Life-Changing Chocolate Chip Cookies

Um, guys...  This is IT.  This THE cookie recipe to END ALL OTHERS.  And I've tried all the others.  I don't know if it's the combination of cake and bread flour (cake flour being finer; bread flour ensuring it's sturdy) or the unsalted butter with coarse salt and sprinkled sea salt (drawing out the savory), or the "aging" of the dough, or what.  But this is THE last and only chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever need.  EVER.  EVER!!!

As written, this makes a huge batch.  That's not a problem at all because you basically keep the dough in the refrigerator - where it seriously only produces better cookies with each passing day - and make hot fresh cookies on demand.  And by demand I mean… like, twice daily.  And yeah, you might want to get your hands on some pasteurized eggs (try Whole Foods) so that you don't get sick from the dough you inevitably sneak.  Unless, of course, you're trying to cure some sort of ailment by consuming raw animal products.  If that's the case, a refrigerator full of this stuff is exactly what you need.  Just don't expect it to cure any of the illnesses it, um, causes you.  I digress...

Life-Changing Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups minus 2 tbsp cake flour (8.5 oz)

1 2/3 cups bread flour (8.5 oz)

1 1/4 tsp baking soda 

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp coarse salt (Kosher or Sea Salt)

2 1/2 sticks (1.25 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar (8 oz)

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 pounds (20 oz) bittersweet chocolate discs, chunks or feves, at least 60% cacao (see note)

Sea Salt

Place flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.  Whisk together.

Mix butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.  Add vanilla.  Reduce speed to low.  Add dry ingredients until just combined (5-10 seconds).  Mix in chocolate.  Press plastic wrap against dough - so it doesn't dry out - and refrigerate at least 24 hours.  (It still tastes great if you make a few right away… but it really does get even better each day).  

Bake at 350 after sprinkling each cookie lightly with sea salt; they are intended to be eaten warm and fresh.  If you don't already have one, you MUST get an Oxo cookie scoop - makes it so fast and easy to get perfectly even cookies.  The instructions say to use parchment paper and the friend who sent me this recipe says they're most amazing with a Silpat silicone nonstick baking sheet (on Amazon).  But I've been baking these daily and too lazy to keep up with the parchment.  Might check into the baking sheet.  [Update 6/15/16: YES, you need the baking sheet!!  Read the reviews, is a total game-changer for *all* types of cookies!!].  Anyway, the recipe says to bake 18-20 minutes but I only baked for 9.  Not sure what's up with that.  It did take me more time the day when I made the cookies straight from the refrigerator, but generally I let it sit awhile so it's easier to scoop.

Either way, these are ridiculous.  

Note:  Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate, from which this recipe was originally adapted. Valrhona feves can be found in the chocolate section (not the baking section!) of Whole Foods, or on Amazon.  Like the disks, they are outrageously expensive.  I did use them in the pictured cookies (feves) but only made half a batch.  I usually just use the Ghiradelli 60% chocolate chips and it's still pretty incredible. I might try a batch with just half or 3/4 of the chocolate called for... because I love the cookie part too.  I'll let you know how it turns out if I do.

Super soft, slightly chewy, and slightly crisp.  All in one.  Somehow.

Divine, melty, dark dark chocolate.

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