Sticky Caramel-Pecan Babka
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It all started a few months back when Faith connected me with Jerry James Stone and his Three Loaves
project. Jerry's simple idea, an easy intro to giving, is that we all
make three loaves: one to keep, one for a friend, and one to give to
someone in need. A great project with a solid goal, so when Jerry asked
if The Kitchn wanted to contribute a recipe, we jumped at the chance.
But what to make? A sandwich loaf felt practical, but ... yawn.
I wanted to make something really special. And a little indulgent.
Something that would make eyes grow wide and put big smiles on faces,
especially those that might not always have reason to smile. So, you
tell me — how did I do?
I've been playing with the idea of transforming sticky
buns into sliceable loaf form for a while. It seemed perfect for an
afternoon treat — something sweet and entirely happy-making, but that
wouldn't require a nap after eating. I considered a riff on a Cinnamon Swirl Bread, but then I remembered — babka!
Babka is a Jewish pastry. (Or cake? Cake bread? I'm not
quibbling.) It's traditionally filled with either chocolate or a mix of
cinnamon and sugar. The bread portion is rich with eggs and butter —
enough to qualify it as a brioche, if you were so inclined.
But what makes babka truly special is the way the loaves are
shaped: The dough is rolled up around the filling and then sliced down
the length to create two long pieces streaked with filling. Twist those
pieces around each other, pop them in a loaf pan, and you have babka in
all its twisty, layered glory.
I've taken that traditional cinnamon-and-sugar filling one
step further — and much deeper into gooey, sticky territory. This
filling is a mix of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and finely chopped
pecans. In the heat of the oven, the layers in the middle melt into
bubbly caramel, while the exposed layers on top bake into a crunchy
praline-like coating. Baker beware — this stuff is addictive.
I highly recommend spreading this bread-making process over
two days. The dough is very sticky and can be a struggle to work with
right after rising. Instead, put the bowl of dough in the fridge and let
it chill overnight (literally and figuratively). The chilled dough is
much easier to roll out, slice, and shape. (A tip of the hat to Deb of Smitten Kitchen and Yotam Ottolenghi for this nugget of advice.)
Call it cake, call it bread, call it whatever you like, but by
all means, make this sticky caramel-pecan babka. While you're waiting
for the dough to rise, check out Jerry James Stone's Three Loaves
project and think about what you might like to do with your sticky,
nut-filled bounty.
→ Check It Out: Three Loaves Project
Previous image
Scatter a generous cup of the filling over the surface of the dough,
then use the back of a spoon to spread and press the filling into an
even layer. Leave about an inch of clear border at the top.
Sticky Caramel-Pecan Babka
Makes 3 loaves, 10 to 12 slices each
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 1/4 - 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
For the sticky filling:
2 1/4 cups pecans
3/4 cups butter (salted)
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
For the egg wash:
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon whole milk or cream
Make the dough: Combine the water and the yeast in
the bowl of a stand mixer, and let stand until the yeast is dissolved.
Add the milk, eggs, yolk, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, and whisk
until the yolks are completely combined. Add 6 1/4 cups of flour and
stir with a stiff spatula until a shaggy, floury dough is formed.
Using a dough hook, knead on medium-low speed until the
dough comes together and is no longer floury, about 5 minutes. With the
mixer still running, begin adding the butter in 1-tablespoon blobs. Mix
until one blob is just barely incorporated before adding the next blob.
When all the butter has been added, continue kneading
for another 5 minutes until the dough is silky, elastic, and quite
jiggly. This won't form a ball like regular dough — it should bunch
around the dough hook and clear the sides of the dough hook, but will
still be attached in a sticky dough mass to the bottom of the bowl. Add
the extra 1/4 cup of flour as needed if the dough is sticking to the
sides of the bowl. (For step-by-step instructions, see steps 2 through 6
in How To Make Kugelhopf.)
Chill the dough: Transfer the dough to your largest
mixing bowl. Cover and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in
bulk. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least an hour or up to 3
days. (This makes the dough easier to roll out in the next step; I
recommend letting the dough chill overnight.)
Prepare the filling: When you're ready to shape the
loaves, prepare the filling before you take the dough out of the fridge.
Heat the oven to 350°F and toast the pecans until they're a few shades
darker and very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer the hot pecans to a
cutting board and chop them finely while still warm. Keep chopping
until no piece is larger than a grain of barley. You can also do this in
a food processor — process the nuts in pulses and be careful of
over-processing (which will turn the nuts into nut butter!).
In a medium bowl, mash together the softened butter,
brown sugar, and cinnamon for the filling with a fork or a spoon, then
work in the nuts. Keep mashing and mixing until the nuts are evenly
distributed and you have formed a crumbly paste. Set this near your work
surface.
Line three 8x4-inch loaf pans with long rectangles of
parchment, so that the parchment hangs over the sides of the pan. Grease
the pans thoroughly with non-stick spray. (If you only have two pans,
bake two loaves and leave the third piece of dough in the fridge to
shape and bake later.)
Shape the babka loaves: Remove the dough from the
fridge. Sprinkle your work surface generously with flour and scrape the
dough out on top. Pat the dough into a log and then use a bench scraper
or sharp knife to cut it into 3 equal pieces (mine were about 21 ounces
each, if you feel like weighing).
Sprinkle the work surface with a little more flour, then
set one of the pieces of dough on top. Use the palms of your hands to
press it into a rough rectangle shape. Rub a little flour into a rolling
pin and roll the dough out into a thin rectangle, roughly 10 inches
wide and 12 or more inches long (the thinner you roll, the more layers
you'll make).
Scatter a generous cup of the filling over the surface of
the dough, then use the back of a spoon to spread and press the filling
into an even layer. Leave about an inch of clear border at the top.
Starting with the short end closest to you, carefully
roll the dough into a log. If any filling falls out, just tuck it back
in. If the dough sticks to the counter, use a bench scraper to gently
pry it up. When done rolling, pinch the dough to seal it closed. Dip a
very sharp knife in water and gently, but swiftly, slice the log down
its entire length, creating two halves with lots of layers.
To form the babka loaves, turn the halves so that the
layers are facing up. Press the two halves together at the top, then
twist the halves around each other, creating a spiral. Press the halves
together again at the bottom. Flour your hands and lift the loaf into
the loaf pan. If the loaf is a little too long for the pan, just smoosh
it a little on either end to make it fit — any gaps will be filled in by
the rising dough.
Repeat with the other loaves. Cover the shaped loaves and
let them rise on the counter until puffy and just starting to dome over
the tops of the pans, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Bake the loaves: About a half hour before baking (when the loaves are puffy but not yet domed), preheat the oven to 350°F.
When the loaves have risen, whisk the yolk and the milk
together to make the egg wash and gently brush it all over the surface
of the loaves. Transfer the loaves to the oven and slide a baking sheet
underneath to catch any syrupy drips. Bake 45 to 55 minutes — cover the
loaves with foil in the last 10 to 15 minutes if the edges look like
they might be starting to burn. The loaves are done when deep glossy
brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean of any dough
(sticky goo is ok, though!). If you want to check the temperature, the
loaves should be around 200°F in the middle.
Cool the loaves: Let the loaves cool in the pan for
about 20 minutes to firm up — however, don't let them sit for much
longer or the caramel will harden and it can be hard to get the loaves
out of the pan.
Run a butter knife around the edges of the loaf to release
it from the pan, and use the edges of the parchment to gently lift the
loaf from the pan. Place them on a cooling rack and slide the parchment
out from underneath.
These loaves are best when served still slightly warm, but
are still excellent for several days after. The slices will be quite
sticky and the layers won't always stay neatly together — that's part of
the charm! Store unsliced loaves on the counter, covered, for up to a
week. Loaves can also be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes
-
Ingredients for 2 loaves: 1/2 cup water, 2 teaspoons
active-dry yeast, 1/2 cup milk, 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon
salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour,
8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter; for the filling: 1 1/2 cups pecans, 1/2 cup butter (salted), 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon
-
Making babka dough by hand: This is one of those recipes that's so much easier to make if you have a standing mixer.
However, you can make it by hand by beating the dough with a wooden
spoon. It takes about an hour for the dough to come together and get
silky, so it helps to have some willing assistants on hand! Also, don't
try this with a hand-held mixer, as its motor isn't strong enough.
- P.S.: I highly recommend making French toast with a few leftover slices.
Previous image
Scatter a generous cup of the filling over the surface of the dough,
then use the back of a spoon to spread and press the filling into an
even layer. Leave about an inch of clear border at the top.
Sticky Caramel-Pecan Babka
Makes 3 loaves, 10 to 12 slices each
3/4 cup water1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 1/4 - 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
For the sticky filling:
2 1/4 cups pecans
3/4 cups butter (salted)
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
For the egg wash:
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon whole milk or cream
Make the dough: Combine the water and the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, and let stand until the yeast is dissolved. Add the milk, eggs, yolk, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, and whisk until the yolks are completely combined. Add 6 1/4 cups of flour and stir with a stiff spatula until a shaggy, floury dough is formed.
Using a dough hook, knead on medium-low speed until the dough comes together and is no longer floury, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, begin adding the butter in 1-tablespoon blobs. Mix until one blob is just barely incorporated before adding the next blob.
When all the butter has been added, continue kneading for another 5 minutes until the dough is silky, elastic, and quite jiggly. This won't form a ball like regular dough — it should bunch around the dough hook and clear the sides of the dough hook, but will still be attached in a sticky dough mass to the bottom of the bowl. Add the extra 1/4 cup of flour as needed if the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl. (For step-by-step instructions, see steps 2 through 6 in How To Make Kugelhopf.)
Chill the dough: Transfer the dough to your largest mixing bowl. Cover and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least an hour or up to 3 days. (This makes the dough easier to roll out in the next step; I recommend letting the dough chill overnight.)
Prepare the filling: When you're ready to shape the loaves, prepare the filling before you take the dough out of the fridge. Heat the oven to 350°F and toast the pecans until they're a few shades darker and very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer the hot pecans to a cutting board and chop them finely while still warm. Keep chopping until no piece is larger than a grain of barley. You can also do this in a food processor — process the nuts in pulses and be careful of over-processing (which will turn the nuts into nut butter!).
In a medium bowl, mash together the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the filling with a fork or a spoon, then work in the nuts. Keep mashing and mixing until the nuts are evenly distributed and you have formed a crumbly paste. Set this near your work surface.
Line three 8x4-inch loaf pans with long rectangles of parchment, so that the parchment hangs over the sides of the pan. Grease the pans thoroughly with non-stick spray. (If you only have two pans, bake two loaves and leave the third piece of dough in the fridge to shape and bake later.)
Shape the babka loaves: Remove the dough from the fridge. Sprinkle your work surface generously with flour and scrape the dough out on top. Pat the dough into a log and then use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut it into 3 equal pieces (mine were about 21 ounces each, if you feel like weighing).
Sprinkle the work surface with a little more flour, then set one of the pieces of dough on top. Use the palms of your hands to press it into a rough rectangle shape. Rub a little flour into a rolling pin and roll the dough out into a thin rectangle, roughly 10 inches wide and 12 or more inches long (the thinner you roll, the more layers you'll make).
Scatter a generous cup of the filling over the surface of the dough, then use the back of a spoon to spread and press the filling into an even layer. Leave about an inch of clear border at the top.
Starting with the short end closest to you, carefully roll the dough into a log. If any filling falls out, just tuck it back in. If the dough sticks to the counter, use a bench scraper to gently pry it up. When done rolling, pinch the dough to seal it closed. Dip a very sharp knife in water and gently, but swiftly, slice the log down its entire length, creating two halves with lots of layers.
To form the babka loaves, turn the halves so that the layers are facing up. Press the two halves together at the top, then twist the halves around each other, creating a spiral. Press the halves together again at the bottom. Flour your hands and lift the loaf into the loaf pan. If the loaf is a little too long for the pan, just smoosh it a little on either end to make it fit — any gaps will be filled in by the rising dough.
Repeat with the other loaves. Cover the shaped loaves and let them rise on the counter until puffy and just starting to dome over the tops of the pans, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Bake the loaves: About a half hour before baking (when the loaves are puffy but not yet domed), preheat the oven to 350°F.
When the loaves have risen, whisk the yolk and the milk together to make the egg wash and gently brush it all over the surface of the loaves. Transfer the loaves to the oven and slide a baking sheet underneath to catch any syrupy drips. Bake 45 to 55 minutes — cover the loaves with foil in the last 10 to 15 minutes if the edges look like they might be starting to burn. The loaves are done when deep glossy brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean of any dough (sticky goo is ok, though!). If you want to check the temperature, the loaves should be around 200°F in the middle.
Cool the loaves: Let the loaves cool in the pan for about 20 minutes to firm up — however, don't let them sit for much longer or the caramel will harden and it can be hard to get the loaves out of the pan.
Run a butter knife around the edges of the loaf to release it from the pan, and use the edges of the parchment to gently lift the loaf from the pan. Place them on a cooling rack and slide the parchment out from underneath.
These loaves are best when served still slightly warm, but are still excellent for several days after. The slices will be quite sticky and the layers won't always stay neatly together — that's part of the charm! Store unsliced loaves on the counter, covered, for up to a week. Loaves can also be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes
- Ingredients for 2 loaves: 1/2 cup water, 2 teaspoons active-dry yeast, 1/2 cup milk, 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter; for the filling: 1 1/2 cups pecans, 1/2 cup butter (salted), 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Making babka dough by hand: This is one of those recipes that's so much easier to make if you have a standing mixer. However, you can make it by hand by beating the dough with a wooden spoon. It takes about an hour for the dough to come together and get silky, so it helps to have some willing assistants on hand! Also, don't try this with a hand-held mixer, as its motor isn't strong enough.
- P.S.: I highly recommend making French toast with a few leftover slices.
(1 - 100) of 173 Comments
So I have to applaud the dedication in making 1500 cookies to perfect something that is pretty darn good when you just follow the recipe on the bag of chocolate chip cookies.
PS - Want to lose in divorce court? Tell the judge you are leaving your significant other because he or she makes too many cookies.
Epic! I can't wait to try this!
Just one question, though: have you noticed or tested the difference between baking on a silpat vs. parchment? I've never tested them side by side, but it seems that when I bake cookies on a silpat, there's noticeably less caramelization on the bottoms than when I use parchment. Thoughts?
Oh yeah - definitely bake on parchment, not silpat. Silicone is a good insulator, so it'll prevent the bottoms of your cookies from browning. That's good for some things, but not for chocolate chip cookies where a decent amount of browning is required.
@mkindc
No, there's not really any replacement for time. You need time for those proteins and starches to break down after making the dough. Certainly you can rest cookie dough in a vacuum sealed pouch, and come to think of it, that's actually a good way to bring it up to the desired 80°F in a sous-vide water bath before scooping and baking. Maybe I'll give that a shot.
Also when I try to use the facebook like button on the left side the dialog box hides behind the text. Might want to take a look into that. (Using Chrome if that helps)
Thanks! One more question: In the recipe, you say to use a 1 oz scoop to get 3 tablespoons (1.5 oz) volume. Does that mean using a heaping (not leveled off) scoop, or am I missing something?
Yeah, that typo's been fixed, and I'll ask about the facebook thing!
As for the scoop, yes, it should be heaping (it'll do it naturally).
@bennyb
A combination of browned butter and sugar that caramlizes more easily because it is dissolved in the egg prior to incorporating other ingredients.
@Rob1234
That's cool, I'll have to test that! Ugh, that means another batch of dough :)
@PaulC
It's really personal preference. One thing is for sure: no amount ot 100% cacao chocolate should come in contact here. Even a touch comes through as massively bitter pockets.
What about butter types? Whether it's the regular unsalted you find in store vs. unsalted Kerry Gold Irish butter does it make much of a difference flavor wise when making brown butter?
Also what's your opinion on the type of pan one should use with parchment paper? Regular non-stick, air insulated, or the wild card being a muffin top pan?
It'd be quite similar to how brown sugar works. Turbinado, demerara, and the like all have a good amount of molasses leftover on the granules, which adds fructose, glucose, and a few other trace minerals and vitamins. In terms of how it'd affect texture, it's similar to brown sugar.
yeah, that's in the post itself. I prefer 80°F cookie dough for scooping, but it's a PITA to get it there, so I left it out of the final recipe and just adjusted oven temp/baking time to work straight out of the fridge.
For best results, let the dough warm to 80°F, scoop, and bake at 350 instead of 325°.
I do have a fairly nit-picky complaint about the format of the article, though: I was halfway through it before I realized that the Cookie Facts were preceded by the information that led to them. The way the article is formatted, they seem like section headings instead, which makes them seem like they're out of order. I'd throw in a horizontal line to separate each Cookie Fact from the new section that follows it.
(Why, yes, I was planning to make a batch of Christmas sugar cookies tomorrow. But maybe I should make the dough Friday and bake them on Sunday.)
You've managed to test virtually every cookie making theory and practice with this article. I am all too aware of what it's like to go through pounds and pounds of flour, sugar, and butter, trying to get something *just right*. I'm in awe of this behemoth of an article, as I can truly appreciate the effort something like this takes. Well done!
And as for your question, @ElsaMac: I've aged nearly every cookie dough I've ever made, just for the hell of it. Some benefit more noticeably than others - I think doughs using brown sugar tend to get that butterscotchy flavor.
That's a good point. I was trying to figure out a good way to call those out. They're really supposed to be more like sideabars than headers. Perhaps a line will work.
@Theotherworldly
Yes, I'd go with a higher ratio of flour, some baking powder in addition to the soda, and a higher heat.
@ElsaMac
I haven't really. Though from what I can conclude, it's mostly effective for darkcookies like chocolate chip. You don't want that excess browning in a sugar cookie, for instance.
@One Lady Owner
Good luck in your business!
@abcabc
A little over a month of near-daily testing, preceded by a couple of weeks of gathering research and planning those tests.
Even without the brown sugar, I suspect chilling sugar cookie dough for 36-48 hours should hydrate the flour better and make a rounder, more developed flavor. I'll give it a try this weekend.
The longer you age it, the better the flavor gets, though the biggest difference is between days 0 and 1
@berzerkeley
Those "facts" are taking into account all other things being equal. Shortbread cookies contain no egg and no leavening, so are much lower in moisture to begin with, which makes them shorter and less prone to rising/tenderizing than a drop cookie like a chocolate chip cookie.
But within the realm of shortbread, yes. The more butter you use, the more tender the cookies will be.
@elsamac
Please report on your findings!
From Thomas Keller:
http://www.foodgal.com/2009/06/tantalizing-preview-ad-hoc-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-by-thomas-keller/
In the tradition of Serious Eats, I'll call it the "cookie cognition theory." I've grown up with the soft chewy warm Nestle Tollhouse cookies. To me, those are the cookies I love. Not saying you're wrong to want a crunchy exterior, we just each have our own picture in or head when we think "cookie." I'm sure for some unfortunate soul it's a oreo or Milano, but for me those fluffy, melt in your mouth cookies are the bees knees.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
I also grew up using butter-flavored shortening, and could never understand the appeal of flat cookies. The texture difference is huge!
I was also taught to use shortening for pie crusts, and in the interest of reducing the amount of chemicals in our food, I've been experimenting with a combination of butter and lard. I've found that even a small amount of lard or shortening combined with real butter produces that wonderfully high, fluffy texture without sacrificing the butter flavor.
@ Kenji:
When's the book coming out, man? You keep teasing with all these fabulous articles and some of us are impatient for a real book full of them! No pressure.
I doubt I'll go to such lengths to get to the perfect cookie, because I pretty much enjoy every single variation you've mentioned. I don't think my waistline can handle them all, though.
But, I do feel, in my experience, that the best chocolate chip cookies do have either some toasted walnuts in them (preferably very finely chopped or ground in a food processor) and/or some oatmeal (once again, ground in a food processor). They may also have some malted milk powder and/or a very small pinch of cinnamon and/or a pinch of espresso powder or something like that.
It's not that these things are overtly noticeable but they do add a depth of flavor to your standard chocolate chip cookie.
It's definitely understandable that, given the endless variables, you didn't make every single possible cookie!!
But, if you get a chance to give us a recipe with some ground toasted walnuts and/or oatmeal in there, that'd be... sweet!!!
http://www.curiouscook.com/site/2012/09/caramelization-new-science-new-possibilities.html
BUT...credit should be given where credit is due. The technique of resting chocolate chip cookie dough overnight appeared in Alice Medrich's book COOKIES AND BROWNIES in 1999, almost a decade BEFORE Mr. Torres publicized it in the New York Times. Ms. Medrich's superb recipe (pg. 48) has been my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe for fifteen years.
Did you do any experimenting with a convection oven?
And thank you for not blaspheming the name of the good cookie by putting, ugh, nuts in 'em.
Will try this recipe for sure.
Yes, I did grow up Catholic, why do you ask?
If it works for you and you like it, then it's a good thing!
I personally dislike artificial butter flavor with the exception of movie theater popcorn :)
@smgord
Oh, I like it at 80°F for giving it a quick stir so that the small chococlate nubs melt a bit. You could also just mix the chocolate in after it comes to 80°F, but I find it easier to do the other way around.
If it's warmer, you bake at a higher temperature so that it can set before it spreads too much.
@Kibble2007
I haven't done much gluten free testing unfortuantely. I've seen decent cups with the Thomas Keller Cup-4-Cup stuff though.
@Nicole W.
Just use a whisk for the eggs and sugar, and a wooden spoon for the rest!
@Ken G
I didn't include that in my testing because I wanted to keep it pure, but no reason you couldn't!
@butterygoodness
You wouldn't want to as the bottoms would end up burning with that much energy being pumped into them.
@atg117
I'm not familiar with the Levain cookies…
@MrsSell
Books, actually! Two volume set that's coming out in the fall.
@Maple Penguin
Those sweeteners are all mixture of glucose/fructose and would behave relatively similar to corn syrup in terms of retaining moisture and adding chewiness.
@film_score
I love nuts in my cookies! Just fold in toasted walnuts with the chocolate chips.
@iwingfield
I talk about that in the article!
@Josh Mandel
Ah, thanks for that! I hadn't seen that book. I'll check it out.
@Porgy_Sashimi
Not much, I don't have one at home, but using convection for cookies or cakes causes the outside to brown faster, which can be desirably if you like that crisp crust.
@ymandel
I'm not sure, actually. If you're only subscribed to the main SErious Eats feed, then it won't show up. You have to be subscribed specifically to the Sweets feed to see it.
@Pupster
I'm not familiar with them!
@CTMike
KENJI SORRY BRO
@Eugenek
I love people who love geeks
@wildbluehigh
Yes, that's a really cool idea!
Chocolate - one recipe I've made actually has you put oatmeal and some chocolate chips in a food processor. There's also unground oatmeal and chocolate chips. I find that oatmeal (if you like oatmeal in your cookies) helps give the cookies structure, and the ground chocolate gives it a swirl effect without having to warm the dough.
Glad you also addressed the starting temperature of the dough! I always pop my dough in the fridge for a few minutes before baking because I don't like how much they spread if they go in the oven from room temperature. It's also a little easier to scoop them when the dough is harder.
I think the trickiest part is knowing when they're done. Given the rest time (since they keep cooking even when you take them out of the oven) I find that the ideal "doneness" is to take them out just before they actually look done. They will be a little gooey if you eat them immediately but if you let them cool they are crisp on the outside and perfectly chewy.
Awesome write-up! I've been working on CC Cookies for the better part of a year and cannot wait try incorporating some of these techniques.
Question: Several months ago I had a batch that sat and sweated a bit and almost formed a membrane/skin on the outside. When I baked them, that skin broke as the cookie spread on the sheet. (I liken it to a nicely poached egg breaking and oozing yolk out.) The original membrane/skin formed a delicious crust. Any thoughts on this? I haven't been able to replicate it!
But that's the secret of really great food writing. The underlying methodology and knowledge gained doesn't mean I actually have to want the final recipe. Even when I have different assumptions about what the ideal end result is I still can gain a substantial amount just from following the process.
I never thought that butter-flavored shortening had a funny flavor until my mother-in-law said it was nearly overwhelming to her. I attribute that to my growing up with the flavor in most baked goods, so I don't notice it. I figure that's better for me, because I can enjoy baked goods with either shortening or butter and it doesn't bother me!
You're right, I was sloppy and used the very vague term 'chemicals' when I should have said 'artificially-processed chemical ingredients that do not occur spontaneously in nature.'
Thank you for your dedicated efforts and sharing them.
I noticed that you say you prefer a ratio of 0.8 parts flour to 1 part butter and 1 part sugar, but your recipe is actually 0.8 parts butter to 1 part flour and 1 part sugar.
I have one interesting variation to share. I've seen recipes that replace the brown sugar with a mix of white sugar and molasses. I tried using all white sugar plus 4 tbsps molasses per cup of sugar and was pleased with the results. I might reduce the white sugar to make up for the added sweetness of the molasses next time.
Whoah, weird! I've never seen that happen, and I've tried resting dough like that too. Was the sweat greasy or watery?
@derekblanger
There are links to the recipe at the top and bottom!
@chillylula
Well, if it's made with artificial butter, then it's got artificial butter flavor, but like I said, I'm particularly sensitive to that stuff. If it works for you, use it!
@smignoga
I briefly addressed that early on in the article. It's because cookies are such low moisture and the acid in the brown sugar is not in solution when you mix them. The reactions don't really get going until the cookies start to spread, the butter melts and frees up water, and the baking soda and brown sugar both enter the same solution.
I would suggest that when you go out for more ingredients, you might want to distribute paper sacks of cookies to strangers on the street. "I made too many cookies. Want some?"
I can't say for sure what the sweat was made up of. I wish I had looked at it more closely. If I had to guess right now I would say it was more grease than water. That doesn't make much sense considering the conditions by which the sweat was brought out, but it's what I'm inclined to speculate.
As you said in your posting, I know you prefer a more craggy cookie. I portion out my dough on a scale and roll them into very smooth balls before resting the dough in the refrigerator. I'm putting a batch together now and I think I'll go for the smooth balls again but give them a dunk in a sodium hydroxide bath before resting the dough in the fridge. (Apparently what I'm after is a german pretzel on the outside and a chocolate chip cookie on the inside!)
I'm also pretty jazzed to play with raising the starting temp of the dough before baking.
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 1.25 cups (2.5 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1.5 cups dark brown sugar – tightly packed
• 0.5 cups white granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs and 1 yolk
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla
• 12 oz (1 bag) semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups walnuts or pecans - coarsely chopped (optional, but I like it)
Instructions
1. Make browned butter, use solidified at room temperature.
2. Cream butter with sugars and salt for about 5 minutes in mixer (well incorporated)
3. Fold in eggs and yolk one at a time stirring minimally, fold in vanilla.
4. Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl until uniform.
5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients 25% at a time, mixing until just incorporated. The dough will become quite sticky!
6. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
7. Refrigerate the dough for 48 hours.
8. Form dough into tight spheres about 2.5 tbsp in size.
9. Place on a thick baking sheet that is well-buttered.
10. Bake at 370 degrees for about 14-16 minutes or until browning on the sides and on top.
Enjoy!
What's your thinking on the ATK/CI adding 4Tbs of room temperature butter to 10tbs of hot browned butter to then whisk together, add sugars, incorporate, egg + yolk then 30 sec whisking @ 3min intervals x 3? Keni, I also dig how you attribute your sources... resting in the fridge overnight!! Man imma be a LEGEND!!
Thanks
No nuts; no dice…
Walnuts or pecans used to be almost standard in the chocolate chip cookie. Now the chocolate chip cookie has been infantalized (like the Muffin has).
Heyyyy! how much giant, gooey, mushy, chocolate crap can we cram into a cookie? The more the better.
Ever since "cookie dough" became an actual food; an actual "flavor", in this culture, it's been going downhill. Just give me a damn candy bar already!
Nuts are what make the cookie work, and keep it from being that thing where hock saliva deep in your throughout from a sugar O.D. They are what give the cookie dimension.
The only suggestion I have is to only bake a few and then freeze the rest because you will eat all of what you bake each time.