Please note that these are things I do; things that work for me.
- Always use real butter (salted).
- Always use dark brown sugar.
- Use large eggs.
- Use good chocolate -- the best you can get. Never use imitation chocolate chips. I always use milk chocolate and sometimes get a high-quality chocolate bar and chop it up to use in place of chocolate chips.
- Always use real extracts -- never use imitation flavorings.
- Never sift the flour.
- Never grease a pan. Use parchment paper in the bottom of cake pans (cut it to fit just in the bottom). For cookie sheets, I use non-stick aluminum foil (non-stick side up); I cover the whole pan.
- Don’t add extra salt (I usually omit the salt in any recipe or just add a couple shakes).
- If the recipe says “fold”, do it by hand (even if your mixer has a “fold” speed).
- Don’t over bake. Over baked cookies are hard; over baked cakes are dry.
- Test cakes using a toothpick in the middle (only near the end of the allotted baking time) – if it comes out clean, it’s done.
- Take cookies out of the oven just before they look done. Leave them on the pan for two minutes after removing them from the oven – this will allow them to bake a bit more and set.
- Always allow cookie sheets to cool between batches -- it keeps the dough from flattening too much during baking.
- Unless otherwise indicated in the recipe, whip the butter and sugar together well and whip well after adding eggs to cakes – it improves the texture.
- Use cooling racks for cakes and cookies – don’t use the top of the stove.
