Cookies Levain Bakery. Happy 4th July!

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Levain Bakery Cookies!

I am in New York, so it  is a perfect time to share a Levain Bakery Choc Chip Cookie recipe. In a couple of days it will be Independence day  and time to make an all American cookie. So Happy 4th July.

I  found the Levain bakery quite by accident the first time I was in New York. You see, I was wandering around with my jaw on the floor and my eyes so busy looking everywhere that I had no idea where I was.  I stopped on a street corner just off Amsterdam and 74 th and saw a line of people. People usually line up for a couple of things and I made a punt on the fact that their must be something good to eat at the end of that line. Next minute I was in that line and chatting happily to the very bemused people when I had to ask why we were lining up. People are very patient when waiting in line for their Levain bakery cookies. They are so in demand that each fresh batch of  heavenly giant sized cookies that is born from the oven is snapped up immediately

There are two stores in New York, this west side beauty and the other is in Harlem. It’s a very basic bakery with nowhere to sit except a bench near the window outside the store. Nobody was sitting there, they were all in the line. To be fair cookies aren’t the only thing they bake, they make an array of other baked goods like…..Valrhona Chocolate rolls, chocolate brioche, bagettes, boules even Italian style Bomboloncini and Muffins just to start…….Ok, so back to the cookies, huge cookies. The one I have copy-catted is the Chocolate Chip and Walnut but there is also an Oatmeal Raisin, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip and a Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip. I love them all.

Who are Levain Bakery?

Levain has been baking cookies and keeping people in lines since 1994, and ever since that time they have also been donating the left overs at the end of each day to Charity.  This may not be so good for the hungry as I can’t imagine how much they must have left at the end of the day. It was started by Connie who was in banking and Pam in Fashion. They wanted to make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. The oven is still on.

This recipe is a bit of a mash up of the many that are on line. One thing is for sure that when a bakery becomes this famous there are people with obsessions and many of them are out there making and remaking till they are happy. I am very happy with the recipe I have. It’s perfect. The cookies are giant, crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside. I have one thing to do before the fireworks on the fourth of July are packed away and I am on  a plane back to Australia, and that is visit for the third time this trip………

Print Recipe

Levain Bakery Choc-Chip Cookies. Happy 4th July!

Copy cat Levain bakery chocolate chip cookies are just so good no one can resist. Adapted from brown eyed baker and parsely sage sweet

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 250 gm butter softened
• 100 gm caster sugar fine
• 180 gm brown sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 400 gm bread flour or similar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon corn flour heaped cornstarch
• 250 gm chocolate chips
• 150 gm walnut pieces

Instructions

• Beat the butter just till soft and add the two sugars till well combined.This doesn't need to be fluffy like a cake, just soft and combined.
• Add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla. Mix well and scrape down the sides.
• Mix the flour baking.powder and soda. Add the flour and mix in a little before adding the chocolate and nuts and mixing until the dough is combined.
• Divide the dough into 12 pieces, then roll it, nice big hefty ones, into rough balls. Put them onto the tray or into a container and freeze till firm. Also you can chill them in the fridge overnight, but I like the quick freezing method
• Bake for 16 ( refrigerated) to 20 minutes ( frozen) or till golden on the outside and nice and soft inside.

Notes

NOTES: The mixture needs to be very cold before rolling into balls. This is so that it cooks on the outside nice and crispy and stays doughy in the middle.
Make sure the balls are nice and rough and round.

Find it here if you are visiting Levain Bakery

My Kitchen Stories visited Levain independently and paid for all food

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