Chocolate Chip Cookies

In a fantastic New York Times article on the ubiquitous chocolate chip cookie, the author details the history of the cookie and collects tips from renowned NYC bakers. First, the history. The cookie was invented by Ruth Wakefield in the 1930s. Ruth ran the Toll House Inn in Whitman, MA, 23 miles south of Boston. The name Toll House sound familiar to you? Nestle's chocolate chip cookies are called Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies because they entered into a partnership with Mrs. Wakefield whereby they printed her recipe on the wrapping of their semi-sweet chocolate bars.

Now for the baking tips. Basically, the article interviews several bakers to develop tips to perfect the chocolate chip cookie. Here is a summary of the tips:

1. Let the dough sit for 36 hours in the fridge before baking.
2. They taste better served warm.
3. The chocolate to dough ratio is very important. 40 to 60 is the recommended ratio.
4. The cookies are best baked in a 6 inch size. This allows them to develop 3 different "zones" of flavor and texture.
   
5. Using high-quality chocolate with at least a 60% cocoa content is important.
6. Don't underestimate what some salt will do for the flavor.
7. Using flat chocolate disks gives you better results than chips because they incorporate better.
   

Most importantly, they produced a recipe incorporating all those tips. My oven in Turkey is too unreliable to produce my own sugar-free and whole grain version right now, but I copied the Times recipe below:

Adapted from Jacques Torres

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

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 (see note)

Sea salt.

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.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.