Here is a brand new cookie recipe for these of you who like “healthy-ish” treats. They’re “Bakery-Fashion Wheat Germ Cookie Squares”, the type of bar cookie you may discover at a espresso store. They’re grainy and rustic wanting with golden brown edges, assorted chocolate chips, and a hearty wheat bran texture that feels just a bit bit virtuous although there’s loads of butter.
Texture and Taste
This recipe blends healthful elements like wheat germ, wheat bran, and oats with loads of brown sugar and butter, placing that excellent healthy-ish steadiness. The wheat germ provides the bars a toasty, nutty depth, whereas the bran provides construction and fiber. Collectively, they make the feel delicate within the center, crisp on the edges, and simply the correct amount of crumbly.
Make
Making these is fairly easy. You combine the dry elements, add the softened butter, then stir to make a grainy, crumbly, dough. You then flatten the dough and press as tightly as you’ll be able to right into a 9×13 inch pan. Chill the dough (this softens the grain considerably), then reduce into squares (or rectangles) and bake. Here is an unbaked “sq.”. To get neater squares, I pulled the cookies from the oven after about 12 minutes and pushed the edges in with the tip of a spatula.
Half Batch
This recipe calls for lots of butter, and the butter is what makes these so good. Since butter is pricey, I made fairly just a few take a look at batches utilizing an 8-inch sq. pan. To make the 8-inch pan model, simply use half of all of the elements. To halve the egg, crack it right into a custard cup, beat frivolously with a fork and use somewhat over 2 tablespoons or about 25 grams. You do not have to be exact concerning the egg quantity, however do not put all of it in there otherwise you’ll lose among the crispness.
Egg-Free or Vegan Wheat Germ Cookie Squares
I’ve just a few mates who do not eat eggs, so I attempted changing the egg with a flax egg and including a little bit of psyllium in with the dry elements. The egg-free model tasted good and held collectively nicely due to the little little bit of psyllium. Since egg-free labored, I went forward and examined with vegan margarine (Earth Stability) and appreciated the vegan model too.
Ideas About Wheat Bran
Wheat bran is not as as straightforward to search out as of late. It was once on nearly each cereal aisle, however now I can solely discover it at well being meals shops and on-line. One factor I seen was that totally different manufacturers have totally different weight per quantity. Bob’s Pink Mill was (like a few of their different merchandise, really) heavier per cup. I solely wanted ½ cup of of Bob’s Pink Mill to get 40 grams, nevertheless it took ¾ cup of Shiloh Farms as a result of the latter is fluffier. It is simply one thing I seen.
Variations
Change up your bars! I attempted to maintain mine fairly primary at first, then began including issues like chopped pecans, butterscotch chips and milk chocolate. Mixing several types of chocolate makes these particularly good. You would additionally strive including somewhat orange or lemon zest.
Recipe
Bakery Fashion Wheat Germ Cookie Squares
Healthful, nostalgic treats made with wheat bran and wheat germ for further taste and texture.
Substances
- ½ cup wheat germ (40 grams)
- ½ cup wheat bran (40 grams)
- 2 cups rolled oats (160 grams)
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour (80 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup brown sugar, very tightly packed (160 grams)
- 13 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (182 grams)
- 1 massive egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups assorted chocolate chips
Directions
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Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil or parchment paper. For a half batch, use an 8-inch pan.
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Toast the wheat germ by baking at 350 for about 7 minutes or heating in a dry skillet till aromatic.
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In a big mixing bowl, ideally a stand mixing bowl nevertheless it would not should be, mix the toasted wheat germ with the wheat bran, oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and brown sugar. Combine for about 1 minute or till every little thing is evenly blended.
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Add the softened butter to the bran combination and blend with the paddle till delicate and crumbly. Add the egg and vanilla and proceed mixing with the paddle till combination holds collectively while you pinch it. Combine within the chocolate chips.
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Empty the combination into the foil lined pan. Lay a sheet of parchment or one other sheet of foil throughout the highest and press down tightly. You are able to do it together with your palms or use a smaller pan to press down. and canopy. Cowl and chill in a single day or for a minimum of 6 hours.
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When able to bake, preheat the oven to 350 levels F.
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Take away the dough from pan and set it on a reducing board. Minimize into massive squares. In the event that they break aside, simply push them collectively the perfect you’ll be able to. You’ll form them extra through the bake. Prepare 6 squares on every of two massive rimmed baking sheets and bake one sheet at a time.
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Bake the primary sheet for 12 minutes. Take away from oven. The bars can have overrated somewhat, so use the underside again fringe of a spatula to push inward, shaping into neat squares.
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Return to the oven and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes. The bars will nonetheless be somewhat delicate while you pull them from the oven, so let cool for about 20 minutes straight on the pan. Rigorously switch to a rack to chill fully.
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At this level you’ll be able to serve them, however they’ll maintain collectively higher in case you chill them and let the chocolate set. Deliver again to room temperature to serve.
Notes
I’ve solely examined the half batch model as vegan or egg-free. To make vegan or egg-free, use half of all of the elements and omit the egg. Add ½ teaspoon complete psyllium husks to the dry combination and exchange egg with a mix of 1 tablespoon of floor flax and three tablespoons of water. For the butter, use Earth Stability or one other good tasting vegan margarine. Use an 8-inch sq. pan as a mildew.
