chocolate chip cookie – The Jellybeans Edit

Sweet somethings from Big Al’s Cookie Jar

Every once in a while, I get that irresistible craving for something sweet.

I normally give in to this craving because:

Doing so brings me so much joy (and yes, a bit of sugar rush!)
It’s so easy to get something sweet and delish from Big Al’s Cookie Jar!

Since 2004, Big Al’s Cookie Jar has been whipping up delightful desserts from its home kitchen or from its four branches conveniently located in the metro.

It also conveniently delivers its confections via GrabFood, enabling sweet-tooths like me easy access to it sugary offerings such as:

Triple Decker Cookie Jar (Php459).

This prettily packaged jar of cookies contains sixteen cookies of all three of its chewy soft-batch cookie variants: Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Macadamia and Chocolate Oatmeal Walnut. Each cookie generously laden with chocolate chips and chunks.

Decadent Chocolate Cake (Php409/loaf | Php749/junior).

Big Al’s best-selling moist chocolate cake generously covered with rich and smooth chocolate icing.

Butter Caramel Cake (Php449/loaf).

Moist butter cake topped with Big Al’s signature caramel sauce.

With these delicious delights so easily accessible, there’s no reason not to give in to my cravings, is there?

So if you’ve got sweet cravings like I do, why deny yourself such decadent pleasures?

Order your decadent desserts from Big Al’s Cookie Jar today via GrabFood.

You can also pick up your Big Al’s Cookie Jar treats at its branches located at:

G/F MaxFill Gas Station, Marcos Highway, Mayamot, Antipolo City
G/F Regray Bldg., 30 Matino St. cor. Malumanay St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City
G/F CEO Flats Jupiter, 27 Canopus St. cor. Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati City
Blk 3 Lot 13 President’s Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City

To know more about Big Al’s Cookie Jar, visit its website or follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Cookie hacks with Betty Crocker’s Cookie Mixes

Hello, house-bound mumshies!

Have you gone on a baking spree already?

If you still haven’t thrown yourself into one of the quarantine’s most popular pastimes because you lack the time, ingredients or equipment, let me share with you some hacks that will have you donning on your apron, ready to bake.

Let’s start you off with simple treats that will surely win the hearts (and tummies!) of the youngsters and adults alike: cookies!

Cookies seem to have been originated in 7th century Persia, a little while after the use of sugar became common in the region. Through the Muslim conquest of Spain, this baked goodies spread throughout Europe. It was said to have come to America through the Dutch in New Amsterdam in the 1620s with the Dutch word koekje latet Anglicized to “cookie.”

Since then, exciting cookie variants have been introduced, giving cookie fans more reasons to love their favorite baked treat.

Bringing these bits of sweet happiness to your home even got a whole lot easier with these beloved cookie flavors in packaged mixes from Betty Crocker.

Betty Crocker got its start back in 1921 through a sales promotion ran by Gold Medal Flour targeting home cooks. Along with the entries, flour milling company Washburn Crosby Company (the predecessor of General Mills, Inc.), received a deluge of questions about baking. The name Betty Crocker was formulated to personalize responses to these queries.

Today, Betty Crocker is considered an icon of food expertise and reliable products, offering reliable and accessible recipes, sound cooking advice and dependable products. Its trademark red spoon and the Betty Crocker brand evokes that feeling of warmth and homeyness.

Among its products are the Betty Crocker Cookie Mixes. These mixes have no colors, no artificial flavors and no preservatives, just honest-to-goodness ingredients that will enable home cooks to have freshly baked treats from bowl to oven in minutes.

And really, these cookie mixes are so easy to use; I made three flavors of cookies using just my trusty mixing bowl, a fork, a 1 1/2-in diameter ice cream scoop, and, of course, my trusty oven (preheated to 375 deg F (190 deg C).

Each 17.5oz (496g) cookie mix bag produces twenty-four 3-inch cookies, enough to sate the cravings of any cookie fan.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

This beloved cookie was invented in 1938 by chefs Ruth Graves Wakefield for the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts, then a popular spot for home cooking. She chopped bits from a Nestle semi-sweet chocolate bar into a cookie dough made with flour, butter, brown and white sugar and vanilla, and a legendary cookie was born.

The Hack: Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Mix together the cookie mix, one stick (1/2 cup) softened butter and egg until a soft dough forms.

Scoop the dough into round balls and drop them in an ungreased cookie sheet two inches apart.

Bake for nine to eleven minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

Each cookie is chewy and bursting with sweetness, a sure hit for kids and adults alike!

Oatmeal Cookie

A descendant of the traditional Scottish oatcakes which has been around since the middle ages, the recipe of the oatmeal cookie was first published in 1896 by Fannie Merritt Farmer author of the Boston Cooking School Cook Book. When it became popular in the US in the early 1900s, it was considered a health food due to the increased fiber content from the oatmeal.

The Hack: Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookie Mix

Mix together the cookie mix, one stick (1/2 cup) softened butter, 1 tbsp water and egg until a slightly stiff dough forms.

Scoop the dough into round balls and drop them in an ungreased cookie sheet two inches apart.

Bake for ten to twelve minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

A bit heftier when compared to other cookies, this moist and chewy oatmeal cookie packs a lot of texture as well as flavor in each bite.

Peanut Butter Cookie

The peanut butter cookie was invented in the 1910s by George Washington Carver when he published a peanut cookbook to promote the crop. While his original recipes called for chopped nuts, these were substituted in later iterations with peanut butter, and a classic cookie fave came to be.

The Hack: Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie

Mix together the cookie mix, three tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp water and egg until a soft dough forms.

Scoop the dough into round balls and drop them in an ungreased cookie sheet two inches apart.

Bake for nine to eleven minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

From the smell of peanut butter wafting to your nostrils to the satisfying bites into salty-sweet chewiness, this cookie is a feast for the senses.

(Traditionally, fork marks are associated to the peanut butter cookie. I just forgot to apply them before baking, my bad!)

Want some more cookie hacks?

Allow the cookies to cool for one minute on the cookie sheet before removing them.

Baked too many? Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in a 300 deg F (150 deg C) oven for four to six minutes or until warm

Want to save some cookie dough to be baked later? Place the dough balls in a container with lid and place in a freezer. You can pop these in the oven and bake for few minutes longer.

So stock up on these cookie mixes so you can easily treat the fam to bites of cookie happiness at home.

Check out my other product reviews:

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The Jelly List: Chocolate dessert picks for World Chocolate Day

Did you know that World Chocolate Day falls on July 7?

On this day, you can expect chocolate lovers from all over the world to celebrate what they deem to be the end-all and be-all of foodstuffs: the chocolate.

Chocolate is prepared from the fruit of the tropical tree Theobroma cacao (the name translates to “food of the Gods). This tree is native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America, thriving in hot and humid areas. As chocolate’s global popularity grew, so did its cultivation, with cacao plantations in regions such as West Africa, South and Southeast Asia.

While chocolate is so versatile that it can even be used as an ingredient in savory dishes, my love for it stems from its sweet applications.

So, fellow foodies, allow me to share a sampling of my favorite chocolate dessert incarnations from various establishments in the metro.

Teddy Keng’s Chocolate Gateau from Chef Jessie’s Place

Chef Jessie’s version of the decadent chocolate cake, this confection is made of alternating layers of light chocolate cake and rich chocolate cream filling all covered with a rich, shiny ganache and decorated with an unfurling flower fashioned from chocolate. Definitely a choco-holic’s delight!

Chef Jessie’s Place is located at 1997 Pililla corner Obrero and Tanay Streets, Valenzuela, Makati City, open daily from 9am to 4pm for pick up and delivery. To order, text or call +63 917 8967880, +63 917 8330797 or +63 977 0976649 or email chefjessiesplace@chefjessie.com.

Read more about Chef Jessie’s Place here.

White Chocolate Creme Brulee from Bistro Manuel

This rich and creamy custard also features the subtle flavor tones of white chocolate, topped with a torched sugar sculpture and a tangy berry tartlet.

Bistro Manuel Bistro Manuel is located at Second Floor, Six Axis Center, 4347 B. Valdez Street, Poblacion, Makati City, now open for dine in as well as takeout. To book your table, fill out this questionnaire.