Cooking | Cookie & Cream Oreo Cupcakes

Ahhh Oreo cookies, they are probably my all-time favorite store-bought cookies, and they bring back so many childhood memories! I find it funny that now, on the packaging, they say the way to eat Oreo's is to separate the cookie, lick the cream, and dunk the cookie in milk - when we were kids, my brothers and I were not allowed to separate the cookie and lick the cream, and if we did, we were grounded! Ah well, time changes!

We had a nice promotion at the convenience store where I work - $4 for 2 boxes of cookies, which, combined with my employee discount, was a pretty great deal for an Oreo fan like me, so I had to stack up! I fugured out that with so many Oreo's, I could as well try a recipe that has been on my mind for some times - Cookie & Cream Oreo Cupcakes! I modified the original recipe just a bit by adding three crushed cookies in the cupcakes themselves, but I realized this was a bit of a waste since we don't really taste them, because the frosting tastes plenty of Oreo already... oh well, I did try at least!

The following recipe is supposed to yield about 16 cupcakes but I got much more - although smaller - since I made them using my Babycakes Cupcake Maker that I received this Christmas.

For the cupcakes, you will need...

• 200g flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 240g icing sugar
• 3tsp baking powder
• 80g unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 200ml milk
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• around 16 whole Oreo's (I used a whole package)

Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly butter a cupcake tray. Place a whole Oreo into each cupcake case. Beat the butter and sugar together until it combines then add the vanilla extract, eggs and milk, mixing well. 

Yes, I realize this looks like a whole lot of milk, but it is exactly what you need!

Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder (and crushed Oreo's, optionally) and mix until combined.

Divide between the cupcake cases, covering the Oreo's and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes (I baked each batch 5 minutes in my Babycakes). The cakes are ready when a cocktail stick or skewer comes out of the centre clean.

For the buttercream frosting, you will need...

• 175g softened unsalted butter (or all-vegetable shortening)
• 350g icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2tbs milk
• a few crushed Oreo's - use more or less, depending on how you want your frosting to look like - I used 3 (I put them in a bag and bashed them on the counter - very relaxing ahah) 

Make the buttercream by beating the butter, icing sugar, vanilla together and milk for a good few minutes until it becomes very smooth and fluffy. 

When you get the consistency you want, mix in the crushed Oreo's and wait for the cupcakes to be cooled down completely before frosting them.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Sweetharts Cakes & Bakes

Cooking | Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies must be one of my favorite dessert to cook, especially when they call for ingredients that I already have in the pantry! I was in the mood for oatmeal so I decided to give this recipe from my mother's cooking book a try and the cookies turned out delicious!

You will need...

• 1 cup vegetable shortening, melted and cooled
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips (I used a $0.99 Easter bunny instead)

Preheat oven to 350°F and beat shortening and sugar until combined.

Add eggs, vanilla, oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, mixing until incorporated.

Add the the chocolate chips and mix well.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets and cook for maximum 10 minutes, or until cookies are golden. Be careful not to overcook or your cookies will be rock-hard!

Enjoy!

Cooking | Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hi ladies! If you personally know me or if you have been following my blog (and Twitter) for some times, you know my love for desserts! I can never resist baking sweets, be it cake, cookies or brownies, even if I'm completely full and about to explode! In fact, the one time I'm truly happy to cook is when I bake desserts, especially when I'm following a quick and easy recipe.

I have been on the hunt for quite some times for the perfect chocolate chip cookies - not too hard and crumbly, yet not too soft, with perfectly melted and gooey chocolate chips. If you know Subway (a fast-food restaurant mostly famous in the US and Canada), think about their decadent cookies - yes, that's what I was aiming to achieve, and today, I'm happy to present a recipe - that I found on Lisahh-Jayne's blog and modified - that is really close. I'll let your taste buds decide.

You will need...

• 1 cup of chocolate (I used a $0.99 Easter bunny but you could use chocolate chips)
• 1 cup butter
• 2/3 cup soft light brown sugar
• 7 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• a pinch of salt

I'm sorry Mister Bunny!

Preheat the oven to 350F and cut the chocolate into small chunks (skip this step if you are using chocolate chips - obviously). Well, cutting a Easter bunny was way harder than I thought it would be - act quick because this thing melts super quickly!

Beat the butter and the sugars together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

Add the the egg and the vanilla extract, making sure to beat the egg lightly. Mix well to create a thick paste.

Mix in the flour, salt and baking soda, and add in the chopped chocolate, then mix well.

Place the dough on a baking tray, flattening the mixture slightly as you go - this will ensure the cookies are soft and chewy.

Bake for around 10 minutes until the edges of the cookies are very lightly browned. Do not overbake or the whole purpose of this "soft cookies" recipe will be lost.

Wow, those are seriously the best cookies I've eaten in a long time! So soft, chewey and deliciously gooey... yummy! Oh and I would definitely recommend to double or even triple this recipe, if you want your cookies to last more than 1 day!

Modified recipe from Lisahh-Jayne

Cooking: Soft Carrot Cookies

These cookies have always been one of my favorite desserts for my father to do, and I have no idea why I did not try to bake some myself sooner! This is my grand-mother's recipe but there are plenty of alternatives on the net such as honey carrot cookies, orange carrot cookies, carrot oatmeal cookies, etc.

I used:

• 1 cup margarine (or softened butter)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup shredded and cooked carrots

In a mixing bowl, cream margararine, then add brown sugar and mix well.

Add the egg, mix well.

Add vanilla, flour and baking powder, and gradually add shredded cooked carrots.

Mix well.

Drop by small rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 375° for around 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Do not overbake if you want your cookies to be soft!

This recipe should yield around 24 cookies, so feel free to double it. Enjoy!

Cooking: Chocolate chip squares

Hmmmm cookies! Here's what you will need:

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) brown sugar
• 2/3 cup (170 ml) oil (I used olive oil)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla (I always put a little more!)
• 1 cup (250 ml) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cup (375 ml) white floor

In a bowl, mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon.

Pour the mixture in a buttered pan (I personally do not butter the pan as there's enough oil in the mixture to prevent it to stick to the pan).

Cook at 300 F (150 C) for around 25 minute (I needed a little more) but be careful not to overbake! You want your squares to be soft and mellow.

Tadaah!

This is definitely a recipe I would do again, as it is so quick and simple to achieve, and not to mention - delicious!

Recipe from Journal Metro