Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are the size of your palm, with thick, chewy edges, soft centers, and big chocolate chunks. It’s surprising just how delicious this whole-wheat version of an old classic is. This cookie is made with 100% whole-wheat flour, which gives it a distinctive, nutty taste. Use a good bittersweet chocolate for these cookies, as the flavor of high-quality chocolate pairs best with whole-wheat flour.

For the dry mix:

• 
  
  3 cups whole-wheat flour
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  
  

For the wet mix:

• 
  
  8 oz. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup dark brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup sugar
  
  


• 
  
  2 eggs
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped into 1/4- and 1/2-inch pieces
  
  

Place two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Although you can butter the sheets instead, parchment is useful for these cookies because the large chunks of chocolate can stick to the pan.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredients that may remain in the sifter.

Add the butter and the sugars to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, mix just until the butter and sugars are blended, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and blend on low speed until the flour is barely combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add the chocolate all at once to the batter. Mix on low speed until the chocolate is evenly combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then scrape the batter out onto a work surface, and use your hands to fully incorporate all the ingredients.

Scoop mounds of dough about 3 Tbs. in size onto the baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between them, or about 6 to a sheet.

Bake the cookies for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies are evenly dark brown. Transfer the cookies, still on the parchment, to the counter to cool, and repeat with the remaining dough.

Basic Ganache

• 
  
  12 oz. semisweet chocolate (55% to 60% cacao), coarsely chopped or broken into pieces (2 slightly heaping cups)
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup heavy cream
  
  

Grind the chocolate in a food processor until it reaches the consistency of coarse meal, about 30 seconds.

Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the cream to the food processor and process until smooth, about 10 seconds.

If not using right away, transfer the ganache to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. To reheat, warm it gently in a double boiler or in the microwave.

Chocolate Babka

This is the ultimate in yeasted coffee cakes. Eastern European in origin, it's made with a yeasted dough enriched with butter and eggs. The dough is left to rise overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, it's rolled out, slathered with more butter, and dusted with sugar, chocolate, and nuts. The adorned dough is rolled into a log, cut into spirals, and fitted, free-form, into a tube or Bundt pan. After baking, those spirals give the babka its delicious nooks and crannies filled with melting chocolate and crunchy nuts, which make for an amazing breakfast cake.

For the sponge:

• 
  
  1 package active dry yeast
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup whole milk
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. honey
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup Kamut flour
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup millet flour
  
  

For the dough:

• 
  
  2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for mixing
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  3 eggs
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
  

To finish the babka:

• 
  
  Butter and sugar for the pan
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup pecan halves
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped into 1/4- and 1/2-inch pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  2 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
  

Make the sponge:

Pour the yeast into the bowl of a standing mixer. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat to a temperature that is warm to the touch, about 100°F, and pour it over the yeast. Stir together with a spoon to combine. Add the honey, Kamut flour, and millet flour and stir again. Add the all-purpose flour to the top of the sticky dough, then the salt. Do not stir. Let the sponge sit for approximately 30 minutes, until the flour begins to crack and the sponge seeps upward.

Make the dough:

While the sponge sits, set the eggs, in their shells, into a bowl of hot water to bring them to room temperature.

After 30 minutes, crack the eggs and add them to the sponge. Put the bowl onto the mixer with the hook attachment and mix on low until the flour is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Watch the dough to see if it’s sticking to the sides. If it is, add additional allpurpose flour, 1 Tbs. at a time—it may take as much as 1/2 cup until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Once the dough has formed a cohesive mass and is pulling away from the sides, turn the mixer to medium and set a 5-minute timer. The dough will be moister than many bread doughs and will mostly cohere around the hook, occasionally letting off a tail of dough. Listen for the slapping noises as the dough goes around and around, releasing and incorporating the tail of dough. Halfway through the mixing time, stop the mixer and scrape the dough thoroughly from the hook. Mix the dough for 5 minutes more, making sure to set a timer.

After 10 minutes the dough should be a supple, elastic mass. Add the butter 1 Tbs. at a time and mix on medium speed, waiting to add the next piece until the first one is fully incorporated. The dough will come apart and back together again as the butter is incorporated into the dough. Once all the butter is added, the dough should be shiny and soft.

For the first rise, scrape the dough into a buttered bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and leave to rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size. The dough is ready when a floured finger stuck into it leaves an impression. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently fold the dough into itself and gather it back into a ball. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Finish the babka:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan with butter, then lightly dust it with sugar. Toast the pecans in the pan until golden, about 15 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt.

Dust a work surface with flour. Remove the challah dough from the refrigerator, flour the top, and scrape the dough onto the work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour and roll into a rectangle about 10 inches by 16 inches.

Rub the softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the sugar mix over the butter, then break up the pecans a bit and sprinkle them on top of the sugar. Sprinkle the chocolate last. Starting at the 16-inch length, roll the dough into a tight log. Cut the log into 13 pieces, each about 1-1/4 inches thick.

Place the pieces in the pan in a haphazard way, so that as the dough proofs the odd-shaped spaces are filled in. Here is one way: Create the bottom layer by laying 4 circles at the bottom of the pan with the spirals facing up. Set a circle upright in between each of those circles. For the top layer, set 3 circles in areas that will create empty pockets. Slice the last 2 circles in half and fit them into the gaps that remain. Cover the pan with a towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The babka should be a beautiful golden-brown on top and have risen to the top or slightly over the top of the pan. Let it cool slightly, about 15 minutes, before placing a rack on top of the pan and turning the pan upside down to get the babka out of its pan and onto the rack to cool.

Ganache Hot Fudge Sauce

We like to serve this fudge sauce over vanilla or coffee ice cream.

• 
  
  1 recipe Basic Ganache
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
  
  

Make the ganache and add the corn syrup, vanilla, and butter to the warm ganache still in the food processor. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Serve immediately over ice cream, or transfer to a container, cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week. To reheat, pour into a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat.

Caramel-Pecan Brownies

For the brownies

• 
  
  6 oz. (12 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; more softened for the pan
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  4 large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. table salt
  
  


• 
  
  3-3/8 oz. (3/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 oz. (1/4 cup) natural cocoa powder
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
  
  

Tip:

For the best results, measure your flour by weight instead of volume. (1 cup of all-purpose flour equals 4-1/2 oz.) If you don’t have a scale, be sure to use the proper technique when filling your measuring cups.

For the topping

• 
  
  1 recipe Basic Caramel 
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. table salt
  
  

For the garnish

• 
  
  2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
  
  

Make the brownies

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium heavy-duty saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended. Gradually whisk in the sugar and then whisk vigorously until well blended. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk in the flour and cocoa powder until blended. Stir in the pecans and then scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer with a spatula.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and, if necessary, gently press down any puffed areas with a spatula to make the top level. Let cool about 5 minutes.

Make the topping

While the brownies are baking, make the Basic Caramel according to the directions. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the cream—the mixture will bubble up furiously. Once the bubbling has subsided, add the butter and gently whisk until completely melted. Whisk in the vanilla extract and salt. Pour the caramel topping over the brownies, using a spatula to spread it evenly over the entire top. Let the brownies cool on the rack for 45 minutes and then refrigerate until the caramel topping is set, at least 1 hour.

Garnish the brownies

Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate into a small piping bag fitted with a 1/8-inch plain tip. (Or put it in a small zip-top bag and seal the bag. Using scissors, snip off a corner of the bag to make a small hole.) Drizzle the chocolate over the brownies in a zigzag pattern. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Cut the brownies into 36 rectangles. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are the size of your palm, with thick, chewy edges, soft centers, and big chocolate chunks. It’s surprising just how delicious this whole-wheat version of an old classic is. This cookie is made with 100% whole-wheat flour, which gives it a distinctive, nutty taste. Use a good bittersweet chocolate for these cookies, as the flavor of high-quality chocolate pairs best with whole-wheat flour.

For the dry mix:

• 
  
  3 cups whole-wheat flour
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  
  

For the wet mix:

• 
  
  8 oz. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup dark brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup sugar
  
  


• 
  
  2 eggs
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped into 1/4- and 1/2-inch pieces
  
  

Place two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Although you can butter the sheets instead, parchment is useful for these cookies because the large chunks of chocolate can stick to the pan.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredients that may remain in the sifter.

Add the butter and the sugars to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, mix just until the butter and sugars are blended, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and blend on low speed until the flour is barely combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add the chocolate all at once to the batter. Mix on low speed until the chocolate is evenly combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then scrape the batter out onto a work surface, and use your hands to fully incorporate all the ingredients.

Scoop mounds of dough about 3 Tbs. in size onto the baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between them, or about 6 to a sheet.

Bake the cookies for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies are evenly dark brown. Transfer the cookies, still on the parchment, to the counter to cool, and repeat with the remaining dough.

Chocolate Babka

This is the ultimate in yeasted coffee cakes. Eastern European in origin, it's made with a yeasted dough enriched with butter and eggs. The dough is left to rise overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, it's rolled out, slathered with more butter, and dusted with sugar, chocolate, and nuts. The adorned dough is rolled into a log, cut into spirals, and fitted, free-form, into a tube or Bundt pan. After baking, those spirals give the babka its delicious nooks and crannies filled with melting chocolate and crunchy nuts, which make for an amazing breakfast cake.

For the sponge:

• 
  
  1 package active dry yeast
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup whole milk
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. honey
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup Kamut flour
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup millet flour
  
  

For the dough:

• 
  
  2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for mixing
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  3 eggs
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
  

To finish the babka:

• 
  
  Butter and sugar for the pan
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup pecan halves
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped into 1/4- and 1/2-inch pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  2 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
  

Make the sponge:

Pour the yeast into the bowl of a standing mixer. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat to a temperature that is warm to the touch, about 100°F, and pour it over the yeast. Stir together with a spoon to combine. Add the honey, Kamut flour, and millet flour and stir again. Add the all-purpose flour to the top of the sticky dough, then the salt. Do not stir. Let the sponge sit for approximately 30 minutes, until the flour begins to crack and the sponge seeps upward.

Make the dough:

While the sponge sits, set the eggs, in their shells, into a bowl of hot water to bring them to room temperature.

After 30 minutes, crack the eggs and add them to the sponge. Put the bowl onto the mixer with the hook attachment and mix on low until the flour is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Watch the dough to see if it’s sticking to the sides. If it is, add additional allpurpose flour, 1 Tbs. at a time—it may take as much as 1/2 cup until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Once the dough has formed a cohesive mass and is pulling away from the sides, turn the mixer to medium and set a 5-minute timer. The dough will be moister than many bread doughs and will mostly cohere around the hook, occasionally letting off a tail of dough. Listen for the slapping noises as the dough goes around and around, releasing and incorporating the tail of dough. Halfway through the mixing time, stop the mixer and scrape the dough thoroughly from the hook. Mix the dough for 5 minutes more, making sure to set a timer.

After 10 minutes the dough should be a supple, elastic mass. Add the butter 1 Tbs. at a time and mix on medium speed, waiting to add the next piece until the first one is fully incorporated. The dough will come apart and back together again as the butter is incorporated into the dough. Once all the butter is added, the dough should be shiny and soft.

For the first rise, scrape the dough into a buttered bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and leave to rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size. The dough is ready when a floured finger stuck into it leaves an impression. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently fold the dough into itself and gather it back into a ball. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Finish the babka:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan with butter, then lightly dust it with sugar. Toast the pecans in the pan until golden, about 15 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt.

Dust a work surface with flour. Remove the challah dough from the refrigerator, flour the top, and scrape the dough onto the work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour and roll into a rectangle about 10 inches by 16 inches.

Rub the softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the sugar mix over the butter, then break up the pecans a bit and sprinkle them on top of the sugar. Sprinkle the chocolate last. Starting at the 16-inch length, roll the dough into a tight log. Cut the log into 13 pieces, each about 1-1/4 inches thick.

Place the pieces in the pan in a haphazard way, so that as the dough proofs the odd-shaped spaces are filled in. Here is one way: Create the bottom layer by laying 4 circles at the bottom of the pan with the spirals facing up. Set a circle upright in between each of those circles. For the top layer, set 3 circles in areas that will create empty pockets. Slice the last 2 circles in half and fit them into the gaps that remain. Cover the pan with a towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The babka should be a beautiful golden-brown on top and have risen to the top or slightly over the top of the pan. Let it cool slightly, about 15 minutes, before placing a rack on top of the pan and turning the pan upside down to get the babka out of its pan and onto the rack to cool.

Caramel-Pecan Brownies

For the brownies

• 
  
  6 oz. (12 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; more softened for the pan
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  4 large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. table salt
  
  


• 
  
  3-3/8 oz. (3/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 oz. (1/4 cup) natural cocoa powder
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
  
  

Tip:

For the best results, measure your flour by weight instead of volume. (1 cup of all-purpose flour equals 4-1/2 oz.) If you don’t have a scale, be sure to use the proper technique when filling your measuring cups.

For the topping

• 
  
  1 recipe Basic Caramel 
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. table salt
  
  

For the garnish

• 
  
  2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
  
  

Make the brownies

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium heavy-duty saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended. Gradually whisk in the sugar and then whisk vigorously until well blended. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk in the flour and cocoa powder until blended. Stir in the pecans and then scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer with a spatula.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and, if necessary, gently press down any puffed areas with a spatula to make the top level. Let cool about 5 minutes.

Make the topping

While the brownies are baking, make the Basic Caramel according to the directions. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the cream—the mixture will bubble up furiously. Once the bubbling has subsided, add the butter and gently whisk until completely melted. Whisk in the vanilla extract and salt. Pour the caramel topping over the brownies, using a spatula to spread it evenly over the entire top. Let the brownies cool on the rack for 45 minutes and then refrigerate until the caramel topping is set, at least 1 hour.

Garnish the brownies

Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate into a small piping bag fitted with a 1/8-inch plain tip. (Or put it in a small zip-top bag and seal the bag. Using scissors, snip off a corner of the bag to make a small hole.) Drizzle the chocolate over the brownies in a zigzag pattern. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Cut the brownies into 36 rectangles. Serve chilled or at room temperature.