Saturday, January 26, 2013

Salty Chocolate Chunk Cookies - Sounds Weird, It's Not!

Last month's Bon Appetit had an entire section on salted desserts - YES!
I'm such a sucker for salted caramel, salted chocolate. That little pinch of salt adds and brings out so much flavor, it's ridic. I'm going to work my way through all of those recipes, but I started out with these Salty Chocoalte Chunk Cookies.


A few notes: I used chocolate chips instead of chocolate chunks - time saver in chopping that chocolate. I also used Hawaiin Black Lava Sea Salt instead of a Maldon or flaky salt, because we had it lying around, for some reason. You can use any brand of sea salt, as long as the flakes are big.

Also, bring your butter and eggs both to room temperature before you start. This keeps your cookies fluffy so they don't collapse while cooling.  My boyfriend LOVED these, and his friends took a few home.

This recipe makes about 25.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • Maldon or other flaky sea salt

Preparation

  • Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375°. Whisk flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add egg yolks, egg, and vanilla. Beat, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just to blend. Using a spatula, fold in chocolate.


  • Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt.


  • Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes (the cookies will firm up as they cool). Let cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

    Isn't baking the perfect Saturday afternoon activity? I kind of love it. 
    I'm going to tackle these after I teach Body Pump this afternoon.

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