Dulce de Leche Oat Bars from The Sparrow's Home

Dulce de Leche Oat Bars - made June 7. 2024 from The Sparrow's Home 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups oats

1 can dulce de leche

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine.
3. Add baking soda, salt, flour and oats, mixing until just combined.
4. Press half of the mixture in the bottom of prepared pan. 
5. Place dulce de leche in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until just spreadable, 30-45 seconds.
6. Spread dulce de leche in an even layer over oat layer, leaving a small border around the edges. Drop small pieces of remaining dough over the dulce de leche, pressing in gently.
7. Bake for 23-28 minutes, until top is golden brown. Cool completely before cutting and serving.

When I send out care packages to deployed military service members, I typically do a combination of brownies and various types of cookies. Summertime gets a little more tricky as I'm often sending it to desert-climate countries in triple-degree heat so whatever I send has to withstand extreme temperatures and long mailing times. 

Brownies typically still work fine as long as you don't do any cream cheese-type mixins. Dairy doesn't do well in high temps. I'm hoping dulce de leche does do well, although it's dairy, being that dulce de leche is caramelized sweetened condensed milk. I've been able to successfully send magic cookie bars which has sweetened condensed milk as a topping so fingers crossed that dulce de leche also holds up.

This is an oat bar with dulce de leche as a layer. You make the oat bars, spread half as the bottom layer, cover with dulce de leche then "crumble" the rest of the oat mixture on top. This is one bar cookie you don't want to underbake as part of the texture comes from baking it long enough for the oat topping to get a little crunch. Which then pairs nicely with the smooth creaminess of the dulce de leche.  

I thought this turned out pretty well as the sturdiness of the oat bar perfectly complemented the creamy sweetness of the dulce de leche. It does get slightly messy as the dulce de leche doesn't "set". It remains creamy. The advantage of dulce de leche over caramel is that the texture doesn't change when exposed to heat. Caramel can set and become hard or too chewy when exposed to baking heat but dulce de leche fares better. It doesn't necessarily make for the cleanest slices though so you may want to chill the whole bar before cutting if neatness matters to you. 

Crumbl Cookies review #72: Chocolate Toffee Cake and Cookies & Cream Cheesecake (tester)

Crumbl Cookies review #73: Chocolate Toffee Cake and Cookies & Cream Cheesecake (tester) - visited June 10, 2024

Chocolate Toffee Cake

I got two things from Crumbl this week and neither one was a cookie. I had already tried the Chocolate Milkshake (although back then they called it Chocolate Milk and that was a leftover flavor from last week) and I didn't want any of the other cookie flavors in this week's lineup.

I've been trying to keep an open mind about the non-cookie cake offerings since I enjoyed the Tres Leches one so much. Hope springs eternal that Crumbl will release something equally as good. But, alas, the Chocolate Toffee Cake is not it.

Much as I (surprisingly) liked the whipped cream topping on the Tres Leches Cake, I didn't like it on the Chocolate Toffee Cake. I dislike whipped cream on cakes because you technically should be refrigerating anything with whipped cream. But when you refrigerate a cake, it'll have a dry mouthfeel. The Tres Leches avoids this by being soaked in three milks. The chocolate toffee cake does not.

I found the cake dry when it was chilled and when I let it come to room temperature, it was better but then I didn't like the texture of the room temperature whipped cream. The cake itself also wasn't that special. At the risk of sounding snobby (and let's face it, I'm a baking snob), this is something I - and probably most people - can make on their own. No need to pay $5.98 ($4.49 for the single cookie price + $1.49 upcharge for the cake) for a simple chocolate cake that was neither spectacularly rich or fudgy.

What also killed this cake for me was something I thought I would like the most and that was the caramel. It was too pale and a bit grainy, signs that it hadn't been cooked long enough to get the real caramelization and flavor. I don't know if my store didn't cook it long enough or if this is just how Crumbl corporate directs them to make it. My store rarely makes mistakes though so it literally could be either. But the caramel didn't save the cake and actually detracted from it by being undercooked.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

Last week, I don't think there was a tester, at least none that I saw when I checked last Wednesday. Surprisingly, when I randomly checked this past Monday, my store did have a test offering on both Monday and Tuesday. So I don't know if this is a one-off or if Crumbl is no longer doing testing on Wednesdays but letting the store decide. 

Either way, against my better judgment (let's hear it for sweet-tooth greed), I got this Cookies and Cream Cheesecake tester. It's against my better judgment simply because I don't like cheesecake. Cream cheese is too tangy for me and cheesecakes aren't worth the calories to me. So this probably isn't fair for me to review because of my anti-cheesecake bias. As objectively as possible, I'll say if you like cheesecake, this might be worth it to you. You can't go wrong with an Oreo cookie crust. The cheesecake itself was a little firm; I think I would've preferred it to be a little softer and smoother but that's a personal preference.

Because I'm not a cheesecake person, I haven't eaten enough cheesecakes to be that discerning about it. Was it the best cheesecake I've ever had? No. It wasn't the worst either but I don't think I've had more than a dozen cheesecakes in my life. For me, this is tangy and I just don't enjoy the tang of cream cheese. I can take it in cream cheese frosting if you put enough sugar in it to counter the tang but not in an actual cheesecake. For Crumbl and cheesecake fans, the $5.98 (again, single cookie price + $1.49 upcharge) might be worth it. For me, it was not. I'm glad I tried it so I can make an informed opinion about it but this isn't something I'd get again. 

Everything Brownie Cookies from Cookie Madness

Everything Brownie Cookies - made dough May 13, 2024 from Cookie Madness

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 2/3 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt plus a pinch

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/3 cup light corn syrup

5 Oreos, chopped into chunks

1 1/2 cups mix of dark chocolate and white chocolate chips

Any other add ins you prefer (toffee bits, cookies and cream bars, etc)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the top half of a double boiler set over hot water, melt unsweetened chocolate, stirring until smooth and completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the cooled melted chocolate and mix to combine. Beat in the corn syrup and vanilla until combined. Add egg and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to keep mixture even textured.
5. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined and no floury streaks remain. Fold in chocolate chips and Oreo chunks. 
6. Portion dough into golf-ball size dough balls and flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw. Let rest on baking sheets for several minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. 

If you want an excellent fudgy cookie that isn't cakey, look no further. This reminds me of the chocolate cookie from Levain Bakery in NYC or, as I like to call it, "baked fudge". It's a little rich so I'm glad I made them small but the white chocolate helps cut some of the fudgy richness.

Whenever you bake with white chocolate, if you don't want them browned from baking, tuck the white chocolate pieces inside the cookie dough balls and, as soon as you take them out of the oven, press a few white chocolate chunks gently over the top of the baked cookies. Then let set and cool.

The only thing you have to watch with these is to actually time them since it's hard to tell by appearance if they're done. Err on the side of underbaking rather than fully baking or overbaking as chocolate sets once it cools and that'll give you the fudgy texture.

Crumbl Cookies review #72: Coconut Cream Pie Cookie

Crumbl Cookies review #72: Coconut Cream Pie Cookie - visited June 4, 2024

I love coconut; coconut cream pie is one of the few custard-y pies I actually like, mostly because of the filling. When it comes to Crumbl, their banana cream pie cookie is still one of my favorites. So I had high hopes for the coconut cream pie cookie as well.

Alas, my hopes were dashed when I ate the actual cookie. The filling itself was good, albeit I scraped off most of the whipped cream topping as I still don't like whipped cream. But I liked the coconut custard.

No, what ruined this cookie for me was the crust. Either it had been overbaked or else Crumbl didn't use the same pie shell recipe as they had for the banana cream pie. My taste buds aren't the most discerning in the world but the mouthfeel was so dry that I wonder if they've started using shortening or - ugh - margarine instead of butter in their pie shell? Cheaper ingredients and it shows. Dry, dry, dry. Plus the taste of the cookie shell just wasn't good. It lacked flavor, hence why I think there's less butter or butter has been substituted for something more inferior.

I really wanted to like this cookie. To the point that, in case I just got a bad one and it was simply overbaked and that I should try again, I'm tempted to get another one later this week and see if it's any better. I have until tomorrow to decide since this is on the menu until tomorrow (reminder that Crumbl is closed on Sundays) but right now my inclination is "no". If that really is how this cookie is supposed to be, I don't want to waste not only another $5 but the calories just aren't worth it. 

Coconut Butterscotch Cookies from The Daring Gourmet

Coconut Butterscotch Cookies - made dough May 17, 2024 from The Daring Gourmet 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sweetened dried coconut flakes

1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda nad salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until pale yellow and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until smooth and combined, 3-5 minutes.
4. Add egg and vanilla; beat on low speed until combined.
5. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Fold in coconut and butterscotch chips until evenly disbursed. Portion into golf-ball size dough balls and evenly space on prepared baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw.

I was in Thailand earlier this year for vacation, on a tour. One of our stops just outside of Bangkok was a coconut sugar farm where they showcased various coconut products. My main souvenir shopping when I travel to new places, when possible, is to buy local ingredients I can use for baking later on. I bought this bag of coconut chips to try out in a future recipe of coconut cookies.

I hung onto the bag for a couple of months, trying to find *the* recipe to use it in and decided on this one from The Daring Gourmet. To my recollection, I hadn't tried a coconut butterscotch combination and thought it would be interesting to see how it turned out.

The results are slightly mixed. The dough handled beautifully and didn't spread much in baking. In fact, I worried they wouldn't spread at all. This is one of those doughs you want to pat the cookie dough ball into a slightly thick disc for even baking. I baked it from frozen dough to keep the thickness but you may be able to skip the chilling and freezing step without too much risk of spreading.

The flavor itself was amazing. Good brown sugar caramel overtones and the butterscotch paired beautifully with, in this case, the more neutral flavor of the coconut. The only jarring note is I don't think using the coconut chips I brought back from Thailand was the right addition to these cookies as the chips were a little too chewy and bland. Regular sweetened flaked coconut might have been better, albeit you risk adding a little too much sweetness to the cookie.

But still, I enjoyed this cookie and will have to make it again with regular coconut. I think the brown sugar caramelization of the cookie along with the sweetness of the butterscotch chips and the chewiness of the coconut make this one a winner.

Restaurant Review: Papa What You Cooking in Reno, NV

Restaurant Review: Papa What You Cooking - visited February 10 and 24, 2024

I am woefully late in posting a review on Papa What You Cooking. I first heard about it this past January from two different people, one who recommended the desserts and another who suggested it as a way to support a local, Black-owned small business. 

It’s located in downtown Reno in a building that once housed the post office, in The Basement, in, naming-logically enough, the basement floor, along with other small businesses. It's more "cafe style" than restaurant as you place your order at the counter (both times I think I was helped by none other than "Papa" himself, a very pleasant gentleman), grab a seat at one of several small round tables if you're dining in and your order is brought to you shortly.

Shrimp & Grits $13.60

The first time I went there, I got a couple of small pies to go (more on those below). But I hadn’t tried the actual food so I invited another friend to try it out with me for lunch. On that second visit, I got the shrimp and grits plus the cornbread which you can get as a separate order.

Cornbread

Both were delicious. I liked the shrimp and grits; the serving size was perfect for lunch, albeit quite filling. The shrimp were large and the grits were nice and buttery. 

But what I really love about Papa What You Cooking are the desserts. On my second visit, the cake on special was Key Lime Pound Cake. Now I’m not a big fan of key lime but, having had the coconut pineapple cake the first time around, I thought I’d give the key lime pound cake a shot. I’m glad I did as it was delicious. The key lime flavor wasn’t overpowering but nicely balanced. It was the texture that won me over though as it had a perfect pound cake texture. Soft but not hard or dry. This is probably the closest I’ve had to a pound cake similar to Icing on the Cake in Los Gatos, CA. And you know Icing on the Cake is my favorite bakery so that’s high praise.

Key Lime Pound Cake

My first visit to Papa What You Cooking was a drive by to pick up a couple of desserts to try. I was seeing a show at the Pioneer Center across from The Basement and swung by Papa What You Cooking to see what it was like. Some of my Black friends swear by sweet potato pie so I got the sweet potato pecan pie version. Fortunately it’s sold in the individual size.

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

And it was every bit as good as I expected. I’m normally leery of custardy or mushy pies but this one was good. Not overly spiced and the pecans added a nice balance to the texture as well as the flavor.

But hands down, my absolute favorite was the coconut pineapple cake. I love coconut cake and while I like pineapple on its own, I don’t normally care for it in cakes. This cake changed my mind but only this cake. The texture was amazing, not too light or too dense but soft and chewy. I loved it. It’s pretty hearty and the serving size was generous so I couldn’t finish it in one sitting but that wasn’t for lack of trying. 

Coconut Pineapple Cake

“Papa” makes different flavors of cakes that he sells by the slice and so far I haven’t chanced on the coconut pineapple cake again. I’m also hoping to come upon the German Chocolate Cake someday. Good thing it’s no sacrifice to keep stopping by and checking out the dessert specials of the day. I’m nothing if not persistent. If you’re ever in downtown Reno, this is a great local small business to support, especially if you like a good slice of cake or pie.