Bak Kwa Chocolate Chip Cookies

Daniel
Feb 7, 2023
3 min read

Updated: May 21

I am sure that most of you lovely people have some leftover bak kwa from the Lunar New Year celebration. Aside from using bak kwa for Nasi Goreng and Grilled Pizza, I have quite a number of ideas up my sleeve.

Resting the cookie dough is crucial...

This is one of the few ideas. Very much like pizza, cookies and brownies are kinda sacred to me. One has to do it properly. But with that being said, it is still down to individual preferences. Some like it chewy and fudgy. Some would very much prefer crispy cookies. I love a good chewy fudgy cookie.

Just outta the oven...

Adding bak kwa to chocolate chip cookies may sound unorthodox, but trust me, it works yummiliciously. If you find that making your own bak kwa is a hassle, you can always use store-bought ones. I don't judge. You can also use bacon; just be sure to broil, drain and dice before adding it to the cookie dough.

Ingredients:

(Make 12 cookies)

Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 238g
Baking Soda, 3g
Sea Salt, 3g
Unsalted Butter, 167g
Granulated Sugar, 104g
Dark Muscovado Sugar, 134g
Blackstrap Molasses, 12g
Eggs, 60g
Dark 70% Chocolate Pistoles Preferably Valrhona or Callebaut, 50g
Milk Chocolate Pistoles Preferably Valrhona or Callebaut, 57g
Bak Kwa Homemade / Bacon, 107g
Chili Flakes, 1 TBSP Adjust To Preference
Flaky Sea Salt, For Garnishing

Equipment:

Oven
Hand / Stand Mixer

Directions:

Please visit my "Bak Kwa" page for the recipe.
Before You Start
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
Prepare the Dough
In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whip butter until light and fluffy (mayo consistency).
Add sugar and molasses. Whip until fully incorporated.
Dark muscovado sugar may clump—break it up before mixing.
Add eggs and whip for 15 to 30 seconds.
Add the flour mixture, half at a time, whipping for 15 to 30 seconds after each addition.
Fold in chopped dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bak kwa, and chili flakes.
If using bacon instead, broil until crisp, drain, finely dice, and fold in here.
Cover and chill in the fridge for 12 to 72 hours.
Shaping and Baking
Let the dough sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.
Preheat oven to 162°C (325°F).
Weigh out 75g portions of dough and roll into balls.
You may freeze the portioned dough for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge overnight and rest 1 hour at room temp before baking.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Place 4 cookie dough balls on the tray, spaced apart (they will spread).
Bake for 6–7 minutes, rotate, then bake another 6–7 minutes.
Total bake time: 12–14 minutes for soft centers with crispy edges.
For crispier cookies, bake 6 minutes longer.
Finishing Touches
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Optional: Use a pastry ring to shape into perfect rounds. Rustic is fine too.
Rest on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Repeat with remaining dough.