Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

April 20, 2016 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

It’s not overstating a fact to call the chocolate chip cookie iconic and there’s a reason they’re the first to go from any conference room buffet leaving only decoy oatmeal raisin and lackluster plain sugar to be last picks. Chocolate chip cookies are flipping delicious – sweet, a bit salty, and if the baker isn’t stingy with the chocolate pieces they can be downright decadent (hello fellow Levain devotees.)

I started my baking career with the classic yellow-bag Toll House recipe only daring to add an extra half teaspoon of vanilla or quarter cup of chips for fear of risking cookie meltdown. Today, I’m proud to say that while that version remains the bedrock of my kitchen memories I’ve found the courage to branch out a bit and explore.

There can never be enough chocolate chip cookies which means the search for the perfect recipe is ongoing. First with a Tara O’Brady’s recipe that toyed with both the brown sugar:white sugar ratio and included melted butter.* Now with this challenger from the very talented Joy Wilson, better known as Joy The Baker, we’re trying browned butter and now a third sugar ratio. All in the name of science, of course.

*Since I never plan quite far enough ahead; room temperature butter is always my downfall, so this was a major development.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (yield: about 3 dozen cookies)

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature unsalted butter, divided
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate chips
flaked sea salt, to sprinkle on top

Instructions:
Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Place half the butter (1 stick) in a medium heavy-bottomed skillet; stainless steel or light colored will help you track the progress of the butter more easily. Melt the butter over medium-low heat, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will foam as it cooks, and start to crackle and pop. Once the crackling stops, keep a close watch, continuing to swirl the pan often. The butter will start to smell nutty, and brown bits will form in the bottom, about 5-7 minutes. Once the bits are the color of wildflower honey remove from the heat and immediately pour it into a small bowl, bits and all. This will stop the butter from cooking and burning. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.

Beat the remaining 1 stick room temperature butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Next, beat in the vanilla extract and molasses.

Pour the cooled brown butter into the bowl, along with the granulated sugar. Beat for 2 minutes, until smooth; the mixture will lighten to the color of pale sand and become fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolk, and beat for one more minute.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda into the butter mixture, beating on low speed just until everything is incorporated. Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate chips by hand and finish incorporating all of the dry ingredients.

Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, waxed paper, or plastic wrap. Flatten it slightly into a thick disk, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. About 15 minutes before you’re ready to begin baking, place racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat your oven to 350°F.

Break the dough up into equal pieces – about 2 tablespoons worth - and roll into balls between your hands. Place the balls of dough on the prepared baking sheets leaving 2-inches of space between them so they have room to spread as they bake.

Sprinkle the top of the cookies with flaked sea salt – according to your taste**.

Bake the cookies in the pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheet pan halfway through, until they’re golden brown. Remove from the oven, and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet (5 minutes or so) before moving them.

Serve warm; or cool completely, and store airtight at room temperature for several days. For longer storage, wrap well and freeze.

**Note on Sea Salt: I made these cookies both with and without the sprinkling of sea salt on top and found that without it they were a little under-seasoned. If you don’t plan to use it then I’d add a bit salt more to the dough itself to keep the cookies from tasting flat.

Lightly adapted and rewritten from Joy the Baker’s The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
For a cookie recipe, yes. I used one large mixing bowl, medium stainless steel skillet, an electric hand mixer, two rimmed baking sheets, mesh sieve (optional), measuring cups and spoons, a rubber spatula, metal spatula, small cutting board and a chef’s knife.

The Verdict:
How could these cookies possibly be anything other than AMAZING? Normally I resist trends like sprinkling sea salt on everything or constantly browning butter, but in this case these little additions to the process offer so much flavor and depth that it would be miserly to keep them from you. I baked a batch when a friend was visiting from out of town and after a bite or two I started to wonder whether we shouldn’t have just skipped the whole dinner business and gone straight to dessert. Well done, Ms. Wilson.

New York Black + White Cookies

March 12, 2016 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

New York Black and White Cookie | Image: Laura Messersmith — **New York Black and White Cookie** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

New York can lay claim to a number of iconic foods, thin crust pizza, cheesecake, bagels, and the black + white cookie. They’re found in most bodegas, grocery stores, and delis – anywhere with a bakery case, and like many things in New York, the black + white cookie requires some explanation to be fully understood and appreciated.

First, the texture is soft and fluffy like cake, not crisp or crunchy, and that’s on purpose. In my research travels I learned that this unique quality probably springs from thrifty bakers making use of leftover cake batter and turning it into an alternate product to reduce waste.

Second, there’s lots of debate over the frosting consistency, but typically it’s firm and smooth, not quite fondant and certainly thicker than icing. The type of dense, almost fudgy frosting that holds its shape once it has set and stays put even after a bite. When I see swirls or frosting that looks smoosh-able I avoid.

Third, black + whites are always frosted on the flat side. That’s right once baked, the cookies are turned bottom side up leaving the slightly curved dome underneath like the hull of a boat.

I rediscovered these cookies after a long hiatus when we moved to the city a few years ago – Upstate when I was a kid we called them “half-moon cookies” but here in the city they go by the more straightforward “black + white” – and it’s been true love ever since (both city and cookie.)

Three-Bite NYC Black + White Cookies (yield: 2 dozen cookies)

Cookie Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Vanilla Icing Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 teaspoons water
1/8 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Icing Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
4 teaspoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter and sugar until creamy with a hand mixer. Add in the vanilla extract and egg and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl.

Add a third of the flour mixture at a time alternating with the buttermilk. Mix on low speed until just combined. The batter will be thick, fluffy, and pale yellow.

Use a cookie scoop or pastry bag to portion the cookies spacing them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Note on Portion: The cookies spread a bit and puff up. A 1 tablespoon portion of batter will yield a cookie about 1.5 inches in diameter.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F. for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pressed gently and the cookies are a light golden brown around the edges. Cool completely before icing.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the vanilla icing by whisking the confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup, water, vanilla, and salt together until very smooth. Do the same in a separate bowl for the chocolate icing, whisking together the confectioner’s sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, corn syrup, water, vanilla extract, salt.

The icing should be thin enough that it is easily spreadable, but not runny. If it seems dry, add water 1/2 teaspoon at a time; if it’s too thin, add confectioner’s sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.

Flip the cooled cookies so their flat sides are up. Use an offset spatula or piping bag to spread vanilla icing on half of the cookies, allow the icing set for a few minutes, then spread chocolate icing on the other half.

Store the cookies in an airtight container between sheets of parchment paper at room temperature for up to two days.

Re-written and lightly adapted from Yossy Arefi’s Mini Black & White Cookies via Food52.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, for a frosted cookie they’re relatively low-maintenance. I used a medium mixing bowl, small mixing bowl, electric hand mixer, two rimmed baking sheets, measuring cups and spoons as well as a rubber spatula, cookie scoop, offset spatula, and wire whisk.

The Verdict:
I made these for a friend and was delighted to learn that they’re her favorite cookie and were served at her wedding. They received G’s stamp of approval, which is high praise. This particular recipe is my ideal, made from simple, easily sourced ingredients. Deep, dark bittersweet chocolate married to sweet vanilla frosting on top of a cloud-like cake. Sublime and an excellent recipe to keep for the days when a black + white might not be a trip to the corner away.

Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie

February 17, 2016 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

The pie adventures of 2015 have continued into 2016 helped along by one of my favorite Christmas gifts: a copy of The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book by Emily Elsen and Melissa Elsen. The book springs from the sisters’ experiences growing up and working in their family’s restaurant back in Hecla, South Dakota and later opening an independent pie shop in Gowanus, Brooklyn named (you guessed it) Four & Twenty Blackbirds.

Mention pie or dessert to any sweets lover in the Greater New York area and the conversation will inevitably turn to this gem of a shop and their dedication to all things contained in a crust. What I love most about the book are the “uncommon” fillings they’ve developed – we’ve all had apple pie and strawberry rhubarb (classics and standbys for a reason – they’re awesome) – but when was the last time you tasted something called Salty Honey Pie, Grapefruit Custard Pie, or in this case Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie?

It’s a humble name for a concoction that layers all the best things about a chewy oatmeal cookie and the caramel sweetness of pecan pie in a buttery, flaky crust. And that’s before you even get to the “black bottom” part, a foundation of deep, dark chocolate ganache. Let’s pause for a moment and revel in the glory.

Please make this pie for your favorite chocolate loving people – they will forever be your biggest fans.

Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie (serves 8-10)

Ingredients:
1 recipe All Buttah Pie Dough, par baked (recipe below)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
4 large eggs, room temperature

Instructions:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the oatmeal evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

While the oatmeal is toasting, partially fill a medium sauce pan with water and place a heat proof bowl on top. The bowl should not touch the water. Bring the water to a boil, then place the chopped chocolate in the bowl and melt, stirring ocassionally. Once the chocolate is entirely melted, whisk in the heavy cream until the cream is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

Use a rubber spatula to transfer the chocolate ganache into the cooled pie shell and spread evenly over the bottom. Place the shell in the freezer to set the ganache while making the filling.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ginger, salt, and melted butter. Add the corn syrup, vanilla, and cider vinegar and whisk to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Stir in the cooled oats.

Pour the oat mixture over the top of the ganache layer. If the pie looks like it might over flow, then place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 55-60 minutes; halfway through the baking time rotate the pie 180 degrees to ensure even baking. The pie is finished when the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center is slightly firm to the touch but still has some give (like gelatin). Allow to cool completely on a wire rack, 2 to 3 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. The pie will keep refrigerated for 3 days or at room temperature for 2 days.

Re-written from Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie by Emily Elsen and Melissa Elsen (pg. 176)

All Buttah Pie Dough (yield: one 9 inch crust)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons very cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup ice water, or more as needed

Instructions:
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt to combine. Add the diced cold butter, tossing the cubes in the flour to coat. With your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until it is the size of walnut halves (for a flaky crust) or peas (for a mealy crust).

Make a well in the center of the flour/butter mixture and add the water a few tablespoons at a time and mix with your fingers or a fork just until the dough comes together.

Gather the dough into a flat, round disc; wrap in plastic and chill well, at least 1 hour, before rolling.

Next, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough into a round crust approximately 9 ½ - 10 inches in diameter. Do your best to ensure the crust is an even thickness and a fairly regular circle in shape.

Set the crust into a 9 inch pie plate and press firmly against the sides making sure that the dough follows the shape of the dish closely. Trim the overhanging edges as needed leaving a ½ inch border. Fold the border underneath and crimp the edge, or press down onto the rim of the pie plate with a fork. Chill the un-baked crust for 30 minutes.

While the crust chills, pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

The crust will be both blind and partially baked (aka par-baked) before filling. Prick the bottom and sides of the chilled crust a few times with a fork. Then, line the crust with a sheet of parchment paper or butter a piece of foil and set the buttered side against the crust. Fill the parchment paper with enough pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice to reach up the sides. These two steps prevent the crust from puffing up and leave a smooth crust to hold the filling.

Place the crust in the pre-heated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. The crust will look pale and just barely baked, don’t worry it will finish baking when the filling is added. Allow the pie to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Fully cool the crust before filling.

Re-written from Erin McDowell’s All Buttah Pie Dough and par-baking instructions.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes and no. With organization and washing of items between steps (there’s plenty of time with all the dough resting and ganache chilling) it can be done. To make the entire recipe – dough and filling I needed… 1 medium heat-proof mixing bowl, a large sauce pan, a 9 inch glass pie plate, one rimmed baking sheet, a medium cutting board, a chef’s knife, a rubber spatula, wire whisk, measuring cups (liquid and dry), and a rolling pin. Pie weights (or dried beans/uncooked rice) and parchment paper are also key for success.

The Verdict:
I don’t know how to fully convey the deliciousness in this seemingly simple pie. It’s incredible and if you can manage to share even a slice I think you could easily be considered for sainthood. It is rich and fairly sweet – although the cider vinegar and bittersweet chocolate do help keep an even keel – but just perfect for wintery days when the promise of summer fruit seems far off. I also love that since most everything is from the pantry it has a casual, no-frills vibe and it means that pie is a possibility without much warning. Always a good thing in my book.

French Chocolate Bark

December 17, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Festive Fun”

The Set-up: Ina and Jeffrey are having friends over for a pre-holiday celebration and christening the barn with its first dinner party.

The Menu: Seafood Gratin, French Chocolate Bark, Mulled Wine, Pumpkin Mousse

0:18 – Ina says everyone gets so busy preparing for the holidays that we forget to actually have fun. Preach!

1:20 – First up, she’s making Pumpkin Mousse instead of pumpkin pie although so far the ingredients seem to be the same.

2:31 – Ina says she’s not really a fan of pumpkin pie calling it “cloying and sweet”, which would be a treasonous statement to another audience, but sound spot on to be. Apple pie #FTW

3:09 – Home-Ec Ina says that she only needs the yolks for this mousse, so an egg-white omelet is on the menu for lunch.

4:42 – Another recipe calling for gelatin, but thanks to my marshmallow adventure I’m no longer intimidated!

5:13 – I’m honestly not fond of pumpkin-centric baked goods, but Ina is so good at “layered flavor” (who else would think to put a mashed banana into a pumpkin mousse?) I could almost be convinced.

6:29 – The pumpkin mousse is in the fridge, Ina says you could make it up to 3-4 days in advance, now it’s time to go shopping!

7:34 – First stop: a giant bunch of mixed evergreens from Michael the Florist TM who is decked out in his signature bright sweater (candy cane red). Then, onto the Seafood Shop for ingredients in the Seafood Gratin.

10:28 – Moving on the main course and Ina has designed this menu to be special and festive for company, but also something she can make in advance. Music to everyone’s ears.

11:45 – The seafood will cook in a fish stock based broth with cream, tomato and white wine, yum! Pro Tip #1: To make the shrimp bite sized while retaining the shape, cut them in half lengthwise.

12:06 – Oooh, tricky. Since some of the fish is cooked (the lobster) and some of it isn’t, Ina is cooking each ingredient separately and then lifting it out of the stock when it’s done.

13:30 – Now that all the fish is cooked stock continues to simmer and will reduce into a sauce. Clever way to retain all the flavors…

14:54 – Onward to the vegetables which are sautéed in butter while Ina makes a panko bread crumb topping.

15:23 – Friends, this will come as no surprise, but we’re not dealing with a low-cal recipe here. Lots of butter, cream, and cheese went into the making of this gratin.

16:12 – Pro Tip #2: the butter in the gratin topping is for flavor, but also ensures that it browns.

17:48 – Interesting, I thought at some point that the cooked seafood, sauce and vegetables would all be stirred together, but instead they’re layered in a large baking dish and then topped with the bread crumbs.

21:17 – Next on the docket: French Chocolate Bark starting with a combination of bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate bricks. The two different kinds are meant to balance each other out.

22:21 – Ina is using toasted cashews, cranberries, and apricots, but she has also given us leave to top it with trail mix if that’s what suits you.

23:02 – Fun fact: American chocolate bark has the fruit and nuts mixed in, while French chocolate bark starts with a sheet of chocolate and is then topped with the ingredients so they’re more visible.

24:36 – Ina is not messing around with the chocolate bark either, she’s planning to use it in S’mores over coffee gathered around the outdoor brazier. Boom, gauntlet thrown.

25:05 – The table setting is in silver and taupe, because you know Ina probably isn’t going to rock red & green. She’s using large glass jars of lemons and clementines softened with some of her greenery from Michael the Florist TM and mercury glass votive holders. Gorgeous, naturally.

27:24 – Part of Ina’s strategy for the Mulled Wine is to serve it after dinner with the chocolate bark since it’s already on the sweet side, and it's a nice hot drink to have on a cold night.

28:50 – I honestly never knew what was in mulled wine but Ina is using a combination of sweet spices, apple cider, and a little honey. Sounds pretty good, actually.

29:49 – Dinner is served and everyone seems to be diving right in. Ina disappears to set up the s’mores tray and the mulled wine while her guests enjoy the fire. Looks like a blast – invite meeee! (please.)

Final Thoughts:
Add an outdoor brazier to my future home wish list.
s anyone else contemplating the thousands of different types of chocolate bark to make?
Just imagine if Ina had made her own marshmallows and the chocolate bark. Heads would explode.

Lessons Learned:
I’ve really been enjoying my starter candy course this month, and frankly this French Chocolate Bark, is even easier than the marshmallows I made last week, but I still managed to learn a few things along the way.

Double Boiler/Bain Marie – this really is the time to use a water bath to melt the chocolate. Nothing could be more tragic (okay, that’s an exaggeration) than ruining high quality chocolate by burning it. A double boiler allows you melt the chocolate through indirect heat and reduces the chances of a mishap due to inattention. Make sure the bowl is heat proof (ie. pyrex) and that the water doesn’t actually touch the bottom.

Advance Prep – The double benefit of using a water bath is that it allows you to get your other ingredients ready without stressing that your chocolate is charring. And, since the chocolate will cool and harden fairly quickly after it’s spread on the parchment it’s a good idea to have the toasted cashews and fruit ready before that step. Much less panic inducing….

Sweet & Salty – I realized as I was making this recipe that the cashews I had were toasted, but not salted. They’d still have worked and been quite good, but as we’ve discussed a balance of sweet and salty is what makes a dessert really amazing. Hence, the break-glass-in-case-of-emergency use of the Maldon sea salt. A good trick to have in your back pocket and regular Kosher salt (used sparingly) could work in a pinch.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
100%. I used a medium Pyrex bowl, a medium sauce pan, a large cutting board, chef’s knife, and a rimmed baking sheet. Parchment paper is a must, and if you’re into precision then a ruler and a pencil to help mark the boundaries.

The Verdict:
I ask you, how bad could dark chocolate studded with tart cranberries, sweet musky apricots, and roasted cashews be? Add in a shower of coarse sea salt and this French Chocolate Bark could be your new favorite treat. It also would make a lovely gift for anyone who likes a decadent little something. I’m already plotting my next chocolate bark concoction – maybe spiced like Mexican Hot Chocolate or make use of those leftover starlight mints? What about crunchy pretzels? Candied ginger? Sky’s the limit!