Sunday, February 7, 2010

Saucepan Fudge Drops


While looking for baking inspiration a few days ago, I pulled Bittersweet off of my bookshelf. I hadn't baked anything from it in a long time, and I was on a chocolate roll, so I was hoping to stumble upon something I would want to make.

I looked in the index under "cookies" and saw the title of this recipe, which I had somehow never noticed before. The name intrigued me. Then I looked at the recipe, and was even more intrigued by the method as well as the ingredients. I knew I had to make them.

These are the cookies you make when you want a brownie. Of course, you could just make brownies, but these are so easy and delicious and versatile why not make them instead?!

The cookie is crunchy on the outside, and incredibly fudgy on the inside. It has a slightly sandy texture, because the sugar never has a chance to melt, and a deep chocolate flavor. These would be incredible for ice cream sandwiches. Despite their soft, almost gooey interior, they aren't fragile in the least. They are similar to these cookies I made several months ago, but they have a greater textural difference between the center and the edges, and that makes them even better.

They are so fast and easy to put together, they would make a great last-minute treat for the big game!


Saucepan Fudge Drops
adapted from Bittersweet by Alice Medrich


1 cup unbleached white flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
1/3 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350, with racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl, and set aside. Place butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted and sizzling. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa until smooth. Add sugars and stir until blended - mixture will be stiff and sandy at this point. Stir in yogurt and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. You'll want to work quickly, here. If you take too much tim, the batter will thicken as it cools, resulting in a thicker and less attractive cookie. Bake until cookies look dry on top and are cracked all over, but are still slightly soft when pressed, 10-12 minutes. Rotate baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back about half way through to ensure even baking. Slide the parchment, cookies and all onto racks to cool.

13 comments:

  1. Thanks Sarah, now I got to bake today! ; )

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  2. These look like something the guys would really like. Not today, of course, too many ballgames and too much company, but soon, very very soon. Thanks, stealing this one.

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  3. Yum, these would be VERY popular with Shane! They look so rich and delicious. I've been trying to figure out what to make him for Valentine's Day, I may have an answer :)

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  4. Oh my goodness -- these sound wonderful. Especially the crispy-outside-fudgy-inside part.

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  5. I haven't made anything from Bittersweet in a while, either. I love the hot chocolate recipe. These cookies look yummy; maybe I'll make them once we finish off the TWD brownies. =)

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  6. These sound wonderful I love what yogurt does in a baked treat, I can't wait to try these. Thanks for sharing. Peace, Stephanie
    PS I made the coconut cake with chocolate chunks, that you recently posted, today...it is cooling now, smells heavenly!

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  7. So cool! I've never heard of making cookies in a saucepan. These look fantastic.

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  8. Stephanie, I'm so glad you made the coconut cake, I can't wait to hear what you thought of it!

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  9. For some reason brownies seem like so much more of a production than cookies, some brownies are so involved, like the TWD ones. This would be a much more sane alternative; thanks for the post; I'll get that cookbook some day.

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  10. I love a good cookie. I make a similar one. Bring on the chocolate!

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  11. Hmmmm - I love a cookie that is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. These look wonderful.

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  12. Tried these today with a little alteration...I used buttermilk (no yogurt in the fridge) and I left the pan over a low flame as I mixed in the sugar and then the buttermilk/vanilla mixture. That melted the sugar a bit and mine were not grainy...crunchy on the outside and chewy, fudgy in the center...yum. Thanks.

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  13. I love old stuff online. :_D

    I just made these substituting buttermilk for yogurt, as I never keep it in the fridge. I also did the above alteration, adding the sugar while the saucepan was over medium heat.

    I forgot to time, so I think I may have slightly undercooked as they were not very crunchy on the outside. Very fudgy though. I'm going to bookmark this recipe for nights when I want to make something in under 30 minutes. :) Thanks!

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