March 9, 2017
This blog post marks the first post from my new abode in Brisbane, meaning a brand new kitchen! I have spent the first week in Brisbane as a lady of leisure, having a very luxurious week between jobs to get settled in. Of course, in true Ella style, I haven’t really done much relaxing. Instead I’ve been running around getting things, reorganising my partners place to make sure that my stuff fits, and doing a bit of a reshuffle. It’s probably driving him a little crazy, but I know he’s loved having someone around to make him some breakfast and coffee in the morning.
With all of my spare time, you’d think I would have been able to do a mountain of baking, and believe me, I’ve been craving it! But as most of my stuff is still in transit, I haven’t had my usual cooking utensils to really go nuts, and my partner isn’t much of a baker shall we say, so doesn’t have things like cake tins (I know, crazy right?). So I have instead turned my attention to making sure there is enough room for the load of cooking items and recipe books that I don’t think my partner realises is coming his way, instead of doing much baking, which is absolutely crazy, because I find baking is my way of relaxing. Without baking, I don’t really do down time very well. While it’s been nice to have a week off, I never really stop and just ‘do something fun’ as my partner would say.
The reason I felt the real urge to bake something was because for Christmas I got just about the most amazing gift I’ve ever received. I’m lucky enough to have a partner who knows me so well, and is generous enough to buy me my very own KitchenAid! I swear, I’ve wanted one of these ever since I started baking years ago, but it has always seemed like something I’ll never buy for myself. But finally I have one, and because I didn’t want to bring it back to Melbourne when I was moving back (those things are heavy after all) I decided to leave it up here waiting for my return. And now that I’m back, and I have it sitting in my brand new (well, new to me) kitchen, I’ve been so keen to give it a go! Honestly, I have been so excited to have it, I think I got overwhelmed with what to use it for the first time. But then I realised the time had come to break it in.
So what to bake for the first maiden voyage of my brand new, amazing KitchenAid? Did I mention that it’s red? That means it goes faster I’m sure. But anyway, given I had limited pantry items and baking utensils, I realised cookies were going to be the only way to go. I have a baking tray, so I was able to make this work. I also realised that for some reason we had a bit of an oversupply of peanut butter (he’s a man after my own heart), so I took it on myself to help the situation and alleviate the pantry of some of its oversupply. What can I say? I’m a giving person!
I found a recipe for some peanut butter cookies that had a little extra surprise in them, and thought I could hack it and make it my own. So I came up with the idea of a reverse Reece’s Pieces sort of recipe where you bite into the cookie and find a little morsel of gooey, dark chocolate. What better way to test out my new KitchenAid by making peanut butter cookies, because peanut butter is life, and adding chocolate, which is also one of my favourite things? Together they are a match made in heaven, so I felt this was the perfect recipe for my KitchenAid’s maiden voyage!
Delicious peanut butter cookies with dark chocolate centres
- 1 and 1/4 cups of plain flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 packed cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 squares of dark cooking chocolate
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In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand held mixer), cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar together on a medium speed until combined.
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On a low speed, add the peanut butter, egg and vanilla to the butter and sugar. Turn the speed to high and beat the mixture until light and smooth.
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With the mixer speed on low, pour in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined completely, scraping any additional flour down from the sides with a spatula.
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Cover with glad wrap and chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. When you are ready to bake, remove from the fridge.
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Preheat the oven to 180C (350F), and line a tray with baking paper.
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Take 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball, then place on the baking tray. Get one piece of the cooking chocolate and push into the dough ball, making a sort of cradle. Take another 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball, and top the dough ball with the chocolate with the second dough ball. Seal down the sides so the chocolate is completely covered, and roll in your hand to make a smooth ball.
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Repeat until you have no more remaining dough, which should make about 12 cookies.
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Bake the cookies in the oven for 10-11 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Allow to cool on the baking tray for around 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Serve warm or keep in an air tight container for up to 7 days.
These cookies were absolutely delicious, and not too difficult to make. I say that mainly because the KitchenAid is basically everything I ever wanted it to be and more. It makes baking so simple, so effortless. I don’t know how I survived without one for so long, honestly it makes me so happy that now all I want to do is bake. This might have been my partner’s intention buying it for me, as he gets to enjoy the cookies. Seriously, he got home late the night I made these and only found out about them after brushing his teeth. He still wanted to go and grab one right away, he was so desperate. I guess a year apart from your partner’s baked goods does that to some people.
Honestly, even without the KitchenAid, this recipe is totally achievable, and quite fun to make. You could also easily pop whatever you wanted into the middle of these cookies, or even leave them as is. I found the dough to be absolutely delicious on its own, and almost a shortbread consistency. You could make double the cookies leaving the chocolate out too, so this would be great for larger crowds. The recipe itself isn’t too difficult, and as long as you have time to chill the dough, doesn’t take too long! It’s totally worth it too for delicious cookies at the end.
The best time to enjoy these cookies is straight out of the oven when the chocolate is still gooey and delicious. But they are great when cooled as well. Honestly, it is a danger having peanut butter baked goods in the house while I’m at home, if only I had a work place to take them to! All I want to do is demolish them!
Until next time, happy eating!
Ella xx
