Page 362 - Chocolate Cake Doctor

344 M U F F I N S , C U P C A K E S , A N D L I T T L E C A K E S

Ode to Chocolate Chips

hey were first sold in grocery stores in • Because they’re everywhere. Chocolate
T1939, six years after Massachusetts chips are sold in every supermarket in
innkeeper Ruth Wakefield baked the first every state in the nation. They are as
chocolate chip cookie by accident. She accessible as the apple. While no doubt
didn’t want to wait for the chunk of not as good for our teeth, they have made
semisweet chocolate to melt, so she brownies and chocolate chip cookies
figured she’d just chop it up and fold it more American than apple pie.
into her cookie dough. And the rest is
• Because they’re not perfect. They’re
history. Chocolate chips are old enough to
temperamental at times, sinking to the
be senior citizens. And I cannot imagine
bottom of the cake if the batter is too
baking, or even life, without them. Why do
thin, or seizing up if some liquid creeps
I love chocolate chips the way I do?
into the pot when you’re trying to melt
• Because they’re easy. Stick your hand them. And yet they fold into sensuous
in the bag for a midafternoon snack, or mousses, frostings, and glazes. A
l
pour them on top of a last-minute batch choco ate ganache made with
of brownies. semisweet chocolate chips not only
pulls together like a dream, it also isn’t
• Because they’re bold. Heat doesn’t
bitter, as ganache can be with a darker
scare these tough chips. They don’t
chocolate.
melt away in a hot oven. No, they soften
and leave little pools of chocolate, I love chocolate chips because they are
should you be so lucky as to bite into like confetti at the dawn of a New Year, like
them while they are warm, and then popcorn at the movies, like rice at a wed -
they firm up into solid chunks when ding. They are a constellation of earnest
they’re left to cool. chocolate flavor to savor every day.

the pecans and chocolate chips evenly in ing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on
the bottom of the pans. Set the pans aside. low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine
2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, and scrape down the sides of the bowl
sugar, water, oil, and eggs in a large mix- with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer