Almond Chocochips Cookies

Dear chocochip cookies lovers,

Lebaran is not complete without yummy and delicious cookies. Must-eat cookies in Lebaran day are kastengels, sagu keju, cheese stick, nastar, lidah kucing and putri salju. Those are my favorite cookies when Lebaran comes. But for about 2 years until now, I made and sold PennyLane’s Chocolate Cookies. The incredible cookies from Ms. Riana when I tried it for the first time at Halal bi Halal NCC in 2008. 

It's just accidentally happened, one day I tried the recipe and then some of my friends at the office like it *lagi kelaperan kayaknya waktu itu hihihi tapi sumpah enak banget loh* *jujur*. So they ordered to me that cookies. For two years, especially on weekend at the fasting month, I always made these cookies until I didn’t have time to make must-eat cookies. But, that’s OK, I took it as an experience as a tukang kue. I called these cookies with Almond Chocochips Cookies.

Making these cookies, it’s not as easy as making kastengels or other cookies. Because the amount of chocolate is more than the amount of flour. The cookies turned out larger or melted in the oven. So we need to be patient while baking. Lots of dough makes you wanna through it to the river hahaha. Don’t make the cookies turn out burnt and crumble easily. The best part is your kitchen will smell chocolaty when you are baking, sniff it in a fasting month, isn’t it fun?:p

The most important thing is I have to learn it from the masterchef itself. Ms. Riana. I wish I have time to learn all the cookies recipes again *sigh*.

By the way, this is the recipe from Ms. Riana’s blog with some of modification *udah dimodif mbak Riana eh dimodif lagi hihihi*

PennyLane’s Chocolate Cookies
Original source: Joy of Baking
Modified by: Riana

60 grams cake flour (low protein flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder
450 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped *I used 400 grams colatta dcc and 50 grams colatta white chocolate*
60 grams unsalted butter or margarine *I used orchid butter salt*
200 grams granulated white sugar *I used 250 grams sugar*
4 eggs, room temperature *and 1 teaspoon emulsifier*
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 gram instant coffee powder (2 sachet @ 2 grams), diluted with a few drops of hot water *I used nescafe classic*
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
175 grams semisweet dark chocolate chips
175 grams white chocolate chips *I used all Tulip dark chocolate chips because I didn't find white chocolate chips, anyone can help me?*
200 grams your favorite nuts, coarsely chopped and toasted (I used 100 grams almond slices and 100 grams kenari nuts – what is kenari nut in English? Canary nut? Not walnut, mind you, they’re different. Some people refer it as Java Almond, if that could be of any help. Otherwise, just use whatever nuts you fancy).

How-to: 

1. Mix together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter/margarine in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the sugar, eggs and salt, emulsifier until pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate mixture, coffee and vanilla extract. Sift the flour mixture above the batter and fold it in. Mix only until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the batter until firm, about 30-60 minutes *I used this time for washing the dishes and greasing the pan with margarine*
4. Preheat oven to 170-180 degrees Celcius and place rack in center of oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. *I don't have it, someday I will buy it*
5. Using ice cream scoop, small or medium – whatever you prefer, scoop and drop batter onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing evenly. With moist fingers, press batter a little bit. Bake cookies about 10 - 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies become dry and cracked, but are still shiny. Do not overbake these cookies.
6. Remove from oven and place baking pan on a wire rack to cool. When cookies are firm, remove from baking pan and let completely cool on rack.

Note: 

• The time you need to let the batter harden in the fridge could be varied, depending on the chocolate you use. One chocolate could make the batter thicker or runnier than the other one. Check every 30 minutes, just until the batter is easy to scoop and drop without spreading.
• When you found your batter is too hard to scoop, or the cookies are too flat, it means the batter is too cold to begin with. Let it stand at room temperature until it reaches right consistency, then continue baking. The cookies should not be too flat.

That’s my story. You must try it, it is very very yummy and hot! *if you are waiting the cookies near the oven hihihi* Or you can order to me if you are too busy or too lazy to make it:p. Thank you so much Ms. Riana and my loyal customers.

Good luck,
Atika