Saturday, November 28, 2009

thanksgiving - cookies & blondies (of course with white chocolate chips)

So ever since I got the invite to my boyfriend's family's place for Thanksgiving, I've been thinking of yummy treats to bring. Of course- my boyfriend insisted I make cookies (the winning cookies from our Cookie Bake Off- Cooks Illustrated). As usual, these cookies had to contain white chocolate chips. (My boyfriend is so habitual right?). I figured I'd not only bake "his" cookies, but also attempt blondies (also his favorite). Can you tell how much I love him? Hehe.

01 - blondies02 - blondies
The blondies really scared me at first. I baked them the night before, and as I was grabbing a slice for myself, it basically leaked out this oozing goo. I was so scared that it'd be too gooey on the inside, so I left it overnight to set. As I cut it in the morning, it was still soft, but it appeared to have slightly hardened.

03 - blondies
I had a taste- of course- and they were delicious. It was almost the same taste as the cookies, but much more gooey and chewy.

04 - blondies
The recipe already called for coconut flakes, which is great because my boyfriend also loves coconut. And as he always requests- I added white chocolate chips in.

07 - blondies
Once I got to his house, I arranged half the cookies and half the blondies in a tupperware and placed them on the table.

08 - cookies
Here are the famous semi-sweet-and-white-chocolate-chip-cookies that my boyfriend loves so much. You know what is funny though? After tasting the blondies, he told me he prefers them to the cookies! So after all this time I've been baking him these specific baked goods- which he told me was the best- and now he admits that he likes something more. So now I'm on the quest to find even better things for him to try.

---BLONDIES RECIPE---
Taken from Baking Bites

ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1+1/2 cups light brown sugar (I used 1 cup light brown, 1/2 dark brown)
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup bittersweet/semi sweet chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)
1 cup butterscotch chips or toffee bits (I switched for white chocolate chips of course)
1 cup chopped pecans (omitted, only because I think some people going to be there were allergic to nuts)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (toasted for about 10 minutes first)

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. (I only had a stupid glass pan, so the sides were curved and the center was undercooked)
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated to add the next, then beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, gradually add in the flour mixture, stirring only until no streaks of flour remain.
4. Stir in the chips, nuts and coconut by hand.
5. Spread batter into prepared pan, using a lightly greased spatula to even it out.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a tester comes out with only a few crumbs.

---COOKIES RECIPE---
Taken from Cooks Illustrated

ingredients:
2+1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-2 cup chocolate chips (I typically use 1 cup semi-sweet and 1 cup white chocolate)

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
3. Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla.
4. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined.
5. Stir in chips.
6. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes. (I usually bake for 13 minutes because I like softer cookies and I also make smaller cookies)

amount:
Makes 1+1/2 dozen 3-inch cookies (I can usually squeeze 2 dozen out)

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