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In the Oven: Black Forest Chocolate Cookies

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Fire up your ovens, bakers, let’s make some cookies! Posting date is January 28.

Black Forest Chocolate Cookies
 
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Yield: 24 cookies
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 16 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (6 ounces) white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (6 ounces) dried cherries
Instructions
  1. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.
  2. In a large nonreactive metal bowl, combine the dark chocolate and butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugars on high speed until the mixture is pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and the vanilla and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and beat again for 10 seconds.
  5. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined, about 10 seconds. Do not overmix.
  6. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and dried cherries. The dough will look very loose, but it will harden in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
  7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies are set and begin to show a few cracks. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing from the pans and serving.
Notes
How to store: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

 

In the Oven: Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk Chocolate Chunks

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Up next, a classic peanut butter cookie, but with chunks of milk chocolate baked in. Posting date is November 5!

Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk Chocolate Chunks
 
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Yield: 24 cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 6 ounces good milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
Instructions
  1. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. The mixture will look light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and peanut butter and beat until just incorporated.
  3. Add half of the flour mixture and mix for 15 seconds. Add the remaining our mixture and mix until just incorporated.
  4. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart. With the palm of your hand, very gently press each cookie down so it forms a very tall disk shape. Do not press too hard and do not press it flat.
  7. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with granulated sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies just begin to brown.
  8. Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the individual cookies to the rack to cool completely (although they are also delicious warm).
Notes
How to store: The cookies can be stored, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

In the Oven: Peppermint Chocolate Chip Meringues

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This is it for Baked Occasions — we’ve reached the end of the schedule! We’re finishing up with Peppermint Chocolate Chip Meringues. Posting date is September 10.

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Meringues
 
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Ingredients
  • 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • Red food dye or gel
  • 4 ounces (115 g) mini chocolate chips, or regular chocolate chips, roughly chopped (about 3⁄4 cup)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed for 1 minute. Sprinkle the egg whites with cream of tartar and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
  3. Turn the mixer to medium speed and add the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. After all of the sugar has been added, increase the mixer speed to high and beat just until stiff peaks form; the whites should still be shiny, not dry.
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to fold in the peppermint extract, food dye (a few drops at a time until the desired color is reached), and chocolate chips until combined.
  5. Drop the mixture by heaping teaspoons onto the prepared baking sheets 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. (Alternatively, you can pipe the meringues into a Hershey’s Kiss–like shape using a pastry bag fitted with the largest round tip so that the chocolate chips can pass through.) Bake just until the meringues color and are not wet at all, 55 to 60 minutes, then turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and allow the meringues to cool completely in the oven.
Notes
How to Store: The meringues will keep, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days.

 

In the Oven: Lebkuchen

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We’re sticking with the 12 days of cookies for our last two recipes in Baked Occasions, first with a bit of a preview of the holidays, with a German gingerbread spiced cookie. Posting date is August 27.

And starting on September 24, we’re going to begin baking from the very first Baked book. For those of you that like to bake ahead, we have a sneak peek of the schedule up here.

Let’s bake!

Lebkuchen
 
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Yield: 24 cookies
Ingredients
For the Lebkuchengewürz (Gingerbread Spices)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
For the Lebkuchen
  • 8 ounces (225 g) honey (about 2⁄3 cup)
  • 3 ounces (3⁄4 stick/85 g) unsalted butter
  • 1⁄4 cup (55 g) rmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons Lebkuchengewürz (see above)
  • Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 tablespoons rum
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda 21⁄4 cups (285 g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 ounces (115 g) almonds, finely ground
  • 3⁄4 cup (140 g) finely chopped candied orange peel
For the Chocolate Glaze
  • 1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Lebkuchengewürz
  1. In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Set aside.
Make the Lebkuchen
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan, stir together the honey, butter, and brown sugar, and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and the brown sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Let cool.
  3. In the bowl of a standing mixer tted with the whisk attachment, add the cooled honey mixture and mix briefly. Add the egg yolk, cocoa powder, Lebkuchengewürz, and lemon zest, and mix at medium speed until fully combined.
  4. In a small prep bowl, stir together the rum and baking soda. Add to the batter and whisk to combine, about another 15 seconds.
  5. Replace the whisk attachment with the dough-hook attachment.
  6. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the almonds and candied orange peel. Add the flour mixture all at once to the mixer bowl, and stir on the lowest speed until just combined. Turn onto a well-floured surface.
  7. Use your hands to knead the dough until it is pliable, then form it into a small disk; the dough will be very tacky. Roll the dough into a round 1⁄2 inch (12 mm) thick, flipping it and sprinkling more flour as needed so it doesn’t stick. Use a 3-inch (7.5-cm) round (or thereabouts) cookie cutter to press out your cookies; place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
  8. Bake until the cookies appear set and are just dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely
Make the Chocolate Glaze
  1. Line the two baking sheets with new parchment paper.
  2. Sift the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa into a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons milk and the vanilla and whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too stiff, add additional milk a teaspoon at a time to loosen.
  3. Working quickly, dip each cooled cookie face down into the glaze. Turn the cookies over and place them on the parchment. Allow to set completely, about 15 minutes.
Notes
How to store: The cookies can be served immediately or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.