NYT Chocolate Chip Cookies

I spend a lot of time reading food blogs. I suppose you could say I’m addicted. It’s like Christmas morning every day when I hop on my computer, open my Google Reader and see all of the delicious recipes being shared that day by my fellow bloggers. Inevitably, I wind up bookmarking a ton of them, including this chocolate chip cookie recipe, which I’ve actually had bookmarked for many, many months. These cookies are rumored to be “the best” chocolate chip cookies so I’m not sure why I put off making them for so long. Fortunately, the other day a few of my Twitter buddies and I decided it was high time we gave these a shot so I was able to check them off the ever-growing list.

At first glance this recipe doesn’t look too different from a lot of other chocolate chip cookie recipes but there are a few keys. First, the dough rests for at least 24 hours (though 36 hours is best), which gives the dough time to soak up the eggs creating a drier dough which bakes up to a better consistency. Also, these cookies are huge – about 5 inches across – which allows for several different textures in the cookies: crisp outside edges, a soft center and a chewy ring in between.

I wondered if these cookies could live up to all of the hype and I can confidently say that they did! I preferred them warm from the oven but they were still great at room temperature the next day. The variety of textures was as promised and I especially loved the soft centers. They’re buttery and just really delicious! Definitely a go-to chocolate chip recipe. A 5-inch cookie isn’t always practical, though, so next time I’m going to make them a bit smaller and see if they’re still as good.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Jacques Torres (via the New York Times)

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
sea 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 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.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce 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 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.

Yields 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies