It's called Rage Baking, and authors Katherine Alford and Kathy Gunst joined Tonia's Kitchen to talk both philosophy and baking. The cookbook offers a different take on things, as the subtitle suggests, it's the Transformative Power of Flour, Fury and Women's Voices. It offers dozens of cookie, cake and pie recipes, but also inspirational essays and other articles meant to show this is just not another cookbook. But as a cookbook, the authors told Tonia about one of their signatures, Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies. Give them a try!
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (130 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- A generous pinch of Maldon or other sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup tahini, well stirred
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 (10- to 12-ounce) bag bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chunks, chopped, or chocolate chips (about 1 ¾ cups)
- About ¼ cup white sesame seeds
- Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.Beat the butter, tahini, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed in an electric mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 3 minutes, until fluffy and fully incorporated, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times as needed. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix for 1 minute more.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate, being careful not to overmix. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. (This might sound fussy, but the cookies are honestly better after the dough has had a chance to rest.)
- Position two racks evenly in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop out a generous tablespoon of the dough, roll it into a ball, and place it on the prepared pan, making sure not to place the cookies too close together. Repeat with the remaining dough, dividing the cookies between the prepared pans. Lightly moisten your palm and gently push the cookies down to flatten them. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and press them lightly to make sure they adhere to the dough.
- Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate the pans 180 degrees and switch their positions from top to bottom and bottom to top. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes more, until the cookies are almost deep golden brown around the edges, but still somewhat pale in the center. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cookies with the sea salt, gently pressing it into the cookies to adhere.
- Let the cookies cool for at least 5 minutes on a wire rack then serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Store in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
