Tuesday, February 10, 2015

I love you, chocolate chip cookies.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and I mean like right there at the intersection. So what are you going to do? Flowers? Candy? Movie? All of those are great ideas, and I personally think that the three should make it into your Valentine's Day. But what about those of us who don't live near a theater, or who's sleep deprived and busy lives have us totally exhausted and needing Valentine's Day to be an 'in house' experience. I have just the thing. The BEST chocolate chip cookies. EVER. Chocolate chip cookies radiate love and a dearness that just claims your never ending affection towards your ones and onlys. There is nothing more satisfying than watching your loves eat warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies.

This BEST EVER chocolate chip cookie has you melting the butter and adding lots of vanilla. I think those are the key to having these cookies go from good to excellent. This recipe is from Cooks Illustrated, and I am thankful that they have scientifically tested this particular cookie. It is a long story, but to sum it up, melted butter makes for a chewy cookie. When butter is melted, the fat and water molecules separate. When melted butter is added to a dough, the proteins in the flour immediately grab onto the freed water molecules to form elastic strands of gluten. The gluten makes an cookie chewy.

Yeah, science is cool. Anyway, here's the recipe. It will keep your loved ones close. To further the kind act of home baked cookies, you could sandwich delicious ice cream between two cookies and maybe a slather of hot fudge sauce. Just an idea. Show the LOVE!!


Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons unbleached all -purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1- 11/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.

Roll about 1/4 cup of dough into a ball. Place on a nonstick baking sheet, spacing them about 2 1/2 inches apart.

Bake until the cookies are light golden brown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, about 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. Cool and enjoy! Belly up!!

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