It's a new year. Are you the kind of person that makes lofty resolutions that are impossible to keep? Or, do you prefer smaller milestones, like resolving to eat dessert once a week instead of twice? I'm in the latter category, mostly because I find myself frustrated by goals that seem too difficult to reach.
Our New Year's traditions are pretty simple, and I love that. Typically we stay in, dress up, cook a fancy dinner, and reflect on the year. We also set some resolutions, about ten each, to help us focus on what our priorities are. One of my resolutions for 2011 is to incorporate more whole grain flours into my baking.
I already eat a lot of whole grains. Quinoa, barley, and farro are a few of my favorites. I've also switched exclusively to whole grain pasta. In the December issue of Whole Living, they wrote a feature on Kim Boyce, author of Good to the Grain, and reprinted several of her recipes. I was surprised (though I shouldn't have been), at how appealing they all were, especially these whole wheat chocolate chip cookies that have been very popular in the food blog world, and with good reason. You'll find the increase of brown sugar, as well as the whole wheat flour, really adds a deeper flavor, a bit like caramel. If you're not convinced already, give them a try and this might become your new favorite cookie.
WHOLE-WHEAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Recipe by Kim Boyce, Whole Living (December 2010)
Makes about 3 dozen
Ingredients
Dry Mix
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Mix
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl.
Add butter and sugars to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, mix until just blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture to bowl and blend until flour is just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add chocolate all at once to batter. Mix on low until chocolate is evenly combined. Scoop mounds of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving two inches between each cookie. Bake cookies for 16-20 minutes, until cookies are evenly brown, rotating halfway through.
Transfer cookies to a rack to cool and repeat with remaining dough. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
