Makes 12
I’m a bit of a chocolate paradox. I love eating chocolate but chocolate baked goods and desserts are not my favourite. I make the exception for these cookies, though! Nigella says these are the choclatiest cookies you will ever come across and I’m inclined to agree. That said, they’re light, crumbly and packed with chunks of chocolate. My preference is to eat them slightly warm when the chocolate and the cookie just melts in your mouth!
This was the first Nigella recipe I ever made and it was love at first bite! I reduced the sugar a smidge and use milk chocolate chips because given a choice, milk chocolate will always be my favourite. Best of all, I love that these cookies are make ahead, I like to follow Nigella’s advice and bake half and froze half! It’s so easy!
To freeze, place the cookies on a baking tray in the freezer, and when they’re hard, pop them into a freezer bag. Then stash the bag in the freezer and bake them at a later date when you’re in the grip of a mad chocolate craving. Then you can magic up some little pieces of chocolate heaven without any time or effort!
These cookies are definitely plus size so if you prefer to be a little more conservative in your chocolate consumption, use heaped tablespoons of cookie mixture to scoop out the mixture.
Given the choice of chocolate, what would you choose? Milk or dark?
Ingredients
125g dark chocolate
150g plain flour
30g cocoa, sieved
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
125g soft butter
75g brown sugar
40g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, cold from the fridge
350g milk or dark chocolate chips
How to – Traditonal
- Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan-forced and line a baking tray with baking paper
- Melt the 125g dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water. Set aside.
- Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and gently combine.
- Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl. Add the melted chocolate and mix together.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingredients. Then stir in the chocolate chips.
- Using an ice cream scoop and a pallette knife, scoop out 12 mounds and place on prepared baking sheet about 6cm apart. Don’t be tempted to flatten them.
- Cook for 18 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.
- Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.
How to – Thermomix
- Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan-forced and line a baking tray with baking paper
- Melt the 125g dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water. Set aside.
- Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt in TM bowl. Mix for 5 seconds on speed 6 and set aside in a small bowl.
- Add the butter and sugars in TM bowl and cream for 30 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides and base of bowl and mix for another 30 seconds on speed 4.
- Add the melted chocolate and mix for another 10 seconds on speed 4.
- Beat in the vanilla and cold egg and mix for another 10 seconds on speed 4.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix for 15 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides and base of bowl and mix for another 15 seconds on speed 4.
- Add the chocolate chips and combine for 10 seconds on reverse speed 4.
- Using an ice cream scoop and a pallette knife, scoop out 12 mounds and place on prepared baking sheet about 6cm apart. Don’t be tempted to flatten them.
- Cook for 18 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.
- Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.
More info
Prep and Cooking time: 30 minutes (+ cooling time)
