Having a cat around and being productive are two things that do not go hand in hand. Each key stroke is in competition with pets and nuzzles. This little dry nose keeps smashing into my arm. Every day, I learn something from these creatures, the most important being "it can wait- love is more important." I'll try to shove them aside but they insist in obstructing the keyboard or exam prep books. Cuddles. Now. It's all about being in the moment.
These cookies were a random executive decision in the middle of World Market. They have an eclectic selection of packaged food in the back. While hunting for low-priced home goods, I stumbled on a bag of guittard mint chocolate chips.
I've never seen such things and didn't realize the chips themselves are green. I was too mystified at the pastel green packaging to pay attention. So yah. The chips. They're green. By the way.
The question remained of what the heck to make with these confectionery cuties and the answer struck like lightening: cookies! This in part lies with my love for mint green being paired with light brown or gray. It conjures images of thin mints and my old favorite pair of pumas. God those were sexy shoes.
Rather than going with a standard chocolate cookie recipe and substituting chocolate chips with the minty ones, I used this recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod. It's simple, quick, and easy. Plus, there is no egg involved which piqued my curiosity. The chocolate isn't overpowering because it's all cocoa powder and maintains a very smooth balance. It's strangely calming. However, I did not use the entire bag of chips because that seemed like a bit much.
The only thing I would do differently is split the chip ratio into half dark chocolate chunks and half mint chips. That's just me! Add a little richness to the calm.
Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies
from Two Peas and Their Pod
1-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup dutch-process cocoa-make sure to use dutch process for a rich/dark flavor
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and room temp
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 bag of mint chips (Guittard)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line baking sheets with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa, and set aside. Beat the butter on medium-high until light and add sugars, creaming well. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternately with the milk in one batch, mixing well. Stir in the mint chips. Chill dough for at least 15 minutes. You can make the dough a few hours or 2 days before baking and it will be fine. Just wrap it up and keep in the fridge.
Scoop the dough onto a parchment- or silpat-lined cookie sheet, press down on them slightly, and bake for 14-15 minutes…for a normal size cookie. Let the cookies cool completely on the cookie sheet, they will set up as they cool. Store in an air-tight container, they will stay fresh for a couple of days.
Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa, and set aside. Beat the butter on medium-high until light and add sugars, creaming well. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternately with the milk in one batch, mixing well. Stir in the mint chips. Chill dough for at least 15 minutes. You can make the dough a few hours or 2 days before baking and it will be fine. Just wrap it up and keep in the fridge.
Scoop the dough onto a parchment- or silpat-lined cookie sheet, press down on them slightly, and bake for 14-15 minutes…for a normal size cookie. Let the cookies cool completely on the cookie sheet, they will set up as they cool. Store in an air-tight container, they will stay fresh for a couple of days.
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