world peace cookies

and the winner for the nobel peace prize goes to ...

what more can i say about these that can't be read elsewhere? almost any baker worth their blogger has either read about these cookies or tried baking them him/herself. although i do have to say that i never heard about them (gasp!) until i was pouring over my new dorie book.

a creation of monsieur hermé, these cookies are buttery and sandy with a whole lot of darkness. i didn't find them particularly salty or amazing, but then again i'm not a big chocolate fan, so please don't go by my opinion! i was re-assured from my other half that they were yummy and so we brought them to a going away party for our good friends H and M (and no, i don't mean hennes and mauritz, although they are just as cool) who are returning home across the atlantic. sniff sniff.


but why "world peace" cookies? originally called korova cookies by dorie, the story goes that her neighbor was so smitten by these lovelies that he became convinced a daily dose was all that was needed for peace and happiness all over the world.

world peace cookies: makes 3 dozen
from dorie greenspan's baking book (2006, p. 138)

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tb butter, room temp
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp fleur de sel or 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips

1. sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda together.

2. beat butter until soft and creamy. add both sugars, salt, and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes more.

3. pour in sifted dry ingredients and mix on low until just incorporated, about 40 seconds; don't overwork the dough. toss in the chocolate pieces and mix just until combined. the dough may look a little crumbly but that's okay.

4. turn dough out onto work surface and divide in half. shape dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches thick. wrap in plastic or parchment and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours (up to 3 days).


5. preheat oven to 325F. using sharp thin knife, slice logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. they may crack, but just patch together.

note: it is true, i have no knife skills. so when mr. mimi saw my terrible attempts that more resembled butchery, he gracefully showed me the better way. don't slice or cut into the dough log. instead, use the rocking motion where you basically have the front tip of the knife on the board and lift the knife up and rock down as you come down. in this way, you're cutting with the back of the knife which is heavier and more stable. all my slices were crumbly. all his slices were clean!

6. arrange rounds on baking sheet 1 inch apart. bake for 12 minutes. they won't look typically "done" or firm, but that's right! transfer sheet to cooling rack.