The Sweet Cookie and Brownie Madness of Xtreme Desserts
BY KAREN YOUNG
Have you ever bitten into a dessert that instantly made you smile? Well, that’s what happened when I tasted Xtreme Desserts’ Red Velvet Cookie. My face just lit up.
To be honest, the perfectly sweet taste of the cookie/cream cheese combination that embraced my palate was a surprise because I’m really not a fan of Red Velvet anything.
Xtreme Desserts "Sweet Tooth" creator Glenn Panitz making his signature Red Velvet Cookies in his North Hollywood commercial kitchen. Photo: Karen Young
Frankly, I think it is the most over-exposed, over-done, over-replicated, trend-happy flavor there is — and often made with poor ingredients that leave a chemical sweet taste etched in your mouth.
News flash — the Xtreme Desserts Red Velvet Cookie is a most welcome exception. This company’s signature cookie is moist and soft and filled with the most scrumptious real cream cheese filling made with pure Madagascar vanilla. I must not be the only fan because 3000 cookies are baked per month. This Red Velvet is the real deal and I’m hooked. And unlike the cupcake version, there is cream and cookie in every bite — and it doesn’t dry out.
Special for Valentines Day are heart-shaped Red Velvet Cookies packed in a red box with a designer ribbon ($46 for a dozen). Each cookie will be individually wrapped with a heart sticker — for freshness — or to divide among your valentines.
Glenn Panitz is the baking brain behind the Xtreme Desserts and a self-professed “cookie person.” He acquired his love of cookies from his mom’s New Jersey kitchen. Panitz’s goal with his treats is to put a “twist” on the cookies, as well as the other unique baked goods he creates.
Red Velvet heart cookies special for Valentines Day. Free delivery through February with MDF code. Photo: Xtreme Desserts
Panitz’s foray into the baking biz came by way of poker. He was the designated sweets guy at his weekly games with the guys.
“I’d arrive with a cake that was the size of a mattress. It would move and crack like the San Andreas fault with the filling oozing out,” he relayed with a grin.
“Nothing really looked good, but my poker buddies loved the taste of everything I made and told me that I should have a baking business,” said Panitz, whose career background is as an executive in both entertainment and real estate.
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Dream, Pecan Pie Maple Cookie and Red Velvet Cookie. Photo: Xtreme Desserts
And so, according to this poker legend, Xtreme Desserts was officially born in 2008.
“Everything I made was big and extreme,” said Panitz, who has since refined his baked goods into perfect looking specimens, but has kept his “extreme” philosophy — meaning top quality ingredients, unique flavors and how he creates and designs each baked good.
Xtreme Desserts currently features five different cookies: Red Velvet (as written above, stands alone); Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Dream (two soft cocoa chocolate chip cookies with a peanut butter cream cheese filling drizzled with chocolate ganache on top); Pecan Pie Maple Cookie (two 100% Maple cookies sandwiched around homemade Pecan Pie filling and topped with a lightly sugar coated pecan); S’Mores (A rich and moist cocoa chocolate cookie, circled with homemade marshmallow cream which has been torch fired and topped with a sprinkle of graham cracker. ); and PB and J (A peanut butter cookie with strawberry jelly spread in a circle around the top so you get the combo taste in every bite). The cookies all freeze beautifully for up to three months.
Brownies and Blondies are individual works of art. Photo: Xtreme Desserts
Cookies are just the beginning of the sweet madness at Xtreme Desserts. There are the fifteen different types of Blondies and Brownies. Now we’re really talking “extreme.” You have to see these — and taste them — to believe it. Each are individual works of art shaped in rounds with a variety of luscious frostings, combination flavors and toppings. Here’s just some of the flavors: Cheesecake Brownie, Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Blondie, Black Forest Brownie, Caramel Snickerish Brownie, German Chocolate Brownie, Pistachio Chocolate Chip Brownie, Green Mint Chocolate Chip Brownie, Chocolate Malted Brownie, Apple Pie Blondie.
Cakes can be custom created with 72 hours notice. Photo: Xtreme Desserts.
“I just want to take all my favorite desserts and create them as cookies and brownies,” said Panitz.
Need cake? Just give Xtreme Desserts 72 hours notice and they’ll bake a made-to-order four layer specialty cake. Or need something extra special, like a wedding cake? No problem. Panitz will work with you to create a one-of-a-kind cake for any occasion. He also supplies party platters and does gift baskets as well as cookie party favors.
Xtreme Desserts — definitely a baked goods ‘find’ to put an extreme smile on your face.
FREE LOCAL DELIVERY ON ALL GOODS THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY. PUNCH IN CODE: MDF — WHEN ORDERING
www.xtremedesserts.com (818) 505-1759. Contact Glenn Panitz for custom orders and shipping/delivery questions. Available locally in individual servings at Crave in Sherman Oaks, Artisan Cheese Gallery in Studio City and Sweetharts in Sherman Oaks, plus the Studio City Farmers Market this Sunday, February 7. There will be samples!
Karen Young is the Editor/Publisher of My Daily Find
Calabasas-based Cookies for a Koz delivers more than just sweets
BY KAREN YOUNG
Roberta Koz Wilson has been called an “accidental baker.”
A former MTV marketing/sales executive, Wilson, a Calabasas resident, never imagined she’d end up making cookies for a living.
“I spent 21 years in the business world. I was never a baker,” exclaimed Wilson. “I swear my mother channeled this,” she said with a wink.
The “this” Wilson is referring to is Cookies for a Koz, a business created in honor of her mother, Audrey Koz, who passed away in 2005.
Dave Koz and Roberta Koz Wilson with their mother, Audrey, in front of the house she grew in in Winnipeg,Manitoba, Canada.
“My mom never showed up without cookies. It gave her great happiness to bake for people,” said Wilson. “Having this business is my way of coping with her being gone. It was always her dream to go into business, so I feel like this is her legacy. I didn’t realize the role it would play in my life.”
The other part of the business, a play on the name Koz — is giving back for a cause.
Audrey Koz's classic Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe was the first cookie in the Cookie for a Koz repertoire — with a special ingredient — english toffee chips!
“The Starlight Children’s Foundation was my mom’s favorite charity, so 10% of the profits are donated to them,” said Wilson, whose brother, the multi-award winning smooth jazz saxophonist /recording artist Dave Koz, is also one of their Global Ambassadors.
“Roberta Wilson and the entire Koz family have been tireless supporters of Starlight for several years now, and they are always coming up with creative ways to raise both funds and awareness for our mission,” said Paula Vanness, CEO of The Starlight Children’s Foundation. “When Roberta came to us with her idea for Cookies for a Koz, we were just thrilled that she thought of us and are so honored to be associated with her mother’s legendary homemade cookies. Roberta’s generosity is inspiring to all of us here at Starlight every day.”
Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread was made specially for Labor Day.
Cookie legend has it that Audrey’s cookies may have been a big part of her son’s music career taking off. “She used to send cookies to all his meetings and performances,” quipped Wilson. “Everyone always said they were the best cookies they’d ever eaten.”
Wilson started the business with her mom’s original chocolate chip cookie recipe. A Disney executive who tasted her cookies said “they’re not your average cookie,” and asked her what other flavors she made for a possible order.
Within one week, Wilson said that she had created three more flavors — oatmeal raisin, white chocolate raspberry and snickerdoodle.
That was a year and a half ago. Since then, Wilson has introduced special new flavors for the holidays — Red Velvet (Valentines Day and remains in the basic flavors), Key Lime (St. Patrick’s Day), Spring Sprinkle (Spring/Easter), Apple Pie (her brother’s idea for Mother’s Day), Red, White and Blueberry (raspberries, white chocolate and blueberries for July 4) and Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread (Labor Day). For Thanksgiving, Wilson says she’s thinking about Pumpkin Chocolate Chip. And the lastest? Vegan Chocolate Chip !
Oatmeal Raisin is fresh and soft with a hint of cinnamon.
“My kitchen is a lab for trying out different recipes,” said Wilson. “I have certain base flavors and then I just test a lot from there.”
Dave Koz thought of having the Apple Pie flavor for Mothers Day this year.
Since the Disney order, Wilson’s accidental profession has taken off. She’s participated in Concern Foundation and Starlight Foundation galas, as well as a variety of boutiques and events. She’s done the radio and TV circuit with KTLA Morning Show, KIIS FM, Ryan Seacrest, KFWB and AM 830, among others.
And the orders keep pouring in.
Ken Levinson, CEO CJ Ventures, started a promotion on a professional social network for the health care field, medicalmingle.com, and has a weekly drawing to win an order of cookies from Cookies for a Koz.
“Great cookies, great people and a great cause. That to me is a Win-Win for everyone,” said Levinson. “Our members absolutely rave about the cookies that Roberta makes. I think there would be a lot of disappointed members if we ever discontinued the weekly drawing, so I have no intention of doing so.
Roberta Koz Wilson in the Wango Tango VIP tent withe "Dancing With the Stars" winner Mario Ballas.
This past May, Wilson shared the limelight in the Wango Tango VIP room and introduced her cookies to a slew of celebrities and rockers, including Mark Ballas (Dancing with the Stars), Manny on the Street and JoJo (KIIS FM), Angela and Vanessa Simmons, All American Rejects, Corbin Bleu (High School Musical) and Soulja Boy.
The cookie version of Red Velvet has white chocolate morsels.
Dentist Devoree Prepsky orders Cookies for a Koz on a regular basis. “Not only are the cookies some of the best I’ve ever tasted [and I come from a long line of cookie experts], I love the thought that I’m helping to support the The Starlight Foundation. By sending out dozens of these wonderful cookies to my colleagues throughout the year, I feel like I’m paying it forward. One good deed becomes another and so on. It all feels good and tastes good at the same time.”
Each gift package comes classically wrapped with brown ribbon.
Each cookie is individually wrapped for freshness. Attached is the story of Cookies for a Koz.
Cookies are available to order online and come beautifully packaged in a crisp brown cardboard box with a thick brown ribbon. Cookies are all individually wrapped for freshness and come with a personalized note and the story of Cookies for a Koz. A Bakers Dozen gift box is $19.95 with two flavors. Two dozen are $35.95 with three flavors. Party trays are available in the Los Angeles area. Up to three flavors are available for the two dozen tray and up to four flavors available for the three dozen tray.
A brief review from this writer’s household make Cookies for a Koz a true sweet find.
The Red White and Blue cookie with raspberries, white chocolate and blueberries was created in honor of America's birthday.
“These cookies are so good, they’re ridiculous,” said my son 16, only to be echoed by his 13 year old sister, “These cookies are crazy good. I can’t believe how good they are.”
As for me, I got my hand caught in the cookie jar.
“Mom,” said my son, “how many cookies did you eat?” after noticing the box seemed surprisingly light. “Ummm, maybe four…uh, five?” I sheepishly replied.
“Four or five!” my daughter exclaimed. “That’s not good for you.”
Maybe not, but the cookies are sooo good. Everything in moderation, right? A perfect quick crisp, yet soft bite on the outside with an incredibly moist inside. The flavors are incredibly fresh. Lemon Poppy Seed has a taste of grated lemon zest and real poppy seeds; the variations of white and dark chocolate are rich; the red velvet is subtle with a white chocolate twist; oatmeal raisin with a pinch of cinnamon tastes like it just popped out of the oven; the snickerdoodle has that perfect combination of sugar and cinnamon in a soft cookie.
Good thing we didn’t order the party tray. Sigh.
For further information, www.cookiesforakoz.com. Or contact Roberta Koz Wilson 818-223-9365 or roberta@cookiesforakoz.com GET 10% OFF WHEN WITH MY DAILY FIND. ENTER MDF IN THE DISCOUNT CODE
Karen Young is the Editor/Publisher of My Daily Find.
