chocolate chunk cookie, how divine!
this is my most favorite standby, which, by the way, i NEVER eat as i am completely unable to control myself (one, two, or five never seem to be enough for me) ... these cookies, really a variation on the basic tollhouse recipe, are updated with nuggets of belgian chocolate appearing in bittersweet and milk form. the dough can be made in advance, wrapped tight and refrigerated, then used for a couple of cookies (after school snack), or en masse at the end of a dinner party (oozing, and fresh out of the oven, with a tall glass of skim milk!). highly recommended, and i take no responsibility for what happens to your waste-line.
harley's chocolate chunk cookies
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) softened plugra butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2-1/2 cups unbleached flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound each bittersweet chocolate AND milk chocolate (in large planks, either trader joe's or callebaut or similar)
1. when you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 300º (NOT 350º as normally recommended for cookies) and have ready a large, flat baking sheet (without sides)
2. combine the two sugars, using your impeccably clean fingers to remove any lumps in the brown sugar; add the butter and sugar in a stand mixer (or by hand) and cream together until a smooth, light colored paste forms; scrape down the sides of the bowl
3. add the vanilla extract and the eggs to the paste, and 'whip' for 3 minutes - the mixture will go from curdlike brown consistency to a creamy, beige color - it should be light and fluffy; again, scrape down the sides of the bowl
4. at this point, i stop using the mixer - remove the bowl and on top of the creamy mixture add the flour, salt, and baking soda ... lightly combine these with a spoon, then really 'fold up' the buttery mixture into the dry ingredients - note: i try not to overmix at this stage, as the chocolate must still be folded in (so just get everything semi-combined - there will still be some flour visible)
5. using a heavy serrated knife, break the chocolate planks into large chunks - minimum 1/8 inch to 3/8 inch (only an architect would tell you that!); they can be uneven in size. add the chunks to the cookie dough, kind of lifting the chocolate pieces off of the cutting board with slightly splayed fingers (to let the chocolate 'dust' fall back and not get into the mixture). the goal is to end up with only the 'chunks' in the dough, and not all of the little pieces and flakes.
6. mix the dough with a heavy spatula or metal spoon until just combined, then wrap this bundle extremely tightly (no air!) and refrigerate for one hour.
7. to bake the cookies, unwrap the dough; break off a hunk of it and roll it between the palms of your hand to get a perfect 'ball' or circle of dough; where chunks of chocolate are peaking through, push them back into the ball. note: when placing the dough on the cookie sheet, try to put them down on a part of the cookie ball which does not have a big hunk of chocolate - a more 'doughy' bottom will be much less messy. you should get a dozen cookies on a large rectangular baking sheet.
8. pop the cookies in the oven, and bake until just set - at this low temperature it takes about 15 minutes depending on your oven. the cookies should not be brown on top, and you should 'rotate' them in the oven every five minutes or so. the cookies will be quite rounded and 'tall' - you can tell that they are done by touching the tops, and as long as they don't feel 'liquidy' they are fine (they'll continue to cook or set once removed from the oven).
9. when done, take the cookie sheet out of the oven and let the cookies rest on a the baking sheet for five minutes; transfer to a wire rack after that to let them cool (but not TOO cool, as they are absolutely scrumptious when just baked!!!)
10. enjoy!
h
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