Maple Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

In the last couple of weeks two random, unexpected acts of kindness came my way. The kind leaving your emotions in an almost blissful state of pure, yet overwhelming joy. The first came from a friend who shared her memory of a dinner I had made some twenty something, maybe even thirty years ago. It was then she had first learned about and tasted creme brûlée. Having someone tell you your creme brûlée was the best they ever had and nothing since had ever compared to it brought an enormous amount of joy to my day. And if that wasn't enough, her words lingered in my heart for several days afterwards. The second random act of kindness came from another friend in the form of a gift or rather I should say gifts. Have you ever received a package containing so many thoughtful, well chosen treasures you couldn't help but uncontrollably weep? If you have, you know you have been gifted not once, but twice. Each of the tangible gifts in the boxes will always remain as a reminder of the generosity and thoughtfulness of a friend. But the mere fact they were each so carefully chosen, with some even having a beautiful well worn patina, added an intangible priceless, endearing quality to them. No words have yet to be created to express my gratitude for these gifts. While we may not remember all of the gifts we have received over the course of our lives, we always remember the ones our heart feels as if it were experiencing gratitude for the first time. And no matter how much time passes, we almost always remember significant firsts.

No matter how many oatmeal cookies you have eaten in your lifetime, you will definitely remember the first time you eat this Maple Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie. If you love the flavor of maple and are a bigger fan of dried cranberries than raisins, this is the oatmeal cookie you have been waiting for. 

These cookies look and taste like something you would find in a boutique or high end speciality bakery. If you put them out on a platter, don't be surprised if someone asks you where you got them.

I am big fan of the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie already posted on the blog, but this Maple Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie is my newest crush. 

What this oatmeal doesn't have is vanilla and cinnamon in it. The absence of those two ingredients may cause you some hesitation in baking them, but trust me when I say you won't miss them at all. However, what it does have is pure maple syrup. Yes, the real McCoy, the real stuff. Not anything labeled as pancake syrup. It also uses old-fashioned oats (oatmeal), not the quick cooking kind. 

These cookies do not need any chill time in the refrigerator. Once you make the batter you are ready to bake!

The baking time for the Maple Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies ranges from 9 to 12 minutes. They are baked only until lightly browned as their color will continue to change while they remain on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes after being removed from the oven. Using an ice cream scoop to create golf-ball sized balls of dough helps to ensure all of the cookies bake evenly. Even with a short baking time, I still recommend you turning the sheet pan midway through the baking process.

After the ten minute cool down on the baking sheet, the cookies are transferred to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before drizzling with the maple glaze. Instead of drizzling the glaze over the cookies, you could dip the tops of them in the glaze. Either way works. You decide.

Sprinkles are optional, but given that it is Valentine's Week, I couldn't resist. Add the sprinkles while the glaze is still wet.

It takes at least 30 minutes for the maple glaze to set up. 

If you love an oatmeal cookie with a crispy, crunch exterior and somewhat soft interior, these Maple Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are for you.

In spite of there being pure maple syrup in the batter and in the glaze, the flavor of maple is not overpowering. You can definitely taste it, but you can also taste the sweetness from the brown sugar and dried cranberries, the butters butteriness, and the heartiness of the oats. Seriously, these Maple Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are everything an oatmeal cookies should be and then some. I am completely smitten with them. Make these for a friend. They won't forget the cookies and they won't forget you made them. And if by chance, they thank you again, days, weeks, months, or even years later, your heart will again burst with joy.

Recipe
Maple Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies (Slight adaption to Rebecca Rather's Maple Glazed Oatmeal Cookies recipe in her cookbook "The Pastry Queen" Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery and Cafe")
Makes 24-28 2 1/2 - 3" cookies

Ingredients
Cookies
8 Tablespoons (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached or bleached)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Glaze
1 cup confectionary sugar, sifted
3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
4-5 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream (or whole milk)
Pinch of kosher salt

Optional: Sprinkles

Directions
Cookies
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add in maple syrup and beat until well combined.
5. Beat in eggs one at a time.
6. Add in the flour mixture and oats. Mix until just combined.
7.  Stir in the dried cranberries.
8. Using a 1 3/4 inch ice cream scoop (golf ball sized), drop balls of dough on the baking sheets, spaced about one and a half inches apart. Lightly press down the balls of dough.
9. Bake for 9-12 minutes, turning the tray midway and tamping it down, until cookies are lightly golden brown. Allow cookies to remain on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack. Note: Cookies will continue to brown slightly when cooling on the cookie sheet, so be careful to not overbake.

Glaze and Assembly
1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the confectionary sugar, maple syrup, and 4 Tablespoons of the whipping cream until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add another tablespoon of the cream.
2. Drizzle the icing over the cookies using the whisk. Alternately, dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze.
3. If using, top lightly with sprinkles.
4. Allow the glaze to harden (approximately 30 minutes) before serving.
5. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container. Alternately place individual cookies in cellophane or bags and seal/fold.

Notes: (1) Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. These cookies call for the real thing. (2) I used unbleached all-purpose flour when making these cookies.

French Onion Dip

Amongst my many guilty pleasures, chips and dip has to be somewhere near the top of the list. A crunchy, salty chip dipped into a creamy caramelized onion dip is a virtual party on your palate. The contrasting flavors and textures explains in part how one could easily become obsessed. However, not all onion dips are created equal. There is a night and day taste difference between a french onion dip made with caramelized onions and one made any other way. One is epic and the other is second-rate. It's always easy to rationalize indulging in something sumptuously wondrous but even easier to walk away from anything that isn't. This French Onion Dip would be one falling into the so insanely heavenly you could eat it off the spoon category. In other words it's so good, it's almost dangerous.

Caramelizing the onions adds such an incredible depth of flavor to this dip, you won't mind shedding any tears while slicing the onions or standing at the stove sautéing them for 40-50 minutes. Add to this the intoxicating aroma of the onions caramelizing and you just hope you have enough restraint to not eat it all before serving it to family and/or friends.

This French Onion Dip works for either a casual gathering or fancy shin-dig. And it's so awesome, it could also be the only appetizer you serve. Just make sure you have enough. 

The best onions for caramelizing are on the sweeter side. Choose either yellow onions or organic sweet onions. I used a combination of the two.

Slicing the onions using a knife or mandoline to about an 1/8 inch thickness will ensure they cook evenly. If you cut them too thin, the onions won't have the sweetness resulting from the long, slow caramelization process. If you cut them too thick, you will be standing at the stove forever and quite possibly never get them to the desired golden brown, caramelized state.

There are many different opinions about whether to use butter, vegetable oil, or a combination of both when sautéing onions to the point of caramelization. This recipe uses both butter and vegetable oil. Additionally, there are a couple of schools of thought as to which heat level brings out the deepest, sweetest flavor. Caramelization should be a slow process and to that end this recipe uses a steady medium-low heat. Cooking time ranged somewhere between 40-50 minutes.

Once caramelized, the onions should cool slightly and be coarsely chopped before they are mixed into the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper mixture. 

The French Onion Dip can be enjoyed immediately after it's made or you can make it early in the day (or the night before) to let the flavor of the dip deepen even further. If you refrigerate the dip for several hours or overnight, take out of the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before serving. Stir it again to return it to it's creamy texture. If by chance it seems too thick for dipping, add up an additional 1/4 cup of sour cream.

This French Onion Dip has a thicker consistency of most store-bought or soup-mixed onion dips. Which means it needs to be served with a thicker cut potato chip. If you make a killer homemade potato chips, go for it. But cutting open packages of thick, ridged, or ruffled potato chips is how we roll around here. National Chip and Dip Day isn't until March 23. But I wouldn't wait until then to make your new favorite French Onion Dip.

Recipe
French Onion Dip
Updated February 2022

Ingredients
3 medium or 2 large yellow or sweet organic onions, cut in half and then into 1/8" rounds (See notes)
4 Tablespoons ( 57g) unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 ounces (170g) cream cheese, softened, room temperature
3/4 cup (180g) sour cream
1 cup (240g) good quality mayonnaise 
Ridged, ruffled, or other thick cut potato chips

Directions
1. In a large, heavy bottomed pan, heat the butter and oil on medium heat. When butter has melted, add in the onions. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté for 40-50 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown and caramelized. Stir frequently to prevent burning as well to evenly sauté the onions.
2. Transfer the caramelized onions to a bowl and allow to cool slightly. When cool, coarsely chop and set aside.
3. In the bowl of standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add in the cream cheese. Beat until the cream cheese is smooth and creamy.
4. Add in sour cream, mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Mix until well blended.
5. Stir in the coarsely chopped caramelized onions.
6. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator. Note: Can be made one day ahead of serving. Take out of the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before serving. Stir to return dip to a creamy texture.
7. Garnish with thinly sliced chives or green onions (optional)
8. Serve with thick cut, ridged or ruffled potato chips.

Notes: (1) The weight of the uncut onions was 1 lb. 10 oz./740 g and the cut weight was 1 lb. 3 oz./540g. (2) Use a sturdier, thicker cut potato chip versus a thin potato chip. I used Lay's Wavy Potato Chips. (3) If the French Onion Dip is too thick after being refrigerated and sitting out for 45 minutes, add up to 1/4 cup of additional sour cream.

Walnut Banana Bread

I live in a frozen tundra now. Dangerous wind chills, icicles, and snow are turning me into a hermit. The mere thought of having to leave the house has me frozen in place. Looking at the inventory of food in the house it looks like my diet will consist mostly of oatmeal, eggs, nuts, dark chocolate, wine, and a fresh baked loaf of Walnut Banana Bread if I was forced to remain in hibernation for some indefinite period of time. Not exactly bad options for a hermit living in the return of the ice age. 

Apparently my stint as an ice cream scooper at Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors during college may have foreshadowed my new stint as a Banana Bread recipe maven. The recipe for this Walnut Banana Bread puts me 26 recipe versions away from reaching the magical 31. Having posted the Spiced Pecan Banana Bread recipe just three months ago, I should probably lock the doors (and throw away the key) to the banana bread test kitchen for awhile for so many reasons. But mostly importantly because we all need time for this one to receive more than its' fair share of some well deserved love and attention.

I either learn something new each time I made a new recipe or come to realize technique matters as much as the quality of the ingredients. Being reminded how the best results often come from the use of the simplest techniques is the kind of lesson we all need to (re)learn every now and then.

All you need to make this Walnut Banana Bread is a bowl and spoon. In other words, there is no need to pull out the mixer. And rather than combine all of the ingredients at once, as is in the case of most quick breads, the wet ingredients (egg, melted butter, vanilla, and mashed bananas) are mixed together before the dry ingredients are added in. Mixing the wet ingredients first helps to ensure you don't over mix the dry ingredients. Which generally results in a bread with a dry, tough, dense crumb. If you use a heavy hand when making a banana bread, you end up with a not so great heavy bread. While using a lighter hand gives you a moist, tender, perfectly textured one.

I could have made this banana bread with chopped chocolate instead of the walnuts or with both chocolate and walnuts. Instead I decided to go the toasted walnut route. To toast your walnuts, place them directly on a baking sheet (no parchment paper) in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely and coarsely chop.

Adding a banana on top of the Walnut Banana Bread is one of those finishes that make simple look extravagant. And when combined with topping the banana bread and sliced bananas with some sparkling or sanding sugar, you are stepping into heavenly territory. But sprinkling a little more of either sugar on top of the bananas after the bread bakes puts this Walnut Banana Bread in a league of its' own. Definitely deserving of a four star rating. Skip the bruleeing part, and you have the 3 1/2 star version.

So you might be wondering, which of the five banana breads now posted to the blog is my favorite? I will answer it by saying this one is my current favorite. It would be the one I would want to take with me to Siberia, the Arctic Circle, Antarctica, the top of Mount McKinley, or here in Chiberia. Spring is just 49 days away. This Walnut Banana Bread won't last that long. I hope I do.

Recipe
Walnut Banana Bread 
Makes one 9" x 5" loaf

Ingredients
5 overly ripe bananas, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 generous teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup walnut halves, toasted, and coarsely chopped
Optional: 1 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
Optional: 1 - 2 Tablespoons Sanding or Sparkling sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" x 5" inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper. Butter any exposed sides. Alternately line only on the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment cut to fit. Spray the sides of pan with vegetable spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mash 4 bananas with a fork.
3. Add eggs, vanilla, and melted butter. Using a large spoon, stir to combine.
4. Add in the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir just until combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not over mix.
5. Gently fold in the chopped walnuts. (Or chocolate chips if using)
6. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula or back of a large spoon.
7. Cut the remaining banana in half lengthwise. Carefully place on top of the banana bread.
8. Sprinkle with sanding or sparkling sugar, if using. 
9. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 60-75 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the baking pan midway through the baking process. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clear.  Note: My baking time was 62 minutes.
10. Remove banana bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing.
11. Serve in thick slices.
12. Cover the cooled banana bread with plastic wrap or aluminum foil if not serving immediately. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Warm slices in the toaster or in the microwave before serving.

Notes: (1) To send this Walnut Banana Bread further over the top, sprinkle on some additional sanding/sparkling sugar over the banana slices. Using a kitchen torch, brulee the sugar.  (2) Four bananas should yield about 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas. If it's a little more, don't worry. But if it's a lot less, add more mashed banana.

Triple Berry Dutch Baby

If anyone would have asked me if I had plans for posting any new recipes for Dutch Babies I would have said anything is possible. However, with one savory and five sweet Dutch Baby recipes already posted to the blog I would have silently thought it wasn't likely to happen anytime in the foreseeable future. But strange things happen when you put your conscious and subconscious thoughts out in the universe. Over the past several weeks, I had been visually bombarded with images of Dutch Babies. Or at least my eyes kept being drawn to them. Which led me to wondering if I should tinker with my existing recipes. Even though all of the Dutch Baby recipes already in existence on the blog are all really, really good ones, maybe I could make one even better than really, really good?  Maybe. Like some say, anything is possible.

There were many similarities between all of my Dutch Baby recipes. The amounts of flour and amount of milk always had the same proportions. If one was 3/4 of a cup, the other one was as well. I had previously used as little as 1/2 cup and as much as 3/4 cup of each. The number of large eggs used ranged from 2 to 3. While the amount of sugar was as little as 2 Tablespoons to as much as 1/3 cup. There was minimal variability in the amount of vanilla, salt, or butter used. Could changing out some or all of the amounts of the key ingredients result in an even better Dutch Baby? The question was which one or which ones should change. If I approached this scientifically I would have had to make more than a dozen Dutch Babies, keep detailed notes on the obvious and subtle visual differences between them, and hope my taste testing palate was sensitive enough to differentiate between all of the variations. This would not be that kind of scientific endeavor. 

Instead I would look for inspiration from other recipes, then use my Dutch Baby experiences and preferences to guide my recipe change decisions. 

After all was said and done, I ended up increasing the number of large eggs from 3 to 4, decreasing the amounts of milk and flour to 2/3 cup, decreasing the amount of sugar to 1 Tablespoon, and increasing of vanilla to 2 teaspoons. This Dutch Baby would be topped with some softly whipped heavy cream and sifted confectionary sugar. And then with not one, not two, but three kinds of fruit. Blueberries, blackberries, and luscious, slightly luxurious, intensely flavorful seedless stemmed Amarena cherries.  The cherries alone would make this an off the charts Dutch Baby.  Although if the pancake turned out to be a bust, even the cherries wouldn't be able to save it.

I have learned a few things over the years of making Dutch Babies. Mixing the pancake ingredients in a blender for no less than 45 seconds but up to a minute is one of three essential keys to its success. Pouring the batter into a hot cast iron skillet with melted butter really does make a difference. Keeping the oven door closed for the first 15 minutes of baking time helps ensure it won't deflate before its' done baking.

One one last bit of Dutch Baby wisdom. Before placing it in a preheated 450 degree (F) oven, position your rack in the middle of the oven.

Baking time for this Triple Berry Dutch Baby ranges from 20-25 minutes. While it's baking in the oven, whip your heavy cream and get your fruit ready. You want to be able to put the finishing touches on it almost immediately after you remove it from the oven.

Visually this Triple Berry Dutch Baby is a swoonworthy feast for the eyes. Taste wise you might find yourself momentarily speechless. Although don't be surprised if there are some at your table doing their best imitation  of that memorable restaurant scene from "When Harry Met Sally". Only there won't be anything fake about their table performance. Seriously, this is a really, really, really, really good Dutch Baby. Even without the amarena cherries. However, if you have never tasted these cherries before, you are in store for a cherry eating euphoric experience. You will be as obsessed with them as you will be with this Triple Berry Dutch Baby.

There is almost nothing more impressive than being served or serving a Dutch Baby for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even dinner. And there is almost nothing easier to make. The magic created with a few simple ingredients (eggs, butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk) will definitely have you believing anything is possible. 

Recipe
Triple Berry Dutch Baby (inspired by multiple sources)
Serves 3-4

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla 
1 Tablespoon caster or superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pint each of fresh blackberries and blueberries
16 ounce jar of Amarena or Luxardo pitted cherries
2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
Confectionary sugar for dusting

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F). Place rack in the center of the oven.
2. Melt two tablespoons of butter and set aside for use in the batter.
3. In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, flour, vanilla, salt, and slightly cooled butter. Pulse for 45 to 60 seconds or until batter is smooth and there are no traces of flour lumps. Set aside.
4. Place the other two Tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a 10" cast iron pan. Put pan in the oven to enable the butter to melt. Check pan at the two minute mark. If not completely melted, check again in every minute until the butter has melted. 
5. Once the butter has melted, immediately pour the batter into the hot skillet and close the oven door. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pancake is lightly browned and fully puffed along the edges as well as in parts of the center. Note: Do not open oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking.
6. Remove the Dutch Baby from the oven. Sprinkle with confectionary sugar. Top with the lightly whipped cream, and fruit. Serve immediately.

Notes: (1) I used Trader Joe's Amarena Cherries for this Dutch Baby. (2) A 10" inch cast iron skillet (measuring the bottom interior surface) is the perfect sized pan for this Dutch Baby.

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light, Sturgeon Bay, Door County, Wisconsin (2019)

Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake

Every time I see some incredulously captivating, droolworthy landscape photos I have a strong urge to pack up my car, channel the inner Ansel Adams lying somewhere within, and go on a solo photography adventure journey. A backroad road trip with a plan subject to detours, preferably one heading west. However, I usually manage to repress those impulsive thoughts, convincing myself without some sort of plan this might not be such a good idea. In a perfect world this would happen if I had driver who could stop on a dime, figure out how to park on the narrowest of roads, had the patience of Job along with the endurance of an ultra-marathoner, enjoyed drinking red wine, and was an engaging dinner companion. Clearly I am not expecting too much. So until such time I get the courage or good fortune to live out this fantasy, I need to keep finding other ways, ones relatively closer to home, to feed my insatiable need to capture landscapes and nature with my camera. What about you? Do you have some yet to be realized dreams? 

As you ponder that question, maybe you should sit back and enjoy something deeply chocolatey. Like maybe a slice of this Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake. Whether paired with a tall glass of milk or cup of coffee, eating cake made with not one, but three kinds of chocolate, is bound to bring irrepressible glee to your day. Could you pass up the chance to experience chocolate bliss?

If you are someone who gives yourself permission to indulge in chocolate, either in moderation or with reckless abandon, you absolutely need to have this Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake in your life. And guess what? The recipe makes not one, but two loaves! Which means you have one to save for later, share, or gift!

Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake is made with unsweetened cocoa and bittersweet cocoa and studded with semisweet chocolate chips. If that wasn't enough chocolate ecstasy, the addition of instant espresso (or instant coffee) and dark brown sugar in the cake batter further deepens the flavor of chocolate.

Assembling all of the ingredients before you begin baking anything, especially this Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake, makes such a difference. Taking out the eggs end butter the night before makes an even bigger difference.

I made only a few changes to Ina Garten's Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake recipe. I used instant espresso instead of instant coffee; used Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa instead of Pernigotti cocoa; used bittersweet chocolate chips instead of chopping up a bar of bittersweet chocolate; toasted the walnuts before baking; and, topped the loaves with a small handful of chocolate chips before they went into the oven. 

The only thing I didn't do, but should have, was waiting for the cake to cool to room temperature before slicing it. But I didn't want to wait. So instead of beautiful smooth slices of cake, I ended up with both slices and crumbs. Note: The slices from the completely cooled to room temperature Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake were perfect.

The cake loaves bake in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 45-55 minutes. My baking time was closer to 50 minutes.

For as much chocolate as there is in this cake, it's not overly sweet, not overly rich. Yet it is deeply satisfying and more than enough to satisfy any craving you may have for chocolate.

I wouldn't be surprised if you go to bed dreaming about this Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake and wake up wanting a slice. 

Recipe
Triple Chocolate Loaf (inspired by Ina Garten's recipe for Triple Chocolate Loaf Cakes in her cookbook "Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks")
Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients
1 cup (16 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup boiling water
5 ounces (142g) bittersweet chocolate chips or roughly chopped chocolate
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso or instant coffee
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus a small handful, divided
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3 extra-large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two 4" x 9" or 4 1/2 x 8 1/2" loaf pans with parchment paper. Spray pans with vegetable oil. Set aside.
2. Sift two cups of flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
3. Boil one cup of water. Pour into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add in bittersweet chocolate, instant expresso and cocoa powder. Stir until chocolate has melted. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
4. In a medium sized bowl, combine the semisweet chocolate chips, chopped walnuts and 2 Tablespoons of flour. Stir and set aside.
5. In the bowl of standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, granulated sugar and dark brown sugar until fluffy (approximately 3 minutes).
6. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between each egg addition.
7. Add the flour and chocolate mixture in thirds, beginning with the flour. 
8. Fold in the chocolate chip/nut mixture with a spatula.
9. Divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans. Smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the small handful of chocolate chips over the top.
10. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a tester inserted into the loaves comes out clean. Turn the pans midway through the baking process. Note: Baking time was closer to the 50 minute mark, but began checking for doneness at 45 minutes.
11. Remove from oven, set on a cooling rack for 30 minutes before removing the loaves from the pans. Cool to room temperature before slicing.
12. Cut and enjoy! Store the chocolate loaves covered either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. 

Notes: (1) If you are keeping the second loaf for yourself, wrap with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. (2) I used Ghiradelli's unsweetened cocoa powder, bittersweet chocolate chips and semisweet chocolate chips. 

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse (1868), Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, Wisconsin (2018)