I Leave Them with Cookies and Milk

Today I leave for France where I will be teaching a 4-day food styling and photography workshop in the dream-like background of the Dordogne region.

Our workshop will be held at this amazing manoir. Can you guys believe this place? I cannot wait to swim in this pool. The weather is expected to be beautiful. We couldn’t ask for better conditions.

However, this is the first time I will be traveling without my babies. It will feel strange not to have them with me. “I want to come with you amatxu Jon said to me this morning when I drove him to school. He will be quite the traveler one day.

My parents are here taking care of the children while I’m away and C. works.

I baked lots of goodies for them this week. Chocolate and apple muffins, rice and coconut milk puddings with sauteed apples, red currant shortbreads, and multigrain chocolate and hazelnut cookies with a touch of sea salt. I left some of the cookie dough in the freezer for this next week, in case there are unexpected cravings. Are cravings ever unexpected anyway?

I promised them they could have cookies and milk everyday after school. It caused quite the excitement.

So I am off for now.

I will be back in a few days hopefully with photos from our workshop, Dordogne, and from a day in Paris.

Be good and see you soon!

Multigrain Chocolate and Hazelnut Cookies

Makes 20 cookies

2 oz (55 g) hazelnuts
8 Tbs (110 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (110 g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) natural cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
3/4 cup (105 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/4 cup (35 g) teff flour
1/4 cup (35 g) quinoa flour
1/4 cup (35 g) amaranth flour
1/4 cup (30 g) tapioca starch
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 oz (85 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Bake the hazelnuts for 7 minutes. Remove them from oven and transfer them to a clean kitchen towel. Rub the hazelnuts against the towel to remove their skins. Let them cool and roughly chop them. Reserve.

In the bowl of a stand mixer on medium high speed, mix the butter, brown sugar, and natural cane sugar with the paddle attachment until light, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and egg and mix until combined.

Whisk together the superfine brown rice flour, teff flour, quinoa flour, amaranth flour, tapioca starch, salt, and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture. Mix on medium speed until dough comes together. Add the chopped hazelnuts and chocolate. Mix to combine.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment and roll into a log that is approximately 2 inches in diameter and 13 inches long. Chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

Cut the cookie dough into 1/2 inch disks. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or silicon mat. Space them 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove from oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before picking them up.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

The dough can also be frozen tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.


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78 Responses to “I Leave Them with Cookies and Milk”

  1. Ruth says:

    The cookies look beautiful – especially the redcurrant ones. Yum!

  2. tinajo says:

    Enjoy – and the cookies look wonderful! :-)

  3. Lovely cookies! Have a good time in France.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  4. london bakes says:

    Have a wonderful trip, I can’t wait to here about the class and see your wonderful pictures!

  5. Yummy! I always like your images, they’re so bright :D

  6. Have a greta time in France. I’m sure the cookies will be appreciatedand you won’t find any leftover when you’ll come back.

  7. Love your pics and your recipes … Do you ever do photography workshops in the US?

  8. Nothing beats milk and cookies! Love the combination of different flours too…not 100% sure where I can find them all but really keen to try as my GF friend would LOVE me to make her tehse :-)

  9. semplicemente … j- yes i do. my next one will be in April of 2012 in Boulder, CO . You can read more here.

    http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-spring-2012-food-styling-photography.html

    Thanks all!

  10. marti says:

    Aran!
    Pasalo bien en Francia.
    This week I started Basque classes at the EOI in Donosti….let’s see if I can keep up with my baby…
    marti

  11. sweet :)

    bon voyage! have a wonderful time and i hope you packed for summer – it’s so hot here in Paris lately!

    Can’t wait to see read all about it!

  12. Dulcistella says:

    Ohhh, I envy you so much! It’s like a fairy-tale castle! Have fun!

  13. Benthe says:

    The trip sounds per-fect. Have fun!

  14. Juliana says:

    Have a wonderful time on your trip! And thank you for the recipe- the pictures had my mouthwatering and I was hoping you’d post that one.

  15. Joy says:

    I wish I was your kid. LOL.

  16. SUNY SENABRE says:

    En un placer visitar tu blog. Siempre encuentro cosas muy ricas y una puesta en escena fabulosa.
    Me encantan tus fotografías.

    Besos,

  17. Jealous! I always got left with Chips Ahoy!

  18. Cherie says:

    Great idea with the cookies! Camera ready? We wish for lots and lots and lots of pictures. Have a blessed and safe trip.

  19. oh the cookies! wonderful idea for your children! have a safe journey and enjoy la dordogne…

  20. LatteLisa says:

    I already love your photography but that first photo is simply divine!

    Have a wonderful weekend ;-)

  21. What a stunning location! Your little ones will know that you are thinking of them as they munch on their milk and cookies each day. Have a wonderful trip.

  22. Lucky kids…my mom never did that for me! Then again she never went off to France to teach a photography class either… Enjoy your trip!!!

  23. I’m passing through some of the blogs and thought id stop and say hello. And i hope that you folks have a very nice fall weekend. Richard from the Amish community of Lebanon Pennsylvania.

  24. Joanna Noel says:

    Wow I just love your photography. So clean and vibrant. Thank you for making my day a little bit better with cookie photography :)

  25. I’m passing through some of the blogs and thought id stop and say hello. And i hope that you folks have a very nice fall weekend. Richard from the Amish community of Lebanon Pennsylvania.

  26. Seanna Lea says:

    Your cookies look wonderful. I must make them. I have taken up a lot of gluten free cooking, so I even have most of the flours in stock.

  27. Thanks everyone! I’m at gate at airport waiting to board. Missing my babies. First time traveling without them. I appreciate all your sweet comments. I’ll be back with stories and images from our trip! Aran

  28. I know of a certain boyfriend who would love me to give me these cookies and milk

  29. Good luck to you. Your babies will be just fine. In my experience, you will miss them more than they will miss you! The house looks incredible but I immediately wanted to know how they set the camera and what lens was used for gorgeous pool shot! Bon voyage!

  30. Dzoli says:

    Great yhat you can do that:) I am sure you will enjoy time like that:)Nice cookies :)

  31. All the best Aran, I am sure you will have a great time. Wish I could be there. The cookies look yummy. Please post the recipe for the red currant cookies soon. Take care and come back soon with pictures and stories to share. Bon voyage.

  32. Maia says:

    That pool… I’m speechless. And I love the attempt at healthfulness by making those heavenly sounding cookies out of multigrains. :) Have a fantastic trip!

  33. betty says:

    I love the fact that you made multigrain cookies, very healthy for kids. Love your pictures

    http://bitstreats.blogspot.com/

  34. Profite de ton séjour en France ;) Tes enfants vont se régaler c’est une certitude ! Bises !
    Delphine

  35. Gustia says:

    Any plans for a similar workshop in the south, say Monaco? I’ll be the first in line.

  36. Beautiful cookies! How I wish somebody baked all those for me!! lol…

  37. nedj says:

    Ahhh très dur de laisser ses petits ..
    Mais une très belle région ( .. pas autant que le Pays Basque, of course .. ), la Dordogne, un lieu enchanteur à réaliser des photos gourmandes ….
    Nedj

  38. Best of Luck!! what a dream. your babies will be fine…..cant wait to hear all about your trip. x

  39. I can’t wait to see the pictures from the workshop!

  40. Junsui says:

    What a lovely post; I’d be happy if somebody were to bake cookies for me and to tell me I could have cookies and milk every afternoon! And especially if they were such delicious looking cookies!

    Have a great trip!

  41. Vanessa Rees says:

    Oh man. This looks AMAZING. I must try this. <3 Well done Aran. Such beautiful photos too. =)

  42. Sanam says:

    WOW. those photos are amazing! did you take them?

    p.s.super lovely blog :)

    DayByDiva.Com
    DayByDiva.Com

  43. Anonymous says:

    Kaixo Arantzazu

    Zure argazkiak ikusten gagoz Ainoan amagaz eta (betiko moduen) oso politak geratu jatsuz. Ikusi dogu zelango leku politen egingo dozun kurtsoa, zelako zortea!. Disfrutatu asko (batez be piszina) eta dana ondo joan daitela. Mosu handi bat etxetik, Ainoa eta Jokin.

  44. Maria says:

    Have a fantastic and successful time in Dordogne! Your children are very lucky to be having such delicious cookies after school every day!

    Maria xx
    http://www.cheekypinktulip.blogspot.com

  45. Yay what a mess :P bot the flavor of it is sooooo goood :) http://www.everydaymckiewicz.blogspot.com

  46. Lynda says:

    These look delicious! Have a lovely time in France!

  47. tamsin says:

    The kids will be so busy looking forward to their cookies each day, the time will fly by till you’re back, and they’re wanting to you to cook more!
    Gorgeous photos.

  48. Susan Hazel. says:

    The workshop sounds amazing. Sorry I’m missing out!

  49. Yo. says:

    So sad I couldn’t make it to the workshop :(

  50. roberta says:

    Have a safe trip to France!
    I guess the workshop will be great, it’s a pity I couldn’t make it.

  51. tori says:

    Hoping France treats you as kindly as you have your little ones. Those cookies look spectacular.

  52. I love your blog-the pictures are lovely and the recipes inspiring! Best of luck with the workshops!

  53. Laurel says:

    Beautiful! Cookies are always a hit around here!

  54. Zia Elle says:

    Lovely cookies!! Come back soon!

  55. ZZAFRANKHA says:

    Great colors and light! Love the way you play with crumbs…original and tempting.

    By http://www.thefoodyteller.com

  56. Jaclyn says:

    Such beautiful photos, nothing is better than cookies and milk.

  57. Catherine says:

    These cookies look and sound amazing! I have all of the ingredients except for the teff four. Do you know what I can substitute for teff? Also, I have amaranth flour and this will be my first time using it. Can you recommend any other uses or good recipes for it? Looking forward to your response! Thank you for sharing your recipe, your blog is gorgeous!

  58. Sini says:

    I so hope I would be able to take part in your workshop. It surely will be amazing.
    I will definitely make those cookies this weekend. I have some teff flour as well as amaranth waiting in my cupboard to be tried out the very first time. Excited to enjoy something new!

    Have a wonderful time in France!

  59. roberta says:

    No way!! I just came back from Dordogne where my husband and I bought a small country house that we are renovating…I love your blog, your pictures and your recipes so much and I will be so so happy to learn from you…

  60. Elizabeth says:

    All so amazing. I love all of your posts.. but I guess you get that alot! :)
    Great work!

    Elizabeth
    http://www.southernelle.com

  61. Lemon says:

    The pictures are just so beautiful. I am sure your kids will enjoy them, they look delicious. Have a great time in France, Dordogne is a picturesque region.

  62. Oooh, I really shouldn’t be looking at your beautiful cookie photos right before dinner…now my tummy is rumbling.

    Safe travels to France and have a fabulous time!

  63. Caroline- you can use buckwheat flour instead or use more superfine brown rice flour.

    Thank you guys! We are still in France. So so much fun and feeling inspired.

  64. You make great photos. And cookies too, of course :)

  65. maggie says:

    very nice photo!! enjoying in your blog !!!

  66. i really like your post, and chocolate cookies really taste very great with the milk!

  67. Looking forward to hearing all about this amazing trip (and I have no doubt that the photos will be stellar too). Safe travels!

  68. They look great. I wish I had more time for baking.

  69. I love the Dordogne, so I hope the rain didn’t sit the valley for the time you were there. Cookie’s will be made this afternoon – thank you for the inspiration

  70. France, food and photography. Lethal.

  71. Anonymous says:

    Are you also posting the recipe for the red currant shortbreads?

  72. Anonymous says:

    Hello! I am Italian…what is the baking soda?
    Can’t find it in our supermarkets… can I use baking powder instead?!
    thanks!
    chiara

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