Here’s a kitchen sink recipe inspired by a beloved Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. The fudgy chocolate cookies are studded with white and dark chocolate chunks, pecans, walnuts and chocolate-covered almonds. Each one is topped with a homemade meringue marshmallow and toasted until gooey and golden brown.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | Makes 7 cookies |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (95 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (40 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 grams) baking soda
- 6 tablespoons (80 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons (15 grams) vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 large egg (35 grams), at room temperature (see Cook’s Note)
- 1/3 cup (60 grams) dark chocolate chunks
- 1/3 cup (60 grams) white chocolate chunks or chopped white chocolate
- 1/4 cup (20 grams) pecans, chopped, plus 7 whole pecans for the tops of the cookies
- 1/4 cup (20 grams) walnuts, chopped, plus 7 whole walnuts for the tops of the cookies
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 7 chocolate-covered almonds, for the tops of the cookies
- 4 sheets (10 grams) silver leaf gelatin
- 1 cup (230 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) water
- 2 tablespoons (50 grams) light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon (7.5 grams) vanilla bean paste
- 3 large egg whites (90 grams)
- Pinch cream of tartar
Instructions
- For the fudgy chocolate cookies: Sift the flour with the cocoa powder and baking soda in a large bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter, brown and granulated sugars and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste and egg and mix to combine. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add the dark and white chocolate chunks and chopped pecans and walnuts and mix until just combined. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface, then cover the bowl with another piece of plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or 320 degrees F if using a convection oven). Line a sheet pan with parchment. Grease seven 3 1/2-inch-diameter tart rings with nonstick cooking spray and place on the prepared sheet pan.
- Portion the dough into 7 balls, each about 1/4 cup (75 grams), and place one in the center of each tart ring. Press down to flatten the dough slightly, then arrange 1 each of the chocolate-covered almonds and whole walnuts and pecans on the top. Bake until the internal temperature is 195 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 14 to 16 minutes. The cookies should have puffed slightly and the tops should be matte when done. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet pan, then transfer to a wire rack and unmold from the rings once the cookies are cool enough to handle.
- For the marshmallow topping: Bloom the gelatin in a medium bowl of ice water for 5 minutes until softened, then drain well.
- Heat the granulated sugar, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and then stop stirring and continue to cook, washing down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush, until the temperature reaches 230 degrees F, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Once the temperature of the sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees F, begin whipping the egg whites and cream of tartar in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until medium peaks, about 1 minute (see Cook’s Note).
- Continue to cook the sugar syrup, washing down the sides of the pan, until it reaches a final temperature of 255 degrees F. When it is almost ready, microwave the gelatin for 10 seconds on high in a heatproof bowl to melt it.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle the 255-degrees F sugar syrup into the egg whites. Pour in the gelatin and whip on medium-high speed until thickened and cooled (the sides of the bowl should only be warm to the touch), about 8 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste and whisk to combine. You want to be able to pipe the meringue marshmallow through a piping bag, so it should hold a stiff peak when the whisk attachment is turned upside down.
- Add the marshmallow to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1-inch or larger round pastry tip. Pipe a large mound of marshmallow on the top of each cookie, then brulee lightly with a kitchen blow torch.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 7 servings |
| Calories | 632 |
| Total Fat | 29 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 91 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 64 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 43 mg |
| Sodium | 343 mg |