In the best possible way. You see, E didn't really want to celebrate. She had a hard week at work.
Oh wait. You're confused. I have two friends named E. They both have summer birthdays. I'm talking about the E who is friends with L too.
L and I are planners. When we made Restaurant Week reservations, we plotted out our strategy via text. We texted to update each other when we were on hold... and when we got the reservations.
E's birthday was no different. We made our plans the weekend prior. L decided to infuse simple syrup with lavender and make cocktails. We agreed that I would make dessert and drop it off at L's office the morning of E's birthday so she could stash it in her freezer.
On Tuesday, I made Maida Heatter's Frozen Fudge Cake and my Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls. Everyone likes cookie dough. Everyone. And these cookie dough balls are even better. Because I dipped them in semisweet chocolate. Oh yes. I think you'll like them.
Wednesday, we joined E for a work event and played dumb ("Oh, so what are we doing for your birthday?").
Later, as I sat at a bar in the South End, I got text updates from L: She couldn't find lavender. Plan b was a basil-cucumber gin martini. And champagne. That's a good plan.
We celebrated E's birthday on Thursday with cocktails and cake and cookie dough. E made dinner too, because she is a wonderful hostess and spoils us. We sat, and talked about real estate, the Kardashians, and Vermont. And then we made our bucket list for the rest of the summer and E froze the leftover fudge cake for another evening with friends.
Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
(Adapted from Joy the Baker's Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookie Dough, Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes)
Later, as I sat at a bar in the South End, I got text updates from L: She couldn't find lavender. Plan b was a basil-cucumber gin martini. And champagne. That's a good plan.
We celebrated E's birthday on Thursday with cocktails and cake and cookie dough. E made dinner too, because she is a wonderful hostess and spoils us. We sat, and talked about real estate, the Kardashians, and Vermont. And then we made our bucket list for the rest of the summer and E froze the leftover fudge cake for another evening with friends.
Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
(Adapted from Joy the Baker's Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookie Dough, Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes)
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature (it should be the consistency of toothpaste)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cashew butter (You can use any nut butter; I like the mild taste of cashew butter)
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
Beat the butter and sugars with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in the cashew butter and the vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add it all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in one cup of the chocolate chips.
Scoop out tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into balls. Flatten each ball slightly so that each has a flat base. Place the balls on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate for forty-five minutes.
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cashew butter (You can use any nut butter; I like the mild taste of cashew butter)
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
Beat the butter and sugars with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in the cashew butter and the vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add it all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in one cup of the chocolate chips.
Scoop out tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into balls. Flatten each ball slightly so that each has a flat base. Place the balls on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate for forty-five minutes.
Melt the remaining cup of chocolate chips in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to prevent it from burning.
Dip the cookie dough balls into the melted chocolate. I find it's easiest if you hold the cookie dough ball by the flat base and rotate the rounded top through a spoonful of chocolate. And be careful -- the chocolate will be hot.
Refrigerate the balls for at least forty-minutes or until the chocolate is fully hardened. The cookie dough balls will last for several days if you refrigerate them.
Awwwwwwwwwwwww, I remember Restaurant Week. It was so great getting out and trying new places.
ReplyDeleteI just love love love this recipe. You are so right. Who doesn't like cookie dough? And chocolate covered cookie dough? Even better!
Cookie dough is just awesome. I think I'm going to come up with an egg-less cake batter next.... it'd be pretty fun to dip cake batter balls in chocolate!
ReplyDelete