BAKING

Ok, so despite having failed at blogging, I did still bake during my hiatus. I made three different types (sorta) of cupcakes and two different types of cookies.

My cookie recipes were from the cookie connoisseur cookbook

The first was supposed to be your typical bakery style chocolate chip cookie. Thin, big, crispy and gooey on the inside. Problem is I made the dough before hand and didn't bake it till later so I could bake it at my dad's house. I now know that you should get the cookies into the oven (or any dough) as soon as you can after mixing wet and dry ingredients unless specified in the recipe as it messes with how it rises, etc. Probably why my cookies turned out more cakey. I loved this type the best though, reminded me of my grandma's homemade easter cookies that are such classics, except hers are more buttery.

See how they are more pillowy?

The second were supposed to be much more gooey..er.. but I think I overcooked them... actually I think I overcooked both sets... but I'm still learning... and they were still yummy, o well! Right out of the oven these tasted just like nestle break 'n bakes, chewy outsides and gooey center. However, given time to solidify they were mostly just crispy and a little chewy on the insides, almost stale-like. But still... it's a cookie, when they are good, they're great, when they are bad, they are still pretty good!!

See how they are a little crispier, and gooey..er looking?

Cupcakes:

I made one batch of chocolate cake from the joy of vegan baking. I poured them into cupcake liners, the first four I dropped peanut butter in half of the batter, the next four I poured the chocolate peanut butter icing in the middle of the batter just as I did the peanut butter. The last four I made and filled later with the icing. I don't know what the consistency of the icing was supposed to be but it was more like a ganache, chocolate peanut butter ganache, YUM!!! My favorite was the peanut butter filled ones, they tasted like my buckeye balls, but they were very rich. I also LOVED the ganache baked because they were delicate and rich and creamy and sooo yummy! much more of a sophisticated cupcake, sort of like a lava cake just not as runny.

See the peanut butter peeping through? YUM!

Filling the cupcakes!

Celebrating my birthday AT HOME!!!!

The inside of the PB filled cupcakes, sooo yummy!

With the extra batter I poured it into a quiche pan and made a mini cake, plopped some blobs of peanut butter and more ganache, baked, then iced with the ganache! SOOOOOOO YUMMY! Tasted just like a reeses bar!