Caramelized Chocolate Chip Cookies - GLUTEN FREE!!!

It has been my lifelong goal to bake a delicious, and beautiful, cookie.  I've never been able to pull them off.  Never.  Seriously.  And so, this past year I resorted to experimenting once a week.  And then, I decided to go gluten free (another post for another day).  So I researched my little heart out, to uncover the secrets of a good cookie (GF or not).  Turns out there's a lot of science behind it...

My definition of the perfect cookie is one that is not too thin, not too thick, not too crisp and not too soft.  Oh, and it has to look good ;)  So, 6 months and five pounds later, I can finally say I've perfected the perfect cookie!  And it just happens to be gluten free.  Yesss!

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of butter
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 T. (rice) milk
• 1 c. sorguhm flour (140g)
• 1 c. tapioca flour (140g)
• 1/4 c. brown rice flour (35g)
• 2 T. flax meal
• 1 t. xanthan gum
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1 c. chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Directions:

This is a very detailed recipe...  It's not necessarily difficult, but it might take some getting used to.  I don't normally take pictures (no camera), and I rarely take step-by-step pictures (no time).  However, I did manage to shoot some pics with my old school iPhone.  The quality is severely lacking, but hopefully they're somewhat helpful.

  

1. Cut butter up into cubes.  Combine butter and sugar in saucepan and melt until sugar is completely dissolved.  We're making caramel here, people!  So listen carefully: Once the butter is melted, continue to heat over medium-low heat for another ten minutes.  Be careful not to scorch the sugar, so stir frequently.  Babysit.  You'll notice how the butter goes from sitting on top to being fully incorporated into the sugar.  The mixture also turns from dark to light brown, and the consistency becomes thin like syrup.  And the taste, oh the taste!  Once the ten minutes are up, you'll be able to taste the difference between melted butter-sugar and caramel.  Careful not to burn your tongue ;)
2. Remove caramel from heat and allow to cool slightly before transferring to mixing bowl.  Allow to cool for 20 minutes
3. While the caramel cools, measure out the flours with a scale.  Add flax meal, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder.  Mix and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, crack egg and egg yolk.  Add milk and vanilla, but do not mix.  Set aside.
5. Once the caramel has cooled, beat in egg/milk/vanilla mixture on medium speed until well mixed.
6. On low speed, add flour mixture 1/3 c. at a time.  Scrape sides of bowl and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts with a spatula.  Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as you stir.
7. Place plastic wrap over dough and pat down.  Cover bowl with tin foil and allow to sit in fridge overnight.
8. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, or Silpat.  Shape dough into balls (2 T.) and place on sheet.  Flatten dough with your palm to half-inch thickness.
9. Bake @ 375 for 6 minutes, rotate pan and bake for another 5 minutes.  Allow to sit on pan for 2 minutes to cool.  Transfer to cooling rack.  Devour.

Just because they're gluten free, does NOT mean they're healthy.  They are, by no means, fat free or sugar free.  I felt it was important to nail down a traditional chocolate chip cookie, and that included (lots of) butter.  And sugar.  Now that I've got this little gem in my pocket, I can start tweaking it to see if I can come up with an acceptable, more nutrient dense version.  It might take me a long time, but if this recipe is any indication, it'll be well worth the wait.  *B