Levain Bakery CC Cookie Clone

I've always wanted to make giant chocolate chip cookies, but I didn't want large and flat, I wanted big and thick.
Mainly because I'm so inspired by the world famous chocolate chip cookies sold at Levain Bakery in NYC.
Have you heard of them?  Been there?
The owners of Levain did a Throwdown with Bobby Flay.  I loved that one and I watched it with an eagle eye when they were in their kitchen, trying to spot secret ingredients--no such luck!
One of the best cookies I've ever had.

How to describe how good they are?
Crisp crust, almost-chewy inside, light in texture but dense (like a light shortbread with a hint of cakeness), very dense in flavor.
No one knows their recipe, it's a best kept secret, but there are some really good clones out there that come very very close to it.
After some research I found a recipe at Cookie Madness.
Someone said, along the way that Levain Bakery does not put the vanilla extract in, I seriously want to try that next time to see what it tastes like, and maybe a hint more salt.
One thing that I noticed, is they (the bakery) have confection ovens, so I know that makes a huge difference in making a really good crisp crust around the cookie.






levain bakery chocolate chip cookie clone
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2 sticks unsalted butter, cold (been rumored Levain uses European butter)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ts pure vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour (13 ½ oz)
3/4 ts salt (I used sea salt)
1 ts baking powder
1/2 ts baking soda
12 ounces (2 cups) good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts)

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars just until creamy. Don’t overbeat. Add the egg and vanilla and beat just until incorporated. (I don't have a mixer so I did this by hand).
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. When thoroughly mixed, add to batter and stir just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
The dough needs to be chilled, so you can divide cookie balls out now and chill or cover bowl and chill. I made the cookie balls, set them on the baking sheet, and put sheet in fridge for about an hour.
Divide dough into 12 big 4 oz lumps. Bake on ungreased cookies sheets (one sheet at a time). (I chilled my dough balls BEFORE baking)

Bake times (I chose the latter):
Put the cookies in a 375 degree oven and set timer for 8 minutes. When timer rings, without opening oven or removing cookies, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until cookies appear set.
Otherwise, you can bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until done.
(Mine did 24 minutes, but I have a convection oven)
Makes 12 (mine made 14)

My kind of Chex Mix (full of flavor and goodies)

Ever go to a party and taste the Chex Mix they have out on the table of food and wonder what happened? Did they just throw a box of Chex cereal with some peanuts and pretzels and then throw some Worcheshire sauce on it? Even the stuff they sell in thr grocery stores is not that great. When I eat Chex Mix I want flavor, and I want variety. So, I created my own.

This version has lots of flavor, a variety of crunchy things like: sesame sticks, mini cheese Ritz, pretzels, dry roasted peanuts, roasted almonds, etc.... Try it, I know you'll love it, so will your party guests.

Dawns Tangy Chex-Mix

5 cups wheat chex
5 cups rice chex
5 cups Cheez-Its or other cheese form crackers
2 - 3 cups pretzels (mini size)
3 cups of mini Ritz crackers
3 cups of sesame sticks or oat sticks (can’t find these add what you crave instead)
2 cups peanuts, dry roasted
2 cups almonds, roasted
1 cup butter melted with
1 cup Italian salad dressing (I used Newmans Family Italian)
4-5 tbls. Hot Sauce (optional but gives wonderful zip)
7 tbls. Worcestershire Sauce
Sprinkle with: garlic powder, dried chives, onion powder, and paprika

Salt & pepper

Mix together the dry ingredients in large bowl. Melt together butter, dressing on low heat. Add Tiger sauce, Worcestershire, and remaining ingredients. Stir and turn off heat allowing to cool for a few minutes.

In the meantime, heat up your oven to 250 degrees and spray two or three cookie sheets lightly with a garlic or butter flavored spray (Spray is optional). Or you can use a non-stick cookie sheets.
In a very large bowl or several bowls drizzle slowly (a little bit at a time) the liquid mixture over the dry mixture (you can do this in batches if you don’t have a large bowl—it’s not good to put all of this in one bowl and overcrowd it, since you want all the little pieces to get evenly coated). Stir, drizzle some more, etc. I really take my time mixing so that I don't make anything soggy, and everything gets well coated.

Spread in a single layer on baking sheets, sprinkle with a bit of salt & pepper before baking, then bake about 40 - 60 minutes (mine took about 40 in a convection oven).

Every 15 - 20 minutes I open the oven, stir the mix a little and close it back up. Sometimes I reverse which oven racks the pans are on.

When done, shut off the oven and open the door slightly. I leave the pans in the oven to cool and continue drying. Store in an airtight container.

Serves: about 10 – 12+ as a snack

Sunday Morning Flap Jacks..

Mmm. These buttermilk flap jacks came out so tasty. They were soft and moist on the inside and a good solid crunch on the outside. They didn't need any butter, but loved a good warm coating of warm pure maple syrup. These never last long in my house. I used real buttermilk and another secret was a good pinch of salt. The salt brings out the tanginess of the buttermilk.

Can you hear the sizzle of the buttermilk batter as is bathes itself in the hot butter?

Turn me over...ahhhh

Success! Yum. All this with an ice cold glass of milk, followed with a hot cup of coffee. A very good way to start your Sunday morning. Yes?

Buttermilk Flapjacks

2 cups flour
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fine salt
2 cups buttermilk
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 beaten eggs

Put flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk, butter, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk together until just combined to make a thick batter. (For tenderer flapjacks, don't overmix the batter.)

Heat an 8" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp. butter and heat until the butter's foam subsides. Ladle in about 1⁄2 cup of the batter. Cook the flapjack, turning once, until deep golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total.

Transfer to a large plate; keep warm. Repeat process with additional butter and remaining batter to make 8 flapjacks in all. Serve hot, topped with butter and maple syrup and a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

Serves about 4