Jacques Torres Secret Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I hear that this is Martha Stewart's favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. That was all I needed to see to give these a try! 

I admit that mine probably could have been better if I had used "high quality dark chocolate" instead of my semi-sweet Nestle chunks, but the fancy chocolate would not have solved the spread problem. These cookies had way too much butter! They spread from neatly shaped dough balls to thin saucers and were actually a bit greasy.

I sometimes wonder if chefs like to make things seem more complicated that they really are. For instance, take the two different kinds of flour. I didn't really notice a difference and probably could have just used my trusty AP. Perhaps my palate is not refined enough... Either that or the real "secret" recipe is out there somewhere...

Can you shed some light on this cookie mystery?

Ingredients

1/4 pound unsalted butter room temperature
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon pastry flour
3/4 cups bread flour
1/2  teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2  pound good quality dark chocolate chopped coarsely

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside. Don’t grease the baking sheets because this might cause extra spreading.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add vanilla, then add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate; mix until well combined.

Using a 4-ounce scoop for larger cookies or a 1-ounce scoop for smaller cookies, about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 20 minutes for larger cookies and about 15 minutes for smaller cookies. If you use a rounded tablespoon, check your cookies at 12 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 8 large cookies.