These caramel cookies are one of my favorite desserts. They're more biscuit than cookie; they come out a bit firm and crunchy, but still chewy and buttery. Honestly I have no idea how to describe them, except for saying they're good. Really good. The recipe comes from Bon Appetit Desserts by Barbara Fairchild - an amazing book with hundreds of superb recipes. I'm mostly copying it here for my amusement (I like pictures, and there sadly are none for this recipe in the book), and for easier access (that book is...hefty) but I stick to her recipe exactly. Anyways, here it is!
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup (1.5 packets) unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
To Make:
~ 30 mins
- Add sugar and water to a medium pot, and place over low heat.
- Cut the vanilla bean in half, and then split lengthwise. Use a small sharp knife to scrape the seeds from within into the pot.
- Stir until sugar is dissolved, and then increase heat to boil.
- Once boiling, swirl pot occasionally and brush the sides with water-dampened pastry brush to prevent sugar crystallization. Watch for mixture to turn amber colored - which usually takes around 8-10 minutes.
- Use the down time to cut the butter into small cubes, to make mixing easier later.
- Around the 10 minute mark your mixture should turn amber. Be careful - this is a very quick process once started (sugar burns quickly!)
This change happened within about 10 seconds...a few more seconds and it would be burnt!
- Whisk until cream is combined with caramel, then add the butter a few cubes at a time, until fully incorporated.
- Set aside for 5-10 minutes, until you don't feel heat rising from it any longer. This is to let the butter settle a bit into the mixture. (I tend to err closer to 10; if it's not cooled down enough, the dough will remain too buttery in the end.)
- Once cooled, add 1/4 tsp salt and the 2 packed tbsps of brown sugar, and mix. Then add flour - a bit at a time - and mix to incorporate. (If you're feeling truly stellar you can sift the flour before adding).
- Once done, turn over onto a (optionally lightly floured) surface, cut into two equal pieces and mold into roughly 9"-long tubes. Cover in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight to harden.
To Bake:
~15 mins
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Cut dough into pieces roughly 1/8 inch thick, and place on tray lined with cookie sheet.
Leave a bit of room in between, but don't worry too much - these cookies don't spread much.
- Bake for 13 minutes, until cookies are a slightly darker caramel brown.
- Let cool for a bit before eating, to get the best flavor and texture. Then, enjoy!
