First Post: (woop!) NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've heard about these infamous Chocolate Chip Cookies by Jacque Torres from the New York Times. But I've never decided to try making them since they required bread flour.

What the hell is bread flour?

My answer is, I don't know.

Anyway, these cookies do not disappoint! They are crumbly, soft and chewy. So good that I can't even begin to describe.

Though these cookies do take some time to prepare. When I first told my friends that they had to be "marinated" for 24 - 72 hours, they were a bit sceptical. I'd like to prove them wrong, but honestly these cookies won't last past the weekend and those suckers will just have to miss out.

After the dough sat in the fridge for about a day and a half, I rolled them into balls with my trusty cookie scoop.

Then I flattened them out with the bottom of a cup.

And then I baked them.

And look at that! They came out perfectly!

I also halved the recipe below, because I thought 60 cookies was too much. I made wow, exactly 30 cookies roughly 8cm in diameter. But if you want, you can make the full batch and bake them in separate days like butterbaking did below.

Phew. First post over. Stay tuned (to the zero people who are reading this) for plently of more baked stuff to  come! :)

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NEW YORK TIMES CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIESAdapted from the recipe by Jacques Torres in the New York Times via butterbaking

2 cups minus 2 tbsp cake flour (8 1/2 oz)
OR 1/4 cup cornstarch + 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp plain flour
1 2/3 cup bread flour (8 1/2 oz)
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus extra for sprinkling)
275g unsalted butter, softened (1 1/4 cups, 2 1/2 sticks)
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar (10 oz)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp white sugar (8 oz)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups chocolate chips or chunks of your choice [* I used dark chocolate baking bits]

In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour (or combination of cornstarch and plain flour), bread flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and both sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Turn the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Now, Jacques Torres says that the cookie dough needs to sit in the fridge for a couple of days to marinate for the best flavour, and he is absolutely right. So put it into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it down onto the top of the cookie dough and refrigerate for 24 – 72 hours. The flavour develops and they become even more deliciously delicious (if that is possible).

36 hours is the ultimate marinating time, but this recipe makes such a large amount of cookies that I never stick to the rules. I always bake a batch straight away, then another the next day, and a third one the day after that. The flavour of the cookies intensifies and is fantastic.

So whenever you are ready to bake, Take your dough out of the fridge so it can soften a little. [*I forgot about this step, so the dough was a bit hard to work with. Probably take them out 30 minutes ahead of time] Preheat the oven to 175 C and line a few trays with baking paper. Use a cookie scoop to scoop rounds of the dough onto the trays, allowing room for spreading.

Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake for 9-11 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Makes about 60 cookies.