Baltimore Berger Cookies Recipe 395 Food

COPYCAT BERGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Position oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat butter, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add egg; beat on low until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Alternately add flour and milk on low speed, beginning and ending with flour, until just combined.
• Drop slightly rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Roll dough with floured hands into balls, then gently flatten each ball to a 1 1/2-inch wide circle.
• Bake in the preheated oven, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown on bottoms, about 10 minutes. Place pans on wire racks; let cool completely on pans, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 1 inch of water in a small saucepan to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium. Place chocolate chips, cream, corn syrup, and vanilla for icing in a medium, heat-proof bowl; place bowl over simmering water in the saucepan; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from heat; whisk in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and salt until smooth and thickened, 2 minutes.
• Dip the flat side of each cookie into the warm icing; return to the baking sheet, chocolate-side up. Let cookies and chocolate cool slightly, uncovered, to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Spread remaining icing evenly over chocolate-dipped cookie tops (about 1 tablespoon each). Let sit at room temperature, until icing is completely set, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

BALTIMORE'S BERGER FINEST COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F
• Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
• To make the cookies: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, salt, vanilla, and baking powder.
• Beat in the sugar, then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add the flour to the wet ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Do this gently; there's no need to beat the batter.
• Using a muffin scoop, or a 1/4-cup measure, drop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Flatten each mound of dough to a circle about 3" across; wet your fingers or a knife, or grease the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup to do this. Leave 2" to 2 ½" between each cookie, for expansion.
• Bake the cookies for about 11 minutes, or until they're a mottled brown on the bottom (carefully tilt one up to look), but not colored on top.
• You may see the barest hint of browning around the edges, but these cookies are supposed to be soft and cake-like, so don't over-bake them. Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
• To make the icing: Place the chocolate chips, baking chocolate, corn syrup, butter, and cream into a large microwave-safe bowl, or into a large saucepan.
• Heat the mixture till it's very hot; the cream will start to form bubbles.
• Remove from the heat, and stir until smooth.
• Let cool to room temperature; this will take at least a couple of hours, so plan accordingly.
• When completely cool, beat with an electric mixer for 6 to 7 minutes, until the icing lightens in color just a bit, and thickens just slightly.
• Spread each cookie with a generous 3 tablespoons icing (about 42g, about 1 1/2 ounces), leaving ¼" bare around the outside edge of each cookie.
• A heaped tablespoon cookie scoop works very well here.
• It'll feel like you're piling on a lot of icing; that's precisely the point!
• Allow to set, then store airtight in a single layer.
• Yield: 2 dozen 3 ½" cookies.