Tag Archive for 'chocolate'

Momofuku Milk Bar Compost Cookies

Published on November 19, 2011 in Chocolate, Cookies and Desserts. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

This is a cookie that I’ve been meaning to make forever and a day. Before we moved to Buenos Aires, we lived in the East Village and before it got all cool and fancy, Momofuku Ssäm Bar was our go-to take spot for Korean burritos. You see, it actually was a Ssäm Bar, as in a place where you could just wander in and order a Korean version of a burrito, but like, a ridiculous one with marinated tofu or Berkshire pork, edamame, kimchi…insanely good. And then, poof! It became the hottest restaurant in town and buh-bye burritos.

But I tried not to hold a grudge because next door to Ssäm Bar was Milk Bar, where take-out of the dessert variety was (and is) still in full swing. Crazy soft-serve ice cream with flavors like cereal milk and olive oil, crack pie (use your imagination) and the infamous star of this post.

The compost cookie is, as the name suggests, a cookie with all kinds of crazy stuff in it (in fact, the original has coffee grounds). What’s great is that it’s up to you to decide what goes in. But let me give you a tip: you need something salty. It can be potato chips, it can be pretzels (both are divine), but you need that saltiness to counterbalance the sweetness of the cookie itself and the other required stuff, like namely, chocolate. It is kind of a revelation as cookies go. It’s chewy, it’s crunchy, it’s sweet, it’s salty, it’s all things that are good and right in this world.

And it’s always nice to have a helper bring along his tools for smashing stuff up.


But I still have yet to make my dream version. I really must do one with the dark chocolate-covered pretzels from Trader Joe’s. Maybe throw in some corn flakes and, of course, bitter chocolate chunks. Am I nutty for thinking about dark chocolate-covered espresso beans? Oh, I’m onto something. This is fun. What would you add?

Momofuku Milk Bar Compost Cookies

recipe by Christina Tosi

1 cup/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks or chips
1 1/2 cups savory/salty snacks, crushed (chips, pretzels, chocolate-covered pretzels, corn flakes)

Cream butter, sugars and corn syrup on medium high for two to three minutes until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Mix in eggs and vanilla. This part is important. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 10 minutes. Yeah, it’s a long time. But it helps the sugar to dissolve and it makes the mixture super-light and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just incorporated.

Stir in chocolate chips, then add the snacks. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop portions onto a Silpat- or parchment-lined cookie sheet, Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to a week (as if). Preheat the oven to 400ºF/204ºC shortly before the hour is up. Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes. They’re done when the edges are brown and the top is just starting to brown.

Aunt Hazel’s Brownies

Published on October 21, 2011 in Chocolate and Desserts. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .


As promised, I’ve got some chocolatey happiness coming your way today. This is a longtime family favorite that came from my mother’s (yup, you guessed it), Aunt Hazel.

Aunt Hazel was a lean, mean baking machine. The woman had a serious thing for butter. According to family lore, she died of cirrhosis of the liver without having had a drop of alcohol in her life. We’ve always given my mother a hard time about this claim (“Come on, you know she was swigging from the vanilla extract, Mom!”), but it turns out that it may have been the case after all (nothing like Wikipedia to make you feel really guilty about teenage finger-pointing).


However she passed into the next realm, she left behind a damn good brownie recipe. It’s gooey, and, yes, it is indeed buttery. It has such a small amount of flour as to resemble a flourless chocolate cake in a way, which is a very nice thing to resemble.

However, over the years, I’ve started thinking it could be just a tad chocolatey-er, so I added another ounce of chocolate to the original recipe. A few times, I’ve used cake flour (on the suggestion of Erica Bruce’s recipe in Cooks Illustrated), which actually gives the brownies a nice consistency, but it’s not necessary. I’ve even used cocoa powder* when I was desperate (desperate for instant brownie gratification, that is), and it worked quite well, although it didn’t have the same gooeyness. But one addition that I’m definitely adding to the permanent update is a healthy pinch of Maldon sea salt sprinkled over the top before popping the pan into the oven. I think it adds a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the brownie.

Whatever minor changes have been made, this is still Aunt Hazel’s brownie recipe at its core. And Aunt Hazel, wherever you are, please accept my sincere apologies (and those of my siblings who were complicit in this) for calling you a lush all these years.

Aunt Hazel’s Brownies

1/2 cup butter, cut into tablespoons
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut into small pieces
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
A generous 1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Pinch of Maldon sea salt or some other flaky salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 325ºF/163ºC. Line an 8″x 8″ inch baking dish with parchment paper, making sure one layer has an overhang of a couple inches (this overhang will become the handles you use to lift the brownies out of the pan).

Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof dish on top of a simmering pan of water. Stir regularly until everything is melted. Add the sugar and continue to simmer to dissolve the sugar a bit. Take the pan off the heat and let cool until warm. Stir in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour and salt and stir until batter is glossy. Stir in the nuts and pour into pan. Sprinkle top with Maldon sea salt.

Bake for 20-30 minutes. The brownies are done when a toothpick comes out crumbly (not wet — underdone and not completely clean — overdone). Let cool at room temperature (or you can put the pan in the refrigerator or freezer if you’re really impatient). Lift out by the parchment paper and cut into squares.

* 3/4 cup to substitute; also, FYI, the bottom photo is the version made with cocoa (note the smoother top vs. the crackly one made with solid chocolate).

Meet Me in Paris

Published on May 10, 2011 in Chocolate and Desserts. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

I hosted book club last Wednesday night, and we had a big French feast in honor of the book we read, The Paris Wife. I may not have mentioned this, but our book club (now in its third incarnation) has a history of cooking in the style of whatever the subject of the book is. So, when we read The Master and Margarita, it was Russian food. Snow, Turkish. You get the gist.

So, I lucked out with The Paris Wife. It’s the fictional autobiography of Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley Richardson — sort of the flip side of A Moveable Feast (my all-time favorite book, which has been completely re-edited which I had no idea about* and am really miffed that whoever borrowed my copy of the old version has not returned it so I can do a side-by-side comparison…sorry, had to get that off my chest), although not remotely as good or written by, you know, a genius.

It doesn’t really matter though because we hardly talked about the book; it was just nice to catch up with old friends and have a few glasses of wine and some hearty French fare.

To recap, here’s the menu:

  • Lillet & soda with a twist of lime
  • Cheeses:  Fourme d’Ambert (a classic mild blue cheese from the Auvergne region) Abbaye de Tamie  (a raw cow’s milk cheese; creamy, but with a nutty complex flavor) and Comte (hard cow’s milk cheese made in the Swiss style in honor of the time they spent in Switzerland in the book), Nicoise olives and cornichons
  • Shaved Fennel, Apple & Parmesan Salad
  • Boeuf Bourguignon with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
  • Chocolate Mousse

    • Let’s start with dessert, shall we? It’s my favorite part, especially if it involves chocolate. Chocolate mousse is one of those recipes that has many different versions. Some have butter, some don’t. Some, whipped cream; some not. The recipe I’ve always used is one from my sister’s French teacher (the same lady who bestowed this gift on us), so I’m assuming it’s authentic, well, because she was French. Of course, Julia Child’s recipe is completely different and while she wasn’t French, she certainly was schooled in the art of French cooking (get it? That was a cookbook joke. Cookbook jokes? How sad.).

    But this go around, I actually ended up revising the recipe. I used dark chocolate with 70% cacao instead of the semi-sweet chocolate chips it calls for. This ended up making things a bit heavier, so I felt rather than just use whipped cream as a garnish, I’d take a page from Julia and mix some into the chocolate mixture to lighten things up a bit. I also should’ve melted the chocolate first instead of just breaking it up and adding the hot espresso mixture to it (with the chips, the heat of the espresso is sufficient to completely melt the chocolate, but that wasn’t the case with the 70%, which left a bit of texture in the mix, which everyone actually liked, but bothered me to no end).

    Despite my nitpicking, I will say it tasted great — rich, dense, very chocolatey, but not too sweet. A perfect way to end a perfect night with friends. Can’t wait for the next meal…I mean, book.

    Notes: This makes six semi-restrained servings or four big ones, but after the meal we had, semi-restrained was perfect. If you don’t have the creme de cacao, don’t worry. It’s fine without.

    Chocolate Mousse

    6 ounces 70% cacao dark chocolate, melted
    1/3 cup very hot espresso (or very strong coffee)
    2 tablespoons creme de cacao
    4 eggs at room temperature, separated
    Pinch of salt
    1 cup heavy whipping cream
    Sugar, to taste

    In a blender or with a hand mixer, mix chocolate and espresso at high speed for 30 seconds. Add liqueur and yolks. Blend 30 seconds.

    In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into the egg whites carefully.

    In metal bowl, beat the whipping cream until fluffy. Fold most of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup for garnish. To the reserved cream, blend in sugar to taste; cover and refrigerate.

    Spoon the mousse into glasses or ramekins. Chill for at least two hours or overnight. Serve garnished with remaining whipped cream.

    * This new version is not necessarily the “correct” version or Hemingway’s true vision, as it was edited by the grandson of his second wife. Some say it’s been edited to shine a more favorable light on her. Hmm. I’ll still probably read it.

    Oops, I did it again.

    Published on May 2, 2011 in Chocolate and Desserts. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

    Sorry for the Cheeto-lover reference, but I had to report in on my latest frozen yogurt experience. I decided that I needed to recreate one of my favorite Ben & Jerry’s limited edition flavors:  Coconut Almond Fudge. Oh yeah. It may be apparent to you that I have a thing for coconut. And I know some people don’t like it (and I’ve cut those people out of my life, naturally). Because that’s just crazy talk. What is life without coconut? That means a life without piña coladas, macaroons, Samoas and most Thai dishes. Not worth living, sorry. Nope.

    And I’m really proud to say that not only did I attempt the David Lebovitz “squiggle” method for the chocolate, but it was actually incredibly easy and so satisfying in terms of consistency, crunch and the all-important chocolate-to-ice cream distribution ratio.

    So, here’s the recipe. Get to it. And if you don’t like coconut, well, I just don’t know what to say to you.

    Coconut Almond Fudge Frozen Yogurt

    2 cups Greek yogurt
    1/2 cup buttermilk
    1/2 cup sugar (granulated or cane)
    2 tablespoons honey
    1 teaspoon coconut extract
    1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
    1/2 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
    1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted

    Combine the yogurt, buttermilk, sugar, honey and coconut extract in a boil. Refrigerate for about an hour.

    Pour the mixture into your ice cream machine and process for about 25 minutes. After you get the machine going, put a clean, dry, airtight container in the freezer to chill. After the 25 minutes, add the coconut and almonds and process for another 5 minutes.

    Take out the container and squiggle* a bit of the chocolate mixture in the bottom with a spoon. Add a layer of the frozen yogurt. When the cold frozen yogurt hits the melted chocolate, the chocolate will harden very quickly. Take your spoon and break up the chocolate and mix it together with the frozen yogurt. Repeat this step 3-4 more times. Cover and freeze for a couple hours before eating.

    * Squiggle = a fast drizzle using a quick back and forth motion to make skinny lines of chocolate

    Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons

    Published on February 14, 2011 in Chocolate, Cookies and Holiday. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

    So, I ended up making macaroons for Valentine’s Day. And not those fancy colored cookie things with the almond filling (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but your basic coconut macaroon. But it wasn’t so basic because we did a little dipping. In chocolate. As one is wont to do, especially on Valentine’s Day.

    There are lots of macaroon recipes — a lot involving separating eggs and whipping them, and I just didn’t feel like it. I was in a bit of a rush (and who isn’t?). And when I say rush, I was actually in a rush, plus I figured why do something the hard way when the easy way is just as good?

    And sweet Jesus, this was easy. I almost had nothing to photograph. It’s literally mixing five ingredients together and plopping them on a sheet pan. And then melting some chocolate. And dipping those macaroons into said chocolate. And then trying to wait for the chocolate to harden before eating. And failing.

    That’s all folks. Genius. Seriously, I’m afraid of how easy they are. This may become an addiction.

    Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons

    2 large eggs
    1/2 cup sugar (preferably organic cane)
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    2-2/3 – 3 cups unsweetened coconut

    Topping:
    4 ounces dark chocolate (I recommend 70% cacao)
    1 teaspoon vegetable shortening or canola oil
    PLEASE NOTE: I’m almost embarrassed to write these instructions.

    Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Mix the eggs with a whisk. Whisk in sugar, salt, vanilla. Add coconut (start with 2-2/3 cups; if it’s still really wet, add the rest). Scoop about a tablespoon onto a Silpat- or parchment-lined sheet pan (I used my hands to form little mounds — ooh, is that where they got the name? Discuss.), leaving about an inch between cookies.

    Bake for about 15 minutes or until tops and bottoms just start to brown. Cool on a rack.

    While the macaroons are cooling, melt the chocolate and shortening in a double boiler or a glass bowl over simmering water.

    Dip the tops of the macaroons in the melted chocolate. Or if you want to be fancy you can take a spoon and drizzle some lines across the tops (although personally, that’s not enough chocolate for me and too much ends up underneath the rack and then I’m forced to scrape it off and eat it and that’s not a good use of one’s time especially for people in a rush like me). [Please note these macaroons were going to my son's school for Valentine's Day, so I did drizzle if only to slightly lessen the sugar/caffeine content for the little monsters.]

    Feed seductively to your valentine (or just shovel them in your own mouth before he gets home from work).