Chocolate chip cookies - that all American treat - so simple - so heartwarming -
and yet so much can go wrong.
This cookie was created in 1930 when Innkeeper Ruth Wakefield stirred some chopped
chocolate into her butter cookie dough. The rest is history.
The most commonly used recipe is the one right off the Nestle chocolate chip bag.
I used it and four other recipes to compose the following chocolate chip cookie recipe -
which is nearly foolproof. My first recipe testers where a group of teenage bakers attending
Summer Studio - an annual event for high school juniors and seniors hosted by the Art Institutes.
I need a recipe they could follow and did not require the usual chilling time - as we were on a tight schedule.
Not that you couldn't give these a nice 10 minute rest in the refrigerator - but it is not necessary for success.
Here is the recipe:
Chocolate Chip
Cookies
About 4 dozen 3” cookies
Oven 350
8 ounces (226 grams) butter
5 ounces sugar (150 grams)
5.5 ounces light brown sugar (160 ounces)
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
12.5 ounces (295 grams) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (270 grams) chocolate chips
Optional – 4 1/2 ounces (100grams) walnuts, pecans or
macadamia nuts,
toast and chop up coarsely
1.
In the bowl of your electric mixer beat the
butter until it is no longer stuck to the paddle
(about 45 seconds).
2.
Add the white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla beat
until the butter and sugars are smooth
About 2-3 minutes – do not over
cream.
3.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well
after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down the mixer bowl as needed.
4.
In a separate bowl – sift together the flour,
baking soda and salt.
5.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg
mixture and mix only until the flour disappears.
6.
Add the chocolate chips and optional nuts about
½ way through adding the flour.
7.
Scoop the cookies onto a parchment lined sheet
pan.
8.
Bake at 350 for about 10 – 14 minutes. They
should be a light golden brown.
9.
Do not over bake.
This dough freezes very well. For production the cookies
are scooped and placed close together on a parchment lined sheet pan – the tray
is then wrapped and frozen.
This is a good way to control waste and food cost.
Soft Batch:
Change sugar amounts to 4 ounces white and 4.5 ounces
brown – add one ounce light corn syrup.
The corn syrup goes in with the sugar.
Happy Baking!
Colette
