Yes, that is chocolate and salt. But not any kind of salt mind you, these delicate crystals are meant to be sprinkled on the food and admired while eating.
And, being from France, there are those who specialize in the overseeing of the process (because the wind will not do an adequate job without constant vigilance!) I imagine M. Ferdier, the "saunier" (the salt overseer) listening the "mistral" blow over the Camargue with a glass of pastis in hand and hopefully a baguette and some formage to test these batches...
My little jar of fleur de sel has come a long way and lasted a long time. It's mainly used to showcase fresh tomato slices but when I stumbled across this recipe I was willing to give it a try. I really like the sweet-salty combo. And I'll admit I'm a sucker for an intregueing recipe, especially one from France so...
Chocolate Shortbread with Fleur de Sel
½ cup (70 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (55 g) whole-wheat flour
¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
5 ounces (140 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped in chip-sized chunks (I like Callebaut)
¼ cup (30 g) cocao nibs
½ cup, plus 1 tablespoon (125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (100 g) (packed) light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
fleur de sel
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
1. In a small bowl, sift both flours, cocoa powder and baking soda together.
2. In a clean, dry bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in a microwave), melt half of the chocolate (2½ oz, 70g), then let cool to room temperature. Mix the other half of the chocolate chunks a bowl with the cocoa nibs.
3. Beat the butter with a standing electric mixer, or by hand, just until smooth. Beat in the sugar, salt and vanilla or chocolate extract.
4. By hand, stir in the melted chocolate, then the flour-cocoa mixture. Then finally the chocolate chunks and nibs.
5. Scoop the dough into rounded teaspoons and place evenly-spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with fleur de sel then bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies take on a slightly dry sheen to the top. They may feel soft, but don't worry; they're firm up just fine when cool.
It is key to make these cookies very small because they are quite crumbly and you will not be able to get them off the cookie sheet in one piece otherwise. That's the way this cookie crumbles. Well, more for you then I guess.
This recipe is from the cookbook "Chocolate Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier. Visitez her blog...
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