The Chocolate Chip Cookie Chronicles

Because calling them “the ultimate chocolate chip cookie” would be pretty polarizing

For some reason this year I’ve found myself baking quite a few batches of chocolate chip cookies. I feel like I’ve finally gotten to the point where the recipe is juuust right. So I had to share. This is my idea of the perfect cookie, but the concept of the “perfect cookie” is deeply subjective. Coming from South Africa, I’d always loved a crisp, snappy biscuit (preferably paired with a hot cup of five roses or rooibos tea). But when it comes to a true American cookie, it’s got to be soft, and chewy with crunchy, almost caramelized edges. These cookies are just that and you’re going to love them.

Notes to read before you start!!

1. To brown your butter, place it in a sauce pan on the stove on medium heat until it starts to foam. Let it continue foaming until you start to see brown flecks and start to smell a nutty, caramel scent from the butter. This process takes roughly 5-10 minutes but keep an eye on it constantly. When the butter is nicely browned but NOT BURNT remove and allow to cool to room temp.

2. You do not want to whip or over mix any of your ingredients, because then you’ll end up with a “cakey” cookie, and thats not what we’re looking for. Aim to mix ingredients until they’re just combined.

3. This recipe can be made with a spatula/wooden spoon and bowl instead of a stand mixer, it will just take a good bit of arm power! But I’ve done it many times!

Ingredients:

• Browned Butter, cooled to room temp x 10 Tbsp

• Light Brown sugar x 1 cup

• AP flour x 1.5 cups

• Baking soda x 1/2 tsp

• Salt x 1/4 tsp

• Milk x 1 Tbsp

• Vanilla x 1 Tbsp

• Maple syrup x 1 Tbsp *not an issue if you don’t have, just adds delicious depth of flavour

• Egg x 1

• Dark chocolate bar x 1/2 cup, roughly chopped into small chunks and shards *they don’t need to be even

• Milk chocolate bar x 1/2 cup, roughly chopped into small chunks and shards *they don’t need to be even

• Maldon salt, to garnish

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl combine the flour and baking soda and whisk together until there are no lumps and the dry ingredients are combined.

2. In a stand mixer (I like to use the paddle attachment) combine the sugar, salt and brown butter for about 2 minutes on low speed until it forms a thick sugary paste.

3. Into the sugar mix add in the egg, milk, vanilla and maple before mixing again on low speed until everything is combined.

4. Add the dry ingredient mix into the wet bowl before returning to the stand mixer and mixing on low speed until everything is combined and there are no dry lumps of flour.

5. Add in your milk chocolate and dark chocolate chunks/shards into the dough and mix by hand with a wooden spoon, as to not break up the chocolate too much.

6. Once fully incorporated, wrap the cookie dough bowl in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2 hours to cool completely.

7. When it comes time to bake, preheat the oven to 375F/190C convection bake.

8. Scoop your dough into 10 even dough balls, roll them until roughly round before placing them on a lined sheet tray and sprinkling with flaky sea salt (I like Maldon). I like to do 5 cookies per tray, evenly spaced, to allow for considerable spreading.

9. Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 10 minutes before removing and giving each tray one or two firm bangs on a counter top, you’ll see the cookies deflate (this is what we want!) then return to the oven for a further 2 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely.