May there be peace...

Peace wasn't exactly the right word to describe everybody's mood last week. With the news of war, suicide bombers that killed hundreds in the middle east and something closer which impacted us more, the Virginia Tech Massacre. I wonder what it takes to have every habitatants of this earth to live peacefully with one another.

But actually, I don't have to look far. I myself sometime bear grudges for something that people did or said to me. Most of the time unintentionally. Maybe if I could be more forgiving and loving, I will make this a better place to stay for myself and those around me.

In light of all these conflicts going on around us, I pull out a recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours, which was aptly named as World Peace cookies. According to Dorie's neighbour who has tried this cookies, a daily dose of these cookies everyday would ensure "planetary peace and happiness". Who knows, maybe chocolate and sugar could be the answer of tribal hatred, bitterness and loneliness?



World Peace Cookies
adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dutch processed cocoa powder)
1/2 tsp baking soda
11 tbsps unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup packed, light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp fleur de sel or 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips

Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking soda together.

Working with a mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, salt and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer, pour in the dry ingredients. Pulse the mixture at low speed for 5 times, with one to two seconds each time, until the flour disappear into the dough. Try to work the dough as little as possible for better texture. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a piece of saran wrap, roughly shape it into a log, approximately 1.5 inch.

tip:For perfect round, I split the paper towel core to half in the center, and place the wrapped dough in the center. Tie the paper core on both ends and freeze the perfect round dough in the freezer until ready to bake.
Slice the dough into 1/2 inch rounds, don't be concerned if the dough crack as you cut them, simply squeeze the bits back to the cookies.

Tip:To minimize crack, try to cut the chocolate chunks into smaller chips, that way the chocolate can disperse more evenly into the dough. Also, if you put the dough in freezer, wait about 5 minutes to let the dough soften a bit.

Bake at 325F for 12 minutes. They won't look done nor firm, but that's the way they should be. Transfer the cool.