Tooting your own horn

When someone says "Not to toot my horn," you always know they're about to toot their own horn. Mom recently got a text from Cassie saying, "Not to toot my horn or anything but I'm killing it" at FSU. Cassie had done well in a bassoon class and gotten good feedback and grades on some assignments. But that's to be celebrated and not hidden away under false modesty. I say go ahead and toot your own horn (or bassoon)!

Grandpa Guy, one of the all-time great own-horn tooters (it was part of the job description), spent months trying to get Uncle Bob to put on his college applications that he was an "ambidextrous ping pong player." Maybe not the best advice, but the milieu was certainly appropriate, as touting your own accomplishments on college applications is the quintessential example of when tooting your own horn is not only appropriate, but required, as you've all come to find out.

In that spirit, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I make some dang good cookies. There are, of course, the holy grail of chocolate chip cookies. For Brad's birthday the weekend before last, I made his favorite cookies—Cranberry and White Chocolate Chip Cookies. Poor Cassie heard about the cookies and put in an order (more like a plea, really). Today, I finally had a chance to bake some cookies and get a care package together. In addition to Brad's cookies, I made some of these, too, which are another favorite that I think Uncle Clint is especially fond of, given the coffee component. I figured they might be good for a new college student staying up too late to get all her homework done, even if she is killing it. Let me know if they get there in one piece and still relatively fresh.

The vigorish

 

 

 

 

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Adapted from Kelsey Banfield and Food52

150 grams (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
32 grams (6 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon (6 grams) instant espresso powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
9 tablespoons (125 grams) unsalted butter, softened
100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
100 grams (½ cup) light brown sugar
1 egg (~57 grams in the shell), room temperature
170 grams (1 cups) semisweet chocolate chunks or chips

    1. Place racks in center of oven, and heat to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
    2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and baking soda.
    3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and mix well to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
    4. Stir in the dry ingredients on low speed, mixing until just combined; do not overbeat. Stir in the chocolate chunks or chips.
    5. Drop the dough onto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart (a #40 cookie scoop works well here). Bake right away or, if possible, let the dough rest for a couple of hours in the fridge. Bake until the cookies look dry on top and are relatively firm, but still give a little, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about two dozen cookies.