The Metropolitan Bakery has been providing Philadelphia and surrounding areas with handmade rustic artisan breads and goodies since 1993. Hailing from the area myself, I was pleased to happen upon this sepia toned cookbook a couple years ago. I've always been fond of Metropolitan Bakery's breads and make it a point to go to one of their store when I visit Philadelphia.
Most frequently, I visit their spot at Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market. The breads, pastries and cookies are among the best I've ever tasted (and I've been discovering and tasting a few here in Northern Virginia!). Most recently, I bought 2 large slightly crunchy cookies which were delicious. So, I'm on a mission to hone my baking skills with this book (among others) which contains over 100 recipes from rustic breads to brioche to cookies. Additionally, there are add -ons to the baking recipes such as jams, chutneys and spreads ranging from sweet to savory.
Today, I started with something approachable for me; cookies. Who doesn't like a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie, right? This recipe got my attention because it has nuts, which I love, and oats. But instead of being a traditional chocolate chip oatmeal cookie, this recipe calls for the oats to be processed into a flour-like consistency. Along with roasting the nuts and using, well let's face it, a lot of butter! this cookie turned out aromatic and crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. I'd put it up there with the best of them!
(Yes, that's 3 sticks of butter. Move along now, nothing to see here...keep reading)I hope you like them too.
Here's the recipe. I altered it slightly. In parenthesis is what I used due to not having all the chocolate on hand. Frankly, I wouldn't change a thing. Feel free to use the original recipe, or my alterations.
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup old fashioned oats (I used Quaker oats because I bought a barrel of it at Costco)
3 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk chocolate chunks (processed 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups bittersweet chocolate chunks ( I used 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels and it seemed like plenty)
1 1/2 cup pecans, toasted* and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted* and roughly chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 2 large baking pans with parchment paper or non-stick sheet (I found the parchment allowed the cookies to rise a bit more)
In a food processor, grind the oats until they become fine like flour (1)
In a large bowl, combine:
ground oats
flour
baking powder
baking soda
salt
1 cup of chocolate chunks which has been grated over small holes ( I used the food processor again, pulsing it until the morsels became fine) (2)
In an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg has been added. (3)
Beat in vanilla.
Place mixture on low and add flour mix until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chunks/morsels, pecans and walnuts.
Drop dough in 2 tablespoon portions onto parchment lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between dough. Bake in middle of oven for 10 minutes. Rotate sheets from top and bottom, and the bottom to the top for even baking. Bake an additional 6 minutes. Cookies should be light golden brown(4). Transfer to cooling rack. Repeat until all dough is done.
*To roast nuts, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread nuts on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes(5). Allow to cool and rough chop.
(1) Oats before and after grinding.
(2) Chocolate morsels after grinding.
(4) Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugars.
(5) After nuts have cooled, rough chop before folding into cookie dough mixture.
Now being that this recipe made between 50-60 cookies - share with your friends!
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