Miso Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
A Japanese-American cookie: white miso beaten into the butter for a salty, caramel-like depth, dark chocolate and a crunchy sesame top.
Method
Soften the butter until a finger presses in easily, beat 1 egg and weigh out what you need. In another bowl, mix the flour and baking soda. Miso is already salty, so there is no extra salt.
Add in this stepAll-purpose flour 80 gBaking soda ¼ tsp
In a large bowl, first mash the butter and miso together until completely smooth with no lumps, then add both sugars and beat for until light and creamy.
Add in this stepUnsalted butter, softened 57 gWhite miso (shiro miso) 15 gLight brown sugar, packed 60 gGranulated sugar 20 g
Mix in the egg and vanilla until glossy. Fold in the flour with a spatula, then the chocolate, stopping as soon as no flour shows.
Add in this stepBeaten egg (1 egg is about 50 g) 25 gVanilla extract ½ tspDark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate) 80 g
Cover and chill the dough for . With about 15 minutes to go, preheat the oven to 175°C and line a baking sheet with parchment. Miso browns quickly, so these bake a little cooler than classic cookies.
ovenDivide the dough into 6 balls (about 50 g each) and press the top of each into a plate of sesame seeds. Place at most 6 per sheet, 7 cm apart.
Add in this stepToasted sesame seeds (white, black or mixed) 1 tsp
Bake one sheet at a time in the oven for , 1 sheet(s) in total. Take them out when the edges are a deep golden brown and the centers are puffed and still look slightly underdone.
ovenCool on the sheet for until firm, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cook's tip
Saltiness varies between misos, so follow the amount the first time and adjust next time. Red miso is stronger; use two thirds of the amount. Korean doenjang is too pungent and salty for this recipe.
Cooking it at camp
Shape the dough and coat the tops with sesame at home, then carry the balls in the cooler. At camp, bake them in a parchment-lined cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, covered, over low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, checking once that the bottoms are not scorching.