I know I told you all that my first baking post would be with french macaroons…well, I lied! I just cannot wait till Saturday to bake something. I must bake on my day’s off of work or I will go crazy. Yes, go crazy…my fiance knows exactly what this “craziness” is. Don’t worry though, those macaroons WILL get made and WILL get in my stomach. I need them in my life!

So let’s get started people!

Today I made chocolate crinkles, a sure thing recipe that everyone loves. I have made these several times before and everyone raves about them. People are also surprised when they learn how easy they are to make. People are also surprised at how their pants stop fitting after they get a copy of the recipe.

Here’s what you will need

• 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine, softened (I am a butter gal myself)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 oz of unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 cup of all-purpose baking flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of powdered (confectioner’s) sugar.

Measure your sugar into a large mixing bowl

Next add the butter, cooled melted chocolate and vanilla extract.

Mix it all up! Make sure everything is mixed together real good

Stir in your eggs, one at a time

Stir in your flour, baking powder and salt

Now you have to refrigerate it for at least 3 hours.

I swear that box of girl scout cookies on the top rack is not mine. You know how it isn’t mine? I ate all my girl scout cookies within 2 days.

Now set the oven at 350 degrees. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls into the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and roll around until it is covered completely

Roll the dough into a ball

Place the balls on a greased cookie sheet and place on the middle rack in the oven. Bake for between 10-12 minutes or until the middle of the cookie doesn’t indent much when pressed.

Immediately after you take the cookies out of the oven, transfer them to wire racks to cool.

See? That wasn’t so bad. The most painful part is waiting those 3 hours for the dough to chill. Usually you can find me trying to sneak a taste of the dough somewhere around that time. I had self restraint today though, so I’m pretty darn proud of  myself.

Go, go now and bake these!

If you don’t know, “Ai“(愛) is the Japanese word for love..and it is also the first syllable of the nickname I have been using over many years. When it came time to name this blog I knew that was the most appropriate for me! I honestly believe that any baking you do should be with love (愛)!

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So today I decided it was time for me to get into the world of blogging. I do have a blog for personal use, but I decided that my baking deserved a blog of it’s own. Ever since I was a little girl I enjoyed helping my Grandmas in the kitchen, but until about 5 years ago I never baked a cake on my own! I fell head over heels in love with baking and I just keep getting deeper and deeper into it. I have had lots of hobbies over the years but this is the one that has stuck with me. I love creating something delicious and beautiful out of basic ingredients. So I hope you all will read  my blog and watch me grow as a baker and decorator. Look forward to my first baking post soon!