Chocolate Chip Cookies

I first saw this recipe in the New York Times on July 9, 2008, and it’s been a family favorite ever since. We don’t make them very often, though!

Adapted from Jaques Torres.

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

Ingredients:

• 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8.5 oz.) cake flour
• 1⅔ cups (8.5 oz.) bread flour
• 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons coarse salt
• 2½ sticks (1¼ cups) unsalted butter
• 1¼ cups (10 oz) light brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 oz.) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
• 1¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content
• Sea salt

Directions:

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a 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, 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°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop six 3½ 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:

Eighteen 5-inch cookies.

Notes:

• I typically use half bittersweet and half dark chocolate pieces. I also have never had the patience to refrigerate the dough for 24 hours, though I’ve heard it makes a big difference. As written this makes enormous cookies – some bakers at NYT report using tablespoon sized scoops instead (watch the time).
• I’ve also made this recipe with M&M’s – it turned out really well.
• To make these gluten free, I substitute Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 GF Flour; we’ve tried using other gluten-free flour substitutes, and this one comes out with the closest texture and taste to “real” flour.