Kakor Chokladflarn or IKEA Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies #CreativeCookieExchange

Kakor Chokladflarn or IKEA chocolate oatmeal cookies are a special treat we usually buy at that famous Swedish superstore but they are really quite easy to make at home. The bonus, of course, is that you know exactly what is in these. (Read: no palm oil or odd additives.) These delectable delights are crispy thin oatmeal cookies with dark chocolate sandwiched between them. In my copycat version, I leave them single file. You get more dark chocolate with each bite that way. Which, in my humble opinion, is always a good thing.

When today’s Creative Cookie Exchange theme was announced as “copycat cookies” I asked friends and family which cookies they might like to eat if I recreated a store-bought favorite. Most people were very helpful.

My husband suggested his favorite McVitie’s Ginger Nuts while at the same time allowing that he doubted any remake could duplicate the original successfully.

Wow, man.

Ordinarily that would make me say, “Challenged Accepted!” but he is really, really picky about his gingersnaps. Only McVitie’s will do.

I was all set to bake homemade Hobnobs when it suddenly struck me. There is one cookie I love to the point that I hate to buy them because I will eat them all. And they come in a very big box! You’ll have guessed from the title of this post that I’m referring to Kakor Chokladflarn from IKEA. (Recently renamed Kakor Havreflarn, which is not nearly as magical a name.)

When I tried to translate Kakor Chokladflarn into English, Google Translate struggled. Kakor was easy: Cookies. Chokladflarn became Chocolate Flap. Clearly choklad must be chocolate so I separated that second word in two. My persistence was rewarded by the following translation: Cookies Chocolate Flake. According to the French IKEA site, the flakes in the cookie title – flarn -  refer to oat flakes, in other words, whole rolled oats.

Kakor Chokladflarn or IKEA Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

My jumping off point for these cookies were these two recipes on Not Quite Nigella and Cuisine de Fadila and a couple in Swedish that were most amusing once translated. As well as a few ingredient changes, I also simplified the method and was super pleased with the results.

This recipe makes 2 dozen+ (about 27) single cookies or 13+ sandwich cookies.

Ingredients
1/2 cup or 113g butter
1 1/2 cups or 125g wholegrain rolled oats
2/3 cup or 150g caster or superfine sugar
1/4 cup or 25g ground almonds
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
7oz or 200g dark chocolate (I used a French dark chocolate called noir corsé or full-bodied black)

Method
Preheat oven to 400°F or 200°C and line two baking pans with baking parchment or silicone liners.

Measure the rolled oats, ground almond, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwaveable vessel. I used a measuring pitcher. Pour the melted butter into the dry ingredients. Stir well to combine.

In another small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla paste together. Stir them into mixture in the bowl until well combined.

Use a small scoop to portion the dough out onto the prepared baking pans. Leave at least an inch around them to allow room for spreading as the cookies bake. My cookie scoop holds 2 tablespoons so I filled it about half full.

Bake for 6-7 minutes or until golden. Keep an eye on them because when they start to brown, they turn golden on the edges very quickly.

Leave the cookies to cool on the parchment or silicone liner until they are set. then use a thin spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you try to move them too soon, they might break.

Heat the chocolate in a microwave in 10-15 second bursts, stirring well in between, until it is smooth and completely melted. (You can also use a double boiler.)

Use a pastry brush or a palette knife to add the chocolate to the bottoms of the cookies.

If you are leaving them single, as I did, place them chocolate side up on parchment or silicone liners until the chocolate sets. Or sandwich them together, chocolate side to chocolate side, if you want to make authentic kakor chokladflarn or IKEA Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. They are fabulous with a cold glass of milk, coffee or tea.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to this month's Creative Cookie Exchange host, Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories. We are a small group this month. Just three tasty cookies. Check 'em out!

• Homemade Circus Animal Cookies from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Honey Jumbles from All That's Left Are the Crumbs
• Kakor Chokladflarn - IKEA Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies from Food Lust People Love

You can use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links.

Pin these Kakor Chokladflarn aka IKEA Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies! 

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Steamed Apple Date Bread #BreadBakers

A quick bread cooked on the stovetop? Yes, it’s not only possible, but I highly recommend it! This steamed apple date bread is so easy to make and it is chock full of flavor with sticky dates, tart chopped apple and brown sugar.

This month my Bread Bakers event has an unusual theme: Catch up!  Our host Pavani from Cook’s Hideout proposed that we make a bread from a past Bread Bakers theme that we missed participating in.

This steamed apple date bread is my 52nd Bread Bakers recipe and, if you care to do the math that means I’ve only missed one event since I started the group in September 2014. I missed Steamed Breads in August 2017 because my daughters and I were making the cross-country trek from the Boston to Los Angeles. Truth be told though, I wasn’t that disappointed.

You see, I am not really a fan of steamed bread. It’s often pale and anemic looking and needs a filling to make it worth eating. If I wanted to participate this month, I decided that the ingredients needed to bring some color as well as flavor to my bread. Dates and brown sugar seemed like a good idea.

My neighbor and very good friend Sandra very kindly gave me some sweet dates from her date palms and she also shared her microwaveable date loaf recipe. (It’s fabulous and you’d never guess it was “baked” in the microwave!) I merged hers with one on the King Arthur website for a harvest bread steamed in a pudding bowl (the misleading accompanying photo aside), and the method for Boston brown bread steamed in coffee cans which does actually turn out cylindrical.

This bread is sooooo good! Just sweet enough with a tender crumb, great flavor and lovely color. I can now say that I like, nay LOVE, steamed bread.

Steamed Apple Date Bread

Enjoy these two loaves simply sliced, or toasted and buttered. Either way, they are perfect for breakfast, coffee breaks, snack or teatime. Without ever turning your oven on.

Ingredients
8 oz or 225g sweet ripe dates, pits removed, then chopped
1 cup, firmly packed, or 200g brown sugar
1 cup or 245g plain yogurt
1/4 cup or 60g butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups or 190g flour
1 1/2 cups or 180g wholemeal flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
2 eggs

Method
Place the chopped dates, brown sugar, yogurt and butter into a small pan and cook over a medium low heat until it starts to boil, about 4-5 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in the baking soda. It will get very bubbly. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally to speed up the process. (I popped mine in the freezer for about 10 minutes as well.)

Grease the insides of two coffee cans with melted butter or non-stick baking spray. Bring a teakettle of water to a boil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, salt and spices. Tip in the chopped apple and stir well to coat.

In another bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk in the cooled date mixture.

Fold your wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients until just mixed.

Divide your thick batter between the two greased coffee cans.

Cover the cans with a square of baking parchment, then hold it in place with a square of aluminum foil. Secure the foil with poultry string or silicone rubber bands.

Place the coffee cans in a deep stock pot on top of a vegetable steamer or some crumpled foil so they don’t touch the bottom.

The pan should be deep enough so its lid can cover top of the coffee cans. Fill the pan with boiling water two-thirds of the way up the coffee cans. You may have to boil another kettle of water if you are using a vegetable steamer, which will lift the cans quite high off the bottom of the pot.

Cover, bring the water back to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Steam the two coffee cans for about 2 hours, adding water to the pot if necessary.

Remove the cans from the pot and take off the foil and parchment paper.

Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before turning the loaves out.

Enjoy!

Check out the rest of the wonderful bread recipes my Bread Bakers are sharing today. Many thanks to Pavani of Cook’s Hideout for hosting this month.

• Adjaruli Khachapuri from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Big Batch Dinner Rolls from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Breudher Cake from Passion Kneaded
• Coriander Garlic Pull apart Bread from Sara's Tasty Buds
• Cranberry English Muffins from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Eggless Oats Banana Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Fig Jam Friands from All That's Left Are the Crumbs
• Garlic Cheese and Herbs Pull Apart Bread from Ambrosia
• Herbed Wholewheat Garlic Knots from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Keema Naan from The Schizo Chef
• Peperoncini Focaccia Bread from Sneha's Recipe
• Savory Almond Meal Bread from Palatable Pastime
• Sourdough Cinnamon Buns from Baking Sense
• Steamed Apple Date Bread from Food Lust People Love
• Vegan Gluten-free Banana Bread from Cook's Hideout
• Whole Wheat Palak Naan from Cook with Renu
• Yeasted Lemon Bundt Cake from Anybody Can Bake

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

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Curried Coconut Citrus Cod #FishFridayFoodies

The richness of the coconut is complemented by the addition of lime and orange juice in this beautiful curried coconut citrus cod. The tender fish is poached in the flavorful sauce. Make it as spicy or as mild as you like.

When the theme for today’s Fish Friday Foodies was announced as Quite the Catch, in celebration of Valentines Day, I knew exactly which recipe I wanted to share. It comes from the great cookbook Orange Appeal by Jamie Schler (with gorgeous photos by Elva Beretta) that was released in August 2017

This first time I made this dish, I halved the ingredients list and cooked only two pieces of cod. Simple, elegant and full of flavor, yet super easy, curried coconut citrus cod would the perfect date night dinner. The problem was that we loved it so much that I kicked myself for not making enough for leftovers.

So despite this being a Valentines Day dinner suggestion, this time around, with permission from my friend, Jamie, I give you the whole fish recipe, which serves four. I skipped the recommended accompaniment of rice pilaf and served mine both times over steamed rice with sweet peas.

If you’d like a copy of Orange Appeal, move quickly, there are only seven left on Amazon! We are right in the middle of citrus season so this is the perfect time. I highly recommend it!

Curried Coconut Citrus Cod

Jamie called this dish Curried Cod Poached in Coconut Milk, Lime and Orange. Aside from shortening the name, I also substituted a hot pepper for her mild one and spicy curry powder, again instead of a milder mix. We like things spicy at our house! You do you.

Ingredients
1 fresh mild green pepper such as a guindilla, Basque fryer, Guernica, or Anaheim, stem removed (Or one small hot red pepper)
1/2 cup or 120 ml fresh lime juice (from about 3 juicy limes)
1/2 cup or 120 ml fresh orange juice (from about 1 1/2 -2 oranges)
1 2/3 cups or 400 ml thick coconut milk or coconut cream (I used cream)
1 tablespoon mild or medium curry powder (or hot!)
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (coriander), plus more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 (6-ounce / 170 g) thick cod fillets
1 tablespoon butter

To serve: 4 portions of cooked rice – I also added some frozen sweet peas for color and nutrition right at the end of the rice cooking time.

Method
If you prefer non-spicy food, follow Jamie’s instructions to slice your mild pepper in half lengthwise and scrape out and discard the seeds, then slice each half into 2 lengthwise strips. If you are using a red chile pepper because you like spicy food, you can slice it into circles, leaving the seeds intact.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, coconut milk, curry powder, cilantro, and with a light sprinkle of salt and a few good grinds of black pepper until blended.

Rinse the cod fillets and pat them dry with paper towels. Lightly salt and pepper each fillet on both sides.

Heat a wok or a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. When the butter melts and begins to sizzle, add the pepper slices and gently slide in the cod fillets and cook to sear quickly for 1 minute; flip and cook the other side for 1 minute. I recommend a non-stick skillet to aid the turning of the fish.

Add the coconut milk mixture to the cod pan and bring it to a low boil. Little bubbles will start coming to the surface. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 minutes or until the cod is cooked through. Add more salt, pepper or orange juice to taste. If your fillets aren't completely covered, spoon the hot sauce over the tops of them as they cook.

Serve over cooked rice or even pasta, with an extra sprinkle of chopped cilantro to garnish. The sauce is so flavorful that you’ll want to serve this in shallow bowls with spoons so you don’t miss a drop!

Enjoy!

Check out all the other "Quite the Catch" recipes we are sharing today! Many thanks to our host, Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla!

• Braised Cod Peperonata for Two by Karen at Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Curried Coconut Citrus Cod by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp) by Caroline at Caroline's Cooking
• Heart Salmon Cakes For A Romantic Meal by Sneha at Sneha's Recipe
• Lobster Thermidor by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Miyagi Oysters with Pomegranate Mignonette by Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Would you like to join Fish Friday Foodies? We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of the month. To join our group please email Wendy at wendyklik1517 (at) gmail.com. Visit our Facebook page and Pinterest page for more wonderful fish and seafood recipe ideas.

Pin this Curried Coconut Citrus Cod!

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