Whole Wheat Cookies Stuffed with Dulce de Leche

Happy New Year!

How were everyone’s holidays?!

I hope that they full of lots of family, friends, love, excitement—now let’s make 2017 even better than last!

Ohh 2016, you were quite a sassy little thing weren’t you, so moody, yet so wonderful. While there were many ups and downs, full of pounds of butter and sugar and chocolate chips, some loss, lots of growth and gain, quite a few running blisters, a wedding, a move, a new puppy, some really tough moments, followed by many unbelievably beautiful ones…I’d say 2016 is a year that will never be forgotten.

But the obvious question here: are y’all big New Year Resolution people?!

I used to be, always the normal “go to the gym more often,” “eat more whole foods,” “be more positive.” But I’ve slowly strayed away from that and moved more into the self-love: respecting yourself and your body, finding happiness, etc. One huge thing that I learned over the last year was that you can’t always control what happens, but you can control how your react to it, which is how I try and stay most centered.

So there. Voilà. My updated life outlook!

Along with that, baking will always be my most relaxing activity…I mean unless you want to include cuddling on the couch the pup and Roberto an activity…

I want this year to include a lot more wild experiments in the kitchen, whether it’s testing a recipe 500 times, or seeing how huge I can make a cookie and what silly thing I can stuff it with next, or how tall I can stack a cake, who knows—there will be no fear this year!

The first recipe of 2017 is a more simple one, slightly healthy (what’s up, whole wheat flour?!), but also packed full of homemade dulce de leche and dipped in chocolate…so nevermind with the H word.

As you know, I get random cravings, then I need to get into the kitchen and just bake until they are satisfied! Remember the caramel corn? All started with my need to go to an amusement park…sometimes I even surprise myself… Anyways! This recipe was exactly that: I wanted something salty dipped in chocolate, and a pretzel or a chip just wouldn’t do! Then it was something like oh, a cookie? But hmm, I bet it would be great stuffed with caramel, so let’s make dulce de leche! But still, hello, where’s the covered-in-chocolate part?! Right, a cookie, with all sorts of chocolate chips, a gooey inside, dipped in milk chocolate, sprinkled with salt, AND SPRINKLES!

Oh. Whole wheat flour for a slightly different taste, texture and maybe added nutrients?! It is the New Year isn’t it?           

It’s always fun to read my ridiculous thoughts, isn’t it? I did happen to bring a test batch of these cookies (that’s 30 of them…) to a relatively intimate NYE party, and they were all eaten! So, if that’s not proof that these are addicting and delicious, go grab a bottle of Champagne, then you’ll definitely be convinced!

 

ingredients

Butter (room temperature)—12 oz, or 3 sticks

Brown Sugar—12 oz, or 1 ½ C

White Sugar—4 oz, or ½ C

Eggs—3

Vanilla—2 tsp

Baking Soda—1 tsp

Salt—2 tsp

Whole Wheat Flour—17.5 oz, or 3 C

AP Flour—10.25 oz, or 2 C

Chocolate Chips—14 oz, or 2 C

Dulce de Leche—recipe here

Milk Chocolate Chips (melted)—2 cups

 

process

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.

Scrape down the sides of your bowl.

Add in the eggs and vanilla, mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift the flours, baking soda and salt.

With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients.

Add in your chocolate chips.

Mix until all is combined.

Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and allow to chill for at least an hour or two, until it has firmed up a bit.

While the dough is chilling, you can make your dulce de leche sauce—found here! This will take between 2-3 hours, so it’s a great time to get it done!

 

When you are ready to bake your cookies, preheat your oven to 350˚F.

By this time, your dough should have firmed up, and your dulce de leche should be finished and cooled.

Make dough balls that are about 1 oz, which is around a tablespoon—this can be eyeballed!

Flatten them out and make them into little “bowls” so that the filling will have a nice place to sit.

Put about a ½ tsp of dulce de leche in the middle.

Take another ball that is the same size, flatten and make another bowl out of it, this will be the top to your filled bottom cookie bowls.

Cover the filling with this second flattened piece, press the edges so that it seals in the dulce de leche, and then gently roll it in your hands so it makes a completely closed cookie dough ball.

This is one!

Do this with the remainder of your cookie dough and filling.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.

It will be hard to tell when they are finished baking due to the color of the whole wheat flour, but they should be completely set on the edges and just slightly underbaked in the centers.

Allow to cool completely before dipping them in chocolate!

 

To make the chocolate for dipping, make a double boiler and melt about 2 cups of chocolate chips.

When the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, remove from the heat (make sure to wipe the bottom of the bowl to remove any of the warm water!), and dip each cooled cookie about halfway with chocolate.

Before the chocolate sets, sprinkle with just a little bit of salt and some sprinkles for extra color, crunch and excitement!

Whether or not you allow to chocolate to cool and set entirely…

 

Bon Appétit!

Whole Wheat Carrot Blueberry Muffins

Happy second week of January!

How is it already the 11th? When did this month decide to sneak up on us? January is almost at its halfway point—totally not ready for that my friends!

With the first week back at work under my belt, my craving for anything dipped in chocolate and covered in candy canes (more or less) gone, I have had this inspiring “I can take on the world” attitude for the last 10 days. I am pretty sure it is partly the fault of these insanely healthy muffins.

I am not throwing some super fibery, possibly too dry, bran muffins at you BUT even better—blueberries, carrots, whole wheat flour, oodles of spice, and so many healthy fats. What else makes these pretty damn perfect? The fact that there is 3g of protein in each muffin. Yes. In. Each. Muffin.

Did I mention that they taste like a carrot cake? The moistness (…favorite word) of this muffin is unbeatable and the fact that there is whole-wheat flour, chia seeds and coconut oil as well makes them not only hearty, but also filling and good for you!

Like, where have these been all of my life?!

Did I mention that this whole New Year, New You thing has totally become my new mantra? I am always making way too many resolutions come January 1st, but instead, I figure if I am actively trying to better myself, that covers every resolution base. Whether that means eating a few more spinach leaves each day, reading one more chapter in my book, testing 4 recipes a week as opposed to 3, or just spending less time obsessing over social media and more time driving my fiancé crazy by singing Justin Bieber at the top of my lungs—this year will be the best, most positive year yet!

So yes, please throw me a super green smoothie with a side of these Whole-Wheat Carrot Blueberry Muffins and I know that I can really do anything!

ingredients

AP Flour—1.5 oz, or ¼ C

Whole Wheat Flour—10.5 oz, or 1 ¾ C

Baking Soda—0.5 oz, or 2 tsp

Salt—½ tsp

Cinnamon—0.3 oz, or 2 tsp

Nutmeg—1 tsp

Chia Seeds—0.5 oz, or 1 TBL

Coconut Milk—2 oz, or 4 TBL

Coconut Oil (melted)—3.5 oz, or ½ C

Eggs—3

Brown Sugar—5 oz, or 2/3 C

Maple Syrup—1 oz, or 2 TBL

Vanilla Extract—1 tsp

Carrots (grated)—4.5 oz, or 1 ½ C

Blueberries—8 oz, or 1 ½ C


process

Preheat your oven to 425˚ F.

In a bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and chia seeds.

Mix.

In a separate bowl, combine the coconut milk, eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk together.

Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together.

Once combined, add in the melted coconut oil.

Fold in your grated carrots and blueberries.

Line your muffin tin with muffin papers, or simply spray with nonstick spray.

Fill up each cup with muffin batter about ¾ of the way full, making sure to get plenty of berries in each one!

Sprinkle a little bit of brown sugar on top of each muffin—this will caramelize and add a slight crunch to the top of your muffins.

Place in the oven for 5 minutes, and then turn your oven temperature down to 345˚F and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes, until the tops of the muffins spring back slightly when touched, or when a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before taking them out of the pan.

Enjoy on their own, toasted, with a bit of jam on them, whatever you need to give you an extra boost for the day!

Yield—18-20 muffins

Bon Appétit!

Whole Wheat Spice Bread

Happy Day After Thanksgiving!

…Or should I call it Leftover Friday? Was everyone’s Thanksgiving absolutely magical? Was it full of mashed potatoes and love, wine and gossip, five slices of this semifreddo and the parade?! I sure hope so!

Is it just me or does everyone stuff themselves even more with leftovers the day after Thanksgiving? Basically being like oh shoot! There’s 10 more pounds of stuffing and gravy and turkey and brussels sprouts and beans and I need to eat them all RIGHT NOW. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?!

While everyone has their day of Thanksgiving traditions, I feel like the day after is just as special—yes, I am referring to fueling up with a leftover brunch and listening to Christmas music… So, rather than throwing every single food that was so beautifully displayed on the table yesterday—decorated with cute little pumpkins, candles, the nicest dishes—into one massive bowl and mixing it into just a pile of amazing, I was like oh. Man. I. Must. Make. A. Sandwich.

Game changer! A Thanksgiving sandwich?! Hey, I think Ross kind of had the idea going, even throw in a gravy-soaked piece of bread in the middle, “the moist maker” if you will.

Bring in the whole wheat bread.

Yes! Whole wheat! Spices! Molasses! This breads flavor is so full of warm cinnamon and allspice, it is just slightly sweet with natural honey, and so hearty from the whole wheat flour. Who doesn’t love freshly baked bread first of all, but the smell of it baking in the oven is better than any candle I own! It’s also great friends with turkey and gravy, or better yet, a nontraditional leftovers brunch of eggs and some fried prosciutto! Like, what?!

What doesn’t go well on this whole-wheat spice bread? I couldn’t tell you!

So whether you went out at midnight for some shopping, or decided to stay in your PJs all day and eat plate after plate of potatoes, this bread makes for the perfect brunch, lunch, or anytime leftover companion!

ingredients

Dry Active Yeast—0.25 oz, or 1½ tsp

Water—8 oz, or 1 C + 2 TBL (separated)

Honey—1.25 oz, or 2 TBL

Whole Wheat Flour—15 oz, or 2½ C

AP Flour—2.75 oz, or ½ C

Cinnamon—0.1 oz, or 1 tsp

Allspice—0.05 oz, or ½ tsp

Canola Oil—0.25 oz, or 1½ tsp

Molasses—0.5 oz, or 1½ tsp

Salt—0.25 oz, or 1¼ tsp

 

process

In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the yeast, honey and ¼ C/1.75 oz water—making sure that the water is between 105˚-115˚ F.

Let sit for 5 minutes, so that the yeast can begin to activate; you’ll notice that it will start to foam a bit.

In a separate bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon and allspice.

Once the yeast has begun to bubble, add in the remaining water (at the correct, warm temperature), oil, molasses and half of the flour/spice mixture.

Mix.

Add the rest of the flour and salt to the mixture.

Mix at medium speed, with the dough hook, for 10-12 minutes, until the dough forms into a ball and is kneading/slapping the sides of your mixer.

If the dough isn’t coming together after a few minutes, add a couple of tablespoons of water to the mixer.

After the 10 minutes, transfer the dough to an oiled bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and a towel.

Allow to rise for about 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.

After the first rise, put the dough on your floured work surface.

Roll the dough into a rectangle that’s about 9” x 12”, the length of your loaf pans.

Fold the dough into a business letter—taking the top third, folding it down, and then the bottom third and folding it up.

Pinch to seal the seam; pinch in the ends so that it will fit into the pan.

Cover again with plastic wrap and a towel.

Allow to rise, again, until it has doubled in size—anywhere from 1-2 hours, all depending how warm the room is.

When you are ready to bake the bread, preheat your oven to 375˚ F.

Bake the bread for 30 minutes. The bread will become slightly brown when finished.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit before taking out of the loaf pan.

Slice and enjoy!

 

Bon Appétit!