Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookie

The search for the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie continues...
I stumbled upon Crepes of Wrath while perusing TasteSpotting for yet another cookie recipe. Sydney from Crepes of Wrath totally reeled me in with one of her cookie photos of Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip cookies. I tried this recipe many years ago when it was printed in the NY Times. I recall it being interesting because it uses bread flour and cake flour. All other traditional chocolate chip cookie recipes use all-purpose flour. Given the rave reviews I was willing to give this recipe another try.

If memory serves, I'm fairly certain I cut down on the salt and didn't let the dough rest for the recommended time. All those years ago I also used Toll House chocolate chips. Armed with more experience, I felt confident I would yield a better result. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours or up to 72 hours. I'm not sure why this is crucial, but just do it. Maybe the resting period helps the flavors marry (or at least become friends =P).

You have to try one of these cookies warm. There are no ifs, ands, or buts, you will be hard pressed to find a better cookie than this. The edges are crisp, the inside is soft and slightly chewy. The chocolate oozed onto my shorts. Normally that would make me mad, but in this case I took it as a sign of an awesome cookie. My one criticism of the cookie is that it is definitely saltier than most cookies I've ever had. My husband liked the salt, but it bothered me a little. For now, this cookie takes the top spot in the recipe box. Will that stop me from trying others? Of course not.

Combination of Callebaut Semisweet and Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolates

Butter, Sugars, Vanilla, Eggs

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Sturdy stackable cookies

Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies
From The New York Times

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons 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 you are ready to bake, bring the dough to room temperature so that you can scoop it out, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line and/or grease your baking sheets. Scoop your dough out onto the sheets. I used a #40 ice cream scoop, which is about the size of 2 tablespoons, but you can make them even larger, if you like. Do not press the dough down – let it stay the way it is. Sprinkle the cookies lightly with a bit of fleur de sel or sea salt. Bake 10-12 minutes for smaller cookies (mine took about 13 minutes), or 18-20 minutes for larger cookies.

4. Allow the cookies to cool slightly on your baking sheet, then move them to another surface to cool completely. You can enjoy these warm, room temperature, or cold. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

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. I substituted Callebaut semisweet and Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolates. I also omitted the sprinkling of the sea salt. I would really like to try out the Jacques Torres chocolate especially after seeing this picture.

Milk and Cookies