Paper Palate

As promised, this is my article about Shirley Corriher’s recipes in Cookwise for chocolate chip cookies. Corriher modifies her basic cookie recipe to create a (1) thin, crisp cookie (my favorite), (2) a soft, puffy cookie and (3) a cookie that is in-between.

As I am sure you recall from my previous article, Cookwise is a cookbook that answers the “whys” of cooking. In fact, it is dedicated to “everyone who has ever wondered ‘Why?’” Because I have asked “why” more than most people, I love Cookwise and will forever be grateful to Shirley Corriher for this cookbook. If you can’t tell, I recommend that all cooks, especially those cooks who are not as daring as they would like to be, buy and study Cookwise.

One of the best examples of the teaching aspect of Cookwise is the section on chocolate chip cookies. (Isn’t that a great excuse to bake batches and batches of chocolate chip cookies!)

Corriher begins the discussion of cookies by listing the basic cookie ingredients: fat, flour, sugar, liquid and egg, baking powder and baking soda. Most of those basic ingredients are available in different forms. For example, fat can be butters, shortenings, margarines, spreads or oils. Because, as Corriher explains, any change in the amount of available liquid in the batter changes the cookie, the choice of particular ingredients determines the texture of the cookie. Corriher’s discussion is great and I recommend that you read Cookwise to get a full understanding, but here is a summary from the book:

* High-protein flour — Makes cookies darker in color and flatter
* Low-protein flour — Makes cookies pale, soft and puffy
* Fat with sharp melting point, like butter — Makes cookies spread
* Fat that maintains same consistency over a wide temperature range — Makes cookies that do not spread
* Reduced-fat spreads — Makes cookies soft and puffy
* Corn syrup — Makes cookies browner
* Brown sugar and honey — Makes cookies that soften on standing
* Baking soda — Makes cookies browner

With those fundamental rules, let’s proceed to the cookies. For this article, I baked the thin recipe and the in-between recipe. I had baked and served both recipes at an informal party several months ago. Based on my survey of the guests, I think the thin cookies were preferred but everyone thought both cookies were excellent. In the end, cookie preference is very, very personal – more reason to offer a choice! And different versions of the same cookie is always a conversation-starter.

When I was baking the cookies, I looked for some visual difference in the batters and did not notice anything. I even took pictures of the dough before I put it in the oven and still did not see any difference. Here are the pictures. In case you can’t tell, the in-between cookies are on the bottom and thin cookies are on the top (I think).

When the cookies come out of the oven, however, they look very different, as evidenced by these pictures. I don’t think I need to say this, but the in-between cookies are on the bottom and the thin cookies are on the top.

Here are the recipes for the basic, thin and in-between cookies. I hope that you will try both recipes and maybe have a taste test at your next party. I am omitting the recipe for the puffed cookies. These recipes, like all of the recipes in Cookwise, are fabulous.

Basic Cookies

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ cups flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons fat
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons liquid or 1 large egg
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

Thin Cookies

1 cup pecans
2 tablespoon butter
1 ½ cups bleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons butter
½ cup sugar and 1/3 cup light brown sugar and 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

In Between Cookies

1 cup coarsley chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cupes cake flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
5 tablespoons butter and 5 tablespoons butter-flavored shortening
3/4 cup light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

DIRECTIONS [for all recipes]:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 C)
2. On a large baking sheet, roast the pecans for 10 to 12 minutes. While the nuts are still hot, stir in 2 tablespoons butter.
3. Turn the oven up to 375 degrees F (191 C)
4. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda or baking powder in a medium mixing bowl.
5. Using an electric mixer, cream fat and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the corn syrup, if using. Add the liquid or egg and beat thoroughly. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides once with a rubber spatula. Add the pecans and chocolate chips. Beat 5 seconds on low. Use the rubber spatula to finish mixing in well.
6. Spray cookie sheets lightly with nonstick cooking spray. With a tablespoon or small ice cream/food scoop (I use a No. 40, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter), drop slightly heaped tablespoons of batter about 2 inches apart onto the greased sheets. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet on a cooling rack for 3 minutes, then remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

In the introduction to Cookwise, Shirley Corriher says that she finds “great excitement” in the knowledge that allows her to make dishes come out as she wants. “I hope that you too will find pleasure, not only in becoming a more informed and assured cook but in the amazing inner workings of food and cooking — these hows and whys that enable you to make dishes exactly as you want.”