There is a difference between losing and forgetting. Already twice this year I have lost my camera. When going to upload my photographs, I remembered that I had set my camera down after taking the photo. I lost my camera, but I did not forget that I owned a camera. You may have heard the saying, It’s okay if you go into the parking lot and forget where you parked your car, but it’s a problem if you forget that you drove there. When I lose something valuable, I have a sudden moment of panic trying to recall where my lost possession is. It’s a terrible feeling. I guess that is how Grams feels all the time.
One of my downfalls as a baker is that I never read through the entire recipe before beginning the dessert. Sometimes, this causes baking problems! Today, Grams and I decided to make Chocolate Crinkles. Chocolate Crinkles are a popular holiday cookie brought by Aunt Naoma. In our family we often associate certain foods with family members: Aunt Naoma-Chocolate Crinkles, Aaron Schuette- Homemade Taffy, Kelly Milk- Pay Day Bars, Aunt Jan- Potato Salad. Well, Chocolate Crinkles have instructions that I should have read through before beginning the baking. This recipe makes a HUGE batch of cookies with an enormous amount of dough. The memo that I missed is that the dough needs to chill in the refrigerator several hours or overnight. Ooops… I guess me and Grams will have a lot of extra bonding time during the three hour “chill” session today. We decided to catch up on some housework for my mom to pass the time. Everyone knows that Grandma Ahlden honestly loves to dust and iron. While folding laundry, Grams told me that she was going to Aunt Jan’s for supper that evening. After a few moments, she folded my underwear and questioned, “Well, I don’t know, maybe I’m not going to Jan’s. I might have dreamt it? Can we call her?” I hadn’t spoken to Aunt Jan yet today, so I really wasn’t sure. She asked me, “Do you ever have dreams that just seem so real?” I didn’t know how to answer. Occasionally, I have silly dreams while I sleep, but that is much different than the type of day illusion that Grams is talking about. It’s okay to have a night dream about going to school in your underwear, but it is a whole other thing to imagine that you dressed yourself in the morning and end up spending the entire day walking around in your delicates. I can’t imagine not being able to distinguish what is real and what is imagined. Grams must be exhausted. She was right though, and she did have plans with Aunt Jan for the evening.
Our Chocolate Crinkles turned out well. Actually all of our cookie sheets were removed from the oven with perfect timing and baked to perfection. Since the recipe makes 6 dozen cookies, everyone who has seen me since then has been gifted a plate of Chocolate Crinkles. My friends and family enjoy the perks of this blog. One of my taste testing friends concluded that Chocolate Crinkles are a lot like a brownie in the shape of a cookie. So make a big batch of these, and share them with your friends and family. Who doesn’t like a free, delivered dessert!
Chocolate Crinkles—Naoma Ahlden
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 sq. (4 oz) unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 cup confectioners sugar
Mix oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting.
Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture.
Chill several hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into confectioners sugar.
Roll in sugar and shape into balls. Place on greased baking sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until imprint remains when touched lightly in center.
Note from Naoma: This recipe makes a big batch of cookies (around 6 dozen). We love these cookies at holiday time, they really look like Christmas.
