Because Baking is Creative: Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies

Friends, oh my, you are in for a treat! I saw this recipe over at Joy the Baker and thought it looked like an interesting take on a classic chocolate chip cookie. So, of course, I tried making them...and my oh my! This is a chocolate chip cookie all grown up. With dark chocolate chips, molasses and a sprinkle of sea salt, I felt so very mature and grown up eating one. They are rich and chewy and the sea salt helps bring out the flavor of the dark chocolate. Delicious! I recommend them for a big kid party!

Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 3 dozen cookies

From Joy the Baker, recipe adapted from Alton Brown

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon dark molasses, not blackstrap
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups dark chocolate chips or chunks
sea salt for sprinkling on top of cookies just before baking

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, mix the granulated sugar and molasses until no large molasses clumps remain. Look at that! You just made your own brown sugar!

Pour the melted butter in the mixer’s work bowl. Add the homemade brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for about 20 minutes, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets.  Lightly sprinkle each dough ball with a few flecks of sea salt.  It really brings out the chocolate flavor.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. I like these cookies to be just a bit under-done. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

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Wedding Wednesday: Serena & Curtis

Serena & Curtis married this summer in Pasadena. The couple planned a small, intimate wedding for immediate family, followed by a reception for more friends and extended family. It was a pleasure working with the [stunning!] bride on the couple's wedding invitations, escort cards and table cards. (See the invitation blogpost here.) Instead of table numbers, the couple used street names that were significant in their lives. I just can't get over the brides lovely bouquet! Wow! Congratulations Serena and Curtis! What a beautiful wedding for a beautiful couple! Thanks for sharing!  

Speaking of weddings, check out my guest post today over at the Santa Barbara Wedding Guide Blog











Wedding Planner: Maren Parsons Events
Photographer: RC Jones Photography
Invitations & Paper goods: Lilly & Louise
Ceremony: All Saints Pasadena
Reception Venue: The Westin Pasadena
Cupcakes: Violet's Cakes
Flowers: City of Commerce Flowers

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Fore-Tee-ith Birthday Party

When my friend came to me with the wording for her husband's fortieth birthday party invitation, I thought she was brilliant! I was inspired by her word choice to create a folding invitation to make the invitation interactive and fun (because that's what L&L does best!) and voila, a bright, folding, golf course-inspired, fore-tee-ith birthday party invitation.

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Beautiful Things

Sigh...




Bowls from Anthropologie.

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When Life Gives You Lemons...Make a Lemon Tart With Your Friend

During a recent visit from friend and fellow designer, Christina, we let the overabundance of lemons on the tree inspire us to create a lemon tart. Christina is a cook--no measurements, use whatever is at hand, creative in the kitchen--while I'm a baker--I read recipes in detail (sometimes just for fun), make exact measurements (a pinch of salt?), and set the timer to the second. We made a good team, and our lemon tart was a success. It was a lovely balance of tart and sweet and the crust that Christina made was the proverbial cherry on top--just delightful!



Lemon Tart
from Luscious Lemon Desserts

1/2 Cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 pinches of salt
6 large eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350. Have ready an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

2. Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of the zest, and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the butter mixture in a fine stream, stirring with a fork and continue stirring until the dough begins to come together when a small bit is pressed between your fingers. Transfer the mixture to the tart pan and press it with your fingertips evenly up the side into the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Let cool on wire rack while making the filling.

3. Process remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 tbsp of zest in a food processor until the zest is finely ground.

4. Whisk together the eggs, sugar/zest, the lemon juice and another pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth.

5. Beat the cream with an electric mixer on med-high speed in a medium bowl just until it forms soft peaks. Whisk the cream into the egg mixture just until blended.

6. Place a baking sheet in the oven, place crust on the baking sheet, and pour the filling into the still warm crust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is just set in the center. Let the pie cool on a wire rack.

7. Just before serving, sift powdered sugar over the tart. Cut into wedges and serve. Note: we found this tart much tastier when eaten cold.

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Stationary vs. Stationery

It's a bugger of a word, among many other in the English language--like principal and principle, bear and bare, there, their and they're--to name a few. I just thought you should know the correct uses for stationary and stationery.

stationary |ˈstā sh əˌnerē|
adjective
not moving or not intended to be moved : a car collided with a stationary vehicle.
• Astronomy (of a planet) having no apparent motion in longitude.
• not changing in quantity or condition : a stationary population.
ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin stationarius (originally in the sense [belonging to a military station] ), from station- ‘standing’.

stationery |ˈstā sh əˌnerē|
noun
writing paper, esp. with matching envelopes.
• writing and other office materials.

Good, now you know.

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Lovely Art = Good Mail

I was honored and thrilled to receive this beautiful piece of art by Ellen Heck in the mail recently. I've admired Ellen's art and unique style for a while. She uses subtle patterns and intense detail to complement areas where detail is left to the viewer's imagination. I am captivated by her print portfolio + A Century; the relationship between the figures and their activity is ever so delicate and sweet, I could stare at them for hours contemplating what the figure is thinking, or perhaps what kind of sounds or music might be heard softly in the background of the scene. Above: Leslie & Peachy.

I believe this print is made from a multiple-plate combination of drypoint and aquatint on copper over woodcut. Ellen is an artist-in-residence at Kala Art Institute in Berkeley and a fellow native Texan. See more of her lovely work here. Thanks, Ellen!

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Hola!

I'm blogging today from the land of bumpy, dusty roads, magical blue ocean, awe-inspiring sunsets, hot Summer air and satisfying waves...Baja California Sur. We've been here for a few days in search of warm sun, good waves and relaxation, all of which we have found successfully! (The waves part is Nathan's pursuit, I'm the photography crew!)


Evening surf check and the usual suspects.


It wouldn't be a complete Lilly & Louise post without a photo of food! These are lychees. Each morning a certain surfer made sure we didn't leave the beach empty handed. Apparently he had about 300 lychee trees near his house.

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Because Baking is Creative: Black Bottom Cupcakes

I found this recipe on a rainy weekend when I decided to play "Joy of Cooking Roulette" (in the dessert section of course). My finger landed on these cupcakes. They're moist and rich and yummy.



Black Bottom Cupcakes
from Joy of Cooking

Have all ingredients at room temp. Preheat oven to 350.
Beat in medium bowl until smooth:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar

Add and beat until smooth:
1 large egg

Stir in:
1 cup chocolate chips

Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Add:
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir with a rubber spatula just until smooth. Fill the muffin cups about half full. Place a heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cakey part of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a rack before sprinkling with
powdered sugar

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Compass Foods

Over on the other side of the studio I've been busy with a few fun projects. One I'd like to share is the logo and website I created for a Santa Barbara-based Compass Foods. Compass Foods caters events large and small and works directly with the host to personalize the menu. I can vouch from first-hand experience that the guys behind Compass Foods are uber-talented and creative foodies that won't miss a single detail.

Here are a few screen shots from the website, perhaps you recognize a few of the photos?

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