A cookie can come in almost any shape, size or consistency, from those huge American-style ones, still soft and slightly gooey in the middle, to the medium or small English versions which are hard and crumbly all over. To my mind, only the former merits the title - the latter are really just chocolate-chip biscuits, and would probably be better off replaced by some proper shortbread. This recipe is best for American cookies, therefore, but if you must make English ones (*shudder*), just put them on the baking tray in slightly smaller quantities (teaspoon instead of dessert spoon, say) and bake for 10-12 minutes instead of 8-10.
Ingredients
(makes 18-20 big ones)
225g light brown or demerara sugar (or a mixture is fine)
200g caster sugar
250g butter
Few drops vanilla extract (NOT essence, leave it out if you've only got essence)
2 large eggs, whisked
1 tsp baking powder, one tsp bicarbonate of soda
375g plain flour
Salt (just a pinch)
200g good quality dark chocolate
Method
First of all, pre-heat your oven so your cookies actually cook later. 180 degrees, which is around gas mark 4. Line more baking trays than you think you need (about 3) with greaseproof or silicone baking paper.
Now, chop your butter into little bits and cream it with both types of sugar. As I said when we made brownies, this can either be quick and a bit boring in the food processor, or slow but satisfying by hand in a bowl. Either way, when the mixture is very light, creamy and paler than it was, add the whisked eggs and vanilla extract and beat them in, then put the rest of the ingredients bar the choclate through a sieve and fold them in.
Chop, bash, or (at a pinch) food process your chocolate into uneven chips, flakes and lumps, then mix them evenly through the cookie dough. Plop heaped dessert-spoonfuls onto your baking trays, absolute max 6 per tray. Leave them plenty of room to spread out, remember how big American cookies are! Stick them in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough has all melted and flattened out into cookies shapes and the tops are just starting to be golden. If The dough looks mushy still don't worry.
Leave them on the baking trays until they are cool enough to touch, then transfer to wire racks. Eat the first ones while they're still a bit warm!
Other Things To Put In Your Cookies
Most flavourings go in at the same time as or instead of the chocolate chips. Any spices or ground things go in with the flour etc. Liquids go in with the eggs, and not too much of them or the dough will be runny.
- Glace or dried sour cherries
- Dried cranberries
- Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, all berries...
- Milk or white chocolate chips
- Nuts - pecans are great, but also walnuts, peanuts, macademias are fantastic.
- Cinnamon
- Mixed spice (tastes like Christmas)
- Ground ginger
- Raisins or sultanas, dried peel
- Pieces of toffee or fudge
- Small marshmallows (the kind you put in hot chocolate)
- Finely chopped lavender flowers (for a very delicate and sophisticated taste)
- Very fintely grated citrus peel - lemon, lime, orange, etc.
- Chunks of caramelised orange from marmalade
- Cocoa powder and melted chocolate (in with the eggs for the latter) for a brown chocolate cookie
- Banana slices
- A spoonful of golden syrup
- Oats
- Stem ginger
- Chopped nougat
- Chopped chocolate bars - Mars, Snickers, whatever's your favourite.
- A combination of any of the above...experiment!
If anyone thinks of some crazy combinations or just wants to tell everyone how your cookies worked out, post a comment and let us know!
Have fun cookie-ing!
Blimey...these are seriously calorific cookies but going to use the recipe as have a bridge session and cookies go down well.
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