Chocolate Chip Cookies

With more than 100 recipes for chocolate chip cookies, why do we need another? Because this one is simply divine and originated in the kitchen of one of the finest bakers known. Not me silly, none other than Jacques Torres who lives by the credo “Life is short, eat dessert first.” I love his recipes and consider anything prepared from his books a necessary indulgence. Life just tastes better with chocolate. Should you find yourself in New York be sure to visit one of his stores. Not on the standard list of attractions but pure nirvana for chocoholics. Back to the cookie, it is sinful and sultry and gooey yet not overly sweet. Shhhh, the secret is the corn syrup and shaved chocolate in the dough. As far as the chocolate choices, pick your favorites. My suggestion is shaved dark chocolate with semi-sweet chips/chunks and toasted pecans. (In a July 2008 NYT article Chef Torres noted getting a superior result with chocolate chip cookies by chilling the dough between 12 and 48 hours before baking. Will have to give this a try soon.)

• Ready In: 28 mins
• Serves: 30

Ingredients

• 1  cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1⁄4 cup white sugar
• 1⁄4 cup light corn syrup
• 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar, well packed
• 1  large egg
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  pinch baking soda
• 1  pinch salt
• 12  ounces  semisweet chocolate chunks (either high quality milk or dark chocolate)
• 1  cup  grated chocolate (semi-sweet or other)
• 1  cup  nuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with the sugars and corn syrup. Beat at medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until the butter is light and fluffy and much of the granular sugar is dissolved into the butter. Add the egg and the scrapings from the inside of the ½ vanilla bean.
3. In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Reduce your mixer speed to medium and combine the dry ingredients into the liquid. Only mix enough to fully combine the ingredients. Over mixing toughens the cookie up.
5. Using a spatula fold the chocolate chunks and shavings into the dough.
6. Scoop mounded tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Actual baking time depends on the size of the cookie; 2 inch cookies are about 8 minutes, very large 3-4 inch cookies are more like 10-11 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and allow them to cool for 1 minute on the sheets before removing to a wire rack.
8. Serve with milk and a smile.