Adobo Chocolate Chip cookies - by Antoinette de Leon
Here is a special midweek newsletter. Something a little different from my previous newsletters because this one comes in the structure of a recipe. Today, we travel in the form of food. One of the most popular dishes from the Philippines is adobo, and Abi Balingit aka as “duskykitchen” on Instagram, has put a Filipino twist on a classic American treat— Chocolate chip cookies! She shares this exciting twist in her new cookbook called “Mayumu.” ( Mayumu means sweet in Kapampangan; the dialect Abi’s parents speak) As a Filipino American myself, I was drawn to this completely.
Besides the cookies, Abi has many other interesting creations such as Horchata Bibingka, Matcha Pastillas, Buko Pie lollipops, and Ube Melon Pandesal just to name a few.
In today’s world, content creators are coming up with lots of recipes that blend their cultural backgrounds with traditional dishes, adding their own creative spin. It’s all about making things innovative and exciting, which is exactly what Abi has done.
So first off, the recipe calls for 2 sticks of butter which is about 250 grams. From there, you need to melt it with bay leaves. Abi asks for 2 bay leaves if its fresh, and about 4 bay leaves if they are dry. Unfortunately, during this process, I completely forgot to take a photograph of it, but boy did it start to smell a-maz-ing!! For me, I feel that the part that makes it smell like adobo isn’t the vinegar and soy sauce combo, but the aroma of the bay leaves.
In any case, before I start going into detailed explanations for each step, I’ll simply list the ingredients and the preparation process below.
INGREDIENTS:
1.2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 fresh bay leaves (or 4 dried bay leaves)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk , at room temperature
1/4 cup soy sauce (regular sodium)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 ounces dark chocolate (60%-72% cacao), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns
Flaky sea salt, for garnish. (I used Maldon)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place the butter and bay leaves in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula until the butter melts and gets golden brown, 5-7 min. Pour the brown butter into a large bowl and discard the bay leaves. Set aside until cool enough to touch, about 10 minutes.
Add both sugars to the brown butter and whisk by hand until well combined. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour and baking soda until the baking soda is evenly distributed.
Gently whisk the flour mixture into the butter mixture until no flour streaks remain.
With a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 min. Ideally, you’d want to let it rest overnight to allow more time for the flavors to meld. After and overnight rest, the cookies have an intense caramel flavor once baked. If you’re resting the dough overnight, just make sure you let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to make it easier to scoop into balls.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with silicone mats. (I just used parchment paper)
Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls. Place six dough balls on one of the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave at least 2 inches of space between the balls. Place the bowl of remaining cookie dough back in the fridge until the first sheet is done baking.
In a small skillet, toast the pink peppercorns on low heat until they start to smell fragrant, 2-3 min. Grind the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle until they are coarsely crushed.
Sprinkle some of the crushed pink peppercorns and flaky sea salt on top of the dough balls before popping the baking sheet into the oven.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Before takin the cookies our of the oven, drop the sheet against the oven rack a couple times at a height of about 4 to 5 inches to create outer ripples in the cookies. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough and the other lined baking sheet until all the dough is baked.
Makes 22 cookies
The end result was a delightful fusion of a sweet and savory tastes. It combines the rich, comforting flavors of a classic chocolate chip cookie with the unique and aromatic essence of the adobo flavors. I can’t wait to try her other recipes in this cookbook. I’m eyeing to try the Peach Mango cheesecake turon next!
Maraming Salamat Abi for sharing your creations! I’m looking forward to baking more from your cookbook! =)
Leave a comment below and share your thoughts if you end up baking this, or any of her other treats!
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