Weird Copycat Red Velvet Cookies

Note 1 : Original batch dough felt very stiff & hard to mix, despite lowering sugar amount (dry ingredients). Perhaps the cookies will be dense & crunchy, not airy. Therefore, to change some measurement of flour & eggs.

Note 2 : End result

Yield : 225 cookies @ 934gm (normalised).

Ingredients

1 cup (240gm) butter >> 1/2 cup (115gm) butter, 1/2 cup (95gm) shortening

1 1/2 cup (300gm) castor sugar >> 1/2 cup (100gm) fine sugar, 1/2 cup (110gm) brown sugar further split into 60gm brown sugar, 50gm muscovado sugar. We reduced overall sugar to 200gm only as original feels a bit too sweet for this recipe.

3 tsp vanilla essence >> 2 tsp (9gm) essence

+1/4 tsp fine salt

2 egg yolks >> 2 whole eggs

2 tsp white vinegar >> 2 tsp lemon juice

4 tsp red food colouring >> 4 1/2 tsp red food colouring

2 1/2 cup (300gm) wheat flour (low protein) >> 2 cups (240gm) all purpose wheat flour (low protein)

2 tbsp (20gm) corn starch >> 1/2 cup (80gm) corn starch

4 tbsp (40gm) rice flour

4 tbsp (32gm) cocoa powder

2 tsp (5gm) baking powder

1 1/2 tsp (6gm) baking soda

+2gm emplex (360gm x 5gm / 1000gm)

1 cup (100gm) almond flakes >> 1/2 cup (50gm) almond flaked, toasted a little before use. Almin flakes are easily burnt in the oven. Perhaps to try almond slivers instead / to remove completely.

1 cup (180gm) chocolate chips (Beryl's dark choc) >> 100gm dark choc chips

+50gm dried apricot bits (chopped to small bits)

Optional (to try)

2 tbsp (16gm) milk powder

100gm white chocolate chips (then can omit almond flakes & dark choc chips)

50gm cream cheese (would this make the dough too wet & cookie too soft?)

50gm grated cheddar cheese

Cooking : 180°C for 15 minutes, top-bottom heat with fan.

Steps : (Do refer to copycat double choc chip cookies recipe)

First Day

1. Mise en place is key. All ingredients at room temperature. Combine butter, shortening, sugars, vanilla essence, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Combine flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and emplex in a bowl. Sift through ingredients to remove lumps & lighten the dry ingredients. Set aside.

3. Cream butter mixture until light and fluffy under low speed. It may take between 5 - 15 minutes, depending on the strength of the hand mixer. Occasionally scrap the side of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are properly beaten.

4. Add egg one at a time to the butter mixture. Cream until voluminous (double original volume), light, and fluffy to the touch. It would ripple like soft-serve icecream.

5. Add vinegar / lemon juice & red food colouring to butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated.

6. Sift flour mixture, three batches @ one batch at a time, into the flour mixture. Fold using a silicone spatula until fully incorporated every time. Dough should feel only slightly heavier but still manageable via silicone spatula.

7. Add red food colouring and fold until all dough parts are fully incorporated with red colours.

8. Add in toasted almond flakes, chocolate chips, and dried apricot bits. Combine well.

9. Cover the cookie dough well (but not in airtight / clingwrap) and set aside in the refrigerator / chiller for at least 24 hours prior to baking.

Second Day

1. 180°C in 15 minutes with top-bottom heat, fan on. Please refer to double choc chip for more details.