#BakeDaySunday: Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wow, this #bakedaysunday thing is getting pretty regular for me! Haha. Good thing I’m not broke…  yet.

Anyway, last Saturday, I decided to make cookies again. It’s been a while since the last time I baked a chewy batch, and well, I kinda missed it.

The original plan (there’s always an original plan lol) was to bake a simple, no-fuss batch of chocolate chip cookies. However, sometime between checking my flour supply and preparing my tools, I changed my mind. Suddenly, I thought, “Hey, why not try coffee cookies?”

So I searched for an easy yet foolproof recipe for a delicious batch of coffee cookies. I stumbled upon a recipe that combines coffee and chocolate chip, and I thought, “Heyyy that’s even better!” So, I combined my two loves: coffee and chocolate. I got so excited!

The recipe calls for a chilled dough, so I prepared the batter first then baked the cookies the next day… which is Sunday. So my #bakedaysunday is still intact. Hehe.

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Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Recipe courtesy of Crunchy Creamy Sweet)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Procedure:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2 minutes will do).
3. Add coffee granules to the butter mixture. Mix well.
4. Add the egg. Beat until just combined.
5. Add the flour mixture all at one and mix for 5 seconds only.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips and mix the dough with a spatula until the flour is fully incorporated. Remember: do not overmix!
7. For best results, chill the dough in the fridge overnight. If you’re in quite a hurry, 2 hours will do.
8. Baking time! Preheat oven to 375 F.
9. Place the scooped cookie dough (I used my 1 tbsp measuring spoon for this) on a cookie pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Leave some space for each dough, cos your cookies will spread once baked.
10. Bake for 8-10 minutes (but in my case, it took me 15 minutes… idk why haha)
11. Done? Cool them first on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool.

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Disclaimer: the original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, but I ran out of any vanilla, so I didn’t include it. The cookies turned out great, though, with or without vanilla. 😉

The cookies were awesome! I definitely felt my two loves combined in one crispy cookie. ❤ Not too sweet, not too bitter, and not bland at all! I was really satisfied. 🙂 I baked little ones for my officemates, and they didn’t even last half a day. Haha.

I’ll definitely buy vanilla extract soon, but I’m glad that tiny detail didn’t screw up my #bakedaysunday. Thank you so much, Crunchy Creamy Sweet for the terrific recipe!

Happy blogging (and baking!)

(PS: All photos are mine; please do not use without my consent. Thank you!)

(Mis) adventures of a cupcake rookie part III: Coffee Cupcakes

The newbie baker is back! 🙂

I’m actually a bit excited to share my third cupcake baking experience with you folks. Why? Because this time, I chose my favorite drink in the world as my cupcake flavor— and the outcome is really good!

I looooooove coffee. I started appreciating its wonders when I worked as a part-time barista in Starbucks. Being exposed to different kinds of coffee beverages (pure black or Frappuccino) made me realize how amazing coffee really is. Since then, coffee would always be in my everyday routine. If I go on a day without drinking coffee, I feel kind of incomplete.

That’s why when I stumbled upon a super simple coffee cupcake recipe, I immediately saved it in my laptop and happily waited for the weekend to come… and here we are! (I owe my coffee cupcake knowledge to Divya of Easy Cooking (thank you so much!). Click the link to see her recipe and step-by-step procedure.)

I really liked this recipe because I already have all of the listed ingredients! I’m still saving up for my Boracay trip next week, so the fact that I don’t have to buy anything really helped me (and my pocket) a lot. 🙂

Okay, now the cupcakes. They were so easy to make and, in fairness, they taste great! Aside from their “mocha-like” taste, I really like the texture and firmness of the cupcakes. My past attempts weren’t so great— first ones were mistaken for brownies, and the second ones were “too airy and soft.” So I’m proud of myself for finally doing things right. 🙂

Oh, by the way, these cupcakes are great on their own— frosting or no frosting. But since they’re a bit too plain for me (in terms of appearance), I decided to dip some of them on my leftover chocolate ganache. The taste is, well, acceptable, but I think I prefer the plain ones. Lol.

So there… my third attempt to bake awesome cupcakes. Surely not the last time, too. 😉  Stay tuned for more (mis) adventures!

♥ Janey

8065 Coffee Shop: A Sumptuous Take Two

Date: Sometime in March… (forgive my memory lapses)
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Told you I’ll be back for more.

Well because the coffee shop’s very near from our place, my sister and I decided to have our lunch here after an hour of “walkajog.” And oh, this is the cool toy shelf I mentioned in my previous blog post:

Nice, right? It really adds a “home-y” feel to the place. There are also great paintings displayed on their wall. You know, it would be really nice if you check it all for yourselves. *super wink*

(A doodle made by my niece, Eurich)

Anyway, for our lunch, we tried some of their paninis: the bacon and ham panini. And for my drink? This time, I had a mug of caffe latte for a change.

The latte’s a relief compared to the last drink I had here.   The espresso’s just right (not a bad shot!), and its blending with milk is so awesome. The coffee didn’t overpower the milk and vice versa. The temperature’s not too hot anymore; plus, they’ve done a latte art! Super additional points for that!   Hope they can make my face out of the foam next time. Lol.

Now for my lunch. The ham panini’s such a delight to my tastebuds! It’s freshly made with greens on the side. What more can I ask for a lunch?   The ingredients are superb— the crisp bread binding the ham, melt-in-your-mouth cheese and pesto (spinach) together… fulfillment to my digestive system. I also love the salad with nuts; it’s like the perfect contrast yet effective combination.

Same goes with the bacon panini— it’s equally tasty and great based on my ever trusty tastebuds.   In fact, I can finish both paninis in one sitting!

This experience is definitely not the last. Like I said on my previous post, you might just spot me sitting on one corner. Yes, expect me to be one of their regular customers.   See you all there!
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This blog entry can also be seen at http://meekalexyproject.wordpress.com. Follow us there! 🙂

8065 Coffee Shop: Accessible Caffeine Bliss at its Greatest

Coffee 8065, located at 2nd Floor Veca bldg., Estrella St. cor. Chino Roces Ave., San Antonio Village, Makati

Date: Sometime in March (I can’t remember! :O)
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What’s up, guys?   I’m so excited to share this place with all of you, for it’s my awesome hangout from now on.

It’s Coffee 8065 (or 8065 Coffee Shop, dunno which is which (though their FB page’s name is Coffee 8065, so…)), an “extension of the 8065 legacy,” as their brochure says. Created by the same people behind the very successful 8065 Bagnet, this newest coffee tambayan in town is, actually, just like any other coffee shop which offer different beverages and pastries. But what makes them stand out from the rest: the ambiance itself.

The place is just so cozy; you can fall asleep on the couch. It’s a little bit deserted when we went there, and the baristas said that the place doesn’t get too crowded with customers often. It’s normal; the coffee shop just opened last January, and it doesn’t have enough recognition yet. So, I hope that with this blog, the shop can gain more people. I’m telling you, it’s so cool!

(Look! You can also doodle on their cups here, and they will surely display your masterpiece on their shelf!)

Anyway, the shop has that “acoustic” vibe. Dim lights and a guitar and chair on the corner… it’s just like an acoustic bar in there. True enough; sometimes they have bands playing for the customers. So rad!   Also, when you get to visit the place, check out the extensive display of toys on the shelf! It really adds extra coolness to the place. (Picture to be posted on the next post… yes we definitely came back for more Coffee 8065 moments!)

Okay, moving on… (hahaha) This place offers the basic beverages you can find in other coffee shops. They also have pastries such as cakes and cinnamon rolls, and they also make paninis and pesto pasta. Plus, you can eat your bagnet dishes there. Since the shop is just a walking distance from the original 8065 Bagnet, they can deliver the savory bagnet to you even if you’re in the coffee shop. Less hassle (since the restaurant is oftentimes crowded) + chill atmosphere = superdy duper great, right?

(Oh geez… just too many cinnamon rolls to handle!)

For our first visit there (which was 10 in the evening, with my sister and niece), we ordered nice cups of hot chocolate and caffe mocha, and slices of blueberry cheesecake and chocolate mousse cake.

(Caffe Mocha)

Well, I have to say: their caffe mocha is good! My sister liked it so much (better than Starbucks, she said. Lol), though it wasn’t that hot because of the whipped cream. Nevertheless, the blend tastes good and the espresso really mixed well with the chocolate. *thumbs up*

(Hot Chocolate)

Now I hate to say this, but their hot chocolate wasn’t exactly how I expected it to taste like. It’s a bit watery and bland. The flavor is not that strong (I mean I barely tasted the sweetness of the chocolate) and it’s too hot, in fairness. It actually left the tip of my tongue sore for the next two days. I’m not that satisfied with my order, but it doesn’t diminish my amazement to this place.

(Blueberry Cheesecake)

(Chocolate Mousse Cake)

These cakes are the perfect combination to any drink. The Blueberry Cheesecake tastes just right and the Chocolate Mousse Cake is not too sweet— not so nakakaumay for us cake lovers. Plus, their slices are really reasonable! *another thumbs up*

This place really hit the right spot for me. Aside from the fact that it’s super near our place (meaning I can hang out here almost every day), they have free and super fast wi-fi! How’s that for the coolest coffee shop ever?

I must say, I will really keep coming back to Coffee 8065. It’s comfy, the service’s good, the baristas are super friendly (as in I mean it), and the whole place just screams “awesomeness” in just a glance… and let’s not forget the free wi-fi.   Plus, their prices are really affordable! Click this for the full menu!

(Yours truly, enjoying her first buys at the coffee shop. *thumbs up*)

(With the super duper friendly and accommodating baristas, Shane and Nick… and my niece Eurich, too. Lol)

Definitely more awesome moments to happen and be done in this coffee shop.   Who knows? You might just spot me there, writing another blog entry for this crazy site!

Visit www.8065coffee.com for more details about this “kewl” coffee place!
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This blog entry can also be seen at http://meekalexyproject.wordpress.com. Follow us there! 🙂