Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook by Christina Tosi - Review of Cookie Recipe

Hello All!

I’ve got a tip for you on a new cookbook, or rather a baking book!

It’s called Momofuku Milk Bar , by Christina Tosi. I believe this young lady knows what she’s doing!   She looks like a little pixie, don't you think?  

First of all, don’t you just LUV that name “Momofuku”?! It’s from the name of the restaurant started and owned by David Chang. Christina was hired as a pastry chef there and has, I believe, since gone on to be a Star in her own right. (If you click on the word Momofuku, you can find out more information.) The word sounds playful and like toy-like to me. I’d love to have a pet named “Momo”!
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Anyway, back to the subject- the cookbook.
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I only heard about this on Saturday, December 17, 2011, when I was listening to one of my favorite radio shows on NPR, “The Splendid Table.” (Click on the words The Splendid Table to link to the website.  Go here for the recipe:  Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmellow Cookies.)

Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmellow Cookie
Baked in Convection Oven

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All you Honeybees out there: I’ve been baking for quite some time and can tell from reading a recipe and it’s directions whether or not it’ll be good. Christina doesn’t hold back on this recipe– she uses Butter!! Yes, Butter– I always make sure to buy the SWEET CREAM UNSALTED butter. (If you buy the salted butter, everything you make with it will have too much salt– If you buy it by mistake, leave out the added salt in your recipe.)
***Update: I have now made these cookies several times and have made it with ONE stick of butter, instead of two.  Cookie turns out GREAT.  I also freeze the unbaked dough in scoops, and take out one or two to bake at a time-- works great in my little convection oven--16-17 minutes.  I can also bake them on the little aluminum pan that has been sprayed well with vegetable spray.  You could also use Crisco.)

Cookies beginning to spread while baking
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Okay, lets get to it. This cookie tastes like a dream– it’s a little bit chewy, and crunchy, what I call a good “tooth”. It has a slightly carmel taste with a touch of chocolate. What I like about it the most is that it has a sweet and salty taste at the same time, which is really satisfying. You’ve got to try this recipe if you like that combination. I must say she uses a lot of sugar, so if you're diabetic, these recipes are out.

Cornflake crunch that goes into the cookies--Love this stuff!  It tastes great!

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I have some notes for you on this recipe: KNOW your OVEN! I used all three of my ovens because the recipe calls for a large scoop of dough that has to be placed 4 inches apart on your pans, and I didn’t want to be baking all night. So I tried all of my pans. I used my countertop convection oven with its’ aluminum pan; an airbake pan (has a double layer of aluminum) and my old dark cookie sheets (not nonstick). I placed a sheet of parchment paper in each. You’d better use parchment paper for this recipe or you’ll have trouble getting them off the pans.)
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Cookies overbaked in a too hot oven
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Well, low and behold, the little convection oven baked the most perfect cookie. So, if you are planning on getting a new oven, I’d recommend a convection oven. I’m almost thinking about replacing my electric oven based on this because it just overbaked this wonderful recipe! You can see from the pictures how the cookies should look– and the electric oven was just too hot for this task. I even turned down the temperature and they overbaked, quickly. So you’ve got to watch these, carefully.

Cookies Baked in Convection Oven
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Well, I think I like Christina, because she said in her interview with Lynn Rosetto Kasper, on the The Splendid Table that she grew up liking cereal. Lynn had asked her why she puts different cereals in her recipes. I grew up liking cereal too, and would sit at the breakfast table with my box and bowl. I just recently remembered what I like about Rice Krispies! You can see what’s in my pantry right now– not particularly adult cereals.

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This is a girl after my own heart, I tell ya! I don’t have her cookbook yet– but it's going to be the first book I down load into my new e-reader!!! And even if I have to limit myself to one cookie a week and put the rest in the freezer, I'll do it.


XXOO, BB