Mad About Minis: Polenta Cookies for Two

When we went to Pizza Antica, the accompaniment to the chocolate budino was a polenta cookie. It was the first time that I enjoyed a polenta cookie, so I was really curious. It was delicious and indeed tasted like polenta but in a cookie. Ideas started to come… which can be a good (or bad) thing. Nonetheless, that experience inspired a second dessert or midnight snack.

I researched this recipe by doing my usual Maddy-thing. What is a Polenta Cookie? Is it really made of polenta? Can I Google a recipe? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow.... (oh wait, wrong question). Can I make a small batch and see if the husband enjoys it? 

I found an Italian Polenta cookie recipe from Martha Stewart, and thought one cannot go wrong with Martha.  I used the ingredients as a base, but combined some of my single serve recipe proportions (like my single-serve chocolate chip cookie) for reference.

My original recipe was admittedly for a single cookie. However, after making it the first time, I decided to make cookies for two. Reserving it for a “photo shoot”, the cookie mysteriously disappeared and I found my husband was quite happy. I think I can put two-and-two together. Nevertheless, that answers the question of whether my husband would enjoy it.

Here’s what I ended up with. Let me know what you think... and we can tweak it together.

Mad Gourmet’s Polenta Cookies for Two

Based on Martha Stewart’s Italian Polenta Cookies

Ingredients:

• 8 tsp of AP Flour
• 4 tsp cornmeal (I used medium grind for texture)
• Pinch of salt
• 4 tsp butter
• 4 tsp of white sugar
• 1/4 tsp of lemon zest/juice
• 3 tsp of egg whites
• Drop or two of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together dry ingredients.
3. Combine wet ingredients to dry. Mix until combined. (Sometimes, I even obsess and combine them before adding – depending on my mood to clean one more dish)
4. Split into two cookies and put on a greased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
6. Cool for at least 5 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Verdict

Obviously, my husband enjoyed this cookie and I loved it too. It’s a great break from our usual chocolate chip or sugar cookies. The hint of lemon is perfect with a cup of tea or a chocolate budino.

Most importantly, it was close to what I had in Pizza Antica.

Mad About Minis: Single-serve Chocolate Chip Cookie

I had to work an all-nighter this week for a software deployment. You see that’s my day job: I used to be a coder. Now, I do not code anymore, but still stayed in the field and late night deployments are usually par for the course. Now, I usually just keep my fingers crossed and wait for testing.

What that has got to do with cooking.

Nothing, but baking is a different story.

In the middle of the evening, I had a craving for a chocolate chip cookie, but did not have any on hand (I should have been more prepared). Since all the stores are closed by this time and I had a bit of time before testing, I decided to make one.

I baked this cookie before (the last time I had a late night cookie craving), and it hit the spot. I think I ran into this recipe in The Instructables via a Google search, and it certainly was a great starter recipe. 

It certainly met my criteria: It's an actual cookie, not a mug cookie; chocolate chip; and lastly, single-serve. Since it is already summer, I do not want to warm up my big oven, so I just used my toaster oven.

I also did some tweaks that I found in an article in InStyle Magazine (Yes, the fashion magazine) and some from my own. I changed the mix-ins to be a combination of chocolate chips, nuts, and toffee, since I love a nutty chocolate chip. I was satisfied with the results. I hope you will be too.

Mad Gourmet’s Single-Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie

Based on the recipe from The Instructable's Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp All-purpose Flour
• 1 Tbsp Rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Tbsp Water
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp Vanilla
• pinch of salt
• pinch of baking powder
• 2 Tbsp of mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, toffee - whatever you want)

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter.
3. Dissolve sugars in butter.
4. Add vanilla and water to butter-sugar mixture.
5. Combine flour, oats, salt and baking powder. Mix.
6. Combine wet ingredients to dry. Mix until combined.
7. Add your mix-ins.
8. Form cookies and bake. You can make one large cookie or two smaller ones. Bake on parchment paper or a greased baking pan (The latter is my preferred method – ends up in a crunchier cookie) 
9. Bake for about 13-15 minutes (Temparatures in toaster ovens vary, so just check after about 13 minutes).
10. Cool for about 5 minutes before enjoying. Serve with milk (or almond milk).

Note: This is great for Saturday night binge watching too. You can binge on the shows, but not on the cookies. Actually, I may make one more batch tonight.  It's also good to share with your significant other... or not.

My next mission - make chocolate cookies. Stay tuned.