dessert

Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Credit: Bon Appetit


Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract or paste
2 1.4 oz chocolate toffee bars, either Skor or Heath
1 1/2 cups Guittard 66% chocolate baking wafers

Directions

Cook 1 cup (2 sticks; 227 g) unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5–8 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool slightly, until cool enough to touch (like the temperature of a warm bath), about 10 minutes.

Whisk 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, and ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl.

Add 1 cup (packed; 215 g) dark brown sugar and ⅓ cup (73 g) granulated sugar to the browned butter. Using an electric mixer (either a stand mixer or hand mixer) on medium speed, beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add 2 large eggs, room temperature and 2 tsp. vanilla extract, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until mixture lightens and begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low; add dry ingredients and beat just to combine. Mix in 2 1.4-oz. (80 g total) chocolate toffee bars (preferably Skor), chopped into ¼" pieces and 1½ cups (216 g) chocolate wafers (disks, pistoles, fèves; preferably 72% cacao) with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Let dough sit in the mixing bowl at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow flour to hydrate. Dough will look very loose at first, but will thicken as it sits.

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1-oz. ice cream scoop, portion out balls of dough and place on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 3" apart (you can also form dough into ping pong–size balls with your hands). Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

Bake cookies until edges are golden brown and firm but centers are still soft, 9–11 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough, using a cool baking sheet lined with fresh parchment paper.

Do ahead: Cookie dough can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill in the refrigerator—or freeze for up to 3 months. Let dough come to room temperature before baking.

Notes

These are dangerous. Enough said.

 
 

Sauteed Apples

Credit: Natasha Kravchuk, Natasha’s Kitchen

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4”-thick (4 large or 6 medium apples)
1/3 cup water
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar, or added to taste (use 2 tbsp for sweeter apples)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt


Directions

Cook the apples in butter for 6-8 minutes, covered, until softened. In a separate bowl, stir together 1/3 cup cold water and corn starch until dissolved into a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine and cook for for 2-3 minutes more.


Notes

These apples are so versatile! They’re great in overnight oats, on yogurt, with pork, over ice cream, or just plain.

 
 

Brown Butter Financiers

Credit: David Lebovitz

Ingredients

1 c (140g) Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour
3/4 c plus 2 tablespoons (180g) sugar
5 tbsp (45g) all-purpose flour or Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon Penzeys Almond Extract
2 1/2 ounces (75g) brown butter, warm or cool (not hot)


Directions

Mix ingredients and bake in a greased mini muffin tin at 375 for about 16 minutes, until browned at the edges and golden in the center. You can substitute the same volume/weight of all-purpose flour for the paleo flour.


Notes

Love that you can make these gluten-free with virtually no difference in taste. A good quality almond extract is key if you like these to taste very almond-y, which I do!