May Peace Prevail on Earth

World Peace Cookie, this is the first thing I bake off Dorie Greenspan's "Baking from my home to yours". I enjoyed reading it cos every recipe is prefaced by a short story... I was so engrossed in reading than baking!

Some bloggers have raved how they get an organsm eating these moreish cookie... but it is a clear to me that I do not have a peaceful relationship with them.

With all due respect, these are great cookies. But all that I have been reading from the blog seem more like a soap drama or a slapstick comedy than ensuing peace and happiness!

Anyway, here’s the recipe if you are game want to try for the big O (or to spread the peace gospel):

World Peace Cookie (aka Korova Cookie)
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
155g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar (I used 1/3 cup)
¼ cup white fine sugar
½ tsp fleur de sel or ¼ tsp fine sea salt (I used ½ tsp fleur del sel) 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
140g bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous ¾ cup mini chocolate chips ( i used 100g cocoa nibs so that I do not need to break a new pack)

1. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together.


2. Beat the butter until soft and creamy.


3. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.


4. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix just until the flour disappears into the dough- 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.


5. Toss in the chocolate/cocoa nibs and mix only to incorporate.


6. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half.


7. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 4cm in diameter. (can use the kitchen roll as a guide to get perfectly rounded log)


8. Wrap the logs 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.)


9. Preheat oven to 160˚C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. I use silicon mats cos it is recycleable, and hence a more environmentally responsible choice.


10. Using a sharp knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1 cm thick.


11. Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 3cm between them.


12. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes- they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be.


13. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.
    
    

STORING: Packed airtight, the cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days; they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

My Notes:

• I didn’t do much modification to the recipe; mainly becos it’s already eggless. I only change 2 things:
  - reduce the amount sugar; my old tooth is not taking to sweet stuff these days.
  - Replace the bittersweet chocolate/mini choc chips with cocoa nubs.


• Talking about cocoa nibs – I can’t remember where I learn about this thing...“Cacao (Cocoa) Nibs are perfectly roasted cocoa beans separated from their husks and broken into small bits. They are the essence of chocolate.”
  
  The essence of chocolate! That's what got me started excited and was looking for it frantically... I called Shermay Cooking School, Chef Warehouse, Phoon Huat, then finally realises that the humble trusty Sun Lik carries it. It’s $4 per 100g pack, btw. Is it expensive?
  
  It tastes terribly bitter when eaten raw, but was sooo wonderful when used in choc cookies. It adds crunchiness (somewhat like nuts) and chocolatey without the sweetness! Be forewarn though, not everyone likes the taste. J does cos bitter chocolate is his fave!!!


• Another thing about this recipe is that the dough is so darn soft. I rolled it into logs and refrigerate to firm up before cutting. You know how difficult to cut them when it was taken out of the fridge? As I cut some pieces break which I just push it back to make rounds. BUT as soon as it goes into the oven , it spreads like nobody’s business... people get pretty slices but I... sigh... how am I to be at peace?
  
  

My ugly flatties here...

If J is up for more, I will certainly bake this again. I WANT to get the cylindrical rounds like everyone else!