Chocolate Wafers

Makes Twenty-six 2 inch square wafers

Oven Temperature: 350°F/175°C

Baking Time: 16 to 20 minutes for each of two batches

Plan Ahead: Make the dough a minimum of 4 hours before rolling it.

baking Equipment: Two 15 by 12 inch cookie sheets, lined with parchment

These cookies are wonderful to use for a crumb crust (see recipe) or bourbon balls (see recipe), but are also crisp, chocolaty, and delicious eaten just as cookies.

Makes 370 grams dough

unsalted butter	43 grams	3 tablespoons
1½ large egg whites	45 grams	3 tablespoons (45 ml)
bleached all-purpose flour	86 grams	⅔ cup (lightly spooned into the cup and leveled off) plus 2 teaspoons
unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder	42 grams	½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (sifted before measuring)
fine sea salt	.	⅛ teaspoon
light brown sugar, preferably light Muscovado	81 grams	¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons, firmly packed
granulated sugar	75 grams	¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons
pure vanilla extract	.	¾ teaspoon (3.7 ml)

Mise en Place

▪ About 1 hour ahead, set the butter on the counter at room temperature (65º to 75ºF/19º to 24ºC), and into a 1 cup glass measure with a spout, weigh or measure the egg whites.

▪ In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt.

Make the Dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the brown and granulated sugars, the butter, and vanilla on medium speed until well mixed and lightened in color, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.

2. Gradually add the egg whites and beat until smoothly incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. Add the flour mixture. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, until incorporated.

4. Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and use the plastic wrap to press it into a rectangle. Divide the dough in half (185 grams each). Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and set them on a small cookie sheet.

5. Refrigerate the dough until it is firm, about 4 hours or overnight. The dough should be firm enough to roll but still pliant.

Preheat the Oven

▪ Twenty minutes or longer before baking, set an oven rack at the middle level. Set the oven at 350ºF/175ºC.

Roll the Dough

6. Set one piece of dough on a lightly floured sheet of plastic wrap. Lightly flour the dough and cover it with a second sheet of plastic wrap. Roll the dough ¼ inch thick, using a bench scraper butted up against the sides to make it into an even 10 by 6 inch rectangle. To make cutting easier, slide the shaped dough on the plastic wrap onto a cookie sheet and set it in the freezer for about 5 minutes.

7. With a pizza wheel or chef’s knife, cut the dough into roughly 2 inch squares. Any irregular shapes can be baked alongside the squares.

8. Use a thin pancake turner to set the dough squares a minimum of 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet. With a fork, pierce each one several times to prevent excess puffing.

Bake the Wafers

9. Bake the wafers for 8 minutes. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheet halfway around. Continue baking for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the wafers are firm and slightly puffed, but still a little soft.

10. While the first batch is baking, roll and cut the wafers for the second batch.

Cool the Wafers

11. Set the cookie sheet on a wire rack and let the wafers cool completely.

12. Bake and cool the second batch of wafers.

Store Airtight: room temperature, 7 days; refrigerated, 2 weeks; frozen, 3 months.

Making Chocolate Wafers

Cut the dough and transfer the squares to the cookie sheet.

The baked wafers.