SUBSCRIBE Now for More BOLD Recipes! http://bit.ly/1eVfGZ1Join me every Thursday for another BOLD BAKING Adventure!Hi Bold Bakers! I'm Gemma Stafford, a professionally trained chef from Ireland. I want to show YOU how to bake over-the-top sweet and savory recipes that are sure to impress. This week, I'm sharing my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe from when I was a pastry chef in San Francisco. But chocolate chip cookies by themselves, while lovely, aren't very BIG and BOLD. So I made four GIANT cookies and sandwiched them together with a vanilla buttercream frosting into the ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. Now that's what I call BOLD BAKING!FOLLOW ME HERE, FELLOW BOLD BAKERSPINTEREST http://www.pinterest.com/gemstaffordTWITTER http://www.twitter.com/gemstaff16FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/GemmaStaffor...INSTAGRAM http://www.instagram.com/gemmastaffFULL RECIPE BELOWCOOKIE DOUGH1 lb Butter (4 sticks), at room temperature 360 g(1 3/4 Cups) Sugar360 g (1 3/4 Cups) Dark brown sugar3 Whole eggs1 Tbsp Vanilla extract800 g (6 1/2 Cups) All purpose Flour1 tsp Salt3 tsp Baking soda1 lb (2 Cups) Chocolate chips, good qualityM&M's for color (optional)VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING1 1/2 cups Butter, at room temperature3 cups Icing sugar, sifted3 tbsp Milk 2 tsp Vanilla extract pinch of SaltDIRECTIONS1. With the K beater on your mixer, cream your butter and sugars together until combined. 2. Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together with a fork and add them to the butter on medium high speed. Add in 3 stages so your mix does not separate. 3. In a Separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients. 4. Once all your eggs are incorporated,turn your mix on low and add in the dry ingredients to the mixer in two batches.5. In between flour additions run your spatula along the bottom of the bowl to make sure the dough is mixed evenly. Lastly pour in your chocolate chips.6. Grease and line 9 inch cake pans. Weight out 600g of dough per pan. I made 4 layers but you can do as many as you want. Press cookie dough into the pan to the edges. 7. If you are using M&M's then add them now to the tops of your cookies. 8. Bake the cookie layers at 350oF (180oC) for 20 minutes only. Be careful not to over bake, you want them soft and doughie. Remember, when the cookies cool it sets and hardens so you want to make sure you don't over bake it. I love cookies crispy around the edges and doughie in the middle, YUM!9. Cool on a wire rack and make the frosting.10. Vanilla Buttercream Frosting - Using an electric mixer, fit it with the paddle attachment. (or use a hand beater)11. On Medium speed beat the butter for about 8-10 minutes on its own. This makes a huge difference in the end so be pateint and you will be rewarded with amazing frosting. 12. When pale in color, add powdered sugar spoonful by spoonful on Low speed. This helps make a fluffy frosting too.13. Turn off the mix and run a spatula under and around the frosting to make sure all ingredients are incorporated. Add milk, vanilla and salt and beat on medium speed for another 5 minutes. The frosting will almost double in size and will be so fluffy and pale in color. It helps to chill your frosting before use so its not too soft. 14. When your Cookies are completely cooled start to assemble the cookie cake. First, choose the best looking cookie to be the very top of your masterpiece.15. Spoon the frosting on a cookie layer generously and spread. Repeat with the remaining layers.16. Your cookie cake can be kept out at room temperature, just not in direct sunlight. 17. Watch your guests be amazed at your creation. This is a great alternative to a conventional Birthday cake or for any celebration.
