Chef Rosie's July Entry for 'Captain' America's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

     Another month...another dessert to take on...another reason for my 'dessert squad' to assemble. And literally, right now my flurkin Cro`i is trying to once again take command of my laptop. I think she may have a secret connection to Nick Fury, but she isn't giving up any details. Ok, so this isn't a new recipe to me...as about a year ago I had made them for other people and they were pretty darn good. In my old age however, I don't remember if I did use a cake mix per the recipe or if I decided to take on the recipe and make it completely from scratch. **HOWEVER** for the challenge, once again I built it from scratch and went with Gluten-Free flour as one of my dessert squad members is gluten intolerant. Although these cupcakes are super easy to make...they do require time as the filling needs to be frozen before baking off the cupcakes. I think we can all be patient....right?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              So in my intro post to this months challenge, I had talked about the lovely lady who accidentally invented chocolate chip cookies, and the year they actually became a 'thing'. 1938. Which again brings me to point out that although I had thought that chocolate chip cookies are America's favorite/ number one choice....they are not. It's the Oreo which take the number one slot, with chocolate chip cookies coming in at second place. But a chocolate chip just screams America right? And guess who else does....Steve Rogers....aka Captain America....aka Cap.  So who or what do you think came first....the chocolate chip cookie or Captain America?                    The answer may surprise you! According to Marvel comics, Steve Rogers was born on July 4, 1918. And Ruth Wakefield created the chocolate chip cookie in 1938! So Captain America is even 20 years older than America's second favorite cookie!!!

 

      I apologize, I nerded out for a minute, and got carried away in my research over cookies and Captain America. My Uncle Frank was all about intensive research, so I blame him for this trait of mine. My Uncle Frank also loved dessert and he was a soldier in the Korean War, so I think he's taking over this months blog entry....with wanting me to be thorough.

The first step in making these cupcakes was the filling which is a basic, yet altered cookie dough. Salt, butter, brown sugar, egg, granulated sugar and even some flour and chips. Mix until incorporated and use a cookie scooper to make balls and then freeze for several hours. (I like to freeze my balls for 24 hours.) The following day, I proceeded to make my yellow cake mix from scratch, and substituted all-purpose flour with Gluten-Free flour so my GF challenged friend could enjoy them as well. Once I filled my cupcake wrappers 2/3 of the way full, I plunked in the frozen chocolate chip cookie dough balls on top, and then baked them off...in my fancy-schmancy 24-cup cupcake pan.

 The recipe we used had a chocolate frosting to top these gorgeous duel dessert options. Because why choose between a chocolate chip cookie or a cupcake? Why not incorporate two desserts inn to one, and feel less guilty? If I make them again, I will make an edible chocolate chip cookie dough frosting (which yes, it is safe to eat not baked), and top them. But this time my dessert squad got the chocolate frosting version which I adorned with edible copper glitter. Yes, I am obsessed with edible glitter, I can't even lie. Everyone loved these babies, and the only complaint was from our friend Charles who loves to ride a motorcycle, that they had glitter on them. There always has to be one in the crowd...right??? Regardless of the frosting choice you go with....I think these chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes will be a crowd pleaser. So what are you waiting for? Get baking, pull up a glass of milk, and enjoy any of the Captain America movies while eating a duel dessert of cupcake and cookie combined: 'Captain' America's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake!

xoxoxo Chef Rosie

America's SECOND FAVORITE Cookie

     Do you know what America's favorite cookie is? I had thought I did, until I was ready to post this fun fact blog entry. Originally I had thought that Chocolate Chip Cookies were America's sweetheart. I mean lets face it....there's the debate as to which is better....chewy or crunchy...which chip melts better (Nestle, Hershey, or even Ghiradelli)...and is it safe to eat raw chocolate chip cookie dough. 
    All I know that in my household...my mother still requests me to make her chocolate chip cookies, over all the other recipes I can make for her. I have to fight my husband from dipping in to my mixing bowl and eating the raw dough, (And as a chef...I will tell you NO...it is not okay to eat a standard  raw dough or batter of any kind due to potential food-born illness risks.) 
     However, upon doing research for this intro to the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake challenge....I was educated in the fact that chocolate chip cookies are AMERICA'S SECOND FAVORITE COOKIE. THAT'S RIGHT...SECOND FAVORITE! It turns out that America's favorite cookie is Oreo. However here are some fun facts about  chocolate chip cookies to get you in the mind set for tonight's blog entry from Chef Rosie.

• The chocolate chip cookie was accidentally invented in 1930 by Ruth Wakefield who ran a bed & breakfast with her husband Kenneth.

When Ruth's Chocolate Crunch Cookie recipe was featured on an episode of The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air radio program, the popularity of the humble chocolate chip cookie exploded and the cookie soon became a favorite all across America. The popularity of the cookie further increased after Ruth published the still popular, Toll House Tried And True Recipes, featuring the "Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie," in 1936.

• Due to the enormous popularity of the cookie recipe, sales of Nestlé semi-sweet chocolate skyrocketed and Andrew Nestlé and the Wakefields struck a deal.

To read the whole story about the invention of the chocolate chip cookie and Ruth Wakefields desalings with Nestle....click here:

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-chocolate-chip-cookie-was-invented-by-accident-2013-3

Stay sweet,

Chef Rosie xoxo