In a New York State of mind….. Channeling Levain and Balthazar’s

In a trip to New York a ways back, we went to Balthazar’s bakery so a friend could show me those cookies they have with the puddles of chocolate running all over the cookie. They were wonderful, and while we did not make it to Levain, I have done extensive research on them, and the chocolate chip cookie that gets rave reviews.  This cookie, while labor intensive, has a bit of both of the famous cookies in it.

The key is getting the Chocolate to melt in the little puddles all over the cookie, when I was living in Maryland, I spent a day working this out and had this on the former Blog site, this is a new Site, ( internet wise) so I have just posted a reworking a few of the old posts. THIS COOKIE IS SO FREAKING DELISH..!!! It deserved a new posting.  I also used pecans in this one.

You can probably think of a lot of ways to make this work, but this is what I did and it seems to work just fine. AGAIN, a bit of labor but so worth it !!

It Starts with a basic Toll House Dough. The changes I made were, 1 cup of the flour is cake flour, and I added 1 extra yolk. Other wise its the same.

DO NOT add chocolate or Nuts yet. Just plains dough.

NOW, Chocolate… I used a really good Semi Sweet block from the Bulk Foods. You can use Chips, just make it a good quality chip. Like one that starts with G or V … LOL

I measured out a 12 oz chunk of chocolate and chopped it and melted it in a glass bowl, slowly in the Micro, this the ONLY type of thing to use a micro wave for when it comes to chocolate, when its going in something, NEVER for melting to coat something. FYI

I used a 9x 9x pan and put half the cookie dough and then cover with half the Chocolate and put in freezer.

I had two pans the same so I was able to do the second layer right a way, but this one I added pecans.

THEN once both are pretty cold, 10- 15 min, I put them together and then cut in half an stack on top of each other.

Now I will have 4 layers of cookie and chocolate and the nuts. I know, FABULOUS!! So good.

Then I cut that block into 18 chunks. Not going to kid you, it can get messy, I had a hand full of paper towels at hand.

Once you have the Layers cut, mash down on parchment lined cookie sheets and I went six per pan and it was perfect. This make 18 cookies. Getting these layers are what its all about. Give it a try sometime. You wont regret it.

Backing time was 6-7 min per level in oven an change racks. 355 was where I set the oven, but I kept and eye on them. Just in case.

Hmmm.. Enjoy

OTHER OPTIONS: Valrona, I have heard makes an oval disc. Not a chip per say, but a disc.. that might work too. ?

M