Brown Butter and Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookes

 A FABULOUS cookie recipe from friends Dalene and Tanya! Thanks, ladies!

Using chocolate wafers instead of chips is a cookie game-changer. They spread as they melt, creating thin pockets of chocolate in each layer, and stay much softer at room temperature.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

⅓ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1.4-oz. chocolate toffee bars (preferably Skor), chopped into ¼-inch pieces

1½ cups chocolate wafers (disks, pistoles, fèves; preferably 72% cacao)

Flaky sea salt

• Cook butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5–8 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
• Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to browned butter. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until mixture lightens and begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low; add dry ingredients and beat just to combine. Mix in toffee pieces and chocolate wafers with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Let dough sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate. Dough will look very loose at first, but will thicken as it sits.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Using a 1½-oz. ice cream scoop, portion out 10 balls of dough and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 3" apart (you can also form dough into ping pong–sized balls with your hands). Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle with sea salt.
• Bake cookies until edges are golden brown and firm but centers are still soft, 9–11 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and a fresh parchment-lined baking sheet to make 10 more cookies.
• Do Ahead: Cookie dough can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Let dough come to room temperature before baking.

Using chocolate wafers instead of chips is a cookie game-changer. They spread as they melt, creating thin pockets of chocolate in each layer, and stay much softer at room temperature. 

Jewish Crack

4 to 6 sheets matzo or approximately 40 Saltine crackers or crackers of your choice
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into a few large pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
A big pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)
1 cup toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice (optional)
Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil, and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit.

Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts. [If using matzo, you’ll need to break pieces to fit any extra spaces, which will be annoying because despite being perforated, it does not actually break in straight lines. I have some luck pressing a serrated knife straight down along a section between perforations, if that (hopefully) makes sense.]

In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You’ll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured.

Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.
Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula works great here. If you’re using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt. (The sea salt is great on matzo. On Saltines, it’s really not necessary.)

Once completely cool — I sometimes speed this process up in the fridge, impatient as should be expected in the face of caramel crack(ers) — break it into pieces and store it in a container. It should keep for a week but I’ve never seen it last that long.

Paleo Breakfast Cookies

1 cup raw almond butter or organic sunflower seed butter
1 egg
1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup or a combo of the two (I use a tad less if I'm using choc. chips)
3 cups total add-ins of choice (I use lots of unsweetened shredded coconut,  chocolate chips-the darkest I can find or raw cacao nibs, sunflower seeds, raisins and some chopped nuts like almonds or macadamia nuts. Chopped dates are good, too)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer until thoroughly blended. You may have to manually push the chocolate chips into the dough. Drop by tablespoons onto a greased, Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Press down lightly with fingers

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, be careful not to overbake. Allow to cool on wire rack. These freeze beautifully! Yum!

Spiced Biscotti

I've tried an assortment of Biscotti recipes over the years and am usually disappointed by the texture. This recipe is from my daughter, Andee's, favorite baking cookbook, Baking Illustrated, and the recipe in my opinion is exactly as it should be, very flavorful not rock hard but with a pleasant crispness when you bite in. They tested numerous recipes and decided that the major difference is the fat used (or not) and if eggs are added. The more traditional recipes, like this one, contain whole eggs but no fat/butter. Biscotti's plain dough adapts beautifully to literally dozens of flavor combinations so try adding your own nuts, dried fruits, spices, etc. We spiced up this first one, Spiced Biscotti, even more and added the chocolate. The second variation is our own, Chocolate Cherry Biscotti. Biscotti must be completely cooled before storage but will then keep beautifully for at least a week and up to a month if stored properly. They also freeze well.

This recipe looks really long but it's fast and easy... but a long baking time.

Spiced Biscotti
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: 1 Tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tsp water, or strong brewed coffee
2 tsp (scant) black pepper
1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups (12 oz) semi-sweet or extra dark chocolate chips

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray. Whisk the flour, baking powder, spices and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk the sugar and eggs in a large bowl to a light lemon color; stir in the vanilla and coffee. Sprinkle the dry ingredients and fresh ginger over the egg mixture, then fold in until the dough is just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

Halve the dough and turn both portions onto the prepared baking sheet. Using lightly floured hands, quickly pat and stretch each portion of dough into a rough 13 by 2" loaf, slightly mounded along the length. Place on the baking sheet, pat smooth. Bake until the loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Remove baking sheet from oven and place on a wire rack.

Cool the loaves for 10 minutes; lower the oven temperature to 325°. Use a wide metal spatula to transfer the loaves to a cutting board and using a serrated knife, cut each loaf diagonally into 3/8" thick slices. Stand the slices up on the baking sheet with a little space between each and return them to the oven. Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 15 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Variation #2 Chocolate Cherry Biscotti

Eliminate the pepper, cloves, cinnamon, gingers, allspice and coffee from the above recipe. Chop approximate 1 cup of dried sour cherries and add with the chocolate chips. Proceed as above.

Let me know if you land on a completely awesome variation!!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

From my friend, Patti, who calls these one bowl cookies, and they are! So easy, so good.

1 stick butter
1/2 c. firmly pressed brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

mix together the above then add to the mix:

1 c. flour
1 c. quick oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips (you could skimp here but don't!)
1/2 c. shredded coconut (optional)(if adding coconut maybe a tiny bit more liquid)
1/4 c. raisins (optional)

Bake at 375° for 10 minutes

Breakfast Oatmeal Cookies

These from a hiking buddy, Barbara McCormick. What a way to start the day!

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cup brown sugar, packed
6 cups old-fashion rolled oats
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 375° and place rack in center position. In 2 cup measure combine oil, applesauce and eggs; whisk briefly.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in Kitchen Aid bowl, stir to blend. Add remaining dry ingredients, stirring after each. Add ail, applesauce, egg mixture and mix til dough is moistened. Add choc chips and walnuts, gently mix to combine.
Line 4 sheet pans with parchment. Use large (2 1/4") ice cream scoop (dough level to top and patted down lightly) to make cookies (about 1/3 cup). Place 3" apart, 8 per pan. Bake only 12 minutes, until cookies feel done when pressed with finger. DO NOT over cook or brown them!! Cool briefly (10 min) then remove from baking sheet. Store 3 days at room temp or wrap each in plastic wrap and freeze for 3 months.

If frozen, heat in microwave 15 seconds to serve.