Cookie Recipe: The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Recipe

Where do you stand when it comes to the chocolate cookie? There are those who track down the perfect crunch and snap, those who like a plain dough and the chocolate kick delivered by chips or better still chunks. Are you one who goes for sticky unctuousness? Perhaps you favour the addition of nuts as a counterbalance to the richness. Whatever your predilection, I am sure we have all at some moment tasted the perfect cookie and hoped to reproduce it ourselves one day.

Most of us will for certain have tested plenty of recipes and often remained disappointed that it just didn't quite deliver what we hoped for. And those packets bought from the supermarket never, ever, ever satisfy the craving. There is really only one solution and that is to perfect your own. It may take a little time tinkering with the baking time and size. But eventually you will have you ultimate failsafe cookie, and with practice you can have them made and out of the oven in less than 25 minutes. And if you are anything like me, you'll spend the next 10 minutes staring at them, willing them to cool faster, eventually succumbing too early and eating a warm one.

For me the perfect cookie is a combination, a half-way house, but one without compromise, that delivers the best of both worlds: a crispy crunchy outside, with a gooey, chewy almost brownie like interior.

You can also double the batch amount and freeze in cookie size portions on a tray before packing into a freezer bag. If cooking from frozen adding 3 minutes to the overall cooking time. I recommend doing this, as for some reason, I find these disappear within 24 hours of baking.

Ingredients

Makes 12 med-large cookies

• 225g dark chocolate (I use a 67% Mexican one)
• 30g salted butter
• 2 eggs
• 130g granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 35g plain flour
• Sea salt flakes (optional)

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 175c Fan or 180c Convection line two baking trays with parchment
• Place chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt in microwave in 30 second burst on full power.
• In another bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until light & fluffy
• Slowly pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, whisking all the time, followed by the flour and baking powder
• When fully mixed spoon 12 portions out onto the baking trays leaving plenty of space between each scoop. The mixture will be quite loose at this stage but don't worry. If you leave it for longer the mixture firms up, but this is not necessary. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes if desired.
• Bake for 10 - 12 minutes then allow to cool on the tray before eating

Ring the changes: Add 75g of dried cherries, pecans or chocolate chips after step 4.

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