World Peace Cookies

The name of these cookies is so promising that one does not really know what to expect. It turns out that they are a sort of chocolate shortbread cookie. They are buttery, have a crumbly/sandy (“short”) texture, are a bit salty and certainly intensely chocolatey. Briefly speaking, they are delicious and I will definitely make them again.

I had been wanting to prepare these cookies for quite some time now. For my birthday a few years ago I received a copy of Dorie Greenspan's fantastic book "Baking - From my Home to Yours” (published by Houghton Mifflin in November 2006) and found the recipe for the World Peace Cookies on pages 138-139. This recipe was originally published in Dorie´s book “Paris Sweets” published by Clarkson Potter (November 2002) and the cookies were then called “Korova Cookies/Sablés Korova”(pages 6-8), the recipe being adapted from Pierre Hermé. Both books are available at www.amazon.com. But you can also find the recipe on www.epicurious.com.

Recipe for World Peace Cookies 
(Recipe by Dorie Greenspan)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups AP flour
1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 85% cacao)


Preparation

1. Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda into medium bowl.

2. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth but not fluffy.

3. Add both sugars, vanilla, and sea salt; beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

4. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended (mixture may be crumbly).

5. Add chopped chocolate; mix just to distribute (if dough doesn't come together, knead lightly in bowl to form ball).

6. Divide dough in half. Place each half on sheet of plastic wrap. Form each into 1 1/2-inch-diameter log. Wrap each in plastic; chill until firm, about 3 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

7. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using thin sharp knife, cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Space 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.

8. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies appear dry (cookies will not be firm or golden at edges), 11 to 12 minutes.

9. Transfer to rack and cool.

10. Enjoy!

My entire family, adults and kids, loved the cookies.