Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book - Bruce Weinstein [70]
5. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and make an indentation in each cookie, either by wetting your thumb and pressing it into the cookie, or by using the handle of a wooden spoon. (See Chocolate Jam Thumbprints, page 99, for a more detailed explanation of this process.) Fill each indentation with 1 teaspoon of the prepared ganache.
6. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned at the edges and the chocolate center just starts to bubble around the edges. Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cool the baking sheet for 5 minutes and butter it again before making more cookies—or use a second, buttered baking sheet that hasn’t been in the oven.
Recommended storage
4 days between sheets of wax paper
Not recommended for freezing
Customize It!
Flavor the ganache by stirring 11/2 tablespoons of any of the following into the cooled, melted chocolate mixture: Amaretto or other almond liqueur, Chambord or other raspberry liqueur, Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur, Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur, Kahlúa or other coffee-flavored liqueur, or Oh Canada Maple Liqueur or other maple liqueur.
GINGER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Here’s a chocolate chip cookie spiked with both ground and crystallized ginger, and made a little chewier thanks to molasses and an extra egg white. Call them a cross between a classic chocolate cookie and gingerbread. If you prefer chewier cookies, remove them from the oven while they’re still quite soft.
MAKES A LITTLE MORE THAN 3 DOZEN COOKIES
21/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cool, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses, preferably unsulphured
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg white, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks
1. Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl until uniform; set aside.
2. Use an electric mixer at medium speed to soften the butter in a large bowl, just until smooth and light, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and molasses; continue beating until fluffy, if still a little grainy, about 2 more minutes. Beat in the egg, then the egg white, and then the vanilla until smooth. Beat in the crystallized ginger at low speed just until evenly distributed. Turn off the beaters, add the prepared flour mixture (in stages, if necessary), and beat at a very low speed just until a soft, creamy dough forms.
3. Drop by scant tablespoonfuls onto two large, ungreased baking sheets, preferably nonstick, spacing the mounds about 2 inches apart. Bake for 7 minutes, then reverse the sheets back to front and top to bottom. Continue baking for about 6 more minutes, or until the cookies are slightly puffed, set, but still soft. Cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Cool the baking sheets for 5 minutes before baking additional batches, as necessary.
Recommended storage
3 days at room temperature
3 months in the freezer
More Choices!
Almond Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies: Reduce the chocolate chips to 2 cups; add 1 cup sliced almonds with the remaining chips.
Chestnut Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies: Reduce the chocolate chips to 11/2 cups; add 11/2 cups chopped roasted peeled chestnuts with the remaining chips.
Lemon Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies: Substitute 1/2 cup finely chopped candied lemon rind for the crystallized ginger.
Walnut