place about 3/4 chocolate (8 oz) in a bowl and bring heavy cream to a boil in a small heavy saucepan. Make sure your pan is small, so you’ll lose the least amount of cream to evaporation, and heavy, which will keep the cream from scorching. When boiled, pour the cream over the chocolate, which will melt as you stir.

Be careful to stir slowly (don't whisk; you want to incorporate as little air as possible) until ganache is smooth.

Place in fridge until thick enough to hold a shape, about 45 minutes to an hour. Then, take two spoons. Scoop a small amount of ganache onto one spoon and scrape onto another, transferring back and forth until it hold a smooth spherical shape. Drop onto a plate or cookie sheet. Do this for all the ganache (it will look like not enough, but by the end you'll have 60). Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt remaining chocolate (3 oz) in a small bowl and smear some on a gloved hand. Gently rub each chilled truffle to coat lightly with chocolate.

As you finish each ball, toss the truffles in a bowl cocoa powder and dig up with a fork. Shake truffles in a sieve to eliminate excess powder when you're done.

Store truffles in the refrigerator.

Happy World Nutella Day!

That's right. A day for savoring nutella. And no, it wasn't created by the franchise, but by two loyal bloggers six years ago, Ms. Adventures in Italy, and Bleeding Espresso. They designated february 5th the day of nutella, and have created a truly prodigious database of nutella recipes at nuttelladay.com  I have quite happily contributed.

 Nutella Crack Pie. Bam. It's called crack because it's so addicting, not, as my father so sweetly suggested, because it bears a similarity with a certain body part (not really seeing the connection). This is adapted from the fairly famous Crack Pie by Momofuku. I have heard oodles about it, but though I live but a couple miles walk from a Momofuku Milk Bar where I could purchase myself a slice, I have yet to do so. Now I must. To compare. And it will be hard to top my crack baby pie.

 It starts with oat cookies, which you crumbles and line a tart pan with.

 Then comes the nutella filling, fortified to custardy level with 6 egg yolks.

 Into a pan, close-up shot. Crack pie poses like a model.

 Out of the oven, and absolutely irresistible. Into my family's stomachs. Yum.

Nutella Crack Pie

adapted from show food chef

makes one large tart pan worth of thin pie (adjectives, much?)

Oat Cookie Pie Crust:

6 Tbsp butter

4 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 large egg

3/4 cup plus rolled oats

1/2 cup flour

1/8 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350F and line a large baking pan with parchment paper. 

Cream 4tbsp butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the egg and thoroughly beat in. Add the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and beat until well blended.

Spread oat mixture thinly out onto baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes until crisp. Keep the oven on.

While cookie is cooling, dice the remaining butter and add an extra 1 1/2 tbsps brown sugar into a bowl. crumble into pebbles with your fingers.

When the cookie is cool, break into crumbs and add to the bowl. Rub together with fingertips until crumb mixture is moist enough to hold together in a clump when squeezed in your hand. Spread mixture out into the pan and using press crumbs onto the bottom and sides to form a pie shell using the bottom of a glass to help press crumbs down. 

Nutella Custard Filling

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup Nutella

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

6 egg yolks

In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugars and salt.

Whisk in Nutella, cream and vanilla.

Whisk in egg yolks and combine well.

Pour filling into pie shell, and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temp. to 325F and continue to cook for about 15-20 minutes until center is not too jiggly.

Cool on a rack, then keep in fridge for a couple hours. This is at its best when served chilled.

Top with powdered sugar if you wish.

Happy World Nutella Day!

Pecan Pie Truffles

  That's right. Pecan Pie. In a little ball. Covered in chocolate.

 I know that these would be perfect for one of the holidays just celebrated: Thanksgiving, or Christmas, even. But I still haven't gotten the hang of making the food I want to blog about before the date on the calendar it is best to post them [bad grammar what?! Too lazy to fix that sentence]. So consider this an opportunity to spread the influence of pecan pie through the land of january and onwards.

 Truffles are just too easy to ignore making. C'mon now. Create a ball of something and cover it in chocolate. And you feel a lot less bad about eating one, or even two or three, than you do eating a slice of pie. Ugh. Triangles. 

 Truffles are so great that I've made even more since. In fact, I'm planning on making a whole bunch on valentine's day: maybe I'll even post them on time or something civilized like that.

Meanwhile, there are these. Crushed pecans, graham cracker crumbs, maple syrup, dark brown sugar (and I supplemented my meager supply with light brown sugar, as shown three photos above). And bourbon, if you so wish. I did almond milk instead. It was perfect. These are perfect.

Pecan Pie Truffles

makes 24.

adapted from VegNews via NYTimes. 

2 1/2 cups pecans, toasted
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsps maple syrup
1/4 cup almond milk (or bourbon)
1 tsp vanilla
14 oz dark chocolate

Either crush pecans by hand, or, much easier, in a food processor (pulse but be careful not to process too much, lest you make a meal or butter).
In a medium bowl, stir together pecans, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and salt until well combined.

Add maple syrup, almond milk and vanilla, stirring thoroughly. Using your hands is the best method to make sure everything is fully mushed together.

Form mixture into small balls with hands: press and roll gently. From time to time you'll want to wash your hands because otherwise the balls begin to stick to your palms and fall apart. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours.
You may have made more than 24 balls, depending on the size you formed them in. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave, using more or less than 14 oz as needed. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip the frozen balls into the melted chocolate, then place onto prepared baking sheet. You may want to do this in batches so that the balls stay cold; if they become warm, they will fall apart in the chocolate. Let sit for 15 minutes or until firm. 

Store in the fridge or freezer to avoid melting. 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies

 Hmmm, what shall I say? It's getting wintery out. December 3rd already. And while iced chai tea lattes are splendid in warm weather, you know what's even better? A steaming cup of chai tea in your kitchen in your fluffy socks in december.

And you know what's even better than that? Cookies. Gingery, chewy cookies for dunking and nomming. Sound good? Yes. And like many cookies in the world, pretty easy to make. I may not be a great fan of ginger, but here, a little fresh grated ginger makes the world seem warm again, in that way that you know your toes are a bit cold but your stomach is glowing.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies

2 dozen.

adapted from Joy the Baker

1 heaping cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/8 cup molasses
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/8 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough balls

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. 

 In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until smoothly blended, about 2 minutes. 

Add the egg and molasses and mix until blended and an even light color, about 1 minute.

By hand, add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spread the granulated sugar into a small bowl. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough between the palms of your hands into a ball, toss the ball in sugar to coat and place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue making cookies, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm but are still soft in the center and there are several large cracks on top, about 12-14 minutes.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate for eating or an airtight plastic container to store for up to 4-5 days.

Peanut Oat Energy Balls

 Yes, I did just name this recipe energy balls. Tell me you're not thinking about some cool video game pulsating orb. Swallow and level up. Oh, you're not thinking about that? What, you're fixating more on the scrotum-esque portrayal of the wording balls? Tsk, tsk, that's not what I'm thinking at all.

When I made these, I first thought "Super cool! No bake and yummydelicious!" Well, it was no bake, but in my opinion not entirely yummy delicious. Too many seeds and raisins. I guess I would swap the raisins with cranberries, and add blanched almonds maybe. And, well, it couldn't hurt to dip it in dark chocolate? Come on, could it hurt? Please, tell me to my face.

But the recipe went over very well with my family. They're best chilled for a bit in the fridge,a nd then you can pop one in your mouth and chew for a while. And then bounce of walls like sonic the hedgehog, little blue sparks flying from your tail. No? Ok, maybe not.

Peanut Oat Energy Balls
makes 12 small balls.
adapted from fresh and foodie


1/2 cup rolled oats
1/8 cup unsalted, roasted sunflower seeds
1/8 cup raisins
1/8 cup chocolate chips
pinch salt
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used chunky)
1/2 tablespoon honey

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, making sure everything is very well combined.

Scoop out a portion with a spoon and gently roll into a ball with your hands.

If it’s not sticking, add more peanut butter or honey. Likewise, if it’s too wet, add more oats.
Store the bites in the fridge in an airtight container.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Oh hey! There's a picture of me! And I've got a plate of cookies on my head!

What can I say? it's October. It's pumpkin season. Don't try to reason with me and say I didn't actually use fresh pumpkin in this recipe. Shh. It's pumpkin season. It's pumpkin puree from a can season.

 Also, It's chocolate chip season. Also, it's always chocolate chip season. So make sure they're always in your freezer.

These pumpkins were sweet and fluffy, kind of like cake cookies, or muffin tops or something. I mean, there's not much to it. Pumpkins. Chocolate chips. How could it not be a good idea?

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
adapted from Joy the Baker


2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Position a rack in the middle of the oven.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside. 

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a whisk until smooth and lightened in color. 

Whisk in the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. 

Mix in the flour mixture and then the chips.

Using a tablespoon, scoop mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2-inches apart. Smooth and flatten the rounds.

Bake the cookies until the tops feel firm and a fork inserted in the center comes out dry, about 15 minutes. 

Cool cookies and then eat. Stored in an airtight container, they'll last about 5 days.

Bardbarian Ultimate Cake

No recipe here, sorry. I just wanted to showcase a beautiful (and if I do say, delicious) cake my friend Nina and I made a while back.

FoodFoodFood

So.

I'm Lola, I'm a high school student in New York, and I love to cook.

I've been vegetarian since birth (well, before that, even), so everything here will be vegetarian.

I haven't really gotten to the point where I make my own recipes much, so most of these recipes will be adapted, but my, won't they be adapted. I like to fiddle with recipes to the point of almost breaking them, but don't worry, I'll only be posting recipes that have turned out well.