Archive for the ‘Baking’ Category

Dark Chocolate vs. Semisweet Chocolate Chips in Chocolate Chip Cookies

Semisweet chocolate chips are the default mix-in for most chocolate chip cookie recipes. Over the past several years, consumers have seen a huge increase in the variety of chocolate chips (and chocolate chunks) available at the grocery store as options for baking. One question I get asked frequently is whether it is ok to substitute one type of chocolate chips for another, and what difference it will make in the final recipe.

The short answer is that it is perfectly fine to substitute one type of chocolate chips for another in a recipe that calls for them. This is true for cookies, cakes, brownies and other recipes that call for mixing-in a quantity of chocolate chips. Most recipes call for semisweet chocolate by default, as those are still the most common type of chocolate chip, but some will make recommendations for milk or dark chocolate chips based on what the recipe author thinks tastes best in that recipe.

All chocolate is made up of cocoa solids – cocoa butter and cocoa powder – and typically includes sugar, an emulsifier and vanilla. Milk chocolate has milk solids added to it as well, while dark chocolate does not. Semisweet chocolate is not strictly defined (there is no exact amount of sugar to be called “semisweet”, though it generally means no more than 50% of the mass of the chocolate is sugar as opposed to “sweet” chocolates, where there is even more sugar) but it is essentially dark chocolate because it does not contain milk solids. Semisweet chocolates are not typically very sweet, but they are sweeter, not as intensely flavored and lack the bitter notes that some “ultra-dark” chocolates have. Semisweet chocolate gives a balanced flavor to most chocolate chip cookie recipes, adding just the right amount of sweetness and chocolate flavor. A darker chocolate, with more bitter cocoa notes than semisweet, will have a stronger presence in a cookie or cake and may overwhelm some of the subtle flavors in that recipe. Milk chocolate is typically much sweeter than either of these and can actually taste too sweet in a cookie or cake, as it does not add enough contrasting chocolate flavor.

Bites from other Blogs

• The Cheddar Peasant Boule that Lighter and Local baked is the kind of bread that will inspire you to do a little more baking at home because it is a simple recipe and yields a delicious result. The easy to make bread has a soft, light crumb and a little spiral of cheddar cheese baked into it for flavor. It makes great sandwiches, toast and is also tasty when served plain, or alongside a bowl of soup. Once you have the hang of the basics of this recipe, you’ll find yourself putting twists on it with different cheeses and fillings, and baking bread from scratch just a bit more often.
• Beantown Baker‘s Football Whoopie Pies are the perfect food for a Super Bowl party. These whoopie pies feature soft chocolate cookies packed with a delicious filling, and they’re garnished with a little football-inspired “lace” decoration on top. The filling consists of homemade marshmallow frosting – a nice contrast to the chocolate cake – and a generous drizzle of salted caramel sauce. The pies are sturdy and travel very well, so you can easily transport them to an off-site party if you’re going to be watching the Big Game with friends and family.
• I’ve seen waffle irons used for more than just making waffles before, but it is always good to see these appliances do a little multi-tasking. I’ve used them to make french toast, for instance, and Foodie with Family made Waffle Iron Han and Cheese Paninis. These sandwiches prove that you don’t need a special panini maker to make some delicious hot, toasted sandwiches. Start with soft, but sturdy, bread and load your sandwich up with the fillings of your choice. This sandwich uses ham, provolone cheese, arugula and sweet onion. Close the waffle iron firmly and in a few minutes you’ll be ready to eat.
• Gourmand in the Kitchen‘s Honey Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Sauce are more elegant than most of the coconut macaroons you’ll see offered for sale behind deli counters. These are small, truffle-like treats that are lightly sweet and have a good coconut flavor. They’re slightly crisp on the outside and manage to have a very light interior. The chocolate dipping sauce is also made with coconut milk and serves as a nice contrast to the light macarons

Bites from other Blogs

• There are so many desserts that you can make with ripe bananas that it can be difficult to narrow down your options when staring at a bunch that is ready to use. The Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes from Annie’s Eats are a good place to start. The cupcakes are a little time intensive compared to some other cupcake recipes, but they are worth every moment of effort. Vanilla bean cupcakes are filled with homemade pastry cream and slices of fresh bananas. The cupcakes are then topped with whipped cream, another banana slice and a piece of crispy pie crust that ensures you remember where the inspiration for these indulgent cakes came from.
• Pinch of Yum‘s Malted Double Chocolate Chip Cookies have a healthy dose of malted milk powder that works very well in these vanilla-laced chocolate chip cookies. These cookies do use shortening, and this recipe provides a good example of why vegetable shortening can be a great ingredient in cookies: the shortening doesn’t add any extra flavor itself and so the other flavors in the cookie (malt and vanilla) can really come through. These cookies are reminiscent of chocolate malted soda fountain drinks and have that great addictive quality that malty foods do. Be sure to serve these with a big glass of milk. If you want to take them over the top, consider using them to make ice cream sandwiches.
• Another malty recipe can be found at Culinary Concoctions by Peabody with her Malted Milk Marshmallows. These homemade marshmallows have malted milk powder incorporated right into them, giving them a nice malty flavor to go with the vanilla sweetness of the regular marshmallow. They’re perfect for melting into a big mug of hot chocolate. And be sure to choose a big mug, as homemade marshmallows tend to be a bit on the large side and you’re going to want to fit as many as you can into that hot chocolate!
• Homemade waffles definitely qualify as comfort food, and when you make the Waffles with Southern Comfort Praline Sauce that Confections’ of a Foodie Bride did, it is even moreso. The waffles themselves are light and fluffy, and can be made in either a regular or Belgian-style waffle maker. The syrup is made with maple syrup, brown sugar, butter and a good splash of Southern Comfort. Toasted pecans are added to the syrup to highlight its nuttiness and to add some crunch to the dish. It’s a great combination for breakfast, but it’s also worth noting that the elements of this recipe can also be used with other dishes and you might find yourself making plain waffles and Southern Comfort Praline ice cream sundaes in the future.
• The Almond Joy Cookies that Heather Christo Cooks recently baked are inspired by the elements that make up the popular almond joy candy bars: coconut, almond and chocolate. These are chocolate chip cookies that are densely packed with shredded coconut and studded generously with slivered almonds and chocolate chips. Chewy and buttery, these cookies are good for any coconut lover and are probably a lot more satisfying to make and eat than eating one of the candy bars of the same name.

Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Baking Bar, reviewed

When you think of Nestle Toll House, you probably think of their chocolate chips and classic chocolate chip cookies. The company makes a wide variety of chocolate chips, including seasonal Mint Chocolate Chips and fancy-looking Peanut Butter Swirled Chips. Due to the ever-increasing popularity of dark chocolate (and to more consumers interested in quality chocolate), Dark Chocolate Morsels with 53% cacao content were introduced to the Toll House family. They’ve followed this up with a Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Baking Bar.

The baking bar is made with 62% cacao and, while its wrapping matches the signature chocolate chips of the brand, it has the exact same ingredient list as many higher end chocolates. The bar is relatively thin and is divided into eight half-ounce squares that break up easily when you need a portion of the bar for a recipe. The chocolate itself is very smooth, with fruity notes and a rich cocoa flavor. It is slightly sweeter and has fewer bitter notes than some similar dark chocolates, but it is definitely a tasty bar and worth eating on its own as well as using in a recipe.

This chocolate bar can be used in most recipes that call for dark chocolate, including chocolate mousses and chocolate puddings, as well as cookies, brownies and cakes that use dark chocolate. The thin bar chops up easily and melts down quickly. If you prefer, you can even cut it into chunks and add them to your chocolate chip cookies, though you might want to stick with the dark chocolate chips for convenience (and price, since this bar is only 4-oz and you would need a couple to replace the chips in most chocolate chip cookie recipes) and save the bar for other occasions.

Bites from other Blogs

Elvis will always be remembered for his music and for being a big fan of peanut butter and banana sandwiches served toasted, grilled or deep fried. The Type A Housewife churned out a batch of Fat Elvis Ice Cream to capture this sandwich combination in a frozen dessert. The banana ice cream is swirled with ribbons of chocolate fudge and peanut butter, and it is studded with chunks of chocolate peanut butter cups. It’s indulgent and it is comfort food – even if you’re not an Elvis fan (though you may be after this ice cream).

you don’t have to bake a dozen cupcakes when the mood strikes. With Sweet Revelation’s Small Batch Chocolate Vanilla Bean Latte Cupcakes you can bake you cupcakes just four at a time. The moist chocolate cupcake recipe is a great all purpose recipe that you can pair with just about any icing. The smooth Swiss meringue buttercream frosting is a nice, light pairing with the chocolate cake – but it makes a fairly large batch, so be generous when you frost or consider baking more cupcakes to share with friends to use it up.

Farmer cheese is a relatively plain cheese that is similar in texture to ricotta cheese. It has a great texture and makes a good filling for many desserts, but it also works in more savory applications, like the Farmer Cheese Pies at Food Republic. The small pies have a hint of honey and are flavored with fresh thyme in their fillings, and have a cornmeal crust. They’re portable and sturdy, perfect for lunch, appetizers or (when the weather is nice) taking on a picnic.

Citrus and Candy‘s Apple Honey and Frangipane Tart is a simple looking tart that packs in a lot of flavor. The tart starts out with buttery puff pastry and it is spread with a thin layer of rich frangipane, an easy-to-prepare almond paste that works well with many types of fruit. Apples are layered on top and topped with honey and brown sugar. The result is delicious, and you can easily make it with other types of fruit throughout the year.

Another ice cream recipe comes from thecattylife. It’s an easy to make Matcha Ice Cream. The ice cream base is made with milk, cream, sugar and matcha powder. The matcha powder gives the ice cream a strong flavor and a lovely green color. You will want an ice cream maker when preparing this ice cream to get the best results, but since it’s winter right now, it’s a good time to shop for one as they just might be on sale until summer!