NY Times Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie: What’s Your Verdict?
Did anyone brave the heat this weekend and make the NY Times chocolate chip cookies?
Here in Boston, we couldn’t bring ourselves to turn on the oven until Sunday when it finally “cooled off” to the low 80’s, so our dough got an extra day of refrigerator hibernation. (Lucky dough! We would have liked to curl up next to it.)
At least we were rewarded for our sweat and labor with delicious gooey cookies and an extra cold glass of milk. How did this “perfect” cookie do next to your favorite recipe?
Hear our thoughts after the break…
There was a melt-in-the-mouth quality to these cookies that made us want to hold each bite on our tongues as long as possible. As promised, they were crunchy and golden on the outside while staying tender and chewy on the inside. We’re not so sure about the whole “three rings” theory from Leite’s article, but this cookie is sure to please fans of either texture.
We did indeed taste a deep caramel flavor and a pleasant nuttiness, which Leite says results from the resting period. The pockets of bitter chocolate cut the sweetness of the dough, creating a good balance of flavors in every bite. This is a good argument for using chocolate with the recommended 60% cacao or more.
We expected a bit of saltiness from the sea salt sprinkled on top, but this actually blended right in. Instead of being a main player, we suspect that the salt helps bring out the more subtle flavors and nuances in the cookie, which could otherwise be easily overpowered by general sweetness.
We weren’t able to do a comparative hourly testing as some other sites have done. But drawing from our expertise as bakers and lovers of cookies (chocolate chip or otherwise), we felt like the flavors here were more developed and represented a better overall balance than your average non-rested cookie. You taste more than just “sugar.”
No doubt about it, this was a good cookie. One that’s sure to impress and satisfy, and one that we’ll be keeping in our arsenal of recipes.
But perfect? Well, you’ll have to decide that one for yourselves!
We’ll have notes on our recipe changes, substitutions, and preparation thoughts for you later today!
The full article, “Perfection? Hint: It’s Warm and It Has a Secret” by David Leite, is available here.
The full recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies is available here.
(Images: Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)