I used to walk into a home where every last table, counter, and bookshelf had a cookie tray of shortbread just waiting to be frosted. The business was Sweet Caroline’s and my mom was the baker. My friends envied the thought of having an in-house pastry chef and living among cookies.
These friends did not realize that we could not just grab a cookie on our way to the dinner table; these little nuggets were a commodity. We were subjected to the unfrosted, toasted cookies, but, I actually liked those cookies better; in my mind, I did have it made.
“Sweet Caroline’s” were iced art. My mom recreated dot candy, Chicago Bulls jerseys, and conversation hearts in cookie form—they were hip. I tried my hand at frosting the cookies one day and quickly scooted out of the kitchen, realizing that I was single-handedly destroying the shortbread. I recognized that Sweet Caroline’s was never going to employ Caroline. My shaky hands did not make the cut.
I needed to bake something that would get noticed. One day, I pulled out the Nestle Tollhouse Chips and constructed some simple chocolate chip cookies. The house was filled with the aroma of brown sugar and butter; I soon had a kitchen full of people. The cookies were barely cool and were already consumed.
My mom and I were the ideal cookie duet—she created the delicate morsel and I was in charge of the simple slices. It is a good day when mother and daughter work together.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Baking Notes:
The ideal chocolate chip cookie = soft center, crispy exterior, non-cake-like and the presence of walnuts.
er and an even better day when the daughter realizes that mom actually did have street cred.Apply this technique to your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe:
Creaming Method:
-All products at room temperature
-Mix dry ingredients
-Cream butter and sugar until JUST combined (uniform, not
fluffy)
-Combine eggs and vanilla
-Add one egg at a time
-Add flour all at once, mix until just combined
-Add chips and nuts
-KEY: Do not over mix
-Over mixing creates air filled, tough cookies
-For chewier cookies, bake at a lower temperature than stated
(keep watch)