The Chai Chocolate Chunk

We were asked to present what made our cookies a fan favorite for parties and family get-togethers year after year.

The truth being 2020 has not been an easy year for anyone but a life changing one for me. After 17 years of Christmases spent either in the hospital or with strangers I've finally had the opportunity to settle down. So here's to creating traditions that will last for years to come.

Living in the U.S I've always felt estranged. Though I was born here I grew up in a multi cultural household and didn't speak english at home or understand the traditions most people followed. This created a lot of resentment in me as a child and made me pose questions like "Why don't I have a normal family?" or "Why doesn't my family look like the ones in films" but most prominently "Why am I alone". It took me 17 years to realize my family is priceless and everyone feels alone. It's a side effect of this culture's fragmentation.

So I propose we all start creating traditions ( may it be a special cookie or song ) that not only resides with our families but what America really is. Not a melting pot but a Potpourri. All different notes but together creating a beautifully complex aroma.

My contribution being the chai chocolate chunk. A cookie I feel possesses flavors held dear and nostalgic to many.

Ingredients (36 servings)

• 1 cup room temperature unsalted butter (I leave it out for a few hours to soften)
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 xtra large egg
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 380g or 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon ( I prefer saigon cinnamon or ceylon )
• 1 tsp ground cardamon seeds
• 1/2 tsp pepper ( I used wijaya black pepper but any is fine )
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp salt ( I used pink Himalayan but any fine salt is fine )
• dark chocolate chunks or morsals ( If allergic or dislike chocolate you can opt out for a simple but still delicious cookie )

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar together in stand mixer or bowl untill fully combinded and you reach a fluffy and light texture.
2. Add the egg,molasses, vanilla in the mixer/bowl and continue combining
3. In a seperate bowl add flour then mix in the baking soda, and ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. ( please weigh the flour to be as accurate as possible but if you don't have a scale fluff up the flower with a fork before meaasuring out 1 cup )
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in the mixer/bowl. ( I add about 1/4 a cup a time of flour mixture a time and wait untill its fully incorporated to add another 1/4 )
5. I recommend you refrigerate overnight as it makes a big difference and makes the dough much easier to work with.
6. preheat oven to 350 F
7. Then roll into small balls ( walnut sized ) and put on a sheet of parchment paper or a slipmat 3 inches apart ( either works fine )
8. Bake for 8-10 mins ( keep an eye on them and remove when edges are crisp as ovens differ )
9. Cool on wire rack for as long as you can resist ( I can last about 6 minutes before eating them right away )

Further tips

• Dough can be preserved for further use in the freezer.
• weigh flour if you can!
• naturally soften butter as it makes a huge difference!!

Please enjoy this recipe as I hold it very close to me

[ All photos were taken by me and my 3 kitties ]