I’m not sure these photos do these cookies justice: they are HUGE. I mean, big. I mean wicked big. So big, in fact, that I used Ghiradrdelli Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers instead of chocolate chips … but as chocolate chips, just really big ones. They are crispy and golden on the edges and still nice and chewy in the middle. A serving is likely only one cookie (they are 1/4 cup each, 4 inches / 10ish cm in diameter!)
My mum has an expression for “leftovers” that loosely translated from German as “sideways through the refrigerator”. I was almost going to call these “Sideways Through the Pantry” Bars, because I am using up a whole lot of odds and ends: chocolate chips, mini-marshmallows, nuts, Chex cereal. They did end up sort of “Rocky Road”-ish with the chocolate and marshmallows though, so I went with that instead. Definitely gives these time to set up… For some reason, the chocolate took forever to harden!
The story of this loaf of bread (condensed version): I’ve been meaning to make this style of bread for a while, but always forget the overnight rise, so remembered last night at about midnight that I was going to start it. I really must have messed up the water to flour ratio (I think I put in 2 cups or more of water, when it should have been only 1 and a half cups). But I figured I’d run with it, put it in the fridge and this morning — well, while it had risen, it was a gloppy mess. I almost didn’t even bake it up, but thought at the last minute that it would be a waste of good flour if I didn’t even go through the entire experiment.
Into the pre-heated Dutch oven, in the oven, it went at 450F. I had no faith.
But then, after 40 minutes, I opened the lid to a lightly tan, but certain the right shape and with a semi-crusty crust loaf of bread. Fifteen minutes later, uncovered, it was beautiful, risen, crusty and frankly, quite lovely looking. I mean, if you think bread is pretty. 🙂 While the crumb / consistency was a little too dense and chewy, not all was lost and I am completely sold on the “baking bread in a dutch oven” method. Gets out your Le Creuset, kids — I’m going to do some more bread baking (without messing up the water/flour ratio next time)!
Ever have a craving for something random, so that you go to the store to get all the ingredients, get home and then realize “Nah, not in the mood anymore?” That is sort of what happened with these. I had a Rice Krispies Treat craving (I should have just bought the already-made ones and eaten one in the store parking lot), but then … well, let’s just say I decided to dress them up a bit with chocolate chunks, caramel bits and pretzels. I was going to call them “Everything But the Kitchen Sink Rice Krispies Squares” but I would have had o throw in peanuts, Oreo pieces and Doritos…. lucky for you, I didn’t have any of those around!