The Cookie Project

I had a previous post about a certain chocolate chip cookie recipe. I thought that was the best I could get. Boy, was I wrong!

So first of all, after a while not having cookies I started doubting the recipe that it is the best...I mean, it tastes amazing and for some who is all for the crispy, chewy, flat cookies, that is your recipe. But I saw pictures on several blogs that something way better exists. The pictures looked so good that I just wanted to make those mine!!

So 2 weeks ago I decided that I'd jump into a cookie project and find the absolute recipe for chocolate chip cookies!

Sounds pretty fun, right? Well, let me tell ya...Baking 5 different types of CCC (choc. chip cookies) and not really liking any of them can be a little bit disappointing. I started doubting my baking skills (which are far from anything perfect but you know...). I was SO frustrated that I baked a different batch each day. I tried them all, the cookie dough was always good. I mean, how wrong can you go with just the dough? The dough is always delish! So after licking of it I always got so hopeful that maybe THIS time it will be the ONE. But no...

I tried the brown butter version. I must have seriously messed it up. The texture was just horrible, it completely fell apart. I'm sure the recipe was fine but something with my method was the problem. So next day I tried a new one. One that used an enormous amount of butter with not so much flour. I thought how can I go wrong with lots of butter...Butter rocks! I must have been french in my previous life... But anyways, the recipe sucked! I can't demonstrate it in pictures but believe me :) It was very cakey, the taste was alright but nothing special. Not real cookies.

So this led to the next day when I tried one that used a lot less butter and I froze the dough for 3 hours before baking it. It was really good! It had the same taste and texture as my go-to cookies. It was chewy and flat. Good-good but not what I wanted.

To make my story short(er) I'll tell you. The one that is really the ONE and ONLY chocolate chip cookie which will stay forever and ever on my number one cookie recipe is not other than the Jacques Torres kind of recipe. I am swooned. 

I am so extremely happy, I can't even put it into words! I almost gave up that I will never get it right. The easiest recipe ever! And I just can't?? No way!

And that is right, no way I can't because I definitely can! And did! The cookie dilemma that was weighing on me suddenly vanished! No more troubles, no more recipe searches...I finally found it! I know, I sound like a possessed girl. A cookie possessed girl. But I take it. And what is the lesson I learned? Never give up! 

Why are these cookies so amazing? Why is everyone talking about these? Because it has a consistency that only those cookies have that you buy in very expensive and exclusive bakeries. These can be considered as a delicacy. They are so good. They are not flat, they are fatties and crispy and soft at the same time. They have a lot of chocolate and when I say a lot I mean a LOT. I used less than the recipe indicated because I like it this way but the recipe was created to have chocolate in each bite. This makes it special. The salt on top just makes even more amazing. So do not hesitate, try it! 

My observations with the recipe: the all time question is do we really need to let the dough chill in the fridge for 24 or even 36 hours?

I prepared it yesterday at 10pm and since I am leaving for my apartment I couldn't wait 24 hours. I let it sit for 15 hours and it tasted amazing. I baked another batch after 20 hours and it tasted exactly the same as it did chilling for 15 hours. I am not sure what the difference is after 24 or 36 hours but I was utterly satisfied with the results. If I had the opportunity, I would have let it chill for 36 hours even, but I didn't. Next time :)

Other than that, I followed the recipe completely. Which is a huge thing for me since I always change recipes. Okay, being me, I reduced the chocolate amount. Also I didn't have chocolate disks, I used 1,5 bars of dark chocolate. 

Here is the recipe. I halved the original measurements so I had 14 big cookies. 

Enjoy :)