When it comes to cookies, my sister is a purist. Her favorite is chocolate chip…and it must be JUST chocolate chip. Don’t add anything fancy to her cookies – no nuts, no fruit or candies. Just cookie and chips with make her happy. She came over tonight after a failed batch at her house. The first time we made them at my house, they were really great. Rich, chewy, tender. The nutty flavor really came through from browning the butter. The batch was good, but not quite like our first batch. I think that it may be due to the extra large eggs we used instead of the standard large eggs. Plus my husband was a terrible sous chef, not reading the instructions thoroughly and eating the chocolate chips as we went along!
Ingredients:
1 3/4 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
14 T butter
1/2 sugar
3/4 c dark brown sugar (fresh and moist sugar)
1 t salt
2 t vanilla
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk 1 1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips 3/4 c nuts (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat oven with rack in the middle to 375 (or 350 using my baking sheets)
Line baking sheets with parchment paper
Whisk flour and baking soda together
Melt 10T butter over medium in a 10-inch stainless steel skillet (2 min).
Swirl until butter smells nutty and is dark golden brown (1-3 min).
Remove from heat and add remaining 4 T butter. Stir till melted.
In a medium bowl, combine salt, vanilla, granulated and dark brown sugar and slightly cooled butter. Whisk until incorporated.
Add egg and yolk until smooth (30 sec)
Let stand for 3 minutes
Whisk again for 30 sec. Repeat process for total of 4 times until mixture is smooth and shiny.
Add flour mixture until just combined.
Add chocolate chips and nuts.
Scoop about 2T dough to yield about 24 cookies. Place on sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown and still puffy, and the edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, rotating sheets half-way.
A trick to pretty looking cookies: take the formed balls and break them in half, then smush the halves together, broken side up.
Nesting On A Hill 