Crispy......Chewy......Warm...Chocolatey The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie!

When I was growing up in Montreal and living at home, my father and I sat around the kitchen table each evening and chatted about the day over milk and cookies. They were Sadie's cookies of course, as my mom always had something freshly baked. Recently my Dad came to visit us in Toronto and we had our milk and cookies again....and life was good....

In July of this year (2008) David Leite wrote in the NY Times about the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Bloggers all over the world tested the recipe. I finally made it and when I asked Dan what he thought...his response was "OMG...they are awesome!"

The recipe was developed after the NY Times visited the best New York City Bakeries and talked to experts in the field.

Why is this cookie awesome? First...you need to eat them while they are still warm. Chocolate in its warm and melty state is ....ummmmm.

Next...The dough rests 36 hours before baking! It is all about hydration ...allowing the dough and the other ingredients to absorb all the liquid.

And then there is size - a five inch cookie allows for three distinct flavours...the crunchy outer ring, the next ring full of flavour and chewiness and then the soft middle.

But really I think what makes this recipe is the chocolate! There are no little chocolate chips in this cookie...instead we have thin couverture, typically used to cover truffles. It melts so nicely and each bite oozes chocolate!

And the finishing touch is a sprinkle of sea salt. Why? Because it brings out the flavour...don't leave it out because it really does make a difference.

Here is the recipe and the link to the NY Times full story.

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 ( I used Guittard Chocolates)
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. The mixer breaks them a bit. 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.
Enjoy the ultimate chocolate chip cookie!

Until we bake again...

Penny