Dishing Out Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Have you ever been to a restaurant supply store? I finally had the chance to go over Labor Day weekend and it was paradise for cooks. I seriously could have spent hours in there but unfortunately my children’s patience and my wallet were limiting factors. I found a MUCH cheaper 10 inch nonstick skillet to replace the Calphalon one that died (ok fine my dog mangled it), I found those incredibly nifty tubs that Alton Brown is always recommending for rising dough (the ones that are see-through and marked by quart), I found quarter-sheet cookie sheets, which while I did not buy ARE going on my Christmas list. And I finally found dishers of various sizes.

When I say various sizes, I mean they had at least 15 if not more. I had no idea that dishers–what I think of as cookie dough scoops–came in so many sizes! I just knew that while I loved the 2 that I already owned, they were not up to cookies like the NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookie. The point being, I had been on the lookout for a bigger disher with no idea of where to find one. Until I wandered into Wasserstrom.

Happily I got a chance to work out the new, bigger disher (don’t ask me what size I got, I already forget I am mortified to admit) on those Double Chocolate Chip Cookies I posted about this past Tuesday. Contrary to my plans, I did decide to put nuts in them. First, because I was craving hazelnut chocolate bars (and yes I did sub in toasted, chopped hazelnuts for the pecans). Second, because I made the cookies partly because my in laws were coming, and as already discussed, my mother in law really likes seriously chocolatey things, and I know she likes nuts too, so I figured since I will be (probably am right now!! YAY!) in Chicago while these cookies are being eaten, I might as well make them to her taste also. After all, the grandparents coming in to help John is making it possible for me to escape to Chicago and see Bono, er, I mean U2. The least they deserve is chocolate.

The verdict on the cookies: these cookies are very good. Very, very good. I think I would prefer them without nuts, but I am ok with the hazelnuts being there. Pecans just make me cringe, but I like pecans in granola, fruit pie, etc, not with chocolate. The cookies take, as you can see, a boatload of chocolate–for sanity’s sake and the sake of your wallet, I recommend chocolate chips instead of chunks for mixing in (but do use good, chopped chocolate for the melting part). I would rate these cookies a notch below Lisa Yockeslon’s Savannahs, which might be the epitome of chocolate cookies for me. Since this recipe is from my To Try Tuesday collection, I am going to link you to the recipe (update June 2015: I am so sorry but this post was taken down and I cannot find it anywhere. Since I preferred the Savannahs, I recommend you give those a try!). rather than type it out.

P.S. Because this blog has been interrupted by U2 touring, expect to see To Try Tuesday on Wednesday next week. I know you’ll understand. Bono, er, I mean U2, only comes to the Midwest every 3-5 years or so.