Climbing: December 2011

Happy New Year!

Best wishes for Health, Happiness and Wealth in the New Year!

Yes, I’m baking again! whooohooo!

Unfortunately, the kitchen reno is not complete, but we have a working kitchen: the refrigerator, microwave and oven are in and working. However, cupboard doors, grouting of the backsplash and several miscellaneous things need to be done…

I have been buying e-cookbooks on my ipad and Kindle. It’s certainly not the same but for all my GF cookbooks, I feel it’s more economical. Besides, GF cookbooks don’t exactly have fabulous photography. Most are not coffee-table worthy unlike some of my other cookbooks. So, e-reader format is okay by me.

This GF cookie recipe is the first batch of cookies to be made in my new kitchen. yah. I couldn’t wait to bake so I jumped the gun before the reno was finished. Ah well.

The recipe I used was from Artisanal Gluten Free Cooking. The Artisanal GF flour blend consists of: brown rice flour, potato starch, potato flour, cornstarch, xanthum gum, and sorghum flour. I kept the rest of the blend in an airtight container.

The cookie dough came together quickly; even though I didn’t use the mixer. I wanted to mix it by hand and keep cleanup to a minimum. Besides, I couldn’t find half my kitchen supplies as they are still all over the house stuffed in boxes somewhere.

I couldn’t even find my cooling racks; so I allowed them to cool on my new Wolf Range top on the cookie sheets. The kids did not wait for the cookies to cool down and started eating right away (homemade cookie withdrawal)! I think the recipe is decent and doesn’t taste GF. The cookies were crispier and drier than I usually like them. I didn’t get the chewiness I liked. Seeing as I didn’t adapt the recipe, perhaps next time I will fiddle with it to get the texture I like.

E.T.A. of the completed kitchen reveal is mid-January (fingers crossed).

GF CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
from Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking by Kelli & Peter Bronski

1/2 pound (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp GF vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups Artisan GF Flour Mix (or your favourite blend)
2 3/4 tsp xanthum gum
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Cream the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla in a mixer, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated
Add the flour, xanthum gum, baking soda and salt. Mix until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Using a cookie scoop or a teaspoon, drop dough balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets (or in batches, if using only one cookie sheet).
Bake for 8-10 minutes [cakebrain’s note: I baked 8 minutes] until lightly golden on top. Let the cookies rest for 5 minutes on the cookie sheets. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

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A CHRISTMAS EVE POEM

photo source

I have been channeling William Carlos Williams today and have written an original poem dedicated to you, my faithful readers and followers. Thank you for sticking with me through my kitchen renos...it seems like forever! In the New Year I envision a reinvigorated energy in my groovy new kitchen. Join me again in January for more food porn and baked goodies. I will unveil my finished kitchen photos in January!

I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve Poem

by Cakebrain from Cake On the Brain

so much depends

upon

a lone butter

cookie

glazed with sweet

icing

beside the crisp

carrot.

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KITCHEN RENO FOR CHRISTMAS

Lots of action on the reno today...my new Wolf range, new Sub-Zero fridge and my old Wolf convection Microwave and convection oven are in! I think I will christen the kitchen with a batch of cookies very soon. Fridge hookup and Ventahood hookup still need to be done so waiting on that...

Chris (left) and Peter (right) from Build Momentum (my cabinet gurus) helping Will McPhail (my contractor) from McPhail Renovations guide the Wolf Oven back into place.