I couldn’t resist. They’re the only thing I’ve wanted to bake lately. And you can’t make doughnuts without a doughnut pan. (Well, I guess you could, but I’m not into deep frying.)

I couldn’t resist. They’re the only thing I’ve wanted to bake lately. And you can’t make doughnuts without a doughnut pan. (Well, I guess you could, but I’m not into deep frying.)

I blame my friend AJ, who started this madness, and Tracy from Shutterbean, whose recipe I used– I love her blog (and you should definitely listen to her on the Joy the Baker Podcast)!

These are delicious and are super fluffy, so you barely realize you’re eating baked doughnuts instead of fried. They’re going into work with me tomorrow because even I cannot eat six doughnuts in one night. So… two lucky people are going to be getting doughnuts tomorrow.

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted, but grad school certainly keeps a girl busy. Happily, I can now fuel my studies with doughnuts.

I followed Tracy’s recipe exactly from Shutterbean, so I won’t reproduce it here. Go check out her site! It even has step-by-step pictures.

In honor of the Oscars, some black & white cookies!

I can’t believe I don’t have this recipe on the blog yet.

It’s a good [...]]]>

In honor of the Oscars, some black & white cookies!

I can’t believe I don’t have this recipe on the blog yet.

It’s a good one: a little fussy, to be sure (it is a Martha Stewart recipe, after all), but worth a bit of work.

A warning, though: without the icing, the cookies don’t taste amazing; and without the cookies, the icings taste way too sweet. So when you taste test along the way, just keep that in mind–they’re best when completely assembled.

On a completely unrelated note, I have, in my limited amounts of spare time, been watching Alias. That spy show with Jennifer Garner from the early 2000s. Oh man. It is so good and addicting. Like Revenge‘s older sister. If you want to lose your weekend to Netflix, I highly recommend putting Alias in your Instant Queue…

Mini Black & White Cookies

I followed this Martha Stewart recipe exactly.

Since we last hung out, I’ve pretty much just been studying, working, and hibernating. It’s been anywhere from 20 to -20 degrees, give or take a few thanks to Lake Effect Wind Chill.

Since we last hung out, I’ve pretty much just been studying, working, and hibernating. It’s been anywhere from 20 to -20 degrees, give or take a few thanks to Lake Effect Wind Chill.

I also got the flu. It was rough. And it took a lot of time to catch up afterwards.

Happily, I’m now completely better, I’ve (mostly) finished my homework, and so in celebration I made us cookies.

These are some of my favorites, and I can’t believe they weren’t on this blog yet. I discovered them in college and have made them a fair bit since then. They’re as chewy and dense and chocolate-y as brownies, but the ginger gives them an awesome, warming winter twist. And some good-quality white chocolate gives them a nice, cool finish!

Brownie Ginger Cookies
Adapted from Epicurious
Makes about 24 cookies

2 2/3 cups dark or semisweet high-quality chocolate chips, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger OR 1 tsp ground ginger
White chocolate chips to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips and butter until melted and smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

In a stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar until well combined. Beat in melted chocolate, then vanilla, scraping the sides as you go. Finally, beat in the flour; if using ground ginger instead of crystallized ginger, beat in with flour. Finally, stir in crystallized ginger and remaining 2/3 cup chocolate chips. You can also stir in white chocolate chips (about 1/3-2/3 cups) here if you don’t want to press them on top.

Drop cookies by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets and press white chocolate into top if desired. Bake until puffed and slightly dry on top, about 13 minutes. Cool on baking sheets.

It’s the last day!!

I’m sad that my advent calendar over, but not going to lie, kind of happy to be off the hook with these blog posts. They were getting tricky to organize/write. And now that [...]]]>

It’s the last day!!

I’m sad that my advent calendar over, but not going to lie, kind of happy to be off the hook with these blog posts. They were getting tricky to organize/write. And now that I’m home in Pittsburgh, it’s time to celebrate and enjoy some time with my family.

Have a completely wonderful Christmas and a great rest of your 2012! I hope you’ve enjoyed these little posts. Happy new year!

» Peppermint Gnome (exclusive to Advent Calendar, but similar: Sugar & Spice Gnome) | peppermint + 62% cacao dark chocolate
» Check out Day 24 of my sister’s nail polish advent calendar!
» Introduction to my Advent 2012 blog post series

When you read this, I’ll be on a plane, up since 3 in the morning! Yikes!

So, I am pre-writing and scheduling this post. Who knows what you’d get if I wrote this after having been up [...]]]>

When you read this, I’ll be on a plane, up since 3 in the morning! Yikes!

So, I am pre-writing and scheduling this post. Who knows what you’d get if I wrote this after having been up at 3. It would be bad, incomprehensible (though perhaps amusing).

I was a bit disappointed with these caramels–really disappointed actually. They sound amazing–dulce de leche, milk chocolate, cashews!? But I could barely bite into them. Such a bummer. Could be that my apartment is too cold, but none of the other caramels were like this. Sad face!

One more day till Christmas!!

» Crema Caramels/a> | Argentinean dulce de leche + Costa Rican cashews + milk chocolate
» Check out Day 23 of my sister’s nail polish advent calendar!
» Introduction to my Advent 2012 blog post series

I’m not super into the spice, but I love the texture of this one. Spicy chocolates seems like a great idea for these cold winter months, right? It’s so warming.

TWO [...]]]> Whoo! This one was legitimately spicy!

I’m not super into the spice, but I love the texture of this one. Spicy chocolates seems like a great idea for these cold winter months, right? It’s so warming.

TWO MORE DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS EVE!

…I’m just a little bit excited.

» Red Fire Toffee | Ancho & chipotle chillies + Ceylon cinnamon + sweet butter toffee + dark chocolate + red fire pecans
» Check out Day 22 of my sister’s nail polish advent calendar!
» Introduction to my Advent 2012 blog post series

If you like curry, you will looove this chocolate.

For me, I’m not the biggest curry fan, but the milk chocolate and coconut go really well with the earthiness of the curry.

If you like curry, you will looove this chocolate.

For me, I’m not the biggest curry fan, but the milk chocolate and coconut go really well with the earthiness of the curry.

Plus, how pretty is this bar? You can’t really beat opening some chocolate to see a nice little phrase like this.

And now, with this post, I’m all caught up! Phew! AND it’s 3 days till Christmas! WHAT!? Excitement abounds! I’ll be in Pittsburgh on Sunday–can’t wait!

» Naga Chocolate Bar | sweet Indian curry + coconut + 45% deep milk chocolate
» Check out Day 21 of my sister’s nail polish advent calendar!
» Introduction to my Advent 2012 blog post series

Another honest opinion: Love Vosges. Don’t love these as much as other chocolates I’ve tried this month.

I didn’t really taste a lot of salt here–I guess the point is to let the caramel shine through? I [...]]]>

Another honest opinion: Love Vosges. Don’t love these as much as other chocolates I’ve tried this month.

I didn’t really taste a lot of salt here–I guess the point is to let the caramel shine through? I definitely got that, but the salt, not so much! Ah well.

» Pink Himalayan Crystal Salt Caramel Petits Chocolats | pink Himalayan salt + burnt sugar caramel + 70% cacao dark chocolate
» Check out Day 20 of my sister’s nail polish advent calendar!
» Introduction to my Advent 2012 blog post series

Strange name, great chocolate!

I don’t really know what hemp seeds are–but they add a nice crunch, and I love the coconut in here too. And of course: milk chocolate. Yum.

Strange name, great chocolate!

I don’t really know what hemp seeds are–but they add a nice crunch, and I love the coconut in here too. And of course: milk chocolate. Yum.

Also, writing these posts all in a row is really doing a number on my vocabulary (I’ve also been writing grad school essays all day long), so forgive these short, kinda lame posts…

» Mini Woolloomooloo Chocolate Bar | roasted & salted macadamia nuts + Indonesian coconut + hemp seeds + 45% deep milk chocolate
» Check out Day 19 of my sister’s nail polish advent calendar!
» Introduction to my Advent 2012 blog post series

Bombalinas again! Love these little things. Seen on Day 5 and Day 10.