Tuesday, December 2, 2008

3 Down, 98 to Go: Mediocre Chocolate Cookies

My last rotation in the acute care setting I was working in was on Monday so I decided to bring some baked goods for the staff to thank them for tolerating me. The same day the hospital was going to throw my group a dinner and bribe us to work for them so I figured I could bring the rest of the baked goods to the meeting for everybody.

I decided on cookies, since they're relatively fast, unfussy and yields tons of goodies, unlike brownies or something where I would have to make multiple batches in order to feed everybody. So I flipped through the cookie magazine I'm baking my way through and settled on double chocolate cookies. Who doesn't like chocolate cookies? Untrustworthy fiends, that's who.


I had to modify the recipe a bit because when everything was all mixed together, I had cookie dough soup. The dough was supposed to chill but I was not convinced that the liquid I had would firm up enough to make anything resembling cookies. I had to add a bunch more flour to make the dough come together but I didn't think to add more chocolate so I thought in the end the cookies were a bit lacking. They needed more chocolate flavor or something, I don't know. Plus, they were a bit on the cake-y side, which I was not going for. But I can't really blame the recipe, I guess, since I did alter it and maybe it would've been magically perfect without my additions.

However, the two dozen cookies I delivered to the staff were consumed alarmingly fast so I guess they weren't too bad, people seemed to like them. I'm just a cookie snob.

Double Chocolate Cookies

5 oz of unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Melt the unsweetened chocolate, 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter over low heat in a saucepan. Set aside. Whip the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until thick and light. On low speed, and the chocolate mixture and vanilla and mix until blended. Fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in the remaining chocolate chips and the white chocolate chips. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350. Drop tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.


So if I were to make them again, which I probably won't since there's better looking chocolate cookie recipes in the magazine, I'd add more unsweetened chocolate, more vanilla and maybe some cocoa powder? Dunno, I just think they need a flavor boost.

I am nearing the ends of final exam hell and it hasn't been too bad so far actually. I need to cram my brains out for one more final for Thursday and then I'm pretty much in the clear. After I restock on baking supplies, I am free to relax for awhile and fatten BJ up with baked goods before heading back to Alaska for Christmas, where I can fatten others up as well. Life is good.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That happened to me a couple of times (the chocolate "flavor" disappearing). Solution: 1 tsp of pure chocolate extract. I don't know why it works, but it does. It's like some kind of magic in Red Velvet cupcakes.