Color Inspiration Daily: 04. 25. 12

Bird Painting by Neo Nakazawa (via Kristen Hewitt on Pinterest)

P.S. I used Google Translate for the artist's site. Please let me know if you see that I've made any mistakes. Thanks!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel (gluten-free)

One thing that can be a little bit tricky to get right when using gluten-free flours is a truly tasty cookie. My favorite variety is always a perfect blend of both chewy and crispy. Unfortunately that kind also seems to be the most elusive to attain. Most of the recipes I've tried to adapt have resulted in a disappointingly cakey or dry mess.

So I didn't have a lot of hope when I decided to mix up an adapted batch of Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies from Martha Stewart Living the other day. However the results were ever so tasty, and the texture was exactly what I was hoping for. Hooray! I also ended up sprinkling my cookies with a pinch of Fleur de Sel right before baking. The combination of the sweet milk chocolate with the delicate saltiness of the Fleur de Sel is scrumptious. If you've never tried Fleur de Sel before, and are wondering why anyone would pay so much for salt...you've simply got to try it to find out. It tastes amazing on everything (especially desserts - Fleur de Sel Caramels are my all time fave).

Anyhow, I've already made a second batch of these cookies and filled some of them with Jeni's Salty Caramel Ice Cream. Man, those were some heavenly ice cream sandwiches! Of course they don't need ice cream in them to be delicious. Served with a glass of cold milk, they are as close to gluten-free cookie paradise as you can get. And if you're free and clear to use wheat with carefree abandon, feel free to try that in place of the gluten-free flour. I'm sure they'll be great!

Adapted and reduced by half | Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies from Martha Stewart Living:

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH FLEUR DE SEL | GLUTEN-FREE

Yield: one dozen large cookies

Ingredients

1 1/8 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I recommend Carol's)

1/4 teaspoon baking soda (gluten-free)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon Fleur de Sel (or less - to taste), plus more for sprinkling on top

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (gluten-free)

1 large egg

1 cup fine-quality milk chocolate chips (gluten-free)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour and baking soda; set aside.
• In a medium-large bowl combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute.
• Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
• Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
• Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 
• Sprinkle a small pinch of Fleur de Sel on top of each cookie (optional).
• Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Best eaten fresh or within 1-2 days.

Enjoy!

You might also like these Free Blank Printable Recipe Cards that I shared several years ago. An oldie but a goodie!

 

Photo Trick: Even though these cookies were fresh (baked earlier in the day), the chocolate had firmed up and wasn't giving that nice oozing look that is so appealing with chocolate chip cookies. So I decided to try something odd. First I took a bite of the cookie I wanted to photograph and then blasted it with a hair dryer for a minute or two. I then took one more bite to get that "freshly bitten" look, and snapped my shots! The hair dryer did the trick!

Prop notes: Berry Basket from Anthropologie (no longer available) - currently available at Jayson Home & Garden

A Moodboard Inspired by Martha Stewart Weddings

Hi guys! I just wanted to pop by to let you know that I recently had the pleasure of putting together a pretty little moodboard for The Bride's Guide: Martha Stewart Weddings that was inspired by this gorgeous photograph from the Lemon & Mint color series in their Spring 2012 issue. Hop on over to see my moodboard! xo Ez

Photo from Martha Stewart Weddings - Spring 2012

One Good Thing: Candy-Colored Bento Boxes

It's time to say farewell to the sad paper sack your lunch has been residing in, and make meals away from home something to look forward to with a candy-colored Tekenaka Bento Box from Harabu House. Don't they look just about as tasty as all the goodies you can pack inside them?! What color would you choose? xo Ez

Color Inspiration Daily: 04. 24. 12

Sweden II Photograph by Isis / Souvenirs du Passé Récent | BLOG