Chocolate Chip Cookie And Caramel Sundae

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (king arthur)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons salt (divided)
• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup shortening (crisco-plain)
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (real not imitation)
• 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (ghirardelli)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream (we prefer blue bell)

Recipe

• 1 in large mixing bowl add flour, 1 teaspoon sea salt and baking soda and whisk until all ingredients are well blended. set aside.
• 2 it's easiest to use a stand mixer but if you don't have one a hand mixer will do. cream the butter and shortening until light and fluffy approximately 2-3 minutes.
• 3 add both sugars and beat on high (stand mixer) 1-2 minutes until well blended. add eggs one at a time and beat well between each egg. add vanilla and beat until fluffy and well incorporated approximately 2 minutes. add chocolate chips and fold into batter on low with a stand mixer or by hand with wooden spoon. add the flour 1 cup at a time mixing on low until just incorporated. don't over beat. test the dough. it should feel slightly sticky but shouldn't stick to your fingers. if too sticky add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until correct consistency.
• 4 using your hands form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls (see photo). place on un-greased cookie sheet 3 inches apart. cover with plastic wrap (glad or saran) and place in refrigerator for 45 minutes (but the dough can stay in the refrigerator up to 2 days or in freezer up to 6 months).
• 5 place rack on the 2nd highest setting and preheat oven for 20 minutes on 375.
• 6 sprinkle each cookie with a small pinch of salt.
• 7 bake for 10 minutes. remove and using a spatula, flatten slightly to about 1/4 inch tall and place back in oven for additional 4 minutes. remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. then gently move off cookie sheet to cooling rack for 10 minutes.
• 8 to make caramel sauce.
• 9 using a medium sized sauce pan pour in the water and sugar. over medium low heat continually stir using a rubber (not wood) spatula until sugar is completely dissolved. approximately 4 minutes.
• 10 turn heat to medium high. stop stirring and let mixture boil until it starts to turn a golden brown approximately 6-7 minutes. (see photo).
• 11 lift pan directly above the heat and swirl the pan around until the sugar turns a dark brown approximately 1-2 minutes. (see photo).
• 12 add butter, cream and 1/8 teaspoon salt and continue swirling until everything is mixed together. using a spatula continue stirring until completely mixed. let cool. (see photo) here's a hint when it comes to cleaning the pan of stuck on candy -- rinse out the pan with hot water first. then add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup vinegar and bring to a boil. let boil for 2-3 minutes. empty water/vinegar mix and wash normally. the pan will be completely clean.
• 13 to assemble.
• 14 place 1 warmed cookie on plate (you can reheat cookie in oven at 175 for 3 minutes). add one scoop vanilla ice cream then generously drizzle with caramel sauce. eat with a fork.