Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie Copycat Recipe

Earlier this year Kris and I jetted off to New York for the first time,  to say I fell in love with the city is an understatement.  It broke my heart to leave and return to rainy old England, vowing to return as soon as possible.  One of the best things about NY, as I'm sure most of you that have been will agree, is the eating.  Oh man, I could have ate twelve meals a day and not got sick. The list of foodie places to visit was as long as my arm but there was one place that really stood out to me, Levain Bakery.  Just search the hashtag on Instagram and you'll know exactly why I was so desperate to taste their sweet delights.

Let me just tell you, we visited the city in the middle of January.  Cold doesn't even come into it, still we queued for over and hour just so I could get my hungry little mitts on one of those immense cookies, I mean just look at that bad boy.  I was in fat lass heaven.

If I have but one goal in my life, it is to recreate that cookie.  I will not stop until it is perfected and I'll take you guys along every step of the way.

For attempt number one, this isn't bad.  It has the height and the density of the Levain cookie but the texture just wasn't right.  The craggy, crispy top wasn't there either.  Maybe that's my fault, I forgot what I was doing and rolled the dough into smooth balls rather than leaving them Au-natural.  What was I thinking?!

Still, it's a pretty kick ass soft batch cookie.  Soft and full of tooth sticking goodness I doubt I'd find a person able to resist one warm from the oven.  

I'll continue my journey to recreate greatness but right now I'm pretty happy munching my way through a plate of these monsters.  If you need me, I'll be the one with melted chocolate all over her mouth.

Levain Bakery Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 360g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2tsp baking soda
• 1tsp fine salt
• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g light brown sugar
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs large eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 350g dark chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

1. Line two large baking trays with baking parchment and set aside. Preheat the oven to 175°C.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt and set aside. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, around five minutes. Once creamed together add the vanilla then the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Slowly add the flour, scoop by scoop until all has been incorporated. Stir through the chocolate chips and chill the dough for half an hour.
3. Scoop out 12 large mounds of dough, trying to keep them roughly round, but don't smooth them out. You want them nice and craggy. Place the mounds on your prepared sheets around 2" apart. Bake for 20 minutes or until starting to turn golden brown. Take care not to over-bake as they will loose their squidgy texture.
4. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack then dig in. Make sure you serve these cookies warm, there's nothing like it!!

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Dirty Blondies

We've all heard about slutty brownies by now, haven't we?  If not, you must have been living under a rock with your fingers in your ears, singing.  For you rock dwellers, a slutty brownie is a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough, a layer of chocolate oreos topped with a layer of brownie batter.  Filthy right?  Well what about the blondes, they can be just as naughty.  Enter the Dirty Blondie!!

These trampy blighters are just as bad as their slutty cousin, maybe even a touch naughtier!  Here we have a layer of white chocolate chip cookie dough, vanilla oreos followed by a layer of white chocolate blondie.  So sweet, so creamy, so dirty!

Look at those cheeky little vanilla oreos, peeking out of their cookie dough curtain giving you a saucy wink.  How can you resist such sweet temptation. 

Dirty Blondies

Ingredients:

For the cookie dough :
• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 250g light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 350g self raising flour
• 150g white chocolate chips
• 18 vanilla oreos
  For the blondie layer :
• 125g unsalted butter
• 225g white chocolate, broken into chunks
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 150g plain flour

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 170C and prepare a 20x30 brownie tray, or use a disposable tray.
2. For the cookie dough layer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, around five minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition followed by the vanilla extract. Add the flour and mix until just combined, stir through the chocolate chips. Press the dough into your prepared pan in an even layer. Place your oreos in rows of three on top of the cookie dough. Set aside while you make the blondie layer.
   
3. In a large saucepan over a low heat melt the butter and chocolate together. Add the sugar and stir together. Crack the eggs into a large jug and whisk up, slowly pour the eggs into the chocolate mixing as you go until combined. Add the flour and stir until just combined. Pour the blondie mixture over the cookie dough and oreos making sure everything is covered but don't over fill the tray. Bake for 35 minutes, until just set.
   
4. Allow to cool in the fridge over night before cutting into cute little squares and enjoy.

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Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes

It's a well documented fact that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.  There is truly nothing better than a long, lazy morning where you can really make a fuss of breakfast.  Endless cups of tea, pjs and a laptop full of fun articles.  The only thing missing, pancakes!

I have to admit, when it comes to big breakfasts I usually opt for the savory side of things.  Sometimes though I'll wake up with a wicked craving for a sweet treat. On days like this, only pancakes will do!

These pancakes are so super soft and fluffy, the ricotta really gives them the best texture.  Not only are they delicious but they're super adaptable too.  I can only imagine how delicious they would be with a handful of white chocolate chips and a nice grating of lemon zest.

Are they any other breakfast obsessives out there? What's on your plate first thing in the morning?

Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes

Ingredients

• 125g self raising flour
• 50g golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, seperated
• 50g unsalted butter, melted
• 150ml buttermilk
• 150g ricotta cheese
• 150g raspberries

Cooking Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour and sugar. In a large jug whisk the egg yolks, melted butter and buttermilk, pour the wet ingredients onto the dry and mix until combined.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer whip the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into the pancake batter followed by the ricotta and raspberries.
3. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Dollop two tablespoons of batter per pancake into the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes per side. Continue till you've used up all of your batter. Serve with whipped cream, extra raspberries and a drizzle of honey.

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Churros with Hot Chocolate Dipping Sauce

To me, churros are reminiscent of a good time.  A sunny day, having fun with your friends kind of treat.  I've never been sad with a churro in my hand.

That fist bite of churro is like nothing else.  They may look like squiggly doughnuts but that texture is something else, a crisp sugary shell hiding the silkiest, softest filling.  They're dangerously delicious and ridiculously easy to make, although I have no idea how people manage to make them perfectly straight.  I kinda like the wiggly wormies I managed to fry up.

The hardest part of this whole process is also the most fun.  The squeeze and snip! If you're not confident in doing this all yourself, drag in an accomplice.  You squidge the dough over the hot oil (careful now) while your frying buddy snips the dough to form lovely little crispy delights.  Giggling over the silly shapes you make is entirely optional. 

I highly recommend getting yourself a cooking thermometer for the frying process, it really takes the stress out of heating the oil and ensuring it maintains the correct temperature.  Mine was a grand total of £2.50, treat yourself!

Churros with hot chocolate dipping sauce

Ingredients

• For the churros :
• 50g unsalted butter, melted
• 250g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1ltr sunflower oil for frying


• For the sauce :
• 250g plain chocolate, broken into squares
• 150ml double cream
• 75ml whole milk
• 3tbsp golden syrup
• For the cinnamon sugar :
• 150g caster sugar
• 1tbsp cinnamon

Cooking Directions

1. Start off by making the dough for your churros. Take 350ml of boiling water and add in the melted butter. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour and baking powder before slowly pouring in the water mixture, stir as your pour to make a smooth, lump free batter. Don't be scared to give it a good beating, it can take it. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.
2. While your dough is resting, make the sauce. Take a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan and place all of the sauce ingredients in together. Melt over a low heat until you have a silky smooth sauce. Set aside.
3. Back to the churros. Take a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan or I used a big cast iron casserole pan and fill half way with the sunflower oil. Place your thermometer on the side of the pan with the bottom in the oil and heat to around 375ºF/190ºC. Mix your cinnamon and sugar together and pour onto a large baking tray ready for rolling your churros.

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Salty Honey Pie

When I visited New York earlier this year I made a big, no huge, list of places I wanted to eat.  You know, important things first.  One of the spots on my extensive foodie inventory was Four and Twenty Blackbirds pie shop in Brooklyn.  I've always wanted to visit a pie shop after falling in love with the Pie Hole in Pushing Daisies, so I was beyond thrilled to find this little beauty.  Doubly so when I discovered it was across the road from The Morbid Anatomy Museum, one of the big stops of our trip.

While indulging in copious amounts of pie I also managed to pick up a copy of the Four and Twenty cookbook, you know, so I could continue to indulge my greedy little face back home.  I decided to take it for a spin recently and just had to make their crowning glory, the salty honey pie.

This pie, ahh man, it's a sweet tooth's dream come true.  Deliciously sweet custard topped with a sprinkle of crunchy salt, it's just perfect.  Irresistible almost!

I've made this pie twice now, the first time I was feeling a little lazy and used shop bought pastry. Boo hiss.  It was a total failure, if you do decide to make this pie I implore you to make your own crust.  You won't be sorry!

Salty Honey Pie

Recipe by Four & Twenty Blackbirds Cookbook

Ingredients

For the crust :
• 120g unsalted butter, cubed
• 360g plain flour
• 2tsp caster sugar
• 80ml buttermilk
• 1/2tsp salt
For the filling :
• 120g unsalted butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 1tbsp polenta
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 250g honey
• 3 large, free range eggs
• 120ml double cream
• 2tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 - 2tsp flaked salt

Cooking Directions

1. First of all make the crust. Put the flour, butter, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl blend together with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk and stir until the mixture forms a ball. (If the mixture is too crumbly, add cold water as needed to bring it together.) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
2. Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it’s around 11" round, big enough to overlap your pie dish. Transfer the dough to a 9" pie dish, fold any overlap under itself and crimp the edges*. Cover with plastic wrap and pop in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
3. Heat the oven to 175°C. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Combine the melted butter, sugar, polenta and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Whisk in the honey, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the cream and vinegar and whisk to combine.
4. Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust and bake until the top and edge of the pie are golden brown and the center of the pie is jiggly but no longer liquid, 45 to 55 minutes. Allow to set for a few hours and serve at room temperature sprinkled with flaked salt. 

 *How to crimp a pie crust

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