Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

If you recall, one of my new favorite cookies was this one. But I have to tell you that this chocolate cookie is probably the best cookie I have ever tasted. When I took the first batch from the oven I tasted one and took the rest of it to David who was sawing wood for trim work on our downstairs renovation. The next thing I knew, there he was in the kitchen covered in sawdust looking for another. It is that good. As well it should be. It is another fabulous recipe from Peggy Knickerbocker in her book Simple Soirees. Are you tired of this cookbook yet? I’m not.

The original recipe came from Pierre Herme, the famous Parisian baker. Peggy Knickerbocker divides her time between San Francisco and Paris. She adapted this cookie from his recipe. The recipe as written relies on only the best ingredients, as it should. Unfortunately I did not have access to the very best chocolate, but in spite of that the cookies were still outstanding. It is probably wrong to offer such superlatives in describing the unique richness of these cookies, but they really are worthy of a staring role as dessert at a dinner party.

The cookies are easy to prepare. They are slice and bake cookies. You just assemble them ahead of time, roll them into two logs, refrigerate and slice and bake when you are ready to serve them. As an aside, I have to tell you how great the internet is. When I read the recipe in the cookbook, it called for only 1/4 cup flour. I knew this could not be correct, so I googled Peggy’s name and the name of the cookies and found a site that had discovered the mistake in the cookbook and corrected the measurement to 1 and 1/4 cups. I would love some input from any of you who make them. The chocolate I used is in parenthesis. If you have access to the chocolate called for, I would love to hear from you about the results. These cookies are worthy of respect.

CRISPY-CREAMY CHOCOLATE COOKIES

1/3 cup excellent quality processed, sweetened cocoa powder, such as E. Guittard or Scharffen Berger. ( I used Special Dark Hershey’s Cocoa; I know, I know; not good)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
11 Tbls. (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt or fleur de sel
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 ounces excellent quality bittersweet chocolate such as E. Guittard, roughly chopped ( I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate, a 4 ounce bar.) I refrigerated it before chopping.

Sift together the cocoa powder, baking soda, and flour. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer, cream the butter until smooth, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and blend again. Add the salt and vanilla and blend for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on the lowest speed until the ingredients are incorporated. The dough will be crumbly. Stir in the chopped chocolate.

Turn the dough onto a work surface. Press the mixture together with your hands, forming a ball Cut the ball in half and work each half into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Slice the logs into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Place the rounds on the baking sheets, 1 inch apart. If the cookies break apart, press them back together.

Bake one sheet at a time for 12 minutes. The cookies will not be firm nor appear to be done. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on the sheet on a wire rack until they are barely warm. Store the cookies in an airtight container. The recipe says it makes 4 dozen, but 2 is more like it.