Cookie exchange 2013 Part 2

In my previous post, I wrote about how I hosted a cookie exchange at work. I thought I’d share what I made and the recipe of another one of the treats baked by my colleagues. I wanted to make something quick with no fuss, so I thought cookie bars (which I think are kind of like blondies. Anyone else with me on this?). Mix, spread, bake, cut. No portioning and baking off in multiple batches. I added some cookie butter and toffee chips for good measure.

The great thing about these is that you can add any add-ins you want. In fact, the first batch I made had coffee chips in them. Incidentally, it turns out that I don’t like coffee chips (I think they taste like molasses) so I made the boyfriend take them to work, and made a batch with toffee chips instead for the cookie exchange. If you’ll notice, the photographs are of the ones from the first batch.

But first, the recipe for buckeyes!

 

Buckeye are the bottom - round with chocolate caps.

Buckeyes

From Real Simple.

Ingredients

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

1.  With an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter and butter at medium speed until creamy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt (the mixture will be crumbly).

2.  Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, in a double boiler or a medium heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring often, until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

4.  Resting each ball on the tines of a fork, lower it into the chocolate until it’s two-thirds covered. Refrigerate on the baking sheet until the chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.

5.  Keep the buckeyes refrigerated, between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container, for up to 3 weeks.

Cookie Bars

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup salted butter

1 ¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup sugar

¼ cup cookie butter

2 eggs, room temperature

1 Tablespoon vanilla

½ cup toffee chips (or 2 cups of your favorite add-ins: chocolate chips, nuts, cinnamon chips, etc)

Sprinkles (optional)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment.

2.  In a bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Set aside.

3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer with the beater attachment, beat butter and both sugars on medium until fluffy (2 minutes).     

4.  Add cookie butter and beat until mixed.

5.  Add eggs and beat until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla and mix.

6.  Add the flour mixture, and mix on low until almost combined (you still see some flour).

7.  Add toffee chips, or other add-ins and mix for a few seconds until combined.

8.  Spread onto baking pan and top with sprinkles (if using). Bake for 25 minutes (check at 22 minutes with a toothpick test. If it comes out clean, you’re done).

9.  Cool in pan before taking it out and cutting.

Verdict: The cookie bars (second time around – minus the coffee chips) were just what I wanted. Chewy with lots of caramel flavour. I think my colleagues liked them too. It was such a quick and easy recipe with things that I had on hand – good to remember for emergency baking situations!

I can’t give a verdict on the buckeyes because I’m allergic to peanuts, but everyone at the cookie exchange was raving about them!

Malt Blondie

I was itching to do some baking since the last baking project was a bit of a fail.  I made a 3D pineapple cupcake display for my friend’s luau-themed baby shower, but it was so hot that day and the frosting melted off.  It’s a shame too because the pineapple frosting was really delicious!

Anyways, I wanted to do some baking to redeem myself, plus I was meeting a friend whom I haven’t seen in 4 year because…he went off to med school!  I decided on malted blondies for the new doctor!

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Malt Brownies

From Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Ingredients

2 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

2 Tablespoon malted milk powder (I used Ovaltine)

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup + 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1 ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

¾ cup malted milk balls, coarsely chopped (I used Maltesers)

¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

¾ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2.  Whisk flour, baking powder, malted milk powder, and salt in a bowl.  Set aside.

3.  Using a stand mixer, beat salt and sugar until smooth.

4.  Add eggs and beat after each addition.  Add vanilla and beat.

5.  Add flour mixture in 2 batches, beating until just combined.

6.  Add malted milk balls, chocolate chips, and walnuts and mix until combined, 10 seconds.

7.  Press the thick dough into the baking pan with an offset spatula.

8.  Bake for 23 minutes or just until toothpick comes out clean.

9.  Cool for 20 minutes before cutting and eating.

 

Before baking.

After baking.

Verdict: These were not bad.  Frankly, I was expecting them to be amazing since everything that I’ve baked from this book has been great so far. I baked them for 25 minutes, which may have contributed to the somewhat dry texture.  I’d check them at 23 minutes next time and maybe they’d be moister.  They had a really subtle malt flavor and the walnuts gave it a contrasting texture, so leave them out if you like a smooth blondie.

Seven Layers of Sin Bars

I’ve come across another awesome baking book: The Sugar Cube!  The recipes in this book are totally up my alley, with flavor combinations with big personalities – my favorite being the sweet and salty combination. I’m obsessed with combining sweet and salty, and not in a subtle “salted caramel” sort of way, but the in your face, “potato chip cupcakes” sort of way.  Surprisingly (and by surprisingly I mean, not so surprisingly) I decided to start with the Seven Layers of Sin Bars that included potato chips. I changed the recipe a bit by swapping the graham cracker crust with Ritz crackers!

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Seven Layers of Sin Bars

Adapted from The Sugar Cube and Momofuku Milk Bar

Ingredients

1 ½ cups shredded coconut

1 cup salted, roasted cashews

110g Ritz crackers

½ cup sugar

¼ cup milk powder

7 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

1 ½ cups crushed ruffled potato chips

¼ cup toffee bits

1 can sweetened condense milk

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast shredded coconut by spreading on a cookie sheet and baking in oven for about 7 minutes (keep an eye on it!).  Set aside.

2.  Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper.

3.  Roughly chop cashews and set aside.

4.  Put Ritz crackers in a bag and crush with a rolling pin.  Add sugar and milk powder and mix in a bowl.  Add butter, mix, and press into the bottom of the baking pan.

5.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips, then cashews, then coconut, then potato chips, and then toffee bits.

6.  Drizzle with condensed milk.

7.  Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 10 minutes.  Cool before cutting.

Toasted coconut.

Ritz layer.

Chocolate layer.

Cashew layer.

Coconut layer.

Potato chip layer.

Toffee bits layer.

Topped with condensed milk.

After baking.

Verdict: These bars were awesome! I brought them to work and my colleagues loved them.  My friends loved them even more!  Even those who don’t like coconut really enjoyed them.  I obviously liked the salty-sweet combo.  This recipe is so easy to put together with a huge impact.