Hazelnut Butter Toffee-Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Giveaway

If you’re reading this post, you’re probably a cookbook lover like me. I rarely feature cookbooks on this blog but I couldn’t resist giving away a copy of Cannelle et Vanille’s brand new book, Small Plates and Sweet Treats. 

For those you who follow Aran’s work, her new book is everything you hoped it would be. It’s packed with beautiful and vibrant pictures, interesting stories and unique recipes. The photographs are remarkably appealing and are filled with color and light.










It’s hard to believe it was four years ago when I first stumbled across Aran’s beautiful blog. I remember making her recipes and being thrilled when each recipe, one after the other, yielded delectable results. 

Later, I embarked on making her vanilla bean macarons. If you’ve ever tried making macarons, you know how frustrating the process can be. Macaron’s are inherently difficult to make and the results are affected by a myriad of factors ranging from humidity in the room to the degree of mixing.

I certainly remember my first attempts at making them. They were flat. They were uncooked in the middle. They didn’t have feet. After numerous attempts, they seemed utterly impossible to make.








Enter Aran. She was kind enough to guide me through the process, step-by-step, until I finally got them right. Needless to say, I’ve been making the macaron recipe with great success ever since.

It's clear from Aran's blog that she has a tremendous zest for living and a passion for her work. This is why it comes as no surprise to me that her book is so enjoyable to read.










In fact, one of the things I like best about her book is the array of light, fresh and seasonal recipes. There’s nothing better than heading to the farm for local ingredients and being able to assemble them into an exquisite meal. 

Another great aspect of the book is the wonderful assortment of sweet treats. Just this last week, I whipped up a batch of her Hazelnut Butter Toffee-Chocolate Chip Cookies and took them along for a late afternoon walk on the beach. Delicious.

I know you’re going to love her new book as much as I do. It’s one of those cookbooks you’ll want to keep on your kitchen shelf forever.

Here's how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post before midnight on Friday October 26, 2012
• Make sure your comment links directly to a site where you can be contacted. Otherwise include a Twitter or email address in your comment. Only comments that include this information are eligible to win.
• One entry per person.
• The winner will be selected at random and contacted on Saturday October 27, 2012 before noon (EST).
• Be sure to check your inbox and messages. If no response is received by Monday October 29, 2012 at noon (EST), another winner will be selected.
• This giveaway will ship anywhere in the world.

Don't forget to Tweet about @freshnewengland too! Every tweet about this post is an additional chance to win.


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Hazelnut Butter Toffee-Chocolate Chip Cookies

8 tbs (110 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c plus 2 tbs (125 g) light brown sugar
1/4 c (50 g) natural cane sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, at room temperature
1 cup (140 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/3 c (55g) potato starch
1/3 c (40 g) tapioca starch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c (70 g) chopped Hazelnut Butter Toffee (recipe below)
1/2 c 90 g mini semisweet chocolate chips


In the bowl of a standing mixer, mix together brown sugar and cane sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and the egg. Mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the superfine brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until it comes together. Add the chopped hazelnut butter toffee and chocolate chips, mix until well-combined.

Scrape the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper; it will be sticky. With the help of the parchment paper, shape the dough into a round log which is about 13 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Roll parchment around the log and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Cut the cookie log into 1/2 inch-thick disks. Place them on the baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before lifting them. Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Note:  There are a few reasons my cookies look different from those in the book. I used dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar. I used chopped and shaved chocolate instead of chocolate chips. Also, I chilled the dough but scooped out rounded teaspoonfuls instead of forming the cookie log.

Hazelnut Butter Toffee

1/4 c (45 g) hazelnuts

1/3 c (70 g) natural cane sugar

4 tbs (55 g) unsalted butter

2 tbs water

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Toast for 5-7 minutes or until golden. Place together inside a cloth towel while still warm and rub them together to remove their skins. Reserve.

Combine sugar, butter, 2 tbs. water and salt in a small saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat stirring until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Stop stirring and cook until a candy thermometer reads 300 F (150 C). Add the toasted hazelnuts and stir. Pour the toffee onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Let it cool completely.

Coarsely chop the toffee. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Bon appétit!