Devilish Delights (Cookies)

How to bake Devilish Delights (Cookies)

          The first time I set my eyes on these scrumptious cookies, (in a betty crocker cookbook) I knew it was a trap. I couldn't, not bake these insanely chocolatey cookies. I hope I have done justice to these cookies with my amateur photography skills and brought out the real texture of these beauties. These chocolatey devilish delights get their kick from freshly brewed coffee. Sharing this recipe with my fellow bloggers at SriValli's CCC#50 Oct Week #4. 

MAKES: ABOUT 36 COOKIES
BAKE: 8 MINS at 350°F

Ingredients

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 tablespoons coffee liqueur or strong brewed espresso
2 teaspoons vanilla
10 ounces espresso-flavor chocolate baking bar or bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
12 ounces dark chocolate baking bar, chopped

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, coffee liqueur, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined; set aside.
• In a heavy medium saucepan, heat chopped espresso chocolate and butter over medium-low heat until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk melted chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the chopped dark chocolate baking bar.
• Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 7 to 8 minutes or until tops appear dry and centers remain soft. Cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Makes about 36 cookies.

Storage:

• Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes:

• I used strong brewed coffee instead of chocolate liqueur and used bitter-sweet chocolate bar instead of dark chocolate in the recipe.

Sharing this recipe with my fellow bloggers at SriValli's CCC#50 Oct Week #4.

Coconut Meeta/Sweet Paan Ladoo

How to make Coconut Meeta Paan Ladoo

    

      From using it in religious ceremonies to eating it in the form of a 'paan'; betel leaves contain many curative and healing health benefits. My mom & grandma used to grow it in our home and these aromatic leaves were readily available to reap the health benefits from the same. Betel leaves are supposed to heal wounds when applied over a wound and bandaged. If you are suffering from a severe headache, my grandma used to ask us to use 'vetrilai pathu' The leaves have cooling properties which provide instant relief from the ache when applied externally.

         Benefits aside, I have always been a fan of the meeta paan for the sweet filling in it.  So, here is a recipe that skips the slaked lime (sunnambu) & areca nuts/supari (pakku), but has all the yummy ingredients like coconut, elaichi, gulkund, nuts & cloves. You can pick & choose your favorite filler ingredients.

Coconut Meeta/Sweet Paan Ladoo

Ingredients for about 30 ladoos:

2 cups fresh/frozen grated coconut (do not use the brown part)
8 to 10 vetrilai/paan/betel leaves
1 cup condensed milk
about 1/2 cup, dry desiccated coconut (for rolling)
1/2 tsp, cardamom/elaichi powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup of gulkund (rose petal preserve)
1/2 tsp, saunf/fennel seeds
whole cloves, for garnishing
green food color, optional
chopped nuts, optional (I used almonds)

Method:

• To a food processor, add the grated coconut & grind dry until fine. Transfer to a bowl. 
• Wash, remove the stem & the bottommost tip of all paan leaves. Add tore paan leaves, pulse until fine add condensed milk & grind till both are well combined. Add few drops of green food color, if desired. 

• Heat a pan on medium heat, add the coconut and roast for a couple of minutes on medium-low heat. Add the condensed milk - paan mixture and stir to combine. You can add the elaichi powder & fennel seeds at this point.
• Cook for a few minutes on low heat, until the mixture, thickens & forms into one solid mass. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool down a bit.

• Grease your hands with ghee if needed, take a small portion from the coconut mixture, flatten it and add ½-1 teaspoon of gulkund and chopped nuts in the center. Bring the edges together and roll to form a ladoo. Roll the prepared ladoos in desiccated coconut. Repeat the same process with the remaining ladoos.

• Garnish with cloves, if desired. Refrigerate the ladoos & enjoy as a digestive/mouth freshener.

This recipe was inspired by another paan recipe from a tv show. You may add supari to the filling if you desire. Sharing this delicious recipe with my friends at SriValli's  CCC#50 Oct week 3.