Cocoa Nib, Vanilla Bean & Chocolate Chip Cookies

.
Seems to me, cookie is a bit of a kiddie term. Nursery speak, really. It just doesn't seem to connote how sauve and adult some of these "cookies" really are.

Grown-up cookies are the kind of treat that includes ingredients like heady bergamot or a shock of sea salt. They pair with a flute of prosecco far better than with a glass of milk - and I say, they need a far more chic lexeme than cookie.

Maybe they should just be called "delights." Or "menogregodianastictasticolici."

(But that second one only because it pretty much guarantees no toddler will be heard throwing a tantrum while demanding them.)

Or, is that ageist?

Oops.

Now, now. I know perfectly well that not all children are sugar-addicts, and many appreciate a quality - adult palate oriented - snack. But if I were in charge of marketing, my target audience for this "delight" would be...well...me. And most likely, you. But not the wee ones. Nope, this isn't exactly for them.

This is for someone who craves a certain layering of flavors, including bitter, sweet and salty. A bite of crumbly buttery texture, some bitter-chocolate crunch, a few smooth, dark and melty bits and at last, a lingering suprise of salt.

Yup, this ain't no cookie. It truly is a delight. And just to make it less for the small ones and more for us adults...it tastes even better if given a day to meld, to mellow and to melt in your mouth. A delight with built in patience.

Try it my peaches, and taste the joy.


6 ounces Scharffenberger semi-sweet chocolate with cocoa nibs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Seeds scrapped from 1/2 a vanilla pod


Roughly chop up the chocolate. You are trying to get bits of assorted sizes, but none bigger than a standard chocolate chip.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and kosher salt.

Using a stand mixer with a paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. (Or, do this by hand.)

Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla, and vanilla seeds. Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.

Add the flour, then fold in the chopped chocolate.

Divide the dough in half. Pat each half into a log, wrap them in plastic and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Slice the cookies into 1/8 inch thick slices.

Bake the cookies on a buttered cookie sheet for about 20 minutes, until golden.

Let the cookies cool on the sheets for five minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. These cookies are actually better the next day.

________________________________

Cacao Nibs are roasted cocoa beans separated from their husks and broken into small bits. Nibs add crunchiness and subtle chocolate flavor to baked goods and savory dishes. They make a great substitute for roasted nuts or chocolate chips, without added sweetness - Gourmet Sleuth

Oh, and if you are keeping track...my camera responded to a bit of a resuscitation. It's still on it's death-bed, but happily, it had a few more snaps in it afterall...and on an unrelated note...Happy Birthday to my C*!

The average American eats 35,000 cookies in their lifetime

Bryanna of Notes from a Vegan Kitchen lwrote about cocoa nibs too.