Bouchon Bakery’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think there is a house in the Seattle area that has a mutually accepted offer between me, Trevor and a seller.

And by I think, I mean I just put my initials on a counter offer that the seller sent us.

Oh, sweet jeebees.

That means it’s mutually accepted, right? Because it was their counter offer, they wrote it, so my agreeing with it means we both agree on it… right?

RIGHT???

I may have been having minor breakdowns all week and questioning everything that’s been happening.

How do you not freak out every step of the way? HOW? IF YOU HAVE THE SECRET, TELL ME!

THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY ON THE LINE HERE, HOLY CRAP.

/deeeeeeeepbreath…

I have been having quite the week. House offers, counter offers, ambiguity at work, and my bad knee is acting up.

Man, that list of issues makes me feel super old.

I just want to hide under the blanket with warm chocolate chip cookies, a cold glass of milk, a good book and a flashlight. Maybe for the next few weeks.

That would probably make a terrible mess, but I’m kind of okay with that. Stress is very messy.

Luckily, there are a lot of recipes out there to help me do just that. I have my personal favourite that I’ve been tweaking over the years, but I’m always open to new ones, to see what else is out there.

Taking a cue from last week, I delved back into my Bouchon Bakery cookbook.

Are these better than my go to recipe? The jury is out. And any cookie I can say that to is significant as I love my recipe, dearly.

These cookies are soft and gooey and dense, with great flavour coming from molasses and salt.

And they taste of stress relief.

I am still completely, absolutely stressed out. Sure, there’s a mutually accepted offer (and cookies), but that just means the really crazy stuff is just beginning.

Wish me luck. I’ll be under my blanket.

Recipe from Bouchon Bakery

Ingredients

• 238 grams (1 1/2 cups + 3tbsp) all purpose flour
• 2.3 grams (1/2 tsp) baking soda
• 3 grams (1 tsp) kosher salt
• 134 grams (1/2 cup + 2tbsp lightly packed) dark brown sugar
• 12 grams ( 1 3/4 tsp) unsulfured blackstrap molasses
• 104 grams (1/2 cup + 1 tsp) granulated sugar
• 107 grams (2/3 cup) 70% chocolate chunks 3/8 inch
• 107 grams (scant 1/2 cup) chocolate chips
• 167 grams (5.9 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 60 grams ( 3 tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp) eggs

Directions

1. Place the flour in a medium bowl. Sift in the baking soda. Add the salt and whisk together. Place the dark brown sugar in a small bowl and stir in the molasses and granulated sugar, breaking up any lumps; the mixture will not be completely smooth.
2. Place the chocolate chunks in a strainer and tap the side to remove any powdered chocolate, which would cloud the cookies. Mix with the chocolate chips.
3. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn to medium-low speed and cream the butter, warming the bowl if needed, until it is the consistency of mayonnaise and holds a peak when the paddle is lifted. Add the molasses mixture and mix for 3 to 4 minutes, until fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the eggs and mix on low speed for 15 to 30 seconds, until just combined. Scrape the bowl again. The mixture may look broken, but that is fine (overwhipping the eggs could cause the cookies to expand too much during baking and then deflate).
4. Add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing on low speed for 15 to 30 seconds after each, or until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that have settled there. Add the chocolate and pulse on low speed about 10 times to combine. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
5. Position the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 325F. Line two sheet pans with Siplats or parchment paper.
6. Using the ice cream scoop, divide the dough into 6 equal positions, 150 grams each. Roll each one into a ball between the palms of your hands.
7. The cookies are very large; bake only 3 on each pan. With a short end of the pan toward you, place one cookie in the upper left corner, one in the lower left corner and the third one in the center, toward the right side of the pan. Bring the dough to room temperature before baking.
8. Bake until golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes in a convection oven, 18 to 20 minutes in a standard oven, reserving the positions of the pans halfway through baking. Se the pans on a cooling rack and cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.
9. The cookies are best the day they are baked, but they can be stored in a covered container for up to 3 days.

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