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Thursday, May 12, 2011

The Chewy

*Arggghh. Blogspot screwed up. Reposting this*

What happens when you have to get rid of your expiring bread flour and your dough hooker is down.

You make cookies!

Am a big fan of Alton Brown. Yes, I like geeks. A cooking/baking geek is even more appealing. If you have not watched his shows before, he basically explains how science works in cooking/baking. That's enough to get me swooning.

And err, if you're going to google on how he looks...don't expect a good looking dude like Chuck Hughes.

Gooey in the middle, crispy on the edges. Could be more more chewy, but not complaining. Cookie's a little too tall for my liking, was aiming for the flat slappy kind like Subway. No overnight chilling or any of that 24-36 hour chilling-in-fridge marathon which I like.

The Chewy turned out more popular than I think they were. One intern at Mom's workplace asked if they're Subway cookies. Mom said, nope, it's my daughter's No-Way cookies.

Am submitting this entry to Aspiring Bakers #7 - Chocolate Delight (May 2011).

The Chewy (adapted from Alton Brown's Good Eats)
Makes 17 cookies using my #40 disher & halving the recipe. Recipe shown below is the original recipe. Makes 30.

Ingredients:
227g unsalted butter
360g bread flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
50g sugar
270g brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
340g semisweet chocolate chips

Method:
1. Heat oven to 190°C.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
3. Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed.
4. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Chill the dough, then scoop (#20 disher) onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

16 comments:

  1. Still remember your post about your captain hook got this major injury. Can I ask you for your opinion if you are planning to buy a mixer? My auntie in Singapore wanted to get a mixer but we didn't know what to get when we were at Harvey Norman or Best Denki. To me, all electric mixers and breadmaker seems to be very expensive as compared to the quality that I get in Australia. Want to know if you are planning to get any particular brand or model??? Thanks.

    I guess the texture of cookies varies a lot with humidity. I was trying to show my auntie in Singapore with a few of my recipes but they all resulted with not the exact texture. Maybe she need a new oven...or maybe it is the humidity or the heat...

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  2. on the contrary, i like my cookies to be fat haha. I have long suspected that subway cookies use either bread flour or a fat other than softened butter. Their cookies seem to be firmer than cookies made with plain flour.

    Will be trying out this cookie to check out the chewy factor.

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  3. nobody can resist a good choc cookie, crunchy or chewy, adults and kids! It's been so many months sicne i last made some cookies, also partly due to the fact that i hate checking the oven all the time. I dont really have a good oven for my cookies. hey, mum must be so proud of your cookies!!

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  4. Yummy chewy cookies & quite addicting. Love the generous portion of chocolate chips in the cookies.

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  5. ohh ive tried soo many choc chip recipes (even ones that take days to chill in the fridge) but haven't found the perfect one (or maybe thats to do with my cookie bakng skills). this version looks yummy but like you, i like the flat flat ones! wonder how to get cookies flat? less baking soda?

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  6. Zoe: I'm using Kenwood, not the K-mix one. Mine's white in color, costs $49.90 only hehe. It's actually good for cakes, meringue and buttercream beating...but I guess bread making is another level up. So I think it's a good enough hand mixer for me!

    ZY, lena, Doris: thanks!! :D

    Vivienne: yeah i was wondering what will happen if i omit baking soda altogether hahah

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  7. I love Alton Brown too...his 30 minutes shows always lighten & enlighten me! ;)Interesting take to use bread flour to bake cookies...can imagine the slightly more chewy effect in the end result, will try. But my bread flour usually runs out faster then my plain flour, lol! :D BTW, pass me half a dozen of those choc cookies over will you? :P

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  8. Hey I'm using cornell mixer oly 29.90~ HAHAHA..but it's strong enough! And another brand that I used before that is Iona..both are cheap but can even knead bread dough..

    And I've just watched Good eats..the episode of black pepper. I love to watch too!

    There was once I mistaken bread flour for all purpose flour, and the cookies are crispy but not chewy. HAHA..good one!!

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  9. hi Jean, thks for the recipe - bread flour for cookies? must be all the good chewiness in it!

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  10. lovely cookies and your post reminds me that i had not baked any cookies ever since CNY haha!

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  11. i have seen this recipe by alton brown on youtube on using bread flour for cookies too! Your post has just inspired me to finally try on the "chewies" YUM

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  12. I love chewy cookies too, these look very yum yum....:D)!

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  13. I tend to prefer crispy type chocolate chip cookies. However your cookies look really plump and satisfying :)

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  14. They are super yummy :)

    Following U :)

    Do visit me as time permits
    http://comeletseat.blogspot.com

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  15. The cookies are awesome. I baked it 2 weeks ago and all the young and old ones in the family likes it so much.

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