Warm Cookies For a Long Night
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December 21, 2009
- Posted by: margaret
Today would have been my grandmother Charlotte’s 87th birthday. She was a wonderful baker, and it was at her apron that I learned to love flour and butter and sugar and eggs. I called her Honey, and she taught me how to make fluffy angel food cakes, flaky pie crusts, rich fruit breads, and, best of all, dozens of cookies. Each year, she sent out tins of holiday cookies to all the family, arranging them in patterns that wedged Russian Tea Cakes between Birds’ Nests, and nestled Scotch Shortbread (decorated with red and green dots, made by dipping fork tines into food coloring) next to Heath Bar Cookies. No matter how far flung we were, her cookies found us–even, my first year after college, making their way into my Tunisian kitchen. I miss her terribly. And so every year, on December 21, I bake. This one’s young Charlotte’s favorite. Happy solstice!
Honey’s Heath Bar Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed 1 egg yolk 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon vanilla semi-sweet chocolate chips lotsa ground nuts (I use pecans) On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Add flour in three parts, mixing until thoroughly incorporated. Spread batter on ungreased cookie sheet (I use a deeper pan with a lip) and press to smooth top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until top puffs slightly and sides begin to pull away from the pan. While still warm, scatter chocolate chips onto the batter and, once they’ve softened, spread melted chocolate with an spatula. Sprinkle with nuts, shake around to evenly distribute, and gently press into the gloppy chocolate. Cut into squares when chocolate has hardened.