Chocolate chip cookies

Crunchy yet chewy, speckled with chunks of melty chocolate… yummy heaven. The humble chocolate chip cookie is a staple in baking, however it is quite difficult to find the 'perfect' recipe, because everyone has different preferences. Do you like yours thinner or thicker? Chocolate chips or chunks? Chewy or soft?

I hope that even though these may not be your ideal chocolate chip cookie, you can understand why they are mine. This recipe is simple yet effective. 

Makes roughly 15

Ingredients

115g butter, cubed

2tsp coffee (just make a mug of instant black coffee and measure 2tsp)

100g white granulated sugar

150g light brown soft sugar

1 large egg

1tsp vanilla extract

175g plain flour

¾ tsp baking powder

1 big bar's worth of chocolate (a mixture of dark and milk works best)

Method

1. Browning butter adds a richer, nutty flavour to cookies. To do this, put your butter into a small saucepan and melt on medium-high heat. It will begin to bubble, at which point you will need to stir continuously with a spatula or wooden spoon. It should take at least 5 minutes to begin to brown. Fully browned butter should have little grainy brown solids at the bottom.

2. Pour your browned butter into a large mixing bowl to let it cool. Meanwhile, prepare a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

3. After about 5 minutes of cooling the butter, add the coffee. This really brings out the chocolate flavour and helps the cookies to not be too sweet. Add your sugars and whisk vigorously with a hand or electric whisk. 

4. Crack in the egg (butter needs to be fully cooled to stop the egg cooking) and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and lighter in colour. 

5. Sift in the flour and baking powder, and fold in using a spatula. Do not overmix, just combine the ingredients. Chop up the chocolate bar with a sharp knife and fold into the dough.

6. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour to develop flavours. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190℃. 

7. Once chilled, use an ice cream scoop to put the dough on the tray in balls, with room in between them for spreading. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

8. Once golden brown, take out of the oven and cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Then carefully remove from the tray by lifting diagonally opposite corners of the greaseproof paper up and over onto a wire cooling rack. Cool for another 2 minutes on the paper, then remove from the paper with a palette knife and return to cool on the wire rack for a further 2 minutes. 

9. These can be enjoyed warmed in the microwave or cold!