Friday, December 2, 2011

CHEWY CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES

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In December of 2009, I made a scaled-down version of the Four Seasons Hotel Chocolate Ginger Cookies, thanks to Kristin of the Schell Cafe blog who was able to track down the chef and get the recipe.  She then worked it down to a sizeable batch for home cooks.  The cookies are amazing – crispy edges with chocolaty chewy centers that have a nice zing from the ginger. 

Today’s cookie is from Martha Stewart.  After I made them and compared her recipe with the Four Seasons Hotel’s cookie, I realized that they were the same.  Martha cut the recipe in half,  switched the chocolate chips to chunks and added some freshly grated ginger, but everything else is identical.  This makes me wonder how many TV and internet chefs are taking recipes from bloggers without giving proper credit. 

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Source:  Martha Stewart???
Rating:  9.0 out of 10
Click for PRINTABLE PAGE


INGREDIENTS:
7 oz. best-quality semisweet chocolate
1-1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar (I used sanding sugar.)



Line baking sheets with parchment.  Chop chocolate into 1/4” chunks; set aside.  In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes.  Add brown sugar, beat until combined.  Add molasses; beat until combined.

In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in –1-1/2 tsp. boiling water.  Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture.  Beat in baking soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture.  Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap.  Pat dough out to about 1” thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.

Heat oven to 325F.  Roll dough into 1-1/2” balls; place 2” apart on baking sheets.  Refrigerate 20 minutes.  Roll in granulated sugar.  Bake until surfaces crack slightly, 10-12 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes on pans; transfer to wire rack to cool completely.  Yield:  about 2 dozen

7 comments:

Diane said...

I only had to read the name of this recipe and my mouth started watering!!! Diane

Coleens Recipes said...

I agree, after ready chewy and chocolate, I was hooked. These sound fanastic.

Penny said...

This made my laugh! Shame on Martha. The cookies look amazing and I think I will try them this year. Thanks Judy

Chats the Comfy Cook said...

Check the printable recipe. I got a chicken recipe that looked great but was not a cookie.

I compare recipes, sometimes, because they are so familiar and have found similar results, to you. How many ways are there to make certain dishes? I think, this is what happens because of limitations.

Judy said...

I fixed the printable recipe, thanks for the heads up. You're probably right about the recipe. It's just that I tend to not trust Martha. LOL

MelindaRD said...

These look and sound awesome. Two of my favorites all in one!

Rita said...

These cookies are really interesting..Chocolate with ginger; never thought of this; now I am intrigued.
Rita