Rustic Taza Chocolate Chunk Cookies

August 13, 2009

I was out visiting a friend last week in San Francisco, and as part of my thank you to her for letting us stay at her apartment, I made a batch of rustic Taza Chocolate chunk cookies. I've been playing with this recipe for a few years now, refining it here and there, tweaking the sugar and flour ratios, experimenting with different kinds of salt, etc. The feedback on these cookies was so good, I've decided to publish the recipe, so you can make them yourself at home.

I based the current form of the recipe on a version that ran in the New York Times in June of 2008 - not exactly cookie season. The recipe was adapted from Jacques Torres. I have since honed my recipe, and incorporated bits from here and there (extended resting time, for example) to further improve it. Here's the recipe as it exists currently.

I have a few tips first that will help you in your quest for truly excellent cookies. Make sure all your wet ingredients are at room temperature. Make sure the butter is soft but not melted. Take EXTRA time in creaming together the butter and the sugar. This step is key... after enough time, the mixture will change consistency and lighten dramatically in color. Wait until this happens before proceeding. Don't overwork the dough - mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. And finally, let the dough rest for at least 12 hours, and up to 72 hours. One, two, even three days is perfect; the longer the better.

Here's the recipe. I recommend using the 70% Dark Bar for this, as the balance of sweet and dark is perfect. Don't be shy with the salt either - use slightly more than you'd expect to. Flavored salt works well here too. I've used vanilla salt, smoked salt, and pink salt here to great effect. Any great flakey salt will work. Without further ado:

Rustic Taza Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups (14 oz) All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup (3 oz) Fine Yellow or White Corn Flour
1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) Unsalted Butter (well softened to room temp, not melted)
1 2/3 cups (10 ounces) Dark Brown Sugar
1 cup (7 ounces) Light Brown or Granulated Sugar

2 large Eggs, room temperature
2 tsp natural vanilla extract

1 lb to 1 1/4 lb Taza Chocolate (any variety, but 70% Dark Bar works best), roughly chopped.

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions:

1. Mix flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Set aside.

2. Using either an electric mixer, hand mixer, or wooden spoon, beat (cream) the softened butter and sugars together, until the mixture is uniform and has lightened in color. It is important that the sugar and butter are well creamed before proceeding; this should take between 5 and 10 minutes.

3. After creaming the butter and sugar together, add the eggs, one at a time, waiting until one is incorporated before adding the next. As soon as both eggs are incorporated, add the vanilla, and continue beating until just mixed in.

4. With your mixer on low, carefully incorporate the dry ingredients, until just combined. Do not overmix.

5. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and add the chocolate chunks (a variety of sizes is best). Using a wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate.

6. Press plastic wrap against the dough and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, and up to 72.

7. After allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350 f. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

8. Form the dough into large, golf-ball sized balls. Place no more than 8 cookies on a sheet, allowing enough space for the cookies to spread out. The dough should still be cool from the refrigerator.

9. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until just under done. The centers should be barely solid. Remove from oven, and, after a minute, transfer the cookies to cool on a wire rack. Right after transferring them, sprinkle liberally from high above with flaky sea salt (murray river, maldon, kosher) or a flavored salt of your choice (we love vanilla salt or alderwood smoked salt for this).

10. Serve very warm, with milk, ice cream, stout, or bourbon.

-AJF