Location: Farmers Market – The Land – Epcot – Walt Disney World

Source: Mickey’s Gourmet Cookbook by the Disney Chefs.

Hey beautiful bakers!

The other day I was talking about different people from the Disney community that I love love love. Like I said before, I think it’s so important to showcase good people doing good work. I thought we could talk about a couple today. I’m just a fan over all else I think.

Pete Werner is the founder and owner of the WDWinfo.com (known more commonly as The DIS) empire. They have numerous podcasts, websites, forums and popular youtube channels. We can’t forgot his travel agency Dreams Unlimited Travel. To say this man is busy is a serious understatement. He is known as an industry expert and many respect his take it or leave it attitude. I’ve been lucky enough to write numerous articles on his Universal website and his Disney one. I feel honored and excited to be included. I’ve talked to him numerous times on Facebook throughout the year but finally got to met during a Mega Meet. That’s really how the Disney community tends to be. You can talk for years and never meet in person. Pete always struck me as someone who if you were good to him he would give you the V-neck shirt off his back. He is the kind of man who takes care of his tribe. For example, he lead a class on taking better video in the parks one time and it happened to be the hotter than the surface of the sun that day. He made sure the group had water and even brought us a delicious slushy. For the record there were multiple slushies, we didn’t have to share one. He didn’t have too and no one ask for him too either. He just wanted to take care of his people. It was super appreciated. I also learned I need to apply more sunscreen because I got a wicked sunburn that day. I was sore for days after that.

My husband and I moved away from Orlando a year ago to come help with my sick parents but in a couple years we will go back. I hope to still be writing for them and maybe even get to attend more of their meetups. If I was to dream big, I’d love to have a Disney cooking show podcast. Each week I’d show people how to prepare something new from the parks, and talk about Disney at the same time. I’ll have to think about that.

Anyways if you want to learn a ton of information about Disney in an honest and entertaining way check him and his team out at www.wdwinfo.com. There you will find everything about this rad guy and the world he created. He really is the example of “if you have a dream and work hard enough it will come true”.

Let’s get into today’s recipe now that I have fan girled out; Chocolate Chip Cookies.

These cookies are from Walt Disney World. The Land Pavilion’s now gone food area was called Farmers Market. We’ve covered recipes from this place numerous times and more are coming. Our old Disney cookbooks are filled with recipes from there and they are super great grab and go items.

So I’ve actually made this recipe numerous times. The first three of four-time I made it the recipe come out delicious but incredibly flat. Like a girl in junior high hoping for breasts kind of flat. I used to tell people they were chocolate chip crisps and not cookies. I couldn’t figure out why they wouldn’t turn out. Finally one day I made smaller ones and they turned out perfect. So that’s the trick to save you some huge frustrations with these cookies, go small. Besides that, they are super tasty. I sure hope so considering they are pretty much just shortening, sugar and chocolate. Anything is honestly better with those ingredients.

This recipe says it will make 2 to 2 1/2 dozen cookies. I used up all my batter and may be made 20. So in the world of cookie making that’s really not that bad.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup shortening

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 egg

• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp cake flour

• 1 8-ounce package chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the shortening, sugar, salt, baking, powder, vanilla and egg. You want it to be light and fluffy. You don’t have to use a stand mixer, you can use a regular hand one too. Just don’t rush it. The longer you mix, then lighter and fluffier it will be. The recipe doesn’t call for this but I would mix for a while before you add the egg. The egg will make it super heavy at the start. Let some air get in the batter before you add the egg. Or just dump it all in and say heck no to my helpful hint. You are a baking rebel and won’t be told what to do. You go you free spirit you!

2. You want to fold in your cake flour. Always start from the middle and work towards the edges. Folding instead of mixing helps keep the air in the batter. It makes for a lighter and airer cookie.

3. Now add the chocolate chips slowly. Mix just enough to combine them. You don’t want to lose that air you just worked so hard to the keep in the batter.

4. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill overnight. If you can’t do it overnight make sure you chill it at least a few hours. I used to think this stage was silly but it really does make a big difference in the final cookie.

5. Preheat your oven to 350F

6. Cut dough into 1/2 inch slices. I did balls the size of a golf ball and they turn out great. Place them on a greased cooking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

7. Let cool on a wire rack before eating them all. It will require willpower but you can do it!

Happy baking friends!