COURTESY CHRISTINE PEREZ Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies, above, won second place in a Kakaako Kitchen contest. Below, the first-place cookie, nicknamed "Lovespell."

Cookie leaves
judges spellbound

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By Betty Shimabukuro
betty@starbulletin.com

Two variations on the chocolate chip cookie took top honors at Kakaako Kitchen's Valentine's Day recipe contest, "Cookies with Heart."

Pumped-up ingredient lists elevated these cookies over the several choco-flavored cookies that made the finals in the second annual competition.

Winning first place and a neighbor-island trip was Json Nakagawa for a cookie nicknamed "Lovespell," a chocolate chip and oatmeal cookie dressed up with almond flavoring and peanut butter chips.

Second-place winner of a $100 gift certificate to 3660 on the Rise was Derek R. Tong, for his extra crispy cookies made with Rice Krispies.

Third place and a $35 gift certificate to Kakaako Kitchen went to a non-chocolate entry, William Amigone's Fior di Pistachio, a unique and complex cookie made of ground pistachios.

Almond Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Json Nakagawa
1-1/2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups quick oats
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with nonstick foil or parchment.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in oats and chips. Spoon dough in 1-inch balls onto cookies sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are lightly brown. Slide foil off of cookie sheet and cool 5 minutes before removing cookies.

Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie

Derek R. Tong
2 blocks butter, softened (1 cup)
1-1/2 blocks margarine, softened (3/4 cup)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Preheat oven 275 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment or a non-stick cookie mat.

Cream butter, margarine and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Sift together flour and baking soda. Mix gradually into butter mixture. Stir in cereal, chips and nuts. Scoop dough by tablespoons onto cookie sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Do NOT brown. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 5 dozen.

Fior di Pistachio

William Amigone
2 cups shelled raw pistachios
1-1/3 cups blanched almonds
2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2 eggs, beaten lightly to blend
2 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Bring 2 quarts water to boil. Plunge pistachios into boiling water; immediately remove pot from heat. Let pistachios sit 3 minutes in hot water, then drain and rinse in cold water. Rub with clean cloth to remove most of skins. Spread on baking sheet and dry in oven 20 to 25 minutes. Cool.

Working in 2 batches, grind pistachios, almonds and sugar to a fine powder. Return mixture to processor with baking powder and salt. Pulse to combine. With machine running, add remaining ingredients except powdered sugar. Mix until the dough forms a ball.

Turn dough onto a work surface dusted with powdered sugar. Knead gently 1 minute or until dough is smooth. Break off tablespoon-size balls of dough. and roll into chubby 2-inch logs. Place logs on a greased baking sheets 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Sift more powdered sugar over cookies. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake cookies 20 to 25 minutes, golden brown. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, then remove to a wire racks to cool completely.

Nutritional information unavailable.

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