Sorry But I have to...Chocolate Chip Cookies (with a secret)

It seems you can't be a food writer/blogger without a solid chocolate chip cookie post.  All things aside, I will never be one to give into peer pressure but it just so happens that I love cookies and finding the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe one of the first goals I had when I began my culinary quest.

Now the "perfect" chocolate chip cookie will be different for everyone.  Some prefer crispy while others chewy, some prefer flat while others thick, and some prefer small cookies while others prefer large (if not HUGE).  So to begin I would like to explain to you exactly what my perfect chocolate chip cookie is because that is also exactly what this recipe will produce.

My perfect chocolate chip cookie is medium thick, chewy with a slight crumb (explained below), large, and it has an equal dough-to-chocolate ratio.  I am not one for overloaded chocolate chip cookies as I really love the taste of the cookie portion itself.  It is the delicate balance between the sweet vanilla-caramel flavor of the dough and the creamy smooth and rich chocolate that I find so appealing about these cookies.  If you're going to overload them with chocolate chips than just bake a chocolate cookie and be done with it I say!

So there you have it.  This is my cookie.  I do have to note however that in order to obtain the perfect texture of "chewy with a slight crumb" you must employ the use of a forbidden ingredient (or at least it is forbidden to some), and that is shortening (run for the hills!!!). 

A quick note:  I am not concerned with using shortening, or for that matter, any ingredient in my cooking (this goes for corn syrup as-well).  Sometimes these ingredients are essential to obtain the perfect textures and flavors I am looking for, and in these cases, I will use them.  I will do my best to avoid using these ingredients, but if necessary, they will be used (but I will be sure to note that the preface to the recipe).  "Everything in moderation" they always say.

Back to the recipe and the reason for the shortening.  The shortening is needed in the recipe because unlike butter, shortening melts at a much higher temperature and does not contain water. What this means is that the cookies will be thicker because they will have the chance to set before all of the fat melts and they will have a bit more of a crumb because there is more fat solids to get in between the flour grains which will prevent the development of gluten.  Lastly, the reduction of water helps to keep the cookie more uniform and dense because there is not as much water evaporating out of the cookie during cooking which often leads to cracking and an airy cookie.  That said, shortening tastes like...well nothing for the most part (but this does allow for the vanilla to shine) so we need to add butter to give us that rich flavor we all crave.  That and, as stated above, I do like a mostly chewy cookie, so the butter will help in that regard as-well.

The sugar in the recipe is an equal split between white and brown.  Brown provides the "chew" and a nice caramel background flavor from the molasses.  The white sugar mellows the brown just enough so that you can taste the vanilla in the dough and obviously doesn't contain molasses so it helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much.  The rest of the ingredients are fairly common aside from just a little vinegar which is only there to brighten the flavors while not being detectable to the tounge as a component to the cookie.

There is a secret ingredient that I like to add.  Feel free to leave it out for the basic cookie but I do hope you try it out and see if it is to your liking.  It adds a little something that elevates these cookies above the normal chocolate chip cookie.  I'll let you look over the ingredients list and see if you can tell me what it is.

So, without further ado, my perfect chocolate chip cookie.

Note:  The recipe does call for the dough to rest for 24-hours in the fridge.  I do not believe, as most do, that this adds too much to the flavor of the cookie but it does allow the flour to absorb some of the fat/liquid and provides for an amazing texture once baked.

GWC Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cup light brown sugar. packed
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vinegar (white)
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of malted milk powder
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.) In a large side bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and malt powder (if using).  Mix evenly and set aside.
2.) In your mixing bowl add the butter, shortening, and sugars and mix until smooth.
3.) Add the eggs to the fat and sugar and mix until evenly combined.
4.) Add the vinegar and vanilla and mix until evenly incorporated.
5.) Add in the flour mixture and beat until combined and no flour particles remain.  Then beat on high for 30 seconds more.
6.) Wrap dough in cling wrap (aka. saran wrap) and place in refrigerator for 24-36 hours.
7.) 15 minutes before you are ready to bake preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
8.) Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or better yet, a silpat baking sheet
9.) Scope 3 tablespoon to 1/4 cup sized balls onto the prepared baking sheet and place in oven to bake for 10-14 minutes depending on your preferred doneness.   Check every minute after the 10 minute mark if you decide to cook longer as they will go from perfect to overdone very quickly.
10.) Enjoy!

Final Note:  If you happen to try the recipe and treat yourself to these some of these bad boys please do let me know what you think. I always appreciate the comments!