Category: Food
The Scoop: Neopolitan Cookies Elevated

The Scoop: Neopolitan Cookies Elevated

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A cookie is responsible for saving me from unhealthy doom-scrolling through my Instagram.  I lost sight of why I was on Instagram, you know, pics of food and cute furry animals, like Moose.  This cookie was the equivalent of that scene in Moonstruck when Cher yells “Snap out of it!” at Nicholas Cage and slaps him. Twice.

The cookie is @paulatankersley’s riff on the Neopolitan Cookie, a triple delight of strawberry, cocoa, and vanilla flavors and colors in one cookie. She adds bits of waffle cones and chocolate chunks and finishes it with a sprinkling of flaky salt. She dressed up a good-looking cookie and made it gorgeous, a real showstopper.

The Cookie

I started with Sarah Kiefer’s recipe for Neopolitan Cookies. Back in the day, when folks discovered marbled cookies, they made separate doughs for each flavor. Sarah (and I am sure others) decided to make one master dough and flavor each portion. Genius, so much easier. Some brilliant person also figured out how to freeze-dry fruits, which can be used to flavor and tint the cookies.

Flour- Sarah uses All-purpose Gold Medal Flour and a weight of 142gm for 1 cup of flour (which is on the high side).  If your cookies spread too much try adding a bit more flour (1T) and chilling dough.

The dough is straightforward: Cream butter and sugar, add an egg, and beat again until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until flour is fully incorporated. This is where a scale comes in handy. Weigh the dough and divide it into thirds.


Then the fun begins.

Bling that Cookie, Girl

Cocoa Powder- Dutch Process Cocoa is listed.  Use your favorite; keep in mind, Dutch Process is darker in color.  I used a combination of Black Cocoa and King Arthur’s Triple Cocoa, a jack of all trades cocoa.

Freeze-dried Fruits- Add both natural color and flavor.  I like raspberry for both color and flavor.  It’s a little darker in color.  Freeze-dried fruit can be ground in a mini-blender or crushed with a rolling pin (or any handy dandy tool).  Sift the fruit powder into the dough to remove the seeds. If you want the color to be deeper and more vibrant, add a few drops of food coloring.

Sugar Cones- Break the cones into small pieces. Try the traditional cone if you like, I’m sure it will work too.

Chocolate- use your favorite semi-sweet or dark chocolate, I like Guittard’s Super Chunk or wafers.

 

Pizazz- The finishing touch, totally optional, after smooshing the doughs together, before adding the bling, roll each dough ball in granulated sugar or fine sanding sugar.  Press pieces of the sugar cone and chocolate into the cookie dough.

Enjoy!

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Neapolitan Ice Cream Sundae Cookies

A delicious cookie inspired by Paula Tankersley, adapted from Sarah Kiefer's Neopolitan Cookie
Course cookies, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword black cocoa powder, cocoa, freeze-dried fruits, Neopolitan Cookies, raspberry, Strawberry, sugar cookies, sundae
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour [364 g]
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Creamed Mixture

  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (2 sticks | 227 g)
  • 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar [350 g]
  • 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Additions

  • 1/2 cup of freeze-dried strawberries which equals 8 grams (measured before pulsing)
  • 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 2-3 drops red food coloring optional

Decoration

  • Sprinkles or granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

  • Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F [180C]. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, pulverize the strawberries into a powder.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
  • Dump the dough out onto a work surface and divide it into three equal portions. Put one-third of the dough back into the mixer and add the powdered strawberries and food coloring, if using. Mix on low speed until totally combined, then remove the dough and quickly wipe out the bowl of the mixer.
  • Add another third of dough to the mixer. Add the cocoa powder and mix on low speed until totally combined.
  • Pinch a small portion (about 1/2 oz [15 g]) of each of the three doughs, and press them gently together, so they adhere to each other, but keep their unique colors. Press the piece into a cookie scoop or roll it into a ball, then roll the ball into sprinkles or granulated sugar. Place 6 or 7 cookies on each sheet pan. Bake the cookies one pan at a time, rotating halfway through baking. Bake until the sides are set and the cookies are puffed, 10 to 11 minutes.
  • Transfer the sheet pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the pan, then remove them and let them cool completely on the wire rack. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Notes

Use black cocoa powder for a darker color. The powdered strawberries on their own won't give a bright pink hue, so I like to add a little food coloring. I also like to roll each individual color of dough into the same color of sprinkles, but you can mix and match however your heart desires
Taiwanese Braised Minced Pork Rice (肉燥饭)

Taiwanese Braised Minced Pork Rice (肉燥饭)

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Since returning from New York, we have made a concerted effort to eat at home.  Tired of eating out (I’m shocked, I LOVE eating out), and looking at our credit card bill made eating at home more appealing.  Comfort food was top on the list, which means down-home Asian classics that can be tough to find in restaurants.  It’s soul food your mom or dad made.

It’s Good to Be Home

I have the same ritual whenever we return from a trip.  I make a BIG-ASS pot of soup, a pork and melon soup like Korean Short Rib Soup, or a vegetable beef like Caldo or Congee (rice porridge). We usually crave something saucy served over hot steaming rice, like Taiwanese Braised Pork (Lu Rou Fan) or Cantonese Creamy Scrambled Eggs and Tomatoes,

This time, I opted for Braised Minced Pork, a riff on Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan.  A recipe on Woks of Life that became my inspiration.   Minced pork replaces the pork belly, which reduces the cooking time.  A glance in the freezer, I found ground pork and pulled it out. The hubs rehydrated a couple of shiitake mushrooms, I found shallots, and we got to work on dinner.  Stretched out on my couch, a bowl of minced pork over rice nestled in my hand, and the latest episode of Top Chef on the telly sounded perfect.

The Dish

Not gonna lie, this took longer than I anticipated.  Finely dicing mushrooms, then shallots, and mincing ginger took longer than expected. But that first bite was delicious and made it all worth it.  Good thing we recorded Top Chef.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ground Pork- If possible, hand chop pork at home or buy coarse-ground pork; the texture is better.

Shiitake Mushrooms– Start with dried shiitakes and soak them in warm water until they are soft.  Reserve the soaking liquid.  Purchase dried Shiitakes at any Asian Market or online.

Shallots– A cross between an onion and garlic in flavor, are used widely in Taiwanese food.  Fresh shallots are easy to find.  I tweaked the recipe and reduced the fresh (honestly, I got tired of dicing) and added fried shallots.  Fried shallots are found in a lot of Taiwanese dishes.  You can fry your own, or you can buy fried shallots at most Chinese grocery stores.  TJ’s fried onions, which make their appearance right before Thanksgiving, are the perfect substitute for fried shallots.

Star Anise—This fennel—and licorice-flavored spice is prevalent in Chinese food. I tend to reduce or even omit it from dishes, but it’s your choice. The original recipe calls for 2 pieces.

Soy Sauce– Dark soy has molasses, so it is sweeter than light and used for color.  Light soy is saltier and used for seasoning.  If you cook a lot of Chinese dishes, it is worth getting both.

Once everything is prepped, finishing is a snap.  Stir fry the pork and aromatics, add the seasonings and water, and simmer 20-30 minutes.

Eggs—In Taiwanese dishes, the eggs are not jammy like ramen eggs. Boil the eggs first and then add them to the dish to absorb the flavor of the braising liquid.  I LOVE jammy eggs, so I cook the eggs like ramen eggs and chill them before adding them to the pork to minimize how much more they cook.  They’re not jammy but have a softer center than usual.

Barely cooked eggs are peeled and chilled before adding to the pork braising liquid.

Check out the reel on Instagram!

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5 from 1 vote

Taiwanese Braised Minced Pork Over Rice (肉燥饭)

Classic Taiwanese Rice Bowl. Minced pork is braised with mushrooms, spices, shallots for a umami filled dish adapted from Woks of Life
Course dinner, lunch, one bowl meal
Cuisine Taiwanese
Keyword Braised MInced Pork, Rice Bowl, Taiwanese
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 day 30 minutes

Ingredients

Aromatics

  • 1 cup shallots finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger minced
  • 1 1/2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms 5-6 large mushrooms, soaked & finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons oil any neutral flavored oil, such as vegetable or canola oil

Meat and Seasonings

  • 1 pound ground pork hand-chopped pork shoulder or pork butt is ideal, but pre-ground is acceptable
  • 1-2 star anise I omit star anise, not a fan
  • 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 0.5 ounce rock sugar or 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup Fried shallots optional, if using, reduce fresh shallots to 3/4 cup

Braising Liquid

  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce Lee Kum Kee
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
  • 2-1/2 cups water including shiitake mushroom soaking water

Sides and Garnishes

  • 3-5 eggs
  • 1/4 cup scallions chopped, white and green parts
  • salt to taste optional, likely not needed

Instructions

  • Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms, rinse them off and soak in hot water for at least 2 hours or until soft. Squeeze out the liquid, and dice into ¼ inch pieces. Reserve the soaking liquid for later use..
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Cook the ginger and shallots for 1-2 minutes, or until the shallots turn translucent. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Increase the heat to high. Add 1 additional tablespoon of oil, along with the ground pork and star anise. Cook until the meat is opaque.
  • Stir in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the wok or pan. Add the rock sugar (or sugar), light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, five spice powder, and 2 cups of water (including the mushroom soaking water. Just be sure to leave behind any sediment from soaking the mushrooms).
  • Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce the heat to medium/medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs. Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Gently lower the eggs into the water using a large spoon, taking care not to break the shells. Boil rapidly for 30 seconds, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover, and simmer the eggs for 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl of ice water. When the eggs are cool to the touch, peel them and rinse them under running water.
  • After the pork has simmered for 20 minutes, add the eggs to the mixture, making sure they’re submerged in the sauce. At this point, you may need to add another ½ cup to 1 cup of water to ensure there’s enough liquid to submerge the eggs. Cover and simmer the mixture for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Uncover the wok. If the sauce is too thin, turn up the heat to medium high, and reduce it down, stirring carefully so as not to break the eggs.
  • Stir in the scallions and salt to taste. To serve, give each person one egg (cut in half if desired) and ladle the pork over rice.

Notes

Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 229mg | Sodium: 827mg | Potassium: 561mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 298IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg
Oh Mary! Mary O’s Irish Soda Bread Scones

Oh Mary! Mary O’s Irish Soda Bread Scones

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Let’s get to it!  A rundown of another stint in New York City.  We took an early morning flight and arrived in NYC, just in time for dinner.  We headed to one of our favorite spots in the Lower East Side, Kisa.  A casual restaurant inspired by taxi driver stops in Korea, called Sik Dangs, think roadside diners. It’s Korean soul food, homey, filling, and delicious.  The perfect meal after flying 6 hours.

All you have to do is pick your entree: Bulgogi (beef), Spicy Pork, Squid or Bi Bim Bap.  I’m partial to the Bibimbap with Bulgogi.  Your array of Banchan (little dishes) accompanies every entree.  This includes kimchi, and a rotating variety of delicious pickled veggies, or marinated raw salmon, shrimp, mayak eggs or steamed eggs.  The Banchan is the highlight of the meal. So good.  Soup also comes with the meal, usually a beef and radish soup, the perfect start to a meal.  On your way out, grab a cup of black bean latte or hot chocolate from the complimentary vending machine by the door.  If this is a typical place in Korea, taxi drivers eat very well 😋

The next morning, we headed to Mary O’s Irish Soda Bread Shop.  Mary O’s scones are so good that there is a line out the door every morning.  This is the only item on the menu: raisin scones.  Served warm, a vertical split down the middle is filled with a slab of Irish butter and a generous spoonful of homemade blackberry jam.  They’re buttery, crispy on the outside, and tender with a nice crumb on the inside.  It’s worth the wait on a weekday, which is when you want to go; the wait on weekends can be hella LONG.

Lucky For Me

I don’t have a Mary O’s at home, a real bummer, so I was thrilled to see a copycat recipe for said scones appear on Food52. Short of having Goldbelly deliver scones for an outrageous amount of money, this recipe could solve my Mary O’s Scone cravings, and I won’t have to wait in line.

Let’s Make Some Scones

Butter – I use Kerrygold butter.  As they say, when in Rome… Kerrygold has a higher fat content, which means a richer, buttery flavor.  Its higher fat and lower moisture content means a flakier, more tender scone.  Kerrygold is widely available at TJs, Costco, and most supermarkets. You can substitute it with a European-style butter like Plugra.

Flour – Mary imports Odlums Flour from Ireland, which you can buy at her shop.  I didn’t have the foresight to buy a bag in NYC (don’t laugh, I used to bring back White Lily Flour every time I went to Nashville), so I looked up the ingredient list for Odlums flour.  It has a similar protein content to Gold Medal AP flour (~10gms/cup) so my first batch was made using Gold Medal. For curiosity’s sake, I made a batch using King Arthur AP flour, which has a higher protein content (12gm/cup).

The scones made with GM flour were tender, fine crumbed, and crispy on the outside. The scones made with KA flour were also delicious, but they seemed a bit crumblier and drier than the Gold Medal batch.  Both are delicious.  If you like a more tender, cake-like scone, use Gold Medal.  For a more classic scone, use King Arthur flour.  Don’t skip the generous slab of butter and a big dollop of jam, especially if you use King Arthur flour.

The Key is in the Process

Get out your muffin tin.  Yep, you read that right.  Unlike regular scones, these are baked in a muffin tin.  There’s a reason for this. Unlike traditional scone recipes, the dough is not formed into a cohesive disc to be cut into wedges. You want the dough to be loose and chunky.  Start by coating your butter with the flour mixture, I like to press the butter cubes into flakes and use a pastry cutter to blend and cut the butter into smaller flakes.

Drizzle the buttermilk and cream into the mixture.  I use a dough whisk and my hands to stir the liquid into the flour mixture.   You will end up with a very loose mixture of clumps of dough and crumbs. Compressing the dough will toughen the scones.

Using a large ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup, then ever so lightly press the top just to get the crumbs to adhere.  There will be lots of stragglers or crumbs left.  Sprinkle these evenly over each scone.  You should have enough dough for 12 scones.  Egg wash each scone by dabbing the wash with a brush liberally on each one.  Bake at 425 for 20-22 minutes.  I took the scones out at 20 minutes, the tops were a nice deep golden brown. Yes, they come out looking like muffins. 🤷🏻‍♀️

To Serve:  Pull out your salted Kerrygold butter, split the scone in half vertically, careful not to cut all the way through. Slide a pat of butter in between and top with a generous dollop of jam.  My preference is a berry jam, with raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. My freezer jam recipe is here, or use your favorite jam.  Make a cup of Irish or English Tea and enjoy.

Testing with King Arthur Flour was an excuse to make yet another batch of these scones—lovely way to start the morning.

Check out my Instagram reel on making these scones!

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Mary O's Irish Soda Bread Scones

Food52 copycat recipe for Mary O's Irish Soda Bread Scones
Course Biscuits and scones, Breakfast, desserts
Cuisine Irish-American
Keyword Berry jam, butter, East Village, Irish Soda Bread Scones, Mary O's, New York, raisins
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 std 12-cup muffin tin
  • 1 #40 ice cream scoop

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour 480 grams
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100 grams
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Fat

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 170 grams (Kerrigold or Plugra)

Add In

  • 1 cup raisins

Liquids

  • 2/3 cup buttermilk or milk plus 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream plus more for egg wash
  • 1 egg yolk

Condiments Serve with

  • berry jam, your choice
  • softened butter (Kerrigold)
  • flakey sea salt

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 425 degrees F with a rack placed in the center position. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
  • In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Stir together cream and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup.
  • Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture and pinch into the flour with your fingers, creating flakes of flour-coated butter. Work butter into it resembles coarse sand or use a pastry cutter, slice through the flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand and no large butter clumps remain. Do this quickly, as you don't want the butter to have time to soften too much.
  • Stir in the raisins, then drizzle in the buttermilk and cream. Use your hands to scoop and fold the dough together until the flour is absorbed, trying to mix and press as little as possible. The dough will be very loose and chunky. Gently scoop the dough into the cupcake tin, evenly dividing between the 12 cups. Pile any loose crumbly bits distributed evenly on top of each tin.
  • In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Brush over each scone. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 22 to 25 minutes. (If using a kitchen thermometer, it should read at least 190 degrees F.)
  • Serve warm with jam, butter, and flakey sea salt. Mary makes a delicious blackberry jam. A raspberry jam works well.
Chocolate Chip Cookies as Stress Busters

Chocolate Chip Cookies as Stress Busters

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Whoa, Nellie, it has been a crazy 12 weeks. I knew with a second Trump term, the guardrails that were in place during his first term would be gone, but did I think we would get to Def Con 5 so quickly? Nope.  TFG has brought out the absolute worst in folks.  I underestimated how many sycophants and folks there are willing to sell democracy down the river for a fistful of dollars and a pocket full of power.

Apolitical-Smaypolitcal

I know a few of you are probably thinking, Gurl, stay in your lane; this is supposed to be a food, travel, and sports blog.  We can’t ignore what is happening in our country. Has there ever been a person more woefully unqualified to be a president?  Devoid of the temperament, decency, and intellect it takes to be in public office, any office for that matter, even dog catcher.  At this moment,  he and Elon Musk, I’ve coined them the Douche and Doge Bro, are taking a sledgehammer to everything we hold dear, public education, public libraries, National Parks, Public Lands, and federal agencies like the NIH, FDA, FBI, DOJ, and Homeland Security.  He has fired career non-partisan civil servants and replaced them with hacks.  A complicit GOP Senate has installed woefully unqualified and corrupt nominees to lead all our institutions.

What a nightmare.  All under the guise of waste and fraud in the government and an anti-DEI policy (racism).  Tell me how firing Inspector Generals who oversee waste and fraud works to eliminate…waste and fraud 🤦🏻‍♀️.  They are dismantling our system to privatize it and put money into their grubby little hands.  Not to mention the cruel, illegal, indiscriminate mass deportation of folks to El Salvador, which is basically like sending folks to hell. NO due process?

Gettin’ Judgey With It

Though the SCOTUS has been bought and paid for, there are still judges, even Republican-appointed ones, who are trying to stem the tide.  They know these outrageous, unjustified firings are illegal.  This is how unserious the current administration is.  50 years of progress is being dismantled under the guise of anti-wokeness and anti-DEI.  A vindictive slash-and-burn policy is not a tool of governance.  It is wielding power with a scepter of cruelty.

Hands Off Protest New York City

What Can I Do?

There is a sense of helplessness that has come from this massive attack by the rich on everyday Americans.  There are steps we can all take to hopefully stem the tide, save Democracy, and counter that feeling of hopelessness.  Take action, we are the ones who will save democracy, this is empowering. So let’s get to it.

Engage in our political process and do some research and reading on your own.  Join grassroots political organizations in your area.  Create a network of folks to whom you can bounce things off and who will provide sanctuary for you.  Start with Indivisible and find your local chapter. Fight the fight you are passionate about. If you are in Los Gatos, check out TWW Los Gatos, a local group under the Indivisible banner.

Call your representatives.  Use 5calls.org, the app finds your reps by your address and provides scripts and guidance on issues to call on.  Your rep  needs to hear from you.  Go to their Town Hall meetings or demand that they have one during the recess.  All we have is our voice and our vote; use them both.

Rallies, Protests, and Marches.  A single voice is not heard, a hundred voices are barely a whisper, but a million voices are loud and clear.  Show up.  Do it for your family and friends.  Bring them along.

These are stressful times. Don’t forget to take time for yourself, your family, and your friends.  We are in this for the long haul, so breaks are required to rejuvenate.  Balance is necessary.

Who You Gonna Call? Stressbusters

In between calling reps, attending rallies and political meetings, I de-stress by BAKING, cooking, rowing, and venting.  The perk of letting me vent to you in a post is a recipe to make something delicious to nosh on while having to listen to me.  I recently picked up the cookbook from the team at Republique in LA; it was on sale and contained their amazing Buko Pie (Coconut Cream Pie) recipe.  Before tackling the pie, though, I made her Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I’ll get to the pie yet.

Chocolate Chip Cookies AKA Constitutional Crisis Cookies

The instructions are clear, and the photos of the finished cookies and other recipes in the book are gorgeous. These fall into the category of classic chocolate chip cookies.  No nuts, just chocolate pieces surrounded by a buttery, crisp-edged, slightly chewy, soft center cookie.

That’s enough, the batter should not get to the fluffy, light stage.

The key to these cookies is not over-creaming your butter and sugar. My mantra when making cookies is, Don’t overmix and don’t overbake!  Err on the side of less time in the oven.

More Tips

I used my big-ass Kitchen Aid mixer to make these cookies.  Trust me, you don’t need to.  Less is more.  The problem with my behemoth is that it is way too easy to overmix.  I find this true for quick breads and cakes, too.  My theory is that horsepower inadvertently leads to beating too much air into the batter, causing it to deflate and sink.  It screws with the structural integrity and weakens it.  Try making these cookies by hand or with a portable hand mixer to avoid overbeating.

This dough is ready to be scooped.

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Process

The recipe specifies a #40 scoop.  I love details like that.  Conversely, if you don’t have one, it is equivalent to 2 tablespoons of dough, roughly 30- 35 grams in weight.  Finally, use 30 gms if you have reserved chocolate pieces to press into each dough ball.

Make sure to chill the dough thoroughly.  These cookies will spread and result in a pretty thin cookie; chilling stops them from spreading too much.

Pull out your hand-dandy round cookie cutter or a glass.  Some of the cookies will spread unevenly while baking.  As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use the round cutter to corral the cookie into a circle…this applies to y’all with ORCD (obsessive round cookie disorder).

Watch the cookies like a hawk; the edges should be golden brown, and the middle should not look shiny.  It will look soft and slightly underdone.  Take the cookies out and let them rest on the sheet until cooled.  This is subjective; cooled can mean still warm but easy to handle, cause who can wait till they are cool?  Then devour.  Everyone needs a cookie in the middle of a hostile government takeover.

These are thin and delicious cookies.  If you like thicker cookies, reminiscent of Mrs. Fields, try these.  Soft and chewy? I swear by these.

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République’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another Chocolate chip cookie recipe, cause you can never have too many. From the Republique in LA, a crispy-edged, tender, chewy center cookie with dark chocolate pieces-that is it, no nuts, no nothing else, just plain delicious.
Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword buttery, chocolate chip cookie, chocolate pieces, drop cookies, Republique
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1-1/3 cups plus 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour 175gms
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda 5 gms
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Creamed Mixture

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 110gms pliable but still cold
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp light brown sugar 130 gms
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100 gm
  • 1 large egg

The Star

  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp chopped dark chocolate 150 gms 60% to 72% cacao

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Sift the flour into a bowl and set aside.
  • Place the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the mixture on medium speed until just incorporated—but no longer. Scrape down the bowl, add the baking soda, salt and egg, and mix until just incorporated. Feel free to make the dough by hand or using a portable mixer, less chance of over mixing.
  • Add the flour to the butter mixture all at once. Again mix until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate just until evenly distributed. Reserve ~12 pieces of chocolate to press into the top of each cookie dough ball. This insures you will have a nice piece of chocolate showcased in each cookie.
  • Using a #40 (2 oz) ice cream scooper, scoop the dough onto a small baking sheet lined with parchment, press a piece of chocolate in each one, then wrap with plastic wrap, and chill overnight. This helps prevent cookie spread, it is still a pretty thin cookie.,
  • Remove the cookie balls from the refrigerator and bake until the edges are crispy and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. (Bake for less time if you like your cookies chewy and longer if you like them crispier.) Cool on the baking sheet or serve warm. The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes

The scooped dough can be frozen until solid and then transfer to a resealable plastic bag and kept in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Bake straight from the freezer adding a minute or two/
Homemade or Store Bought Croutons-I’m Torn

Homemade or Store Bought Croutons-I’m Torn

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When I am shopping at the grocery store, I usually throw a bag of croutons into my cart. Even though they kinda taste like salted cardboard, sheer laziness and convenience prevail.  Tired of bagged croutons, I finally decided to make my own croutons, how hard could it be? Isn’t it like glorified toast in bite-sized pieces?  Ok, it’s a bit more involved than toast but still pretty easy.

A Pinch of Yumminess

I googled croutons and a bunch of recipes popped up.  I narrowed the field down to one on A Pinch of Yum’s site, Torn Croutons. Homemade delicious croutons that you can keep on hand to toss in a salad, a mug of soup, or to eat out of hand.  It is so incredibly easy and so much better than store-bought, you’re going to thank me.  BONUS, it’s a great way to use up that half a baguette, or ciabatta loaf you didn’t finish.  Yep, easy and economical.

The recipe calls for sourdough bread but use any bread you like. I like ciabatta but have also used baguettes or rustic Italian, just about any crusty artisan-type bread will work.

Tearing the bread, not cubing it into bite-sized pieces gives the bread these nooks and crannies to catch the seasonings and oil.  After baking, you end up with these crispy shards of bread.

The recipe calls for minced garlic, salt, and pepper, that’s it.  Feel free to add herbs or seasonings such as minced thyme or rosemary.  For the oil, substitute melted butter for some of the oil, cause who doesn’t like buttery croutons?

Whisk the melted butter and olive oil in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, and garlic. Finish with a couple of healthy grinds of black pepper. Drizzle over torn bread. Mix to coat, and spread the croutons on a sheet pan in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Store in an airtight container.

That’s it, you’re done.  Enjoy.

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Hand Torn Croutons

Why buy croutons when you can make them easily! So much better and a great way to use leftover bread
Course Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword ciabatta, croutons, homemade
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 loaf regular of sourdough bread ( 3/4-1 pound loaf) any kind of rustic loaf will work, I like Ciabatta or Pugliese
  • 1/4-1/3 cup olive oil 60ml
  • 2 tbs unsalted butter, melted 30ml
  • 1 clove garlic finely grated
  • salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1-2 tsp herb of choice, minced thyme or rosemary optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pull the bread into crouton-y sized chunks.
  • Combine the olive oil, butter, and garlic in a large bowl. Add optional seasonings now if using. Whisk to combine. Add bread and toss croutons to work the oil in (some of the bread might crumble into tiny pieces which provides great texture variety). Season with salt and lots of pepper.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes, turning once so they get evenly browned. Cool on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
  • Don't just use them for salads, great on soups, or as munchies. Crumble them on pastas
Cookies with Charm-We’re so Lucky

Cookies with Charm-We’re so Lucky

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Cookies made with cereal have popped up on my feed lately and the one that caught my attention was Buttermilk by Sam’s Lucky Charms Cookies.  For lack of a better word, these cookies are Happy!  And we all know we could use some HAPPY right now. The cookies have crispy edges, chewy centers, and gooey iridescent marshmallows that add pop.  The marshmallows in the cereal are colorful but after baking the cookies, the colors morphed into a bright, almost neon tone.  So surprising!  The colors scream, pick me, pick me. BTW, Buttermilk by Sam is an amazing site, her desserts are scrumdiddlyumptious.  One of my favorites is her Butter Cake, SDD, so damn delicious and easy to make.

I was surprised at how much I liked them. They aren’t as sweet as I thought they would be considering the 2 cups of charms, the not-too-sweet cookie is a nice foil to the marshmallows. The dough is a combination of AP flour and ground Lucky Charms cereal. Genius use: Since what would you do with the cereal without the marshmallow bits?

Back to the cookies, I baked a batch and immediately packed them for the 3Jamigos, Jeff & Jorge, who live in The City.

Confession Time

I bought into the healthy cereal movement when my kids were little—the classic path, Cheerios (PLAIN) as a snack.  I perused the cereal aisle of our market, studying the ingredient label of each box I picked up.  I didn’t bother picking up any box that had colored bits or chocolate in it.  Sugar content had to be in single digits.  Yes, I was THAT mom, the no-fun mom.  If you opened my pantry doors chances are you would find Special K, Rice Krispies, and/or Honey Bunches of Oats.  As they got older I made certain allowances, Frosted Flakes (only on trips to Lake Tahoe) and Cinnamon Toast Crunch (thanks to their childhood friend Spencer, who only ate CTC).

I caught a lot of grief when I inadvertently outed myself one day, a casual remark that I LOVED Captain Crunch and Lucky Charms when I was a kid.  Immediately, my kids glared at me and exclaimed, WHAT?  So busted.  I came clean, I loved Fruit Loops, Sugar Pops, and of course Frosted Flakes…They’re grrreat!  And to make matters worse I threw Pau Pau (Grandma) under the bus…she bought them.

To show the error of my ways, I rescinded the sugar cereal moratorium but by that time they were out of the cereal-eating age range.  My job was done.

Cerea-us-ly?

The irony of my family cereal rules? The kid’s favorite cookies are Wes’s Good Cookies, made out of crushed Cornflakes, and Life Cereal—the college finals week cookie of choice.  Every care package had to have Good Cookies in them.  I have also atoned for my stringent cereal stand, I make Rice Krispy Treats, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Butter Mochi, and now Lucky Charm Cookies.  I’ll find a way to use Captain Crunch one day too.

The tedious part of this recipe is separating the charms from the cereal bits.  My advice, turn on your favorite rom-com, holiday movie, k-drama or C-drama, plop yourself down to watch and sort.  Do not turn on the news, trust me.  A small box of cereal will barely fill 2 cups, so no snacking.

Grind cereal bits in a processor or crush them with a rolling pin.  Easy peasy.  I fold in most of the charms reserving 1 for each ball of cookie dough that I press into the dough before baking. Dunzo.  Use a #40 scoop which yielded about 20-22 cookies.  Shorten baking time to 10 minutes.  Cookies should be crisp and golden brown on the edges.

They went straight into our holiday box.

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Lucky Charms Cookies

The perfect kid cookie that “big kids” will love too, Lucky Charms Cookie. Crispy edges, chewy centers with pops of color from the lucky charms that turn bright neon colors while baking. From Buttermilk by Sam a delicious nostalgic cookie, cerea-ours-ly.
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cereal, cookies, drop cookie, Lucky Charms
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 box lucky charm cereal smallest box will barely give you 2 cups

Butter-Sugar Mixture

  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter 150gm
  • 1 cup brown sugar 200gm
  • 1 large egg +1 yolk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar 40gm
  • ¾ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons malted milk powder or milk powder optional (for flavor)

Four + Cereal

  • 1-1/2 cups + 1T ap flour 200gm
  • 1-1/2 cups cereal bits from about 1 ½ cups cereal 60gm
  • 2 cups marshmallow bits
  • 2 cups brown cereal bits

Instructions

  • Grind the brown cereal bits in a food processor and separate them so you have 60g (this will go into the dough). Place the remaining crumbs into a bowl and set aside. You can crush up some of the colorful marshmallows with your fingers to create more 'rainbow dust' for the topping.
  • Make the cookie dough
  • In a large bowl, melt the butter in the microwave until it’s almost but not fully melted. Add in the brown sugar and whisk, very well. The butter will be separated from the sugar, whisk it until it’s fully combined.
  • Crack in the egg and the egg yolk and whisk until the batter is smooth and light colored. Stir in the vanilla
  • Add the powdered sugar, salt, milk powder, baking powder and soda and whisk well.
  • Add the flour, ground cereal and marshmallow bits and switch to a rubber spatula to mix until fully combined. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 greased cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Use a cookie scoop to divide the dough, I made big cookies that were about 3 tablespoons each but you can make smaller ones if you like.
  • With each cookie dough ball, dip face down into the bowl of leftover ground cereal bits pressing to get them to adhere.
  • These cookies spread so ensure you have enough space between them, at least 1.5 inches between each dough ball. If you are making bigger cookies don’t do more than 5 on a sheet.
  • Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges are golden. If you like a bit more crunch on the sides you can bake for another 2 minutes. If you’ve scooped the smaller cookies, check them at the 10 minute mark. Sprinkle on some more cereal/rainbow dust when they come out of the oven.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Big, thin crispy edges chewy middled lucky charms cookies made with ground up bits of rice cereal and colorful gooey lucky charms marshmallows.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes minutes
Chill Time 2 hours hours

 

 

 

 

 

 
Mexican Hot Chocolate, Wait for It…Cookie!

Mexican Hot Chocolate, Wait for It…Cookie!

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Another winner from Vaughn Vreeland and NYTCooking’s Cookie Week.  He captures all the flavors of Mexican Hot Chocolate in a fabulous cookie, cinnamon sweetness, cayenne spiciness, and cocoa to bring out the chocolate.   To top it off, the marshmallows are melty and gooey, just like on a cup of cocoa.  The cookies are rolled in cinnamon sugar just before baking, providing a nice crunch finish.

Do watch his video on NYTCooking channel on Youtube, Cookie Week 2023.  It’s instructive and entertaining. I’m still chuckling.

The Cookie

Chocolate- Cocoa, Dutch-processed preferred) . (I use KA’s Triple cocoa which contains both Dutch-processed and natural cocoa.  I threw in a couple of mini-chocolate chips with the marshmallows, but I could not detect a difference.

Cayenne- Fair warning, 1/2 teaspoon is pretty darn spicy.  I reduced it to 1/4 teaspoon and you could taste the spice.  Lots of comments on NYT that the cookies were too spicy.

Marshmallows- Buy mini ones, remove about 100-120 from the bag to freeze.  You do not need to freeze the entire bag.

Scoop-de-doop- I used a #40 scoop which is shy of 2 tablespoons and will yield about 24 cookies.

Full Circle—When the cookies come out of the oven, they might look a little wonky shape-wise. Use a glass or cookie cutter to reshape them into pretty little circles.

It is a fairly stiff dough, and here is a marginally acceptable picture of it, lol. It is not very appetizing but informational.

I used a #40 scoop, approximately one and a half tablespoons.  Scoop all your dough and chill for a minimum of 2 hours to up to 24  hours.

Take each ball of dough and press it into a circular disc.  Place 4-5 frozen marshmallows in the center of dough and gather it around the mallows to form a ball.  Pinch the dough together to surround the mallows, it’s ok if a bit of the mallows is exposed.  Roll in cinnamon sugar and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

These are delicious and really, are pretty easy to make, and I think visually a nice looking cookie.  Enjoy!

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Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie

Another delightful cookie, Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie from Vaughn Vreeland and NYTcooking
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate cookies, cookie week, holiday cookies, Mexican Hot Chocolate, NYTcooking
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour 192 grams
  • ½ cup cocoa powder 51 grams preferably Dutch-processed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt such as Diamond Crystal
  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Creamed Mixture

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) 113 grams at room temperature
  • 1½ cups light brown sugar 305 grams
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling

  • 1 bag Mini marshmallows (will not need entire pkg) frozen solid

Cookie Coating

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 grams
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cayenne and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
  • Freeze marshmallows, don't freeze the whole bag. You'll need about 100 marshmallows.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until creamy, 2 more minutes. Add flour mixture. Beat on low until no dry spots remain, about 1 minute.
  • With a 2-tablespoon (1-ounce) cookie scoop or tablespoon measure, scoop dough into mounds on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.* (#30 scoop ~ 2.1 T, #40 scoop ~ 1.6 T)
  • When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Add granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to a small bowl.
  • Remove half of the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes if the dough is very stiff. Take a mound of dough and flatten slightly in the palm of your hand. Pile 4-5 frozen mini marshmallows on top of the flattened dough, then bring the outer edges over the marshmallows to envelop them. Roll into a ball and then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place on the baking sheet, 3 inches apart.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until cookies puff slightly and bits of molten marshmallow peek through the surface. Cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough and marshmallows. Cookies will keep for about 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Balls of dough (not coated in cinnamon sugar) can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To bake, thaw for 5 minutes at room temperature, roll in cinnamon sugar and bake for 13 to 15 minutes.
Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookies-Eric Does It Again

Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookies-Eric Does It Again

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After I recover from the Thanksgiving turkey-stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie extravaganza, I crank up the Christmas music, which I play until New Year’s Day (yes, I am that obnoxious person who LOVES Christmas music).  I watch The Holiday, in place of Santa Clause (the kids are all grown up now), and patiently wait for…

COOKIE WEEK

Yep, a week’s worth of holiday cookies created by NYTcooking culinary stars like Melissa Clark, Sue Li, Yewande Komolafe, Claire Saffitz, Sue Li, Sohla El-Waylly, and my two favorites, Vaughn Vreeland and Eric Kim.  I peruse the cookies quickly and note which ones I want to try.  Top of the list is usually Eric’s holiday cookie.  For a guy who did not start as a baker, he has a knack for creating the perfect holiday cookie every year.  My favorites, which I have rave about all the time include:

Eric’s Grocery Store Cookie – The supermarket, sprinkle-laden, tooth-achingly sweet Lofthouse Cookie revamped.  Imagine a tender, buttery, not-too-sweet cookie slathered with a buttercream frosting flavored with freeze-dried berries and sprinkles.  The LOFTIER  version of that supermarket cookie.

See that bad boi with the hot pink frosting? Yep, Eric’s Grocery Store Cookie

Gochujang Caramel Cookies – A crisp-edged, chewy-center sugar cookie swirled with sweet & spicy Gochujang (a Korean staple). So damn good.

Matcha Latte Cookie – Make a matcha latte, snap your fingers like Mary Poppins, and turn it into a cookie, that’s this delightful bite. The milk-based frosting is icing on the proverbial cookie, amazing.

And this year, he does it again with his

Lemon-Tumeric Crinkle Cookies

Are you scratching your head?  Thinking what?  The combination of lemon and turmeric works so well.  Eric describes it as “it tastes kinda like Fruit Loops” and I would agree.  The turmeric adds a floral twist to the lemon.  It also adds a vibrant rosy orange hue to the cookie which is simply gorgeous. It is such a pretty cookie with the rosy orange cookie peeking out from under the coat of powdered sugar characteristic of crinkle cookies. Makes me happy.

Let’s Get to the Good Part:  The Cookie

Ok, this is a cakey cookie.  After letting the cookies cool on a rack, I took my first bite…yep, cakey cookie.  In full transparency…not my favorite kind of cookie, give me a good shortbread cookie and I am a happy camper.  But I brought the cookies to a holiday party and they were GOBBLED up.  Folks loved the cookie’s festive color and nuanced flavor.

Meanwhile, a few days later, I grabbed one of the cookies to go with a cuppa tea and immediately remarked to the hubs, “This cookie is better today than the first day”.  The cookies were less cakey, moister, and still very flavorful.  The texture was much more to my liking.  So, note to self.  Make these cookies and squirrel away a couple to munch on a few days later.  Genius.

Pro Tip for Eric’s Cookies

Optimally, make these cookies by hand.  I’ve learned that my Kitchen Aide stand mixer can be a detriment. It’s much too easy to overbeat cookies and cakes when using one.  At the same time, hand-whisking for one minute, isn’t all that easy, lol. SOLUTION: If you don’t want to mix by hand, get a hand mixer!  I did,  it’s a Christmas present from my kids and hubby (although they don’t know yet, shhh).  Make sure to bring the cream cheese to room temp, much easier to beat by hand.

Turmeric

If you aren’t familiar with turmeric, it is a spice in the ginger family. It is widely used and can be found at most grocery stores, especially in Indian and Middle Eastern stores.  Bonus, we are looking at a win-win, turmeric is an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.  It may help with arthritis and other joint disorders, colitis, allergies, and infections.  So this is guilt-free cookie consumption if you ask me.

Word of warning, the downside of turmeric’s brilliant color is that it stains.  Avoid getting it on your clothes or counters!

If you have NYTCooking, a video of Eric making these cookies is on their site on YouTube.

Instead of butter, the cookie is made with cream cheese and olive oil.  I love the use of olive oil in baked goods which is saying a lot, I am a BUTTERvangelical, lol.  I made the dough and refrigerated it overnight.  It was still fairly soft and easy to scoop.  Use a #40 or #50 scoop to portion out the dough.  Roll dough balls in powdered sugar,  you want a generous coat of sugar on each one.  During the bake, start checking the cookies at 12 minutes, especially if using a #50 scoop (less dough).  Allow cookies to cool on a rack, store in an airtight container, and place wax paper in between each layer of cookies.

If you are looking for something different but delicious, include the Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookies on your holiday cookie list.

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4.25 from 4 votes

Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookie

Another winner from Eric Kim for this year's Cookie Week from NYTCooking. Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookie. Made with cream cheese abd olive oil, spiced with turmeric and lemon, it's tender, cakey and delicious.
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword cookie week, cookies, ERic KIm, holiday baking, holiday cookies, lemon-turmeric crinkle cookie, NYT Cooking
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Creamed Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest from about 2 lemons
  • 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt or fine salt

Dry Ingredient

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour 192 grams

Coating

  • ¾ cup powdered sugar 92 grams

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together oil and turmeric until combined. Let sit for about 30 seconds to let turmeric dissolve. Add sugar, lemon zest, cream cheese, egg and vanilla. Vigorously whisk to combine and aerate the mixture, about 1 minute.
  • Whisk in baking soda and salt. Add flour, then switch to a rubber spatula and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate dough until hard enough to scoop, about 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
  • Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment. Using a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons) and working one at a time, scoop out 1½-inch/29-gram rounds and coat them in powdered sugar. Place them a couple of inches apart on the baking sheets and bake until crinkled and no longer wet-looking on top, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan before eating.

Notes

To make ahead, prepare cookies then scoop out 1½-tablespoon rounds and set them in a single layer in a resealable container. Freeze the dough, covered, for up to 1 month. When ready to bake, coat frozen dough balls in powdered sugar and bake, adding 1 to 2 minutes as needed.
I prefer weights when baking but without a scale, I would use the scoop and sweep method. Don't pack down your flour.
I’m Gonna Shoyu a New Chocolate Chip Cookie

I’m Gonna Shoyu a New Chocolate Chip Cookie

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I know you all know I am a city girl at heart.  Give me skyscrapers, bridges, cars, museums, and bright lights any day.  Not that I don’t appreciate mountains, forests, and nature, but I prefer the urban jungle.  Whenever we get the chance, we head into The City for the day, Chinatown, the Ferry Building, and Hayes Valley are my favorite areas to wander around.  There is always something going on.  Last weekend we headed to the City for the Hallyu exhibit at the Asian Art Museum.  A look at Korean culture & K-Pop that has taken the world by storm. (Check out my video on IG, for a glimpse at the exhibit).

Lucky for us, the Asian Art Museum also hosted its annual Artisan Fair that weekend.  They had a variety of vendors including crafters, cosmetics, books, and food.  I rarely leave empty-handed.  One of my favorites is the Taiwanese soy sauce from Liv Cook Eat.  Brewed with black soybeans, these soy sauces are sweeter with a nice rounded flavor.  We are hooked on both their Finishing Soy and Delicate Soy.  They’re a bit pricy but we are worth the splurge. LOL.  Next to the soy sauce sat a row of  Soy Sauce Infused Chocolate Chip Cookies by Eating with Edmund.  You know I had to try one.  The cookies were delightful, crispy-edged, buttery, and chocolatey. The flavor was nuanced and subtle.  It leaves you wondering, what is that mellowness in this cookie?  I think it’s the soy sauce.

Soy Sauce Me Up

Soy Sauce:  This is a classic chocolate chip cookie with a tweak, the soy sauce.  Although any soy sauce would work there are distinct differences between soy sauces.  Liv Eat Cook is Taiwanese and is made with black soybeans. It has a richer, rounder flavor than soy sauce made in China or Hong Kong.  It usually has sugar which makes it a touch sweeter.  Chinese Soy Sauces generally have more sodium, so a bit saltier.  Use Dark Chinese Soy Sauce (Lao Chou) which is less salty than the light soy sauce and has a touch of molasses as a sub.  Japanese soy sauces are generally lighter, and a touch sweeter.  I assume that would be fine. Tamari would work also.

Flour:  The OG Cookie from Eating with Edmund was soft and delicate.  I increased the flour by 10% (330 grams) for a sturdier cookie.  If I browned the butter, I would use his original 300gms of flour since moisture is lost when browning butter.  Browned butter would give the cookies a nice toasty flavor, worth a try.  I used King Arthur flour AP which has a higher protein content than Gold Medal. If using GM flour I would increase the amount of flour by 5-10%.

Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work.  I used light brown sugar.

Chocolate:  Chocolate chips can be used but I prefer chopping up a bar.  Mainly for presentation, different-sized & shaped pieces seem to look better. Reserve enough pieces to be pressed into the surface of each dough ball right before baking.  Puddles of chocolate on the surface of each cookie, a nice look.

Toffee:  Toffee and soy sauce complement each other.  I used TJ’s Toffee Bars, chopped into pieces for 1/2 of the chocolate.  Delish.

Bang-a-Pan;   A couple of minutes before the cookies finish baking, rap the pan to deflate the cookies to create ridges. Optional.

The Swirl:  Chocolate pieces, toffee, and marshmallows tend to melt and ooze creating funny-shaped cookies.  No worries, invest in a 3-4 inch round cookie cutter (or a glass will work too).  As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, place your round cutter over those cookies and swirl, voila’ perfectly round cookies. Of course, if you don’t mind them not being perfectly round…skip this step!

The Finish:  I love finishing these cookies with a sprinkle of flaked salt like Maldon.

Enjoy!

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Soy Sauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Eating with Edmund, Soy Sauce Chocolate Chip Cookies. Buttery, crisp, delicious chocolate chip cookies with a soy sauce twist.
Course cookies, desserts
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword chocolate chip cookie, soy sauce, soy sauce chocolate chip cookies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Creamed Mixture

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar 165 grams
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons Liv Cook Eat Finishing Dark Soy Sauce or your favorite dark soy sauce
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract optional

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur Flour) 300 grams
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Adds

  • 1 cup bittersweet dark chocolate chips, chunks, or chopped
  • 1/2 cup Chocolate Toffee bar, I use TJ chocolate toffee chopped, sustitute for 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips (optional)
  • Sea salt flakes like Maldon for sprinkling on cookies

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheet with parchment paper
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda and set aside
  • In a separate bowl cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, soy sauce, and (optional) almond extract
  • Add eggs one at a time to the wet mixture and cream together
  • Add 1/3 of the dry mix into the wet at a time and fold together. With the last third of the dry mix, add in the chocolate & toffee if using. Tip: Careful not to overmix or you’ll end up with tough cookies. You can be a tough cookie, but don't want to eat one.
  • Use a medium cookie scoop (#40) or ~roll 2 tablespoons of cookie dough into balls with spoons and place on a lined baking sheet, min of 2 inches apart
  • Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes
  • Remove from oven, sprinkle with flaked salt and swirl with cookie cutters to bring them into round.

Notes

Suggestions for best results with more complex flavors and textures:
Chop bars of baking chocolate into chunks
The varying sizes of the chocolate chunks and flakes incorporated into the cookie make every bite unique
Brown the butter ahead of time! Melt the butter in a small pot until it turns a deep amber color. Stir and scrape the bottom/sides constantly to incorporate the milk solids. Let cool and solidify to room temp
The browned butter makes for a nuttier, more complex flavor profile