The Best Best Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Is there any treat more classic than a chocolate chip cookie? There are thousands of variations and I've made and eaten about half of those, but I'm swearing by these being my favorites.

Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

I think I was in college when I discovered how easy it was to freeze home-made cookie dough. One hour making a batch of cookies, then freezing them meant I could have home-made chocolate chip cookies at my beck and call (my freshman 10 was 20.) I've been zip-locking those goodies ever since. When I visit my mom, I make a few bags for her and my brother and his wife to tide them over til my next visit. When my kids have friends over they grab and gobble amazed that I "whipped up home-made cookies" so fast.

And when the mood strikes me (which is more often than needed), I can take out just one or two and bake them in my toaster oven for a single treat. For the money and time spent, I don't think you'll find a "roll" of bake-off cookie dough any easier.This recipe came about like many others; I was hungry. It happens a lot that way. I was sitting on the pier watching the Pacific Ocean and the wind was turning chilly and I still had a 2 mile walk ahead of me to get home. I was thinking how a nice hot bowl of oatmeal feels on chilly spring mornings. Then my mind turned that bowl of oatmeal (way too quickly) into a cookie.

If I'm going to have a cookie it would have to have chocolate too, and if I really went crazy I'd add pecans and dried fruit...nah, not just dried fruit - big dark cherries. In fact, I'd leave out the nuts so they wouldn't upstage the cherries and chips. I love cherries and cherries with chocolate. When I was little, my mom would bring home boxes of Chocolate-Covered Cherries. I'd bite each candy with excitement, as if the cherry was a surprise to me every time.

Those sweet day dreams carried me the whole 2 miles back home and into the kitchen to make up a batch of these:

RECIPE: The Best Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick (8 Tbls. butter)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup dark dried cherries, chopped

1) In a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir together, then add the chocolate chips and cherries and toss to combine.

2) In another bowl, beat the butter, sugars and vanilla together. Then add the egg and beat again until creamy.

3) Add the creamy ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well with a wooden spoon.

4) Scoop out cookie dough in about Tbls. size balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

**You can freeze the dough at this point (bag, label and return to the freezer for cooking later), or Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F. The secret is- DON'T OVER-BAKE. Take them out even if they don't look done and give them a chance to cool= chewy, chocolate and soft.

Remove, allow to cool and try to discipline yourself to not eat the whole pan in one sitting.

Chocolate Cherry Pavlova - Daring Bakers June '10

Excuse me while I pass out from eating too many of these:

CHOCOLATE CHERRY MASCARPONE PAVLOVA

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard

The Pavlova was named after a Russian Ballerina - and as light as this dessert is, I can't imagine anyone twirling and leaping after scarfing down this creamy, deep chocolate mousse.
I had a blast making these mini-pavlovas and they kept in an airtight container really well for at least 3 days until I had time to make the mousse and topping. The recipe for the mousse makes enough for another dessert; maybe with fresh fruit and cream on top.


Recipe: Chocolate Pavlova:
3 large egg whites
1⁄2 cup plus 1 tbsp (110 grams) white granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup (30 grams) (icing) sugar
1/3 cup (30 grams) Dutch processed cocoa powder

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200o F (95o C) degrees. Line two baking sheets with silpat or parchment and set aside.
2. Put the egg whites in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar about 1 tbsp at a time until stiff peaks form. (The whites should be firm but moist.)
3. Sift the confectioner into the white. (This looks like it will not happen. Fold gently and it will eventually come together.)
4. Fill a pastry bag with the meringue. Pipe the meringue into whatever shapes you desire. Alternatively, you could just free form your shapes and level them a bit with the back of a spoon.
5. Bake for 2-­3 hours until the meringues become dry and crisp. Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
RECIPE: Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse-
1 1⁄2 cups (355 mls) heavy cream (cream with a milk fat content of between 36 and 40 percent)
grated zest of 1 average sized lemon
9 ounces (255 grams) 72% chocolate, chopped
1 2/3 cups (390 mls) mascarpone
pinch of nutmeg
2 tbsp (30 mls) Grand Marnier (or orange juice)

1. Put 1⁄2 cup (120 mls) of the heavy cream and the lemon zest in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once warm, add the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let sit at room temperature until cool.
2. Place the mascarpone, the remaining cup of cream and nutmeg in a bowl. Whip on low for a minute until the mascarpone is loose. Add the Grand Marnier and whip on medium speed until it holds soft peaks. (DO NOT OVERBEAT AS THE MASCARPONE WILL BREAK.)
3. Mix about 1⁄4 of the mascarpone mixture into the chocolate to lighten. Fold in the remaining mascarpone until well incorporated. Fill a pastry bag with the mousse. Again, you could just free form mousse on top of the pavlova.

Cheers & Cherries

It feels completely appropriate that my first virginal attempt at blogging would be about CHERRIES.
If you made me pick (word-play intended) my favorite fruit it would be the mahogany red, lush, velvet skinned, hard-bodied BING. Ba da bing! Forgetting, yet mentioning, the over-used trick of tying the cherry stem in your mouth as a sign of...what? Amazing tongue strength? I'm not sure. I find the juicy, full fleshed fruit of the cherry much more sensual and full of the possibilities of leaving one tongue-tied than the stem holds.

At a recent trip to the Hermosa Beach Farmer's Market I practically ran over to the table with the Bing Cherries. The season for these beauties is short and I felt like I had been waiting so long and patiently for their arrival. It's hard to believe that the United States, and especially California, is responsible for 90% of the commercial cherry crops grown. In our capital, Washington D.C., Japan is responsible for the hundreds of blossoming trees that surround the government buildings. The Sakura trees were a gift of friendship from the people of Japan in 1912. There are so many varieties of cherries that have been developed since the first cultivation around 300BC, and the BING was actually the baby of Seth Luelling of Oregon in 1875. Thanks, Seth, you rock!

You would be hard pressed to find a healthier way to "get your taste on" than with cherries, since they are low fat, sodium free, high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, folic acid and Antioxidants. Whhatt? I'm not kidding, popping cherries (word-play NOT intended) is not only delish', but good for you.

Now, what to do with the red orbs besides eating them raw and spitting out the pits? There are pies, tarts, cobblers, jams and granola (all of which are amazing), but I chose to turn them into these little lovelies that resemble the Pate De Fruit of France and the Fruit Paste of Italy.
The recipe takes a little watching for perfection, but so worth the time and love. The sugar content helps to preserve the fruit, so these lasts and lasts; although if your friends or family have anything to do with it - they'll be gone in a red cherry flash. Let me know if you try this, find it interesting, or have any questions. Cheers!

CHERRY PATE DE FRUIT
(line an 8x8 inch cake pan with parchment, silpat, or lightly oiled)

300 g. (2 cups) Bing cherries, washed and pitted.
300 g. sugar (1 1/2 cups) + 1 Tbls.
1 Tbl. apple pectin
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbl. corn syrup

Mix the apple pectin with the 1 Tbls. of sugar and set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, heat the cherries and the sugar on Med. for about 10 minutes, to break the cherries down a little.
Take cherry/sugar mixture off the heat and cool for a few minutes before carefully pouring mixture into a blender or food processor. Pulse cherries until a puree is reached.
Pour puree back into the same saucepan and heat on high to just before boiling. Add the apple pectin/sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and add the Corn Syrup and the lemon juice, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 222F, and is thick.

Immediately, pour mixture into the prepared 8x8 pan. Let cool for 2-3 hours until firm.

Turn out onto a cutting board and cut into 1 inch squares (or use other shapes).
Drop a few at a time into a bowl of sugar and toss to coat. Shake off excess sugar and keep in a tightly sealed container in a dry, cool place. Do not put in refrigerator as the moisture will make the candy sticky. Enjoy!