Monday, June 14, 2010

Perfect cookies - Updated [Bryan]

My quest for the perfect mashed potatoes has been well-documented on this blog. Less known is my obsession with finding the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. I thought I had found it in the New York Time's Jacques Torres cookie. I have recently uncovered a recipe from America's Test Kitchen (the best source of recipes ever) that might just give it a run for its money. The secret to this recipe seems to be browning the butter and adding dark brown sugar. I'm worried that the salt content is too low (chocolate chip cookies need a salty overtone) and that there is no time for chilling, but we'll see. I'm trying them tonight for Family Night. I will let everyone know how they turn out.

RESULTS: The America's Test Kitchen recipe did indeed make yummy cookies. In fact, the dough was probably the best testing dough I have ever sampled, with deep caramel and toffee flavors. Still, something was lost during the baking process and those flavors didn't come out as strongly in the finished cookie. Further, the taste was not as sophisticated as the New York Times cookie and I think the coarse sea salt in that recipe creates a complexity of flavor that the Test Kitchen cookie does not match. Edge: New York Times.

1 comment:

sarah stitzlein said...

Just yesterday I made these: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1585214

They gave my Sarah's Signature Cookies a run for their money. I hate to admit it, especially given how simple they are, but I think they might be better than my best cookie.

I made a few small changes, though. I substituted 2/3 cup of wheat flour for part of the all-purpose flour. I only used about 2 2/3 cups of oatmeal. I used regular size chips instead of chunks to spread the chocolate around.

delicious! I've had three already today!