Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book - Bruce Weinstein [15]
7. Take a heaping teaspoon of the dough and roll it into a ball between your hands, so that it’s about the size of a small walnut. Place it on one of the prepared baking sheets, then continue rolling balls, spacing them about 11/2 inches apart on the sheets (see Note). If you don’t use up all your dough, cover the bowl loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature while you bake the first batch.
8. Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets top to bottom and back to front. Continue baking for about 6 more minutes until the cookies are puffed and lightly cracked. (The cookies will collapse a little as they cool.) Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks and cool completely. Cool the baking sheets for 5 minutes before buttering a second time and baking additional batches.
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NOTE: You can make these cookies in advance, rolling out the balls, placing them on the baking sheets, and then storing them in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 8 hours. Let the dough come back to room temperature before baking. This way, you can bake them right before you’re ready to eat them—and they’ll be at their warm, fudgy best.
Recommended storage
3 days at room temperature
3 months in the freezer
Customize It!
Add 1 cup of any of the following, or a combination, to the batter with the flour mixture: chocolate-covered espresso beans, chopped dried apricots, chopped dried figs, chopped hazelnuts, chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, cocoa nibs, dried cherries, M&M’s, mini chocolate chips, Raisinets, raisins, Reese’s Pieces, sliced almonds, sweetened shredded coconut.
BUTTERSCOTCH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Be careful when you melt the butterscotch chips—the smallest amount of condensed steam can cause them to curdle. Because they’re so temperamental, we don’t advocate using a bowl over a pan of simmering water; use a double boiler or melt them in a microwave oven as indicated.
MAKES ABOUT 6 DOZEN COOKIES
21/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus additional for buttering the baking sheet
One 11-ounce package butterscotch chips
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a large baking sheet and set it aside. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside as well.
2. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place them with the butterscotch chips in the top half of a double boiler set over about 2 inches of simmering water. Stir constantly until about three-quarters melted, then remove from the heat and continue stirring until completely melted. Transfer the melted chips and butter to a large bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Alternatively, place the cut-up butter and butterscotch chips in a large bowl; microwave on high for 20 seconds, stir well, then continue heating on high in 15-second increments until about three-quarters melted. Remove the bowl from the microwave oven and continue stirring until completely melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. (See Note.)
3. Beat the brown sugar into the melted butterscotch mixture, using an electric mixer at medium speed, for about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure the first is fully incorporated before adding the second. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the vanilla until smooth. Turn off the mixer, add the flour mixture, then beat at low speed just until soft, crumbly pieces of dough form, not until the mixture gathers into a ball. The dough will be quite thick and oily. Finally, beat in the chocolate chips at low speed, just until incorporated. You may also stir them in with a wooden spoon.
4. Roll by tablespoonfuls into 1-inch balls; place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about