CHOCOLATE CHIP, a tale of two cookies!
I've tried alot of chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years and most of them have been a disappointment. However, I have come across several that are actually quite good even without the benefit of a convection oven. The first one is fairly conventional and comes as close to "Mrs Fields" as you can get . The secret with this recipe is the combination of real butter (unsalted best) and margerine. The butter provides the incredible taste experience and the margerine helps hold everything together during the baking process helping to elimininate the "spreading-out" effect that often accompanies cookies made with 100% butter.
The second version is designed to be very "chewy". Unlike conventional recipes, this one calls for using fully melted UNSALTED butter as well as more egg yolk / less eggwhite. Also the oven temperature is set to 325 degrees which is 50 degrees less then most other chocolate cookie recipes...so they will take a bit longer to cook.
Give them both a try and see which is your favorite.
Feb 15, 2011
"MRS FIELDS, I PRESUME"
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt (or 1 1/4 if you like salt)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 stick UNSALTED BUTTER - room temperature
- 1 stick MARGERINE ("I Can't Believe its Not Butter") - room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 lg eggs
- 1 package (12 on) chocolate chips
- 1 cups chopped nuts (optional)
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees
Ensure rack is in CENTER of oven
Line baking sheet with *parchment paper or silicon mats
Whisk together flour, salt and baking soda in mixing bowl.
Set mixer to med and slowly add the butter using the paddle attachment
Add the sugars and continue to mix for 2 minutes
Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time
Reduce to low and add the choc chips and nuts in portions mixing until only each is incorporated
*CHILL THE DOUGH FOR 15-20 MINUTES IN REFER.
Leave plenty of room around each drop of cookie dough on the sheet and place only 1 sheet in oven at a time
Bake for 9-11 minutes.
Remove from oven just as they start to turn light brown. DONT OVERCOOK!
HINT: Spend a few bucks on a silicon baking mat. I've discovered that the silicon mats, in addition to helping distribute the heat evenly, also helps to prevent the bottom of the cookies from over-cooking! *Chilling the dough before hand helps the cookies "set" properly meaning they won't spread thin on the pan. It also allows the gluten to "relax" and liquid to absorb providing better color and texture to the cookies.
CHEWIE FOR ME PLEASE
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup MELTED UNSALTED butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper (see note below).
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy.
Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.
Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
*CHILL THE DOUGH FOR 15-20 MINUTES IN REFER.
Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted.
HINT: As above, use a silicon mat on a cookie sheet; if you don't have the silicon sheet, use parchment paper. If you put the dough directly on the cookie sheet without the mat or paper, the likelihood of bottom and edge burn is increased. *Chilling the dough before hand helps the cookies "set" properly meaning they won't spread thin on the pan. It also allows the gluten to "relax" and liquid to absorb providing better color and texture to the cookies.