Toasty Caramel Cappuccino Cookies
These cookies are a caramel chocolate wonderland with a delicious brown butter base and a healthy dash of coffee.
I’m back on the cookie train again. Let’s be honest I never really got off it. I love these cookies they’re chewy and melty and deliciously perfect. They are actually perfect though. You need to understand that literally nothing can be improved in this cookie. It’s like the Chuck Bass/Mr Darcy of cookies - so perfect! You need to add this guy to your freezer stash ASAP.
I was playing around with one of Ruth Mar Tam’s recipes and this little number came out of it. On that note, you should invest in Baked to Order it’s a very comprehensive little baking book, it has base recipes and 3-4 variations per recipe. So lush. Anyway I was playing around with her recipe and I added a whole lot more coffee in and a generous scoop of dulce de leche and we ended up here with this toasty little number.
Makes 15-18 cookies
The Cookies
190 g butter (I use Lurpak)
150 g brown sugar
90 g caster sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 tbs vanilla
90 g bread or 00 flour (high protein flour)
100 g plain flour
75 g dark rye flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp smoked salt (Maldon smoked salt was on special so I used this)
1 tbs milk powder*
1 tbs ground coffee/instant coffee powder (not granules, people you don’t want large-ass coffee particles in there)
200 g Valrhona Dulcey Feves/Caramelised white chocolate, plus a few extra for topping the cookies and making them pretty
200 g milk chocolate chips
125 g dulce de leche (condensed milk method below or bought prepared can)
To make the biscuits
First make the dulce de leche using an unopened can of condensed milk that is submerged in water and simmered in your pressure-cooker on the simmer function for an hour.
Once the can is cool enough to touch place teaspoons of dulce de leche onto a tray prepared with silpat or baking paper, then place into the freezer. Okay, back to the cookies. Also eat the rest of the can it’s delicious!
You should brown the butter for this recipe to achieve maximum toasty-ness, you do not have to do this step but I think it gives the cookie a deeper flavour. To brown the butter, place butter in a saucepan over a high heat. Once the butter starts to bubble, swirl the saucepan to stir. The bubbles/foam on the surface of the melted butter will change to a brown colour and it will produce this amazing nutty scent. Once the heavenly aroma is achieved, remove from heat and set aside.
Place browned butter and sugars into a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low - medium until combined. Remember to scrape the sides of your bowl to ensure the mixture is fully combined. OR like me for this step I just whisk it in a bowl.
Add the egg and yolks in one at a time and beat on low-medium after each addition. Then add the vanilla and combine. Again scrape the sides of the bowl. ( I also did this step by hand)
Remove bowl from stand mixer and put aside.*
In another mixing bowl whisk the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, coffee and milk powder until combined.
Fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
Then fold in chocolate and any other additions until just distributed.
Place the bowl into the fridge to rest for at least half an hour. (After this step you can roll the dough into balls and place them into the freezer on a baking sheet, then into bags or containers for your stash).
While dough is in the fridge pre-heat your oven to 170’C, fan-forced. Prepare an oven tray with a silpat mat or butter and baking paper.
Remove dough from fridge and divide into balls. (I made about 14 large-ish cookies). Make an indent in the balls with your fingers and place a frozen teaspoon of the dulce de leche in the hole and then pinch the dough to cover it.
Place balls on prepared trays. Once on trays place a feve or chocolate chunk on each ball (see above photo).
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden around the edges.
Notes:
* You could add in toasted walnuts or pecans with the dulcey chocolate instead of the milk chocolate. Toasted nuts would work beautifully in this cookie.
* You could leave the bowl on the stand mixer and beat on low. I always mix in the dry ingredients by hand because I am too scared of over mixing.
* Don’t feel like you have to add milk powder. It gives this delicious malty undertone. You could add malt powder or milo or matcha or even omit
final thoughts…
Plot twist for you all, I have an iron deficiency - well I basically have iron anaemia. So I’m supposed to be tired, like fall asleep/can’t do anything tired. This isn’t me. Don’t get me wrong I am tired, but that could be because I get up at 4 AM to go running and then work an 8 - 10 hour shift and then go for another run. Anyway I think I’m doing fine. I had this issue with the tablets though. My body was all like I don’t want this iron in here, what are you doing. Finally after two weeks the body is taking the iron pills. Also no I’m not a vegan or vegetarian, I actually eat all meat so none of that just eat a steak business because I already do!
Finally I am watching this Married at First Sight show… or trying to at least. There are some absolutely terrible people on there this year. I know Bryce is a right knob but honestly I think this Bec lady takes the cake. What a piece of work (and not a good piece of work either it’s all bad). I probably can’t watch it anymore. I’m done. At least the Great Canadian Bake Off and Masterchef UK are back on.
Amelia xx