Ironically that was the way I’ve been thinking about how I wanted to do mine. I have been thinking about having a food blog for a long time as my personal journal. I waited a while because I wanted to improve my photography skill and my not so good computer skill. Still not quite there yet but I am so happy I finally got out of my comfort zone and do something that I enjoy doing and preserve it as a record. This is my blog, my stories, and my recipes that I wouldn’t mind sharing with other people around the world.
If the pioneer woman has her Marlborough man, I have my Piano man.
He wanted to be a concert player when attending college studying music but his dream did not work out. He chose different route instead and have forgotten his dream for a long time… nearly 15 years. I am glad that he finally got his moment even though it was on a small, humble, unknown stage at church.
So, I treated him with his favorite cookies.
I would like to dedicate this cookie recipe (although it’s not mine) for my piano man and all the other hard working fathers and mothers, grandparents, uncles and aunts in the world who set aside their dreams in order to support their family.
Hail to the king of all cookies!
You will need; bread flour, cake flour, baking soda and powder, sea salt, brown sugar, butter, white sugar, eggs, vanilla, bitter sweet chocolate disks. I added semi sweet chunks on this batch.
Let it snow! Let it snow! Set aside.
until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
The mixture will look like this. Very creamy!
Beat it!… Beat it!… Suddenly I miss MJ
Stir in vanilla and reduce the speed to LOW. Importante!
Over mixing will create tough cookies.
And your mixture will look like this!
Gently stir them without breaking the chocolate.
Now your ultimate cookie dough is just created but not yet completed.
The longer, the better.
When ready, preheat oven to 350F, For me it is 170C.
Press gently to flatten a bit.
Bake 1 or 2 cookies first as a test and adjust time accordingly.
Let them cool on the wire rack.
They are so evil… be aware!
Would you like some evil cookies?
NY Times chocolate chip cookies
Ingredients
- 2 C minus 2 Tbsp 8 1/2 oz cake flour
- 1 2/3 C 8 1/2oz bread flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 1/2 sticks 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 C 10 oz light brown sugar
- 1 C plus 2 Tbsp 8 oz granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 lb bitter sweet chocolate disks at least 60 percent cacao content
- sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Using a mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until very light, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Reduce speed to low.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 24-72 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degree. line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop a dough with spoon making about 1 1/2" ball onto baking sheet, making sure the disks are horizontal on the surface, press gently, and place them 2" apart. Sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt on top.
- Bake for about 9-12 minutes until the edges gets golden brown and the top begins to crack.
- Transfer cookies on the rack and let them cool completely.
- Serve with a glass of cold milk and you are in heaven.
I want to make this cookie! Please tell me where you got the cake flour and the chocolate buttons. Are they by any chance from that bakery shop in Wanchai?? BTW I want to thank you for your advice regarding the santoku knife. I bought it from Pantry Magic and it's the knife I always use and naturally gravitate towards.
I just found your blog through Tastespotting. Such sweet words you wrote about your piano man! I don't have a piano man but a bass guitar man and it's simply wonderful how music make him so happy (surely as makes your piano sir happy as well)
I loved the cookies recipe: sounds like a good idea for a rainny sunday here in small island, lost in the northern sky.
Your blog is really wonderful!
Hug!
Juliana (Sylt-DE)
What a beautiful, poignant post. It's difficult for the "artist" in us to give up those dreams, to live in a practical world. Yet we do it for those we love. You are so wonderful and have such a wonderful man! I still remember your wedding reception and how you both illuminated pure joy and happiness. It's so good to see your family!
Much love,
Karen Liu
Thanks for the kind words.
Thanks for the sweet comments. Hope you enjoyed the cookies.
Hello.
Your biscuits are lovely!
The gorgeous amount of chocolate chunks
are what I seek for a chocolate chip biscuit
the most .
They remind me of a Koean biscuit called "Chok Cho Kan Choco Chip biscuit" by Orion I enjoyed in Seoul Korea.
Thank your your lovely biscuits.
I enjoyed yours with my eays!!
I have finally found my perfect cookie recipe – thanks for posting!
I think that Clabber Girl or some other baking powder that doesn't have aluminum in it is a better choice. It doesn't have that bad after taste that I remember from Calumet.
I have enjoyed reading your blog. Very colorful and the stories are enjoyable to read.
Hi
Where did you purchase the chocolate disks.
@Biscuitvan
Thank you. Yes, I do love my big chunk of chocolates in my cookies.
@Jackie
There is a baking supply store on Johnston road near Wanchai MTR. Sorry, I don't know the name of it but it seems to be quite popular among locals. The store is always full of people when I go.
@Quilt Architect
I prefer Clabber Girl as well, but I can't find it in Hong Kong. Sometimes you have to make the best with what you got. Thanks for the sweet comment!
I discovered your blog while looking for Hot Chocolate on a Stick featured in one of my favorite magazines this month. I have enjoyed reading it. You have some lovely "wild things"! and a delightful sense of humor. Kamsamida! (?)
Kamsahapnida to you too!
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I've tried many chocolate chip cookie recipes and they are pretty good but not 'the one'. This seems to be a pretty unique one I haven't tried so am gonna give it a try and see! Thanks for sharing!
What is with the salt added to the top. What does it do for the cookie?
It adds nice little salty bite to the taste. Make sure to use coarse sea salt for that.
I think I found my cheat day snack. These look divine! ❤️