APPRECIATION

Way overdue.  Cookies for all the wonderful neighbours who extended a helping hand to my family in one way or another when life presents its challenges.  I'm grateful for you.

Saying thanks.  My way.

I must've made David Lebovitz’s Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies a zillion times. Over the years I’ve tweaked his recipe and made it mine. Everyone goes gaga over these cookies. Time and again my co-workers proclaimed them “lethal”.

Consider yourself warned.

SALTED BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 

Adapted from this recipe by David Lebovitz 

Makes 24

115 grams salted butter, at room temperature 

85 grams light brown sugar 

100 grams granulated sugar (or 70 grams caster sugar)

1 large egg, at room temperature 

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

180 grams all-purpose flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel (or whatever flaky sea salt you have in your pantry)

200 grams coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 

1 cup toasted nuts, coarsely chopped 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar just until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg and the vanilla. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the beaten butter until combined, then mix in the chopped chocolate (including any chocolate dust) and the chopped nuts. 

Cover and chill the batter until firm. (I like to let it rest overnight.)

To bake the cookies, preheat your oven at 180 degrees C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Form the cookie dough into rounds about the size of a large unshelled walnut (about 30 - 32 grams). Place the mounds evenly spaced apart on the baking sheets, and press down the tops to flatten them so they are no longer domed and the dough is even. 

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet midway during baking, until the cookies look about set, but are not browned. Remove from the oven and quickly tap the top of each with a spatula, then return to the oven for 2 to 5 more minutes, until the tops of the cookies are light golden brown. 

Leave the cookies in the baking sheets for about 2 minutes to firm up a bit, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.