Tara O'Brady's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I wanted to title this post "Tara O'Brady's Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies" or "Tara's I need a chocolate chip cookie right now cookies" but both seemed a little wordy for a post title. l know that people are very specific/loyal/devoted to their favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes, and you may be thinking to yourself,  does the world really need another chocolate chip cookie recipe? The answer is a resounding yes. These cookies are perfect: sweet, salty, generously studded with chocolate with crisp edges and chewy centers.

I have made and loved Ashley's chocolate chippers (from her blog and her mix) and the NY Times recipe is also great, but it calls for two types of flour and that's just too fussy for my everyday cookie needs. Tara's recipe is an amazing, I need a cookie right now, type of cookie. There is no softening of butter, or letting eggs come to room temp necessary. You do have to chop your own chocolate for best results, which to be honest, is one of my least favorite kitchen tasks, but it's worth it for these cookies. You don't have to age the dough for perfectly crisp/chewy cookies, although after the dough rests overnight they are even better. I was lucky enough to test this cookie recipe last year, and I have practically been sitting on my hands wanting to share it with you. Now that Tara's beautiful cookbook: Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every Day, is out in the world I finally can!

Basic, Great Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Seven Spoons by Tara O'Brady

makes about 28 cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, chopped

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

12 ounces, semi or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

flaky salt, to finish

Preheat the oven to 360°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over the lowest heat possible, stirring occasionally. Take care that the butter does not sizzle or bubble which means it's losing moisture.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl and whisk in the sugars until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until just combined. Stir in the vanilla. Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir in the dry ingredients until barely blended. When things are still looking a bit floury, stir in the chocolate until all of the ingredients are just combined.

Roll the dough into balls, about 3 tablespoons each, and arrange them on the prepared pans, leaving 3 inches between each cookie. (At this point you can refrigerate the dough, loosely covered, overnight.)

To bake, sprinkle each cookie with a bit of sea salt and bake until the tops are cracked and lightly golden, 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Cool on the pan for 2 minutes, the move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Bean Cake Doughnuts & Salty Caramel Glaze

I am very honored (and thrilled!) to tell you all that last night, Apt. 2B Baking Co. won the Editor's Choice for Best Baking & Desserts at the Saveur Blog Awards (alongside Reader's Choice and Blog of the Year winner Molly Yeh who writes the wonderful My Name is Yeh). A big thank you all for your nominations and continued support for this blog of mine that I have been writing for nearly five years (which is practically elderly in blog time, eta: it's been almost six years, apparently I can't count...).

I was VERY caught off-guard and overwhelmed by the whole thing, but had so, so much fun meeting and hanging with all of the other nominees over the past couple of days. I have said it before, and I will say it again: Food people are the best people. Congrats to the rest of the nominees and winners!

Now let's eat doughnuts! Cake Doughnuts with Vanilla Bean or Salty Caramel Glaze and a shit-ton of sprinkles to be exact. And people, if you are going to make doughnuts, you gotta fry 'em, none of this "baked donut" business will be tolerated here.

Vanilla Bean Cake Doughnuts

all recipes adapted, just slightly, from Hand Forged Doughnuts: Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker

makes one dozen donuts and holes

These classic cake donuts are light and fluffy, crisp and crunchy. Glaze them with a simple Vanilla Bean Glaze, tinted with a bit of food coloring if you like (recipe follows), Salty Caramel Glaze (recipe follows) or dunk them in a generous amount of cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar. If you want to add sprinkles to your doughnuts, make sure to do it while the glaze is still wet or they will slide right off.

Doughnuts 

2 3/4 cups (315g) cake flour, plus more for rolling and cutting

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup (130g) sugar

1 vanilla bean

2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening or unsalted butter

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup (165ml) whole milk

canola oil, for frying

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl; set aside.

Use the tip of a knife to slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Reserve the pod for another use. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the vanilla bean seeds, sugar, and shortening. Mix on medium speed until well combined and sandy.

Add the egg and egg yolk and mix for one more minute, until the mixture is light colored and thick. Add the vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, alternating with the milk, in three additions. Mix until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure that the dough is evenly mixed. The dough will be wet and sticky like cookie dough.

Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover the dough with a length of plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour and up to overnight.

When you are ready to fry, fill a large, heavy bottomed pot with high sides with 3-inches of canola oil. Set a candy/deep fry thermometer in the pot and heat the oil over medium heat. Heat the oil to 350ºF.

While the oil is heating, roll the dough out on a well floured surface to a 1/2-inch (12mm) thickness and use a well floured donut cutter to cut as many doughnuts and holes as possible. Reroll the scraps and cut again. 

Shake any excess flour off the doughnuts before placing them, one at a time, in the hot oil. Be careful not to crowd the pan.

Fry the donuts for about 60 second on each side, or until deep golden brown. Remove the donuts to a rack or paper towels to cool slightly before glazing, or dusting with confectioner's or powdered sugar. 

Vanilla Bean Glaze

1/2 vanilla bean

4 1/2 cups (450g) confectioner's sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk

Use the tip of a knife to slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Reserve the pod for another use.

Whisk the vanilla bean seeds, along with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. If the icing seems thick, add a bit more milk. If it seems thick, add more confectioner's sugar. 

To use, dip slightly warm doughnuts in the glaze and let them dry for about 10 minutes before digging in.

Salty Caramel Glaze

Base

4 1/2 cups (450g) confectioner's sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk

Caramel

1/2 cup (100g) sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon sea salt  or more to taste

Make the base: Whisk the vanilla bean seeds, along with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. If the icing seems thick, add a bit more milk. If it seems thick, add more confectioner's sugar. 

Make the caramel: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan set over high heat. Swirl the pan occasionally, but do not stir until the sugar melts and turns a golden amber color. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream, followed by the salt. Let the caramel cool for 10 minutes then whisk it into the caramel base. If the icing seems thick, add a bit of water or milk to thin, if it seems too thick, add a bit more confectioner's sugar

To use, dip slightly warm doughnuts in the glaze and let them dry for about 10 minutes before digging in.