Cooking Lesson #513: Las Vegas Raiders Chocolate Tailgate Cookies

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

(unfrosted version)

How you doin’? This is the perfect cookie for tailgating. It tastes little bit like the rich and fudgy version of a chocolate sheet cake found in New York bakeries, but a lot easier to bring to the party.
 
Make sure to frost these cookies while both the cookies, and the frosting, are still warm, because the frosting sets up quickly! Top them chopped pecans and store them in airtight containers to maintain the freshness.
 
But where did the custom of tailgating originate, you ask?  The modern tailgate likely has its roots in college football, first played at College Field in New Brunswick, New Jersey, between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869. Local lore insist it was both a fine game and a fine party. The party and its basic elements, though, might have earlier origins. But it’s unlikely that covered wagons had tailgates.
 
It may just be that with the advent of wooden-sided station wagons (known as woodies) in the 1930s, fans used the rear fold-down tailgates as seats or buffet tables. Thus, pregame partying was increasingly called “tailgating.” While some credit Yale sports information director Charley Loftus, it's not clear who, if anyone, coined the term or the practice.
 
Tailgating is primarily an American or Canadian pre-game celebration, and it often involves consuming large amounts of alcoholic beverages while barbecuing and grilling food. Tailgate parties occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games, festivals, and concerts.
 
Prep time:  40 minutes
Bake time: 10 minutes
 
Ingredients 
For the cookies
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I prefer Guittard chocolate chips)
1-1/8 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa (I prefer Guittard cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I prefer Medaglia D’oro)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup room temperature buttermilk
 
For the chocolate frosting
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa (I prefer Guittard cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
 
Directions
To make the cookies

1. Place the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted; about 5 minutes. Let them cool.
2. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
3. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
4. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the egg and vanilla and almond extracts until thoroughly combined.
6. Mix in the melted chocolate until thoroughly incorporated.
7. Stir in 1/2 of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
8. Pour in the buttermilk.
9. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
10. Using a scoop, drop rounded balls of dough 1-1/2 inches apart on prepared sheet pans.
11. Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are just set, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake.
12. Remove the sheet pans from the oven and allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheets. Do not remove cookies from the baking sheets.

To make the chocolate frosting

1. Combine the butter, heavy cream, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt in a saucepan set over low heat. Whisk until the butter is melted and mixture is smooth and combined.
2. Mix in the confectioner’s sugar 1 cup at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition. Keep whisking over low heat until the frosting is smooth and shiny; 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Remove the chocolate frosting from heat and immediately pour about 1 to 2 tablespoons over each cookie while they are still warm.
4. Use the back of a spoon to gently smooth out frosting as needed.
5. Let the cookies cool until the frosting is set completely before gently removing them from the sheet pans.

ChefSecret: Do not overbake. These cookies will dry out with even an additional minute in the oven. Baking time will differ depending on the size of cookies you scoop and the oven. Remove them immediately from the oven when the tops of the cookies feel set. Keep them on the sheet pans.
 
The frosting can be reheated if it begins to set up too quickly. Simply place back on to low heat and whisk until it is a pourable consistency again. Additional heavy cream may be added to the frosting as well. Caution: too much cream will interfere with the frosting's set-up.

​Quip of the Day: “I think about this the closer we come to April 15th… Modern day slaves are not in chains; they are in debt to the federal government.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. 

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                                                     ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

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