Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book - Bruce Weinstein [61]
Don’t be hesitant: Squeeze the cookie onto the sheet and release with a quick jerk.
Don’t cool the cookies for more than 1 minute on the baking sheets; the melted sugar will glue them down.
CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES
These are some of the best sugar cookies we’ve eaten: moist yet crisp, tender yet sturdy enough to dunk—and best of all, loaded with chocolate! Grating the chocolate keeps the cocoa butter from melting into the batter and causing the cookies to spread. Our secret for getting the sugar coating to stick to the cookies? Use a drinking glass to press the crystals into the cookies as you flatten them.
MAKES ABOUT 31/2 DOZEN COOKIES
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
1/4 cup cocoa powder, preferably natural, sifted
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated (see Chocolate Grater, page 15)
6 tablespoons cool, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
5 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening (21/2 ounces)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons milk (regular, low-fat, or nonfat)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sanding sugar or coarse sugar, preferably clear (see page 20), spread on a plate
1. Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, and grated chocolate in a medium bowl until uniform; set aside.
2. Place the butter and shortening in a large bowl and use an electric mixer at medium speed to soften them into a fairly smooth mass. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy but still a little grainy, about 1 more minute. Beat in the egg until smooth, then beat in the milk and vanilla. Stop the beaters, add the flour mixture, then beat at low speed just until a dry, rough dough forms.
3. Dust a clean, dry work surface with the smallest sprinkling of flour, then turn the dough out onto it and knead for a few turns, just until it coheres into a fairly smooth ball. Break off walnut-size pieces, roll them into balls between your palms, and place them 2 inches apart on two large nonstick baking sheets.
4. Press the bottom of a medium drinking glass into the remaining, unused dough, then press the glass’s bottom into the sanding or coarse sugar (the grease from the dough will help the crystals adhere to the glass). Use the bottom of the glass to flatten the cookies gently, pressing down to let the crystals adhere, until the cookies are about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat until all the balls are flattened and coated in sugar.
5. Bake for 5 minutes, then reverse the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for about 5 more minutes, or until the cookies are dry at the edges and somewhat firm to the touch. Cool on the sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cool the baking sheets for 5 minutes before baking additional batches. When you run out of dough to press the glass into, you can lightly spray the glass with nonstick spray, but it should be well greased by this point and need no additional help to get the sugar to adhere.
Recommended storage
4 days at room temperature
3 months in the freezer
More Choices!
Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Cookies: Substitute granulated sugar for the sanding or coarse sugar; mix 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon into the granulated sugar before coating the cookies.
Chocolate Nib Cookies: Substitute cocoa nibs for the sanding or coarse sugar.
White Chocolate Almond Sugar Cookies: Substitute grated white chocolate for the semisweet chocolate; substitute almond extract for the vanilla extract.
White Chocolate Banana Sugar Cookies: Substitute grated white chocolate for the semisweet chocolate; substitute banana flavoring for the vanilla extract.
White Chocolate Sugar Cookies: Substitute grated white chocolate for the semisweet chocolate.
CHOCOLATE TEA COOKIES
These cookies are not particularly sweet, but the cocoa powder keeps them from being too dry or crackly. While they are excellent with a cup of tea (or coffee), we