chocolate chip cookies - levain???

ohmuhgosh, am watching food network and they are profiling Levain Bakery and their massive, almost spherical, chocolate chip cookies.

i googled to try and find the recipe. does anyone know where i could find it or what the secret to creating a similarly giant decadent cookie (that is nice and soft, not doughy, on the inside and crisp on the outside).

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Sounds yummy!

If you find the recipe, be sure to share!

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Cool! They're right in my 'hood!

Maybe I'll go pick up one of those cookies this week!

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I was watching that Throwdown last night. I do love their cookies!!!!

I also loved the Throwdown that came on after the Levain one. With the guy from Chocopologie here in Norwalk. I love love LOVE that place!!!!

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I agree with IAMWHATIAM.

Prob the best cookies EVER. The choc chip and the choc choc chip are insanely delicious.

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Yes, they're great! On 74th just east of Amsterdam - down a few stairs.
Probably the best way to try to simulate them at home is to use your favorite recipe, but make them huge (at least 1/4 cup) and bake them until just barely done. They aren't browned on the outside and just cooked inside. I'd also bake them at a lower temperature - maybe 300.

I'll be in NYC in a couple of weeks and will definitely try them then. By the way, one of the judges in the throwdown (Nick Malgieri) was one of my teachers in pastry school.

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Why didn't you go in, silly?

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postergirl is on the right track with the lowered temp and longer cooking time--I would also subsitute either cream cheese (my choice) or shortening in place of ALL the butter in the recipe. You want to use about half the butter required and substitute the rest of the fat with one of the alternates. This will keep the cookie softer longer. I also use a small proportion of whole wheat flour as part of the flour in the recipe--about 1/3-1/4 whole wheat--it makes them a bit less crumbly.

Please make sure that when you measure your flour you put the flour in the measuring cup with a spoon--don't scoop out the flour with the cup out of the bag--this compresses the flour and gives you more than you need.

You can also refrigerate the dough until it is VERY cold and this will help it be softer and chewier. I also add a bit more salt and twice the vanilla.

Technically, the cookies only have to hit 140 degrees to be "safe," so don't hesitate to take them out early as postergirl said--you want the tops to still be quite soft when you take them out.

And now Miss Brini will demonstrate making rumaki....

well, thanks, but I work in the summers as a cook, usually for summer camps--so I've made a TON of them (always from scratch, thank you). I'd usually make a octo-batch (yeah, 8 times the recipe) every Sunday.

I HIGHLY suggest using the low-fat cream cheese as a fat substitute--it's also a way to lower the fat without affecting the texture too much.

I've already made someone a good spouse--they just get tired of the Little Edie impressions.