I’ve posted today a review of The Cookie Collection. This is the first recipe in the book. And to me this was reason enough to carry the book home and begin baking. Here the iconic American cookie, Chocolate Chip, is revitalized. The flour is now graham, the same distinctive ingredient used in those Graham Crackers you had with a glass of milk. Last week or perhaps decades ago!
And, this recipe takes us down the sandwich road — dear to us from our Oreo experiences. Two chocolate chip cookies married here with a layer of Vanilla Buttercream.
Sandwich cookies say to you: Open Wide. Yes, you will have to do just that. These ones are thick to be sure. And then, when you have the next cookie, you’ll have to open wide again.
If your jaw begins to tire, take a break. Maybe you can stir up a second batch of these. It’ll take about an hour. By then your jaw muscles will be fine.
And so will you.
Chocolate Chip Graham Sandwich Cookies
Yield: makes about 17 sandwich cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (165 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (21 grams) honey
- 2 large eggs (100 grams)
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (135 grams) graham flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt ,
- ¾ teaspoon (3.75 grams) baking soda
- 2 cups (340 grams) chopped 60% cacao semisweet chocolate
- Vanilla Buttercream (recipe follows)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars at medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in honey. Add eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in chopped chocolate. Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, scoop dough (about 40 grams or 1 ½ ounces each), and place at least 2 inches apart on prepared pans.
Bake until lightly golden, about 8 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes. Let cool completely on wire
Use the Vanilla Buttercream to form the sandwich cookies. You can either pipe in a piping bag fitted with a closed star piping tip (Ateco #847). Pipe in a spiral starting at the center on the flat side of one cookie and top with another cookie. Or just spread a layer of buttercream on one and top with the other. Piping is prettier, to be sure. But it takes time and if you are impatient …
Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Yes, you have to be patient here. Or should be.
Vanilla Butter Cream
Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon (18 grams) vanilla bean paste
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) whole milk
Preparation:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar in two additions alternately with milk, beating until smooth. Use immediately.
Source: The Cookie Collection by Brian Hart Hoffman [83 Press, 2019]