Tara's Cookies

Perfect for road trips and for sending in the mail these are some of my favourite cookies ever. If you haven't made them, the recipe is by the amazing Tara O'Brady and you should! You can find another of my faves from this series here.

xo, N

Herriott Grace


Chocolate Chip Cookies

Reprinted with permission from SEVEN SPOONS My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every Day by Tara O'Brady. Appetite by Random House, Canada, 2015. [my optional notes in square brackets]


1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, chopped
3 1/4 cup (415 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons medium-grain kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (320 g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
12 ounces (340 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped [I use 240 g]
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat an oven to 360˚F (180˚C). Line 2 heavy baking sheets or sheet pans with parchment paper.

[I use the weight measurements.]

In a medium saucepan over the lowest heat possible, melt the butter. There should be no sizzle, no crackling, or pops; let the butter ooze into liquid, without boiling, so minimal moisture is lost. Stir regularly, until the butter is almost completely melted. (this is a good time to chop the chocolate.)

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.

Pour the melted butter into a large bowl and whisk in the sugars. The mixture may look like it will seize, but it will relax with a few seconds of stirring. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking briskly after each addition, but only to combine. Stir in the vanilla. Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir in the dry ingredients. Once mostly blended, fold the chocolate into the dough until the remaining flour is incorporated, and the dough no longer looks dusty. Bring any stray ingredients up from the bottom of the bowl but do not over mix.

If the dough seems warm or looks overly glossy, refrigerate for 5 minutes. Then roll into balls using 3 tablespoons of dough for each. [I use a disher] Arrange on the prepared pans, leaving 3 inches (7.5 cm) in between each. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until the tops are cracked and lightly golden, yet the cookies are still soft at the centre, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking. Leave the cookies on the sheet pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Continue shaping and baking cookies with the remaining dough, making sure to use a cold sheet pan for each batch.

The cookies can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a 1 week.

 

From the HG Shop in this post:
Handmade Porcelain Platters