The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie and Giveaway

I've written before about perfection and the subjectivity of it. For example, if you like gray skies and rainy days, today is perfect for you. 

If you don't, you (and I) are out of luck, today and the rest of the week.

How about chocolate chip cookies?

Which is the perfect one?

For some people, that might be Chips Ahoy.

For others, Mrs. Fields is the ultimate.

When you do much of your own baking, neither of these is going to do it for you (although admit it, we've all succumbed to a warm Mrs. Fields cookie while mall shopping).

Many baker bloggers swear that the New York Times chocolate chip cookie recipe is THE BEST. As you would expect from the NYT, they do the research, get quotes from many reliable sources, look for the science behind it and fact check. After all that, they've come up with what they refer to as "the consummate chocolate chip cookie", based on the original Toll House cookie recipe with input from master chocolatier Jacques Torres.

The tweaks that M. Torres has added make all the difference.

A dough refrigeration time of at least 24 hours before baking.

A sprinkling of sea salt.

High quality bittersweet chocolate disks.

These aren't revolutionary ideas, just smart ones that make sense. 

These are perfect for this cookie. I found them at Whole Foods.

What you get, at least in my mind, is pretty close to a perfect chocolate chip cookie, especially right out of the oven. 

Chewy and soft in the middle, slightly crispy around the edge.

Buttery, with a whisper of caramel brown sugar. The prize is the occasional hit of sea salt. You'll keep eating one after the other, hoping for another bite that strikes that irresistible sweet/salty combination.

These are certainly no harder to make than any other recipe out there. One thing I did find helpful was making the switch from Silpat (a silicone baking mat) to parchment. My cookies often have a spreading problem, and this combined with the refrigeration, seemed to prevent that. Also, when you take the batter out of the fridge, it might be rock hard, as mine was. Just let it soften for about 15 minutes before attempting to scoop it out.

One more note, the recipe calls for two kinds of flour and neither of them is all-purpose. Check your pantry, or hit the supermarket.

What is a bit difficult though, is sitting out the 24 hour waiting time. 

Try to keep in mind, delayed gratification is character building!

While you wait, you could look through your new cookie cookbook that you've won from Mignardise. Alice Medrich is my baking idol and this book rocks.

All you have to do is...

Leave a comment at the end of this post, telling me what you think makes the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Is there a memorable cookie you want to tell me about? I'd love to hear it.

And let me know if you are a Mignardise Facebook fan. If you are, I'll put your name in twice. If you aren't yet, click on the link and "Like" Mignardise. 

I'll also send along a special Mignardise apron so you can bake in style.

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Jacques Torres

2 cups minus 2 Tbsps. (8 1/2 oz.) cake flour

1 2/3 cup (8 1/2 oz.) bread flour

1 1/4 tsps. baking soda

1 1/2 tsps. baking powder

1 1/2 tsps. coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 Tbsps. (8 oz.) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsps. vanilla extract

1 1/4 lbs. (20 oz.) bittersweet chocolate disks (if you can't find them use a high quality chocolate chip)

sea salt

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a 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. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them with out breaking (I did this by hand).

Press plastic wrap against dough in the bowl and refrigerate for 24-36 hours. 

Dough may be used in batches and can be refrigerated up to 72 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 3 1/2 oz mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are sticking; it will make a prettier cookie (that's Jacques speaking). Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, approximately 18 minutes*.

Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another cooling rack to cool a bit more. 

Just a bit - eat while still warm if possible.

Repeat with any remaining dough, or reserve and refrigerate for another day.

*I set the timer for half way through and turn the pan so they bake more evenly. That's for my oven. You might not have to.