Alice Medrich's Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are classic chocolate chip cookies with crisp edges, chewy centers, and lots of chocolate. They are best baked as specified on an ungreased cookie sheet rather than on parchment or a synthetic baking sheet.

EQUIPMENT

• 2 cookie sheets, ungreased

INGREDIENTS

• 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 cubes unsalted butter, melted
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 cups (packed) brown sugar, lump free
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups chocolate chips

PREPARATION

1. Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or a fork. Set aside.
2. Melt butter and stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt.
3. Mix in the egg and vanilla.
4. Stir in the flour mixture just until all of the dry ingredients are moistened. Let the mixture cool. 5. Stir in the chocolate chunks.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Remove the dough from the refrigerator to soften. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and place them 3 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
8. Bake for about 9 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown at the edges and no longer look wet on top. Rotate baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.
9. Remove from the oven and let cookies firm up on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes. Use a metal pancake turner to transfer them to rack to cool completely before storing or stacking. May be stored in a tightly sealed container for several days.

Makes about 10 dozen cookies

Yeasted Whole-Wheat Waffles

Fourteen 7-inch round or eight 9-inch square waffles. These waffles are quite rich so buttering them before eating is not compulsory.

3-1/2 cups milk, warm
4 cubes of butter, melted
4 cups of whole-wheat flour
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons table salt
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in bowl.

2. Gradually add warm milk and butter mixture to the flour and whisk until batter is smooth.

3. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

4. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 12 and up to 24 hours.

5. Heat waffle iron and when ready, remove waffle batter from fridge (batter will be foamy and doubled in size.

6. Whisk batter to recombine (batter will deflate). Use about 1/2 a cup of batter for 7-inch round iron and about 1 cup for 9-inch square iron to bake waffles.

7. If not serving immediately, place waffles on a wire rack set above a baking sheet, cover them with a clean kitchen towel, and place the baking sheet in a 200-degree oven. When the final waffle is in the iron, remove the towel to allow the waffles to crisp for a few minutes.

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine, March 1, 2004.