While I am taking care of my husband after his stroke, some of my friends have generously offered to help me out with the blog. Thanks for understanding my sporadic posting and have fun discovering these incredibly talented food writers and recipe developers. Enjoy!
Today’s recipe is from my lovely friend Sabrina Modelle, the creator and author of The Tomato Tart food blog. Sabrina shares recipes that are always handmade, homemade, creative, and delicious as well as being gluten-free!
A few years ago Sabrina belonged to a group of bloggers who took vintage recipes and recreated them with a new twist. They had to change at least three things while staying true to the intent of the original recipe. I adore this concept and may just borrow it for future recipes. How fun would that be!
For this recipe the team began with the classic Toll House Cookies (still one of my favorites) from The Second For Treasury of Favorite Recipes from Famous Eating Places. Sabrina’s twist was to create a whole new flavor profile by using browned butter, smoked sea salt, and a bit of mesquite flour. I cannot WAIT to make them!!
Sabrina is one of the most creative cooks I know, just look at her interpretations of these other vintage recipes … Donut Vodka, Sopapillas with Drunken Berries, and Bacon and Escarole Custard. WOW!
Perfectly browned butter
While thinking about how to transform the Toll House classic, she considered adding bacon, but that’s been done before. Then she hit on browned butter – in her opinion (and mine) the single best liquid aside from vintage champagne. Then she took a look in her pantry and found some smoked sea salt and gluten-free mesquite flour. When she put them all together, she had created a new magical chocolate chip cookie!
I haven’t played with mesquite flour yet, but after reading the description on Mesquite Flour.com “… (It) has a sweet, earthy taste with notes of cinnamon, molasses, and caramel. Its aroma is vaguely reminiscent of warm gingerbread …” Who wouldn’t want to bake with this flour!
Now, let’s take a look at this amazing recipe of Sabrina’s!
Hot from the oven!
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter- browned, then chilled
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend (Sabrina used Cup4Cup)
- 1/4 cup mesquite flour
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt + more for sprinkling
- 1-1/4 cups chocolate (I used a mix of 72% and 61%) chopped into varying sized pieces
- To make brown butter, cut butter into chunks, and heat in a heavy stainless steel skillet over medium heat. It will bubble and spit, and make lots of noise. Don’t be afraid, but do be patient. Eventually, your butter will turn light golden brown, and then voila, dark amber, nutty brown. That’s right where you want it. Pour your brown butter (plus all the good brown bits from the pan) into a bowl and pop into the freezer for at least 15 minutes. It needs to firm up so you can scoop it with a spoon.
- Adjust the oven rack to the top 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 350º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat the sugars and butter together until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Stir together the flours baking soda and salt, then mix them into the batter. Add chocolate chunks and stir to incorporate.
- Scoop the cookie dough into balls and place 9 balls on each of the baking sheets. Smoosh the dough balls on cookie sheet and freeze for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight. Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden brown (if fully frozen, they will take longer).
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle hot cookies with smoked sea salt. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for five minutes, then transfer to cool completely on a wire rack.
Thanks for a delightful recipe Sabrina – it is the perfect Chocolate Monday treat!
To learn more about Sabrina, follow her food adventures, and discover her delicious recipes, make sure you visit The Tomato Tart and subscribe so you don’t miss any postings!
Keep in touch with Sabrina on Social Media: Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Google+ | LinkedIn
Create a New Tradition Today!
Let’s connect! If you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, need to alter a recipe for gluten-free, or want recipe suggestions, don’t hesitate to email me. Feel free to quote me, just give credit where credit is due, link to the recipe, and send people to my website. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me.
The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. It is the reader’s sole responsibility to determine which foods are appropriate and safe for their family to consume. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site. Please see the Disclaimers page for additional details.
Thanks for joining the Heritage Cook Family!
