I ran across an New York Times article the other day discussing The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie. Now, I don't have a big sweet tooth, but I always enjoy a bite or two of a good cookie. This time, I ate the entire thing. And these cookies are ginormous! According to the article and the inventor of the Toll House Cookie, two very important steps were left out of that recipe. One, after making the dough, it must be allowed to be refrigerated for a minimum of 24 hours. Two, before baking, you must just barely sprinkle the balls of dough with some kosher salt. And there is an interesting blend of flour (bread flour and cake flour). And the size. Apparently, it is important to make a huge cookie (3.5 oz, about 1/3 cup) so you get the crispiness of the edge and the soft, chewiness of the center. Doing my own experiment, I divided the dough the put 8 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 4 oz of walnuts in one half, and 8 oz of milk chocolate chips and 4 oz of pecans in the other. I really wish I could tell you I had a favorite, but I can't. They are both outstanding. Absolutely the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever had in my life. So, here's the NYTimes recipe as listed. Vary it as you like (it calls for chocolate disks or feves, at least 60% cacao content......what the heck are feves?!!!). And given the size of the cookies, this only makes about 18 5" cookies. THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 2 cups less 2 Tbsp (8 1/2 oz) cake flour (leave in the 2 TBSP for higher altitudes) 1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 oz) bread flour 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, room temp 1 1/4 cups (10 oz) light brown sugar 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp (8 oz) granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or feves, at least 60% cacao content Kosher salt Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until very light, about 5 minutes (this was another important step in the article). Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, about 10 seconds (I did this in 4 steps). Drop chocolate pieces (and nuts if using) and incorporate into dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24-36 hours. You can refrigerate up to 72 hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Scoop six 3 1/2 oz mounds of dough (about 1/3 cup) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and bake until golden brown, but still soft, 18-22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. NOTE: It was a difficult decision, but if I had to put my finger on one choice, I would go with the milk chocolate and pecans. But you won't go wrong either way! UPDATE: 4/1/11 Weirdest thing! I was in EarthFare today and what did I run across?!!! CHOCOLATE FEVES......and in all different cocoa percentages!!! Weird! I had never heard of them, but then I post a recipe, and voila!!!! There they appear. They are simply chocolate disks, maybe about 3/4" in diameter, and 1/8 or 1/4" thick. Go figure! Also, listening to Everyday Foods on Martha Stewart Radio (satellite radio) I heard a segment on the perfect chocolate chip cookies and yes indeed! Time is the essential quotient! Must let dough refrigerate at least 24 hours. 36 is optimal.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Most Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
I ran across an New York Times article the other day discussing The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie. Now, I don't have a big sweet tooth, but I always enjoy a bite or two of a good cookie. This time, I ate the entire thing. And these cookies are ginormous! According to the article and the inventor of the Toll House Cookie, two very important steps were left out of that recipe. One, after making the dough, it must be allowed to be refrigerated for a minimum of 24 hours. Two, before baking, you must just barely sprinkle the balls of dough with some kosher salt. And there is an interesting blend of flour (bread flour and cake flour). And the size. Apparently, it is important to make a huge cookie (3.5 oz, about 1/3 cup) so you get the crispiness of the edge and the soft, chewiness of the center. Doing my own experiment, I divided the dough the put 8 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 4 oz of walnuts in one half, and 8 oz of milk chocolate chips and 4 oz of pecans in the other. I really wish I could tell you I had a favorite, but I can't. They are both outstanding. Absolutely the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever had in my life. So, here's the NYTimes recipe as listed. Vary it as you like (it calls for chocolate disks or feves, at least 60% cacao content......what the heck are feves?!!!). And given the size of the cookies, this only makes about 18 5" cookies. THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 2 cups less 2 Tbsp (8 1/2 oz) cake flour (leave in the 2 TBSP for higher altitudes) 1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 oz) bread flour 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, room temp 1 1/4 cups (10 oz) light brown sugar 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp (8 oz) granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or feves, at least 60% cacao content Kosher salt Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until very light, about 5 minutes (this was another important step in the article). Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, about 10 seconds (I did this in 4 steps). Drop chocolate pieces (and nuts if using) and incorporate into dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24-36 hours. You can refrigerate up to 72 hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Scoop six 3 1/2 oz mounds of dough (about 1/3 cup) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and bake until golden brown, but still soft, 18-22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. NOTE: It was a difficult decision, but if I had to put my finger on one choice, I would go with the milk chocolate and pecans. But you won't go wrong either way! UPDATE: 4/1/11 Weirdest thing! I was in EarthFare today and what did I run across?!!! CHOCOLATE FEVES......and in all different cocoa percentages!!! Weird! I had never heard of them, but then I post a recipe, and voila!!!! There they appear. They are simply chocolate disks, maybe about 3/4" in diameter, and 1/8 or 1/4" thick. Go figure! Also, listening to Everyday Foods on Martha Stewart Radio (satellite radio) I heard a segment on the perfect chocolate chip cookies and yes indeed! Time is the essential quotient! Must let dough refrigerate at least 24 hours. 36 is optimal.
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