Dark chocolate chip cookies

I used to make these cookies all the time, in fact, I’ve been making them so long, I don’t even remember how this recipe came to be. So why does my first batch look like something that came out of my housemates dog?
My faultless recipe is clearly faulty – either that, or my nine-year-old self is a better cook than I am. If she were here right now I’d slap her. What? She’s not real! Anyway, admittedly it’s been a while since I’ve made these (ten years) but surely it’s like riding a bike?
I look down at the burnt little puddles stuck to my baking tray, ‘how can they be burnt AND raw?’ I ponder. Without thinking I plunge my finger into a partially oozy one, it’s as hot as molten lava. I drop the tray and it lands face down on the floor.
Round two. I up the heat, reduce the cooking time, swap plain flour for self-raising and use an electric whisk. Having no idea if any of these decisions are the right ones and having eaten most of the chocolate, this was my last chance. However, this time I would be more cautious and bake a smaller batch of 6 six instead of eighteen.
Burnt?! Again!… But at least the butter didn’t separated this time so they looked a little less ‘pooey’. Feeling encouraged by my progress, I line up another six and pop them in the oven, reducing the cooking time by 5 minutes. SUCCESS! Chewy, golden, melt in the mouth little roundels of heaven. I knew I could do it. Now all I have to do is not eat another one, I’m on a diet… I hate my life.

Dark chocolate chip cookies
Makes 16-18 cookies / Hands on time 20 mins / Total time 30 mins / V ❄
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
125g caster sugar
2 heaped tbs condensed milk
50g Green and Black’s Organic 70% Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
½ tsp vanilla extract
150g self-raising flour
Sea salt flakes for sprinkling

Method
1. Preheat an oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Using an electric whisk in a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the condensed milk and the vanilla extract and continue to whisk until incorporated.
2. On a chopping board using a large knife, roughly chop the chocolate. Add to the mixture along with the flour. Using a wooden spoon, mix together by hand until you have a well incorporated cookie dough.
3. Line two baking trays with baking paper and put to one side. Using your hands, scoop up a ball of the dough roughly the size of a walnut. Roll it in-between your hands until you have a ball and place on one of the lined baking trays. These may look small but they will spread A LOT during baking, so allow plenty of space around each cookie and bake in batches. No more than 6-8 per tray depending on the size of your tray.
4. Sprinkle each cookie with a small amount of sea salt flakes and bake for 8-10 mins. When the cookies are cooked, they should look golden at the edges but light and slightly raised in the centre. (They will still look quite raw in the centre but this is what makes them nice and chewy. Once out of the oven they will flatten).
5. Cool for 5 mins on the trays before carefully transferring to a cooling rack. Any remaining cookie dough can be rolled into balls and baked on the same lined trays or frozen. To freeze, simply roll the cookie dough into a sausage and wrap well in baking paper or clingfilm and freeze. Defrost fully before use and consume within 3 months.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V – Vegetarian
❄ – The cookie dough is suitable for home freezing. Roll into a sausage shape and wrap in a few layers of clingfilm. Consume within 3 months.