Author Notes
My go-to steak place in Seattle, Jak's Grill, serves something quite similar to this. This is the epitome of a comfort dessert, something you eat with a fork out of the pan it's cooked in. It boasts a delicious, crunchy crust and a gooey, barely-done center. After having it for dessert a couple times at the restaurant, I couldn't get the idea of home re-creation out of my head. What follows is an adaptation of technique and proportions of Cook's Illustrated's "Perfect" chocolate chip cookie.
This recipe will yield cookie enough to feed 4. You may find it best to split the dough in half and enjoy on two on successive nights. Or you may find yourself putting a chloroform rag in the face of your spouse on the 2nd night and taking the other half all for yourself. Be Ye Warned.
—morisseau
Ingredients
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7/8 cup
all purpose flour (or 1 cup less 2T)
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1/4 teaspoon
baking soda
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10 tablespoons
unsalted butter, divided
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1/4 cup
granulated sugar
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1/2 cup
packed brown sugar (dark ,if you have a choice)
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1/2 teaspoon
table salt
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1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
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1
egg
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2/3 cup
semi sweet chocolate chips
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fleur de sel, for sprinkling
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Ice cream, preferrably vanilla bean
Directions
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Adjust oven rack to middle position. Put a 7" (5" if cooking a half portion) well seasoned cast iron skillet into the oven. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
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Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl. Set aside.
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Heat 6 T butter in a non-stick skillet until melter, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and, using heat proof spatula, transfer browned butter to a large heat proof bowl. Stir in 2 T butter into browner butter until completely melted.
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Add white and brown sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with melted butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and whisk until mixture is smooth and no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk again for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny (OK, let's be honest: you can probably get away with skipping the repetition). Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips, giving dough a final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain. If splitting recipe, halve dough at this point (store in airtight container in fridge).
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Working quickly, remove hot skillet from oven (using a pot holder). Met remaining 2 T butter in skillet, swirling to ensure even distribution. Ensure that bottom inch of skillet sides get a healthy coating of melted butter. Drop in dough, quickly spread to edges with spatula, and sprinkle with fleur de sel as desired. Place skillet on middle rack in oven (again, pot holder).
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Bake until top is golden brown but still puffy, and edges have begun to set. Check after 7-8 minutes, and monitor closely, loosely tenting with tin foil if top and edges begin to brown too much. Total baking time should be 18-20 minutes (10-12 if cooking a half portion). Remove skillet from oven (still using that potholder) and place on trivet. Let cool, 3-4 minutes. Be certain to wrap up any stray ends of conversation during this time -- you won't be wasting time speaking until the cookie has vanished.
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Dish up a scoop of ice cream for each person, sit around the skillet, eating bites of cookie with a fork directly from the pan, alternating with bites of ice cream. Do not attempt to lick pan until iron has completely cooled.
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