I based these cookies on a recipe for what's called havre flarn in Bonniers Stora Kokbok; I think flarn is equivalent to lace cookie, but I could be wrong. Anyway, they look lacy. I added some chocolate chips and sprinkled a little fleur de sel on top to balance the sweetness. They are incredibly easy to put together--just blend the ingredients in a bowl, drop teaspoonsful on your baking sheet, and slide them into a 385-degree oven (Fahrenheit) for nine minutes. Make sure to leave lots of space between them because they spread out a lot during baking.
Ingredients
- 3 deciliters rolled oats
- 2 deciliters sugar (if you have any vanilla sugar, this is a nice place for it)
- 1/2 deciliter sugar cane or corn syrup
- 150 grams melted butter (don't use margarine--just don't)
- 1/2 deciliter half-and-half
- 1 and 1/2 deciliter all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips (bittersweet is good, but any flavor will do)
- fleur de sel (to sprinkle on afterward)
- Use parchment paper to line your baking sheets because the cookies will be very soft when they first come out of the oven; they harden up as they cool.
- Use two teaspoons to measure out each lump of dough onto the parchment and space them well (better to make more batches than get one gigantic glob). Try to keep the cookies as consistently sized as possible. Consistency means even cooking.
- Watch the first batch carefully. The edges and tops of the cookies should start turning golden-brown, but they can burn quickly. Adjust the timing and temperature slightly up or down as needed.
- Let the cookies sit in the pan for a few minutes before you slide them onto your cooling grates. They are so soft when they first come out that it's really easy to tear them.
- Sprinkle salt while they are still hot so that the salt adheres to the cookie.
- Try not to eat them all right away. :)
Now, I will try to get back eventually with some sort of cogent discussion of Josh Vertiel's stance on Slow Food USA, but in the meantime, mmmmm.
