The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ingredients:
Chocolate:
- 200g (approx. 7 oz) of single-origin, 70% dark chocolate.
Flour:
- 220g (approx. 1¾ cups) of high-quality bread flour.
- 80g (approx. ⅔ cup) of cake flour.
Butter:
- 250g (a little over 1 cup) European-style cultured butter (unsalted).
Sugars:
- 150g (approx. ¾ cup) dark muscovado sugar.
- 50g (approx. ¼ cup) granulated sugar.
Eggs:
- 2 large free-range eggs, at room temperature.
Vanilla:
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped. (Or 2 tsp of pure vanilla extract Or 1 TBSP Vanilla Bean Paste)
Sea Salt:
- 1 tsp of flaked sea salt, and extra for finishing.
Baking Powder:
- ½ tsp.
Baking Soda:
- ½ tsp.
Espresso Powder:
- ¼ tsp.
Instructions:
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Brown the Butter: Melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir frequently, watching for the formation of brown specs at the bottom and a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
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Chocolate Prep: Roughly chop the chocolate. This will create pockets of melted chocolate and also chocolate shards throughout the cookie.
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Dry Mix: In a bowl, sift together bread flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and espresso powder.
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Wet Mix: In another bowl, whisk the browned butter with the muscovado and granulated sugars until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth. Stir in the scraped vanilla bean (or extract).
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Combine: Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing just until combined. Fold in the chopped chocolate.
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Chill: Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. This step is crucial, as it allows the flavors to meld and intensify.
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Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Scoop balls of dough (about 3 tablespoons each) onto the prepared sheet. Sprinkle each ball lightly with flaked sea salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden but the center is still slightly soft. Do not overbake.
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Cooling: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes:
- Instead of dark muscovado sugar, feel free to substitute brown sugars at 175g of light or dark brown sugar and 25g granulated sugar. (Add 1 tbsp of molasses if using light brown sugar for a deeper molasses note).