Unfamous Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

 There are a lot of chocolate chip cookies out there and lost of recipes. I've tried at least 5 or 6 of them but still have the original Toll House recipe as my go-to version. Even so, I'm always game to try a different version to see if I can find something better.

Last weekend I was in Redmond, WA, visiting K, A and R and we tried out a recipe that K received from her friend Tyler. He put a lot of time and effort into creating this recipe so that it is an ultimate version, using chocolate chunks rather than chips, plus a sprinkle of sea salt on top which is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the cookie and chocolate. These are pretty large cookies and they do need to chill at least 12 hours and, even better, up to 48 hours, after you have shaped them and before they are baked.

What a great cookie! Eat on still a bit warm from the oven and you get a close to classic Toll House flavor with the advantage of the perfect amount of crisp edges and golden bottom, plus a soft and slightly chewy center, plus lots and lots of chocolate chunks still soft and gooey from their time in the oven. Bliss for cookie lovers. Try it yourself.

We were careful to really follow the recipe, including using Kerry Gold butter and the Ghirardelli chocolate bars, which get hand chopped into just the right sized chunks. We browned the butter, but just lightly brown. We even purchased the real deal Maldon sea salt. The process is just as important as the ingredients, so read the recipe a couple of times and then pay attention and follow along just the way it's written, O.K.?

Here's to happy times eating extraordinary cookies. Thanks Tyler, for the recipe!

Tyler’s Unfamous Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

Butter – 220 g (or 2 sticks/1 cup) nice (soft) – Plugra Extra Creamy unsalted or Kerry Gold

Granulated white sugar – 50g ( or around ¼ cup)

Dark brown sugar – 250g (or 1 ¼ cup)

Eggs – 2 large eggs + 1-2 more yolks

Vanilla extract – 4g (or 1 ¼ teaspoons)

Semi- sweet chocolate – 1 lb.- Ghirardelli Chocolate (4 bars)

All-Purpose Flour – 330g (or 2 1/3 cups

Baking Soda – ½ teaspoon

Baking Powder ¼ teaspoon

Non- iodized Salt – 7 g ( or 1 ¼ teaspoons)

Sea Salt Flakes – for topping after dough is mixed- Maldonado brand

 

Instructions

Roughly chop the chocolate bars into ½ inch squares. Transfer the chocolate into a colander or strainer with large holes and gently shake to remove the fine grains/flakes of chocolate so you are left with mostly the large chunks. Save all the sifted flakes and bits of chocolate for another recipe or as topping.

 Optional step: browning butter – this is not required, however it does add a slightly deeper, nuttier flavor to the cookie. In a light- bottomed pan, slowly brown the butter, insuring it does not burn. Once browned, immediately remove from heat and pour into a bowl, allowing the butter to completely cool and re-solidify before the next step.

In a stand mixer bowl, add ‘nice’ butter and the sugars. Using the paddle attachment, cream for 4-5 minutes on medium high.

Add in eggs and yolks and vanilla and cream the ingredients on high for another 1-2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Creaming times will vary slightly based on the temperature of your ingredients.

Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and table salt and mix on low for about 30 seconds. Reserve about 15-20 chocolate chunks and fold the rest into the mixture until well distributed.

Using a large ice cream scoop or a ½ cup measure, scoop cookies onto a parchment lined tray. Top with one of two reserved chocolate chunks and sprinkle with flaked salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 24 – 48 hours. 48 hours is ideal.

Preheat oven to 355 degrees F. Place cookies on parchment lined heavy baking sheet. Bake only 2 – 4 on a sheet since these are LARGE cookies and need room to spread. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown, but soft and light colored in the middle. Let cool for one hour.

 Note: Can be baked from frozen – freeze dough balls. Keep dough in freezer while oven is preheating to 375 degrees F. Put directly from freezer into oven once heated to 375 degrees F and bake for 16 – 17 minutes.