Skillet cookie sundae…can the “original” be improved?

I think the first time I tried this dessert it was on a trip to Miami, sometime in 1993. I remember I was impressed with Tony Roma’s column of crispy onion rings (I don’t remember them being all squashed up like they serve them now, at least here in Spain, but rather through the hole in a stand holder). Also, I still remember the butter-soft BBQ ribs and…this amazing, decadent dessert! Basically it’s just a huge chocolate chip cookie baked on a skillet and served hot with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and thick hot chocolate fudge sauce. Nothing, huh? just the thing for a diet! But, there’s not one time that I go to a Tony Roma’s and not get one, even if just for myself! I’d rather eat less ribs or no starters!
So, about a year ago, I decided I wanted to try to make it at home…you can’t just go to a restaurant every time you have a chocolate craving! can you? Well, I’d rather have it at home and enjoy it as I please. I can’t even remember where I got the first recipe from…but compared to a chocolate chip cookie, it had much less flour, considerably more butter and the result, well just wasn’t as expected! But then I twitched the recipe a bit…and I think after two tries, like they say, third time lucky! The recipe is much closer to a proper chocolate chip cookie, but still with less flour, to get a soft interior and much less sugar than usual…as enough is in all that chocolate fudge (which by the way, it’s also what makes this dessert so fantastic) and ice-cream, so all together it’s…close to heaven!

I thought I’d take this recipe to the grave…there’s not one person that’s tried it who doesn’t just love it (perhaps some of them lie?) and since you can freeze it, the moment you want it, just pop it out, place it on the skillet (which I bought JUST for this, but honestly any pyrex or baking dish will do…it just doesn’t look as nice), bake it for 15 minutes and you’ll please (and impress!) whichever guest you have over. Well, you need a chocolate sauce for it, but that you can put together in 5 minutes. So, no I’m not taking this to the grave..I’m sharing it with you all because…not sure, because it can make people happy?! hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Before I leave you with the recipe, I’d like to share with you that starting today and hoping it will last long, I’ll be contributing to another fantastic spanish blog on all bread-related matters: Madrid Tiene Miga. Today was my first post on moroccan msemmens and melouis…layered, flaky, buttery crêpe-like flat breads that can be served sweet or savoury to suit your taste!.

Edición 12 Octubre 2013:

Para los hableis español y os de pereza andar con el traductor, me he enterado de que Bea del blog "Sin Salir de mi Cocina" ha replicado la receta en su blog... la encontrareis casi con el mismo título pero en español. Podeis acceder desde aquí.


Skillet cookie sunday with hot chocolate fudge sauce
(For 4 150g “cookies”)
For the cookies:

120g unsalted butter (room-temperature)
100g brown sugar
70g granulated sugar
1 large egg (60g)
150g all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
120g chocolate chips or broken up chocolate (70% cocoa)

For the hot fudge sauce:

75g fresh cream (35% fat)
30g unsalted butter
25g granulated sugar
pinch of salt
60g chocolate (70% cocoa)
(optionally you can add a drop of vanilla extract, Tony Roma’s is flavoured, but I prefer it without)

Calculate to do this, at least 1 day ahead the moment you want it, read on as I will explain why…
Since I have never got the butter at room temperature and I rarely plan ahead to leave it out, I just pop the amount I need into the microwave on a low power (400 watt or less) testing after 20 seconds until it’s soft but not melted.
I like to give the sugars a whizz in the spice blender. This is not essential, but that way it dissolves better into the butter. So, then cream the butter with the sugars and a pinch of salt (and vanilla if using, I sometimes omit it) until you get a paler creamy texture with a whip (I use a hand-blender one…otherwise, it’s much harder to cream it).

Incorporate the egg while beating and add the flour with the baking powder & baking soda sifted, until homogeneous.
With a spatula mix in the chocolate chips (you could add pecan nuts to this, if you like them, to personalise your cookies!)and…(This is the New York Times tip to the perfect chocolate chip cookies, and it works!) cover with film and leave in the fridge for at least 24 hours! (ideally 36 hours). During that time, the flour with absorb some of the moisture from the dough and that will directly affect how it cooks in the  oven resulting in a more flavourful, with hints of caramel, cookie!

This fudge sauce, I have to tell you is the result of lot’s of tests! It’s the best hot fudge I’ve made and tried, plus it is super easy to put together! you can make extra for your weekend pancakes or just to spread over some toasts (no need to warm up), or over brownies…It keeps well over a week in the fridge.
Just put in a small saucepan all, except the chocolate, and bring slowly to a simmer. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt and off the heat add the chocolate chopped up as finely as possible, or at least into small squares. Stir slowly to melt all the chocolate, if still not completely dissolved, you could bring it back to the fire over very low heat stirring until melted.

That’s it! Pour into a tupper-ware to keep, and ideally cover it with a piece of film directly in contact with the sauce, so it doesn’t form a skin on the surface. Leave to cool and pop in the fridge. Whenever you are ready to use it, heat it on the microwave at medium power (400 watt) for a few seconds until it’s the temperature you want. Alternatively, just use a pan again, but the microwave avoids dirtying anything else.
So, after you’ve waited your 24-36 hours for your dough, you’ll see it’s manageable, that is, it can be handled without sticking. Divide the dough into 4 equal 150g pieces for a 16cm skillet. Separate the one you’ll be using and you can wrap the others individually in film and freeze them.
Now, the one you’ll be serving can pressed into the cast iron skillet (I managed to find this small skillet in Le Creuset here in Europe, but Tony Roma’s are Lodge). If you haven’t got a skillet, no problem…until I bought one I would use a pyrex tray roughly that size, or else adjust the serving size to the size of tray/skillet/pyrex you’ve got! If you want this dessert for more than 2 people (just think you’ll all be eating from the same dish, fun but maybe not so for some!) use a larger tray to go into the oven.

As I was saying, no need to butter, just press in with your palm to flatten the surface. It will look fairly thin, but don’t worry, as it will more than double in height after baking.
Preheat your oven to 180ºC and 15 minutes ahead from when you want to serve it, just place it in. Check in case in your oven it needs a bit more time. It should look golden all over…
Serve with a scoop of your favourite vanilla/cream ice-cream (or any other flavour you like) and the hot fudge sauce generously over it!
Crispy on top and soft on the inside…yummy!