Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake

Wow the title was a mouthful so was the taste of it, it was just unbelievable. I was looking for interesting cupcake recipes and chance upon this one and I thought why not? So many steps, just what I like NOT! But I guess this must be the year I decided that I'm going to live on the edge a little and try recipes outside my comfort zone. There are 3 steps to this recipe; the cookie dough which is the filling, then the cupcake and lastly the icing to decorate the cupcakes. 

Because the cookie dough needs to be frozen when being place in the cupcakes, it's best to do it the night before shape it into balls and then freeze them. You do this as you do not want the cookie dough to melt in the cupcake and lose shape while baking.

For the cookie dough:
2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Method:

Combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

For the cupcakes:
3 sticks softened butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350° F/170 deg.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Blend in the vanilla.

Using a scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.

Bake for 16-18 mins.

For the frosting:
3 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

Combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Beat in the salt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined. Decorate cupcakes.

The taste of this cupcakes were out of this world and I  must caution that this is not something you have all the time due to the rich ingredients in this calorie laden recipe. Calorie aside with the effort it took to make this I must say each bite was worth every calorie.

Steakhouse 66 - Docklands

It was Father's Day on September 1st and no prizes for guessing who chose this place, because it's was father's day the restaurant had on a special, all dad's get a free beer and kids eat free which was a bonus. When I called to make reservations the restaurant was fully booked out which is no surprise and the earliest we could get in was 2pm. So we got there right on time, walked into the restaurant and waited to be served.

The restaurant was still full when we got there at that time although it looked like most guest were finishing up their meals, the wait staff was busy running from one table to another, no one notice we were standing waiting to be served, it was a good 10 mins before we manage to get the attention of someone which I think was the restaurant manager as he was in a suit. It was good thing he was apologetic for making us wait as by that time I was ready to walk off as I'm not the most patient person. Since it was a nice spring sunny day we opted to seat outside.

Looking thru the menu we ordered the salt and pepper calamari as an entree to share because we were all starving by that time since we had no breakfast all of us scoff the entree down in no time even our daughter had a go at it. Hunger aside the entree was done really well, the calamari was cooked just right and the salad that accompanied it was light and fresh.

Our daughter had her meal serve to her first which she was grateful for as the poor child was absolutely famish, she decided on the kids fish & chips. The fish was really fresh and the batter was light, I had a pinch of it as remember we had not had anything to eat since morning.

Hubby opted for the porterhouse steak with peppercorn sauce which is served with mash and onion marmalade because he has to have salad with his meals he ordered the mix green salad on the side, the steak was cooked the way he liked it and the mash just melted in your mouth.

I had the seafood pasta which was tossed with an olive oil dressing, it was light and pasta was done just right. There were generous serving of fish, clams, mussels and succulent prawn which unfortunately I could not have so hubby benefited from it. Overall the food was tasty and will definitely make a return visit to try their other items on the menu.


Location:
66 NewQuay Promenade
Docklands