Wednesday 11 July 2012

Candied Chocolate Cookies



It seems that I can finally say summer has arrived. Now, I've been waiting to say this for a good two years now (is that all, it feels like so much longer?) For me to say that it is hot outside, it has to be at least 33 degrees C, 35 C is better though. While we haven't reached those temperatures yet, I have to say it does feel pretty warm out. Much to the displeasure of all the people I interact with at work who complain that 24 C is much too hot for their liking...but...the day before they were cursing how dreary, wet and cold it was. I know right? You can't win. Man am I ever glad that some people can't control the weather. As hormonal as it is around here on a daily basis, I couldn't even imagine how crazy it would get.

So when I say that finally summer has arrived, I must clarify what I mean by finally. You see while it seems that everywhere in North America has been breaking heat records for weeks upon weeks, we have had the coldest June on record. (I'm a little jealous right now, the hotter the better for me.) Anyway, no big deal right? I guess if you had a nice May...or April...or March...or Summer 2011, you wouldn't really mind. Yes, you are reading that right. It's not just that we didn't have a nice spring, but we had no summer last year, and the summer before that besides being a long time ago, I'm pretty sure I didn't get to enjoy it because I spent the whole summer recovering from surgeries. It's been awhile since I've had summer, so now you can see why I've dedicated a whole post to the weather.

Do you know why I'm telling you all this? It's because I'm now going to tell you that my posts are going to be few and far between hopefully for the next two months. Yes, that's right, because summer has arrived!! And hopefully it will stick around for at least two months. I can't miss out because who knows when it may come around again. Plus, I'm in desperate need of some sun because I feel so incredibly pale, it's scary.

Something that is not pale though, are these cookies. They honestly look like little hamburger patties that have been left on the BBQ while someone cooking them decided it would be a great idea to go and change their sheets and flip their mattress, all at the same time as they should have been BBQing. Resulting in the most amazing looking hockey pucks that have ever come off the grill. Not to mention the smell. No, not me, but they know who they are! While these cookies are absent of any charcoal, or burning smell for that matter, they aren't short on pure sweetness. Now, I have a sweet tooth, and by that I mean I think my sweet scale is a little broken (but what food blogger's isn't?). With that being said though, even I found these to be a little sweet. (But not too sweet, I should clarify!) That's not to say that I didn't instantly reach for another one though and throw it into my mouth. On a positive note, for those of you who (are insane) don't have a sweet tooth, never fear. For these cookies once cooled, aren't nearly as sweet.

The one other interesting thing I found about these cookies is that when you pull them directly from the oven and eat them, they have the texture of an amazingly gooey and chewy brownie. But when they cool, they almost have a candy texture to them, kind of like an almond roca. Oh yeah, that's because of all the toffee bits that go into these cookies. Because of that, I feel that I have to change the name from Butterscotch Toffee Chocolate Fudge Cookies, to Candied Chocolate Cookies. Sweet lovers rejoice. Plus, there's no eggs, so, feel free to nibble away as you're rolling the dough.



This recipe is from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Makes: 3 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 C. Butter, softened
1/2 C. White Sugar
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 Tsp. Almond Extract
1 1/4 C. Flour ( I used whole wheat)
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2/3 C. Cocoa Powder
1/3 C. Milk
3/4 C. Butterscotch Chips
3/4 C. Toffee bits (I used skor)
1/2 C. Chocolate Chips

Directions

~In a large mixing bowl cream butter, sugars, vanilla and almond extracts until smooth.
~Add flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa. Mix to combine.
~Mix in the milk.
~Stir in chips and toffee bits.
~Chill dough for at least 30 minutes.
~Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
~Roll cooled dough into balls and place on baking sheet. Keep remaining dough in the fridge while waiting for the batch to bake.
~Bake for 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. These cookies do crisp up once removed from the oven so don't overcook. 
~Remove trays from oven. Cool for 1-2 minutes then transfer cookies to a cooling rack. (If you wait too long to do this and the cookies cool, they aren't as easy to remove from the trays.)

Enjoy





No comments: