Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book - Bruce Weinstein [35]
4. Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate the sheets top to bottom and back to front. Continue baking for about 6 more minutes, or until the tops are cracked, but the cookies themselves are still slightly soft to the touch, permitting small indentions. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. The baking sheets should be cooled completely before you bake additional batches, lightly buttering them before using them again.
Recommended storage
4 days at room temperature
3 months in the freezer
Customize It!
Mix 1/2 cup of any of the following into the batter with the prepared flour mixture: chopped dried apricots, chopped dried figs, chopped dried pears, chopped pitted dates, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, or dried currants.
CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRACKER COOKIES
These simple chocolate disks have the distinctive taste and crunch of graham crackers. They are perfect with a glass of cold milk.
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN COOKIES
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (see Note)
1/3 cup cocoa powder, preferably natural, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cool, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
11/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the flour, graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl until well combined; set aside.
2. Soften the butter in a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and light, about 1 minute. Add both sugars and continue beating at medium speed until fluffy, if a little grainy, about 1 more minute. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until the dough forms into crumbs. Remove the beaters and work the dough with your hands in the bowl until it comes together into a ball. The dough will be dry and stiff. Divide it into thirds and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel.
3. Sprinkle a few drops of water on your work surface, then lay a large sheet of wax paper across it (the water will help the wax paper stay in place as you roll the dough). Place one of the pieces of dough on top of the wax paper, flatten the dough slightly, and cover with a second sheet of wax paper. Roll into a circle about 11 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Remove the top sheet of wax paper and use a drinking glass or round cookie cutter to cut the dough into 3-inch circles—or use the cookie cutter of your choice (heart, Christmas tree, or whale, for example) that yields about the same size cookies. Use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to two large, ungreased baking sheets, preferably nonstick, spacing the cookies about 11/2 inches apart. Repeat this process with additional pieces of dough until you have filled both sheets; set the remainder of the dough aside for a second baking.
4. Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate the sheets top to bottom and back to front. Continue baking for about 6 more minutes, or until set but still springy to the touch. Do not overbake. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cool the baking sheets before using them again. Repeat the rolling-out and baking process, using the remainder of the dough.
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NOTE: You can use purchased graham cracker crumbs, or you can pulse 12 whole graham crackers in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade for about the right amount of crumbs. Do not use low-fat graham crackers for this recipe.
Recommended storage
5 days at room temperature
3 months in the freezer
Personalize It!
Make sandwich cookies using 2 teaspoons of almond butter, Marshmallow Fluff, Nutella, orange marmalade, peanut butter, or raspberry jam for each sandwich cookie (you’ll need about 3/4 cup total volume).
CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BISCOTTI
These traditional, twice-baked Italian cookies are packed with hazelnuts, which soften