Salted Fudge Cookies
These Salted Fudge Cookies are rich with chocolate, have a fudgy interior and a crisp exterior and just the perfect touch of salt. Delicious!
I’ve been invited to participate this coming weekend in an event with Macy’s to celebrate the start of Spring at Park Meadows; one of the areas largest (and my favorite) shopping centers.
To help celebrate, in attendance will be Chef Johnny Iuzinni who is a member of the Macy’s Culinary Council who will be doing a live cooking demo.
Chef Iuzinni is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with over twenty years of kitchen experience and I cannot deny I’m curious about what he will be making; baking is such a challenge in Colorado even for a renowned pastry chef!
He honed his craft at highly lauded New York City dining locations such as The River Café, Daniel, Payard, Café Boulud and Jean Georges. In 1998 he traveled around the world and studied pastry at some of the finest patisseries in France including LaDuree under Pierre Hermès.
In 2006, the James Beard Foundation awarded Chef Iuzzini “Pastry Chef of the Year” and he has made several appearances on television. I’m most familiar with his appearance as the head judge of Bravo’s Top Chef Just Desserts for two seasons; I can not deny…I love desserts!
Because I know that my readers are not just limited to Denver I always ask for a recipe to share so that those reading this who can not attend a local event at least have what they have come here expecting. ME!! Or, I mean food; Chef Iuzinni has graciously shared this recipe for Salted Fudge Cookies. Definitely an ‘oh my’ moment.
In case you haven’t heard, Denver was hit with our biggest snowstorm of the season this past weekend measuring almost 2 feet of the white stuff in my neighborhood. While it was already starting to melt when I got this late invite and some recipe suggestions, I was hesitant to travel to the local market for provisions; go on, call me a chicken.
The shoe absolutely fits. I can drive in the snow. I’m not sure a lot of others can! Anyway, with a full pantry I was determined to use it and make something that wouldn’t require a specialty item.
I spied these cookies and that was that. I’ve had a favorite recipe for 30 years from a friend in NC that she called Baked Fudge and I had high hopes it would remind me of Chris’ treat; something we all know well but with an unexpected twist. I wasn’t disappointed.
These cookies are all chocolate and eggs and very little flour resulting in a truly fudgy interior surrounded by a thin crispy outside layer with a touch of Maldon Sea Salt. I must admit I’m not normally fond of anything all chocolate.
I like chocolate cake with a contrasting frosting and the same with brownies. But these were so good; fudgy, thin, chewy and crispy; so many dimensions in one simple cookie. The only thing I struggled with (and it wasn’t the altitude!) was the dough.
This combination of ingredients makes for a thick dough and Chef Iuzinni suggests piping it through a half inch pastry tip. I gave my hands quite the workout this morning with that method.
Since the cookies all sort of melt into a circle anyway, I think it easier to just dollop a large tablespoon of the dough onto your silpat or parchment paper and press down slightly. If you could have seen the pastry bag and spoons and the dough ALL over my fingers you would agree!
Still, it was a learning experience and one I’m glad I took on. I simply love the finished treat; that slightly crispy exterior with a touch of salt just makes them. Now you need to.
If you’re local, come join us this Saturday, April 23rd at 12pm in Macy’s Home Department on the 3rd floor. If you’re not and you want to check out the chefs who are a part of Macy’s Culinary Council you’ll find several recipes from each are online for you to try at home. Either way? Try these cookies. If you love chocolate, they are a real delight!
PIN IT! ‘Salted Fudge Cookies’
Salted Fudge Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. instant espresso powder
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- Fleur de sel or other flaked sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Fill a small saucepan with water 1/3 full and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Put the semi sweet and unsweetened chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and set it over the water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture over the pan to keep hot.
- Meanwhile, in a standing mixer with the whisk, whip the eggs, sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla until very thick, about 10 minutes. Gently fold the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs and transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl .
- Put the flour, baking powder, and salt into a fine strainer and sift about 1/3 of it over the chocolate mixture. Gently fold until nearly combined. Sift another 1/3 of the dry ingredients over the bowl and fold; sift the remaining flour over the batter and fold until streaky; add the chocolate chips and fold gently until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Transfer the batter to a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe rounds of dough about 1.5 inches in diameter about 1 1/2 inches apart on the lined sheets. (you can also use two spoons to do this). Sprinkle some fleur de sel over each cookie.
- Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until just set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on the pan.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
wow what a great recipe, i will try it on thanksgiving day surely.
I think they call April the cruelest month because of late season snow storms like that. Oh, and taxes. 🙁 Anyway, great looking cookies. I’m drooling!
The only saving grace is that almost 2 feet of snow has whittled down to a mere 6 inches or so with some warmer weather. Not warm mind you but warmer. I’m ready for spring!