Equipment
Ingredients
Browned Butter Base
- 230 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 60 g shiro miso (white miso), paste
Sugars & Eggs
- 200 g dark muscovado sugar
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 10 ml vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 280 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking soda
Inclusions
- 120 g dark chocolate (70%), roughly chopped chunks
- 80 g milk chocolate, roughly chopped chunks
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the cubed butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids turn a toasted hazelnut brown and the aroma is nutty. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
Immediately pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking. Let it cool for 10 minutes until warm but not hot (approx 45°C/113°F), then whisk in the white miso paste until fully emulsified and smooth. This creates the flavor base.
In a stand mixer, combine the butter-miso mixture with the muscovado and caster sugars. Beat on medium speed until the mixture resembles wet sand and is thoroughly combined. It will not become fluffy like traditional creaming due to the liquid fat.
Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture thickens, pales slightly, and becomes glossy.
Whisk the flour and baking soda together in a separate bowl. Add to the wet mixture and mix on low speed just until streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix.
Fold in the chopped dark and milk chocolate chunks by hand using a spatula.
Cover the bowl or scoop dough into 55g balls immediately. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours). This step hydrates the flour and solidifies the butter for proper spread.
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Arrange chilled dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet with 5cm spacing.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be set and slightly crisp, but the centers should look slightly underbaked and soft.
Remove from oven. Allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes to set completely before moving to a wire rack.
Chef's Notes
- Chemical Interaction: Miso is rich in amino acids and reducing sugars. This accelerates the Maillard reaction (browning), creating complex toffee notes at lower temperatures than sugar alone.
- The Salt Factor: Do not add extra salt. The white miso provides approximately 5-12% salt content by weight, which is sufficient to balance the sugar and enhance the chocolate perception.
- Muscovado sugar acts as a hydrocolloid trap here; its high molasses content retains moisture, ensuring the cookie stays chewy rather than crisping through entirely.
- For a professional finish, use a large round cookie cutter to 'scoot' the cookies into perfect circles immediately after removing them from the oven while they are still hot and pliable.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store dough balls in airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze shaped dough balls. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 minutes to cook time.
