Chocolate Chip Cookies

Notes

For cake flour, I use Pillsbury Softasilk. Do not use all-purpose flour.

It is important to weigh the flours, because densities may vary depending on packing and other factors. 241 g (8½ oz.) of each are used, which the original recipe describes by volume as 2 C minus 2 T cake flour and 1⅔ C bread flour. However, according to the densities in The Cake Bible, they would be 2.41 C and 1.99 C, a large difference.

Recipe

• 241 g cake flour (8½ oz.)
• 241 g bread flour (8½ oz.)
• 1¼ t baking soda (6.2 cm³)
• 1½ t baking powder (7.4 cm³)
• 1½ t coarse salt (7.4 cm³)

• 567 g chocolate chips (20 oz.)
• 2 large eggs (about 4 oz. or 114 g total, in shells)
• 284 g dark brown sugar (10 oz., 1 C plus 3 T)
• 227 g white sugar (8 oz., 1 C plus 2 T plus ½ t)

• 2½ sticks unsalted butter (10 oz., 284 g)

Install paddle and bowl with sugars in mixer. Add butter and beat until very light, about five minutes. (Start mixer at slow speed to avoid ingredients flying out of bowl. Slowly increase to beating speed.)

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each.

• 1 t vanilla (5 cm³)
• 1 t orange extract (5 cm³)

Reduce mixer speed to low. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5-10 seconds.

Mix chilled chocolate chips into batter.

If the batter is near or above 68 ºF (20 ºC), chill it before continuing.

Scoop batter in 50 g drops onto parchment or plastic wrap. (50 g of batter is slightly under ¼ C. There will be over three dozen cookies.)

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours. (If you will keep the batter more than 72 hours, freeze the drops after the first 24 hours and defrost them overnight before baking.)

Preheat oven to 350 ºF (177 ºC). Line baking sheets with parchment or baking mats. Transfer drops to parchment or mats. Flatten the dough slightly, leaving them about ½" (1.3 cm) high. Dimple the centers with thumb (to bake evenly). For crispier cookies, you can flatten the dough more.

Bake until golden brown but still soft, 13½ minutes. Do not overbake. The cookies are done when the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and slide the parchment or mats off the baking sheets, without disrupting the cookies. Optional: Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Turn the oven off.

Cool for 6 minutes. Serve while warm.