Wednesday, January 24, 2007

World Peace Cookies

World Peace Cookies

Jenjen made them. Deb made them too. So did Anita.

“There must be something about these cookies…” I thought. Something really good to cause such a commotion.

The only way to find that out was to bake them – and here you are, ladies and gentlemen: one of the most delicious cookies I have ever eaten, certainly the most delicious I have ever baked.

My cookies turned out great but they tended to be a little bit softer instead of crispy. I would love to hear your opinion about it – did I make them correctly?

World Peace Cookies

175g all-purpose flour
30g unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
155g unsalted butter, at room temperature
145g light brown sugar
50g caster sugar
½ teaspoon fleur de sel or ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt – I used salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
140g bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous ¾ cup mini chocolate chips – I used semisweet but will bake them again using bittersweet

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together.
Beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.
Pour in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined - for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly.
Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half – I weighed the dough to make sure the parts would be even.
Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 4cm in diameter. Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours* - the dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost it before making- bake for 1 minute longer.
Preheat oven to 160˚C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Using a sharp knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1 cm thick - the rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them- don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.
Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 3cm between them.
Bake the cookies on sheet at a time for 12 minutes- they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet until they’re cold – that’s when they’ll be firm.
Serve them warm or at room temperature.

Makes 36 cookies – I got 46.

* Anita was the only one who wrote to refrigerate them for 1 hour. I did as she said because I was short on time – it worked fine because the dough was already pretty hard.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just got my Dorie Greenspan cookbook and can't wait to give this recipe a try. Yummy! Love the photos too... nice job!

Anonymous said...

I should know better than to read your blog in the late afternoon when dinner is still hours away. I am so hungry now! The cookies sound great, Patricia, and your photos make them irresistible.

Kirsten said...

They looks so good. I may have to try them too!

(off to convert recipe)...

Unknown said...

I love refrigerator cookies. And world peace.

Stella said...

What a torture, I just woke up & I read your blog Patricia. What do I see? Chocolate cookies that make my tummy grumble suddenly!! Oh nooooo:) I'd love to grab some, doesn't matter if they're a bit soft:)

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

My husband has been working his way through Dorie Greenspan's book, and I know that these peace cookies are on his list. Can't wait!

Patricia Scarpin said...

Kristen, thank you so much!
I'm dying to buy this book - I think I'll do it next month.

Terry, thank you very mucn, you're so kind! I had a laugh with your comment. That's why I check your blog first thing in the morning, my friend. I'm not strong enough to do it close to lunch/dinner time! :D

Kirsten,
You can find the recipe in cups on the blogs I linked. I turn them into grams because the cups here in Brazil have different sizes then the cups in the US/Europe.

Mimi, your comment is so funny - in a sweet, sweet way.

Valentina, you're adorable - tks!
These cookies had to be good, everyone was baking them!

Lydia, I think your husband is a very refined man. ;D

wheresmymind said...

I dig softer cookays anyways *shrug*

Susan from Food Blogga said...

I seriously need to check out this Dorie Greenspan cookbook.

I just love the name of these cookies! And your presentaion is beautiful.

Melting Wok said...

Patricia, you cook and you bake, what else do you not know ? *grins*
oohh..cookies that's good enough without the milk !! :)

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Anybody thinking they want this book should really think twice. It's one thing to see a recipe or two on blogs like this but when you get the book, you find you're pretty much working your way front to back, baking 19 out of 20. I've never seen a book where I wanted to try as many recipes as I do in this one and then actually started doing it!

Anonymous said...

Patricia, the cookies look irresistable! and i'm not even a big fan of cookies... i might just give it a try for giveaways to my cookie-loving friends. :)

Mae

Gattina Cheung said...

Pat, lovely cookies.
About your cookies not crunchy enough, first, did you make your cookies too big? Size is a matter.
Besides, now when I make cookies if I looking for crunchy one, I'd replace 30 - 50% butter with vegetable shortening, the outcome works to me.

Patricia Scarpin said...

Jeff,
The person who received the cookies liked them as they were, a little softer. It was a relief to me. :D

Susan, thank you!
I'm thinking about buying it too - everybody talks about it on the blog world!

Melting Wok, you're so sweet, thank you!
I love being in the kitchen and will try recipes even if I don't know where to start. :D

Hi, Tanna,
Thank you for the opinion on the book - I find it very useful and important to know more about a book before buying it. Sometimes it's just not what you were waiting for!

Mae, thank you for stopping by and for the lovely comment - I think your friends will like the cookies. :D

Dear Gattina,
I love your tips about the recipe. I've learned a lot from you and the other bloggers I admire!
I know about the difference in melting time between butter and shortening, but to be honest I don't like to cook with shortening... :S
Tks, dear!

Erielle said...

Okay, I'm convinced. I will make these cookies tomorrow after work. Yay, something to look forward to! I also look forward to someday owning that book.

Anonymous said...

Way back in early December I posted a simple cookie recipe for a decadent chocolate cookie that WOW-ed me so much that I claimed they could bring on world peace, and such dubbed them 'World Peace Cookies'

Imagine how surprised I was to find that a recipe for a decadent chocolate cookie existed that was actually called 'World Peace Cookies'

Here's my post:
http://cooknkate.wordpress.com/2006/12/11/give-yourself-an-early-christmas-present/

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