Nothing says yummy to my tummy like a freshly baked batch of still warm-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. Chewy, crunchy, cakey, with nuts, without nuts, raisin studded, oatmeal flecked,semi-sweet, white chocolate..the list goes on and on and so does my love affair with this gastronomic delight. My personal preference is a light golden brown chewy cookie with crisp edges dotted with premium semi-sweet chocolate chips and some oatmeal thrown in for good measure...it gives me the illusion that I'm eating something wholesome rather than sinfull! And so the search for my ultimate chocolate chip cookie began. Four years and at least 50 cookie recipes later(not to mention a dozen or so diasters!), I was able to tweak and come up with what I refer to as "My Precious." It all starts with the freshest and best quality ingredients you can find, specially with the butter as this goes rancid over time or with exposure to heat. Butter also has the tendency to absorb odours from the fridge giving it a slightly "off" taste and smell, so be sure to wrap or store it properly. If you intend to add oatmeal to your cookies, I recommend using rolled or old fashioned oats as opposed to instant or quick cooking as the former gives the cookie beautiful texture and a toothsome mouthfeel. Popping the cookie batter in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking produces an evenly baked cookie with good structure. Another handy rule of thumb is baking 8-10 minutes for a chewy cookie and 12-14 minutes for a crispier one. Whew, all this cookie talk is making me hungry, I'd better go and whip me up a batch...got milk, anyone?
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