Everyone needs a secret weapon. Mine is my chocolate chip cookies. The sweet and salty flavor combination from the chocolate chips and salt is amazing. These cookies are just the best, period. Anytime I need to impress someone or trick them into liking me (if my general charm alone does not work), this is the recipe I use.
So needless to say when it was my turn to host my new Mommy group over for coffee this week, I wanted something extra yummy. And since this was going to be the first time I hosted a coffee at my house, chocolate chip cookies it was.
I decided to make the cookies into a cookie cake, as I thought the presentation of it would look great on my cake stand. The plus to the cookie cake is you do not need to spend time making individual cookies; you can just put the cookie dough right onto a cookie sheet. There is also no temptation of eating one or two (or five) right after you bake them.
Since I was going to be putting this cookie cake onto a cake stand, the trick was to make sure the cookie cake was smaller in diameter than the cake stand itself, as I did not want any cookie cake hanging over the edge and potentially breaking. So before putting the cake into the oven I made a circle of the dough 11 inches in diameter, allowing for 2 inches of expansion (my cake stand has a diameter of
13 inches). I also put a piece of parchment on the cookie sheet under the raw cookie cake to allow me to transfer the cake easily to my cake stand.
13 inches). I also put a piece of parchment on the cookie sheet under the raw cookie cake to allow me to transfer the cake easily to my cake stand.
I hope you enjoy this cookie cake as much as my family and friends do!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 ½ ounces) bread flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 ½ sticks ( 1 ¼ cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 ¼ pounds milk chocolate chips (I use Ghiradelli
chocolates)
chocolates)
sea salt
Directions:
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce
speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate chips in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours (or up to 72 hours). If you are making a cookie cake as opposed to individual cookies I recommend shaping the dough into a circle, it will make your life a lot easier later).
speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate chips in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours (or up to 72 hours). If you are making a cookie cake as opposed to individual cookies I recommend shaping the dough into a circle, it will make your life a lot easier later).
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Shape the dough into its desired shape and size onto the baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate chips that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie cake. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes or so. Then carefully transfer cookie cake to a cake stand if desired.
Yield: One 13 inch cookie cake and one mini cookie cake
Recipe adapted from Jacque Torres