Challenj #62: Let's go crazy, let's get nuts

[gominokouhai]

Once again, this week's challenj was suggested by the sempiternal donutsweeper, who accepts all responsibility in perpetuity.

Nuts! and/or nut butters. Or both! Show me what you can do.

For the avoidance of doubt, and with my mod hat on, Wikipedia tells me that

A nut in botany is a simple dry fruit in which the ovary wall becomes increasingly hard as it matures, and where the seed remains unattached or free within the ovary wall.

but this is boring, and it's worth noting that the same article already says that

The general and original usage of the term is less restrictive, and many nuts (in the culinary sense), such as almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and Brazil nuts, are not nuts in a botanical sense. Common usage of the term often refers to any hard-walled, edible kernel as a nut.

Then there's a little blue number in brackets, so you know it must be true.

This is a weekly food challenj and legumes are welcomed here, as long as you can make a reasonable justification that it's a nut in the culinary sense. No gatekeeping please.

I'mma get you all started with an old one of mine: On optimal combinations.

Nuts. Go.

Challenge #62 - Double Decker Delights

[donutsweeper]

Easy but delicious dessert I adapted from a brownie recipe probably a decade ago and the reason I suggested this challenge.

Ingredients:
2 C granulated sugar
1 3/4 C all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
5 eggs
1 C vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C peanut butter
1/3 C cocoa powder
1/2-1 C chocolate chips
1/2-1 C peanut butter chips, coarsely chopped (optional)

1) Preheat oven 350F/180C and grease a 9x13 pan
2) Combine sugar, flour and salt
3) Separately, combine eggs, oil and vanilla (I whisk them together with a fork in the measuring cup after measuring the oil)
4) Combine the dry and wet mixtures
5) Divide dough (pour half into another bowl, it doesn't have to be exact)
6) Blend the peanut butter into one and the cocoa into the other
7) Spread the peanut butter dough into the pan
8) Sprinkle the peanut butter chips on top if using
9) Spread the cocoa dough over that (this takes a bit of doing, it might not cover it completely, that's okay)
10) Sprinkle chocolate chips on top
11) Cook for 28-30 minutes

obligatory terrible photo:

I got yer nuts!

[missdiane]

I made this simple recipe the other day and it's so delicious that I'm glad to share. I can get high off the smell of these when I open the bin that I have them in

Maple Rosemary Roasted Nuts

2 cups nuts of your choice - I used one cup of raw almonds and one cup of raw hazelnuts
1 1/2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped finely (I used scissors, so much easier)
Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix butter, maple syrup and about 3/4 of the rosemary in a bowl, add the nuts and toss.
Spread the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes
Take them out and use a spatula to toss them around. Bake for 5-10 minutes longer (keep an eye on them as they can burn!) 
Remove from oven and toss on the rest of the fresh rosemary and sprinkle on sea salt
Let the nuts cool and store in an airtight container.

Challenge 62: Famous Department Store White Chocolate Chip Cookies

[moetushie]

I got your nuts right here. Two different kinds of things that end with nuts! Walnuts and coconuts! This is of course based on the Famous Department Store Chocolate Chip Cookies -- I don't know which famous department store it's supposed to be, but they remind me of the white chocolate macadamia nut cookies I used to snack on when my mom worked in the linens department at long-gone department store called Dayton's in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Anyway, I got my version from the King Arthur Flour website, which is a great resource for all things bake-y. I split the recipe in half (the original made 10 DOZEN COOKIES!!) but still made too much -- half of the dough is in my freezer, waiting for the glorious moment I need it again. I adjusted the amounts of ingredients with what I had.


1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp Penzeys baking spice (or the same measurement of baking spices you like -- pumpkin spice, anyone? -- the Penzeys blend, which I use for everything up to and including cookies, cakes, overnight oats, includes cinnamon, cardamom, allspice and mace)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup unsweetened dry coconut flakes
1 cup white chocolate baking chips

Additional sea salt to garnish (optional)


1. Line at least 2 cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

2. With a hand mixer or stand mixer (there's a lot of dough so I would recommend using a stand mixer if available) beat the softened butter with the sugars until the mixture is the consistence of soft, wet sand. Add egg, one at time, to the mixture, along with the vanilla and baking spice.

3. In another bowl, measure and mix in the dry ingredients.

4. On low, combine wet mixture with the dry, taking time to scrap at the bowl. This is a very rich cookie dough and I found myself adding a bit more flour than simply splitting the recipe would've called for. Add walnuts, coconut flakes and chocolate chips, mix until combined. Stick in the fridge for at least thirty minutes, while you heat the oven 375 *F. (Alternatively you can preheat beforehand, but I think chilling the dough while waiting for the oven to heat up is a good use of time.)

5. I used a tablespoonful cookie scoop to parcel out the dough -- the cookies are lacy and tend to spread out so don't crowd them. Sprinkle sea salt over them if using, bake. Use additional sheet if needed, or scoop out the dough, arrange on a sheet and freeze. When frozen, take out the cookie dough and store in a ziplock bag. These cookies bake up fast -- in my oven, 20 minutes was far too long while 11 was a little too little. I'd say keep an eye on it and start checking around the 11 minute mark. Mine were perfect at about 13-14 minutes.

6. Cool on the sheet for approx 10 mins (they're delicate coming out of the oven, but harden as they cool), then transfer to a rack. These cookies last about two to three days -- I assume, since they were gone by the end of the day I baked them.