Tips on how to make perfect chocolate chip cookies

 

 

Today my cookies turned out just as I wanted them to.  I’m taking these notes for me, or for anyone in the mood for a chocolate cookie with a really good bite.  I think I may have typed up this recipe before, but I did it slightly different today and don’t want to forget.

Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 4 sticks of butter at room temperature
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar (white)
• 1.5 cups brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 egg yokes
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 5 cups high-gluten bread flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups Ghiradelli bitter-sweet chocolate chips*

Cream together the butter and the sugar.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Add the egg yoke.  Add the vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl wisk together the four, baking soda and salt.  Slowly add this to the wet ingredients.  Add just one cup at a time.  Now gently mix in the chocolate.  Today I felt like more of a dark-chocolate flavor.  This recipe would be good with just about any mix of chocolate or even nuts.

Lunch. 

At this point I used a small ice cream scoop and placed the dough on a jelly roll pan lined with a silicon mat.  I put a plastic lid over the jelly roll pan and allowed the dough to chill and ‘dry-out’ for several hours.  Sure you could eat all the dough raw, or you could bake immediately… but for a really good bite chill the dough first.  They will be nice and meaty.  This is how they make their cookies at restaurants such as paradise bakery.  The dough always comes chilled.  After the dough has ‘set’ in the refrigerator either bake or move them to plastic bags in the freezer to be used within 2-3 weeks.  Bake at 375 degrees. 8-10 minutes, all depending on your oven.

I absolutely love my jelly roll pans with these tight fitting lids.  I use them all the time… these can be purchased at a Costco Business Center, Specialty cooking store, or of course, online.  Best invention ever.

Also, compare this post with My Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Cookie post; you will notice the cookies are a bit flatter.  The ones I did today are thicker.  The reason for this is the extra protein from the bread flour and the addition of that extra egg yolk.

Another thought, not all eggs are created equal.  The ones I used today seemed so small.  My sister Becca tried this recipe out and said she added a bit more flour.  The eggs she is using are larger and that adds more liquid to the dough.  Sometimes you may have to add a bit more sugar as you add the extra flour.  You don’t want the flavor and texture of the flour to dominate here.