Beebox

Hier geht's zur deutschen Version dieses Posts (folgt noch) After sadly slacking off last year, I hope to be a more productive blogger in 2017. My cookie baking activities are usually restricted to the time before Christmas (except for NYTimes Chocolate Chip Cookies ), but I DO like brownies. Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen promised a cookie with "everything that we expect from a great brownie, a slight crackly exterior, and a plush, fudgy interior". That sounded very enticing, and I was eager to tackle " The Browniest Cookies " - our Avid Bakers ' February project. But I didn't look at the recipe carefully enough, and, instead of mixing the sugar with the melted chocolate-butter, I added it to the dry ingredients. Overmixing the batter was a no-no, and I feared that the undissolved sugar might give the cookies an unpleasant grittiness (it didn't!).  I reduced the salt to 1/4 teaspoon and added some espresso powder to enhance the chocolate flavor.  ...

After missing the ABC-Bakers' May challenge - I made the Brown Butter Banana Bread , but went on my trip to Germany before I could post it - the June project, Tender Loving Crackle Cookies came just right to cure my baking withdrawal symptoms. Three weeks without touching a mixer or kneading a dough! I rarely bake cookies other than around Christmas - except, the famous NY Times Best Chocolate Chip Cookies''. The crackled cookies looked really attractive, so I decided to give them a try. Maine's own Allen's Coffee Brandy To enhance the chocolate flavor, I added 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder , and, being a Mainer, for good measure, threw in another 1/2 teaspoon of Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy . Otherwise I didn't change the recipe. Christina's cookies are perfectly risen small mounds - mine, alas, turned from nice little balls into this: Flounders! They spread like flounders, especially the ones I shaped last!   Who was to blame? I found the answer on...