Station Eleven: Chocolate Chip Cookies

“Do you remember chocolate-chip cookies?”

“I dream of chocolate-chip cookies. Don’t torture me.”

~ Station Eleven

After reading Station Eleven I definitely needed a something sweet. The novel is set in a post-pandemic world, after the Georgia Flu has spread and has killed most of the population. Given what’s going in the world today, Emily St. John Mandel has written somewhat of a precognitive novel - it was published in 2014. Pandemic aside, the novel at its core is about community and survival, and how the two co-exist together. I enjoyed the novel and especially enjoyed the conclusion of the story - but I’ll leave this spoiler-free.

Inspired by the character’s longing for life pre-pandemic, I decided to make chocolate-chip cookies. An item that came up when they were reminiscing about corporate life and its jargon.

This is by-far my favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe ever! The espresso powder and brown butter add a whole new layer of flavour to the classic chocolate chip cookie.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup bread flour

• 3/4 all purpose flour

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 cup melted butter

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp espresso powder

• 1 whole egg

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips

Method: 

1. Sift together flours, salt and baking soda

2. Melt butter then top it off with water so it equals one cup. Cool for 10 minutes

3. Mix together sugars, vanilla, espresso powder, and butter.

4. Add egg yolk and whole egg. Mix until blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

5. Add the flour into mixture in thirds. Don't worry about mixing in the flour completely.

6. Stir in the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.

7. Refrigerate for an hour.

8. Preheat oven to 350 F and bake for 12 - 14 minutes.