Baking Experiment 1: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (03 September 2011)

Just so I could document my first-ever baking experiment last Saturday, September 3. This is my first-ever batch of Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies based on the recipe I found at the Martha Stewart website (see link from an earlier post). I swear they are chewy and oh so yummy! My family can even compare it to a Mrs. Fields cookie... wow! Depending on how I recover from my CS delivery, I wanted to try again the recipe for my son's 4th birthday this October but I will still need some kitchen stuff: baking pan, 2 mixing bowls (at least), spoon and spatula for now.

Baking 101

Hopefully (during my maternity leave), I will be able to finally try my hand at baking. I've always wanted to bake but we can only get a mini-electric oven as we don't have a big space in our condo. I got confused with the temperature that I thought I will not be able to bake some cookies in the mini-oven as the temperature is at 250 while most recipes I saw in the internet calls for a 375. 250 meant for Celsius pala (ngek!) while 375 refers to Farenheit harharhar! Thanks to the S&R saleslady who explained to me.

I was looking at recipes online and I'd like to try this one first from Martha Stewart: (seems quite easy)

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
2. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.