Espresso Biscuits

I like a little sweet in the morning. Usually I am on my best behavior and stick to oatmeal or cereal to start my day right - but sometimes I go the other way. A cup of coffee and something sweet and a little sinful to pair with it. A kick-start to my morning. 

Instant espresso is one of my pantry secret weapons. I love adding it to a variety of chocolate baked goods. It deepens the cocoa flavor in such a lovely way. Often I add a tablespoon or two into the liquid ingredients in a recipe. Sometimes I add it to the dry ingredients for cookies. 

The other ingredient in this recipe to call out is the Dutch Process Cocoa. Unlike regular baking cocoa, Dutch Process Cocoa is made from cacao beans that have been washed with a potassium solution, to neutralize their acidity and mellow out the cocoa flavor. When recipes call for Dutch Process Cocoa you want to not swap it our for natural cocoa as it can change the outcome of your recipe. 

These Espresso Biscuits are perfect with a cup of coffee or a bowl of ice cream. I also love to wrap some up and take them to a friend. They have a really full cocoa taste and are dry in a really good way - that must be all the butter balancing them. 

Espresso Biscuits

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch cocoa

1 1/2 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 teasponn vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment

In a small bowl sift together the flour, instant espresso and cocoa 

In a larger bowl blend the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy with an electric mixer - about 3-4 minutes

Gradually mix in the flour mixture to the butter mixture - making sure to scrape downt he sides of the bowl

Roll 2 tablespoons of dough at a time between your hands to form a ball

Place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart

Use tines of a dinner fork to press the dough down into the biscuit shape

Bake until firm to the touch - 10-12 minutes

Transfer to a wire rack to cool 

Will store for 3 days in airtight container

A Lovely Gift

I am a really lucky girl. Mr. Ramon loves to bring me little gifts when he travels. I like that. It feels nice that he is thinking of me when he is away. 

He just got back from a week long trip to Los Angeles where he was visiting his family. While they were out one day he picked me up a box of French macarons from Bottega Louie. This amazing place is a restaurant, patisserie, gourmet market, cafe and bar. Full of tasty and beautiful things. 

The French macaron is a wonderful cookie. Wikipedia says "A macaron is a sweet meringu-based confectionery made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder and food coloring. The macaron is commonly filled with ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies."

The flavors he brought me were - salted caramel, strawberry, violet, pistachio and passion fruit. They were almost to pretty to eat. 

While not something I seek out these were the perfect little treat. They had a crispy outer shell with an airy soft melt in your mouth center. I really loved the salted caramel and the strawberry. 

Friday Cookie Day - Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every Friday here at Immortal Dog is "human cookie day". We always have snacks and cookies in the store for the pups I thought what a great way to treat my customers. It has worked so well that some of my customers have decided to shop on Fridays so they can get a cookie. 

Every week I search for a fun new cookie or opt for a classic. This week I went for the classic - Chocolate Chip. I decided to use the recipe off the back of the package of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips. When I am picking up chocolate chips I often ponder which brand to use. Do I buy what is on sale? Do I buy what I like? Do I try something new? I opted for the Ghirardelli Bittersweet and Semi Sweet chips last time. They look so much fancier than Toll House just by the way they are packaged. I have really been in to bittersweet the last few months. They give a more "grown up" taste to the cookie. The Ghiradelli Bittersweet chips are also bigger which I like. 

This recipe came right off the back of the bag. I used 1/2 bittersweet and 1/2 semi sweet. I also added over a cup of toasted chopped hazelnuts. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

• 2 ¹/₄ cups unsifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¹/₂ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter softened
• ³/₄ cup sugar
• ³/₄ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 bag Ghirardelli Chips
• 1 cup nuts chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 375ºF.

Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy and lightened in color.Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Mix on low speed until incorporated.

Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

I have to say that I really liked these cookies and so did my customers. They have a nice brown butter flavor and remained chewy. They are very rich with the chocolate and the hazelnuts. I do think if you are in the mood to make a chocolate chip cookie these are worth trying and go bittersweet!

Note - I talk about/review products I love. I do not receive compensation for any name brand product I mention.