Really Great Chocolate Chip Cookies

Devoted readers, I rarely give out cookie or brownie recipes as you know, but I am in a generous mood tonight so I am going to post what I consider to be a perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. I have adapted it from The Dessert Bible by Christopher Kimball. These are delicious warm from the oven but in my never humble opinion, they are even better when completely cooled.

Preheat oven to 375 (conventional) or 350 (convection)

Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment.

Ingredients

1/4 cup Crisco (I know, I know...evil trans fat. But, how many of these are you planning to eat? You have a higher chance of getting killed in a car accident than by these cookies....But for those who might be worried about it, I think that Crisco makes a non-trans fat shortening now. Why even include this? Shortening prevents the cookies from spreading out as much as an all butter formula would. You can substitute butter for this, but the cookies will be flatter. Your call.)

8 T (1 stick) butter, softened just a bit

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg white

3/4 tsp to 1 scant teaspoon vanilla (I prefer 3/4 tsp)

2 cups plus 2 T bleached all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 - 3/4 tsp salt (your call..I prefer 3/4)

10 ounces great quality chocolate chips or chunks. I prefer Ghiridelli semisweet chips. Bittersweet overwhelms the cookie in my opinion.

1. In a mixing bowl with a hand held electric mixer, beat the butter and shortening (if using) together until smooth and whipped with a few lumps. Add sugars and beat until blended. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.

2. Whisk together dry ingredients (not the chips).

3. Add dry ingredients to butter/egg/sugar mixture. Blend in until smooth. Fold in the chips or chunks.

4. Place heaping tablespoons of batter on the baking sheet, with at least 1 1/2 inches between cookies.

5. Bake for about twelve minutes, rotating baking sheet once half way through. If at the end of the twelve minutes I notice that the tops aren't brown enough, I switch on the broiler and leave the cookies under it for about 45 seconds.

Cool on a wire rack and eat-em-up-YUM.