Cash in Your Chips

I've been holding out on trying the Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookie technique featured in the Times. Its not because I lost the recipe or haven't had time, its just, I'm in a committed relationship with the Toll House cookie recipe. Throughout the years, I may have swapped some premium chocolate for the chips, but I've been faithful. I mean, I've even felt guilty thinking of other recipes. Yes, this is serious and I'm sure you can relate. You're probably in a realtionship just like mine. Maybe its with an apple pie or a lasagna, but you've been through a lot together. (I've been using this one since I had to stand on a chair in my mom's marigold kitchen to reach the counter.)

This saturday I was at the market to pick up a few things and that's when I saw them. The Felchlin chocolate discs were hidden among the bulk chocolate in front of the bakery counter and I could have sworn they winked at me. I stood there, one package in each hand, looking them over for serveral minutes. I needed time to deliberate over the purchase, which I knew would ultimately end up with me straying. I tossed them in the basket and headed to round up the rest of my list.

Upon my return home, I dug out the Times recipe and took the butter. At this point, I hadn't done anything yet. Yes, I purchased the discs and yes, the butter was coming to temp but I hadn't actually executed the recipe. Although a few short hours later, I was finishing up the batter and stirring the discs, trying a bite as I went along. We baked off a few that night as E was craving a cookie, but we did let the remaining dough proof for the 24 hours.

They were enormous and golden. Like a big, yellow smiley-face, but more than two eyes and no mouth. Maybe more like a polka-dot face. I brought a plate of them into the office this morning and I've already had two people tell me they're the best chocolate chip cookies they've ever tasted. I have the Times recipe to thank for the praise, but I'll also pay my gratitude to Toll House for many tasty batches. Its going to be difficult being without Toll House after all this time, but these delicious cookies are worth the pain.