Two recipes this week, both from Tartine, by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson
Deluxe Double Chocolate Cookies
Almond Rochers
The double chocolate cookies are a deeply chocolate affair. They combine high-quality bittersweet chocolate (I am using three different chocolates, with chocolate percentages at 66% (Valrhona), 70% (Scharffen Berger), and 72% (Green & Black Organic)) and a substantial amount of cocoa powder (I am using a mixture of Valrhona and Dagoba - can you see I am trying to clean up my pantry?). The result is a very chocolatey, quite soft and tender cookie. I am curious to see how people like it.
The other cookie is another effort to provide goodies for my friends who have gluten issues. These are almond rochers - "rochers" means "boulders" in French. It is a meringue-based cookie. It involved a few interesting (and, in the making, nerve-wracking) techniques. You take a substantial amount of sliced almonds and toast them well, then crumble them. Next, you make a meringue. This involved heating some egg whites and confectioners sugar in a double boiler. According to the instructions, you should wisk them constantly until the mixture reaches 120 degrees, which it estimates will take 5 minutes. Well....I guess I have kick-ass burners, so after not too long a time (like, 1 minute) the mixture was well (WELL) above the 120 degree mark. It got yanked off and onto the mixer to start whisking into a meringue. I think it all ended up OK, but it was quite a moment of panic. Anyway, a few other ingredients are added, then the almonds are folded in, and then I used a tablespoon scoop to form the cookies, which then bake into, well, baby boulders. While they continue to dry out over time, last night when we had some (uh, I mean when the quality control team checked to make sure they met normal standards) they were really soft and almost creamy inside and crunchy outside. We'll see how they are by tonight. For a cookie with no flour and no fat (other than what is in the almonds) these are really yummy.
Both of these are from Tartine, which is a San Francisco bakery I now obviously have to visit. A few weeks ago, the Tartine lemon bars were a hit, and I think that tonight will continue the winning streak.
Take care!
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I think that cookbook was made with me in mind, as these sound just as good as the lemon bars sounded to me. I absolutely love meringue, both pies and cookies! hope everyone else liked them as well. Phyllis
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