Tie up a tasty gift of world peace! What a wonderful gift it would be! Tasty, delicious, just perfect chocolate cookies.
There is still time! Mix the dough, refrigerate, then slice and bake. It really is that easy.
Oh, the flavor!!! And the memories!!! The Ooh’s and Aah’s. It is all there.
We both love Christmas baking. It is a time packed with memories and filled with laughter. We also know that sometimes, life and crazy schedules get in the way and push the fun into a tiny time slot. Never fear!! This cookie fits perfectly into any time slot for you can mix when you want—and bake a day or two later—without sacrificing a bit of flavor.
The recipe is from Dorie Greenspan and we both adore her and her cookbooks. In her book, Baking, From My Home to Yours, she credits Pierre Hermé, the famous Parisian pastry chef for these cookies and describes the rich, bittersweet chocolate sables with a definite salt flavor. She shares how her neighbor Richard Gold renamed them World Peace Cookies and suggested everyone eat a daily cookie.
Who doesn’t want World Peace?
Take time to make a batch of cookies and share them with a friend, deliver them to a neighbor, create a new family memory or savor a delicious moment. Maybe, just maybe we would all be one step closer to world peace. It is sure worth a try!
Dorie autographed my copy of this book, and said, she hoped that “life will always be sweet.” That is our wish for each of you.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
World Peace Cookies
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon fleur de sel or ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces (or ¾ cup mini chocolate chips)
Stir together the flour, cocoa and baking soda; set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy. Add the brown sugar and the sugar, the salt and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes more.
Gradually, on low speed, beat in the flour mixture. (A hint—turn the mixer off and pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Carefully drape a kitchen towel over the bowl and mixer to protect yourself and the kitchen from flying flour, and pulse the mixer on low speed until the flour begins to blend into the dough.) Continue beating at low speed for about 30 seconds, just until the flour is blended into the dough. Do not over mix. Mix in the chocolate pieces.
Gather the dough up and divide in half. Shape one half into a log about 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap the log well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a sharp knife, slice the logs into rounds, about ½-inch thick. (The rounds may crack as you are cutting them, but don’t be concerned. Just piece and squeeze them back together.) Place about 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes. They won’t look done and will be soft. Do not worry as this is as they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest on the hot pan until they are only warm, then transfer the cookies to the cooling rack.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Recipe Credit: Baking, From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006)
Tip:
You can freeze the logs of cookie dough for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly. You can even slice them frozen, just extend the baking time 1 minute.
Want a fun gift idea? Make the cookie dough and wrap into the log, as directed. Wrap in plastic and then in festive cellophane or paper. Instead of giving out baked cookies, give them the chilled log of cookie dough, with baking instructions tied into the bow. Many families will enjoy baking their own cookies and eating a warm bite of world peace is heavenly.
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