Living it Large

My take on those giant Levain cookies

For those of you who followed me as I ate my way around New York city, you’ll recall a highlight of the trip was those humongous cookies from Levain bakery. Thick like a rock cake or scruffy scone, but still with that moreish chew that only a cookie can bring, these were something very special indeed. Paul kept begging to go back, but as we meandered across Manhattan trying pretty much everything it had to offer in the world of baking, we never found the time. To make up for it, I promised I’d have a go at making them as soon as we got home.

With suitcases sitting unpacked in the study - a state in which I’ve no doubt they’ll remain for the foreseeable future - and as Paul snoozed off the jet lag, I preheated my neglected oven and got cracking. I started with my basic cookie ratio - which perhaps I’ll share one day - and thought about how I could prevent the cookies from both rising and spreading. The rise in a conventional cookie is what helps add to the chewiness - air is a key ingredient that we often overlook when problem solving; it is, indeed, on a slightly different topic, the reason I believe all the brownies in New York were too cakey - they were so aerated (as well as not having anywhere near enough chocolate inside them).

Back to the cookies, not only are the Levain cookies massive due to the amount of dough per portion, but their lack of spread is what gives them the breathtaking dome, too. Adding more flour was an obvious option - which I took - but a few food writers have also concluded that the Levain cookies must contain cornflour, which would help to thicken the dough to prevent it spreading, but without drying it out too much. Some recipes use as much as a whole tablespoon, but I started with just a third of that, and it was enough.

On looking back at the video of the cookies in New York, the outside of them was dry-looking and matte, almost mottled, and deeply browned, which suggests to me that they were baked hot. What that would achieve is to set the ‘skin’ of the cookies before they spread, so as the inside bakes they remain proudly humped. While I’d normally bake my cookies at 160-170C fan, I increased the temperature, and that too worked. To look at the cookies you’d think they were dry, but trust me, they ain’t!

Levain cookies and mine - note the similar matte, mottled finish

While I don’t think the Levain cookies contained brown butter, for me, a cookie without brown butter is like a night sky without its stars. I’m sure there’ll be a way of making these without brown butter, but I haven’t tested the quantities, so I’d urge you to please not fiddle with the recipe - follow it as I have tested.

Choc Chip and Pecan Levain-style Cookies - Makes 8