I've been a very good girl this year and not bought magazines (one kunang2 doesn't count, ok ^^), cook books and baking books in a long while ^^. But I couldn't resist David Lebovitz's Ready for Dessert (soft cover), released just last month ^^
I love david's blog ^^. I love the way he writes ~ he's engaging, witty and (quite often) hilarious.. I love his take on life, food and travel, as well as the recipes he shares.. but most of all, I'm envious of his wonderful food adventures of the sweet life in paris! (^^)
Ready for Dessert is a wonderful read. I've read through it like twice now.. ^^. Hopefully I'd be able to try out some of the recipes, especially the chocolate ones, real soon. It's really not easy to get good quality chocolates where I live. And when I do, it's so pricey that I think why bother??
So I'm really, really, really sorry, david.. for using chocolate chips instead of chopped good quality bittersweet/semisweet chocolates ^^|| Forgive me? ^^
David Lebovitz's chocolate chip cookies (this time from his book, ready for dessert)
150g granulated sugar215g brown sugar (I used 200g)
225g unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (I used 2 tsp)
350g all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
340g/3 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped coarsely (a million sorries, david ^^)
225g/2 cups nuts, toasted and chopped (I didn't ^^ just used a handful of raisins)
1. Beat sugars and butter till light and fluffy. Mix in egg one at a time at slow speed till well incorporated. Fold in vanilla extract till combined.
2. Mix in sifted flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts/dried fruits if using. I added my handful of raisin to only half the choc chip dough.
4. Divide the dough into quarters, and shape them into 9-inch logs. Cling wrap and refrigerate until firm, preferably 24 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 175C.
6. Slice the logs into disks 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick. Place on baking tins, well spaced apart.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, for soft, chewy cookies. And a little longer if you like them crisp (^^)
In our past bakes of his recipe based on smitten kitchen's post, I've never bothered to ever refrigerate the dough. The cookies still turned out AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS ^^! But since david picked up an article that says that the cookie dough may improve with resting before baking, and he ALWAYS has cookie dough in the fridge anyways, I thought I'll give resting a shot ^^.
Patience has never been my virtue.. just so you know ^^||. So these cookies are the result of a long two-day wait.. I mean rest ^^. Verdict? We can't tell the difference!!! ^^||
So to rest or not? That, is up to you ^^! David's chocolate chip cookies still RULES in our household! (^^)
Those are such pretty cookies! and soft and chewy is just my thing! I love the possible addition of toasted nuts here too =)
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I wasn't really keen or a fan of chocolate chips cookies eventhough it has chocolate in it. Probably the first time I made it doesnt turn out the crunch texture I want and therefore I just shelf off baking this anymore. And because I always thought or had in mind that chocolate chips cookies are those types with that crunch and crisp type! Well let's talk about yours, and indeed it was very well baked. No matter what,wish I can have one piece from yours to try and who knows it might makes me crave and run to my kitchen to bake more.....
ReplyDeletehi there, squishy angie ^^ though we enjoy soft, chewy cookies, it's the crisp ones we grew up eating on ^^ toasted nuts would be great in these cookies.. but i was too lazy to toast and chop some ^^|| it's still fabulous without ^^
ReplyDeletei really would love to share some of these soft, chewy cookies with you, mel ^^ they are yummy! h'ver, i'm not really inclined towards making cookies if not for my piggies.. and you are right, it's not easy to get the right choc chip recipe to make that right "crisp n crunchy" cookie that taste like most people's gold std, the famous amos cookie ^^.
ReplyDeletepromise me you won't tell anyone.. this recipe is the closest we got to the "famous" cookie! seriously! all you need to do is follow the recipe closely. do NOT reduce sugar at all costs!!! Bake longer than recommended, maybe around 18-20 mins to crisp n crunchy! we swear, there was one time (the next day), our cookies tasted exactly like "those" cookies! ^^ we have friends asking for this recipe! ^^
Oh really?!! Then I shall try this one day! I am more prefer to that "kuak kuak sound" when biting the chocolate chip cookies instead of the soft chewy type. Yes earlier I did notice that huge amount of sugar (white plus brown) oh my....it is kind of scare with that amount...well since you adviced so, I will try this one day. Thanks!
ReplyDeletethe amount of sugar is frightening, i agree! but if you want crisp cookies, white sugar is a must! ^^
ReplyDeleteomg these look so good!
ReplyDelete-liv
http://chocolivlovelaugh.blogspot.kr
they are ^^! thanks for dropping by, liv ^^
ReplyDeleteD: I`m drooling right now. I love love chocolate chip cookies and these sound amazing.
ReplyDeleteI, too, love David`s blog. I definitely want this new book of his.
david's cookies are wonderful, lynna ^^ we really love them crisp ^^ i'm hoping to try out the ny times choc chip cookie recipe you shared earlier soonest ^^
ReplyDeleteHa..I gotta show this post to my ChocChipCookies Princess... she would want to give it a go... and her mommy get to eat too :P
ReplyDeletethese cookies seriously rocks! your princess would love this, lisa ^^!
ReplyDelete