easy desserts & recipes: new york times chocolate chip cookies (what cookie are you)?

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies Finding the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe can be akin to finding the Holy Grail. Once you find it, you will have eternal life, well… in the case of the best chocolate chip recipe, let’s just say you will attain eternal bliss. It takes time, a lot of patience, a whole lot more of trial and error, and maybe a pound or two in the weighing scale to reach perfection. I’ve been hearing a lot about the New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe that was initially published in July of 2008 and was adapted from the recipe of Jacques Torres. I decided to give the recipe a try last December since chocolate chip cookies are always a must during the holidays but it’s a type of treat that you can enjoy whatever time of the year. For instance, Easter is coming up pretty soon. Chocolate chip cookies would be the perfect Easter treat! {Would you believe these photos used 1600 ISO?} This is no ordinary recipe. To achieve absolute perfection, you must strictly adhere to the Cookie Commandments.{Photography How To in the Next Post} 1. Mix the ingredients with absolute precision. 2. Wait the prescribed time. 3. Do not use substitutes. 4. When taking your first bite, you must shriek at the top of your lungs… EUREKA! (then in a slightly lower voice, I have found perfection… come and partake in my divine concoction) 5. Proceed with life as you know it (of course that’s with the knowledge that you have the most wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe) and smile! I have to admit, the cookies are really good! Make that simply divine! What I really mean is… they are orgasmic! To test the spoils of my deliriously good looking nuggets of sublime sweet temptations, I gave them to my husband to taste (much like Eve tempting Adam in the garden of Eden, minus the birthday suit of course). The reaction I got from him was not just simple satisfaction, it was pure pleasure! He couldn't keep his mitts off of the cookies! Now if only I could get the same gratification then this will truly be pleasure vice versa (if you get my drift). The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, just as how it came into many people’s attention, truly deserves being heralded. I am so proud of having created them, I can proudly gift them using a nice crystal container, etc, and well, like the saying goes… “When eating Pringles, after one pop, you just can't stop.” (that commercial will forever be stuck in my head). I must confess I broke a few Cookie Commandments. I know baking is supposed to be an exact science but I changed some ingredients a bit (does this make me a mad scientist?) Since I didn’t have cake flour on hand, I used bread flour instead. I also used a gourmet choco bar and raisins. With fingers crossed and toes crossed (yup, that’s possible) I took a bite out of my cookie experiment. The outcome was a flat and chewy and yet utterly scrumptious cookie! It's all up to personal taste, I guess. I prefer them large and chewy, so using the recipe (hard and soft flour) is essential. However, try to be as precise when using extracts of any sort. Some people think that a tad more won’t matter. A teaspoon goes a long way when using anything concentrated, and it can sure overpower any recipe. How about you, Dear Readers, when it comes to the chocolate chip cookie, do you prefer them flat or big, soft and chewy? easy desserts & recipes: new york times chocolate chip cookies A Quick Lesson in the History of Cookies A cookie in America is always known as a thin, small, sweet cake that can be any variety of a flour-based cake whether it’s crunchy or soft, and can be eaten with your hand. Every country has its own version of a cookie and is even called by other names. In Spain, cookies are called “galletas”, in England they’re “biscuits”, in Germany they’re “keks”, in Italy they’re know as “biscotti” or “amaretti”, and so on and so forth. But if I may quote Cookie Monster, “C is for Cookie, that’s good enough for me!” The word “cookie” is from the Dutch word koekje which means little or small cake. Culinary historians believe that cookies came about as a means for bakers to test the temperature of the oven, hence, the small amount of batter. The earliest cookies can be traced back all the way to 7th century Persia A.D. (known today as Iran) where sugar was first cultivated and soon spread to Northern Europe over the years, The miracle of the chocolate chip cookie, which is a favorite for many of us and has become a huge part of American culture, was invented in 1937 by an ingenious lady named Ruth Graves Wakefield from Whitman, Massachusetts. She ran the Toll House Restaurant that was located on a busy highway between Boston and New Bedford. Here, stagecoach passengers had a hot meal while the horses were changed and a toll was collected for the use of the highway. A favorite recipe of Ruth was called “Butter Drop Do cookies”, a popular recipe from the colonial times that required baker’s chocolate. One day, she ran out of baker’s chocolate and had to make do with a bar of chopped up semi-sweet chocolate. Ruth thought that the semi-sweet chocolate would melt as the cookie baked but instead they held their shape and were a sensation! The rest is history. Here’s to Ruth and her accidental choco chip cookie concoction! A Gift from Us to you (Free Party Printable's) All Files are editable, simple add your photo in the clipping mask. Download the Zip File here. 1. Place Card 2. Folded Invitation or Thank you Card 3. Cake Banner 4. Wrapping Paper Free PSD Template Free PSD Template
Chocolate Chip Cookies Adapted from New York Times Adapted from Jacques Torres 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 (see note) Sea salt. 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. Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.
Photography Data: Featured Marie Cinq-Mars Camera Nikon D7000 Exposure 0.04 sec (1/25) Aperture f/5.3 Focal Length 62 mm ISO Speed 1600
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38 comments

  • March 18, 2012 at 8:22 pm //

    I made the NY Times Chocolate Chip cookie for a bunch of people, most of whom love chocolate. Every single one of them insisted there was too much chocolate in the cookie (“Hey, can I have some cookie with my chocolate?” Was a fav joke that day). I used 1 1/4 lbs of the best quality feves, as the recipe states. I tasted one and felt the same. Tried baking them again to the recipe, verbatim, same results.

    The world loves these..no clue what happened – other than my particular group of friends being sensitive to feves? lol Yours look great!

    • March 19, 2012 at 3:22 pm //

      Hey Lisa, I honestly put only half of the recommendation, I don’t like mine too sweet, but what I love about this recipe the most is that it’s so versatile, the hard and soft flours give it that chewy, yet crunchy outer exterior (around the rim of the cookie).

      I didn’t use Feves, I just used two gourmet chocolate bars and smashed the heck out of it.

      I would say, give it another trying using your favorite chocolate or using nibs, and half of the recommendation. Let us know how it works out.

  • March 18, 2012 at 8:22 pm //

    I made the NY Times Chocolate Chip cookie for a bunch of people, most of whom love chocolate. Every single one of them insisted there was too much chocolate in the cookie (“Hey, can I have some cookie with my chocolate?” Was a fav joke that day). I used 1 1/4 lbs of the best quality feves, as the recipe states. I tasted one and felt the same. Tried baking them again to the recipe, verbatim, same results.

    The world loves these..no clue what happened – other than my particular group of friends being sensitive to feves? lol Yours look great!

    • March 19, 2012 at 3:22 pm //

      Hey Lisa, I honestly put only half of the recommendation, I don’t like mine too sweet, but what I love about this recipe the most is that it’s so versatile, the hard and soft flours give it that chewy, yet crunchy outer exterior (around the rim of the cookie).

      I didn’t use Feves, I just used two gourmet chocolate bars and smashed the heck out of it.

      I would say, give it another trying using your favorite chocolate or using nibs, and half of the recommendation. Let us know how it works out.

  • March 19, 2012 at 5:57 am //

    Haha, I love your cookie commandments, I’m totally going to do that now :) These cookies definitely look amazing, I will be giving them a try soon! I love my cookies big and chewy!

    • March 19, 2012 at 3:36 pm //

      Thank you so much Amalia “giggles” Me too, I like mine big and chewy!

  • March 19, 2012 at 5:57 am //

    Haha, I love your cookie commandments, I’m totally going to do that now :) These cookies definitely look amazing, I will be giving them a try soon! I love my cookies big and chewy!

    • March 19, 2012 at 3:36 pm //

      Thank you so much Amalia “giggles” Me too, I like mine big and chewy!

  • March 19, 2012 at 6:09 am //

    delicious cookies and presentation

    • March 19, 2012 at 3:36 pm //

      Thank you.

  • March 19, 2012 at 6:09 am //

    delicious cookies and presentation

    • March 19, 2012 at 3:36 pm //

      Thank you.

  • March 19, 2012 at 11:24 am //

    I’ve heard that the NY Times recipe is the best ever, but I have yet to try it. Love the cookie commandments!

    • March 19, 2012 at 3:36 pm //

      Thank you Stephanie = ) totally worth giving them a try.

  • March 19, 2012 at 11:24 am //

    I’ve heard that the NY Times recipe is the best ever, but I have yet to try it. Love the cookie commandments!

    • March 19, 2012 at 3:36 pm //

      Thank you Stephanie = ) totally worth giving them a try.

  • March 19, 2012 at 8:28 pm //

    Oh, yeah…this is one of our favorites…with Nestle’s Toll house and the Cook’s Illustrated recipe close behind :)

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:30 am //

      oooh… Can you send me the recipe for Cook’s Illustrated?

  • March 19, 2012 at 8:28 pm //

    Oh, yeah…this is one of our favorites…with Nestle’s Toll house and the Cook’s Illustrated recipe close behind :)

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:30 am //

      oooh… Can you send me the recipe for Cook’s Illustrated?

  • March 19, 2012 at 11:14 pm //

    Very nice! A simple, delectable classic :)

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:29 am //

      Thank you Kiri.

  • March 19, 2012 at 11:14 pm //

    Very nice! A simple, delectable classic :)

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:29 am //

      Thank you Kiri.

  • March 19, 2012 at 11:22 pm //

    I’ve never made this recipe, although I downloaded it and saved it. My impression is the real secret with this recipe is chilling the cookie dough (on another blog I read this morning someone posted Alton Brown’s recipe – another one I haven’t made – and he, too, says to chill the dough at least overnight). Anyway I’m now thinking it’s time for cookies! Thanks.

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:28 am //

      YES, the chilling of the dough, it makes a huge difference, I wish I knew the scientific reason why (must research that). This batched I didn’t use hard and soft flour, the cookies came out a bit flat….lesson learned = )

  • March 19, 2012 at 11:22 pm //

    I’ve never made this recipe, although I downloaded it and saved it. My impression is the real secret with this recipe is chilling the cookie dough (on another blog I read this morning someone posted Alton Brown’s recipe – another one I haven’t made – and he, too, says to chill the dough at least overnight). Anyway I’m now thinking it’s time for cookies! Thanks.

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:28 am //

      YES, the chilling of the dough, it makes a huge difference, I wish I knew the scientific reason why (must research that). This batched I didn’t use hard and soft flour, the cookies came out a bit flat….lesson learned = )

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:26 am //

      Thank you Kayle, I think you’ll really like them.

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:26 am //

      Thank you Kayle, I think you’ll really like them.

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:25 am //

      Thank you so much = )

    • March 20, 2012 at 10:25 am //

      Thank you so much = )