Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

The original recipe I’ve adapted is from Levain Bakery I believe. These are crazy decadent and even one of these large cookies is very impressive and satisfying. If you don’t have cake flour handy and want to make your own, the recipe follows.

Makes 12 very large cookies

• 1⁄2 c good quality unsweetened cocoa, I like Valrhona

• 1 c cake flour

• 1 1⁄2 c all-purpose flour

• 3⁄4 t baking soda

• 1 t cornstarch

• 1⁄2 t kosher salt

• 1 c cold unsalted butter, cut into dice

• 1 c brown sugar

• 1⁄2 c granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 t vanilla bean paste, or extract

• 1 1⁄3 c bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 400. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment.

Combine cocoa, flours, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until lightened and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t over mix. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients. Mix lightly until just combined. Add chocolate chips and incorporate, mixing a little as possible. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.

Scoop large balls of dough (I use an ice cream scoop) onto the sheet pan. You should have 12 cookies of about 5 oz each, if you have a kitchen scale to check weight. Place 6 cookies on each sheet pan as they will spread. Flatten cookies a bit. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Transfer sheet pan to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove cookies to a cooling rack to further cool.

To make cake flour substitute: Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift together to aerate and mix well the flour and cornstarch. Measure 1 cup and use (you may end up with more than a cup due to aeration).