Soaked Oatmeal Cookies Pt. 1

This is a NT-Style adaptation of Martha Stewart's fabulous "Oatmeal Raisin Cookies"....

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Any dried fruit can be substituted for the raisins. Be sure the cookies are completely cool before storing in an airtight container.
INGREDIENTS Makes about 3 dozen. 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup packed light-brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 3 tablespoons milk 2 large eggs 3 cups old-fashioned oats 1 cup raisins	DIRECTIONS In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter with both sugars, and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, milk, and eggs, and mix well. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Remove bowl from the electric mixer, and stir in oats and raisins. Place dough in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough, and shape into a ball; place on one of the prepared sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing balls 3 inches apart. Press down to flatten into 2-inch diameters. Transfer to the oven, and bake until golden but still soft in center, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans between oven shelves halfway through baking. Remove from oven, and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week First published Copyright 2009 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ok, so obviously I had to try to change a few things... and I'm seriously interested in your input in case you have other ideas on how to convert these even more....(like "can you really just use rapadura instead of Brown Sugar?" Seems like a texture issue...)

• I used Sprouted Soft White Wheat Wheat (freshly ground) that I order from Azure.
• I used Craisins (gotta use them up, then when they are in season I plan to make my own!) sad to say I bought at Costco.
• I ground the cinnamon fresh (in the coffee grinder, after cleaning!) I got it from Azure, not organic.
• I made my own Vanilla (it's SUPER easy!
• My eggs are farm fresh (Healthy Family Farms) & a tad on the smaller side this week, but I figured that was better because of the extra liquid on the oats...
• 2 nights prior, I soaked the oats in the smallest amount of buttermilk I could to just "wet" them. (Homemade RAW Buttermilk & Organic Oats, of course!) This way they were not sopping wet, just a tad fluffier than when originally dry.
• I omitted the milk. (But the Buttermilk was made from Organic Pasture's Raw Whole Milk.)
• I also added Crispy Pecans, about 1/2 cup, chopped. (From Azure)

I put in tupperware & refrigerated overnight...
Another thing I like to do (if I have the time, like on a Saturday morning) is to drop the cookie dough onto a sheet pan, covered with my precious Silpat or Parchment as if I'm going to bake them. Cover tightly in plastic wrap (optional I guess) & freeze. Once frozen, I put the frozen balls of dough in to Food-saver bags & vacuum pack (quickly) and re-freeze. (Don't forget to label it so you know where to find the baking instructions!)

I'll have to do a Part 2 to let you know how they come out...

Stay Tuned! (Ain't I a tease?)

**Update**

I baked a dozen on 2 separate occasions & the flavor is great, but they are super soft & crumbly.... So after some research & consultations with other bakers, I've determined to try it again, this time adding 1 more egg & more flour. Stay tuned to another update...

Chocolate IS love....(or is it butter?)

Ok, well, my good friend Tami & I have recently co-ordered & split a bunch of different stuff from Azure Standard. It was so fun, planning & ordering together & separately & driving down to Burbank together to pick up our order, then coming back to my house &divvying it all up!... but I digress...Tami has ALWAYS (since I've known her, anyway!) baked her own bread (and other goodies) from her own freshly milled Hard Red Wheat Flour, I come from the opposite school of gourmet French Cuisine where everything is made with WHITE AP Flour!  Needless to say, I've come along way, and Tami deserves a Lot of the credit for my swing to the "other side"...on that same note, I might have something to do with the dramatically amazing turnout of this cake she made for us on Friday night, because I turned her on (somewhat inadvertently, I might add) to Soft White Wheat Berries, which are used primarily for cakes, muffins & pastry because it's softer & gives a lighter texture to these types of items. (Although, Tami used it in her bread the other night too, and it turned out beautifully! So there you go!)  Anyhoo I was reminded of the cake when I was reading Kimi's blog with all the yummy & nourishing Chocolate recipes last night & today... so, better late than never, I always say...so without further ado...(dang, I WISH I had a picture of it!) here, in Tami's words, is her recipe:

Tami's Moist Choc Mocha Cake
Preheat to 350 degrees.

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 cup sugar, organic cane
Mix those together well, then add 
1/2 c. applesauce
1/4 c. maple syrup
Mix. Then add: 
2 jumbo eggs or three medium or large, 1 at a time
Mix. Then add:
2/3 c. cocoa mixed with 1/3 c. melted butter

In a separate bowl whisk:
3 1/2 c. flour (freshly ground soft white wheat)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Add to chocolate mix alternately with:
1 c. buttermilk

Prep 2 cake pans: grease and cover bottom with parchment, greased

Evenly pour batter into both pans.
Cook for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Rest in pans for 10 minutes then finish cooling on wire racks.  For an excellent moistness, cut each layer into 2 horizontally.  This makes 4 layers!  When frosting, make sure there is plenty of frosting to make things nice and flat.

Mocha filling/frosting
12-16 oz of heavy cream (raw is best but otherwise organic works)
Begin to whip cream in mixer.  Add:
1/4 c. soft butter
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 c. sugar (powdered or organic cane both work)
1-2 tbsp instant coffee crystals (decaf!  The more you add the richer the coffee flavor)

Mix until good thick consistency. Taste to check flavor.  Add more sugar or coffee as needed.
(I didn't actually measure the frosting when I was making it so these are kinda rough estimates! yikes!)

Once finished frosting, take organic chocolate, melt, and drizzle over the top of the cake to make it pretty.

Yum!