Chocolate chip cookies

Serves 14
Ready in 25 minutes: Prep 10 minutes & 15 minutes cooking

Ingredients

2 cups plain white flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

175g butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, packed down

½ cup white sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2½ cups chocolate buttons (use any chocolate combination)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line baking tray with baking sheet of paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well mixed. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat until light and creamy.

Add the sifted ingredients and mix until just combined (do not over mix). Add chocolate buttons and mix for a few seconds to combine them.

Roll large tablespoon full of cookie dough into balls and place onto the baking tray. Flatten the tops slightly with the back of a fork. Cookies should be about 7cm apart on the tray.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool on the trays for a few minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.

Tips and Tricks

For a quick and easy dessert to satisfy any age group heat cookies in a microwave for 30-40 seconds or until chocolate is just starting to melt. Top with your favourite ice cream, salted caramel and chocolate sauce!

For the best dessert s’mores ever. Make the cookies thinner by flattening the cookie dough more with the fork before baking and cooling as normal. To assemble heat two cookies as above, place 3-4 large marshmallows on top of one cookie and place back in the microwave for 20 seconds, or until the marshmallow starts to melt. Sandwich the two cookies together so the marshmallow is on the inside and sticks them together. Dip ½ of the sandwiched cookies in melted chocolate and you have the perfect s’more.

Substitute some of the 2 ½ cups of chocolate for your favourite nuts or chopped dried fruits.

Don’t be afraid to alter the cooking time. Longer for a cruncher cookie and shorter time for a fudge centre.

Stack 6 cold cookies on top of each other, tie like a parcel with some large ribbon or lace add a bottle of your favourite chocolate or caramel sauce and you have a wonderful gift or the perfect dessert to take to a dinner party!

Recipe kindly supplied by

Chef Alan Campbell
Elegance at 148 on Elles
148 Elles Rd, Invercargill
(03) 216 1000

Photo by
Justine Paul