Method to my Throwdown cookie madness

Happy Wednesday everybody!
I'm so thrilled to see I have "followers." I'm still not entirely certain what that means, but I do love the sound of it!
Let's get down to the nitty gritty. Per the suggestion of my brother and avid follower ;), Avi, I have decided to post the recipes for all of my mouth-watering treats! Ya'll should feel honored, I'm typically very territorial about my recipes. I spend so much time finding the right ones and actually studying and comparing variations on the same food that after I do the research, I want the result to be my own. It's work coming up with the right recipe, but luckily it's something I enjoy. In the spirit of sharing and with the hope that you will be able to make someone as happy as I do just with food, I'll divulge all my dirty cooking secrets (well...maybe not all, but the relevant ones for sure!).

As I stated in the last post, my inspiration for my Throwdown cookies was this recipe from Lovin From the Oven. However, I changed a few things so the recipe I'm going to post is the one with my modifications, but first my explanations for the changes.

The first thing I wanted to change was the amount of eggs. While her recipe calls for two eggs, I actually used one egg and one egg yolk. I did this because I wanted the perfect soft, chewy texture to these cookies. I generally associate eggs with cake, and while this was only two eggs, I wasn't taking chances. I firmly believe that a cookie should have that ooey-gooey pull apart ability packed with the buttery moisture that holds the pieces together once you've broken it in half. As far as I'm concerned this rule applies to all cookies whether it's chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, oatmeal, and oh hell-even a macaroon (especially a macaroon-who likes a dry macaroon??). Thou shall NOT skimp of moist cookie dough! Now, there is a time and a place for a cakey cookie, but let's save that for Mexican wedding cookies or a seriously substantial bakery style cookie.

My next change was in toasting the walnuts before mixing them into the batter. I wanted the toastiness of the nut to add depth and complement the toffee in the cookie. I gave the nuts about 10 minutes in the 375 degree oven. Next time, I will probably toast them longer to ensure their flavor is prominent.

Finally, I added more of every mix-in. The recipe calls for 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup toffee bits, and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts-but I wanted these babies PACKED. I added an entire bag of semi-sweet chips (12oz, so 1 and 1/2 cups), 1 cup of toffee bits, and 3/4 cup of the toasted walnuts. You know what though? Next time I make these cookies I'll still add more of everything. I want a morsel of something in EVERY bite-and as long as I'm in charge, I'm gonna do just that!

A change that I was thinking about but didn't do because I didn't want to get too fancy for the throwdown was browning the butter on the stove before mixing it in the dough. I've always been fascinated by browned butter cookie recipes, and I think the caramely notes from browning the butter would be excellent in this cookie. Next crack at this cookie, it's browned butter all the way.

DISCLAIMER: In any recipe, unless stated otherwise, butter should be left at room temp for a couple hours before baking to soften it. Microwaving it is great in a pinch, but softened means softened, so place it in the microwave in small time intervals and don't melt it. If it specifies melted butter you're free to microwave away! On that note, eggs also crack better at room temperature-leave them out for about 20 minutes before being used. These tips ensure a flawless, creamy dough or batter.

Without further adieu here is my version of the recipe:
This made about 40 cookies.

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (I leave them out on the kitchen counter for two hours prior to baking)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 heaping tsp. vanilla extract (let it drip a little-I love vanilla)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup toffee bits
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, toffee bits and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

ps. Hope ya'll like my new layout-I think it's pretty cute :)

First post and the ULTIMATE Throwdown

Hi everybody! I'm so excited to be writing my first post in my brand new blog. It's about time I jumped on the blog bandwagon, still being a journalism major and all. First I just want to establish what I hope this blog will accomplish. This is for me to be able to still maintain some element of the creative writing that I love so much and have felt that I'm getting further and further away from. But it's also for you all (whoever you might be) to appreciate, relate, and salivate over what I'm doing and making. As a college student, one might think that I don't have all of the elements, tools, or funds available to me to really create something delicious-but I make sure I'm not stifled in my baking or cooking. I usually make something at least once a week ranging from creme brulee, cheesecakes, grilled salmon, and (my favorite) cookies.

This weekend, after a a particularly busy and stressful week, my boyfriend offered to bake me cookies. Being the domestic one in our relationship, I undermined him and instead of taking him to heart I laughed. After insisting he was going to blow me away with his cookies I ended up challenging him to a chocolate chip cookie Throwdown ala Bobby Flay. Prize: Loser buys winner dinner at the gourmet grilled cheese restaurant we've been dying to try.

I knew I wanted to incorporate toffee and walnuts (i had a few extra from a carrot cake I made two weeks prior) into the cookies, but having never found the perfect cookie recipe I searched and studied numerous recipes before finding my inspiration. Via foodgawker I stumbled upon this creation from the blog Lovin From The Oven. Using her idea, I changed up a few elements of the recipe and ended up baking what, for me, is the absolute perfect chocolate chip cookie. They were ridiculously soft, chewy, and melt in your mouth chocolatey-I'm actually salivating right now.

Saturday, February 20th, 7:45 pm: Throwdown time.
Louis pitted his peanut butter Mr. Goodbar cookies up against mine, and after trying one of his I was nervous. My roommate Jordan made sure to label the cookies A and B so not even Louis and I knew which was which and our three judges Paul, Elliot, and Adam went to work. 3 of each type of cookie (that's 6 for each judge, but they're boys so I guess it's ok...) later and an agonizing analysis of both A and B the verdict was in. 2 votes for B and 1 for A. So just whose cookie was B? My deliciously soft, chewy, buttery, and chocolatey piece of heaven of course! After being stuffed full of cookies dinner was a non-issue, and instead we stayed in with all of the other boys and Jordan and watched Role Models instead.

The winning cookies!