Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book - Bruce Weinstein [58]
2. First, prepare the various dry ingredients needed for the recipe. Place 2 cups of the pecans in a food processor fitted with a chopping blade; process until the texture of finely ground meal but not pastelike; set aside in a small bowl. Place the remaining 3 cups pecans and all the granulated sugar in the food processor; process until sandy, pour onto a large plate, and set aside. Finally, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly colored; set aside as well.
3. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the brown sugar and shortening in a large bowl, until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the whole egg, then the vanilla, until smooth. Pour in the ground pecans (the ones without the sugar) and beat for about 10 seconds just until incorporated. Remove the beaters and stir in the prepared flour mixture with a wooden spoon or a spatula until a thick dough forms. Set aside for 10 minutes to firm a bit.
4. Pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a walnut and roll between your hands into a 1-inch ball. Dip this ball in the egg-white mixture; then roll into the pecan and sugar mixture, coating the ball completely. Place on one of the prepared baking sheets, then continue making pecan-coated balls, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Reserve any unused dough for a second round of baking.
5. Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the sheets front to back and top to bottom. At this time, flatten the cookies slightly with a heat-safe rubber spatula or the back of a flatware spoon, just to remove their rounded tops. Continue baking for 5 to 6 more minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned and cracked at the edges. Cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cool the baking sheets for 5 more minutes, then lightly grease them again before making additional batches, if necessary.
Recommended storage
3 days at room temperature
2 months in the freezer
Personalize It!
Mix in 1/2 cup of any of the following with the ground pecans: chopped dried mango, chopped pitted dates, dried currants, golden raisins, M&M’s Mini Baking Bits, Reese’s Pieces, unsweetened coconut chips, or white chocolate chips.
And/or spice the batter with one of the following, added with the ground pecans: 2 teaspoons apple pie spice mix, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.
CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD
We modeled these cookies on those popular, store-bought shortbread rounds divided into pie-shaped wedges. These are made with unsweetened chocolate for a deep, sophisticated taste.
MAKES ABOUT 18 LARGE SHORTBREAD ROUNDS
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cool, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Place the chocolate in the top half of a double boiler set over about 1 inch of simmering water, or place it in a medium bowl that fits over a medium saucepan with about the same amount of simmering water. Stir until half the chocolate has melted, then remove the top half of the double boiler or the bowl from the heat and continue stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
2. Soften the butter in a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat the mixture at medium speed until smooth, about 1 more minute. Beat in the vanilla, then the cooled, melted chocolate until uniform. Remove the beaters and stir in the flour and salt with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, just until moistened and incorporated but not sticky. The dough should be soft but hold together. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle a few drops of water on your work surface, then lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on top. Turn the chocolate dough out onto the plastic wrap; flatten into a thick, round disk; then cover