Freddie (17) has been on a search for the best chocolate chip cookie although I am not sure that he has done much of the baking, more provided me with the tips.
The quest was to find a really good fudgy, chewy cookie and much of this is in the technique as opposed to the recipe. Refrigerating the dough for 24 hours after mixing is critical. This give the flavours time to develop and also the flour a chance to meld with the egg and butter and produce a fudgier cookie.
Browning half of the butter prior to mixing gives an interesting nutty flavour and the splash of bourbon and vanilla add another flavour profile.
I go for the addition of nuts but that’s me. Walnuts or macadamias would be my pick.
Ingredients
- 225g butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or macadamias
- 250g dark chocolate chopped into chunks
Method
Start to make these 24 hours before you need them.
Melt 125g of the butter in a small pot over medium heat Allow to bubble until it starts to go nut brown and the milk solids separate. Take care not to burn.
Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl, make sure you scrape out all of the little brown specks too. Set aside to cool completely. This will take a good hour or so.
Beat the butter and caramelised butter with the sugars until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Mix in the bourbon and vanilla
Add the flour, baking soda and a generous pinch of sea salt.
Lastly mix in the chocolate and nuts (if using).
Place the dough in a container and cover, refrigerate for 24 hours or close to it.
The next day, scoop large spoonfuls of the chilled dough, approximately 40g of dough onto a lined baking tray. Flatten with your hand. Bake for 5 minutes and then pull the tray from the oven and firmly tap on the bench a couple of times (this helps to keep the cookies flat). Cook a further 5-7 minutes until starting to colour at the edges. Remove from the oven and once again tap the tray on the bench.
Cool on a wire rack but they are delicious when eaten warm….
