Cookies: Chocolate Chip Hazelnut
by Lishka DeVoss

YIELD 30 to 35 cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
8 ounces butter, softened (if salted, use less kosher salt)
1.5 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
one 5.3oz bar bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (chunks and shavings)
1/2 pound hazelnuts (skinned, toasted and chopped)

PREPARATION FOR THE HAZELNUTS:

1. In a medium saucepan with high sides (to prevent foam from spilling over), start boiling 4 cups of water.

2. In the meantime, prepare:
• a small bowl of cold water
• a large bowl of cold water
• a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper

3. When your water is finally boiling, add 3 tablespoons of baking soda and marvel at the foam for a second or two.

4. Quickly add the hazelnuts and boil them for about 3 minutes. (The water will turn black. Marvel some more.)

5. In the meantime, turn on the oven to 350°F.

6. After three minutes, put a test nut into the small bowl of cold water. If the skin doesn’t come off easily using your fingers, keep boiling for another minute and test another nut.

7. When the skin rubs right off, drain and rinse the nuts in a colander and put them in the large bowl of cold water. Peel quickly, placing the peeled nuts back into the colander.

8. When they’re all peeled, if needed, rinse briefly again (to get any remaining skin flecks off). Then put the hazelnuts on a clean kitchen towel (that could get stained a bit) or some paper towels — dry thoroughly — and place them on the sheet pan.

9. Toast in the oven for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool before chopping.

PREPARATION FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH:

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

2. In another bowl, use a potato masher to cream the butter and sugars until fluffy.

3. Cream in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla.

4. Add the flour mixture all at once and combine with a spatula until a dough forms.

5. Alternately, fold in the chocolate and hazelnuts.

6. Chill the dough for at least an hour before baking any cookies.

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Place golfball-size lumps of dough on a baking sheet — spaced 3 inches apart — and flatten with your hand to a thickness of about 1/2-inch. (Chill the dough between batches.)

3. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a baking rack. Store in an airtight container only after completely cooled.

Updated 2024-09-17

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