Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Who the hell am I, to show up after four years and to post again?

A lazy bum, that's who, but hey, when you make a new cookie and actually remember to take a photo of it, blog you must.

There is a baking competition at work, and I also wanted to pass some cookies along to a group I work with, so I said "let's try these out." I had them bookmarked from the Cook's Illustrated Nov/Dec 2014 issue, and it has been a while since I actually baked a new cookie. (by the way, did you read Christopher Kimball is leaving ATK/CI? They've filmed the upcoming season, but it's like I'm losing one of my favorite parts of my weekend. I hope the company can keep it up after he's gone.)

(Life Pro Tip: Check your local library's online offerings. My local library offers a lot of great magazines available for free through the Zinio app. I can read Food Network, Rachael Ray, Martha Stewart Living, Bon Appetit and Saveur. I promptly ended by Bon Appetit sub when it was added.)

I made the first batch a little large - I can't measure to save my life - so for Christmas, I would like a #30 cookie scoop.  Using a tablespoon to scoop a dough that's kind of sticky is not easy. I also took one picture and no glamour shots.

My notes about this recipe:
1. it tastes like a brownie in cookie form.
2. it is so rich.
3. literally, it's my brownie recipe in cookie form.
4. wearing gloves when forming the balls help.
5. I really like powdered sugar and really doused the balls in them.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Yields 22, or if you're like me and terrible at measurements, 11 huge cookies and 7 normal sized ones.
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's, that's what I have on hand.)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I use Ghiradelli's, because I'm from California)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup powdered sugar 

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  I personally didn't do this until the 10 minute resting part, to try to keep my kitchen from turning into a sauna.

2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Combine the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Combine the unsweetened chocolate and butter in a small bowl and microwave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. (it only took me about 2 minutes. Chop the chocolate into really small bits to accelerate the melting process.)

4. Whisk the chocolate/butter mixture into the egg mixture until combined. Fold in the flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

5. Place the granulated sugar and powdered sugar in separate shallow bowls. Working with 2 tablespoons dough (or a medium cookie scoop) at a time, roll into balls. Drop dough balls into granulated sugar and roll to coat. Transfer dough balls to powdered sugar and roll to coat evenly. Evenly space the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets.  CI recommends 11 cookies per sheet, in rows of 4-3-4.  I didn't dome the cookies - I slightly flattened them, because I do that.

6. Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, about 12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cool completely on the sheet before serving.

The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If they last.

Lighter Corn Chowder

When corn is on sale for 6 ears for only $1, I did what any self respecting person would do - buy way more ears of corn than any normal human being could ever eat.

Which is why I was so thankful that in the August 2011 issue of Cook's Illustrated there was a recipe for Corn Chowder, and a lighter version at that.  My waistline and running legs thank you.  It still starts with absolutely delicious bacon though.  Mmmm bacon.

The recipe overall is very easy - the hardest part was scraping the pulp off of the ears of corn, as I kept smacking my knife into the side of the bowl.  The next hardest part was not slicing too deep into the corn kernels, so that some pulp would remain on the cob!  If you've never sliced corn directly off of the cob before, just beware - it's a very dirty job, as the corn kernels tend to fly ALL over the place.  The best trick I've learned - cut the corn in half, so there's a flat end.  Invert a smaller bowl inside a larger bowl.  Place the corn on top of the smaller bowl, and slice down - the corn will fly directly into the larger bowl, and it's the only way to keep your sanity.

Fresh corn is essential - do not use canned, although I'd wonder how it'd taste in the winter with canned corn and using the "corn water" as a pulp juice replacement.  It probably won't have that great corn flavor though.

I loved the corn flavor of this recipe, the tons of corn, the bacon, and the use of half and half.  It's a great chowder, but not too heavy for the summer.

Eat all that beautiful summer corn!  Cook this chowder!

Do not be alarmed if, before adding the half and half, your soup is very brownish.  That's normal.  I think.

Lighter Corn Chowder from Cooks Illustrated, August 2011
Serves 6 (I halved this recipe)

Ingredients:

• 8 ears corn, husks and silk removed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 4 slices of bacon, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (I used dried.)
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 5 cups water
• 3/4 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup half and half
• Sugar (if your corn isn't very sweet)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions:

1.  Cut kernels from corn and set aside (you should have five to sic cups of kernels.) 

2.  Holding cobs over second bowl, use back of a butter knife to firmly scrape any remaining pulp on cobs into bowls, resulting in about two to two and a half cups of pulp.  Transfer pulp to center of a kitchen towel and squeeze tightly until dry.  Discard pulp in towel and set corn juice aside (you should have about 2/3 cup of juice.)

3.  Melt butter in a Dutch oven (or nice sturdy pot, like I used) over medium heat.  Add onion, bacon, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and edges are beginning to brown, for 8-10 minutes.  

4.  Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

5.  Whisking constantly, gradually add water and bring to a boil.

6.  Add corn kernels and potatoes, return to a simmer.

7.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook until potatoes have softened, 15-18 minutes.

8.  Process 2 cups chowder in blender until smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Return puree to chowder.  Add half and half and return to simmer.

9.  Remove pot from heat and stir in reserved corn juice.

10.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and up to 1 tablespoon sugar.  Serve, sprinkling with basil.