The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness is the February 2014 pick for the FYA Book Club – I read it several years ago, got hooked, and immediately had to order the rest of the series. Among other compelling features, my favorite character was Manchee, the dog. When Mandy W. asked if I wanted to do a tie-in recipe or craft, I said “of course,” and knew immediately that there was only one way to go with this. I needed to make cookies that would make Manchee proud.
If you haven’t read the book yet, Manchee is the sweetest dog imaginable, made all the more compelling by the fact that his owner, Todd, can hear his thoughts. Manchee is a simple sort of dog who likes things like squirrels, walks…and poo.
Well, I went there. I had to.
But fear not, these actually taste great, and if you don’t WANT to eat poo cookies for some unimaginable reason, you can forego the, er, shaped ganache entirely or just slick a little on top. (I recommend icing most of them conservatively, just because the full-on poo effect requires a lot of chocolate.) The brown-butter-pecan cookie base is just sweet and salty enough, with toasted pecans adding some crunch. The chocolate ganache is spiked with a touch of bourbon because it’s not only delicious, but if you’ve read the book, you’re probably going to need a drink.
If you’ve never browned butter before, don’t worry. I’ve added photos to show you what to look for. It’s not difficult, but it does require you to watch (and smell) very carefully.
MANCHEE’S FAVORITE COOKIES
(BROWN BUTTER PECAN COOKIES WITH BOURBON CHOCOLATE GANACHE)
Cookie recipe slightly adapted from Center Cut Cook; ganache is my creation. The ganache is semi-thin, so do chill thoroughly if you’re going to pipe it. I found that it holds its shape after being piped, as long as the room is kept reasonably cool.
COOKIES
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (16 tbsp or ½ lb)
- 1 and 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (room temperature is best)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups chopped roasted salted pecan halves (I like Trader Joe’s)
Equipment: saucepan, large mixing bowl, medium mixing bowl, parchment paper, and electric mixer (optional).
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. The butter will foam, bubble, and eventually start turning clear (the milk solids are starting to brown). When it smells nutty and you can see small brown flecks on the bottom and sides of the pan (see photos), take it off the heat and pour into the large mixing bowl. Let cool.
First, the butter will foam up...
Then it will start to appear clear...
When you see brown flecks at the edges like this, it's done. The camera makes these look darker, though -- if you wait until it's black, it will be burned and you'll have to start over.
In the smaller mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
To the brown butter, add in 1 and 1/3 cups packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Mix for several minutes until the butter and sugars are well combined. Add in egg and egg yolk, and vanilla, and mix well.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chunks.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper and drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto the parchment. (I like to use this NorPro tablespoon scoop thingy – it makes everything so much easier!)
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just starting to brown. Immediately sprinkle the cookies with sea salt when they come out of the oven. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack or kitchen counter (with parchment) to let cool completely.
GANACHE
Enough to conservatively frost 3 dozen cookies; double recipe if you intend to go full Manchee.
- 6 oz (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 oz (half cup) heavy cream
- 1 oz (2 tbsp) softened unsalted butter
- 1 oz (2 tbsp) bourbon
Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips and the bourbon in a heat-proof bowl.
In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream and butter to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Let rest for about five minutes. Stir until smooth and well-combined.
Place in the refrigerator for several hours until firm, stirring occasionally.
Make sure the cookies are cooled completely. To pipe the ganache, place in Ziploc bag and seal, pressing as much air out as possible. Snip the end off one corner and gently pipe in concentric circles. (Bonus points if you can make it look like the poop emoji!)
Enjoy!
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