Cookie Swap and Chocolate Crack Cookies

Maždaug prieš mėnesį aš sudalyvavau Love and Olive organizuotame sausainių apsikeitime (Cookie Swap). Dalyvaudama pasižadėjau, kad įrašą apie savuosius apsikeitime dalyvavusius sausainius parašysiu angliškai. Taigi, pirmasis angliškas įrašas mano bloge. 

I am so glad I have decided to participate in the Cookie Swap organized by Love & Olive. I expected it to  be a great fun, and sure thing – fun it was! Most of all I loved receiving surprise packages with yummy goodies. My family appreciated that as well. I also enjoyed the opportunity to discover amazing food bloggers and wonderful bakers that I haven’t known before. Thanks to Lindsay and Julie for allowing me to participate, even with my Lithuanian blog. And also thanks for selecting trully fitting matches. All girls seem to be so very similar to me in many ways. Big thanks to Toni from A Taste of Alaska for her chewy almond-coconut macaroons, and to Samantha from Running and Cupcakes for her light and flavorful anise sugar cookies. Big thanks to Jessica from Fashioned By Grace for kind words about my cookies. This cookie swap was a wonderful event that made us, food bloggers and bakers, a bit closer to each other. I was happy to be a part of it.

For Cookie Swap I baked David Lebovitz’s chocolate crack cookies with slight modifications suggested by White on Rice Couuple. Addition of dried cherries macerated in liquor add softness and chewiness to these already perfect cookies, not to mention a burst of amazing flavor. I picked Amaretto as a liquor of choice, because: 1) I have a one huge bottle of it left from Thanksgiving; 2) Amaretto, cherries and chocolate simply get along quite well, I must say. But, as David and White on Rice Couple mention in their recipies, any liquor would do, so pick your favorite. 

As the name and the illustration clearly suggest, these cookies are totally addictive and quite dangerous in that respect. One single taste of this chocolaty heaven will unavoidably get you hooked, and soon you’ll be asking for more, and more, and more. At first these humble cookies will surprise you by  their deliciousness and strength of pure flavors. Then you’ll realize how hard it is to resist the temptation. They are a taste of sin and guilty pleasure. Nevertheless, I still insist that you try them. No matter how addictive and seductive this stuff is, you must still experience it, at least once in your lifetime.

Chocolate Crack Cookies 

From David Lebovitz "Ready for Dessert" and White on Rice Couple

4 – 6 ounces dried cherries

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons liquor of choice

8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

¾ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

Sugar and powdered sugar for coating cookies

1.       Combine dried cheries and ¼ cup of liquor in a small microwavable bowl and microwave just enough to make everything warm. Set aside for 15 – 30 minutes. 

2.       Combine chocolate, butter and 2 tablespoons of liquor in a medium heat-proof bowl set over the pot of simmering water. Stir until water and butter melt. Remove from heat.

3.       Drain cherries and add them to the melted chocolate mix. Stir.

4.       With electric mixer beat eggs and 1/3 cup of sugar for approximately 5 minutes until mixture becomes pale and forms well-defined ribons when the paddles of the mixer are lifted. Add chocolate-cherry mix to the egg-sugar mix. Stir. Sift in flower, baking powder and salt. Mix gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until firm.

5.       Preheat oven to 325^oF. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.

6.       Pour sugar in a small bowl and pour powdered sugar in a separate small bowl. From the chilled dough form 1” balls. Roll balls in sugar, then in powdered sugar to coat, and place them on prepared baking sheet spacing cookies about 1” apart.

7.       Bake for approximately 12 minutes until the edges are slightly firm and centers are still fairly soft. Do not overbake.

8.       Let cookies cool on the baking sheet until they are firm enough to handle, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Sutrūkinėję šokoladiniai sausainiai

Pagal David Lebovitz "Ready for Dessert" ir White on Rice Couple

120 – 170 g džiovintų vyšnių

60 ml + 2 šaukštai mėgstamo likerio

225 g tamsaus šokolado, susmulkinto

45 g sviesto

2 kiaušiniai, kambario temperatūros

65 g cukraus

100 g miltų

½ šaukštelio kepimo miltelių

Žiupsnelis druskos

Cukraus ir cukraus pudros apvoliojimui

1.       Sumaišyti džiovintas vyšnias ir 60 ml likerio. Trumpai pakaitinti mikrobanginėje krosnelėje, kad tik vos vos sušiltų. Palikti 15 – 30 minučių kamabrio temperatūroje, kad vyšnios išmirktų.

2.       Į karščiui atsparų dubenį sudėti smulkintą šokoladą, sviestą ir porą šaukštų likerio. Dubenį uždėti ant puodo su verdančiu vandeniu ir kaitinti ant garų, pastoviai maišant, kol sviestas ir šokoladas ištirps. Nuimti nuo garų.

3.       Nuo vyšnių nupilti likerį, jas suberti į šokolado ir sviesto masę.

4.       Elektriniu mikseriu išplakti kiaušinius ir 65 g cukraus, kol mišinys pabals ir sutirštės, maždaug 5 minutes. Į išplaktus kiaušinius supilti šokolado–vyšnių mišinį ir viską atsargiai išmaišyti. Tiesiai į tešlą persjoti miltus, kepimo miltelius ir druską. Viską atsargiai išmaišyti. Tešlą dėti į šaldytuvą maždaug 1 valandai, arba kol sukietės.

5.       Orkaitę įkaitinti iki 160oC. Dvi žemas ir plačias kepimo skardas iškloti sviestiniu popieriumi arba Silpat plėvele.

6.       Į mažą lėkštelę įpilti cukraus, į kitą lėkštelę – cukraus pudros. Iš tešlos formuoti maždaug 3 cm dydžio rutuliukus, juos iš pradžių apvolioti cukruje, o po to – cukraus pudroje. Cukrumi ir cukraus pudra padengtus sausainiu dėti į paruoštas kepimo skardas.

7.       Kepti maždaug 12 minučių, kol sausainių kraštai sukietės, o vidurys bus dar pakankamai minkštas. Neperkepti!

8.       Sausainiams leisti šiek tiek atvėsti skardoje, perkelti ant grotelių ir palikti, kad pilnai atvėstų.