Wednesday 25 June 2008

Comfort Eating

I think anyone reading a food blog knows that food is comfort. And when things aren't so good, all I really want to do is mix up a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough and eat it, raw, off the spatula. (Probably not such a good idea when I have a little red bikini to fit into for next week).

But to be honest, I don't have the energy to be witty, or sarcastic, or even really remotely interesting today. I probably shouldn't be blogging (sorry anyone who finds themselves feeling inexplicably depressed after reading this) as a result, but I thought I'd explain rather than just let the blog languish; basically I have a lot of family problems going on at the moment that I don't especially fancy going into in great depth.

So instead, I'll offer you these.

These are based on an idea I had after seeing cookie dough brownies somewhere online (can't remember where; bad luck). I saved the recipe, but somewhere between first finding it and coming across it again a while ago, something very odd started happening to me. It started when I had a bite of a mars bar a while ago and found it... repulsive. It was too sweet.

I've never, to my knowledge, found anything 'too sweet' in my life. Am I getting old?

And then I made 'halfway cookies' at some point; chocolate chip cookie dough with a meringuey topping and so on... and it was just too much. I ate about twelve of them, admittedly, but only because I was trying to work out if I liked them or not (yeah, alright).

And so I made these... less excessive. Don't be disappointed in me: these are based on the cookie dough brownie idea, but obviously I used a plain (ie, not white chocolate or whatever) blondie base, and I changed the cookie recipe I used cause it was kind of spreadable, and I ended up with layers rather than blobs of dough.

The final result is gorgeous, especially fresh from the oven where the cookie-like top is thin and crispy and the blondies are slightly warm and still gooey beneath. But I can't help it. I like the blondie batter warm from the melted butter, and uncooked. When I'm maybe not feeling too hot, that, to me, is comfort.

Cookie Dough Blondies
Blondies from How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, metricised by me.
Cookies adapted from Chocolate from Parragon books


For the blondies:
120g (1 stick) butter, melted
120g (1 cup) brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
140g (1 cup) plain flour

Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare an 8x8" pan.

1. Mix melted butter with brown sugar & beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla. Add salt, stir in flour. Pour into prepared pan.

For the cookie layer:
175g (6oz) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
120g (1 stick) soft butter
90g (3oz) soft light brown sugar
5 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
125g milk (about 1 cup, semisweet) chocolate chips
. Add more chips if you want but I wouldn't go above 175g (another 1/2 cup) cause my first test of this recipe used more, and it all sort of combusted.

2. For the cookies, place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat until well combined.

3. Blob rounded teaspoons of cookie dough over the blondie batter, pressing down lightly. You'll probably have a little too much cookie dough, but I like to overdo things. Also I'm not averse to eating the leftover stuff, especially when I need cheering up.

4. Bake for about 30mins until golden brown. Allow to cool before cutting and removing from pan, but they are best fresh.




16 comments:

Anonymous said...

If this doesn't bring comfort, I don't know what does. But then again, there's your cookie dough cupcakes [which I've yet to try!]. Oh how you tempt me.

Beth (jamandcream) said...

These look like heaven. God Ive got to try these!

Abitofafoodie said...

Yum yum yum yum. I wish I could have one right now.
I hope you are soon feeling better and that these gorgeous creations helped you along!

Y said...

Yeah, you're definitely well on your way to ageing to at least 17 if you're starting to find things too sweet ;)

Hope your family problems get sorted out soon!

Anonymous said...

Wow, is all I can say! Just amazing!

grace said...

less excessive, but still quite decadent. yes, these should cure what ails ya! (and i hope they do.)

Clumbsy Cookie said...

I so need to be conforted with these. Hope they conforted you properly and you know if one doesn't do it, just eat 2 or 3 or... Very nice idea!

test it comm said...

Those look so moist and good!

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

Intriguing recipe... might just give them a go if I ever get my kitchen back.

Hope the family stuff gets sorted out.

steph- whisk/spoon said...

yum--i love blondies. i hope everything's alright at home...

Aimei said...

This really looks comforting! :)

Anonymous said...

I am totally comforted by just looking at these. They are amazing!
Have a great trip!

Sophie said...

This is a very cool concept :). I sometimes find myself wanting to eat desserts that are less sweet too!

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU SOO MUCH.

I saw this somewhere too, and I wanted to veganize them. Now I can.

so thank you :)

eatme_delicious said...

Yum yum yum!! I made brownies once that had chocolate chip cookie dough on top and those were good. I imagine these are just as delicious as they look! Hope you're feeling better soon.

Andrew & Naoko said...

those were sooo good! the blondie part & cookie part both so buttery & sugarly but too sweet...it was like a piece of heaven!!!! thanks for the recipe, it made it into my recipe book! way to go good eats!