C is for Cookie or B is for Bicky...

This is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe from one of the best pastry chefs, Jacques Torres. I have tried and tested several chocolate chip cookie recipes and this one, so far, is the best, for I prefer my cookie  soft and slightly chewy. Here in Australia, most of the cookies sold in the shops are not the American type. They're crunchy and the biscuit type, hence, they call it "bicky".

The recipe and video can be found in this link  . I used less chocolate chips and I didn't use an ice cream scoop which explains the edges, not smooth.

NOTES and TIPS on making cookies:

• The presence of bread flour in cookie recipes is responsible for its chewy texture.
• Should you desire for a soft cookie, bake just until the side or edge of the cookie is brown. If the recipe says 10 mins. baking time, reduce the time to 8-9 mins.  If a biscuit type of cookie is preferred, bake it a little longer, a minute or two.
• Carry Over cooking. Once the cookies are pulled out from the oven, leave the cookies in the tray for they are still "baking/cooking" in the process.  Don't worry if the center is a bit soft for the heat will continue to "bake" the cookie until the temperature goes down. 
• For convenience, cookie dough can be rolled into tiny logs and kept in the freezer (mostly what we do in catering functions). Slightly thaw in the fridge, enough for you to slice them to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness, and bake. For uniform size and the home made cookie look, use an ice cream scoop. 

• Chilled dough are better to work with. You won't have a very flat cookie if cookie dough is chilled. It takes a while for a cold cookie dough to expand in size or sideways inside the oven compared to a soft cookie dough.
• Baking times vary depending on the size of your cookies.
• Lining your cookie sheet with baking paper is the convenient way of baking cookies as you don't need to wash your flat sheets after. In the absence of paper, a slightly greased and floured tray is another option. We dust the greased tray with flour to control the spread of our cookies. 
• If your cookie tray is thin, you can double your tray so it won't burn quickly.

Cookies are easy to make and you can get your kids involved. It is always part of my afternoon tea when friends drop by to visit.