dipped in Bittersweet Chocolate and Coconut
Dang, that is a mouthful. But the cookies are phenomenal!
The 2012 Cookie of the Year Recipe:
I've put this together as cookie only first - and then dipping ingredients and instructions at the end because that's how you'll do it.
Equipment:
stand mixer
baking sheets
silpat or parchment paper or grease your cookie sheets
measuring cups & spoons
metal spoon (for dishing out the cookies)
small bowl of spare flour for portioning the cookies
cooling racks
Ingredients:*
1/2C butter (room temp if you are thinking ahead)
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanila
2 Tbs or up to 1/3C Sriracha
1+1/2C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1C chocolate chips (bittersweet/semi-sweet is best)
Prep:
Measure out and stir together the the flour, salt & soda.
In the stand mixer beat the butter until soft. Add in the sugar, and beat to fluffy. Add in the peanut butter and get it incorporated. Stir in the egg, vanilla and Sriracha.
Slowly add in the dry ingredients (flour etc.) and mix until a smooth sticky batter is formed. Add in the chocolate chips and let it stir a few times to incorporate them.
Cook!
Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
Get your hands floury. And have a small bowl of flour just for dipping your hands.
For palm sized cookies use about 1 Tbs of dough and roll into approx. 1in. balls.
Place these about 2 in. apart on your covered/greased baking sheet.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes. Look for an evenly brown bottom, and light browning around the edges. They should still be soft when you pull them out. Let them cool for a minute or two before transferring them to cooling racks.
For bite sized cookies use about 1tsp of dough, rolled into a ball about the size of the top joint of your thumb.
Place these about 1 in. apart on the baking sheet. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. Look for an evenly brown bottom, and light browning around the edges. They should still be soft when you pull them out. Let them cool for a minute or two before transferring them to cooling racks.
When they are thoroughly cool (They can be stored in a large tupperware or zip-top bag for a day or two - or frozen if you need to wait for the next weekend), get ready for dipping.
Dipping...
 |
This was my hack - pyrex is fine because there is never
actually any boiling - not even simmering - just "warming" |
Equipment:
a double boiler set up - ideally a bowl that fits snugly inside a pan with a little room for water in the bottom
rubber spatula
container for the coconut
wax or parchment paper
baking sheet (if you only have half sheet pans use them upside down for this)
Ingredients:
3/4lb (340g) 60% cocoa solids bittersweet chocolate - slab (or a chocolate you find you prefer)
1 lb (450g) sweetened shredded coconut**
Prep:
Get out your cookies - and have them ready to hand.
Clear off a large flat space to let your cookies cool.
Lay out the waxed paper on a baking sheet. You will be transferring these to the large flat space as they fill up so the chocolate can harden - just slide the wax paper off, and replace with a fresh sheet.
Cut, chip or crush the chocolate into no larger than thumb sized pieces.
Put the amount of water in the bottom of your pan so that it doesn't squish out when you put the bowl in it. Place in on the lowest setting possible on your stove top.
Pour the coconut in a wide flat container convenient for cookie dipping.
Cook!
This is the cheater/short-cut/clever method for making dipping chocolate - it uses the temper already on/in the chocolate when it's in the bar. It works for this sort of thing because the chocolate strength and appearance aren't primary.
Add about 3/4 or 7/8 of the chopped chocolate to the warmed bowl. Stir frequently until the chocolate is melted. Add in the unmelted chocolate and stir in the unmelted chocolate. Turn the heat down if you had turned it up, or even off for a few minutes.
Dip a cookie halfway in. Scrape off the back with the rubber spatula, so only a thin layer remains, and maybe neaten up the bottom edge.
Dip the front face of the cookie in the coconut.
Place it coconut-face down on the wax paper to harden.
Do another and test it for Quality Control.
If you are doing a bunch of cookies, watch the heat and stir your chocolate occasionally.
They'll take about an hour to completely harden for transport. But enjoy then anytime if they are staying at home!
*Apparently THE PB cookie recipe. Same recipe from 1950's Joy of Cooking replicated everywhere - though sometimes double or tripled. OK Joy of Cooking has it w/o the Sriracha
** I tried 3 types of coconut - the large shaved pieces, the fine "macaroon" type and traditional sweetened. This had the best texture and flavor for my purposes.
