Featured on KARK4

Blackberry Limeade Floats

July 10, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve reached the appropriate temps to refer to the weather as scorching. Mid-July is when mother nature really decides to open the infernos and show us what she’s truly capable of. While she’s not fanning those flames as much as she has in years passed, we are teetering on some of the warmest temps we’ve seen this year. And well, it’s just downright hot.

We’re beating the heat by consuming ice water by the buckets, cranking up the sprinklers, and turning the water park into our second home. Sometimes all of that just doesn’t cut it. An ice cold, sweet treat isn’t only desired, it’s necessary.

Some of the fondest memories of my childhood were spent sitting on the wooden benches on the square in my hometown, holding a big ol’ waffle cone full of mint chocolate chip ice cream. The sunshine beaming down on me and streams of minty green ice cream running down my arms. But it was all in the name of staying cool and savoring every last drop of my beloved ice cream.

Much hasn’t changed over the years. I still require those cool treats when the summer starts getting unbearable. A glass of tangy, cold limeade is truly refreshing on a hot day. A float is another one of those undeniably amazing summer treats.

So what happens if those two come together?

I’ll tell you. Only the best thing to hit those taste buds ever. Think about it; tangy, tart limeade complimented and toned down by creamy, cool ice cream. Um, yes please. I’ll take 3!

Flavored sparkling water, a few fresh blackberries, fresh lime juice and ginger ale are all mixed together and poured over creamy vanilla ice cream. You get the fizz required by all floats from the ginger ale and the sparkling water, but you also get that tartness so desired by a glass of limeade. It sounds like it might be a bit much, but I promise it’s not. They all come together to create an awesomely mind-blowing drink that will cool you down on the hottest of summer days!

Blackberry Limeade Floats

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
3 Large blackberries
1 Tsp sugar
1/2 Cup black raspberry Sparkling Ice water
1/2 Cup ginger ale
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
2 Old fashioned glasses

Directions:

Place blackberries in a glass, using a muddle, gently press the berries to mash and release the juices. Add the lime juice and sugar and stir to combine. Add the sparkling water and ginger ale and gently stir to incorporate.

Place one scoop of ice cream in each glass. Divide the berry mixture evenly between the two glasses, top off with more ginger ale if needed.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Pool Punch Granita

July 9, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

You can tell when summer has officially hit because those lines at the snow cone stands are a mile long no matter what time you pass them. People flock to those stand for cups of the piled high shaved ice coated with their favorite flavored syrups. And honestly, what’s better that flavored ice on a hot summer day?

Not much!

Unless you can have that cool frozen treat right in the comfort of your own home. As long as you have a freezer, pan and 2 forks that’s all you need. No thousand dollar shaved ice machine or any other special equipment. We’re talking basics!

This isn’t your typical snow cone. This, my friends is a granita.

A little backstory about the meager granita, just in case you haven’t heard of it before now. It’s a frozen treat that originates from Sicily. Typically, it’s a combination of water, sugar and whatever you want to flavor it with. Fruit, sweet tea and mint, some of your favorite beverages. The options are truly endless. After you’ve established your flavor profile, mix it together, pour it in a shallow dish and pop it in the freezer. Every so often, remove the mixture from the freezer, gently scrape with a fork and returned to the freezer. In the end you’re rewarded with an Italian style frozen icee.

Snow cone stands have nothing on granitas. Instead of taking ice cubes, grinding them up and pouring flavored syrup on them, the actual ice in granitas is made out of the actual flavoring, allowing you to enjoy the full flavors of your treat until the very last drop…no watering down of the flavors here!

Since my little guy is currently obsessed with any and all things involving ice; slushes, icees, ice pops, and snow cones and the list truly goes on an on. I decided to make this granita utilizing flavors that would appeal to him, and this particular recipe only requires 2 ingredients. That’s right, 2!

His drink of choice at practically every meal is lemonade, so that was an obvious ingredient. And, every time we go to the store he’s always eyeballing those brightly colored fruit flavored drinks, so I quickly snagged a bottle of blue stuff since it’s his favorite color.

Tangy, tart lemonade combined with sweet, blue fruit punch; the combination is truly delicious. Mixing this up and pouring that beautiful crystal blue beverage over ice is perfectly refreshing and tasty; but once it’s frozen and put into snow cone form it is the perfect treat to help us beat the heat and bring out the kid in all of us!

Pool Punch Granita

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Blue Hawaiian Punch
1 1/2 Cups Yellow Lemonade

Directions:

Pour punch and lemonade in an 8×8 pyrex dish, stir to combine and place in the freezer. Allow to chill for about 45 minutes, remove from freezer and use a fork to gently scrape the ice and break up any chunks. Return to freezer and repeat the scraping process every 15-20 minutes for about 2-3 hours, until you’ve reached the desired consistency and texture. Spoon in bowls and serve.

*Alternately, if you just can’t wait a couple of hours for it to freeze, just mix it up and pour over ice. Or you could put the drink and ice in a blender to make a quick icee.

*This could easily be made into an adult beverage by adding a splash of your favorite spirit.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Homemade Orange Italian Cream Soda

July 7, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

It’s undeniable, both kids and adults alike thoroughly enjoy sipping on fun beverages. Especially when sitting poolside. Although it seems like the kiddos get left out of the fun a lot of the time because most of those fun drinks with the little umbrellas contain some giggle juice. And they honestly don’t understand why in the world they can’t have a sip of that fun, colorful drink with the mini umbrella and cherries.

And, I honestly don’t blame them. Why can’t they get one of those drinks that’s packed with all their favorites; fruit, cherries, whipped cream and a fun, paper umbrella?

Well, they can. Cream sodas are a favorite of all; it doesn’t matter if you’re 5 or 95, everyone likes that creamy, fizzy beverage. And it’s a plus if it’s flavored.

What’s not a plus? Well, paying that hefty price that restaurants and soda fountains have attached to the beloved favorite. So, instead of dropping a wad of cash for a bit of relaxation and nostalgia make your own at home.

Wow your guests, impress your kiddos and bask in the simple, yet amazing flavors of your own, homemade cream soda. There are about 100 flavor combinations you could use in these homemade sodas, the options are endless.

I let Tucker take the reigns on this one and gave him full creative control and he opted for orange vanilla. I couldn’t find orange Torani syrup, so I pursued the snow-cone isle in Wal-Mart and found some flavor packets and one of them just happened to be orange. So, I added a little powder to a cup along with some water, stirred it together and we had our own orange flavored syrup.

These drinks came together in about 60 seconds, which is the perfect amount of time when you’ve got a kiddo watching you and intensely awaiting the awesomeness that is homemade Italian cream soda. The bright, cherry orange color didn’t help him contain his excitement either. The wow factor was taken up about a million notches when he saw the the half and half hit the soda mixture and streams of cream oozed through the ice cubes and struck through the bright orange soda. As if that weren’t enough, topping them with whipped cream and a cherry truly sealed the deal!

Slightly tangy from the orange with the subtle undertone of vanilla, a creaminess from the half and half and some fizz thanks to the addition of club soda. It’s the perfect mix of flavors. These sodas are an ideal beverage to sip on poolside, the perfect afternoon treat, and a wonderful option to wow guests pre or post meal. They can me customized by using your favorite flavor combos as well as for any holidays.

So, go ahead, make your own Italian cream soda in the comfort of your own home!

Homemade Orange Italian Cream Soda

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups club soda
1/3 Cup orange flavor syrup (Torani or even snow cone syrup)
1/4 Cup vanilla flavor syrup
4 Tbsp half and half
Whipped cream
Maraschino cherries

Directions:

Combine the orange and vanilla syrup in a small cup and stir to combine, set aside. Divide the club soda evenly between 2 glasses. Next, pour even amounts of the syrup mixture into each glass and stir to combine. Fill both glasses two-thirds full with ice. Slowly pour 2 tablespoons of half and half into each glass. Top with whipped cream and cherries.

Serve to guest, along with a spoon to mix the half and half into the beverage before drinking.*

*Alternately, you may mix the half and half into the soda and flavored syrups before topping with the whipped cream and cherries.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Salted Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars

June 19, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Raise your hand if you’re one of those people who could care less about cranking up the oven when you’ve got a bowl of cookie dough in your grips. Because instead of wanting to scoop, bake, cool, remove and repeat, you just want to dive in that bowl, face first and indulge in the awesomeness that is cookie dough.

Um, right now my hands are waving frantically in the air. So, yes, I’m definitely one of those people. And proud of it!

So, when I was given the request to create “something with cookie dough” from one of the members of the KARK4 morning crew I gladly rose to the occasion. Challenge accepted!

I thought of and tested several different cookie dough recipes, but it wasn’t until I made these bars that I knew I had a winner. I mean, just when you thought it couldn’t get any better than eating that cookie dough out of the bowl by the spoonfuls, it does. How? With these bars.

These bars make it perfectly acceptable to eat raw cookie dough. It also doesn’t require the use of utensils. And it’s got a sugar cookie crust, which is the perfect mode of transportation for that cookie dough to make it in your mouth! Oh, but it doesn’t stop there! The cookie dough…eggless cookie dough…is then topped with a mixture of melted dark and semi-sweet chocolate and sprinkled with salt.

That chocolate coating hardens which forms the best possible “crust” you could ever think about sinking your teeth into.

You’ve got a soft, sugar cookie crust, topped with that amazing cookie dough and topped with that perfectly balanced, not too sweet chocolate layer with just a hint of salt. Yes, folks we have a winner!

These bars are what cookie dough lovers’ dreams are made of. Yes, they’re that good.

You’re welcome!

Salted Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars

Ingredients:

2 Cups sugar cookie dough, homemade or store bought

For the cookie dough-
1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 Tsp vanilla
1 3/4 Cup flour
1 Tsp salt
1 1/4 Cups mini chocolate chips
1 Can condensed milk

For the chocolate topping-
1/4 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 Cups dark chocolate chips
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1/2 Tsp Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 pan with parchment paper.

Press the cookie dough in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared pan. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, until the edges begin to turn golden-brown. Be sure not to over bake. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

For the cookie dough-
Place the butter in a large bowl and beat on high until creamy, about 1 minute. Add both sugars and beat on high for 3-5 minutes. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Add the condensed milk and mix until incorporated. Lastly add the flour and salt and mix until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spread the cookie dough in an even layer over the cooled sugar cookie.

For the chocolate topping-
Place the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 20 second intervals until melted, stirring after each heating period. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, stir once more, pour over the cookie dough and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the salt over the chocolate. Place the bars in the refrigerator at least 1 hour, until the chocolate is set.

Remove and slice when ready to serve.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

BTB: Homemade Peach Cobbler in a Jar

June 18, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

There are times when I get so caught up in making something new. Something fun and exciting. Some off the wall recipe that is so incredibly intriguing that it just draws me in, that I forget just how good simple can be. Simple, basic recipes, a lot of which I grew up enjoying, are still some of the best recipes in my book. Those are the ones that are still the most comforting to me.

I love the challenge of a super rich, indulgent chocolate cake, frosted with salted mocha buttercream. I love slicing into a layer cake and seeing cake separated by amazing filling and it’s all enveloped in a deliciously creamy frosting. I so enjoy the challenge of new recipes that I’ve never heard of, that push the boundaries of my comfort zone immensely.

But, the past week, in preparation for Father’s Day I’ve been focusing a little more on the classics and less on the off the wall, over the top treats. We took suggestions from several of the KARK4 viewers. We asked people to let us know what that special man in their life’s favorite treat was. We heard several answers, but the ones that we heard the most were down home, home style desserts.

One of my favorite recipes from my childhood, and still today is cobbler. I like all cobblers, but my MaMaw’s recipes is my all-time, absolute favorite. I’ve never had another cobbler crust like it. It’s truly a simple recipe, but the end result is beyond amazing.

The fruit obviously plays an important roll in any cobbler. You have to have good fruit for a good base. But, the crust is just as equally important. This, my friends is the best crust you will ever put in your mouth. I promise!

It’s buttery, slightly sweet and the perfect compliment to whatever fruit filling it’s going on. So the flavors good, but let me tell ya about the texture! Spoonfuls of batter are dropped all over the cobbler, think drop biscuits or dumplin’s, and then it’s popped into the oven. This is where the magic happens. The dollops of dough spread and connect with one other, and it forms a crispy topping. But, while the top is getting crispy, the bottom is soaking in that fruit juice and becoming fluffy yet chewy all at the same time. There are truly no words to do it justice.

When the time comes to finally enjoy the cobble you break through the layer of crust; first is the top layer which is golden brown and lightly crunchy, followed by a bread-y, tender layer, and the last layer before getting to the fruit is the part of the crust that has met and soaked up so much of that fruit juice. My mouth is watering just telling you about it.

My MaMaw always whipped up her cobblers and baked them in an 8×8 or doubled them for a 9×13. I wanted to change things up just a bit for a fun presentation. I baked these in mason jars. Nothing fancy, no frills, just a simple mason jar. Not only is it fun, this helps with it being an easy to serve dessert and no plates required. When you’re ready to eat, top with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Homemade Peach Cobbler in a Jar

Ingredients:

For the filling-
1 (29oz) Can peaches in juice or light syrup*
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/2-1 Tbsp cinnamon

For the crust-
1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Cup sugar
1 Egg
1 Tsp vanilla
1 Cup flour
1/2 Tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place 6 (8oz) wide mouth mason jars on the pan. Set aside.

Pour peaches in a medium bowl, but wedges in halves or thirds. Add brown sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. (I love cinnamon so I use a tablespoon, so add amount of cinnamon according to taste).

Add about 1/2 a cup of the peaches to the jars. Place in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the crust.

Place the butter in a large bowl and beat on high until creamy. Add the sugar and beat on high until fluffy and incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and mix to incorporate. Add the flour and salt and mix until just combined.

Remove the cobblers from the oven and spoon about 2 tablespoons on each cobbler. Return to oven and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.

*Alternately, this can be made in an 8×8 pan.

Pour the peaches in an 8×8 pyrex pan. Using a table spoon, spoon heaping spoonfuls on top of the peaches, making sure the dollops of dough are touching or at least very close to each other. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the crust is set and turning golden brown.

*Fresh peaches can also be used. Use about 4-5 cups sliced peaches, toss with a little brown sugar, a tablespoon of flour and tablespoon of cinnamon and stir to combine. Follow recipe above.

Recipe source: My MaMaw

Strawberry Bruschetta

May 22, 2015 by Lynsey 1 Comment

The days are getting warmer and my garden is really starting to come along. The tomatoes are starting to bloom and I even have a few small, green tomatoes coming on. I honestly cannot wait until the tomatoes are bright red and ready for picking. Oh, the amounts of sliced tomatoes, salsa, bruschetta, and caprese I will consume.

But, it’s not quite tomato time. Yet. So, in the meantime my strawberries are thriving. I mean, honestly more that we can eat. I’ve picked and picked and picked. And picked some more. We are literally in strawberries up to our eyeballs. And they are still coming!

I’m not complaining. They are absolutely amazing. Like nature’s candy. They are perfect. Red, juicy, sweet. And they are right in my back yard just waiting to be consumed.

Since I have a plethora of strawberries at my fingertips, the recipes including strawberries haven’t been lacking. From baked goods, dips and even in main dishes, I’ve added strawberries to them all.

Since I spotted those tiny tomatoes on the vine it got me to thinking about bruschetta. I love the stuff. But, the tomatoes are ready and the strawberries are so I decided to make that favorite, summertime appetizer of mine using fresh strawberries and basil from my garden!

These strawberries were sweet and juicy, but I added just a touch of sugar to the mix to really get those juices going. Then rolled up some basil and sliced it in strands and folded it in the berry mixture. Mint would be a delicious alternative too. I left it with just these three ingredients but a drizzle of balsamic would add another layer of flavor, sweetness and tartness. Goat cheese would be oh, so amazing too.

Instead of just lightly buttering the bread as I do with traditional bruschetta, I made a cinnamon-brown sugar butter and lightly spread it on the bread. It really made it more of a dessert type bruschetta, but could still easily be enjoyed as an appetizer.

So if you have an abundance of strawberries, or just can’t wait for those tomatoes to ripen on the vine try out this amazing fruit version of this classic.

Strawberry Bruschetta

Ingredients:

2 Cups diced strawberries
1 Tsp sugar
1/4 Cup loosely packed chiffoned basil

For the bread-
1 Baguette, thickly sliced
3 Tbsp lightly salted butter, room temperature
1/4 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tsp brown sugar

Directions:

Fort he bread-
Preheat oven to 300.

Combine butter, cinnamon and brown sugar and mix until combined. Thinly spread over bread sliced and arrange on a baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and bake until the bread is lightly toasted, crispy on the edges and slightly tender (not gooey from melted butter) in the center. Remove and allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine the strawberries, sugar and basil and stir to combine. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Place strawberries in a bowl and surround with toast and serve.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Shirley Temple Cookies

April 17, 2015 by Lynsey 1 Comment

Shirley Temple. One of the fondest memories of my childhood. Yes, I’m talking about both the actress and the drink. I loved watching that cutie, curly-haired little girl with dimples and the smile that would light up the room dance and sing. I can hear her singing “On the Good Ship Lolly Pop” right now.

As much as I enjoyed, and still enjoy her movies, these cookies are dedicated to the beverage that is named after her. A beverage that I couldn’t wait to suck down every time I was given the chance. One of the best Shirley Temple’s I ever had was at a hole in the wall restaurant that sat right on the Mississippi River.

I remember it like yesterday. It was after competing in a pageant that myself, my mom and my Grandma went to get a bite to eat before hitting the road back home. I wasn’t feeling a sprite or water, I wanted something good and special. So my mom quickly asked if they could whip up a Shirley Temple, with extra cherries, of course!

A moment later our waitress returned with the best looking drink I’d ever laid my eyes on. It had an ombre look to it; deep red at the bottom, then pink, then a very light pink. And cherries. I think there were at least half a dozen cherries in there. I was in heaven. I sat there perfectly content sipping on my Shirley Temple and watching the water of the mighty Mississippi roar down the banks.

I still enjoy a Shirley Temple from time to time, and the memories of that perfect one flood my memories. Just like that drink, there are some cookies that quickly transport me back to the carefree days of my childhood.

These Shirley Temple cookies are one of those cookies that take me back. Holding all the flavors of that beloved drink, perfectly pink frosting and garnished with a cherry, of course, how could these cookies not bring a smile to one’s face with one glimpse.

These cookies are thick and soft with a slight hint of lime to add some tartness. Then there’s the frosting. The thing that puts the Shirley Temple in these cookies; light pink frosting bursting with cherry flavor. And to pull it all together and bring out the inner-child in anyone who has one, it’s garnished with a maraschino cherry (stem and all) and a little sprinkle of lime zest for another pop of color.

So now pop in a Shirley Temple movie, make the drink and some of these cookies and enjoy! You know you want to.

Shirley Temple Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Egg
1 Egg yolk
1 Tsp vanilla
Zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 Tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
2 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking powder

For the cherry frosting-
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 -3 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 Tsp cherry extract
4 Tsp maraschino cherry juice
1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream

For garnish-
Lime zest
Maraschino cherries

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine flour, salt and baking powder and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Place butter in a large bowl and beat on high until creamy, about 1 minute. Add both sugars and beat on high until light and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, lime juice and lime zest and mix for an additional minute. Slowly add the flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated.

Roll the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 while the dough is chilling. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Once the dough has chilled, remove from the refrigerator, scoop (my scoop is approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons) and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet, using the palm of your hand, gently press the dough to flatten slightly, being sure not to press the cookies too thin.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookie is cooked through and the bottom is beginning to turn golden brown. Do not overbake, you want the cookie edges to be slightly crispy and the rest of the cookie to be soft.

Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the frosting-

Place the butter in a large bowl and beat until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, cherry extract and cherry juice and beat until incorporated. If the frosting seems too liquidy and appears to be kind of separated, add more powdered sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time until it comes together. Add the whipping creamy, beat on low until incorporated, then increase speed to high and beat until whipped, light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

To assemble-

Place frosting in a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe onto the cookies.

If garnishing with cherries, remove from juice and allow to sit on a paper towel to remove excess juice. Place the cherries in the center of the cookies then garnish with lime zest.

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

April 15, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

So, it’s no news to any of you who have been reading the blog for any amount of time that I love experimenting with different flavor combinations. Especially the sweet savory combo in desserts. What can I say, I get a thrill out of combing the unexpected.

But, I think sometime I push the boundaries a little too much. Even Spencer, who shouldn’t be shocked by some of my outlandish ideas, still gives me the side eye from time to time. And don’t get me wrong, I do need honest, unbiased opinions and criticism. But even that side eye glare doesn’t stop me from experimenting. It does, however, remind me that sometimes heading back to the basics is perfectly acceptable.

And that’s what I’ve done here.

I’ve taken two classic ingredients that are found in countless baked goods and combined them in this cookie; the white chocolate coconut cookie. I love the combination of white chocolate and coconut and these cookies are no exception.

Thanks to the addition of brown sugar these cookies are super chewy. There’s a combination of toasted and raw coconut, not only adding flavor but some extra texture as well. Then there are morsels of creamy white chocolate throughout the cookie.

These cookies are pure perfection. Especially when they’re fresh out of the oven, chewy and still warm. I’d be embarrassed to say just how many I popped in my mouth right when I pull them from the oven. Let’s just say that the quality control of these cookies was taken very seriously.

I must say, I’m glad I stuck to the basics and kept it simple. These cookies turned out incredible and let 2 of my favorites shine. So what are you waiting for? If you love cookies, white chocolate or coconut then you must make these cookies. Maybe even bake a double batch so there will be enough for your whole family and so maybe, just maybe they’ll stick around longer than a day!

White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups brown sugar
1/2 Cup white sugar
1 Stick + 2 Tbsp (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter
1 Tsp vanilla
2 Large eggs
1 Egg yolk
2 1/2 Cups flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking soda
1 Cup white chocolate chips
1 Cup toasted, shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 Cup shredded, sweetened coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Place butter in a large bowl and beat on high until creamy, about 1 minute. Add sugars and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on high an additional 2 minutes.

Add the flour, salt and baking soda and mix until just combined. Add the coconut and white chocolate and mix.

Using a cookie scoop (I used one that was about 1 1/2 tablespoons), scoop the dough on the prepared baking sheet and leave about 2 inches between each cookie. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Rocky Road Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cookies

April 13, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Hey y’all! And welcome to cookie week.

That’s right, it’s cookie week here on LL’s and I couldn’t be more excited. What could possibly be better than a whole week dedicated to cookies. Um, nothing. That’s what.

I could go as far as to have cookie month or months. But, I decided that we might all go into a sugar coma if I did that. And well, that just wouldn’t be good. So, cookie week it is.

I am beyond excited about the lineup that’s in store for you this week. Cookie lover’s rejoice and get your butter, sugar and ovens ready.

We’re kicking cookie week off with a bang. A big, fat, fudgy, chocolaty bang. That’s right!

We’ve all had chocolate cookies, whether it be chocolate chip, brownie, or some other variation. But I promise, you’ve never had a chocolate cookie like this. A flourless chocolate cookie. Skeptics be warned, flour is not needed in this recipe and it’s definitely not missed.

The omission of the flour actually makes this cookie better. It yields an extra chewy, moist and fudgy cookie. A cookie that is loaded with dark cocoa powder, and if that isn’t enough chocolate for you an additional helping of semi sweet and dark chocolate chips are added to the mix.

What could possibly make this cookie any better. Well how about making it a rocky road fudgy cookie? One that’s packed with roasted almonds, sweetened coconut and gooey, melty marshmallows.

This cookie, my friends, isn’t for the person who enjoys the occasional cookie. Nor is it for one who faint of heart. This cookie, well, it’s for a true, die hard, chocolate-feigning, cookie lover.

This rocky road, fudgy, flourless chocolate cookie is knock-your-socks-off amazing straight from the oven while the marshmallows are still warm and gooey. They are even good the next day, especially if you pop it in the microwave for a few seconds. And one thing is an absolute must; a tall glass of ice cold milk.

Go ahead. Make these babies and experience pure, chocolate bliss!

Rocky Road Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

4 Large egg whites
2 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp dark cocoa powder
2 Cups powdered sugar
1/4 Tsp salt
1 Cup almonds, roughly chopped
3/4 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 Cup dark chocolate chips
3/4 Cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 Cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or spray generously with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Place egg whites in a medium bowl, using an electric mixer or whisk, whisk or beat the eggs until light and foamy. Fold in the vanilla. Add the cocoa mixture, chocolate chips, coconut and marshmallows and stir until incorporated. The batter will be extremely thick.

Using a large cookie scoop, about 2 tablespoons, scoop the dough on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving about 3 inches between the scoops. Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until cookies are just set. Remove and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Store in a airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Brownie and Red Velvet Cookie Tart with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

February 13, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Valentine’s day is tomorrow. Have you made your reservations? Are you avoiding the chaos and crowds and staying in? We’re having a low-key evening at home complete with an amazing meal and a glass (or 2) of red. No Valentine’s meal, whether you’re dining out or staying is, is complete without an amazingly decadent and over the top dessert.

I’ve shared a week’s worth of desserts with you all with the focus of Valentines. Whether you and your special someone are chocoholics, or you prefer a chocolate-less indulgence I’ve covered all the bases. But, no Valentines or week dedicated to Valentines is complete without at least one red velvet recipe.

What is it about red velvet that has people going crazy for it, especially during the month of February. It is red, which is the color of love. It is also chocolate, which is synonymous with Valentines. So, maybe it’s the fact that red velvet meets all the requirements for the day of love.

So it seemed only right to wrap up Valentine’s week with some sort of red velvet concoction. I wanted to make something that was incredibly over the top. Something that hasn’t been done a million times and something that was completely indulgent and would make my special someone’s eyes pop wide open at just the site of it.

Since I’m a chocolate fiend, I decided to take the subtle chocolate taste of red velvet and amp it up by…oh, a thousand. So, I introduce you to a brownie red velvet tart. And because no red velvet cake it complete without cream cheese frosting, I topped it with a cream cheese whipped cream.

So, without further adieu let me introduce you to this incredibly, over the top dessert that is making an appearance just in time for the day of love. It starts with a red velvet cookie crust. Perfectly crunchy on the edges and incredibly chewy on the inside. The beautiful, red crust is filled with an amazingly, fudgy, chocolate brownie complete with both dark chocolate and white chocolate chips. And if that’s not enough, it’s topped with freshly whipped cream.

But not just any whipped cream, a cream cheese whipped cream. I think this is probably one of my all-time favorite whipped creams. It’s light and fluffy, subtly sweet and the perfect amount of tang from the cream cheese. This whipped cream is the perfect topping for such a rich and decadent dessert. The tang from the cream cheese helps cut through the richness and sweetness from the brownie and red velvet cookie crust.

So whatever you’re doing tomorrow night. Going out. Staying in. Just make sure you do one thing, and that’s to share a slice of this with your special someone. Or, if you happen to be flying solo, then get a fork, take the pan, cuddle up on the couch, turn on your favorite show and dig in!

Brownie and Red Velvet Cookie Tart with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

For the red velvet cookie crust-
1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 Cup brown sugar
3/4 Cup white sugar
1 Tbsp food coloring
1 Egg
1 Tsp vanilla
1 1/2 Cups flour
1 Tsp baking powder
1/4 Tsp salt
1/3 Cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa powder

For the brownie-
1/2 Cup (1 Stick) unsalted butter
2 Oz unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 Oz bitter sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp vanilla
1/4 Tsp salt
1/3 + 2 Tbsp flour
1/4 Cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 Cup white chocolate chips

For the cream cheese whipped cream-
2 Oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch tart pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

For the red velvet cookie crust-
Combine flour, salt, cocoa powder and baking powder in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Place butter and both sugars in a large bowl and beat on high until creamed, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg and beat an additional minutes, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the red food coloring and mix to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.

Pour dough into prepared tart pan and pat out into an even, thin layer across the bottom and sides of the pan. You’ll want the crust to be approximately 1/4 inch in thickness. Remove any excess dough, you will have about 3/4 to 1 cup of extra dough (which is perfect for making a few red velvet cookies to snack on!). Place in the freezer while preparing the brownie filling.

For the brownie-
Place butter in a microwave safe dish and heat until almost completely melted. Add the chocolate, stir to combine and return to microwave. Heat in 20 second intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate is completely melted.

Add the sugar and whisk to combine. Once the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly, add the eggs and whisk to combine. Add vanilla and mix until just incorporated. Add the salt and flour and mix until incorporated.

Remove the tart from the freezer. Sprinkle the dark chocolate chips over the tart crust. Slowly pour the brownie in the tart and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the white chocolate chips over the brownie batter.

Place tart in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until edges are set and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. There may be a few crumbs on the toothpick and that’s completely fine. Be sure not to over bake the tart as the red velvet cookie may become too hard to cut.

Allow tart to cool.

For the cream cheese whipped cream-
Place cream cheese in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add the heavy whipping cream and the powdered sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks begin to form, be sure not to over beat. Spoon over the cooled tart.

Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired. Slice and enjoy!

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

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