Sans Chocolate Chip Cookies

Consider it a life dream fulfilled: the chocolate chip-free chocolate chip cookie. Before the disgruntled response revs up, I should make it clear that I love chocolate, love it. However, I'm supposed to be avoiding it at all costs and that combined with the fact that whenever I'm presented with a really delicious and gooey chocolate chip cookie I just end up eating around the chips has driven me to this conclusion: the world's greatest cookie is not the chocolate chip cookie, it's the sans chocolate chip cookie. Well, maybe not world's greatest but at least really tasty.

This has been a point of theoretical culinary fascination for me and I was struck with a cookie craving yesterday but lacked the Tollhouse component so I went all carpe diem and struck out into new cookie territory. Depending on how you like your cookies (gooey or chewy) you can make some minor modifications for example: beginning with cold butter makes for a flatter, gooey cookie, while replacing an egg white with a two tablespoons of milk makes for a chewier cookie. I also prefer to replace the traditional vanilla extract with almond extract and forgo the addition of nuts.

Sans Chocolate Chip Cookies
(yields 24+)

3/4 c dark brown sugar
3/4 sugar
2 sticks of butter
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
1 1/4 c AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375

1) Cream the butter and sugars with the extract.

2) Add the two eggs and mix well.

3) Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl, then add in three parts to the wet mix.

4) Form balls of dough, well-spaced, on a cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes.

5) Let cool on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Easy Apple Tart

I am not exactly great about making desserts. Eating them is fine and well, but the whole making of them thing tends to fall off my priority list when I would rather be cooking up the rest of the meal. However, Adam made a very specific request for "an apple tart with Chantilly cream". Okaaay...So I googled, made the first apple tart I found, and as a complete apple tart n00b I can say with confidence this recipe is not only delicious, it's dead easy!  Note: I covered the tart with aluminum foil in the latter half of cooking to keep the crust from over-browning. 

Apple Tart
(serves 6-8 )

Crust:
1 1/4 c AP flour
1/2 c butter, room temp
2 tbs sour cream

Filling:
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3 egg yolks
3/4 c sour cream
3/4 c sugar
1/4 AP flour

Glaze:
1/4 c apricot preserves
1 tbs orange juice concentrate
mint, garnish

*Combine preserves and orange juice, then brush the top of the warm tart with the mixture.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

1) Pulse the flour, butter and sour cream in a food processor until a ball forms.  

2) Press with floured hands into a 10 or 12 (ungreased) inch tart pan.  

3) Bake for 15-18 minutes - the crust should be set but not browned.  

4) Remove the crust, and place on a baking sheet while you prepare the filling. 

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

5) Arrange the sliced apple in concentric, overlapping circles in the crust (overfilling is key as the apples with shrink down during baking)

6)  Beat the yolks, sour cream, sugar and flour until smooth, then pour over the apples.

7) Place the tart in the oven and bake for about an hour, or until the custard is set and a pale gold.  

8) Glaze, then serve warm with the Chantilly cream and some mint

Chantilly Cream
1 c heavy whippng cream
2 tbs powdered sugar
1 large marshmallow, halved

1) In a chilled metal bowl whip the cream until frothy.

2) Add the powdered sugar and continue to whip until it begins to mound.

3) Pop the marshmallow in the microwave for ten seconds, then add it to the cream and continue to whip until soft peaks form.  Don't over-whip!!