Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book - Bruce Weinstein [50]
MAKES ABOUT 45 COOKIES
FOR THE CHOCOLATE DOUGH
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) cool, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 large egg white, at room temperature
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
13/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER DOUGH
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (do not use “natural” peanut butter)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cool, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. First, position the rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
2. To make the chocolate dough, place the chopped chocolate in the top half of a double boiler set over about 1 inch of simmering water. If you don’t have a double boiler, place the chocolate in a medium bowl that fits snugly over a medium saucepan with a similar amount of simmering water. Stir until half the chocolate has melted, making sure none of the escaping steam gets into the chocolate and causes it to seize. Remove the top of the double boiler or the bowl from the heat and continue stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Cool for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, continue making the chocolate dough by softening the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed, just until pale and somewhat airy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating until fluffy but still grainy, about 1 more minute. Beat in the egg and egg white, then the vanilla and salt until smooth. Turn off the mixer, add the flour, then beat at low speed just until a soft dough forms, about 20 seconds. Set this dough aside.
4. To prepare the peanut butter dough, clean and dry the beaters thoroughly. Soften the peanut butter and the butter in a second large bowl, using the electric mixer at medium speed, until fairly smooth, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until light, about 2 more minutes. Beat in the egg yolk. Remove the beaters and stir in the flour and salt, using a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, just until a creamy, smooth dough forms.
5. To make the cookies, roll a tablespoon of the chocolate dough into a ball, place it on the prepared baking sheet, and gently flatten it with your fingers into a 2-inch patty. Roll a teaspoon of the peanut butter dough into a ball, flatten it in the palm of your hand into a disk, and place it on top of the chocolate dough patty. Finally, roll 1/2 teaspoon of the chocolate dough into a ball, flatten as well, and place on top of the peanut butter patty, thereby creating the bull’s-eye pattern. If desired, you can put a tiny dot of peanut butter dough right in the center of the pattern. Repeat, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, rotating the sheet back to front once during baking. The chocolate dough should feel set to the touch; the peanut butter will still be soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cool the baking sheet for 5 minutes before proceeding with another batch, or use a second lined baking sheet that hasn’t been in the oven.
Recommended storage
4 days at room temperature
2 months in the freezer
Mix It Up!
Chocolate Almond Bull’s-eyes: Substitute 5 tablespoons almond butter for the peanut butter; add 1 tablespoon corn syrup with the brown sugar.
Chocolate Hazelnut Bull’s-eyes: Decrease the butter in the peanut butter dough to 3 tablespoons; substitute 7 tablespoons Nutella or other hazelnut-chocolate spread for the peanut butter.
Chocolate Sesame Bull’s-eyes: Substitute tahini for the peanut butter.
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CREAM