Monday, February 14, 2011

HAPPY ST. VALENTINE'S DAY



Shakespeare might think that music is the food of love, but I must be very pedestrian because my motto is "If food be the food of love, eat on"!!!!!

I associate chocolate and Champagne with romance - probably because I love both, and any excuse!!  This year I wanted to make a nod to the day that's in it - despite my ongoing efforts to shed a few pounds.  To this end I searched out Ellie Krieger's book The Food You Crave - Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life (I bought it late last year and then forgot all about it - anyone else ever do that?!).  She had a lovely sounding recipe for Triple Chocolate Cookies and I thought that they would do the trick - we'd get the chocolate hit and my poor hips wouldn't become an increasing target!!

They are delicious - darkly chocolaty with an interesting (in a good way) texture, which is helped rather than hindered by the whole wheat flour.  My only problem was that Ellie said that the recipe made 24 cookies - I could only etch out 14!!  I know that I am probably failing on the "portion size" module of my diet education - but dividing the mixture into 24  would have made TINY cookies, anyway these morsels are not quite as low in calories as I might wish (!) but they have it all taste wise.  I have (of course) played around with the recipe, and this is how I made them:



Triple Chocolate Cookies

1/2 stick (2oz)        butter, softened
1/2 cup                   packed brown sugar
1/4 cup                   flavourless oil (I used sunflower)
1 large                    egg
1 tsp                      vanilla extract
1/2 cup                  whole wheat flour
1/4 cup                  cocoa powder
1 oz                       dark chocolate (about 70%) - chopped*
1 oz                       milk chocolate - chopped*


Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Mash the butter and sugars together until well combined.
Add the oil and the egg and beat until creamy.
Add the vanilla and combine.
Sift the flour and cocoa into the butter mixture (just add in any flour that doesn't go through the sieve)
Mix until fully combined.
Add the chocolate and mix well.
Place teaspoons of the mixture on the baking sheet, leaving space between the cookies. (I made mine in two batches)
Bake until they are set - about 12 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.
When cool, hide away in a tin - they are way too tempting to leave sitting around!

* I just used 2oz dark chocolate (which actually only makes these Double Choc - oops!!)

Enjoy.

34 comments:

Paula said...

And a happy day to you also!!! Agree, love the champagne and the Godivas...I am "cookied out" tho. Have been busy making treat bags for all my valentines and there has been too much snacking going on. Will save this recipe for tomorrow.

Unknown said...

lovely cookies... of course they're healthy... this is wholewheat flour after all... I haven't got my head around St Valentine this year... who needs another heart shaped cake anyway?... maybe I should do fried lambs hearts tonight?

Victor said...

Triple chocolate, triple the goodness! Look so delicious!

Roxan said...

Yum, triple chocolate? These cookies sound amazing! I saw were you mentioned that the number of cookies you got were way less than the cookbook said... I've noticed that that almost always happens to me when making cookies also. I'm actually surprised now when I get the amount that the recipe suggests.

Anonymous said...

Triple chocolate? Complete decadence...

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

Love Ellie, I have two of her cookbooks! Your recipe does sound tempting! Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you have a wonderful day, and if you'd like more dessert please stop by! LOL!!!

Mary

Chele said...

I like your thinking on this one. Have your cake (or cookie!) and eat it too ;0)

teresa said...

happy valentine's day to you too! you can't beat anything that say triple chocolate in the title!

Unknown said...

Triple chocolate - triple the yumminess :) Looks perfect for a LOVEly day as today - happy Valentines :)

Suelle said...

Triple chocolate? I can only count two - have we been robbed? ;)

They still look good, though!

Anna's kitchen table said...

I've got this book too, I really like Ellie Krieger, even her pixie hair do is cute!
You've inspired me to get my copy off the shelf and have another look through it, because I do the same as you- forget books!
I could do with some portion control and slightly healthier eating!

Brownieville Girl said...

Thanks everyone!

Dom - of all your ideas .......!

Suelle - mia copa!!, I have amended recipe now:-}

Anna, I'm really enjoying this book - I feel a review coming on!!!

Johanna GGG said...

sounds good to me - I find forgotten cookbooks in odd places and it is always a delight - just like buying a new book - but with added guilt at the neglect

Susan at www.ugogrrl.com said...

sounds yummy to me - love the triple chocolate - love any chocolate!

Susan www.ugogrrl.com

aipi said...

What a wonderful treat for a perfect day!
Happy V day to you n your loved ones :)

US Masala

Zoe said...

Happy Valentine's day! Totally agree with you the idea of associating chocolate with romances.

Manu said...

Love them, look delicious! Hope you had a lovely V Day!
LOL ♥

Chocolate Here said...

Tripe whammy! Nice.

I love love love tenny weeny cookies but lethal because they are gone without me even knowing!

Chocolate Here said...

Sorry ... I meant Triple :-0

MissCakeBaker said...

I could so eat one of those right now with a cup of tea (or champagne!)

Anonymous said...

Lovely, my portion sizes would have matched yours I think.

Kim said...

I love Ellie's recipes and these look delicious! I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's day.

Nessa Robins said...

They sound yummy!!

Anonymous said...

At least you're trying to be good. More than I can say for me! LOL They do look yummy. You cannot go wrong with any kind of chocolate dessert I always say.

From the Kitchen said...

To answer your cookbook question first--I've been known to go to my cookbook shelf and find a book that I had totally forgotten about after I shelved it! It's always a nice surprise, however! Love chocolate in any form!

Best,
Bonnie

Diana's Cocina said...

The cookies look delicious ~ Love Ellie

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to leave another comment letting you know that I've awarded you a "Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award!" Congrats!

Anonymous said...

Triple Chocolate?! Sounds so delicious! :)

Anonymous said...

I think the problem with all "diet" cookie recipes is the portion size. I made a Weight Watcher recipe once that was only 1 pt each but the cookies were no bigger than a quarter! You could barely taste them (LOL). This recipe looks easy/good. I'll have to try them.

cocoa and coconut said...

Looks like a great treat for V day - or any day for that matter. It's so funny/annoying when I eat 5 tiny little biscuits because they're so small but I tell myself they're healthy so it's okay? If that makes sense? Anyway, I think it's proof of a good recipe!

Beth said...

These cookies look good! I often have problems with a recipe making far fewer cookies than called for. Guess my cookies are extra-big too!

Anonymous said...

Hey Brownie Girl!

As usual, these cookies look like chocolate heaven! I'll have to check out Ellie's books! I am so ignorant of some of the best out there!

Now! To you, and award. I love visiting your site and seeing the new and fun things you're cooking and baking! Love the look of your blog and your banner design ... hence a Stylish Blogger Award!

Congrats!

If you'd like to play along and pass it forward to some of your fave bloggers, check out the link and snatch the award badge and do the particulars ... and keep up the good work!

http://thespicegarden.blogspot.com/2011/02/well-hoop-de-doo-thanks-chris-and-amy.html

Choclette said...

Hide in a tin? ha ha! Haven't heard of using butter and oil together before - do you think it made any difference?

Brownieville Girl said...

Choclette, I suppose you get the buttery flavour with alot less saturated fat.

Cupcake Girl, Yummy Chunklet and The Spice Garden - thank you so much for the awards, much appreciated.

Thanks everyone :-}}