Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate crinkle cookies are rich, decadent treats with a delightful crackled appearance. These cookies are characterized by their soft and fudgy texture, encased in a coating of powdered sugar that creates a striking contrast against the dark chocolate dough. The cookies have a deep cocoa flavor with hints of sweetness, making them irresistible to chocolate lovers. As they bake, the dough spreads and cracks, resulting in a beautifully crinkled surface that adds to their visual appeal. Chocolate crinkle cookies are perfect for satisfying sweet cravings and are often enjoyed during the holiday season or as a special indulgence year-round.

Ingredients:

- 2 eggs

- 70g oil

- 100g brown sugar

- 40g white sugar

- 50g cocoa powder

- 100g cornstarch

- 50g flour

- 8g baking powder

- Cornstarch (for coating)

- Icing sugar (for coating)

Instructions:

1. Mixing the Dough:

   - In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, brown sugar, and white sugar. Mix until well combined.

   - Sift in cocoa powder, cornstarch, flour, and baking powder to the wet mixture.

   - Mix until a smooth dough forms.

   - Cover the dough and place it in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours to chill.

2. Preparation for Baking:

   - Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

   - Prepare two shallow bowls: one with cornstarch and one with icing sugar.

3. Shaping and Coating:

   - Scoop out small portions of the chilled dough and roll them into balls.

   - Coat each dough ball first in cornstarch, shaking off any excess, then in icing sugar, ensuring they are evenly coated. The cornstarch helps absorb moisture, while the icing sugar creates the crinkle effect during baking.

4. Baking:

   - Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie.

   - Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and developed a crinkled appearance.

   - Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your delicious chocolate crinkle cookies!

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Japanese Souffle Cheesecake

When I first tried Japanese cheesecake, I wasn't a fan. I was accustomed to our dense, sweet cheesecake that we eat back in Poland. A few years passed, and I decided to make Japanese souffle cheesecake myself. I feel it isn't as bad as I initially thought! I wouldn't consider it a traditional cheesecake, but more of a cheese-flavored sponge cake, mainly due to its texture, though.

Ingredients:

50g sugar

3 eggs (separate yolks and whites)

120g cream cheese

50ml milk

30g all-purpose flour

10g potato or corn starch

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F) and line a 6-inch cake pan with parchment paper.

2. Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

3. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

4. In a bowl, combine cream cheese with sugar.

5. Add the egg yolks to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.

6. Sift the flour and add it to the mixture, stirring until well combined.

7. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cheese mixture until smooth and fully incorporated.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

9. Prepare a water bath for baking.

10. Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven at 200°C (392°F) for 20 minutes.

11. After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 140°C (284°F) and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes.

12. Once baked, let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar for about 15-20 minutes.

13. Afterward, transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack to cool completely.

*For the best results, consider baking the cheesecake in a water bath to ensure a moist and even texture.

 

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are classic American treats loved for their soft and chewy texture and delicious blend of sweet chocolate and buttery dough. Made with simple ingredients like butter, sugar, flour, and chocolate chips, these cookies are easy to whip up and perfect for any occasion. Enjoy them fresh out of the oven with a glass of milk for a comforting and satisfying treat.

Ingredients:

- 1 egg

- 100g brown sugar

- 50g white sugar

- 70g oil

- 20g cold water

- 150g flour

- 50g cornstarch

- 8g baking powder

- 150g chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preparing the Dough:

   - In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, brown sugar, white sugar, oil, and water. Mix until well combined.

   - Sift in the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder to the wet mixture.

   - Mix until a smooth dough forms.

   - Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

2. Chilling the Dough:

   - Cover the dough and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours to chill. Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading during baking and enhances the flavor.

3. Baking:

   - Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

   - Scoop out portions of the chilled dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie.

   - Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges but still soft in the center. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.

   - Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

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Sichuan-style Eggplant Stir-Fry

 

If you're a fan of spicy food, just like me, you're in for a treat with this simple dish – Sichuan-style eggplant with minced pork. For a vegetarian version, you can easily skip the meat, but the real star here is the sauce!

I was a bit intimidated when I first saw the long list of ingredients, thinking it might take a lot of time. Surprisingly, though, most of them are seasonings, and the cooking process turned out to be quite fast.

Ingredients:

2-3 large eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

120g ground pork

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tsp Shaoxing wine

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ginger, grated

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tbsp water

Sauce:

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp doubanjiang

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp granulated sugar

Instructions:

1. Cut the eggplant into bite-sized pieces

2. Soak the egg plant in water with 1 teaspoon of rice wine vinegar for 15 minutes. This helps remove any bitterness from the eggplant.

3. While the eggplants are soaking, prepare the sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.

4. Heat a large pan or wok over high heat. 

5. Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Once hot, add the soaked eggplant pieces and cook them over high heat until they are lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. You may need to cook the eggplant in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once cooked, set the eggplant aside.

6. Season the ground pork with salt, pepper, and Shaoxing wine. 

7. In the same pan used for cooking the eggplant, add the seasoned pork and cook it over high heat until it's browned and cooked through. Set the cooked pork aside.

8. In the same pan, add minced garlic, grated ginger, and chili flakes. Sauté the aromatics over high heat until they become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

9. Return the cooked pork and eggplant to the pan. 

10. Pour the prepared sauce over the pork and eggplant mixture, stirring well to coat everything evenly.

11. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with water to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the pan, stirring continuously.

12. Cook the pork and eggplant in the sauce for about 30 seconds, or until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients evenly.

13. Once the sauce has thickened, remove the pan from the heat. 

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