Secret Baker!

For the past two posts, I was posting what I had made my Secret Baker! Well, I got my package yesterday!

The box, shall I open?

YES!

I opened and found three different things in it!

All of them are so yummy! Thanks Julie!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe two for my Secret Baker! This cookie was based off of Martha Stewart's Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Mine were different mainly because I left out the walnuts and substituted the semisweet chocolate chunks for milk chocolate chips!

These cookies were surprisingly very good. I couldn't stop myself from taking occasional tastes out of the batter bowl. It was just so good!

Sorry about the lack of details and writing! Finals are next week so between studying and baking, there has been little time to anything else.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

This month, I have decided to participate in Secret Baker again. The first cookie that I had made was this chocolate gingerbread cookie out of Martha Stewart's cookie cookbook.

I had to sub out the fresh ginger for ground ginger because I had none left, but it still tasted very much like a gingerbread cookie. BUT with chocolate.

It definitely was a delicate balance between the two - ginger and chocolate do not seem like a great combination, but in actuality, they seem like a pretty good combo for a cookie.

They definitely did not spread as much as the ones in the book looked like they did, but then again, I think I made my cookies smaller than the ones in the book.

YUMMY!

Chocolate Espresso (Mini) Chessecake [sms]

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays pick, Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake, was chosen by Shandy of Pastry Heaven.

Being late and missing a couple of the picks from last month, I decided that I would make this super early - Tuesday!

I had left out the rum - since I am afterall still underage. Also, I left out the hazelnuts in the cookie crust part - I didn't have enough time to get some. I don't think either really made a big difference. I also left out the glaze on top - I made these mini cheesecakes in the nick of time. They were out and ready about 30 minutes before I had to leave.

The crust ended up a bit harder than I wanted it, but overall it was still really good. The cheesecake part was very rich and creamy - so rich and creamy that I kind of didn't want to finish it, but I did! I gave them out to my friends and such, and they all enjoyed it. I think my roommates did too!

Recipe for the cheesecake here! Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.

Peppermint Brownies

Two weeks ago, I had gotten back a test in one of my accounting classes and I had gotten a 100%. I mean I can't say that I was expecting it, but I had worked hard in that class and studied with a friend and had gotten a good grade. I was proud of myself.

My friend, who hates accounting, had also gotten a 100%. I was so proud of her because she had learned all that stuff the couple nights that we had studied together.

Anyways, last week in class while we were learning something new, she had wrote on my notes, peppermint brownies. I thought that I would surprise with these brownies since she did do very well.

I know that you can't tell they are peppermint brownies because they dont have crushed peppermint candies in them or on top of them, but I assure you, this brownie recipe was amazing. It's so minty and chocolatey - its like amazing!



Peppermint Brownies:
[I made them in a 8 in round pan and also a ramekin for myself]
(adapted from this recipe)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour the pans you plan on baking this in.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter.
3. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and peppermint extract.
4. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder.
5. Spread batter into prepared pan.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook. [mine were done in about 20 minutes so make sure to check!]

What I also loved about this recipe was that I only had ONE pan to wash other than the dishes that I baked in. Also sorry for the lack of good lighting! I thought I would have extras for later, but I actually ended up meeting up with her at about 8 so therefore no light except the ones in house!

Also guess what I got recently! Thank you Karen!