Chocolate chip cookies for the bakeoff
10 Jun
Last night, I had the privilege of compete in a bakeoff for a fundraiser for The Lamp. The event was held at Double Windsor bar in Brooklyn. Many gathered on a rainy Wednesday night to taste the following desserts:
- Mocha Brownies by Katy Atlas of Sugarlaws
- Seasonal strawberry cheesecake by Jen Bernstein of Local Appetite NY
- Salty butterscotch chocolate chip cookies by Emily Hanhan from (non) adventures of an amateur
- Salted turtle cashew cupcakes by Anna Markow of Very Small Anna
- Asian rice crispy treats by Rachel Mount from Best Part of the Day
The following judges were also present:
- Chef James Briscione: 2-time Food Network Chopped! Champion and cookbook author (also major hottie, just sayin’)
- Giulia Melucci: Author of I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti
- Divya Gugnani: Behind the Burner host & NBC personality
Everyone got a chance to taste all of the delicious desserts and pick their favorite. There were two categories – an audience favorite and a judges’ favorite. I had the honor of being named the audience favorite, while Jen’s delicious strawberry cheesecake was a clear winner among the judges! As our winning prize, we were both mentioned in this NY Daily News column!
Since The Lamp is a media literacy organization, we were told to use a recipe from a media source. Ever since I found this recipe from Jacques Torres in the New York Times, it has been my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe! They are SO GOOD.
I’d like to thank The Lamp once again for inviting me to participate in this awesome event. I had such a great time! And a major shoutout to my friends for their support!
Now, onto the recipe! This recipe does require some forethought. But trust me when I say that it’s completely worth your while! After combining all the ingredients, you must let it sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours! I know how tempting it is to want to bake cookies right away, dear reader, but it is very important that you resist! The recipe also calls for Vehrona discs, which are a bit pricey, but awesomely delicious! I don’t think I can ever make this recipe with regular chocolate chips ever again.
Recipe: Best chocolate chip cookies (ever)
Adapted from Jacques Torres
Ingredients:
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content
(I adjusted by using 3/4 pounds, which was sufficient)
Sea salt
Procedure:
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with 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, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.
Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.
I doubled this recipe and made tiny cookies by adjusting the cooking time to about 7 minutes per batch. I made so many cookies that by the end of the night, I was exhausted. Just take a look!
