When the Chocolate Bits Don’t Melt

I have always wanted to bake. When I was 7 years old, I remember wishing that our old, broken oven at home would miraculously work. However, fixing the oven was not our family’s priority at that time. Years later, after our first house burned down, a couple gave us an oven! How cool was that? I really thank God for people with generous and sincere hearts. YAY! I felt all giddy inside when the oven finally arrived at our house! As soon as I could, I baked my very first treat: Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I know a lot of people who really want to learn how to cook and/or bake. If you are interested and you actually want to bake from scratch for the first time, I would suggest that you make chocolate chip cookies! I know that others would agree with me when I say that it is a simple yet awesome recipe. But before I share the recipe, I want to write about some of the reasons why I like baking Chocolate Chip cookies.

3 REASONS WHY I LIKE BAKING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES:

1. I can easily customize the cookies (I guess, in general, cookies can easily be customized :P)

Even without cookie cutters, I have tried making cookies (in different sizes) that are shaped like hearts, Mickey Mouse, Alphabet letters, smiley faces, and others. As much as I enjoy eating these delicious treats, I love being able to creatively play with the appearance of the cookies.

2. I love its interesting history.

Based on research, there are actually two versions of the history of the Chocolate Chip cookie. However, in this blog, I want to focus on the history mentioned in the website: www.thenibble.com.

Believe it or not, the Chocolate Chip cookie recipe happened by accident!

The inventor of the recipe, Mrs. Ruth Wakefield, a proprietor of Toll House Inn in Massachusetts, originally wanted to add regular baker’s chocolate in her butter cookie dough. However, she didn’t have any and so, she decided to include chopped up bits of her bar of Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate instead. She was actually hoping that the chocolate bits would melt, but after baking them, they retained their shape in the cookie dough. The cookies became a hit so much that the company, Nestle, made a deal with Mrs. Wakefield. She eventually gave her chocolate chip cookie recipe to Nestle and received free Nestle chocolate for life! We can actually see the Toll House recipe printed on the bags of Nestle Toll House Real Semi-Sweet Chocolate.

The chocolate chip cookie recipe remains to be a famous cookie recipe around the world. That kind of cookie continues to be a delicious treat for any occasion. Moreover, different bakers and food companies even tried to make their versions of it, through the years, and we can see those cookies being sold in the market now.

3. I am humbled and encouraged.

Why do I say so?

Well, while reading its history, I wondered if Mrs. Wakefield got discouraged when she found out that the chocolate bits did not melt after baking. What if, instead of tasting and sharing them to others, she just threw the cookies away because things did not go the way as planned?

You see, she originally wanted to let the bits melt in the dough, and I’m guessing that that was her idea of making the best batch of cookies at that moment. However, I think that God did not allow the bits to melt in the process for a very special reason – to encourage us today. Hehe.

She ended up tasting and sharing the cookies to others. She maximized the opportunity that she had even if what she originally planned did not happen. In the end, the recipe was successful, especially because of the numerous benefits that she had and the fact that the whole world is still able to enjoy such treats!

I was reminded that there are times when I definitely get discouraged and disappointed when things don’t happen the way I want them to. For example, when a certain company decided not to push through with my job application, I was deeply crushed because I desired to work for that company so much. I was tempted to complain and get angry at God because He allowed it to happen. There were even moments where I would just lie down on my bed, stare at the ceiling, and want to give up on my job hunting.

However, God spoke to my heart and He reminded me that even in difficult situations, I can still be comforted by the fact that His ways and thoughts are higher than mine. Sometimes, what I think is best for me may not really be the best for me at that time. And instead of pushing my way, I’m learning to surrender what I desire to God and trust that He definitely knows better than I.

He also encouraged me that I can be secure in His love for me, even if I don’t like what is happening in my life. Because He loves me very much, He definitely would only want what is best for me.

Isaiah 55:8-9

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Mrs. Wakefield did not allow herself to get discouraged when her plan did not happen, when the chocolate bits did not melt in her cookie dough. She just decided to make good use of her situation and share the cookies to others.

I want to do that too. I want to maximize what God has given me right now and make good use of it even if “the chocolate bits do not melt” in my life too.

Clearly, God allowed “Mrs. Wakefield’s accident” to happen so we can enjoy chocolate chip cookies today!

As of now, I still am not employed. However, God continues to encourage me to still be faithful to Him and to do my part as I wait on Him and His best job for me.

Whatever you are going through right now, I hope that you too are encouraged to persevere still; to hope in our God who is able to do anything more than we can ever imagine; to believe that He does not make mistakes, that His word is flawless, that He knows better than us, and that His perfect love will always be enough for us each day.

“I’m not gonna worry. I know that You got me right inside the palm of your hand.Each and every moment, what’s good and what gets broken, happens just the way that You plan. But You’re here. You’re real. I know I can trust You.”

–Kari Jobe

Nestle Toll House’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F
2. Sift and stir flour, baking soda and fine salt in small bowl.
3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
4. Add eggs to the sugar and butter mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
6. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
7. Drop onto a baking sheet/pan lined with baking paper or baking mat.
8. Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.

 

TIPS/NOTES:

1. Make sure not to over bake the cookies.

I did this a lot of times before. :( haha. I left the cookies in the oven until they were golden brown (as specified), however, when I got them out and let them cool, they ended up being hard, super crispy, and they had a darker shade of golden brown. :P So for the next batches that I made, I removed them from the oven a little earlier (even if they looked a bit pale) and they actually tasted great after they were cooled! When you remove the pan/sheet from the oven, the cookies will still actually continue to bake a bit since the sheet is still hot.

2. To make CHEWY cookies:

Follow the given recipe and change the proportions of the two kinds of sugar. Use ½ cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar.

3. To make CRISPY cookies: 

Follow the given recipe and change the quantities of butter and granulated sugar. Use 2 and a half sticks of butter and 1 and 1/4 cups of granulated sugar.

4. Effects of white sugar and brown sugar.

According to Shirley O. Corriher’s book: Bakewise (2008), high quantities of table sugar make crisp cookies. On the other hand, low quantities of it make cookies moist. In addition, brown sugar will make cookies more moist as it helps absorb moisture from the atmosphere.

5. If your butter is still hard.

You can soften it up by cutting it into cubes and letting it sit at room temperature.

Encourage yourself one treat at a time! :)