Thursday, August 11, 2016

Double chocolate Nutella cookies




Like cookies?
Like dessert?
Like chocolate?
Like Nutella?
.......... Like it with a glass of cold milk? Like no further. Just bake. Here's my recipe for my double chocolate Nutella cookies.
Be careful, they're addictive and so delicious. . You've been warned!

Ingredients
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup Nutella
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/4 cup semi sweet or milk chocolate chips
(more Nutella if you'd like to pipe 1 tsp within the cookie)

Method
Preheat oven to 375F.
With an electric mixer, beat butter, nutella and sugars for 5 minutes on medium speed. Add eggs and vanilla and beat another 2 minutes. Slowly add the flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt and mix for 2 minutes. Finally mix in the chocolate chips for a few more seconds.
Tip: I usually refrigerate my cookie dough for 1 hour before I roll out the balls. I find it bakes better that way.

Roll into 1" balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Make sure cookies are a little soft in the centre to ensure they stay chewy and soft after cooling down.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Pie




Who doesn't love pie? Especially in the summer months when fruit is ripe and in season! One of my favourites is blueberry pie.. homemade! None of that store bought stuff (it makes me run for the hills, ugh!)

I feel like pie is one of those foods where if you don't have the best tasting slice to eat, don't bother eating. Am I just a pie snob? I'm certainly picky with the crust, as I always enjoy using an all butter dough.
Today I am sharing with you my blueberry pie recipe. If you're in the mood for deliciousness, give it a try and if you have some vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet in your freezer, enjoy your slice a la mode.

Ingredients
Dough/Crust
1 cup cold butter, cubed
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup ice cold water
3 tbsp granulated white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg (for crust egg wash)

Filling
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
Juice and rind of 1/2 a lemon

Method
Crust
In a stand mixer, add flour and butter and mix using dough hook attachment. Mix for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until flour resembles cornmeal, then add remaining ingredients until it mixes into dough. If you don't have a mixer, you can use a fork to press the pieces of butter into the flour, and slowly add the other ingredients until dough forms. Roll by hand and plastic wrap, then place into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Filling
Add blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, salt and lemon into large bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes +. 
Preheat oven to 400F. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut in half. Roll out both into the shape of a circle and line bottom of 9" pie dish with one crust. Add blueberry filling and dot with 1 tbsp butter, and then add the other crust over top. Seal edges of both crusts
with a fork, or fold over to close. Give crust an egg wash, sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar and poke a small hole or two in the centre of the top pie crust.

Bake in oven for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown. 
Enjoy!