Chocolate Chip Cookies

I could never quite get them right. Maybe it was something in my measurements I don't know but every time I would make the classic chocolate chip cookie the mixture would spread and I'd end up with flat, pancake-looking slabs. Tasty yes but not how I imagined them to look.

That was until I discovered this recipe. THE chocolate chip cookie recipe, which is an adaptation of one by Nigella Lawson.

While I'm writing this, I can't help but think about that episode of Friends where Monica was hankering after Phoebe's Grandmother's cookie recipe and the whole time it was a box of Nestle biscuits! Sorry, random aside, but back on point and I'll just say this. These are best enjoyed basically straight from the oven while the chocolate is still gooey and the cookies are warm and crumbly... mmm my mouth is watering at the very thought!

So here's what you'll need and how to whip up a batch for yourself!

Recipe

Ingredients

150g unsalted butter - you want it to be squidgy but not ridiculously soft and greasy 125g brown sugar 100g caster or white granulated sugar 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 1 egg, fridge-cold 1 egg yolk, fridge-cold 300g plain flour 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda Then come the chocolate chips - personally, I prefer to buy a huge slab of Dairy Milk, roughly chop it into small bits and fold that through my cookie dough. I use around a 500g family bar but you can use less if you choose.

Method

Preheat your oven to 170˚C... now before we go any further I would like to advise you - as I typically do - that most ovens run a few degrees hotter or cooler than the prescribed digits on the dial, so invest in an oven thermometer, nothing super expensive but something that will do the job. Pop that in on a baking tray while you're preheating the oven so that by the time you're ready to pop your cookie dough in you can be sure the oven is at the correct temperature.

Line a couple of large baking sheets with parchment/baking/greaseproof paper and set aside.

Melt your butter over a low heat and then leave it to cool a little while you measure out and combine your brown and white sugars in a large bowl. I have just started using a stand mixer (otherwise known as a bench mixer) with a paddle or beater attachment - a recent development in my baking journey as I've always used either a hand mixer or a whisk for this stage. Any of these options will suit for combining the butter and sugars.

Once they're combined you want to beat in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk. You can always freeze the leftover egg white to use in meringue or macarons etc. Just pop it in a ziplock bag and date it. Then you want to beat your mixture until it becomes light and creamy.

Now it's time to mix in the flour and bicarbonate of soda. If you are using a stand mixer you can continue using the same paddle attachment and just mix on a slow speed to prevent the flour from blowing out everywhere. If you're doing it by hand then a metal spoon will do the job just fine.

Finally the chocolate chunks (or chips if you prefer). You can either chuck them all in in one go or do it in stages to make sure they're evenly combined into the cookie dough.

I use an ice cream scoop to pick up portions of dough and drop them onto the prepared baking sheets. You can give them a gentle squeeze with your other hand while they're in the scoop too to just press the mixture together before you pop it onto the baking sheet. It should be the consistency of soft plasticine at this point and hold its shape. Aim for a good space between your cookie dough balls because they will spread somewhat in the oven.

Then you want to bake the cookies for around 15-17 minutes or until the edges and some of the middle is a light toasty brown. Take out of the oven and cool for around 5-8 minutes to allow the cookie to set. Then... enjoy!

Notes

If you're making these ahead you can actually freeze the unbaked cookie dough once you've portioned it out on the baking paper. Put your tray into the freezer and once the dough is solid you can peel them off the paper and transfer to a ziplock bag. You probably don't want to leave them in there any longer than 3 months.

As for the baked cookies, they should keep for about a week in an airtight container or you can freeze them for up to 3 months as well.