Cookie Mad: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chocolate White Choc Chip)

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So you might have guessed that lately I've been on a bit of a cookie kick.

Be it The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie, Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies or even Soft Sugar Cookies.

They're portable, adaptable, easy to make andddd I have a family of cookie fiends.

I had a request for Double Chocolate Cookies (inspired by Subway's Double Choc Chip Cookies) 

so I got to work in the kitchen. 

But that's where the trouble started. 

The recipe I had was all sorts of wrong.

As I looked down the ingredients list, I realised that it just wasn't going to work.

No eggs. No wet ingredients. No raising agents.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

So what did I do? Improvise!

I figured in the last couple of months I've made enough cookies to at least try to bake completely on instinct.

So I crossed my fingers and went to work. 

Once the cookies were in the oven I spent the next fifteen minutes looking from my computer screen to the oven - hoping and praying they didn't turn into a tray of cookie lava or be a complete fail.

Thankfully they didn't do either - I had soft and chewy Double Chocolate Chip cookies that smelt amazing. 

Yes, I most definitely was proud of my baking skills - fluke or no fluke :P

Being the smart cookie I am (heh)
I also wrote down what I did so I could share the recipe with you if it was a success! 

These cookies have soft centres with chewy edges and are probably the love child of a cookie and a brownie. 

If you love the chocolatey flavour of brownies but just can't go past the old faithful cookie - these are for you. 

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies  Pin It

(Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies) 

recipe by ksayerphotography 

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

125g Butter

1/2C White Sugar

1/2C Brown Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

1 Egg

Pinch of Salt

1 1/4C Flour 

1 tsp Baking Powder 

1 tsp Baking Soda

2/3C Cocoa Powder

1/3C Milk

1 1/2C White Chocolate Chips (or as much as you prefer)

Preheat oven to 165*C/330*F 

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Add flour, raising agents, cocoa and salt and mix until combined.

Slowly add in milk (while mixing) until a soft dough forms.

Mix in chocolate chips until evenly dispersed throughout the dough.

Cover bowl and leave to chill in the fridge for at least fifteen minutes - or until firm and workable.

Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls and place on lined cookie sheets 2-3" apart.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are cooked. 

Leave to cool completely on trays.

Tips!
- If you want a really chocolatey cookie, switch the white chocolate chips for milk or dark. 

- For a crispier, crunchier cookie, bake for 20-25 minutes.

- The cookies will firm up once they cool, so don't worry if the middles seem soft. 

- Try adding dried fruit/nuts/more chocolate chips to make your ultimate cookie. 

- Don't try working with the dough before you chill it, you'll end up with a huge mess.

- The dough freezes extremely well, so why not make extras and pop them in the freezer for when the cookie monster hits! 


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So tell me, 

Are you a chocolate or a vanilla kind of person?! 

I love chocolate straight up, on it's own.

If you offered me a cake or a piece of chocolate - I'd choose chocolate :P

Or anything sweet or a piece of chocolate, really.

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Love this recipe? Be sure to check out my new blog - Southern In-Law!

Wake me up..

....before you go go cocoa.

I'm probably a marketer's dream consumer.

I'm a highly visual person so of course I'm going to be influenced by what something looks like.

I'm kind of ashamed to admit that if there were two identical products on a shelf, but one was pink - I'd pick the pink one every time.

So what do you think my reaction was went I was sent two mueslis from Therapeutic Gourmet?

Wake Me Up B4 U Cocoa and Get Up and Goji

I think my first reaction was cuteeeeeeeeeee followed closely by this song running through my head on repeat.

In fact, everytime I see the muesli, the song gets stuck in my head - but it's a good song to be stuck with!

Wake Me Up B4 U Cocoa is a mix of raw organic cocoa, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, pepitas, almonds, flaxseeds, buckwheat kernels, puffed sorghum, puffed corn, rice bran flakes, cinnamon, vanilla and bush honey.

It's a high protein, nutritionally balanced muesli that will give you the energy to go-go :P

At first I thought I was going to find this too sweet, but I was pleased to find that wasn't the case.

The sweet bush honey was the perfect balance to the dark roasted cocoa, leaving only a hint of bitter cocoa flavour.

I loved that it stayed crunchy to the last spoonful thanks to all the delicious honey roasted nuts and seeds.

And it's fun too! I guess you could say it's like cocoa pops for a more mature palate? 

Get Up and Goji is a mix of organic Tibetan goji berries, honey roasted almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, buckwheat kernels, puffed corn, puffed brown rice, puffed sorghum, coconut flakes and spices.

Again, this muesli is protein packed and full of flavour.

Get Up and Goji is a little sweeter than Wake Me Up B4 U Cocoa due to the absence of cocoa and the addition of goji berries.

It tastes great eaten with milk or yogurt and also makes a perfect trail mix style snack!

Therapeutic Gourmet's Muesli's are available from a number of online stores, but if you're interested - send off a quick email to info@therapeuticgourmet.com.au for more info! 

So tell me, 

Are you influenced by the marketing of products? 

and what's the one song that always gets stuck in your head?! 

While I am influenced by the look of products, I'm rarely influenced by their claims. 

I'll also not buy something specifically because it's covered in claims that it will help you lose weight, 

yaddaaayaddaaa

One song that always gets stuck in my head when someone mentions it is...

Copacabana by Barry Manilow (and if my mum reads this, she'll be cursing at me :P)

So now you know what song will be stuck in my head all day!

Kristy received Therapeutic Gourmet Mueslis courtesy of www.therapeuticgourmet.com.au

If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com

Perfectionism pays off - The ultimate Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, I'm a bit of a perfectionist.

There, I said it!

I'm not happy until a recipe is perfect

and I will never ever serve something to someone I'm not happy with.

I think being a recipe tester would probably be a dream job for me.

Testing recipes day in and day out, being paid to bake or cook and tweak recipes until they're perfect time and time again - aah!

Anyone need a recipe tester? ;)

My sister is a perfectionist's nightmare.

She will always find a little something she doesn't like or something you could've done differently.

So, being the perfectionist I am, I have been searching for her ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. 

Sounds easy, no? Heh.. right..

First issue? 

My sister tends to like the cookie dough more than baked cookies.

 Sure, I could just give her bowl after bowl of cookie dough, but that's not a challenge.

[Begin weeks of recipe tweaking and testing here]  

Soft cookies were the answer.

The type of cookies that stay soft even after they've cooled completely and have been sitting in a container.

But, my dear sister, also likes chewy cookies - so I had to find a cookie that had chewy edges and a ever-soft centre.

I changed flour ratios, butter ratios, chilled dough, used only egg yolks, changed baking temperatures, altered baking times and tried a million different techniques.

And then, I came up with a brilliant recipe on a whim 

(I think I need to thank the baking gods for this victory, however)

I had found THE ULTIMATE Soft Choc Chip Cookie.

Soft centres.

Slightly doughy.

Chewy edges.

Just the right amount of chocolate chips.

and best of all? 

It can be made into crunchy cookies with the perfect amount of chew just by increasing the cooking time.

Perfect for my family who is split down the middle with soft cookie and crispy cookie lovers :P

The Ultimate Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Pin It

recipe by ksayerphotography

makes about 2 dozen medium cookies

150g Butter, softened slightly

2/3C Brown Sugar

1/2C White Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 1/2C Flour 

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Salt
~1C Chocolate Chips 

(This is really a personal preference - so add however much you feel is right!)

Preheat oven to 165*C

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Add in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until incorporated.

Mix in chocolate chips until they are dispersed evenly throughout the dough.

Cover the mixing bowl with cling wrap and refridgerate for 15-30 minutes until dough is quite firm.

(Note: on my second batch I actually left the dough for 2+ hours and it worked perfectly - just took a little bit of effort to work into balls)

Once the dough has chilled, roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls and place on a lined baking tray about 4cm/1.5 inches apart.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges are cooked and golden (the centres will still be soft).

For crispy cookies: Leave for 15-20 minutes depending on your desired amount of crispiness.

Leave cookies to cool completely on trays before transferring to a container/serving tray.

Now, I'd like to tell you how long they last.

But, errr, I can't - because they don't last.

They'll be gobbled up in the blink of an eye!

So tell me, 

Are you a perfectionist in the kitchen? (or in general)

and What's one recipe you just. can't. get. 

I once spent a week having the exact same baked oatmeal breakfast every single day because I was trying to perfect my recipe. 

(This is really unusual for me - I never have the same breakfast two days in a row, 

I at least change my topping combinations :P)

But now, I have perfected it! Worth the repeat breakfasting :P

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Love this recipe? Be sure to check out my new blog - Southern In-Law!

Can't mess with the classics!

I love experimenting with food. 

Some of my favourite meals have been created by me adding a little bit of this and a dash of that and mixing flavours that you wouldn't think would go together. 

But you can't always mess around with recipes. 

Some dishes are classics and need to be just right. 

My family is really into authentic asian style dishes and curries,

I've looked up recipes on the internet only to find hugeeeeeeeeeeeee long ingredient lists of ingredients I wouldn't ever have in my pantry.

Not. my. style. 

Ex MasterChef contestant Marion Grasby has come out with a food range of packs which contain all of the essentials you need to create classic Thai dishes. 

That means you can create delicious meals with ease, saving you the hassle of buying a tonne of ingredients from the Asian grocer that will probably sit idle in your pantry for months - if not years.

The Thai Satay Stick pack contains a satay marinade that is full of garlic, pepper and tumeric as well as a satay sauce packed with roasted peanuts and a delicious blend of cumin, coriander seeds and a touch of tumeric. 

All you need to add is 600g diced chicken or pork and the skewers (or you could make it even easier by just marinade chicken fillets in the marinade and grilling as is) and you have a delicious authentic Thai style meal on your table! 

All of the pastes, sauces and marinades in Marion's packs are based on her own recipes which she's learned and developed from a lifetime of eating and cooking. 

Satay flavours can be a very personal thing.

My family decided Marion's sauce was missing that little something - the oomph factor.

But that's where experimenting comes into play - a dash of this, a drizzle of that.

The Marion's Kitchen Range is available at Woolworths, IGA and other independent stores across Australia. The Thai Satay Sticks pack has a RRP of $6.99

But do tell me,

Is there a classic dish you just can't mess with?

or maybe it's just a favourite recipe you never stray from?

I used have certain dishes which could not be altered in any way or I just wouldn't eat them

but now I'm more open to trying new things.

As i've started cooking the majority of my meals I've become more flexible - missing an ingredient? just replace it with something similar!

 But there are those dishes that just don't taste right unless they're what I remember :P

Kristy received the Marion Kitchen packs courtesy of www.360focus.com.au

If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com

Tea and biscuits, anyone?

There's nothing better than sharing good food with friends.

A cup of tea and a biscuit? Of course!

Springhill Farm were kind enough to send me a box filled with their delicious slices and biscuits so I did what any normal person would do - turn on the kettle and round up some taste testers!

The Wildberry and Nougat Slice is a combination of Italian Nougat, dried cranberries, blueberries and raspberries and topped with white chocolate and a berry swirl. 

The soft base had a rich coconut flavour and I loved the chunks of berries, while the smooth chocolate topping melted in your mouth. 

I was actually surprised to find this was one of my favourites as I first thought it would be way too sweet, but thankfully it was jussssssssssssssssssssssst right!

The Summer Fruit slice was courteously passed over to my taste testers as I'm actually allergic to pineapple and pear, which the bar contained.

The slice is a combination of Australian dried fruits, amaranth and rice pops and topped with milk chocolate and a white chocolate swirl. 

My taste testers liked the citrus and coconut flavours and, like the nougat slice, all agreed it melted in your mouth. 

It's also Gluten Free! so it's a perfect treat for someone with a gluten intolerance.

The Lemon Lime and White Chocolate Biscuits are gluten free so they're perfect for sharing, even with your coeliac pals!

We all agreed that they definitely don't taste gluten free. 

In fact, if I didn't know otherwise, I'd have guessed it was just a regular shortbread style recipe.

It was crumbly and melted in your mouth with a delicate lemon and lime flavour. 

The Lemon and Yogurt slice combined the smooth creaminess of yogurt with the freshness of lemon that was balanced perfectly. 

Springhill Farm have been using this recipe for 20 years and I can see why!

 

The Springhill Farm journey began when Ray and Jo Barber hosted kindergarten and primary school children for a sensory filled farm visit experience in 1983. 

At the end of a day filled with horse and tractor rides, milking and collecting eggs, the children got to experience farm style cooking whilst sampling Jo's homemade muesli slice.

The slice was so popular that Jo began producing it to sell and the Muesli and Honey slice is the original recipe enjoyed by the children on the farm visits.

It's obvious why it was a hit! It's filled with whole grains, honey and Australian dried fruits and it topped with a creamy yogurt swirl.

I loved the crispiness of the oats against the soft bursts of raisins and dried fruit. 

It's safe to say that the Toasted Muesli biscuit is delicious and most definitely one of my clear favourites.

The moist biscuit is filled with chewy fruit pieces and crunchy rice bran flakes.

The crunch of the rice bran flakes is definitely what made the biscuit for me - it took it from a boring old cookie to something you could enjoy time and time again.

We decided if you gave us a lifetime supply of these biscuits, we'd be as happy as a pig in mud on the Springhill Farm!

Springhill Farm has chocoholics covered too with their Chocolate and Oat slice and Macadamia and Chocolate Chunk biscuit.

The Chocolate and Oat slice was also one of my favourites, so much so, that if you had me choose between the slice and the Muesli biscuit I don't think I'd be able to make up my mind! 

The soft oat base has a delicious coconut flavour and is filled with chocolate chips and delicious Australian Sultanas. It melts in your mouth, especially with the generous layer of chocolate sitting on top! 

This is Springhill Farm's best seller and there's no doubting why!

The Macadamia and Chocolate Chunk biscuit is for the serious chocolate lover!

The chocolate biscuit base is filled with chunks of dark chocolate and Australian macadamias.

It is the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of tea or coffee!

The Cranberry Pistachio and White Chocolate biscuit was generously filled with chewy dried cranberries and crunchy pistachios and drizzled with a white chocolate swirl.

All of the ingredients match perfectly, creating a delicious biscuit!

The Vanilla Chocolate Chunk biscuit isn't just your average chocolate chip cookie!

The delicious vanilla biscuit is filled with generous chunks of creamy milk chocolate and topped with an extra chocolate drizzle.

I was actually surprised when I realised the biscuit was gluten free because you could never tell!

It melted in your mouth with a shortbread like texture and we all agreed it was an extremely high quality treat! 

All of these biscuits and slices were fantastic and I would happily serve them to my friends again!

(and I'm sure they would be equally as pleased :P) 

You can have Springhill Farm products delivered straight to your door by ordering online!

So tell me, 

Are you a city person or a country person? 

and what's your favourite food to share with friends?

Kristy received Springhill Farm products courtesy of www.springhillfarm.com.au

If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com

Lunchbox Lunacy

On this post, I found that quite a few of you swear by snacks to get you through your day, just like me!

Sooo, I have another delicious snacking solution for you! 

You may already know that I love Food for Health (proof :P)

Their Gluten Free Muesli is one of my favourite cereals and I can't get enough of their Gluten Free, Fruit Free Bars (so much so that they're currently on my shopping list because I'm all out!)
So when I heard that they had new products coming out, I was more than excited!

The new "Food for Kids" range is Nut Free, Gluten Free and Sulphur Free.

They're also extreeeeeeeeemely yum!

So much so that I'm ignoring the "kids" part and imagining the packet instead says 

Food for Kids smart people who like really delicious snacks. 

For me, these bars are the perfect size for a quick snack! 

Not too big and not too small.

The Banana Custard filled bars are most definitely my favourite! 

They're soft with a delicious banana flavour - and not too sweet as you might think!

I love Chia Seeds, so the addition of Chia in these bars was perfect, plus fussy little kids aren't going to have any idea they're filling their tums with all those omega packed little specks!

These are stashed away in both my handbag and my pantry for when the hunger monster attacks

and I will surely be adding to them to my shopping list as soon as I run out!

The Banana Custard bars might have been my favourite, but I'm not overlooking the Apple Filled bars! 

These bars taste almost like an apple pie, the soft apple filling is enclosed in the almost cakey bar.

For a kid at heart grown up, these are a perfect snack with a cup of tea! 

These bars have me wishing they were around when I was younger and at school! 

But that's okay, it just means I'll have to make up for it now - no? 

But, if you're a Mum or a Dad - buy these for your little (or big - HI MUM!) ones

they would be perfect for a school time snack!

Both of these bars are available in stores across Australia 

- Coles, Woolworths, selected IGA's, Costco, Health Food Stores etc.

Though it may take a little time for some of the smaller retailers to start stocking them as they're brand new - but keep your eyes peeled! I promise you won't regret it!

So tell me, 

When you were at school - 

What was in YOUR lunch box?

I was always a fussy eater as a child and I hated school lunches.

I know my poor Mum had a tough time figuring out what to send me.

I didn't like sandwiches, most muesli bars and the idea of sending things like cheese sticks or yogurt in a warm lunch box didn't appeal to me in the slightest (smart kid, no?) and leftovers? don't even think about packing them!

Kristy received Food for Health products courtesy of www.foodforhealth.com.au

If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com 

 

Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies

I think it's safe to say I'll take any excuse that comes my way to bake.

What, someone's coming over? Oh hold on - let me whip up a cake!

Dinner party? Oh what flavour cupcakes do you want?

New job? Let's celebrate!

What? You've never had red velvet cake? Let me change that!

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Cravings? Give me 20 minutes!

These cookies were made specifically with my Mum in mind!

She's always been a fan of the chocolate/nut combination - so why not turn it into a cookie?

These cookies are the ultimate cookie for a peanut fiend.

Peanut butter cookie filled with chunks of peanutty snickers? Why of course!

Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies Pin It

recipe by ksayerphotography

makes 24 large cookies

125g Butter, chopped

1C Peanut Butter  

(smooth or crunchy works - it's up to you!)

3/4C Granulated Sugar

1/2C Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 tbsp Milk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 1/4C Plain Flour

3/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt
(the salt depends on whether you use salted/unsalted PB as well as your salty/sweet preference)

2-3 Chopped Full Size Snickers Bars 

(or more, or less - depending on how many chunks you want!)

Preheat oven to 180*C (350*F)

In a mixer, cream butter and peanut butter until fluffy. Add sugars and beat until smooth.

Add the egg, milk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and beat until the flour mixes through completely and a dough forms. 

Stir in chopped snickers bits until evenly incorporated.

Form dough into balls (about a heaping tbsp per ball) and place onto a lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

(Don't worry about flattening them! Leaving them in a ball makes a thicker cookie as they spread themselves)

Bake for 10 - 15 minutes - depending on your cookie preference.

For a soft cookie:  

Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are slightly brown - they will firm up once cooled! 

For a crunchy cookie:

Bake for ~15 minutes or until cookies are more golden brown on the edges.

Leave cookies to cool completely before trying to move them around.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container 

(if they get to make it to the container, that is)

I think you could definitely use other candy bars in this recipe, 

even switching the peanut butter for almond/walnut/cashew butter to match!

I can't tell you how long they'll last in a container, however, because mine were eaten IN A FLASH and proclaimed as the "best cookies you (I) have ever made"

Repeat batches have already been requested - good sign, no?

If you're a reaaaaal chocolate fiend you could also add a handful (or several) of chocolate chips for that extra chocolate hit!

So tell me,

How do you like your cookies?

Soft or crunchy? 

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