Monday, July 19, 2010

i confess: salted chocolate chip cookies

... I watch the Bachelorette. Ooooh I'm so embarrassed about it! I've never watched a full season before this one with Ali and it's a sick addiction I can only compare to my affinity for pulled pork or chocolate chip cookies. It's also a curious suggestion: matching two people on a reality TV show and expecting them to get married at the end? And have that match last forever? Seems implausible but I can't get enough! A friend of mine has even dedicated most of her blog to the inner-workings of Ali's heart.

But doesn't it take more than a few months of traveling the world and one-on-one dates to fall in love with your future husband? We grow up and (usually) fall in love several times before we find our true match, and it's easy to relate long-term relationships with "the one." But as we get older I think past relationships work in our favor to help find what we are looking for in a mate - so maybe all it really takes is a few wonderful trips and a real connection.

Tonight I salute Ali with my tried and true favorite cookie, and wish her the best in love. After all, she's just a girl standing in front of (two) men, asking them to love her.

I can't even remember how I found this recipe - it's been in my browser for so long! And I apologize for the lack of photos but am directing you to the source of my inspiration. Dana's photos are delicious and mine turned out just as lovely, a true testament to the recipe! There's a ton of sugar but don't freak out - they're worth it!

Ashley's Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
Not Without Salt via Dana

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Turbinado sugar
1 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
12 oz. chocolate
Sea salt

Preheat oven to 360 F.

Cream the butter and the sugars on medium-high speed until light, 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times during the process. Continue mixing while adding the eggs one at a time (make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next). Add the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Combine the flour, soda and salt in another bowl. Mix with a whisk. With the machine on low, slowly add almost all the flour. Reserve just a bit of the mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the last bit of flour along with the chocolate. Stir with a spatula until just combined.

Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop out mounds of dough making sure there is about 2 inches between each cookie. Do not crowd them and there is no need to press the dough down. Sprinkle each mound with a bit of sea salt.

Bake sheets, one at a time, until the cookies are lightly golden on the edges and a bit gooey in the center, about 12 minutes. Do not overbake! Remove sheet from oven and allow to sit undisturbed for two minutes. Then carefully transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining sheets.

5 comments:

Joanne said...

You watch the bachelorette...I watch Bethenny Getting Married?...it's all good. Gotta love trash tv!

I've heard such awesome things about these cookies...they are supposedly the new NYTimes cookie. I need to try them!

Lis said...

Fun post, Beth! I know that feeling of the guilty pleasure. For a while I had the same thing with Dancing with the Stars. Now it's Victorian serial dramas from BBC (I know, so geeky, but so good!).

I look forward to trying this recipe. Have you tried Kim Boyce's whole wheat choc. chip cookie recipe? It's on the web at various sites, including Washington Post. Also salty, but with the addition of the whole grain flour, you kind of feel like it's healthy to be eating (which makes it easier to eat lots and lots!).

Lis

LC said...

B- these were amaaaaaazing! I made them last night, though I subbed kosher salt for regular salt, and tossed in a little extra, because let's face it- who doesn't love salt? :) These are going to be my new go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies! Thanks for sharing! xoxo

Beth said...

Joanne - You can't go wrong with the Times cookie recipes. Love that you share my guilty pleasure!

Lis - I love using whole grain or whole wheat flour! I just never have it on hand!

LC - Glad you liked them :) The salt is the best!

Tanya said...

Gosh again, love your blog. I too, was SO addicted to The Bachlorette this season with Ali. lol. Can't wait to try these. My favorite chocolate bar is called "Barcelona" made by Vosgues. If you haven't had that yet & you like the salty/sweet chocolate taste.

 
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