Paper Palate

March’s issue of Food & Wine magazine is dubbed the Special Kitchen Issue and reviews a variety of small appliances, giving the top three in each category.  The appliances reviewed are blenders, convection toaster ovens, deep fryers, food processors, hand mixers, juicers, and panini presses. I feel like I’m missing out here because I only have two of these (the blender and food processor), but at least if I decide to add these gadgets to my kitchen at some point in the future, I’ll know which ones are best.

One thing I do have in my kitchen though that I absolutely love is my KitchenAid, which is perfect for making all of the amazing desserts in this month’s issue.  There’s an entire section entitled “Big Sugar’s Blockbuster Desserts,” which features recipes from the Big Sugar Bakeshop, which is frequented by an ever increasing number of celebrities because of its proximity to major TV network studios. I can’t wait to try the Pecan-Praline Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce or the Apple Pie Bars, and I couldn’t wait at all to try the Reverse Chocolate Chip Cookies, I made those immediately! With 24 ounces of chocolate, these are a seriously good cookie.

If I haven’t tempted you with desserts, there are also some delicious-sounding savory dishes such as Glazed Asian Baby Back Ribs, Crunchy Asian Pea Salad with Honeyed Bacon, and Pan-Seared Meyer Lemon Gnocchi.  Tempted yet?  I know I am.

Reverse Chocolate Chip Cookies (Food & Wine, March 2008)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into chunks
• 12 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped into chunks

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter with the granulated and light brown sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until incorporated. At low speed, beat in the bittersweet- and white-chocolate chunks until they are evenly distributed.

Scoop eight 1/4-cup mounds of batter onto each of the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 3 inches between them. Flatten the mounds into 2-inch rounds. Bake on the lower and middle racks of the oven for 20 minutes, until the cookies rise and then flatten slightly; switch the cookie sheets halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes, then slide the parchment paper onto racks and let the cookies cool completely. Line the cookie sheets with fresh parchment and repeat to make the remaining cookies.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.