Proper chewy Cookies!

I found this cookie recipe when looking for inspiration for cookery lessons to teach at school.  This is a perfect recipe to make with children because it uses melted butter which makes the mixing infinitely easier! It's also a perfect recipe to make for cookies to just have available at home for those moments (you know the ones I mean!)  I have based today's baking on this recipe http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/4807/best-big--fat--chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.aspx although (and I never thought I would say or type these words)......I find these exact quantities a little too chocolatey so have adapted slightly!

 

Before I start....this time I tried to bake a half quantity which didn't quite work as well due to the egg situation (full recipe calls for 1 egg and 1 egg yolk!) but they are still yummy!  For the post I will include the full ingredients rather than the half measures.  Also I was using up the chocolate chips I had left which included some white; these worked quite well and I think next time I will probably try milk as well to make a triple chocolate chip affair!

 

First thing to do is melt 170g  butter (I used the microwave) and add to 200g dark brown sugar and 100g caster sugar.  So often recipes ask for unsalted butter and then for you to add salt.  I have to admit I hardly ever do this, I just use salted butter and omit the salt - hasn't lead to any disasters yet!

 

This needs beating (much easier with the melted butter!  You then add 1 egg and 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp vanilla essence and beat again.  It's very satisfying to see bubbles appearing after relatively little effort!

 

Then sieve in 250g plain flour, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1/2 tsp of salt if using (only if you used unsalted butter earlier) and mix thoroughly.  Then add the chocolate chips.  If you add the full amount it is quite stiff to mix.  In this version I used 100g dark chocolate chips and 50g white chocolate chips that I had left over from something (can't for the life of me think what!)

 

Once the whole lot is combined, spoon out onto baking trays about 5-8 cm apart.  I always use an ice cream scoop as it releases easily and makes very evenly sized biscuits/cookies....I also use it for cupcakes too.

 

 

The full recipe makes about 16-20 cookies.  Even if cooking in batches I would advice measuring them all out (onto a plate if you don't have enough baking trays) because once the melted butter starts to cool the mix becomes very stiff....I learned this to my peril with the last batch!

They then need baking for 15-17 minutes at 170 c until they start to crack on top.  Try very hard not to over-bake or they will lose their chewiness!

Leave to cool on the baking tray for about 10 minutes - don't be tempted to rush this or your cookies will be 'interesting' shapes as they buckle and deform when you try to move them!  Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely and then......tuck in!  By the way I have never yet managed to resist a 'still warm' cookie but it's a bit messy!