Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli recommended)
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Whisk flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Heat butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. 
4. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, immediately transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl.  Leaving it in the pan will allow it to continue to cook.
5. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. 
6. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. 
7. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. 
8. Repeat the process of resting and whisking 2 more times until the mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. 
9. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute.
10. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
11. Mold and flatten into discs about 1.5-2" across, they will spread out about another 1/2" in each direction.
12. USE A SILCONE MAT TO PREVENT COOKIES FROM BURNING - (using so much brown butter will make the cookies scorch easily).  Also recommended to use an insulated cookie sheet with the mat.
13. Bake cookies until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set, but centers are still soft, set timer for 8 min and check, cook 10 min tops, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. 
14. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.
     Yields: 23 normal sized cookies

Dutch Apple Crumble Pie Recipe

Ingredients

1 Marie Calender Deep Dish Pastry Pie Shell

For the apple filling

4 very large Fuji apples

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon vanilla

For the sugar crumble

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; use a little less if using table salt

1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)

Instructions

Crust

1. Heat a pizza stone in the oven for 30 minutes

2. Pull the crust directly from the freezer and cook frozen (which will help it stay flaky)

3. Cook the empty pie crust at 400F on the stone until golden brown, about 10 minutes. It will likely need to have the bottom pieced during this time to eliminate air bubbles.

Pie Filling

4. Peel, core, then slice the apples into 1/8-inch thick pieces

5. Place in a 12" pan and set it on medium heat on the stove.

6. Add 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Stir and cook gently so you don't break all the apples.

7. Once apples are evenly coated, set a timer for 20 minutes. Cover with a lid, but don't walk away. Stick around and stir the mixture every 3 minutes or so, replacing the lid each time. The sugar mixture will tend to stick to the bottom of the pan and scorch.

8. Cook until the apples are fork-tender but still hold their shape. The apples will not soften more while baking in the oven. So have a taste and see if you want to cook for a longer or shorter time.

9. If your apples start to stick to the pan, add 1 tablespoon of water (plus more as needed); use sparingly.

10. Remove the pan from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

11. Transfer the apple pie filling to the crust.

12. Cool the apple pie by placing it in the fridge or the freezer. If you put it in the freezer, it only takes 30 minutes or so.

Sugar crumble:

13. In a medium bowl, add the dry ingredients for the crumble: 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (use less for table salt). Whisk together.

14. In a small bowl, melt 1/2 cup butter (1 stick). Pour the butter over the dry ingredients and stir together gently. You should end up with a pretty wet, sandy mixture with some large clumps. See photos. Let it chill in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.

15. When the apple pie filling in the freezer is completely cooled, use your hands or a fork to break the crumble into smaller bite-size pieces. Top the pie with about a cup or two of the sugar crumble, just enough to cover all the apples; we are not piling it on. (That's for later.) 

16. Place the remaining crumble back in the fridge to chill.

Bake the pie

17. Place the chilled pie onto the pizza stone in the oven and let bake for 10-15 minutes at 425 F. The crust on the edge should be turning light brown, the crumble top will start to have dark brown spots.

18. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. 

19. Bake at 350 for an additional 10 minutes.

20. Remove the pie from the oven.

Optional, double layer of crumble

21. Sprinkle the remaining chilled crumble all over the top of the pie. Break up large pieces with your fingers.

22. Place the foil on top of the pie crust (the center of the pie should be exposed). Loosely crimp it around the crust on the edge. This will protect the edges from burning.

23. Place the pie back on the hot baking sheet in the oven and bake at 350 for about 10 more minutes. 

24. You will know the pie is done when the edges of the crust are brown, and the crumble is turning a light golden brown in the center. If you want your crust and crumble to brown a little more, remove the foil shield and bake another 5-10 minutes.

25. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for about 4 hours (about 1.5 hours on a granite counter). 

Store the pie on the counter for up to 2 days, covered with plastic wrap or foil. After that, transfer it to the fridge.