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Today was a cookie day.
I'm not even going to to launch into my "Why today was a cookie day" story, because these cookies are seriously the star of the show and I don't want to distract you from their amazingness.
Now, I know we all seem to have different preferences when it comes to cookies - some like crispy and crunchy cookies, others like chewy cookies, some like cakey cookies and, if you're like me, you just like raw cookie dough straight from the bowl with a spoon!! Mmmmm...
Anyhow, I digress.
These cookies are a new level of cookie that cannot be categorised into the above. They are not a normal cookie. They are a breed of cookie that simply didn't exist before - ok, well at least I hadn't tasted anything like them before!
They are quite thin, have a crispy edge which gets gradually chewier towards the centre, but in the centre itself is a soft, buttery, syrupy, melt-in-your-mouth, almost cookie dough-like, spot of heaven. The flavour of the cookie dough is also truly magnificent, and using chocolate chunks instead of chips gives you delectable bursting pools of melted chocolate throughout the cookie! They are SO good, that one simply isn't enough. And this is what makes them dangerous - seriously, these cookies will consume your soul. Tread with caution, because before you even realise it, you may just find yourself shopping for a larger pair of jeans by next week!!
THE MOST AMAZING COOKIE DOUGH
The ingredient that gives these cookies their amazing texture and flavour is maple syrup, an inspirational addition to my recipe that I saw on Sugar Spun Run's Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe - which are awesome! I like to use pure maple syrup but it can be quite expensive, so I have sometimes used a maple blend syrup like Clarks which works just as well. I've also read on said blog that using Aunt Jemima's would also work if you can't get hold of the pure stuff! The syrup gives an amazing flavour to the cookie dough and is also what makes the cookies soft in the centre once baked (and for quite a few days afterwards if they last that long without being eaten!!)
This recipe also calls for melted butter. Yes melted. Now, I know some of you hard-core cookie lovers will argue this and think I've gone mad (heck, even I was skeptical at first) but I've already told you - this is a NEW BREED of cookie. Ive seen quite a few cookie recipes that use melted butter and they all tasted wonderful. Having since tried this with softened butter instead of melted, as you would for most cookie recipes, I found the texture that I loved so much about these cookies just wasn't the same. So I'm telling you. Melted butter.
Overall, this recipe calls for basic, baking-cupboard ingredients which you will probably already have handy, which is great because I know your just dying to start baking cookies right this second!
Butter
Light brown sugar
White sugar
Egg
Vanilla extract
Maple syrup
All purpose flour
Cornflour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Big fat chocolate chunks of your choice
If you're a chocolate CHIP cookie kinda human being, then you can, of course use chocolate chips instead of my preferred large chocolate chunks!
TIPS
1.) Allow your butter to cool after melting for at least 10-15 minutes or so, otherwise your butter will be too warm and melt your sugar before baking which will cause your cookies to over-spread in the oven. You want the butter to be at a sort of 'congealed' consistency before using (I'm sorry about the use of that horrible, un-bakey word but its the consistency we want!)
2.) Chill your cookie dough for at least an hour before baking. I know - it's tormenting, but its for the greater good of the cookie. Chilling will not only allow the flavours to "get to know each other" making for a great tasting cookie, but is is also essential for shaping and baking. Because we use melted butter and maple syrup, the cookie dough consistency is quite soft and sticky, so chilling it allows the dough to firm up, making it easier to shape, and also means the dough will spread slowly in the oven for a nice round shaped cookie!
3.) When shaping your cookie, roll into balls and then slightly elongate them so they are taller than they are wide which will make for a better shaped and more compact cookie.
3.) Make sure your baking tray is cold and not in the oven before placing your cookie dough on top, otherwise your dough will spread too quickly
4.) When your cookies leave the oven, they will still be very soft. At this stage I like to take a rounded knife and push the sides in to ensure my cookies are perfectly round. This also gives the edges of the cookie that lovely crinkled look.
My Favourite Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 12-13 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Makes: 10 large cookies or 16 standard cookies
Ingredients List:
115g butter (melted then cooled for at least 10 minutes)
150g soft light brown sugar
50g white caster sugar or granulated
1 large egg lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
30ml maple syrup
210g all purpose flour
1 tsp cornflour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
200g Bar of good quality cooking/baking chocolate cut into chunks (I used white chocolate today, and added some left over free-dried raspberries but a mixture of dark and milk chocolate is probably the best combo!)
Method:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornflour, baking soda, baking powder and salt
2. In a large bowl, mix your cooled and melted butter along with both sugars until combined
3. Mix in one beaten egg
4. Add vanilla extract and maple syrup and mix
5. Stir in your flour mixture gradually until fully combines
6. Cover your bowl with clingfilm and place in fridge to cool for at least 1 hour. You can do this overnight ready for a morning bake if you prefer! You can also freeze cookie dough and let thaw for 15 minutes or so before baking
7. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment and preheat oven to 175C
8. When your dough has chilled, begin shaping the dough into tall cylindrical balls and place at least 2 inches apart from each other. Dependent on your cookie size, you may end up baking in two batches. If so, make sure you put your remaining dough back into the fridge whilst you wait for the first batch to cook
9. Bake at 175C for 12-13 minutes, turning the tray 180 degrees in the oven half way through baking. The edges of the cookie should be golden brown and the centre should look just set.
10. Remove cookies from oven and leave on the tray to cool and firm up for at least 5 minutes before attempting to move to a cooling rack. The cookies will still be very soft when removed from the oven, so do not try to move them! They will harden as they cool. Make sure your trays have completely cooled before starting a second batch!
11. IMPORTANT: Try to gift at least half of the yield to a friend, neighbour or family member because I promise you you wont be able to resist eating them all otherwise!!
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