Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [379]
Meanwhile, position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
Divide the dough in half and form each into a ball. Sprinkle a few drops of water on your work surface, then lay a large piece of wax paper on top of them. Lightly dust the wax paper with flour; place the dough in the middle of the paper. Gently flatten the dough, then lay another piece of wax paper over the top. Roll to a 12 × 8-inch rectangle.
Peel off the top layer of wax paper and spread the dough evenly with 6 tablespoons jam. Sprinkle
½ cup chopped nuts evenly over the dough. Roll the rectangle up fairly tightly, starting with one of the 12-inch sides. Slice into 3/4-inch disks. Place on the prepared baking sheet cut side down.
Bake until lightly browned, about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, roll out the second piece of dough, add the jam and nuts, roll up, and cut into more cookies.
To cool: Let the baked cookies stand on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes at room temperature, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cool the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before putting more cookies on it; replace the parchment paper if it’s singed.
To store: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
* * *
Bar Cookies
These ride the line between a cake and a cookie: made in a baking pan, cut into squares, not as crisp as cookies, but more portable than cake.
* * *
Triple Chocolate Brownies
What’s the point in doing something halfway? These brownies are so dense and fudgy, you need to cool them in the pan for at least an hour before slicing. Makes 16 large brownies
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cool unsalted butter, cut into small chunks, plus additional for greasing the pan
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (14 tablespoons) all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting the pan
¼ cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Set the chocolate in the top half of a double boiler placed over 1 inch of simmering water in the bottom half over high heat, or set it in a medium bowl that fits snugly over a medium saucepan with about the same amount of simmering water. Lower the heat to medium-low so the water simmers slowly, and stir until half the chocolate has melted. Remove the top half of the double boiler or the bowl from the heat and continue stirring until the chocolate has fully melted. Set aside to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 13 × 9-inch baking pan; dust it lightly with flour. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until uniform; set aside.
Beat the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light, fluffy, and creamy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally to make sure all the sugar is being beaten into the mixture.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth.
Turn off the beaters, add the prepared flour mixture, and beat at a very low speed until all the flour has all dissolved but not until the batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down and remove the beaters; stir in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan, getting it evenly into the corners and throughout. Bake until softly set, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out with