Sea-salt Chocolate Chip
1. Signature Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Dough
Category: Core Recipes & Prep | Audience: Kitchen Staff / Bakers | Authority: Corporate (Read-Only)
Overview
This is our anchor menu item. The texture must be crispy on the outer rim and perfectly soft, molten, and gooey in the center. Strict adherence to mixing times is required to prevent over-developing the gluten.
Ingredients & Exact Weights
- Unsalted Butter (Chilled, cubed): 4.54 kg (10 lbs)
- Dark Brown Sugar: 5.44 kg (12 lbs)
- Granulated White Sugar: 2.72 kg (6 lbs)
- Whole Large Eggs (Chilled): 1.81 kg (4 lbs)
- Pure Vanilla Extract: 120 mL (4 oz)
- All-Purpose Flour: 10.88 kg (24 lbs)
- Baking Soda: 115 g (4 oz)
- Fine Sea Salt: 85 g (3 oz)
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks (55%): 6.80 kg (15 lbs)
Step-by-Step Mixing Process
- The Creaming Phase: Add chilled cubed butter, dark brown sugar, and white sugar into the 60-quart Hobart mixer. Fit the paddle attachment. Mix on Speed 1 for 3 minutes until combined, then increase to Speed 2 for exactly 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- The Liquid Emulsion: With the mixer running on Speed 1, slowly stream in the chilled eggs and vanilla extract over the course of 90 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl using the heavy-duty plastic spatula. Mix for 1 additional minute on Speed 1.
- The Dry Blend: Turn off the mixer. Add the flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Mix on Speed 1 for exactly 45 seconds. Stop immediately once the flour pockets disappear—overmixing makes the cookies tough.
- The Fold: Pour in the chocolate chunks. Run the mixer on Speed 1 for 15 seconds just to distribute the chunks evenly.
Storage & Curing
- Transfer the dough into clean, date-coded 22-quart Lexan containers.
- Cover tightly with a lid and store in the walk-in cooler for a minimum of 12 hours before scooping. This cures the flour and deepens the caramel flavor profile.