Monday, August 1, 2011

Are these cookies "OLD" and "LOSE AIR" already?

Amos famous chocolate chips cookies were available in Malaysia since 1983 and the first store opened in Sungei Wang in 1984. There were no other brands that could compete with them back then. Then, came a new brand, also from the USA in 1996, but they were available only exclusively to this Quay Po and her family. The brand name is ”Quay Lo’s Chocolate Chips cookies”. His cookies were huge, thick and chewy! Most of all it is the best chocolate chips cookies I have ever tasted. My Quay Lo told me my mother-in-law made these cookies on holidays together with lots of other goodies. He inherited this recipe from her.

"Quay Lo’s Chocolate chips cookies" are one of the many favorite sweets that my Quay Lo bakes for family and friends in Kuala Lumpur. The first time these cookies were introduced to my side of the family, the following ensued. After one bite of a cookie, my sister-in-law pulled me aside and asked me this question quietly so that my Quay Lo could not hear it. She asked, “Are these cookies very old already? Why is it so chewy?” She said in Cantonese “Hai mai lau foong jor? (translating literally as, “did they lose air already?”). I was not surprised at all by her question because I knew that Asian taste buds are more used to crispy cookies not chewy ones. Honestly, I had not eaten a chewy one before I met my Quay Lo too. Most of my family members took a while to like them, but not my god-son, Darryl. He was only 5 years old then and my Quay Lo had baked a batch with colorful M and M instead of chocolate chips for all the kids. Darryl loved them so much that he ate many (no one knew how many) of them quietly while his parents were busy visiting with us. I was told by his dad that he got sick from over eating. Poor guy, LOL!  Today Darryl turned 21! He is a fine and handsome young man and an aspiring chef. I am sure this brings back lots of fond memories for the two guys. 



Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 sticks (8 oz.) butter soften
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

(A)
2 ¼ C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

(B)
¾ C packed brown sugar
½ C oatmeal (raw)
2 tbs corn flour

Method:


Put (A) in a bowl and mix well and set aside. Put (B) in a blender and blend till fine. Beat fine blended mixture (B), butter, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl with the mixer until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Gradually add mixture (A) mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and mix well. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and chill in the freezer for 1 hour. Just before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Drop by 2 rounded table spoons onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 – 15 mins or until lightly browned. (Note: this depends on your oven, mine was perfect at 13 mins)  Cool slightly and remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely before taking out of the baking sheet.


Note: Keep cookies in an air tight container and store in the fridge for balance not eaten. It becomes more chewy the next day.

37 comments:

  1. can i clarify that mixture A includes the butter?

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  2. @Ann
    Thanks for spotting the error. I have corrected it. (A) does not include the butter. Have a nice week.

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  3. When I first tasted chewy cookies here in the US I too thought it 'lou foong' already ha ha.. I still prefer out crunchy kind.

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  4. I absolutely love this story. Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite in the world. I make several different varieties of them. All of which, I only deem perfect if they are good and chewy. I very rarely make a crunchy cookie of any sort. I had no idea that was more Asian cookies were supposed to be crunchy. I'm going to look through your archives now and find something fun to try with my kids this week!

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  5. Quay Po I love chocolate cookies and these look absolutely nice! gloria

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  6. You are right! Most asians love crunchy cookies including me... but yours look so good that I will bookmark to try out somedays! Thanks for sharing!

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  7. LOL.
    You remind me of my first chewy cookie. It was in Coffee Bean and I returned the cookie saying it was 'lose air'. LOL. The barista told me, it's like that one, soft and chewy. Haha, had to hide my face that time. Hmmm.. that was like 3 years ago.
    Now, your cookies looooooook so tempting, especially the shot with the goooey melty center. Must make next time if I crave for some choc cookies!

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  8. I am laughing at the debate over chewy versus crispy because, simply stated, I love both. Given fresh ingredients, and good timing in the oven, a cookie is a cookie and I can't think of one that I do not like.

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  9. These cookies look and sound delicious! Very creative with the corn flour.

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  10. Cookies look very yummy. Ya, agree when I first had chewy cookies, I thought 'lose air' too.

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  11. Delicious recipe,luks perfect n yum...

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  12. I m a super big fan of chewy cookies that are still warm from the oven.... :D

    Those pics are such temptations!!

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  13. Sounds like the perfect cookie recipe! Thanks for sharing. Last time I made chewy cookies, I was also told "not nice; how come lou fong?" LOL. I personally prefer chewy cookies :) Nice that your godson is also has culinary ambitions. The pic with your quaylo so cute... they both have identical smiles.

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  14. I love crunchy and crispy cookies, but I don't mind to eat few of yours because it's so tempting... hehe

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  15. Chewy cookies or crunchy cookies....all also I sapu, he he he!

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  16. I think they are chewy because of oatmeal in its content. The oatmeal absorbs moisture as the cookies are stored. I'm fan of cookies in all forms...both crispy and chewy. Sitich's cookies look very yummy!

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  17. I love choco chip cookies and sure wish I could have some of dad's! Love the pictures. As always, you take such good ones.

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  18. Is there anything better than chocolate chip cookies and a loving story to flavor them even more? Of course not. Love the chips, love the story and oh goodness, that boy is a heartbreaker:) An aspiring chef too!!!

    Thank you so much for sharing, Veronica and please know, your soothing words were most comforting...

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  19. Oh my....i love chocolate chips cookies. Used to just stand beside the F.Amos cookies stall just to smell the cookies aromas. haha Those were the days.

    Btw, happy birthday to Darryl

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  20. I used to eat tons of famous amos cookies as an after school snack...but these don't even compare! They are way more delicious!

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  21. Happy Birthday to Darryl and good luck with your plans to be a chef; my son is a chef; not the easiest job in the world; he really loves what he is doing and we ar so proud of him.
    Never had Amos cookies in our area,but your recipe sounds fantastic.
    Rita

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  22. i guess you no longer get the famous amos choc chip cookies anymore after discovering 'papa stitch' cookies. I love both crunchy and chewy type as long as it's taste chocolatey. i'm going to steal this recipe again and keep for future use.

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  23. I love Famous Amos cookies. Those look great!

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  24. OMG Quay Po! Your Quay Lo's chocolate chip cookies look divine! I'm a fan of the chewy cookies so I would love these. So sweet of Gary to make some with colourful M & M's for the kiddies. Happy birthday to your God son. May the road ahead for this aspiring chef be full of great food, joy, and fun.

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  25. @ICook4fun
    I have grown to like the chewy one now:D Good for old lady like me, starting to have problem bitting to crunchy stuff.

    @Mary
    I do not think I have many cookies recipes in my blog. The other which is crunchy cookies is the linzer dough cookies.

    @Gloria, @Prema, @Curt
    Thanks

    @Wen
    You are welcome. Do give me some feedback on how you like the chewy cookies after you baked them.

    @Wendy
    I am sure the barista had many people returning the cookies when they first introduced them in Malaysia. You are not alone!

    @Darling
    I know you like both:D

    @yummychunklet
    I guess corn flour is instrumental to the chewiness of the cookies.

    @yummy bakes
    Most of us feel the same especially when it is our first experience with a chewy cookie.

    @Food Dreams
    Oh yes, me too, I love it when it is still warm

    @NEL
    I am glad me and my family are not those who thought those chewy cookies "lou foong".

    @neyeeloh
    Are you staying in KL? maybe can courier you some when the next time I bake the cookies?

    @Pete
    People who are not picky about food are the best. They will have better chances of experiencing delicious foods.

    @That Girl
    I won't disagree with you.

    @Zoe
    I believe your theory is right and Stitch will be so please to see what you wrote about his cookies.

    @Erin
    Next time either you visit us or we visit you, we must have a baking session together.

    @louise
    I am so happy to hear from you and welcome back!

    @mNhL
    I believe you cos many people used to do that. Thank you for the birthday wish on behalf of Darryl.

    @Joanne
    What you just said made me want to bake more cookies.

    @Rita
    Wow, you son is a chef? I am sure you get to eat lots of yummy food made by him then. All mothers are proud of their children. I agree the job of a chef is very demanding, I can see how chefs work on all the food programs, a lot of pressure. You have to love you job to be able to stay happy.

    @lena
    I am my Mother-in-law's recipe will please you. Do let me know how your cookies turned out after you tried the recipe.

    @LeQuan
    I will pass your birthday wishes to Darryl. I thank you on his behalf. If you love chewy cookies, this is it, you got the right recipe. Enjoy!!

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  26. hai....Cm dah siap bikin biskut tengahari tadi dan makan selepas berbuka puasa tadi..yum yum..memang sedap.Masuk list untuk hari raya nanti.Kam xia kuay Po cooks:)

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  27. Oh these cookies look absolutely delicious and I love this recipe! :)

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  28. @cikmanggis
    aiyoh, how I wish I am there to taste your delicious biskut:D Glad you want to try making the cookies dan saya harap you suka hehe.. ta paya cakap terima kasih lah.

    @Kelly
    Thanks for your visit and I am happy to know you like this recipe. Hope to see you around often.

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  29. Cookies with chocolate is always nice.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  30. :)) Great story and mouthwatering cookies..really beautiful photos!!!

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  31. SO yummy. What a great recipe.

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  32. I just love recipes with stories... Poor kid, but i would probably eat too many of these as well

    Dave

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  33. @Filip
    I am sure you are not the only one who feel that:D

    @Sandra. @Kim Bee
    Thanks!!

    @Dave
    Poor kid? I think he is a lucky one hehe

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  34. We all love Amos cookies but not cheap, so I only buy for my gals occasionally or as a reward for them when they behave well or got full marks for their spellings etc... ;)
    These cookies look very tasty and look at those melted chocolate in it! ;D

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  35. @Lyn
    This is more delicious than Amos cookies for sure. In fact I will be posting a even better recipe which yields softer and more chewy cookies soon. That is one that I share with my students today at the cooking class:D I will keeo you informed.

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  36. Am liking your blog :-) and you rightly said in your "about me section" Recipes are meant to be shared and enjoyed ^___^

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