Chocolate-Covered Raisin Skillet Cookie

There's something magical about a giant cookie. It reminds me of being a kid and getting those almost-too-sweet cookie cakes from Mrs. Fields. This recipe is a slightly more mature version that involves cast iron. It was inspired by this recipe, which is a great one.

A good skillet can handle just about anything -- even a giant cookie. And I love this recipe because it's so easy; you can mix everything together right in the skillet. No bowl to clean afterward! Make sure to melt the butter on low heat. You don't want the mixture to become too hot before adding the eggs.

Keep whisking and stirring. The results will be worth it. I had a little trouble with this sticking in the pan so make sure to use the full amount of butter and oil. If you're worried about it, you could mix everything in a separate bowl and dump it into the greased and floured skillet.

The Recipe

make 1 10-inch skillet cookie (8 good-sized wedges)

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup oil (coconut or canola)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3.4 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup oats
2 cups flour (I used mostly spelt and whole wheat)
1 cup chocolate-covered raisins
other chocolate chunks/chips if desired

Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt butter, oil and sugars in skillet over low heat. Whisk together well. Let cool and then mix in eggs. Whisk well again. Stir in vanilla. Sprinkle salt and baking soda over top and stir well again. Mix in oats, flour and chocolate-covered raisins. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the skillet, if necessary. Press extra chocolate chunks or chips into the top of the cookie dough, if desired.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve warm. Top with ice cream or drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Seeded Baguette

I was buying a delicious loaf like this at my local market and thought, I can do this! Turned out it wasn't too hard. It's a yeast bread with a sprinkling of seeds both mixed into the dough and pressed into the top before baking.

Mix up the dough like you would a regular yeast bread and then sprinkle in about half of the seeds you plan to use and knead them in. 

You can use whatever seeds you have on hand. I used a mix of pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), poppy seeds, flax seed and sesame seeds. They can make quite a mess, but it's worth it.

The Recipe

makes 2 baguettes

2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

about 3 cups flour (I used a mixture of white and whole wheat)
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons honey - runny consistency is best
1 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons mixed seeds (depending on taste)
cornmeal

Add yeast, water and honey to a large bowl. Allow a few minutes for the mixture to become frothy. Stir in about 2 cups flour and salt.

Turn dough out on counter and knead, adding flour until you reach a good consistency. Knead in about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixed seeds. Put dough in oiled bowl, cover and let rise until it's doubled (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours).

Turn dough out on lightly floured surface and divide in half. Shape into two long baguettes (about 12 to 14 inches each). Sprinkle rest of seeds on top of loaves and lightly press them into the dough. Put a little cornmeal on counter, or a board, before covering to let rise again. Let dough rest for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Bake at 400F for about 10 to 12 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned on top. I'd recommend baking the baguettes on a stone or preheated baking sheet.