Quinoa CCC Cookies

This summer, I spent couple weeks with my parents in India and fortunately I celebrated Mother’s Day in-person after almost 12 years. Since I was around, I asked my Mum for any special requests and she immediately gave me a brief (pretty sure she has been thinking about this since I informed her my travel schedule) jotted down on a sticky note - create a sweet treat using Quinoa, Whole Wheat Flour, Jaggery and Chocolate. Phew! Someone has been watching Masterchef Mystery Box Challenges…

Based on the brief and incorporating my favorite coffee and cardamom flavor combo - I made these indulgent cookies that are hard to eat just one. The pops of quinoa, the aroma from cardamom and the melty chocolate and caramel bits make these delightful accompaniment with morning coffee… although I have seen my partner sneak a few while working late night! By using vegan butter and chocolate, you can totally keep it vegan and by using your go-to gluten free flour blend you can make it GF too!

*Note: CCC here stands for - Coffee, Caramel and Cardamom

Ingredients (about 25-26 medium or 17-18 large cookies)

Dry Ingredients
230g Whole Wheat Flour (spelt flour will be great too)
1.5 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt (or fine sea salt)
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Ground Cardamom

Wet Ingredients
115g Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature (substitute with Vegan Butter)
95g Coconut Sugar or Light Brown Sugar (subsitute with 80g Jaggery and increase Caster Sugar by 15g)
50g Caster Sugar or Powdered Sugar (alternatively pulse granulated sugar in food processor for 30-60 seconds)
2 tbsp Flaxmeal (ground flaxseed) whisked with 5 tbsp Tepid Water and rested for 15-20 mins
2 tbsp Instant Coffee Powder/Granules
2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract

Filling
175g Cooked Quinoa, at room temperature
75g Sea Salt Caramel Chips (substitute with White Chocolate Chips)
130g 60% Dark Chocolate Chips or Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

Directions
🍪 Whisk all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, using electric whisk cream butter and both sugars until pale and a bit fluffy. Add coffee, vanilla and continue whisking until combined and fluffier - about 2 more minutes

🍪 Add half quantity of flax meal mixture and continue whisking until it’s combined and starts to look glossy and a bit voluminous. Add remaining mixture and whisk until everything is well combined. Now gradually sift and fold in half quantity of dry ingredients into the large bowl until no floury spots remain. Fold in remaining dry ingredients gently until a homogeneous dough is formed

🍪 Transfer all filling ingredients straight into the large bowl, gently fold and mix everything to form the cookie dough. Refrigerate for 30-40 mins and begin pre-heating oven to 195C/375F during that time. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment / oven safe silicone mat

🍪 Once chilled, using a medium or large size ice cream scoop portion out cookie dough on the lined sheet. Make sure to keep them at least 1/2” apart (optional - using wet hands feel free to smooth out the tops). Bake for 15-16 mins, transfer onto a cooling rack and devour in 3-4 mins while it’s still a bit warm. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for upto a week. Or else refrigerate upto a month - just bake at 375F (straight from the fridge) for 5-7 mins before consuming.

Dark Chocolate, Chestnut and Whiskey Torte

Amidst the cookie marathons, gingerbread house decorations, organizing holiday parties and setting up the Christmas tree, phew! This holiday season the grown-ups deserve an indulgent dessert break to treat themselves. So, here I have a rich flourless chocolate torte enhanced with a bay leaf infused chestnut paste and spiked with a peaty Irish Whiskey, finished with the real MVP - Chestnut Chantilly Cream topping. If you don’t want to make chestnut paste from scratch, then you can absolutely use the store-bought versions - just make sure to look for sweetened ones. I would highly recommend using good quality whiskey for this recipe but if you want to keep it alcohol free then just use same quantity of Apple Cider+1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste/Extract.

Ingredients (serves 5-6)

Chestnut Paste
250g Roasted & Peeled Chestnuts (I buy packaged ones from H-Mart)
160ml Whole Milk
100ml Double Cream Or Heavy Whipping Cream
40g Light Brown Sugar
20g Granulated Sugar
6-8 Bay Leaves
4 Star Anise Pods
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract or Bean Paste

Torte
125g Dark Chocolate, you can use chips or chopped up bar (I use 72% from Trader Joe’s)
125g Salted Butter
100g Chestnut Paste
70g Caster Sugar (fine Granulated sugar)
32g Whiskey (I used Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey, feel free to use your favorite whiskey. I love the smoky undertones so I think a good scotch will be fantastic)
2 large Eggs, separated
Pinch of Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Star Anise

Chestnut Chantilly
110g Chestnut Paste
22g Whiskey (I used Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey)
25g Powdered Sugar
120g Double or Heavy Whipping Cream, super cold (straight from the refrigerator)

Whiskey Syrup (optional but highly recommended)
3 tbsp Whiskey
2 tbsp Maple or Agave Syrup

Garnish

Rosemary Sprigs
Cocoa Powder

Directions
🎊 Make the Chestnut Paste - combine all ingredients in a saucepan, cook on medium heat and bring it to simmer. Simmer for 18-20 mins or until it’s thickened. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. Now, remove bay leaves and Star Anise pods and blitz everything in a food processor until very thick and smooth. To achieve a smoother texture, pass the paste through a mesh sieve using a wooden spatula (optional Step). We will need about 210g Chestnut Paste so if you end up with extra then feel free to use on toasts

🎊 Make Torte - pre-heat oven to 350F and line a 7” springfoam baking tin with parchment. Fill a saucepan with 2 cups of water, once barely simmering set up a large heatproof bowl on top and add chocolate and butter. Stir until chocolate has melted, take off the heat and add sugar and whiskey. Keep stirring until everything looks homogenous and shiny. While this is cooling - Beat egg yolks, salt, star anise and chestnut paste until smooth. Now gradually combine the chestnut paste-yolk mix into the chocolate whiskey mixture until everything is well combined. Whisk egg whites into fluffy stiff peaks, then in 2-3 batches gently fold them into the chocolates chestnut mix. Pour this into the prepared tin and bake for 26-28 mins or until just set. Let it cool completely then refrigerate until the Chantilly is ready

🎊 Make the Chantilly - combine and beat Chestnut paste, Whiskey and sugar until a smooth homogenous paste is achieved. Now whisk chilled heavy cream to medium to stiff peaks and using a silicone spatula carefully fold in the Chestnut mix. We are looking at a well incorporated dirty ivory colored thick luscious cream

🎊 Assembly and serving - Mix whiskey and maple syrup well. Bring out the chilled torte and put dollops of Chantilly. Using a spatula spread evenly, feel free to make some waves! Decorate with rosemary and a dusting of cocoa powder. Slice and serve with a generous drizzle of whiskey syrup