Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Who can resist freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies? There are probably thousands of recipes out there, and I have a few myself, but this latest version shared by a friend (thanks, Jeffrey!) is my current favorite. I believe the difference is dissolving the baking soda in hot water and adding it directly to the dough before stirring in the dry ingredients. The result is a soft, chewy texture, and depending on how long you bake them, a crispy edge.

Recipe
3C unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2t kosher salt

2t baking soda
2t hot water

1C (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp (softened but not melty)
1C sugar
1C light brown sugar
2t vanilla extract
2 eggs

2C chocolate chip or chunks 

Cream the butter until light & fluffy. Beat in the white sugar. Then the brown sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often to make sure everything is incorporated. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla. Disolve the baking soda in hot water and stir into the dough.Stir in the flour until just incorporated. Stir in the chips.

Preheat oven to 350'. Line baking sheets with parchment. Use a 1.5" wide retractable scooper (or a spoon) to drop evenly-sized balls of dough on the sheet pan. I get 12 cookies on a standard 1/2-sheet pan. 

Bake until desired doneness (about 10-12 minutes). Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Makes about 40. 


                                             на здоровья!

Coconut Cake

It's so simple. And unless you hate coconut, a guaranteed crowdpleaser (even the vegans won't be able to resist). No expert skills needed for this one. A cake that's about as easy as a mix, whipped cream, and coconut. That's it. 

The photo is of an enormous 10" cake I made for my dear friend's baby shower. (I also made a tiny little 6" cake for the baby. IKR?) The recipe below is flexible and can fill 2 10x3 or 3 9x2 pans. You can split the 10" cakes in half to make 4 layers like I did, or stack the 3 9" layers (or split them to make an eye-popping 6-layer cake.) The batter will be a bit runny, and baking times can vary. I recommend wrapping the pans with soaked bake-even cake strips to help keep the sides from getting too dry. You can also trim away the sides after baking for a moister cake and nicer presentation. 

Don't be alarmed. I've included a lot of tips, but if you read through this a couple times, and have all your ingredients & tools laid out ahead, you'll do fine. Ready to make it? 

Tips: This cake can be baked up to two days ahead. Wrap the cakes well and store in the fridge. This cake can be assembled up to two hours before serving. Store uncovered in fridge. The chilled cake can be extra refreshing on a hot day. This cake can be filled with lemon curd or layered with berries. It's very versatile.

Preheat oven to 350'

Prep Your Pans (crucial)
Set each pan over a sheet of parchment and trace around the bottom of the pan with a pencil. Cut out the circle just inside your tracing line. Butter & flour the pans. I take a stick of butter and run it along the sides and bottom to coat well, then get in there with my fingers to evenly rub the butter into every nook & cranny. Then dump in about 1/4C of flour & tilt the pan around while tapping the bottom & sides so the flour coats evenly. Then knock the remainder of the flour out so you don't have clumps. Lay in the parchment round. 

Bake-Even Strips
If you bake a lot of cakes, these are a nice inexpensive investment that raises your game. Soak the strips for about 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water, and wrap around the outside of the pan, securing with the pin provided. The strips will help prevent overbrowning & dry sides. This cake has a lot of eggs, which can brown very quickly. When baking, you'll see that the top of the cake will get very golden brown long before the center is set. Don't panic. This is normal, and the top will end up kind of sticky anyway. If you don't have the strips, you can trim away the sides if they get too dark or dry, or leave them be. If you frost the cake with the whipped cream an hour or two ahead of serving and keep it in the fridge, the sides will soften up nicely. In fact, this whole cake gets moister the longer it sits in the fridge. Next-day slices are absolute heaven. 

Recipe
4C unbleached all-purpose flour
2t baking powder (always make sure it's fresh)
1/4t kosher salt
2C milk (you can use whole or lowfat)
12T unsalted butter (1.5 sticks)
8 eggs (I always use XL) 
4C sugar
2t vanilla extract (for the love of god, use the real stuff)
1/4t almond extract (optional)

4C (2 pints or a quart) of heavy whipping cream
1/2C confectioners sugar
1t vanilla extract

About 2-3C shredded coconut (the weird sugared kind works best). I say 2-3C because you can use a little or as much as you want. You can layer it inside and cover the whole cake, or just cover the top and a little down the sides...it's not a science. 

baking powder costs about $2. don't risk it. buy a fresh can & date it. dump it after 6 months.

Make the Batter

1. You don't have to, but sifting the flour helps with your overall success. Whisk in the baking powder & salt. 
2. Melt the butter into the milk (I do this in the microwave for about a minute+. 
3. Beat the eggs & sugar for about 5 minutes until thick and pale. 
4. Stir in the extracts. 
5. Fold in the flour, making sure you get it all incorporated. 
6. Stir in the butter & milk. 

Divide the batter evenly among the pans. Tap each pan a few times on the counter to pop any large air bubbles. 

Baking times will vary depending on the size of the pans and your oven. 10" rounds can take 45 minutes. If you're using 9x2" pans, start checking after about 20 minutes. If your oven has a hot spot (like mine), rotate the pans carefully for the last 10 minutes of baking. 

Signs of doneness: 

• touch the top and the dough springs back
• toothpick or skewer comes out with no raw batter
• sides of cake start pulling away from the pan

Cool the cakes on wire racks for about 5 minutes, then invert the pans an release the cakes. If you prepped your pans well, they should slide right out. If the sides are stuck, run a thin knife along the sides, then release the cakes. 

Whip it Good
Keeping the cream in the fridge until right before you whip it will help speed up the process. You can also chill the metal bowl and beaters. Start on med-low so the cream doesn't splatter all over. 

Assembly
If you want a 4-tier cake, use a long, thin, sharp knife to carefully cut the cakes in half. Start by scoring the sides of the cake evenly, then join the cuts, then cut all the way through. Lay each layer out on your work surface. Place the bottom on your platter or base or lazy-suzan. Cover with whipped cream all the way to the sides. Sprinkle on some coconut. Stack on the next layer. Repeat. Once the layers are all stacked, coat the whole cake generously with whipped cream, and cover with coconut. It. Will. Get. Messy. 

Either serve immediately, or chill in the fridge uncovered for up to two hours. 

на здоровья!