Recipe: Dominique Ansel’s Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cookies

Photo by Thomas Schauer

Dominique Ansel is best known for introducing the cronut to the world from his wildly popular NYC bakery. His first book, Dominique Ansel: The Secret Recipes, just came out this past October and it includes many of his favorite dessert recipes. Try this one for flourless chocolate pecan cookies.

Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cookies

Time: 15 minutes one day before, rest overnight, 20 minutes the day of

Yield: 20 cookies (about 50 grams each)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (12 ounces) Dark chocolate chips (over 60% cocoa content)

3 tablespoons Unsalted butter (preferably 84% butterfat)

1 cup Granulated sugar

3 tablespoons Cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon Baking powder

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

3 large Eggs

1/4 cup (1 ounce) Pecans, coarsely chopped

ONE DAY BEFORE

1. Melt 11⁄2 cups of the chocolate chips in a double boiler: Fill a pot with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a simmer. Place a chips in the stainless-steel bowl and place the bowl over the water. Stir slowly with a spatula to ensure the chocolate chips are completely melted and smooth before turning off the heat.

2. Melt the butter in the microwave (about 30 seconds on high). Mix it into the melted chocolate. Keep the mixture warm over the hot water.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add the eggs and whisk until fully incorporated and the mixture resembles pancake batter. Use the spatula or a bowl scraper, if necessary, to make sure you incorporate any dry ingredients that have settled on the bottom or sides of the bowl.

4. Slowly whisk in the melted chocolate–butter mixture. (If it has cooled and begun to solidify, gently reheat it before incorporating.)

5. Gently fold in the remaining 1⁄2 cup chocolate chips and the pecans with the spatula.

6. Transfer the dough to the baking dish. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap that touches the surface of the dough. Set in the refrigerator to rest overnight.

THE DAY OF

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.

2. Using your hands, break the dough into pieces the size of your palm (approximately 31⁄2 tablespoons). Roll the dough into balls and place them on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart from one another. Press gently on the top of each ball with the palm of your hand to make a thick disk.This dough doesn’t spread much, so the disk should be relatively close to the size of cookie you’d like.

3. Bake for about 8 minutes on the middle rack, rotating the baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through.When the cookies are just beginning to crack on top but the dough is set on the edge and has a soft spot in the center (about the size of a quarter), remove from the oven.

4. Let the cookies cool in the baking sheet for 5 to 7 minutes, to further set.

5. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet, still on the wax paper, and set aside. Reline the sheet with clean wax paper and continue with the remaining dough.