[Cookie 064] Chocolate Charms

Okay, I hate the word "blogosphere." I think it symbolizes the epitome of dorkiness and definitely doesn't help make the activity of blogging any cooler than it already isn't. Haha, sorry if I just offended you, but take it with stride. Look, the point is, every so often a really great thing explodes into the "blogosphere" (I had to use this word--I cringe) that I really love, or admire, or covet, or oogle and oggle over in some way. Enter: Mast Brother's Chocolate Bars.

For those of you who haven't seen pictures of their gorgeous packaging, here you go:

Yeah. I know right?! Now get a load of this:

Right. Those two dudes make the chocolate. Yes. Okay, sooooooooooooooooooo....I never thought I'd get this personal on this blog but.........I think I'm in love. And so is my mom. Yeah, we are both swooning over these totally dreamy chocolatiers, and neither of us have even tried their chocolate yet. I'm trying to hold off until I go visit their store in Brooklyn, but I think I might have to pick up a bar at Dean & Deluca in the meantime/tomorrow (Edit: I just tried one. All my expectations were fulfilled. Chocolate Coma: Activate!) . I mean seriously: Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt + Pepper; Dark Chocolate + Almonds + Sea Salt + Olive Oil (this is the one I tried); Chocolate + Stumptown Coffee. And more. I am literally swooning.

But wait, why do I mention this now? Because I made these Chocolate Charms, and they definitely needed some Mast Brother's Chocolate loving. What I mean is, I used Hershey's Cocoa powder...and it didn't cut it. Nope nope nope.

These cookies are really great and adorable, but chocolate is their main flavor, so you should really go out of your way to use high quality cocoa powder in the recipe. No, those two bearded guys don't sell cocoa powder (that I'm aware of), but I'm sure Scharffen Berger would more than suffice!

But other than the cocoa powder thing, these cookies are great. They are light and crunchy, sweet and chocolatey, and cute and simple. I feel like I have totally exhausted my vocabulary regarding which adjectives I use to describe recipes, but I do mean what I say! You make them and you'll understand. And I suggest you do make them. Please do--I'll eat your leftovers.

And dare I say it--these would be a perfect Valentine's Day present. But all I really want is one of those purdy chocolate bars. The Stumptown Coffee one please. Thanks. Oh, and I'll take a cute bearded guy too please, in a to-go bag. Thanks, have a good one! Pleasure doin' business with you! Bye!

Chocolate Charms

Makes 40

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

Directions

1. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt into a bowl.
2. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, and beat about 2 minutes more, until very light in color and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add vanilla, if using. Add flour mixture, and combine on low speed, scraping with spatula if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed with fingers. Form dough into a flattened disk; wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Using a spoon, form dough into 1-inch balls; place on prepared baking sheet. Bake until firm, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool completely on wire rack. Dust with cocoa powder just before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

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{End Results}
Baking Difficultly: 2/5
Ingredient Accessibility: 4/5
Tastiness: 4/5
Attractiveness: 4.5/5
Is it worth it?: Yep. Sorry I'm feeling rather curt and unchatty with these results.

{Pairings}
Drink: Why, milk of course. But let's try to think outside the box, shall we? How about an Espresso? That would be lovely!

Song: Knife -- Grizzly Bear (Thought I'd stick with the whole ultra hip bearded Brooklyn theme, right?)
Activity: Checking out these photos of Mast Brother's Chocolate Factory from The Selby (more hip things)