Thursday, August 25, 2011

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Classically Delicious

When I was in grad school I worked at this little coffee shop called Cool Beans. Aside from teaching at UNI, it was my favorite job ever - and I've had a few over the years (I'm talking about paid jobs, not being a mom, which I do consider a job!). Anyway, one of the goodies we baked there were these triple chocolate chunk cookies - they had semi-sweet, bittersweet, and milk chocolate in them and they were oh-so-delicious. Granted, they were a frozen dough that we just had to bake, but seriously they were my favorite chocolate chip cookie ever. I was never able to discern what it was that stood out, until I found this recipe in "America's Test Kitchen Television Show 10th Anniversary Best Recipes" magazine. Super long title, amazing recipes. What's different about these cookies is that you brown the butter; it adds almost a nutty flavor to the cookie and really enhances the other flavors of the cookie (vanilla, brown sugar, chocolate). I love these cookies and hope you do, too!

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
14 Tbls. butter
3/4 c. dark brown sugar (I use light because it's usually all I have on hand)
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 c. chocolate chips (choose your favorite, or mix them together - all are delicious in this dough)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 10 Tbls. of butter over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling the pan continuously until butter is dark golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer butter to large bowl and add remaining 4 Tbls. of butter and stir until melted. Add sugars, salt, soda, and vanilla and whisk until incorporated. Add egg and egg yolk and whisk until smooth. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat this twice more. Stir in flour until just incorporated, then mix in the chocolate chips. Spoon dough onto parchment-lined or greased baking sheets and bake for 10-14 minutes - the cookies should look puffy and golden brown.



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