THE Cookies

Okay...here is the Best Chocolate Chip cookie recipe I have ever tried to date (not that I will give up testing new ones!) This recipe comes from , "The New York Times". The recipe made it around the baking blogs for awhile and everyone raved about it. I held out baking it until now. I usually alter recipes quite a bunch when I bake, however this time I followed the recipe down to the exact. The result was a perfect, salty and sweet, chewy with crisp edges chocolate chip cookie. I would definitely make these again. I used a combination of semi-sweet chocolate chunks, Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips, and 60 percent cacao chips by Gheradelli. Do not skip the sea salt...it really enhances the chocolate. And YES, the custom blend of flours DOES make a difference! This is a "special occasion" chocolate chip cookie!

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies Adapted from NYTimes.com

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 pound each Milk, Semi-sweet, and 60 % Chocolate chunks

Sea salt

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. ***I did not chill my dough***

Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.(If you want to scoop them while they are still soft, that's okay!) Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft in the middle, 9 to 11 minutes. **They will continue to bake after you take them out of the oven. If they look slightly shiny in the center of the cookie, but slightly brown on the edges, they are done. Be careful not to over bake them!