Chocolate Chip Cookie dough truffles.....

Honestly, these are really, really good and you can immerse them completely and make truffles but I didn't have the patience. I needed to eat them right away!! Try these and they will put you in a happy place!!

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (plain, thick yogurt)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, or couverture, melted for dipping

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes in the machine. Beat in yogurt along with the vanilla extract and stir to combine.

Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop large spoonfuls or ice cream scoops onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place in the freezer overnight or until frozen, at least three hours.

Melt chocolate. If there are any left to dip ;-) remove balls from the freezer and dip. Return to the lined cookie sheet and return to the freezer to harden. Serve cold from the freezer.

Aunt Annabel's Recipes

I've started another blog to document my Aunt's recipes and trace some family history. Check out http://auntannabelsrecipes.blogspot.com/

ABC's of Bread

I'm one of those people who make New Year's resolutions without fail. Some resolutions survive the year and others don't (but we won't talk about those!!) This year one of my resolutions is to bake more bread at home. I do a lot of baking and supervise a lot of baking at my job as a pastry chef instructor but my family misses out on a lot of these efforts. I also want to increase my knowledge and skill in bread baking as well. So here is my first effort - starting with A for Anadama bread.

There are many stories on how this bread got its name, one being that Anna left her husband for another man and left nothing at home but cornmeal, flour and molasses. The unfortunate husband put it all together, added some yeast all the while yelling "Anna, damn'er!" and this bread was created. I'm not sure about the accuracy of that story, but it sounds funny enough to keep repeating!

Here's an adaption of Mr. Reinhart's recipe. Thanks to my wonderful husband for the beautiful picture!!

Anadama Bread (adapted from Bread Baker's Apprentice - Peter Reinhart)

Soak for 24 hours:

1 cup cornmeal in 1 cup room temperature water

4 1/2 cups Bread flour

2 tsp instant yeast or 3 tsp active dry yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

1 1/2 tsp salt

6 Tbsp molasses

2 Tbsp butter (unsalted)

After your cornmeal has soaked for 24 hours add 2 cups of flour, instant yeast and lukewarm water to form a sponge. Stir together well, cover and let sit at room temperature until bubbles begin to form - about one hour. Stir in the rest of the flour, molasses, salt and butter. If using a Kitchen Aid mixer, use the dough hook and mix on low speed for about 6 - 8 minutes, until dough is smooth and cleans the side of the bowl. Stop mixing, remove dough hook and spray with oil. Cover and let double in size. Divide dough in two and shape into loaves. Place in parchment lined loaf pans and let rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan. Bake at 350F for 20 - 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on cooling racks.