CHOCOLATE COOKIE BRITTLE

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 c plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1 c turbinado sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp fine sea salt

2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

3/4 c bittersweet or semisweet chips (60% to 70% cacao)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the center.

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine butter with chocolate and melt in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Whisk the mixture until the butter is completely melted. Let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk again until the mixture is thickened and smooth and no longer looks separated, about one minute. Whisk in the sugar, vanilla and salt until combined. Add flour and stir until there are no white streaks remaining, then stir in half the nuts.

Scrape the dough onto a rimmed 12 x 17” ungreased cookie sheet, and pat the dough into a very even thin layer with your hands. Use an offset or rubber spatula to smooth the top. Sprinkle in chocolate chips and nuts as desired over the dough and press them down lightly with your hands.

Bake until slightly firm to the touch all over, 22-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet every 7-8 minutes. Place the cookie sheet on a rack to let cool completely.

Use a wide thin spatula to loosen the edges of the brittle, then ease the whole slab onto the rack. Important: let cool completely and then break into jagged pieces. Store in an airtight container.

NOTE: I love to make these and put in a wide squatty glass jar to use as a hostess gift.