Recipe Redo: Chocolate Dipped Coco's

Guys this is the third time I’m revisiting this recipe and making more changes; I can’t make promises but I think this will be the last time I’ll have to do so. I gotta admit I’m finding these to be pretty darn tasty! The first time I made these cookies was three years ago and while they tasted good, they were also packed with way too much sugar for my liking and the dough was sticky and difficult to work with; if that wasn't bad enough the additional step of dipping the bottom of the cookie in chocolate made quite a mess. Then two years ago, I tried making adjustments and replaced the brown sugar for maple syrup, turbinado sugar and added a touch of molasses; again, good but not 100% there for me.

Somehow I forgot all about the cookies until my mom recently told me she loved them! Funny how people manage to remember and enjoy my least favorite recipes… For the sake of my mommy, I revisited the recipe and ended up with a delicious little coconut cookie dipped in melted chocolate; I was a fan! I brought them to my mom and sister as a late Christmas present and they were fans too. Just for kicks, this time around I decided to add the addition of crushed almonds after dipping the cookies in chocolate for an elegant touch. If you like coconut, chocolate and almonds (think: Almond Joys) then you’ll dig these!

Chocolate Dipped Coco’s

makes 21 bite size cookies

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup organic shortening or unsalted butter

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup cane sugar

1/3 cup almond milk

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (optional)

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup slithered almonds or chopped raw almonds

1 heaping dark chocolate or semi-sweet chips, plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions:

In a large skillet, pour the coconut and toast over medium heat for about five minutes, or until the coconut is golden brown. Stir occasionally and be careful not to burn it. Once the coconut is toasted, remove from heat and let cool. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or large bowl with electric mixer, cream together coconut oil, vegan butter or butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy. Mix in almond milk, vanilla and almond extract until well combined. Add in flour, ground flax, baking soda and salt and beat on low-speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary, and fold in shredded coconut. Refrigerate dough in saran wrap for at least 2 hours or overnight. (This will make the dough easier to work with and prevent the dough from being too thin and delicate.) Preheat oven 350, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Using a tablespoon or your hands form dough balls, flatten them slightly and transfer onto baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Allow cookies to cool 2 minutes before transferring onto cooling rack.

Chocolate Dip 2 ways:

1. By creating a makeshift double boiler or using a real double boiler. Simply melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan underneath a bigger saucepan with simmering water.

2. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil by placing them in a microwave safe bowl for thirty second intervals until completely melted.

After melting the chocolate glaze, allow it to thicken and cool for at least five minutes. Dip half the cookie in the chocolate glaze then coat the chocolate side with the almonds. Repeat with all the cookies. Transfer cookies onto parchment paper and allow the chocolate to set before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container about 5 days. 

xo, Jessica

Cast-iron Peach Upside Down Cake :)

I really love this recipe because it’s not only incredibly easy to whip up, it’s also gorgeous and the peaches and fluffiness of the cake make it perfect for this time of the year. Stone fruits such as peaches, plums and cherries are a favorite of mine because they tend to explode in your mouth, which I believe is necessary on a hot summer’s day! For this cake, I used two eggs which is unusual considering I don’t normally bake with eggs or even eat them. The first time I made this recipe I wanted to see if the eggs would bother me and surprisingly they didn’t. Eggs are tolerable and digestible for me when they’re baked into cakes and breads rather than eaten by themselves. As for me consuming cow butter and milk again? Not in this lifetime, honey! Cow milk doesn't agree with me so I replaced the regular whole milk and butter both with goat milk and butter. By doing so, the goat's dairy added a slight tang that was pleasantly balanced out by the sweetness of the caramelized peaches. Goat’s butter is a wonderful alternative to baking and cooking, if you’re lactose intolerant or just bored of cow butter and want to use real butter. But if you’re vegan, I’m almost 99.9% sure you could use coconut oil in this recipe, and replace the eggs with an egg-replacer or use a flax egg and the milk with non-dairy milk, which would be equally delicious!

it looks as though somebody took a piece with their hands, right?

Unfortunately my cake didn't photograph as beautifully as I had hoped for due to an amateur move. I used a plate smaller than my cast-iron skillet to transfer the cake onto a serving dish, causing the cake to fall apart on one side and making a bit of a mess. Oh well, I made it yesterday and there's only one slice left, so despite the fall and "rustic cut slices" it made its way into everyone's tummy! I remember getting so mad at myself for making mistakes in the kitchen but when this peach cake fell, I actually smiled and felt a little humbled. I feel like all those moments of baking mishaps have been learning experiences for me, and beating myself about those mistakes seems to be very childish. Fortunately I'm handling myself more maturely in kitchen now and can laugh about it. 

{ cast iron } peach upside down cake
serves 8-10 people

caramelized peaches:

3 tablespoons goat butter

¾ cup light brown sugar

3 large organic peaches, sliced (I didn’t peel them because they were organic and I enjoy the texture of the skin, but feel free to peel away!)

cake:
8 tablespoons goat butter, softened
3/4 cup raw sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature (I’m sure an egg-replacer would work just fine)
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup full-fat goat milk, room temperature

Preheat oven 350. Place 3 tablespoons of butter and light brown sugar into 10” cast-iron skillet over high heat, and stir until the sugar has melted. The mixture should bubble slightly and smell like caramel, remove from the heat and let it cool. Place the peach slices down in a pretty circular pattern. To make cake batter, beat the 8 tablespoons of butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in vanilla, then beat the eggs one at a time until smooth. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients and stir in half to the wet, add-in milk and stir in the rest of the dry ingredients. Do not over beat the batter. Pour the batter over the peaches and spread evenly. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the cake is evenly cooked. Let cake cool for 20 minutes and flip the cake onto a plate. Be very careful and make sure you’re wearing oven mitts while doing so. Serve warm or at room temperature with a generous scoop of ice cream or homemade coconut whipped cream. 

-Jessica