Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

There is an interesting article on chocolate chip cookies in The New York Times today with a recipe!

Perfection? Hint: It's Warm and Has a Secret

I love chocolate chip cookies. Who doesn't? But not every chocolate chip cookie is created equal. Chocolate chip cookies can be done badly! My taste has exceeded the likes of Chips Ahoy and Entenmanns. But once in a while I can take a nibble for nostalgia sake. My favorite chocolate chip cookie is from Bouchon bakery, along with their nutter butter and oatmeal. At my old job I used to get to eat all the Bouchon cookies that didn't bake up perfectly (don't feel bad imperfect chocolate chip cookies, you are still perfect to me). I like how this article goes in depth about how doing something so simple as resting the dough in the refrigerator for over 24 hours allows the egg to hydrate the dough and melt all the flavors together thus resulting in a better consistency and texture, nicer look, and richer flavor. Go science! I also love some fleur de sel with my chocolate. I feel like salt opens up the taste buds and gives chocolate some dimension and complexity. The article is so right about the perfect cookie having the right balance of crunchy outside and soft chewy inside and all the wonderful in betweens. I can't wait to try the recipe that follows the article. I'm curious to see if the bread flour will give the cookie a chewier tooth feel then regular AP. Don't even bother making this recipe with cheap chocolate. I usually use 64% couveture disks in my cookies and it makes a big difference. Jacques Torres is right about how it melts beautifully. I will never use nestle chocolate chips or the likes again. I hate biting into a chocolate chip cookie and having to chew the chocolate chips rather then have it melt in my mouth. I'm going to try this recipe this weekend. The only downfall about this recipe is that it only makes 6 cookies and that I have to wait over 24 hours before I can eat 'em! I'm going to have to quadruple it. I don't think my little kitchenaid can hold it all. Does anyone want to buy me a hobart? I will bake you cookies for a life time! Maybe I'll make it at work tomorrow. We'll see if the electricity holds up! Oops wait I just realized the recipe says 1 1/2 dozen Yay more for me!


Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Jacques Torres
published in The New York Times July 9, 2008

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. 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, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) 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 sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet 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. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

*Update: I made these cookies at work and I wasn't impressed with them. I thought the dough was a little salty and acidic. Maybe I scaled something out wrong? I even chopped up a bar of Valhrona into it. Has anyone else tried this cookie?