Taste Test # 4 - Canyon Ranch Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Wins!Contenders:
*click link for recipe
Neiman Marcus (recipe, or close to original recipe, below) (#11)
* Click link for recipe
Results (16 reviewers - 10 adults, 6 children):
Nestle, Toll House cookie - 5 votes ( 2 children, 3 adults)
Neiman Marcus cookie - 5 votes ( 3 children, 2 adults)
Canyon Ranch - 6 votes (1 child, 5 adults)
Review:
Nestle, Toll House cookie did well, but I think I may have over mixed the dough and the cookie came out much thinner. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but it wasn't the typical Toll House texture. It may be the reason for its 2nd place status.
The Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookie is jammed packed with "goodies" that make it a little heavier and full of texture in every bite. Of course, the oatmeal gives it a rougher edge. In this search and experiment, I am trying to keep true to the "chocolate chip" definition and hesitated to add additional ingredients, like the Hershey bar and nuts. Many times, the nuts are optional and I usually leave them out in order to maintain the integrity of the "chocolate chip" and determine if there could be a true winner regarding the type of chip used or substance and taste of dough ingredients. Unfortunately, this is supposed to be a famous Neiman Marcus cookie and it wouldn't be right to essentially change the cookie for the sake of my intentions. I followed the recipe and was surprised that many seem to like the additions to the cookie.
Canyon Ranch's cookie was a favorite of mine in this taste test. It seemed smoother and I really liked the way the recipe called for mixing the ingredients by hand, as opposed to using a mixer. It got me thinking if I over mixed the Toll House batch and that a good cookie dough may need a gentler touch. If you have the answer to this question, please comment and instruct me as to if mixing by hand will contribute to a better (fluffier?) cookie dough. Seeing that this recipe was a contribution through the health and spa facility, I wonder if it is really healthier than the others. I guess the use of canola oil, low-fat cream cheese, wheat flour and the use of egg yolks only does sound like it would be healthier, still without the nutritional facts, I'm not sold.
Neiman-Marcus Cookie Recipe (or close to original)
* Recipe may be halved
Ingredients:
2 cups butter
24 oz. chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 8 oz. Hershey bar (grated)
5 cups blended oatmeal
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice) I used combination of walnuts and pecans
Directions:
Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda. Add chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli), Hershey bar, and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.
Stay tuned for the next taste test. Contenders will be a very "famous" brand and a few ideas of my own.
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