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I don't think that I have much of a Minnesota accent. I'm clearly not from a coast or the south but I could pretty much be from anywhere in the midwest (except that the game is Duck Duck Gray Duck, not goose...argue all you want).

Let me repeat this, I don't think that I have much of a Minnesota accent...except when it comes to the word, bars. Not bars as in: "Let's meet at one of the many bars in the city." Bars as in: "Oh, did you try one of the delicious bars that Marge brought to work?" 

It's the "s."

This may also be the reason why I do not bake many bars; perhaps I am purposefully avoiding the event in which I have to say the word out loud.

It is worth it for these, though:

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Halfway Bars

Make the bars: Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13" baking dish with parchment paper (see following photo).

Whisk flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks to the mixture one at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla and water. Gradually add the flour mixture until the dough comes together.

Using your hands, press the cookie layer into the baking dish. Add the dark chocolate chips to the cookie layer and press them into the dough which will make adding the meringue layer much easier.

In a completely clean mixer bowl, whisk the egg whites on high until frothy. Gradually add the remainder of the brown sugar to the egg whites until the mixture holds firm peaks.

Spread the meringue on top of the other two layers. This can get a little messy but I suggest scooping large clumps of the meringue in different places and then use a spatula to smooth it into one layer. Once this is complete, press an additional piece of parchment paper onto the top so that the layer remains flat. Bake with the paper for 20 minutes. Remove the layer of parchment and bake for another 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookie layer or brown.

Cool completely before removing from pan.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, separated
2 eggs, separated
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz dark chocolate chips

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Rhubarb Season

Did you celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a rhubarb inspired feast? Probably not. I did, though, and the meal was wonderful. It included steak, shrimp, chicken, an amazing caramelized onion dip, rhubarb barbecue sauce, rhubarb and mint drinks, and, of course, some rhubarb cookies and rhubarb sorbet made by yours truly.

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Rhubarb Cookies 
from Heat to Oven

Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 375° degrees. Combine rhubarb and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small bowl. 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Incorporate the cream until dough starts to come together. Drain the rhubarb then add it to the dough.

Using a #50 scoop, scoop dough onto a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and bake until edges become golden, 11 minutes.

I made a glaze to add more flavor to the cookies. I do not have precise measurements but the glaze is essentially a rhubarb sauce with powdered sugar.

Make the glaze: Cook sugar, water, and lemon juice in a pot until sugar dissolves. Add chopped rhubarb to sauce and continue to cook until rhubarb is tender. Let cool then puree in a blender.

Add powdered sugar until the glaze reaches desired consistency.

Cookies
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped medium
1/2 cup plus 2 T granulated sugar, divided
2 cups AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 oz cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 T heavy cream

Glaze
equal parts sugar, water to two parts rhubarb 
lemon juice to taste 
powdered sugar

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Deadly Cookie

I made a cookie last week filled with coffee and three different types of chocolate that will make you cry. You will cry because the cookie is not only amazing but also because you will eat so many of them that you will curl up into a stomach ache induced fetal position.

This cookie is based off of Baked's, Cowboy Cookie. I omitted the pretzels and added grapenuts. No, this was not to add "fiber"but rather, crunch. I also used three different types of chocolate: milk, semi sweet, and 70% dark.

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Deadly Cookie
adapted from Baked

Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the oats to combine.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and egg yolk and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Dissolve the espresso in 1/4 cup hot water and add to the mixture. Mix until combined.

Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (15 seconds). Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold in the chocolate and Grape-Nuts.

Cover and refrigerate the bowl for a few hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°. Using a #50 scoop, scoop cookie dough on parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet. Flatten the cookies slightly and bake for 10 minutes.

1 3/4 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups rolled oats
14 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp instant espresso powder
12 oz chocolate (I used a combination of milk, dark, and semi sweet)
3/4 cup Grape-Nuts

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