Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think most of the bakers out there will agree that their baking careers started with a humble recipe of chocolate chip cookies.

Who wouldn't? It is very easy to make a batch -- no special equipments needed, ingredients are very easy to find, and the best of all...the bliss of eating these treats! From this simple cookie (usually a hit, never a miss!) you'll soon find yourself ready to try the more complicated baked goodies. I bet you...you'll get addicted to baking!

It is said that Ruth Graves Wakefield, accidentally invented the chocolate chip cookies. She ran out of her bakers chocolate and substituted it with chopped Nestle bars, thinking that it would melt with the batter. But she was wrong, the chocolates just softened...and the rest is history.

I have tried the chocolate chip cookies many times before. I must say that I perfected it. But I have to try the chocolate version. So I look for a promising recipe and found this from my favorite baking site Joy of Baking. I followed everything, except for the nuts, which were not available when I baked this.

The cookies are just perfect! Cruchy, caramalized edges but soft and chewy in the middle. It might be because of the 2 kinds of sugars in the recipe.



perfect with a tall glass of cold milk



so yummy!!!

Here's the link to the recipe. Try it and let me know your feedback!

Enjoy!!!

Baking 101: Carrot Cake / Cupcake

According to Wikipedia, carrot cake was first concocted during the medieval period, the time when the sweeteners were said to be insufficient and expensive. Since carrots have high sugar content, and were abundant that time, the early people made used of these to create this wonderful dessert. If not to their ingenuity, we would never have a taste of the carrot cake.

I cannot specifically remember when I first tasted this dessert, but I just had the courage to bake it last year and I was happy with the result. Here's the link for the picture. Last year, I used buttercream for frosting. This time, I shelled out a little more moolah for the frosting, I used cream cheese (cream cheese here are expensive!). And it made a HUGE difference in taste...the cream cheese and the carrot cake are definitely a match made in heaven.

Enough with my blah blahs hehehe! Here's the recipe for the carrot cake.

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Oops, by the way I got this recipe from Joy of Baking.

Ingredients

For the Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 cup walnuts
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 tsps vanilla extract

For the Frosting
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Garnish: Toasted and choped walnuts

Procedure
For the cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking pans with parchment papers.
2. Toast the walnuts until lightly brown. Cool and coursely chop.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the dry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
4. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs for a minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until thick.  Add the oil and then the vanilla extract. Beat until well incorporated.
5. Fold the grated carrots and nuts in the batter.
6. Pour the mixture in the prepared pans. 
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
8. Remove from oven and cool completely. 
9. Prepare the frosting.

Frosting:
1. Using an electric mixer set on a low speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until you see no lumps. 
2. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat again until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. 

To assemble:
1. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. The bumpy top must be faced down. Spread frosting on top.
2. Place the second cake on top, top side down again (so you'll have a flat topped cake). Cover the entire cake with cream cheese frosting.
3. Garnish the cake with toasted walnuts.
4. Chill before serving.

UPDATE: AUGUST 26, 2011

Here's the cupcake version of the cake! Equally yummy!

My Favorite Cheesecake Recipes

I have mentioned before that cheesecake is my favorite dessert of all time. I like it with fruits on top and plain. yum yum!


Eversince I learned to bake this rich and decadent dessert, I never bought the commercially made cheesecakes. Thanks to the following sites, where I got my 3 best cheesecake recipes.

1. Joy of Baking



2. Homecooking Rocks - i also sent this picture to the blogger, to thank her for the cheesecake recipe! Thanks again!


3. Lastly, from Dessert Comes First. I don't have a picture of the cheesecake, but it was also equally good!

Try any of the recipe from the above mentioned blogs, and be a little adventurous with the toppings and I'm very sure that you'll have the best cheesecake! Trust me!