such things cannot be tamed.

These cookies started a conflict. This is terribly ironic since their name insists upon peace, but I can honestly say that despite the copious amounts I've ingested since finding this recipe a year ago, they've been anything but peaceful. If anything, it's more of a bloodbath over who will get the last one, when will they be made again, and me yanking my hair out over the price of quality chocolate and sea salt. Most recently, it was a slight misunderstanding - and not on my part.

You see, my work-husband turned twenty eight twenty three a few weeks back and decided to skip town for the occasion, but I was grateful because that gave me more time to ponder a baked good for his sake. I really did have selfish ambition, actually, I wanted to make something that I liked so I could sneak one or seven before packaging them up and wishing him well on another year. Thankfully, I struck gold when I suggested coconut macaroons and I rubbed my hands together with wicked glee knowing I could pocket at least four of them without him noticing. I am so smart.

Fortunately, the baking bug still had it's fangs in me once I finished the macaroons and I just had to keep at it as such things cannot be tamed. It was ever so politely brought to my attention by a co-worker that the recipe for World Peace Cookies was, in fact, not on my blog. I stopped for a moment, thought of accusing her of lying because how could that be so!? before deciding to see for myself. Nope, definitely not there. I let it sink in for a moment, contemplating the disgrace I've brought to the food blogging world having never written about these cookies.

In case you've been living under a rock for the past few years, World Peace Cookies are chocolate sables, a French shortbread that is a bit more chewy than a regular shortbread, which I like since crumbly cookies make me choke when all those sandy bits ping against the back of my throat. But that's just me. I also gag on my toothbrush and my sunglasses whenever I try to hold them between my teeth to find my car keys. Yeah. The dough is flavored with a generous amount of fleur de sel sea salt (oh blessed blog namesake), wrapped around chunks of chopped chocolate, creating a perfect sweet and salty combination.

These were originally called Korova Cookies, named for the city in Paris where the recipe originated. Dorie Greenspan renamed them World Peace Cookies after a neighbor of hers said they were delicious enough to create world peace. I can't vouch for that, since they only seem to induce violence from my knowledge, but perhaps you will have better luck.

World Peace Cookies
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking : From My Home to Yours

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

Whisk the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the dry ingredients; drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek — if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough — for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don't be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you've frozen the dough, you needn't defrost it before baking — just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.)

To bake:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Using a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you're cutting them — don't be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes — they won't look done, nor will they be firm, but that's just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.