Skillet-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie
By beltranm
Sheer size is reason enough to crave this giant cookie. Dig a little deeper, however -- down to its soft, sweet center -- and you'll find an irresistible cache of milk- and semisweet-chocolate chips. If you need further enticement, consider how easy it is to make: It's bake-and-slice simplicity itself. Serve a warm wedge topped with vanilla ice cream and homemade caramel sauce.
Photo: Monica Black
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (about 9 ounces) mixed milk- and semisweet-chocolate chips
- 2 pints vanilla ice cream
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix until they are fully incorporated. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
2. Transfer dough to a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, and press to flatten, covering bottom of pan. Bake until edges are brown and top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Don't overbake; it will continue to cook a few minutes out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve warm; top each wedge with a scoop of ice cream and some caramel sauce.
For caramel sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, salt, and the water. Cook over medium heat until sugar is a medium amber color (use strips of paper to test: the paler color is undercooked; the amber hue is just right), about 7 minutes; wash sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Remove from heat