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.
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.
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.
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.
Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie from MDJ Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies are a go-to comfort food. Now imagine those goodies getting an upgrade with the use of silky brown butter sauce and a bit of sea salt and you’ve got one of MDJ Cookies’ best-selling creations.
To order, send MDJ Cookies a message via Facebook or Instagram with your name, address, contact number, delivery date, flavors (with quantity of order) and mode of payment (GCash and BPI are accepted).
A decadent 5-inch diameter confection of layers upon layers of chocolate goodness from a moist chocolate cake base flavored with chocolate liquor covered by a thick and creamy chocolate ganache and topped with a generous sprinkling with cocoa powder.
Course your orders for this chocolatey delight via Facebook or Instagram with a three-day lead time and pay via Gcash or BPI bank deposit a day before the delivery.
Read more about Inang Charing Cakes and Pastries here.
S’mores from Bistro Charlemagne
Truth be told: I’m not into marshmallows but Bistro Charlemagne made a believer out of me with its S’mores. Rich Ghirardelli chocolate ganache is topped with a thick layer of roasted marshmallows and served with graham crackers. This has become a fam fave!
Bistro Charlemagne’s branches in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Ayala Malls Feliz and Ayala Malls Solenad are open for takeout and delivery via GrabFood, LalaFood and FoodPanda.
During gloomy rainy days, a cup of hot chocolate sure perks me right up. Cafe Mary Grace’s Hot Chocolate is rich and milky, good enough on its own but spectacular as a dessert when paired with some of the store’s baked goods.
Selected Cafe Mary Grace stores are open for dine-in, takeout or delivery via GrabFood.
Choco Salted Caramel Cake from Coffee Time Cakes and Pastries
This dessert is a chocolate cake layered with salted caramel and covered with a luscious chocolate frosting. Perfect when partnered with a cup of your favorite coffee.
To pre-order, send a message via Facebook or Instagram, or call +63 920 4900391
Read more about Coffee Time Cakes and Pastries here.
Champorado Cheesecake from 121 Restaurant
The quintessential Pinoy breakfast cereal is now in cheesecake form. Now, instead of enjoying piping hot, you get to savor it decadent and frozen on a crust of graham crackers. Yum!
Course your order for this fresh take on an old favorite for delivery here.
Coworking spaces give freelancers or telecommuting employees environments conducive to both solitary and collaborative work.
With the concept of the “workplace” continuously evolving, coworking spaces like 47East in Loyola Heights provide workers on-the-go with a quiet and comfortable place to work as well as basic services to ensure productivity even when they’re away from their offices.
Aside from these, 47East has something more to offer. With its in-house restaurant, Discovery Cafe, 47East also provides its visitors with tasty dishes to fuel them as they hustle through their workday.
Together with my fellow bloggers, I visited Discovery Cafe to taste some of its signature offerings, all freshly made in its open-style kitchen.
Seafood Pasta. Fresh clams sauteed with garlic in oil, and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.
Chili Cheese Dog Flatbread. Large links of cheesy frankfurters doused in chili con carne and baked on top of a flatbread.
Porkchop with Creamy Mushroom. For those who can’t do without their rice meals, this dish combines a piece of pan-fried porkchop, buttered vegetables and gravy with a cup of steamed rice.
Chocolate Chip Cookies. Something sweet to end the meal, these chewy and chocolatey treats are best after being dunked in a cup of vanilla milk!
With these tasty dishes and more available at 47East’s Discovery Cafe, you can work with a full tummy!
Do your best work and get your best ideas here! Sign up for a 1-year membership for only Php500 for individuals and students and Php1,000 for teams.
Day passes for members are priced at Php400 for individuals, Php150 for students and Php900 for teams.
Membership entitles you to the following during your stay:
Unlimited coffee, tea or water
Wi-Fi access
Mail collection
Discounts on 47East events
Printing, photocopying and scanning services
Non-members are charged Php100 per hour of stay.
Discovery Cafe at 47East is located ar 47 Esteban Street, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, open Mondays to Fridays from 8am to 8pm, and Saturdays from 9am to 6pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 8660415.
Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I attended a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Being an amateur home baker during my #BakingPhase, I’ve made my share of chocolate chip cookies. These kinds of cookies have almost universal appeal; I usually make them as gifts over the holiday season or as sweet snack treats for the kids.
(Well, back then, I had a lot more free time.)
When I baked these cookies, I sometimes give in to the urge to lick the baking spoon clean because the cookie dough just seems so yummy. The sticky dough is sweeter than the actual baked cookies (a weakness for a sweet tooth like me).
However, I have taken note of warnings against doing so: Homemade dough contains raw flour and eggs. Flour has not been treated to remove risks against E. coli and other germs. Raw eggs, on the other hand, may cause salmonella poisoning. Both of these leads to severe health problems such as abdominal cramps and other more serious digestive ailments.
So, how can we enjoy the same texture and taste of raw cookie dough without the risk?
Well, entrepreneur Alfred Ricafrente has the solution: Spookie, the cookie you eat with a spoon.
Leveraging his culinary training and his experience in a 1-hat restaurant (an establishment with the highest designation) in Australia, he conceptualized a way to keep all that we love about the cookie dough but render it safe for eating through sous vide.
Sous vide (“under vacuum” in French) is a method of cooking in which food is placed in a pouch or glass jar and cooked in a water bath for longer than usual cooking times. This method ensures that the food is cooked evenly and its moistness retained.
Alfred refined a recipe he found through his research and customized it to his taste, with the finished product retaining its dough-like appearance and texture despite actually being cooked.
A jar was delivered to my office where I enjoyed it during my coffee break and as a dessert with my officemates over lunch. Some of them found it too sweet, but that’s a matter of taste. In fact, some are already considering giving some jars away as gifts.
Spookie is available for home deliveries at only Php120 per jar containing 170g of cookie dough. Orders may be coursed through Spookie’s Facebook or Instagram pages, or via email at spookiemanila@gmail.com or via phone at +63 2 2962387.
Spookie keeps for three to four days at room temperature and up to seven days when refrigerated.
Disclosure: A product sample was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:
Jellybeans in the City 
