Mario's Weekend Cooking Challenge: The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

Mario's Weekend Cooking Challenge is a Facebook group for people to get together, once a month, and prepare the same recipe, compare notes and discuss outcomes. It is put together by Mario Bosquez host of "Living Today" on Martha Stewart Living Radio Sirius 112 & XM 157.

This month's challenge is the "Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie"! Just in time for Halloween, the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie is a salty yet sweet cookie and is the perfect treat for family and friends on this special haunted night. This recipe, originally from David Leite, also takes some of its inspiration from Chef Jacques Torres.

Something unique about this recipe is that it utilizes both cake flour & bread flour, and a light sprinkling of sea salt is applied to the tops of each cookie before baking.



Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds

Add your chocolate to the dough, stirring lightly just to incorporate into the dough without breaking up the chocolate.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough and refrigerate the cookie dough for 24 to 36 hours and up to 72 hours. WARNING: This raw cookie dough is very addictive as is, so try to contain yourself! It is also not advised to eat raw cookie dough containing eggs.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Scoop six 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet. Sprinkle very lightly with sea salt. I suggest using Maldon flaked sea salt. It's more attractive looking on the finished cookie!
Cool the cookies, on the sheet pan, on a rack, for 10 minutes, remove cookies directly to cooling racks to cool completely, and enjoy this little bit of chocolate bliss!