Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book - Bruce Weinstein [56]
CHOCOLATE REFRIGERATOR COOKIES
This is the simplest way to get a chocolate-cookie fix! You can make the dough in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, baking as many or as few of these buttery cookies as you want—or need.
MAKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cool, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl until uniformly colored. Set aside.
2. Soften the butter in a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating until light and pale yellow, but still a little grainy, about 2 more minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating in the first before adding the second. Beat in the vanilla.
3. Remove the beaters and stir in the prepared flour mixture with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, just until the flour is moistened and the dough begins to turn into grainy threads.
4. Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour, turn the dough onto it, and gather into a uniform ball. Shape into a log about 12 inches long and 11/2 inches in diameter. Seal in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or up to 1 week.
5. To bake the cookies, position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F. Unwrap the log and slice it into 1/4-inch-thick disks. Place these on two ungreased baking sheets, preferably nonstick, spacing the disks about 1 inch apart. Rewrap and refrigerate the remaining dough log until needed, either after the cookies have baked or for another day entirely. You can also freeze the remaining log, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator for 2 hours before slicing into cookies.
6. Bake for about 8 minutes, then rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Bake for about 7 more minutes, or until the cookies are set and firm to the touch although just a little soft inside. Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cool the baking sheets for at least 5 minutes before baking more cookies.
Recommended storage
2 days at room temperature
Once baked, 1 month in the freezer
More Choices!
Chocolate Almond Refrigerator Cookies: Substitute almond extract for the vanilla extract; stir 1/3 cup sliced almonds into the batter with the flour mixture.
Chocolate Cashew Refrigerator Cookies: Add: 1/3 cup finely chopped unsalted roasted cashews with the flour mixture.
Chocolate Coconut Refrigerator Cookies: Add 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut with the flour mixture.
Chocolate Date Spiced Refrigerator Cookies: Stir 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice into the dry ingredients with the flour; stir in 1/3 cup chopped pitted dates with the vanilla extract.
Chocolate Maple Refrigerator Cookies: Reduce sugar to 2/3 cup; add 1/3 cup maple sugar with the remaining sugar. Substitute maple flavoring for the vanilla extract.
Chocolate Spiced Refrigerator Cookies: Stir 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg into the dry ingredients with the flour.
CHOCOLATE RUGELACH
Part pastry and part cookie, our rugelach are somewhat less sweet than those found in bake shops. We like the combination of whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour because it gives the treats a hearty, slightly nutty taste. If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour (available in many gourmet markets and from outlets liked in the Source Guide, page 229), substitute white cake flour.
MAKES ABOUT 32 RUGELACH
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2