Category: DESSERTS

LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS ~ LEMON LIME CHEESECAKE BARS ~ BLOOD ORANGE CHEESECAKE BARS

I found this recipe in an issue of Fine Cooking, just can’t remember which one LOL. I tweaked it very little and it is one of our new favorites!
I’ve also made it using Limes, Lemons & Limes and Bloody Oranges.  We liked them all, but by far, the Lemon Lime combo was our favorite.
You’ll notice in the picture with the pan that there is a very strange looking apparatus in the curd.  That is an AS SEEN ON TV automatic stirrer that I picked up at Big Lots.  I really thought it was going to be like so many other gadgets and go by the wayside, but I was wrong!  This is the best gadget I ever indulged in.  It’s battery operated and is like a second pair of hands in the kitchen.  All those recipes that call for “stirring constantly”are now handled by this gadget and turn out beautifully!

LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARES

8×8 straight edge pan

2 pieces of parchment paper 8 inches wide x 16 inches long

  • Alternately overlap the parchment pieces so that they cross each other and fold over all 4 sides.
  • Push the parchment into the edges and the corners making a straight crease.

CRUST

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Graham cracker crumbs

  • Using a fork add graham cracker crumbs until mixture resembles wet sand.
  • Press into the bottom of prepared pan.

CHEESECAKE

1 pound cream cheese, softened at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 LARGE eggs

  • Combine the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until well blended.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition until completely smooth.
  • Pour into prepared pan.

CURD

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, strained twice

1/2 cup sugar

2 LARGE eggs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

  • Whisk together the sugar, eggs and lemon juice until sugar is completely dissolved.
  • In a small non-reactive sauce pan cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until steaming, but not boiling. The mixture will have thickened.
  • Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until butter is melted.
  • Pour through a sieve to remove any lumps.

ASSEMBLY

  • Preheat oven to 325˚
  • Prepare crust.
  • Prepare cheesecake portion.
  • Bake 40 minutes or until sides are slightly puffed, cake is not too jiggly and center is dry to the touch.
  • While baking, prepare the curd.
  • Remove cheesecake from oven.
  • Pour hot curd on top of cheesecake and lightly spread to even out.
  • Cool 20 minutes on rack.
  • Move to the refrigerator and chill 5-6 hours or overnight before serving.

BANANA RAISIN NUT BREAD

BANANA RAISIN NUT BREAD OR CAKE
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, 1/2 soft & 1/2 melted
2 jumbo eggs
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins, currants or craisins
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
2 large, RIPE bananas
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • Combine the melted butter, brown sugar and bananas in a sauce pan.
  • Cook until smooth and then add nuts and raisins.
  • Stir until well coated & set aside to cool.
  • Cream softened butter, sugar and eggs until fluffy.
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
  • Add this to the creamed mixture gradually until well blended.
  • Add cooled banana mixture.
  • Pour into greased and floured pan(s)*
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 45+ minutes.

*This recipe will make 2 large loaves or 1 cake. If making bread, skip the frosting.

FROSTING (optional)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
juice of 1 small lemon
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

  • In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  • Add lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until blended.
  • Add powdered sugar gradually until well blended and smooth.
  • Refrigerate 1 hour to set icing before serving.

BANANA RAISIN NUT BREAD OR CAKE – RECIPE REWIND

BANANA RAISIN NUT BREAD OR CAKE
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, 1/2 soft & 1/2 melted
2 jumbo eggs
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins, currants or craisins
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
2 large, RIPE bananas
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • Combine the melted butter, brown sugar and bananas in a sauce pan.
  • Cook until smooth and then add nuts and raisins.
  • Stir until well coated & set aside to cool.
  • Cream softened butter, sugar and eggs until fluffy.
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
  • Add this to the creamed mixture gradually until well blended.
  • Add cooled banana mixture.
  • Pour into greased and floured pan(s)*
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 45+ minutes.

*This recipe will make 2 large loaves or 1 cake. If making bread, skip the frosting.

FROSTING (optional)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
juice of 1 small lemon
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

  • In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  • Add lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until blended.
  • Add powdered sugar gradually until well blended and smooth.
  • Refrigerate 1 hour to set icing before serving.

BAKING PARTNERS #5 – SHAPED DINNER ROLLS & HOLIDAY CAKES

We are a group of home bakers helping each other to achieve baking perfection.  Baking partners was begun by Swathi at Zesty South Indian Kitchen.

 

Baking a homemade bread, cake or cookies will give the best outcome. However in order to achieve the best results, a  perfect recipe and the right techniques are required.

 

 

We are a small group of home baker friends, who love to bake and want to learn more about the nook and corners of baking.  We are planning to try out recipes from books/magazines and cooking shows.  Every member gets a chance to present their choice of recipe and share important points with the rest of the group. The main purpose of this group is to learn the techniques, critic procedures if there are ways to improve and to eat delicious food.

I’m making up for last month, which was shaped dinner rolls and we had to choose 3 shapes, and I failed to post during the move.  This month’s theme is holiday cakes and I chose the Brazil Nut cake.

For the dinner rolls I chose Lion House, Clover Leaf and small braid knots.  I loved the Lion house and small braid knots, but my clover leafs were embarrassing.

Loved the Brazil Nut Cake!

Faye Levy Chocolate Sensations, HP Books Inc., USA, 1986, p.22-23
Chocolate –Brazil Nut Cake
1-1/2 cups Brazilian nuts (about 7 oz)
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup Sugar
¼ cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup (6 oz) unsalted butter slightly softened
6 eggs separated, room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Chocolate Honey Frosting
½ cup whipping cream
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
6 tablespoons (3 oz.) unsalted butter, slightly softened but still cool
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon honey
Garnish
¼ cup Brazil nuts chopped
  • Preheat oven to 350F(175C).
  • Toast nuts in a shallow baking pan in the oven for 10 minutes. Transfer nuts into large strainer. Rub nuts against the strainer with a towel and remove most of the skin and keep aside.
  • Melt chocolate in double boiler or heatproof medium bowl over hot, not simmering, water over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth, remove and set aside to cool.
  • Butter 9”x3” springform pan, line base with parchment paper and grease and flour the sides of the pan.
  • Grind the nuts with 2 tablespoons sugar into a fine powder. Transfer into a bowl and sift flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly.
  • Cream butter and 6 tablespoons of sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy. Add one egg yolk at a time and beat till all 6 are blended and pale. Stir in the melted chocolate.
  • In another bowl beat egg white and cream of tartar in medium speed until it forms soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat till white are stiff and shiny but not dry.
  • Gently fold in 1/3 of the white into the chocolate flour mixture, repeat folding in batches until batter is blended.
  • Transfer batter into prepared pans and bake for 40 minutes or till the tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Using a spatula go around the cake gently and invert onto a cake rack and allow cooling completely.
Frosting
  • Bring cream to a full boil in a small saucepan remove from heat and immediately.
  • Add the chopped chocolate. Stir quickly till the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature.
  • Whip this at high speed till it thickens and becomes pale.
  • Cream butter in a medium bowl until it is soft and smooth, gradually add the chocolate mixture and honey and beat well
  • Using a long spatula spread frosting evenly on the side and top of the cake.
  • Fill the center with chopped Brazil nuts.

Pretzel Toffee, great recipe for those that cannot eat nuts

Recipe rewind, because in the beginning there is a blogger who has no readers. She still posts great food in hopes that the readers will come……….you can also view it here in the archives, Sunday March 27, 2011.

I am a real sucker for the sweet/salty combination. If you are, you must make this. Or at least remember this recipe, for those times when you need a treat, a gift for others, or a project to work on with someone special.

Me and pretzels go way back, I eat them often. I offered this delicious Roasted Pretzels snack some time ago. So falling hard for this pretzel toffee, was very easy!

Pretzel Toffee
adapted from: My Kind of Cooking

small twist pretzels, a 9oz bag will be more than plenty
1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
2 c chocolate chips, a 12 oz bag

Line a 10X15 inch jelly roll pan with foil. Cover the surface of the foil with pretzels, leaving no empty spaces. Set pan aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium size sauce pan, melt butter, stir in sugar. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, allow to boil 2 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to keep a bubbling boil. Do not cook longer than the 2 minutes.

This is the boiling stage you want to maintain for the 2 minutes.

Pour butter mixture evenly over the pretzels, carefully place pan into the oven. Bake 7 – 10 minutes.

Check after 5 minutes to make sure the sugar mixture is not getting too dark around the edges.

Remove from oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over the surface.

Let stand 10 minutes, carefully spread chocolate over surface of the candy.

Let cool, then refrigerate to chill. This will assist in breaking the toffee into pieces.

Break toffee, place in decorative bowl and watch the compliments come your way. This is seriously good!

As always thanks for taking a minute to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments!

For more great recipes, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

Christmas Cookie Exchange, yummy favorites

If there is one treat that is a symbol of Christmas, it is a the cookie. Preferably a plate or tray of cookies so everyone gets some! Because everyone wants one, or two or more. Years ago I hosted a cookie exchange and it was a lot of fun.

More recently I had a cookie exchange of a different kind, we did not share baked cookies, we share prepared cookie dough. Then each person could bake when fresh cookies were needed. And today I am going to share a cookie exchange of yet a different type, virtual cookies.

I have had a love affair with cookies my whole life, I even wrote about it in this delicious recipe for Cranberry Bliss Bars, yep just like Starbucks.

I like to have a variety of cookies for my family and guests. Something with chocolate, something with spice and something a little more festive. The festive is taken care of with the Cranberry Bliss Bars, but if you are looking for something different, how about Brownies? 
Yes I know Brownies are usually considered to be rather tame, and one of those everyday foods that we have come to rely upon. But add a special ingredient and Brownies are upgraded to first class. I used some very happy cranberries when I made these, but chopped candied cherries would make a great substitution.
Every cookie tray needs a chocolate chip cookie. Now speaking for myself, it took me many years to make a chocolate chip cookie that I was proud of. Yes I always made the cookie recipe on the back of the Nestle package and they were tasty, but they did not bake up attractive. And sometimes the dough would “run” and the cookies would be more taffy than cookie. Yet I made the recipe the same, each time. Then one day I found this recipe and knew I had struck gold. 
And now for a bit of spice. I am a fan of gingerbread and gingersnaps. Yet for some that is too much spice. For those that prefer a softer spice flavor, I offer Cinnamon Flats. Not only are these delicious, they are fun to make with the little ones in your family. After rolling in cinnamon sugar the dough balls are “pressed” with a potato masher before baking. 
Let’s see, something special, something with chocolate, something with spice, ahh yes, now something with nuts. How about Saucepan Salted Pecan Squares or maybe Grandma’s Peanut Butter Bars….because not only are these delicious they are a no-bake cookie. Perfect to whip up when your oven is already in use.
How about at your house? What do you put out for family and guests? I would love to have your recipes also, leave a link in the comments. 

As always, thank for taking a moment to stop and say hello. We appreciate your time and your wonderful comments.

For more great recipes, come and visit us at Our Sunday Cafe!

HOT CHICKEN SALAD

serves 8-10
HOT CHICKEN SALAD
4 cups cubed cooked chicken 1 Costco rotisserie chicken torn into pieces
2 celery ribs sliced 4 celery ribs, chopped
2-8 ounce cans sliced water chestnuts, drained (I only had one can and it was great)
1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can green enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise 3/4 cup REGULAR mayonnaise (do NOT use lowfat)*
1 1/2 cups sour cream 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice Juice of 1 lemon (it was a large lemon – closer to 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/2 cup Panko crumbs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used finely grated SHARP cheddar) 
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, 1/2 cup Almond Accents honey roasted sliced almonds**

  • In a large bowl combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, enchilada sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper until well blended.
  • Add chicken pieces, celery, water chestnuts, almonds and onions until well combined.
  • Turn into a greased casserole.
  • Top with bread crumbs and then cheese.
  • Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes or until heated through.

NOTES:
*I cut this in half for continuity because the enchilada sauce was much thinner than the cream of chicken soup
**from the produce section – a salad topper

BANANA / BLUEBERRY COBBLER

I found this recipe over at Frugal Antics of a Harried Housewife and instantly fell in love.  I made it and it was instantly all gone. 

BANANA COBBLER

Author: 
1 cup self rising flour
¾ cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 stick butter, melted (next time I’ll use 6 tablespoons)
3 small or 2 medium bananas
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 stick butter, softened (next time I’ll use 6 tablespoons)
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I added)
½ cup self rising flour
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (I added)
  • In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and milk until smooth.
  • Add the melted butter.
  • Spread the batter into a greased 11X7 pan.
  • Slice bananas evenly over batter.
  • In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
  • Sprinkle over bananas.
  • Bake at 375 ˚ for 40 minutes or until filling bubbles.
  • Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
We loved it.  But what I personally loved was the basic template of the recipe.  So I tried the same base recipe, but traded out BANANAS for BLUEBERRIES and you know what? It was awesome.  But what was really awesome was that even though the base was the same, the flavor was unique!

BLUEBERRY COBBLER

1 cup self rising flour
¾ cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 stick butter, melted
1 BAG FROZEN BLUEBERRIES OR 2 BOXES FRESH
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 stick butter, softened (next time I’ll use 6 tablespoons)
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I added)
½ cup self rising flour
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (I added)
  • In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and milk until smooth.
  • Add the melted butter.
  • Spread the batter into a greased 11X7 pan.
  • Slice bananas evenly over batter.
  • In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
  • Sprinkle over bananas.
  • Bake at 375 ˚ for 40 minutes or until filling bubbles.
  • Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

BLUEBERRY LEMON SAUCE CAKE

This is another recipe from crazy aunt Louise – loved that lady! Remember the Corn Flake Wreaths she made us for Christmas, well she always made this Blueberry Lemon Sauce Cake for 4th of July. She was a serious creature of habit. Thanksgiving always brought her cheesy garlic grits, but I’m still working on perfecting that one – maybe I’ll have it ready for Thanksgiving. I make this in an 8×8 baking dish, but it easily doubles for a 9×13. My sauce turned out quite pale today so I added a little yellow food coloring. LOL I say a little, but from the looks of that picture I added a little too much.

BLUEBERRY LEMON SAUCE CAKE
CAKE
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
Juice of 1 small lemon
scant 1 cup flour
scant 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Jumbo egg
1/4 cup milk
1+ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  • In a mixing bowl cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice until well blended.
  • Add egg and beat until light and fluffy.
  • Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk and blend until smooth.  Batter will be thicker, like a coffee cake consistency.
  • Fold in blueberries.

SAUCE
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
Juice of 2 lemons

  • Over a medium-high heat whisk together the water and cornstarch in a saucepan until smooth.
  • Add the butter and allow to melt.
  • Add the sugars and salt, stirring until dissolved.
  • Add lemon juice and rind.
  • Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until desired sauce consistency.

Ultimate Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies

Last month I joined Baking Partners.  We are a group of home bakers helping each other to achieve baking perfection.  Baking partners was begun by Swathi at Zesty South Indian Kitchen.

Baking a homemade bread, cake or cookies will give the best outcome. However in order to achieve the best results, a  perfect recipe and the right techniques are required.
We are a small group of home baker friends, who love and want to learn more about the nook and corners of baking.  We are planning to try out recipes from books/magazines and cooking shows.  Every member gets a chance to present their choice of recipe and share important points with the rest of the group. The main purpose of this group is to learn the techniques, critic procedures if there are ways to improve and to eat delicious food.
This month’s theme is Cookies.  We were given 3 recipes to choose from and since the reveal date is my birthday I chose the recipe I liked best for Ultimate Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies from Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito selected by Tina of Pinay in Texas from Food & Wine Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes Vol. 14.  This was an excellent choice – crunchy outside, smooth and creamy inside – a very unusual cookie texture, but wonderful!

Ultimate Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened slightly
4 ounces Cream Cheese at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  • In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. 
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar – beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
  • Beat in the eggs, heavy cream and vanilla until blended. 
  • At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients.  Add the melted chocolate and chocolate chips and beat just until incorporated.  
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  • Scoop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them two inches apart. 
  • Bake for 12 minutes until the cookies are just set; shift the baking sheets for top to bottom and front to back half way through. 
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
Note: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cupcakes  
Yields 12 delicious cupcakes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup salted butter, firm but not cold – just beginning to soften
1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon white vinegar

  • Preheat oven to 350˚. 
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and baking soda, set aside. 
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 -5 minutes. 
  • Add in eggs one at a time stirring after each addition. 
  • Now stand back and add red food coloring and vanilla extract and mix until combine. 
  • In a small bowl combine milk and vinegar. 
  • Add milk mixture and flour mixture to cupcake mixture, alternating in two separate batches, mixing until combined after each addition. 
  • Divide batter evenly among 12 paper lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 2/3 full. 
  • Bake in preheated oven 20-23 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. 
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool about 2 minutes in muffin tin, then transfer to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container to cool completely (this just helps them retain more moisture). 
  • Once cooled completely, spread generously with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup salted butter, firm but not cold (if using unsalted add 1/8 tsp salt)
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

  • In a large mixing bowl, using and electric mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese until pale and fluffy (about 1 minute on high speed, then 3-4 minutes on medium high speed). 
  • Mix in vanilla extract. 
  • Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. 
  • Frost and go wild – add nuts, sprinkles or cookie crumbs.

Ultimate Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies

Last month I joined Baking Partners.  We are a group of home bakers helping each other to achieve baking perfection.  Baking partners was begun by Swathi at Zesty South Indian Kitchen.

Baking a homemade bread, cake or cookies will give the best outcome. However in order to achieve the best results, a  perfect recipe and the right techniques are required.

We are a small group of home baker friends, who love and want to learn more about the nook and corners of baking.  We are planning to try out recipes from books/magazines and cooking shows.  Every member gets a chance to present their choice of recipe and share important points with the rest of the group. The main purpose of this group is to learn the techniques, critic procedures if there are ways to improve and to eat delicious food.

This month’s theme is Cookies.  We were given 3 recipes to choose from and since the reveal date is my birthday I chose the recipe I liked best for Ultimate Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies from Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito selected by Tina of Pinay in Texas from Food & Wine Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes Vol. 14.  This was an excellent choice – crunchy outside, smooth and creamy inside – a very unusual cookie texture, but wonderful!

Ultimate Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened slightly
4 ounces Cream Cheese at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  • In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. 
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar – beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
  • Beat in the eggs, heavy cream and vanilla until blended. 
  • At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients.  Add the melted chocolate and chocolate chips and beat just until incorporated.  
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  • Scoop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them two inches apart. 
  • Bake for 12 minutes until the cookies are just set; shift the baking sheets for top to bottom and front to back half way through. 
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
Note: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.