Fudge Brownie Cookies With Malted White Hot Chocolate

Fudge Brownie Cookies with Malted White Hot Chocolate

Equal parts cookie and brownie, these intensely chocolatey treats need nothing more than a warm drink to wash them down. Enter Malted White Hot Chocolate, the perfect creamy accompaniment.   Serves 6 
Ingredients:
Cookies
1/2 lb (225 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup (150 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (60 mL) cocoa powder
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
2 tsp (10 mL) instant espresso powder
6 tbsp (90 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (125 mL) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) milk chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt to taste

Hot Chocolate:
4 cups (1 L) whole milk
1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped white chocolate
5 tbsp (75 mL) malted milk drink mix, such as Ovaltine
Pinch salt

Directions:

For the cookies, melt semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth. Let cool.

In a bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.

In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. While machine is running, add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Beat until mixture is pale yellow, another 2 minutes. 

Reduce speed to medium and slowly add melted chocolate. Mix, scraping down bowl as necessary, until fully incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add dry mix until smooth, then mix in chocolate chips.

Scoop 3-tbsp (45-mL) portions into balls (or use a 15/8 oz cookie scoop) and place on a baking tray. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

Place chilled cookie balls 2 inches (5 cm) apart on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake in bottom and upper thirds of oven, rotating pans and switching racks at halfway point, until edges are crisp but centres are soft, about 12 minutes.

While cookies are baking, make hot chocolate. Heat milk and white chocolate in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk continuously, sweeping bottom of pot, until chocolate has melted. Whisk in malted milk powder and salt. Keep warm over low until ready to serve.

Remove cookies from oven and sprinkle with flaky salt. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm with Malted White Hot Chocolate. (Leftover cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)  Serves 6

Creme Brûlée

        

Creme Brûlée

Ingredients:

5 large egg yolks, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
pinch of salt

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar.

In a pot, combine heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, espresso powder and a pinch of salt. Heat up over medium high heat just until scalded. Do not boil.

Transfer the hot heavy cream into a vessel with a spout. This will make the next step easier!


Slowly pour the heated cream into the egg yolk and sugar mixture. Make sure to whisk constantly throughout this process to prevent the egg yolks from curdling.

Note: the sugar in the egg yolk mixture will help the eggs withstand the heat, but it is extremely important to pour slowly and whisk the entire time. Egg yolks need to be exposed to the heat gently in order to prevent them from turning into scrambled eggs.  


Distribute the creme mixture into shallow ramekins (8 oz.) and arrange them in an oven safe baking dish.

Pour water into the baking dish around the ramekins. You want the water to come about halfway up the side of the ramekins. Be careful not to get any water in with the custard base.

Place in the oven at 300 degrees F. and bake until set about 30 minutes. Careful not to over bake, you want them to have a a slight jiggle. *If it jiggles too much then it will be runny, if it does not jiggle at all then it is over baked!

Remove the creme brûlée from the oven and carefully remove out of the water bath (otherwise it will continue to cook) let cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Sprinkle sugar on top of each individual creme brûlée.

Toast the sugar with a blow torch until the sugar turns a deep golden brown.  Serve!

What do I need to make creme brûlée?

All you need to make creme brûlée is a little patience, and some quality equipment!

Ramekins to bake the creme brûlée are a must. It is important that they are shallow so that the custard base bakes to perfection.

A mixing bowl that has a pouring spout makes it super easy to distribute the custard base into the ramekins.

A whisk to bring the creme base together

Lastly you will need a blow torch to develop the classic creme brûlée sugar crust!

Chocolate Coffee Madelines

 Chocolate-Coffee Madelines

The most important step in baking madeleines is to follow the proper times to allow the batter to chill and rest. This is what makes their centres puff up when thrown into a hot oven, giving that wonderfully domed shape we love so much.

Ingredients:
Batter
1¾ cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) plus 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, divided
1½ tsp (7 mL) baking powder
1½ tsp (7 mL) good-quality instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) fine sea salt
1¼ cups (310 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) brown sugar, lightly packed
5 eggs
2 tbsp (30 mL) honey
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 cup (250 mL) plus 3 tbsp (45 mL) unsalted butter, melted, divided
2 tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

Directions:

Sift flour with 1/2 cup (125 mL) cocoa, baking powder, espresso and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk granulated and brown sugars with eggs, honey and vanilla until smooth. Using a spatula, fold in flour mixture until no streaks remain. Batter will be thick. Gently fold in 1 cup (250 mL) melted butter, taking your time to fully combine, until the batter is glossy and smooth. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Arrange rack in centre of oven. Preheat to 425°F (220°C).

Combine remaining 3 tbsp (45 mL) melted butter with 1 tbsp (15 mL) cocoa powder in a small bowl. Generously brush mixture over two 12-welled madeleine pans. Pipe or spoon batter into prepared pans, filling each well three-quarters up. Freeze, uncovered, for 20 more minutes. Chill remaining batter until ready to use.

Bake in centre of oven until puffed and springy to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a rack and let cool completely, 20 more minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Combine 2 tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar with remaining 2 tbsp (30 mL) cocoa powder in a small bowl. Transfer to a sieve and dust over bottom halves of madeleines.

Makes 36 madeleines