Salted Chocolate Vanilla Bean Cookies

What would it feel like if vacations lasted forever?  Would it feel as good as I think it would?  Yes.  Yes, it would.

Reality hits hard after you’ve had days to let your brain ease into a happy mush.

I’m not complaining.  Does it sound like I’m complaining?  Ok… maybe a little.  It’s just hard to let vacation time slip out of my hands.

Maybe permanent vacation is like only eating these cookies for the rest of your days.  Sure, they have both chocolate and vanilla, but you can’t eat cookies forever.  They’d lose their cookie goodness.  Maybe permanent vacation would somehow start to feel like work.  Constant cookies and vacation? I’d be willing to experiment  just to see how the two would treat me after a few years.

While I’m day dreaming of vacations past, I’d like to send a big fat thank you to my darling friends who hosted us this weekend.

Britt is one of my few friends who actually still has a land line.  Phone with a cord!?  Well done.

Seattle is a great city.  A big thank you for all of your Seattle suggestions.  I actually used to live in Seattle so this vacation was half sightseeing and half old stomping ground good times.

Now… cookies.

1. Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla bean or extract. Gradually add flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 1 minute.
2. Remove half of the dough; set aside. Add cocoa powder and chopped chocolate to remaining dough; mix on low speed until well combined. Turn out chocolate dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a 10-inch log, about 1-inch wide and 1/2-inch tall. Repeat with reserved vanilla dough. Wrap each rectangle in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until slightly firm, at least 30 minutes.
3. Remove the chilled doughs from the fridge.  Brush the top of the chocolate piece with a bit of a remaining egg white.  This will help the chocolate and vanilla stick together.  Press the vanilla piece on top of the moistened chocolate piece.  Press lightly.  Rewrap dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. If dough becomes too soft to slice cleanly, return to freezer until firm.  Sprinkle course sea salt onto the chocolate half of the cookies.  Press in lightly with fingertips.
5. Bake until firm to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.