Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies

Finally, I have made the most famous chocolate chip cookie. I can cross this off my list. There has been so much hype about these cookies, they are as close as a cookie can be to being a celebrity! Seriously, if you have a food blog you've probably made or will make the cookies. 
The recipe was published in the NY Times along with an interesting article - Quest for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie. You should take a look, it is very interesting. I think I may have mentioned the article in the past, but it is worth a second read. The whole refrigerating the cookie dough for 36 hours is explained. 

This is actually my second attempt at the recipe. The first time I made a big mistake by miscalculating the butter amount, which ended up being double what the recipe actually calls for. whoops. But second time around I followed the recipe ingredients exactly. 

I can say without a doubt, they are one of the best chocolate chip cookies I've had. The cookie also looks amazing, like a real bakery cookie. They also have the cutest wrinkles at the edges! The texture is soft and very chewy. 

There was one thing I was a little hesitant about, and that was the sprinkling of sea salt. I didn't know if my family would appreciate that (I didn't know if I would either). So I only sprinkled the salt on the last few, and it was actually a nice surprise. The salt actually enhances the cookies flavor, so I recommend trying one and see if you like it.

Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies

From NY Times

Printable Recipe

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons
(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content
Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. 

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside. 

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes (I made mine smaller, so they were done in 11 minutes). Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day (this is a great tip! I made small fresh batches for a few days). Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.