Needle in a Haystack

The last couple of days out here in the Prairies have been hotter than H-E-Double Hockeysticks. Now a lot of people I know are basking in the heat, loving that it’s been +40, in stead of -40 like it will be in a few short months. Me on the other hand? No. I am not built for this weather, especially since I’ve been working in the bake-shop section of the kitchens at work. It’s been so hot that I start sweating just using the Hobart and mixing whipped cream. That’s a bad sign. A deliciously bad sign.

So what do you “bake” when it’s already baking outside?

Haystacks.

Frogs.

Drop Cookies.

The “Oh My God These Are So Good Why Can’t I Stop Eating These?” Cookies.

Yeah, these things are seriously that good. And deceptively easy.

Chocolate Haystacks – yields roughly 2 dozen tablespoon sized cookies

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups shredded or flaked coconut

The How-To

1. Melt and mix the butter, sugar, cocoa, salt and milk.
2. Remove from heat and stir in everything else.
3. Drop by teaspoon, or tablespoon, or handful (whatever…this is one place where size doesn’t matter) onto parchment lined baking sheets.
4. Let air-dry and set. Don’t refrigerate! It’ll cause them to be all melty and gross when you take them out of the fridge. Just leave them alone for a while. Sneak one while it’s still warm and gooey though, because that’s just delicious.