Black Cake Cookies by Jillian Atkinson - Recipe Print View

Step 1

Make the fruit mixture: Pulse ½ cup (90 grams) raisins, the pitted prunes, and currants in a food processor to make a coarse chop. If you don’t have a food processor, chop by hand until everything is about the size of whole dried currants. Add the chopped dried fruit to a medium pot along with the remaining whole raisins, port wine, and rum. Bring the pot to a boil for about 1 minute, then cover and turn down to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and reduce the heat as necessary to keep from scorching. You’re looking for a moist near-paste, with all of the liquid absorbed. Transfer to a small bowl, then to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Alternatively, whisk over an ice bath or transfer to the freezer to speed up the process.) When the fruit is cool, make the cookie dough: Melt the butter slowly on the stovetop over medium heat or in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, tipping or swirling the bowl at each interval. Do not allow the butter to sputter or brown. Transfer the melted butter to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl, mix well, and set aside. Using a hand mixer, in a mixing bowl with the butter, now cooled slightly, beat in the brown and white sugars until crumbly and combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time and mix until fluffy and lighter in color, 1 minute. Add the vanilla, port, rum, and burnt sugar browning to the mixture and beat until mixed well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to evenly combine. Add the dry mixture in 3 additions, alternating the flour mixture with the fruit mixture, folding to combine without overmixing and ending with the flour. Fold in the walnuts, if using. Cover the cookie mixture with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Heat the oven to 325°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using cold cookie dough and a medium cookie scoop, scoop 3-tablespoon-sized balls of dough (a little bigger than a golf ball) onto cookie sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until puffed and dry-looking. Allow the cookies to cool for 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Use a cold cookie sheet to bake the remaining cookie dough and allow the cookies to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container.