We're having a huge snow day today! I don't know how much fell, but I am sure it is over two feet altogether. Put it this way, I can't open my back door and they have no plans to shovel it according to Sheila next door.
I know they are struggling with clearing up the road and the driveways, never mind the back doorways., but I always thought that legally tenants needed to have two viable exits in case of fire.
I just went out and tried to push against it with all my might and it wasn't budging, and as you know I am a pretty hefty woman! My next door neighbor Sheila is very concerned She has a doggie and her doggie can't get out to toilet itself.
I suppose he could use the front, but that's not the point. We need to be able to get out our back doors. She is going to call the office and complain I think.
I thought I would bake some cookies today for some of my neighbors, especially Sheila. I thought it would be a good excuse for me to check up on them and see if they are okay. You never know with seniors how they are getting on.
Its always a good thing to check up on them, especially in inclement weather. And bringing them freshly baked cookies is the perfect excuse to use for knocking on their door!
The recipe which I am sharing today was adapted from the King Arthur Baker's Companion cookbook. Its an excellent baking book. I highly recommend. It was one of the books I chose to replace when I moved back to Canada.
I have another chocolate chip cookie recipe that is my favorite that I have been baking for years. It results in cookies which are crisp on the edges and chewy in the middles. You can find that recipe here.
Its a really good one, but I am always up for trying something new and I was especially intrigued by the title of this one. Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I love crisp cookies. Cookies that snap in your mouth. Cookies that are perfect for dunking into a hot cuppa or a cold glass of milk. I needed to bake these to see if they lived up to their name!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CRISP CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Nothing more than the usual suspects when it comes to baking cookies.
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter at room temperature (they specified unsalted, I used salted and cut back on the salt in the recipe)
- 1/2 cup (110g) vegetable shortening (in the UK Trex or white flora)
- 1 cup (200g) soft dark brown sugar, packed (I am sure you could use light brown sugar as well, but the molasses flavor would not be quite as pronounced.)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract (This was optional, but I added it to see if it made a difference.)
- 1 large free range egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 2 cups (280g) all purpose plain flour
- 1 cup (120g) chopped toasted pecans
- 2 - 2 1/2 cups (360g - 450g) semi sweet chocolate chips (I used the full amount, Kirkland brand.)
It seems like a lot of chocolate chips I know, but trust me, if you are a chocolate chip lover, do use the full amount. I really like the Kirkland brand that you can get at Costco. They are quite simply the best chocolate chips.
Nice and rich and chocolatey. Also you could use walnuts instead of pecans, or leave them out altogether if you don't like nuts. But if you do like nuts, do toast them first. It makes all the difference in the world.
10 minutes in a moderate oven does the trick beautifully. Just spread them out on a baking sheet and pop them in. They're done when they smell nutty. Make sure you cool them down before using them.
HOW TO MAKE CRISP CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Cookies are probably one of the easiest things to make. Most children start off their baking careers by baking cookies with their mums. Mine did!
Begin by preheating the oven to 375*F/190*C/gas mark 5. You want to have a couple of large baking sheets ready and lined with baking parchment. Alternately, you can butter them, but I am rather lazy and baking paper saves on the washing up.
Beat the butter, shortening, both sugars, egg, vanilla and almond extract together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the baking soda and salt. Add the flour, along with the nuts and chocolate chips, mixing on slow speed until thoroughly combined.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on the baking sheets 1 1/2 to 2-inches apart. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. The underside will be light golden brown and the cookies set and crisp around the edges.
Leave to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely. I dare you to resist eating one, or two, or three fresh off the baking sheets! If you can do that you are a better man than I Gunga Din!
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container. These also freeze very well. And just so you know, frozen cookies taste just as good as room temperature cookies. (I am so naughty!)
These are really, REALLY good cookies. (I would expect nothing less from King Arthur Flour.) Sheila phoned me up to say she was enjoying one with a nice hot cup of tea.
I'm about to go and do just that myself! I think I am going to brew up a pot of Mandarin and Honey tea. That will suit me just fine, or maybe I'll crack open that hot chocolate bomb my sister and Dan gave me for Christmas. A snow day seems like the perfect occasion!
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