Dulce de Leche Chocolate Chip Cookies

• porcije: 38 Cookies

Sastojci

226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter

325 g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) dulce de leche, either homemade or store-bought*

147 g (⅔ cup) light brown sugar** (packed if measuring by volume)

15 g (1 tablespoon) water

14 g (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon salt (I use Diamond Crystal Kosher; use half with finely granulated salt)

¼ teaspoon baking soda

275 g (2⅓ Cups)*** all-purpose flour, unbleached (this amount depends on the type of dulce de leche)

113 g (4 ounces, or approximately ¾ cup) Nestle's chocolate chips or add-ins****

113 g (4 ounces, or approximately ¾ cup) chopped chocolate, from a bar (I used Girardelli Bittersweet Morsels 60% Cacao)

CHECK YOUR DULCE DE LECHE.

DETERMINE HOW MUCH FLOUR TO USE BASED ON YOUR DULCE DE LECHE:

IF USING NESTLÉ CANNED DULCE DE LECHE WITH AGAR → USE 245 G (2 CUPS) FLOUR.

• • IF USING A NESTLÉ SQUEEZE BOTTLE OR DULCE DE LECHE WITHOUT AGAR → USE 275 Gm (2⅓ C) FLOUR.

Upute

Prep the pans, oven, and the chocolate.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. If using a chocolate bar, chop into ½-inch (1 cm) chunks and set aside.

Brown the butter.

Melt butter in a light-colored pan over medium-low heat. Swirl as it foams and watch for the milk solids to turn medium brown; be careful as they burn easily. Immediately pour into a mixing bowl, scraping all the browned bits with a spatula.

Add dulce de leche and brown sugar to melted butter.

Stir with a spatula first to allow the hot butter to cool slightly.

Add the flavoring ingredients and mix.

Add the water, vanilla extract, salt, and baking soda to the bowl. With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (a metal one with no silicone works best), mix to combine slowly at first, then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 5-8 minutes. Scrape down the bowl a few times to ensure all the butterfat from the edges of the bowl will incorporate. When done, the batter should be grainy and thick with no separation of butterfat. I mixed on medium speed for probably 8-10 minutes. Then I cranked it up to high speed, to guarantee the emulsion, for another 3-4 minutes.

Do not undermix for this step. The butterfat emulsifies with the dulce de leche, which takes effort and time. Ultimately, your mixture should be slightly lighter in color with no separation of melted butterfat. Take a spatula and watch it fall off - it should be creamy and thick, leaving no greasy residue. You can check my photographs above to see what it should look like.

Add the flour.

(Reminder: If you use dulce de leche from a can with “agar,” please add only 245 Gm (2 C) of flour. All other types of dulce de leche, including homemade or Nestle from a squeeze bottle, can use the original amount of 275 Gm (2⅓ C)of flour.))Be careful not to overmeasure your flour, as it can make a tough cookie that doesn’t spread. Stir in gently using a rubber spatula. I mixed the flour in with the mixer on low speed, being careful not to over-mix.

Add the chocolate chips/chunks to the dough.

Fold in with a rubber spatula. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, which helps thicken it.

• • Scoop and bake.

Portion the dough onto the parchment-lined trays using a 2-tablespoon scoop (also labeled #30 scoop).

Bake for about 10 minutes 15 seconds (remember that if you use a scoop of a different size than mine, you’ll have to adjust the timing).

If you have only one tray, bake the sheets one at a time, allowing them to cool before baking the next round. To help the sheets cool quickly, I run them under cold water for a few seconds until I can touch them, wipe them dry, and place the parchment back on.

The cookies are done when spread into flat circles and are slightly puffy. Allow them to cool on their trays for about 2 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once they cool, store them in an airtight container to maintain their moisture.

Bilješke

From Sugarologie: https://www.sugarologie.com/recipes/dulce-delicious-chocolate-chip-cookies

Storage and make ahead notes:

The cookies may seem a little greasy and/or soft right after baking; don't worry—that's normal. There's a good amount of butterfat in the cookie, which is liquid at high temperatures. The cookie will be soft and chewy as it cools and not feel greasy. These are best enjoyed within 3 days of baking. Freshly baked cookies are always awesome, but I prefer these cookies the day after they've been baked. They have the perfect chewy texture, and the flavor intensifies a bit. This works well for me when I have to bake for events, as they store incredibly well.

Adriana's Notes

*Please read my intro to ensure you are using the correct dulce de leche for this recipe as not all kinds are compatible.

**Use light brown sugar unless you are using the C&H brand, in which case you can use either light or dark.

***If you are using dulce de leche from a can that has “agar”, please add only 245 Gm of flour. All other types of dulce de leche, including homemade or Nestle from a squeeze bottle can use the original amount of 275 Gm.

We need this modification because agar is a thickener in this context, so we need to compensate by adding less flour, allowing the cookie to spread properly.

****This cookie tastes incredible when you add other ingredients that also undergo the Maillard reaction. My favorites are chopped Heath bars, pretzels, caramelized white chocolate, roasted pecans, or salted caramel chips from Trader Joe’s. If you use any of these ingredients, sub them in for a portion of the chocolate chips.

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