Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last week sure didn't feel like a short working week although I, like many in Singapore, only had to report to work for 3 days. Everyday was a mad rush because there's just so much to do! Even so, I've chosen not to touch my school work over the weekend although I couldn't keep it out of my mind. Just thinking about it is enough to cause headache! My husband is not so lucky as  he has datelines to meet. So for almost the whole of yesterday & today, he was  on the computer, trying to complete his work. As for me, besides running the usual weekend errands, I also baked some goodies.

I baked some  chocolate chip cookies. My family loves chocolate chip cookies. But strangely, I seldom bake them. A few minutes ago, my husband was holding the bottle of cookies, munching away... I think that's one reason why I don't often bake them...haha. Anyway, that's about to change. I've bookmarked a  few recipes & when I'm done baking them,  I'll bring some to my workplace so that there'll not be too many left at home....hehe. 

When I saw this Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe on TasteFood, 2 things attracted my attention. First it uses brown butter which produced a nutty flavour cookies & secondly, you'll have to wait at least 24 hours before baking them! You can read the article on NY Times  about the science of keeping the dough before baking it. The way it's mixed is also quite unusual. I baked my dough in 2 batches. The first was baked   using the recommended temperature & time in the recipe. The cookies have crispy exterior and chewy interior. For the second batch, I continued baking for another 10 minutes at 160 deg C. They turned out crispy, in & out. Chewy or crispy, they are delicious!

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Original recipe by Jennifer Kaplan from Made With Butter.

3/4 cup (188g)  unsalted butter
2 cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp instant expresso powder
1 cup (130g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 (100g) cup granulated sugar - I used 80g
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (200g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sea salt for sprinkling (I didn't use.)

Method:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat (do not use nonstick). Slice the butter into four or five smaller pieces and add to pan. The butter will begin to melt and foam. Continue cooking the butter until it becomes a beautiful shade of golden brown and the milk solids sink to the bottom, resembling small, dark brown particles. Cooking times will vary, but it can take five to ten minutes to get to this stage. Watch the butter carefully as it can go from just right to burnt very quickly. Remove from heat and allow to cool for several minutes. 
2. Combine the flour, table salt, expresso power and baking soda into a large mixing bowl and whisk lightly, making sure the baking soda is evenly distributed. 
3. Once the brown butter has cooled, add both sugars directly into the skillet and combine thoroughly. (If the skillet is not large enough, transfer the butter into another mixing bowl.) Add the egg and egg yolk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. 
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 24 hours or up to 36 hours.
5. When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375°F/190 deg C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out your desired amount of cookies (approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place on baking sheet, leaving enough room for the cookies to expand as they bake. Lightly sprinkle the scoops of dough with sea salt just before baking.
6. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, or until just cooked through. Do not leave the cookies in the oven for too long, as they will continue to bake for a short while after being removed from the oven. If you are using the same pan for another batch of cookies, first allow the pan to cool completely.