This recipe from Mike Russell of Baker Bleu takes the best parts of a chocolate chip cookie and adds a few grown-up spins on it.
Two Good Co
Nourishment is at the heart of social enterprise Two Good Co. Not only in the work it does helping vulnerable women rebuild their lives, but also in the cookbooks it sells to support its mission.
Its latest collection, Sweet Memories, is a four-part series that celebrates the power of desserts to comfort and connect, and mark special moments.
Recipes range from childhood favourites to showstopping cakes, with more than 100 from Two Good’s own kitchen, alongside dishes from high-profile chefs such as Nigella Lawson, Helen Goh, Neil Perry and Maggie Beer.
Half of the profits from every sale go towards Two Good’s programs, which include employment, donations to shelters, and community support for women escaping domestic violence, or dealing with homelessness or complex trauma.
Here, Two Good shares a recipe for extra chewy choc brown butter cookies from Baker Bleu’s Mike Russell, as well as some party-perfect ice-cream sandwiches from Two Good’s kitchen.
– Megan Johnston
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Choc brown butter cookies
Mike Russell, Baker Bleu
This recipe takes the best parts of a chocolate chip cookie and adds a few twists that make them delicious for grown-ups, too. Underbake the cookies and allow them to cool slowly to create that delicious chewy texture.
INGREDIENTS
- 280g unsalted butter
- 180g tipo 00 (strong/baker’s) flour, or plain flour
- 100g Khorasan flour, or plain flour (see note)
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 240g brown sugar
- 80g caster sugar
- 125g egg (about 2½ eggs)
- 315g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), roughly chopped
- sea salt flakes, to serve
METHOD
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, swirling the pan and skimming the foam occasionally so you can see what colour the butter is. Continue cooking until the butter is browned and has a nutty aroma. Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof container, then weigh the browned butter to ensure you have 205g. Set aside at room temperature until it has completely cooled.
- Meanwhile, sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda and fine sea salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine well.
- When the butter has completely cooled, place it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugars and beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low, then add the egg in two batches, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture and beat until nearly combined. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until just combined.
- Line 2-3 large baking trays with baking paper. Roll 60g (¼ cup) pieces of dough into balls, then place onto prepared trays, leaving at least 10cm for spreading. Press the balls into discs. Cover the trays with a clean tea towel and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight if possible.
- Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and allow them to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. While the cookies are resting, preheat the oven to 185C fan-forced (205C conventional).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden but still soft in the centre. Stand on the trays for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, sprinkle lightly with sea salt flakes. The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Makes about 20
Note: Khorasan is an ancient variety of wheat, meaning it hasn’t been modified by commercial breeding. It brings a beautiful nutty and buttery flavour and is extremely gut-friendly. If you can’t find it, you can replace it with good-quality plain white flour and you’ll still get good results. Strong/baker’s flour (also known as bread flour) is a high-protein flour, which can improve the structure and texture of your bake, but you can also use plain white flour instead.
Featured in Nostalgia, Sweet Memories Cookbook Collection by Two Good Co.
Fairy bread ice-cream sandwiches
Two Good Co.
Why not combine two party favourites into one for double enjoyment? We’ve gone with classic vanilla ice-cream sandwiches here, but you can shake it up with any flavour combo you like, and you can, of course, ditch the packet mix for a simple vanilla butter cake. Have the sandwiches cut, frozen and ready for dipping into the sprinkles so they don’t melt into the ice-cream before you’re ready to serve.
INGREDIENTS
- butter, for greasing
- 1 x 500g vanilla packet cake mix (see packet for any extra ingredients required)
- 1 litre vanilla ice-cream
- 100s and 1000s sprinkles
METHOD
The day before:
- Grease two 20cm square cake tins with butter and line with baking paper. Prepare the cake according to the packet instructions, and divide the batter evenly between the tins. Smooth the tops, then bake for 15 minutes or just until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack and set aside to cool.
- While the cake is cooling, remove the ice-cream from the freezer and allow it to stand at room temperature until it is soft enough to spread, but not melted.
- To assemble, line one of the cake tins with plastic wrap, making sure it extends over the sides. Place one of the cakes, top side up in the tin, then spread the ice-cream over the top. Press the other cake, top side down, over the ice-cream. Cover and freeze overnight or until the ice-cream is firm.
On the day:
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Unmould the ice-cream cake onto a chopping board, trim off the sides, then cut the cake into nine 6cm squares. Cut each square in half to make 18 triangles. Place the sandwiches on the prepared tray and return to the freezer for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
- To serve, pour the sprinkles onto a plate, then dip the long side of each triangle into the sprinkles. Serve immediately.
Makes 18 sandwiches
Featured in Celebration, Sweet Memories Cookbook Collection by Two Good Co.
This is an edited extract from A Two Good Cookbook Collection: Sweet Memories, published by Two Good Co, photography by Petrina Tinslay. RRP $75 via twogood.com.au.
