A Take On The Chocolate Chip

Oh, camp.

One Breath. Two Breath. Three Breath, four. These chicas are wild.

For those of you who are unaware, I have been spending the past three weeks being a Camp Counselor in Monterey, CA. A beautiful place, spent with hundreds of energetic and lovely (for the most part) young ladies.

The other day was the sanctuary of my week, my 24 free continuous hours granted every glorious Wednesday accompanied simply solo with the liberty to do as I please. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my girls, and camp is a blast... but sometimes you just need a break. As a matter of fact, I think they do too. There seems to be little time to linger and enjoy what is happening right now... and as our first session is wrapping up everyone is wondering where all the time went. In short there is little time to do "things" let alone do them well or even notice when they are happening. A problem indeed. It actually becomes impossible when your daily schedule is on autopilot and consists of:

7am Wake up

8 Breakfast (although I did see a camper take an entire peach pie to breakfast this morning; so I use the term "breakfast" loosely)

9 Class 1

10 Class 2

10:55 Snack

11 Class 3

12 Lunch/Fustercluck Time

1:30 Class 4

2:30 Class 5

2:25 Popsicle Break/ Sugarfest

3:30 Class 6

4:30 Free Time (Squeeze in hygiene maintenance, telephone calls, screaming, jumping, and maybe 3 seconds of sitting time)

6pm Dinner

7 Evening Activities/ Fustercluck #2

8:30 Night Meeting

9:30/10 (more like 10:30 in reality) wrestle the little ones into bed and hopefully regain sanity (usually 50% success rate)

Throw in crazy amounts of sugar, occasional disorganization and I cant flippin believe our girl's heads are still attached. Funny enough, all of this wondrous craziness was my inspiration to make some chocolate chip cookies. There is nothing that is more connected to childhood and understated than a chocolate chip cookie. We tend to dismiss them swiftly as being rather consistent, unchanging, and even boring (gasp!) using the standard ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, and chocolate chips. Its understandable how one might mistake the results of these darlings as being rather stable and unchanging. Au contrare my friends, since there is so much variety to look for in this sweet treat, I could seriously make hundreds of batches and not repeat the same flavor /texture/experience profile once. When you take the time to peer a bit closer, you begin to notice the techniques and elements that make all the difference in the world. Brown sugar lends a molasses flavor and chewiness. You want lightness and lift? Try beating your butter and sugar together on high for 4 or 5 minutos. Make your jaw work a bit more with a grainier flour and thus a denser cookie. Guaranteed chocolate in every bite, you request? Great idea... instead of adding more and risk overloading, cut up dark chocolate bars and find slivers and chunks throughout.

Its actually camp and its girls that make me think about my childhood and how I wish I would have paid more attention to the details then. The closer you begin to look at the one genre of anything the more varieties and differences unfold. So, I chose to look at the chocolate chip cookie. The other night I tried three different batches... the first too cakey, the second missing a certain je ne sais quoi, and the third just right. They will be dished out hot with milk to the girls on their last night, made with love as always, but more importantly....they are made with time. If only one notices, I'll feel triumphant, and hell if no one does... I always have my personal stash of leftovers and a chocolate laden smile.

Enjoy your time. Reading this. Baking these. And eating every morsel.

Les Cookies du Chocolat

adapted from here

1 3/4 sticks (10 TB) of unsalted butter, softened

2 TB cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup Turbinado sugar

1 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 ounces dark high quality delicious chocolate cut into various sized pieces

more turbinado for tops of cookies

Preheat the oven to 360 degrees.

Cream the butter and the sugars in high for about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides a couple times. Beat one egg into the mixture at a time, making sure each is incorporated individually. Sift your dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mix slowly to the batter, reserving a teence for the end. Once everything is mixed up nice and neat fold in the rest of the flour mix and the chocolate chunks and slivers. We are now ready for the magic to happen.

Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto cookie sheets. Pop into the oven for around 8-12 minutes, depending on your oven and how done you love your cookies. After they start flattening a bit sprinkle some turbinado sugar on the tops...it makes all the difference. I like them when the edges are just turning brown and they are still nice and gooey. But hey, thats just me.

Enjoy with friends, family, and campers alike.

Music Pairing

Since I find it impossible to let myself recommend any camp friendly music coming out of Lady G*G*'s mouth, I will meet in the middle with Spice Girl love. Baby Spice would completely adore these cookies. And summer camp for that matter.

Girl Power.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

I miss tea. I miss tea time in New York at my old favorite spots, that have since, sadly closed. The shutdown of operations were probably major contributors for me taking the final steps to leave behind my crazy Manhattan life. But, god, if there is anything I miss from the other coast, besides Tuesday night all you can drink at Doc Holidays... its tea time.

There is something so simple and beautiful about enjoying tea with friends. It just doesn't seem right to rush tea into to-go containers. It urges you to take the pot, and sit down a while... taking your time to enjoy your day... or trying to rectify a really bad one. Indeed, there just isn't anything like tea. The times we (Schmoopie et moi) pretended to be super fancy while attempting to solve all things life... we always did it over tea. and various pots of tea. and tea lattes. green tea cupcakes. lavender bread. and tea infused cookies. Well I guess that brings me to my recette. Le cookie du the. It is a take on shortbread, but with that great bergamot flavor from earl grey tea leaves. If you love tea.... this is a must. And if you don't... just give it a shot. They're truly special.


So have a treat, invite a friend over, and remind yourself sometimes you just need to take the time. So why not do it over deliciousness. Maybe the Brits did get something right afterall.

Early Grey Tea Cookies

adapted from The Kitchn

These are so, so simple. You can make (and bake) them, start to finish, in about 30 minutes. (minus refridge time) I used tea from an organic tea bag, but I'm sure loose leaf would work just as well....if not better.

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea leaves

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp honey

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Begin the wonderfulness by pulsing together the flour sugars, salt, and tea leaves in a food processor. You want the tea leaves to be finely ground.


Ina separate bowl beat your butter up and then add in the vanilla and honey until combined. Finally add in your dry mixture until everything is uniform. Roll your dough into a log and place in the refridge. Wrap it up... in parchment or plastic, to avoid other smells being absorbed. Chill for about 30 minutes.


When ready preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the dough from the refridge and slice off quarter inch segments off the log. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until they just are turning brown. Enjoy... with tea.







Music Pairing


"Glamorous" by Fergie


This song always makes me think of my favorite tea friend. Too many good times were spent swifer-ing the floors and sipping tea over this tune. Plus, you cant help but feel first class fanciful with tea. and tea cookies.

I Did Not Bake This...

I repeat. I, Stephanie Stein did NOT bake this dense, delicious, walnut cranberry, whole grain loaf. But I wish I did. I did, however, take a crucial part in the consumption of it. And I'm damn proud of it.

After leaving Paris behind, and regretfully my addiction to good bread (and believe me, not by choice), I have come along a great bakery, right here, within a lengthy biking distance from my house in California. Double yay!

So,again I didn't bake this, and have no recipe to give you, but what I can do, is share the gloriousness of this place with you. That is if you happen to be somewhere in northern/central California strongly craving delicious bread. Its my new favorite, and if you aren't somewhere close to here, then please plan a visit.

Did I mention its a winery too? Just sayin...

Tarte au Citron REMIX

fantabulous photo compliments of Miss Megan W Moore

So this time I did things a little backwards. Sitting at the comp listening to le musique on the wondrous Grooveshark, I was smiling so hard listening to M Ward (also the smiles no doubt credited the gloriousness of the weekend too) I decided to let the song dictate the recipe. No thought really, just listening and then whatever came to mind... smiles, sun, bike rides, and ah yes, a lemon tart. Et plus...le chanson: "Chinese Translation" par M. Ward.

I think its partially because I have just wanted an excuse to make a tarte au citron. Ive been thinking about it since I left Paris and their cute little sunshine tartlets with "citron" written in a white chocolate cursive over their tops. My mom is going to kill me, when she sees yet another dessert sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting for her to make sure the lines from the last slice are as straight and clean as possible, usually meaning a sliver here and there to even everything out. Its true that the poor pies, tarts, crumbles, cobblers (not to be confused with the shoe man) always need a bit of help when it comes to upkeep and we, the Steins, have dedicated ourselves to never let one let itself go, you might say, until there isn't a crimbly crumb left. Its funny though how no frittata, Shepard's pie, or any of the like never needs any straightening like the glazed foodstuffs do. I guess sometimes you just do what you can, and when it comes to straight lines and the absence of crumbs, I guess we will just stick with the suga.

Tarte au Citron ReMix with Almond Meal Crust

adapted from Mr. David Lebowitz

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of one lemon, grated
1/2 cup raw sugar (such as turbinado)
6 TB butter
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

One pre-baked Almond Meal Tart Shell (recipe to follow)



You are ready to commence!

In a small saucepan, heat the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and butter until everything is melted together. Keep on low heat.

In a separate bowl whisk together your eggs and yolks. To this eggy mix add about a couple TB of the buttery sugary mix to temper. Once you have warmed the egg mix whisk the two mixes together in the saucepan over low heat. The mixture should thicken, but be sure to stir constantly and attentively so you don't get scrambled eggs.... not a welcome attribute of a tarte au citron I say.

Once you see whisk marks in your curd (this should have taken about 10 minutes), pour through a strainer right into your pre-baked tart shell. Let this set up for a couple hours so you have a nice sturdy tart. Finish with shaved white chocolate...trust the frenchies on this one. Enjoy with puckered lips...


Ah, yes, to make the crust (or 2).....

Sweet Almond Tart Crust

adapted from Mr. Pierre Herme

Now, lets try something new. To get things just right when you are baking..whether it be bread or crusts, you need to start doing the gram things. I know, I know. I was intimidated at first too. But why? Its so easy. I guess it was letting go of my cute stainless measuring cups that I have grown accustomed to and reaching for my mom's digital scale that hasn't been used in a creep's age.* One definite benefit is the precise number flashing at you on the screen, ensuring accuracy time in and out. Yay for something new.

285 grams sweet (unsalted) butter
150 grams raw sugar (such as turbinado)
100 grams ground almonds
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
500 grams white whole wheat flour

Beat da butta. until creamy. Then add in your sugar, ground almonds, salt, vanilla, and eggs and beat on medium speed in a kitchen aid until things are just Incorporated. Then, take your flour and add, bit by bit, at a low speed. Et viola... you have your dough. Refrigerate at least for 2 hours or up to 3 days. This also keeps in the freezer....just transfer to the fridge about a half day before rolling.

When ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Now, formation. It depends what you are making the crust for, but for this particular recipe, I like to keep the dough fairly thick (around one inch) to counterbalance the intensity of the lemon. Flour your work space as needed, as well as the top of the dough. Roll dough out to desired thickness. Place in your desired vessel (mine was a medium sized square Pyrex) and it took approximately took 20 minutes to finish with a nice goldeny brown tone. Don't forget to stab the dough with a fork before baking. Once it has cooled, pour your citrus filling dans le centre et refridge ou mangez tout suite! Comme vous voulais....


Now... if you have managed to wait long enough to let your tart set, take a slice, turn on the aforementioned tune and skip around in circles trying not to stumble over your clumsy feet. There is nothing like good music, citrus tarts, sunshine, and a great spring day. If I ever open a cafe, each time someone orders a tarte au citron, the above will commence. They might think I'm a wacko, but again....I'm just gonna run with it.


*not exactly sure what this is suppose to mean....but just roll with it.

Homemade Wheat Thins

I am extremely close to getting banished from the kitchen. It isn't really the constant mess or flour, butter, and sugar's daily appearance on the grocery list. Its more my mom's (me too! me too!) sugar addiction. I'm not sure one would actually qualify it as a problem, per se, but we...

1) would gladly swap most main courses (steaks, caviars, cheese, etc etc) for a 50 cent Reese's or any type of cookie

2) cant say no. I mean, we can... but we're really not that into it.

So, to keep myself sane (and my poor mother that wakes every morning saying "Arghhh... I don't feeeeeel good. You have to stop this") I just needed to re-evaluate my approach to baking. Do I always have to bake a cake, double chocolate tarte, or cookies? Well, I will ignore my instinctual answer and give a more sanity based: no. So, as I wanted to bake the other day I came across a recipe for wheat thins. I love wheat thins! So I swapped the butter and sugar for some salt and whole wheat flour and got to business rolling out these cute and salty crackas.

Whole Wheat Thins (Homemade!)

Makes a whole-lotta

The idea of making a cracker and then storing them in old Lipton boxes, thankfully not occupied by those sad tea bags any longer, was really fun and exciting. The first go around, I didn't roll the crackers thin enough and I made them too large, so they weren't as snappy as the original. But by golly, the second time, they turned out just like the Nabisco boxed version... except better. Well at least that's what my mom said, but I'm sure shes just encouraging my new direction of butter-less baking. But I really must say, the wheat thins, well, they tasted like wheat thins. Quelle surprise I say! Lets roll....

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar (I like turbinado/sugar in the raw)

2 tsp salt (plus more for tops)

3 TB olive oil (et plus pour les tops)

3/4 cup milk

And let us begin. Take your white whole wheat and white flour and sift them together into a rather large bowl.

(this is the flour. and the bowl.)

Add the salt et sugar and remix.

Add a little of this (the olive oil). Combine oil and dry mixture with fork until it resembles tiny pebbles.

Then add a little of that (the milk). Mix together so it forms a ball. And there is your dough. Now how easy was that? Well, I don't think I forgot anything...

Take your dough and roll it out on a floured surface until it is fairly thin.... let's say about the size of a wheat thin or your favorite snappy cracker. The thinner the dough, the crispier it will be.

I used a pizza cutter and a straight edge to get these squares. Then I brushed the tops with olive oil and sprinkled them with salt .... the signature of the wheat thin. (Tip: It is easier to brush the dough with oil before you cut them, but be careful not to brush the sections that are leftover from the squares as you gather the misfits and roll those again to make even more)

I forgot to tell you earlier, but set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the squares on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes... although I check mine about every 10 minutes or so. They are done when they are golden brown.

Let crackas cool on a rack and Enjoy! Take that Nabisco.

Music Pairing

"Gone, Gone, Gone" from the soundtrack Crazy Heart. Because these thins aren't hanging around the kitchen for too long (forgive the corniness s.v.p.)... and like all the other music pairings... its just an excuse to post some more great music....or crappy stuff that I just like.

Blueberry Oat Pan-a-cakes

Far from the perfect (looking) pancake. But hell, I think they're charming. The taste, on the other hand, glory god (or whatever they say) is definitely there.

So if you hadn't noticed already I love experimenting with what "normal" people might dub as peculiar ingredients. Teff? Whats that? Ill take it please. Quinoa Flour? Next cake thank you very much. Once you have baked for a while, the white flour/sugar thing becomes a little boring... or at least to me. There are endless amount of kooky concoctions waiting to be found out there... the sweetness of oat flour pairs really nicely with its opponent the sour lemon, buckwheat's nuttiness with strawberry I particularly like, and well, I still have yet to try the quinoa flour.... but I promise to have something for you soon enough. Hanging out in the bookstore yesterday, I came across Good to the Grain by Kimberley Boyce, a great book if you are thinking of expanding your pantry to include more complex flavors when it comes to grains. So many people hastily characterize whole grains as heavy and strange tasting, but when done right they can actually make a more complex and often times lighter and more delicious end result. Et plus, its really fun. Its sort of like experimenting in the science lab.... but you can eat the result without calling poison control.

Anywho, I am always looking for a reason to make something, so this morning I decided to make some pancakes. I originally wanted oatmeal, but then i became bored with my lack of imagination. Plus, its spring, and although I adore oatmeal... please! Lets break out with something new. I still wanted my oats, so I pulsed them in the food processor to make a course oat flour and combined it with some white-whole wheat flour (a milder grain is used to make this flour, but its still 100% whole grain) so I wouldn't loose the flavor of the oats yet still have a partner that is a little more exciting than just your plain white stuff. Blueberries, yogurt, milk, and some other stuff later.... viola! The french would hate me, then love me after when they were caught swiping up the last bit of syrup with their cakes. C'est pas chic but oh so fun.

Blueberry Oat Pan-a-Cakes

inspired by 101 Cookbooks' recette

makes about 9 medium sized pancakes

I have been quite out of pancake practice, so my #1 mistake (in cooking et plus) is always being too impatient. When pouring the dough onto the hot pan, relax a bit until the top bubbles, then flip and let cook until the cake is done entirely through. The more patient... thus only flipping one time (it took me a couple tries to calm down a bit in anticipation) the more fluffy and airy. Happy Flippin.

1 TB ground flax seed

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup roughly ground oats (oat flour works too)

1/8 cup turbinado (cane) sugar*

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 pinches of salt
1/2 cup whole yogurt

3/4 cup reduced fat milk
1 egg

1 TB melted butter (plus more for pan)

Handful of blueberries (fresh or frozen...plus more for topping pancakes)

maple syrup for serving

and if you are feeling really fancy....whipped cream

First prepare the oat flour if you are making the flour from rolled oats. Take a generous 1/4 cup full of rolled oats and pulse them in a food processor until the consistency resembles a slightly clumpy flour. Take the oat flour and mix in with the other dry ingredients... flax seed, white whole wheat flour, sugar, baking soda + powder, and saltiness. In a separate bowl mix the yogurt, milk, butter, and egg. Beat together and then mix with the dry ingredients. Finally, stir in the blueberries verrry carefully. Wouldn't want to upset them.

Take a large cast iron or non-stick pan and turn the heat to medium. Place a bit of butter in the pan and when it has melted and seems a little steamy pour your batter onto the pan in whatever size or shape you want. I only know of two: 1) the circle or 2) the three circles combined to make le Mickey Mouse. When the batter starts getting bubbles (remember be patient!) all over the place, wait a bit more and flip. You get just one flip! Cook until both sides are browned but not burned. It might take a couple to get it just right. Enjoy with maple syrup, more blueberries, and if you love colored sprinkles, then that's okay too.

wait for it mr...... a tad longer...

Music Pairing
"At the beach" by the Avett Brothers
Blueberries and Oats make me whistle and smile. Listen and you'll understand.


*note. If you find it, for some strange reason, unnecessary to buy minimally processed sugar, start out swiping "Sugar in the Raw" from your local cafes and restaurants. Many US establishments have them, and once you have collected enough (I would say around 10 or 15 packets) you can start experimenting in this recipe and you will be won over for sure. Its so much better than its bleached distant cousin. Unless you try a souffle. That's for another time. I'm out... a la prochaine.

Le shortcake aux Fraises

Um. I highly doubt this.

Mostly because that involves some sort of censoring/curtailing of actions and/or mouth that I am just really not that in to. I saw this book today while I was just screwing around like I normally do in the mornings, and it inspired this post. I mean, manners are really not fun, and I this was especially prevalent considering the happenings of last night.

I, Stephanie Stein, do love a dinner party. Or so it has been said.

What I do not love, are guests that are obxnious, too loud for their own good, and/or phony.

I knew I was in trouble last night when this incredibly annoying man that I will call by his actual name, Incredibly Annoying Man, arrived at our doorstep with two bottles of wine and a lecture starting immediately with how gracious he is. To continue, Incredibly Annoying Man talked about how wonderful my mom and I were before we could make it past the door mat. He then continued to make "joke" after "joke" about how my mother looks like my sister... and it just never recovered from there. After we talked about I.A.M and his virtues through the rest of dinner I chimed my glass with my fork and ceremoniously re-dubbed him I.A.S.R.M. or rather, Incredibly Annoying and Self-Righteous Man. If there is anything that makes a dinner party go south real quick its a phony. And babies.... but thats a whole different story. But, I managed... because I got to make dessert. And there wasn't anything fake about it. Introduce le strawberry shortcake. And I wouldn't have minded throwing it in this guy's face. And I don't care what that manner book says...that would have been fun.

Recette: le Shortcake aux Fraises

Adapted from Mlle. Martha Stewart

serves 6

3 pints of strawberries

juice of one lemon, preferably picked off/stolen from your neighbor's tree

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

1 heaping TB baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 TB cold unsalted butta

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla

1 TB powdered sugar

1 1/4 cup plus 3 TB heavy cream

1/4 cup milk

Ok, so here we go. Wash off your strawberries and cut off the cute tops and slice them in half. Throw or place them in a bowl with the juice of a lemon... minus the seeds please. They no taste so good. (If unable to steal from your neighbor's tree, you may steal one from the supermarket... but please buy it from the farmer's market) Mix together with a 1/4 cup of your very natural sugar on let sit for about an hour. It should be a little saucy.

Now for ze cake. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. And yes you may bake it and eat it too. In fact, since you baked them you may have double. Anywho, whisk together the flour, baking powder, remaining sugar and salt in a medium size bowl. Cut up the chilled(very important!) butter and add it to the mix. Then take a fork or a pastry cutter and work the butter until the mix resembles a course meal. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup plus 2 TB cream. Add the wet to the dry, slowly, and mix gently with a fork until it is just combined. The goal is to handle the dough as little as possible.

Transfer the goodness to a floured, flat surface of choice and roll out the dough until it is about one inch thick. This is so much fun... flour in your hair, the air, everywhere really... Once you have it all nice and rolled then dip your circular cookie cutter (mostly any moderate size will do) in flour and cut up your lil cakes. Make sure when you press out the cakes that you press, then twist the cutter. This will give the cakes little ripples that will help it aerate and rise.

The oven should be ready by now, and if its not, its broken and you should call someone, so line your baking sheets with parchment and plop the cakes on there. Beat egg yolk and TB of cream together and brush on top of the cakes. They should bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

Have I ever mentioned how much I adore parchment paper? I don't know what it is... maybe the easy, the old-fashiony look, or the diffused light it encourages.... but simply put, it just rocks. I love it so much I'm thinking about wallpapering my room with it.

Right before serving place the remaining cream in a bowl with vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat on high until cream is whipped and makes soft peaks. Serve with cakes and strawberries.

Et viola... le shortcake aux fraises:

Bon Appetit!

Music Pairing: "I Tought I Saw Your Face Today" by She & Him. Even though I sometimes think I am the only person on the planet that can be slightly irked by Zooey Deschanel, there is no arguing she is the cutest thing dans le monde. And you have to have cute music when eating shortcake and drinking tea. I tink it just goes.

A la prochaine.