nothing like the real thing

One: I have a wonderful husband who loves me a lot.

In addition to being a master taste-tester, idea-guy, dishwasher, and kitchen-hand extraordinaire who provides musical entertainment while I cook and occasionally whips up a mean Irish beef stew, he now bakes! 

Chocolate chip cookies.  For me.  As a surprise.  When I am exhausted from working constantly.   

And he uses the Cook’s Illustrated recipe I have been testing, substituting light brown sugar for dark and topping the cookies with sea salt before baking – just the adjustments I had been planning to try!

The sea salt garnish was perfect.  I think the cookies look prettier and still have plenty of flavor when made with light brown sugar.  I do still plan to do a side-by-side taste test of dark vs. light and a couple more hybrid versions of the CI and NYT recipes  at some point.

Two: Homemade chocolate hazelnut spread will do in a pinch, but there’s really only one thing that can help ease my separation anxiety. 

 

Get your own here!