Blog Kick-off with the Chocolate Chip Cookie

July 6th, 2009  |  17 Comments

No, my grandmother didn’t stand over a hot pot, lovingly stirring away as I clutched her apron. No aunt pulling a perfectly risen almond torte out of the oven. The family weren’t the most accomplished cooks, mostly serving up something quick and easy, like canned soup or scrambled eggs on a typical weeknight. Cooking in my house was considered a chore, something to get over with as quickly as possible.

So to this day I wonder how I became such a food nutter.

Having lived in the former USSR until the tender age of seven, a country that boasted nothing more than potatoes, farmer cheese and bread, I remember many firsts with food when we made it to the good ol’ US—things that can be easily taken for granted. There was the shocking, indescribable taste of my first banana, with its strange shape and smooth texture. My first slice of pizza, which, believe it or not, was an acquired taste, a culture shock of sorts, as there was nothing remotely like that in the old country. Then there was cereal. What an odd notion that everyone poured milk over something called “cornflakes”? (What?! You purposefully sog up a bready product?). And ah, gorgeous peanut butter, so shockingly good that I would get back on the grade-school lunch line for another fix. Trying all this stuff was thrilling, and made me realize: I’ll eat anything!

My love of cooking was obviously born out of my love of eating. How else can you get excited about cooking unless you’re equally excited about getting to eat the result? All things food-related, whether going out to for a burger, unfurling a white napkin at the local tablecloth, or sniffing the butt of a pineapple for ripeness were a new opportunity to have a culinary good time. A bad meal was like a missed opportunity, eating time to be never be gotten back and I cursed anyone that cheated me with a subpar offering.

When I moved to New York and started making my way around the fine dining galaxy, what I quickly discovered was, these people were operating on a whole different plane. I thought I knew food, but I didn’t know food. These chefs were coaxing flavors out that didn’t seem possible. Even a tomato didn’t know how good a tomato could be until it got its proper handling by some starred chef. This was all a revelation to me and I wanted in on the action. Lured by the romantic notions of being a chef, I quit my job and got into the restaurant business, making my way around some of the best places in NY. And because of my raging sweet tooth, I thought it best to elbow toward the pastry station. This went on for a raucus eight years, where I misbehaved in the style of Anthony Bourdain, and soaked up pastry knowledge like a ladyfinger thrown in espresso.

People tend to ask me what my specialty is, and honestly, I don’t have one. I love and make so many types of desserts, that I can’t seem to settle on any one thing. But I do still rattle off a couple of items just to keep the conversation going: “Oh, I make a good crème brulee, cheesecake, chocolate cake…” Then they look at me in a sort of whistful way, dreaming in their mind’s eye of taking a bite, wishing they could make it themselves. They tell me how good they are at cooking, but how they just can’t get the baking thing right, try as they might. They’ve intimidated themselves right out of it yet I know they can do it. Here’s where I say: People! Baking is easy. All it requires is patience and following directions. And just the act of getting in the kitchen and making stuff will go a long way toward developing a baking comfort level.

Here’s where this blog comes in. I hope to get you near the oven, with the guidance of detailed recipe directions, all shown in step-by-step pictures. After my years as a pastry chef, I’ve learned from many of my own screw ups and the screw ups of others, and will steer you away from making them too. Foolproof, I hope. If you already know baking, then I hope you simply enjoy the recipes.

To get this baking party started, I’m going with a universal favorite: the chocolate chip cookie. When I worked in a hotel restaurant, we used to send a plate of these up to a guest’s room if they came with little kids. I’d always have to bake off extras because the other cooks would swipe too many off the cooling rack.

These have a slightly caramelized, crisp edge, and some gooey chew in the center and that’s how I like ‘em. I realize people can get fanatical about their chocolate chip, what with the “crispy” camp carrying bats on one side and the “chewy” camp swinging chains on the other. But let’s face it. Would YOU resist a chocolate chip no matter what its pedigree? Me neither.

So Good Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen
Recipe can be doubled

2 sticks + 2 T (9 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup + 1 T (6 oz) granulated sugar

3/4 cup + 1 T (6 oz) light brown sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract (for the love of all things holy, please use pure extract, not imitation!)

3 cups (13 oz) all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

12 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into pea-sized bits

1. Ingredients, so grand!

2. Make sure your butter is softened. Butter softens up faster when cut in pieces. At the right consistency, you can easily make an indentation with your finger.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until smooth and creamy, like this.

Scrape down the sides for better incorporation.

4. Add eggs one at a time.  Be sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding another egg.

Mixture will look wet and curdled (sounds appetizing). Scrape, scrape, scrape the sides, as butter wants to collect on the bottom.

5. Stir together the flour, salt and baking soda.

6. Add to the mixing bowl, and mix on the slowest setting, or flour will explode all over you. I hope you’re not wearing black.

Do not mix longer than necessary or your cookies will end up tough. As soon as the dry ingredients disappear into the dough, you’re done.

7. Stir in chips. My favorite part.

8. On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop heaping tablespoons spaced 2” apart. (They will spread considerably)

9. And pop ‘em in the preheated oven (375 degrees F) for about 12 minutes. When the edges turn golden, they are ready. Don’t mind the very soft centers. They will firm up as they cool.

Turn the sheet tray around half way through baking to ensure even browning. (Yes, my crazy ass is trying to flip a nuclear hot tray AND one-handedly take a picture at the same time)

10. Behold your cookies.

To Freeze and Bake Later

Dough will be quite soft right out of the mixer, so it needs to firm up in the fridge before it can be rolled. Unload the batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight is ok.

Don’t run off screaming. That’s just a rolled up log of cookie dough. About 2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle a little flour if necessary to keep it from sticking to everything. Wrap in plastic and freeze for up to 2 months.

When you’ve got a jones for freshly baked cook-ays, preheat oven, slice a few rounds off the log, and bake as described above. Instant gratification.