semi-sweet | thebrookcook

Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies

The New York Times was stalking me with this recipe. I had already cut the recipe out of their Food section and bookmarked it on my computer- on separate occasions. But I also received multiple emails from The NYTimes and Bon Appétit recommending this “wildly popular” recipe. I finally made them for our Super Bowl Sunday dessert. Delicious!

This recipe was adapted from Alison Roman’s cookbook, Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes, via The New York Times. I used Trader Joe’s Cultured Salted Butter from Brittany, France as well as Trader Joe’s semi-sweet chocolate chunks. I sprinkled the top of the cookies with Fleur de Sel prior to baking. They were big cookies- quite indulgent and chocolatey.

Yield: 20 to 24 cookies

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/255 grams total (2¼ sticks) salted butter, cold (room temperature if you’re using a handheld mixer), cut into ½-inch pieces (I used 250 grams of room temperature Trader Joe’s Cultured Salted butter from Brittany, France)
½ cup/101 grams granulated sugar
¼ cup/55 grams light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups/326 grams all-purpose flour
6 ounces/170 grams semi-sweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (not too fine; you want chunks, not little shards)
1 large egg, beaten
Demerara or Turbinado sugar, for rolling
flaky sea salt, such as Fleur de Sel, for sprinkling

Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter, both sugars and vanilla on medium-high till it’s super light and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes for a stand mixer; 6 to 8 for a hand mixer).
Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and, with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, followed by the chocolate chunks, and mix just to blend. If necessary, knead the dough with your hands to make sure the flour is totally incorporated. At this point, the dough should be smooth and feel like Play-Doh with no pockets of flour.
Divide the dough in half, placing each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over so that it covers the dough to protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it perfect. (Don’t be afraid to make them compact. Shortbread is supposed to be dense. That’s part of why it’s so good.) You can also do this using parchment paper, if you prefer, but plastic wrap is easier when it comes to shaping the log. Each half should form a 6-inch log, 2 to 2¼ inches in diameter.
Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours. I positioned the dough logs upright in the refrigerator and chilled them overnight.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
Brush the outside of the logs with the beaten egg and roll them in the Demerara or turbinado sugar (this is for those really delicious, crisp edges).
Using a serrated knife, carefully slice each log into ½-inch-thick rounds (if you hit a chocolate chunk, slowly saw back and forth through the chocolate). If the cookies break or fall apart, just press them back together — the dough is very forgiving.
Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much). Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Note: The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or 1 month in the freezer. Cookies can be baked and stored in plastic wrap or an airtight container for 5 days.

Red Velvet Brownies

I think that all I have to say is that I’ve already made these wonderful brownies three times before posting them! They are a great modification of the classic Southern cake- including the essential cream cheese frosting.

The recipe was adapted from Fat Witch Bake Sale by Patricia Helding with Lucy Baker. Fat Witch Bakery is a family favorite NYC bakery, and one of the first we visited after moving to New York. I used semi-sweet instead of milk chocolate chips, lined the baking pan with parchment paper, and modified the baking time for a convection oven.

I contemplated omitting the red food coloring, but it just would not have been as much fun. (…besides the fact that my daughter had a very strong objection!) 🙂 Yummy.

Yield: Makes one 9×9-inch pan 16 square brownies or 32 triangle brownies

For the Brownies:

5 1/2 T (1/3 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 T whole milk
1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp red food coloring

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups Confectioners’ sugar

To Make the Brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
Coat a 9×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and coat again with cooking spray.
In a small heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, sugar, and milk. Stir until everything is completely melted.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Stir until everything is melted and well combined.
Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well combined.
Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda directly into the chocolate mixture.
Using a whisk or electric mixture on low-speed, beat until no trace of the dry ingredients remains.
Add vanilla and food coloring and continue to beat on low-speed until everything is throughly combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Bake for 22 minutes on convection, or up to 30-35 minutes in a standard oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only crumbs, not batter, on it.
Cool in the pan on a rack for at least 1 hour. Make sure that they are completely cooled before frosting.

Note: This is a good time to bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature before making the frosting.

To Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Beat in the vanilla.
Sift the sugar directly into the butter mixture. Beat until thick and creamy.
Spread the frosting on the cooled brownies.
Transfer to the refrigerator to set the frosting.
Cut the brownies just before serving.

Note: The brownies will keep longer if they are stored uncut. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 days.