Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies Recipe

Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies Recipe

Did you know that Ruth Graves Wakefield, owner of the Toll House Inn, invented chocolate chip cookies in 1933. There are two theories regarding how this magnificent cookie was created. One theory is that a bar of Nestlé semisweet chocolate fell off a high shelf into an industrial mixer and shattered. To me this theory sounds less realistic. If a chocolate bar falls onto cookie dough I don’t think it will shatter, and its less likely that a chocolate bar will be sitting unwrapped on a high shelf. The second theory is that Mrs. Wakefield chopped up a bar of chocolate and added to the batter. This one sounds more plausible. Whichever theory is correct there is no denying that Mrs. Wakefield was the creator of the chocolate chip cookies. Since then numerous variations have been created, including this cappuccino chocolate chip hazelnut cookie. 

You must be wondering how cappuccino managed to find its way into these cookies. The ingredients include coffee and milk and hence cappuccino enters the picture. Instead of cappuccino I could have called it latte or simply coffee cookie. However coffee cookie sounds less interesting, besides I’ve already made and posted a recipe for double chocolate coffee daim cookie. 

Coffee adds great flavor to chocolate chip cookies, it really enhances the flavor, making it taste more sophisticated.

I used coconut oil instead of butter. Compared with other chocolate chip recipes I used less fat and more milk. As a result the cookies have lower fat, and using milk affects the texture. The cookies take on a slightly cake like texture, only slightly. It is still crispy and chewy. You can reduce the amount of milk and increase the amount of fat if you wish.

Resting the dough before baking is one of the secrets to a great chocolate chip cookie. Hervé Poussot, owner of Almondine, rests the dough overnight while Jacques Torres of Jacques Torres Chocolate rests the dough for 36 hours. Resting the dough is important because eggs, unlike, say, water, are gelatinous and slow-moving, said Shirley O. Corriher, author of “CookWise”. Making matters worse, the butter coats the flour, acting, she said, “like border patrol guards,” preventing the liquid from getting through to the dry ingredients. The extra time in the fridge dispatches that problem.

I adopted the recipe from various sources such as Martha Stewart, Smitten Kitchen, Joy the Baker and NY Times.

Notes:

You can replace 1½ cups white sugar and 1 tablespoon molasses with ¾ cup white sugar and ¾ cup brown sugar

You can replace ½ cup coconut oil and ½ cup milk with ¾ cup butter and 4 tablespoons milk

Ingredients

2¼ cups flour

1½ cups white sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

2 large eggs

½ cup coconut oil, room temperature

½ cup milk

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons instant coffee powder

1 cup chocolate chips or chunks (preferably with at least 60% cocoa content)

1 cup chopped hazelnuts, or any nuts of your choice

Directions

1. Mix coconut oil, milk, sugar and molasses until sugar has dissolved. Add eggs, salt, coffee powder and vanilla and mix well

2. Add sifted flour and baking soda and combine

3. Stir in the chocolate chips and hazelnut

4. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator, overnight or up to 3 days. This step is optional but recommended

5. Drop heaping tablespoon size balls of dough about 5 cm apart on a greased baking tray

6. Bake at 180 degrees until cookies are golden around the edges and still soft in the center, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies Recipe

Semolina Blondie with Chocolate Hazelnut Glaze Recipe

Semolina Blondie with Chocolate Hazelnut Glaze

I don’t really know what to call these – blondies, brownies, slices and cakes. Whatever we call them the outcome is the same – really delicious. 

This is the first time I baked with semolina. Semolina adds a nice texture and subtle crunch. The chocolate hazelnut glaze is optional but highly recommended, of course. The blondies are really gooey underneath the chocolate while the hazelnut adds great flavor and crunch. The amount of chocolate and hazelnut is an approximation, you can add more or less.

You can use either white sugar or a mixture of white and brown sugar. I used white sugar with a teaspoon of molasses and it worked great.

The recipe is easy to put together, everything gets mixed in one bowl and then straight to the baking pan. 

Ingredients

¾ cup sugar (white sugar or mixture of white and brown sugar)

½ cup semolina

½ cup flour

2 eggs

¼ cup melted butter or oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For the glaze 

50 grams chocolate

50 grams hazelnuts

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160 degrees.

2. Grease an 8 inch pan or loaf tin

3. In a bowl mix sugar, eggs, butter/oil and vanilla

4. Stir in flour, semolina and salt

5. Pour into the pan

6. To prepare the glaze, melt the chocolate and hazelnut. If the glaze seems too thick add a small amount of warm milk or cream
7. Spread the glaze on top of the batter and ‘swirl’ gently with a toothpick or knife. Do not over-swirl.

8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until set in the middle. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

9. Cool completely before cutting.

Semolina Blondie with Chocolate Hazelnut Glaze

Easy flat noodles, flat dumplings or fresh pasta recipe

 

I really don’t know what to call these things – flat noodles, flat dumplings or fresh pasta. They are really quick and easy to make, and delicious to eat. Unfortunately they don't look too good in the picture, I will post a better picture soon.

The process of ‘shaping’ the ‘things’ is really simple. Form the dough into a cylindrical shape or pretty much any shape, hold it over a pot of boiling water and use a pair of scissors to cut off from the edge, as thin or as thick as you like. It should fall straight into the pot of water. You can also use the board to cut into shapes but I find my method quicker, less messy and more fun! If you use the board the dough will stick so you need to use flour. I like to avoid such complications if possible.

I made it using basic dough and I have not really experimented with different types of dough. I did try once with polenta but that did not turn out very good. I will certainly keep experimenting and present updates here. I have not tried using eggs. I am sure eggs will add great texture and flavour but this time I kept it as simple as possible. I did not use eggs in the dough but as you see from the photo, I ate it with eggs!

Personally I would make extra dough and store it in the refrigerator for later use. I suppose it can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days. 

Ingredients

Plain flour

Baking powder - 1½ teaspoons for every cup of flour

Enough salt

Seasoning such as chilli powder, garlic powder etc (optional)

Enough water

Directions

1. Mix all the dry ingredients

2. Add enough water to form a dough that is workable – not too dry and not too sticky

3. Knead the dough until smooth, about 10 minutes

4. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes

5. Roll part of the dough into a cylindrical shape or any other shape that you prefer

6. Hold it over a pot of boiling water and use a pair of scissors to cut off from the edge, as thin or as thick as you like. It should fall straight into the pot

7. The ‘things’ are done when it comes to the top. Eat is while warm. If will harden a bit and deflate as it cools down. It will be nice again if you eat it cold after a while