In the Kitchen: The best chocolate chip cookies {recipe}

• 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
• 1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or coarse salt
• 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 1/4 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 pounds (2 1/2 cups) bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (or at least have a majority of the chips be 60% cacao content)
• Sea salt for topping cookies

Note 1: Can’t find cake flour?  Me neither!  Make your own by combining 1 cup all purpose flour and subtracting two tablespoons of flour.  Add in two tablespoons of cornstarch and you’ve just made the finer consistency cake flour!

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a good spatula or 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. Less mixing is better but I did have to mix a little longer since I was doing this manually.

3. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

5. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls or about 1/3 cup) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Make a choice between a thicker cookie or a thinner, larger cookie; make a thinner, bigger cookie by smoothing the dough flat into a disc shape. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, or leave until the next day for great results as well!