These cookies were recommended by my friend Melissa. She says ‘I’ve tried this fail proof recipe loads of times and it’s always a winner, plus they make great gifts!’ I’ve just made them and eaten one too many, and enjoyed the creamy crunch of the brazil nuts together with the chocolate and hint of cinnamon. You could try it with other nuts too e.g. pecans (aways great with chocolate) or hazelnuts, and perhaps some chopped raspberries…The recipe is originally by Dan Lepard, who I hear is a bit of a baking king (author of ‘Short and Sweet: The Best of Home Baking’, which I am yet to buy).
I halved the ingredients in the recipe and it made approx 7 normal sized cookies. They are ready to take out of the oven once they are puffy and smooth and still a bit soft (they keep cooking after they are taken out). Just remember to keep checking them every couple of minutes once they’re nearly cooked as it’s so easy to overdo them!
Ingredients
125g unsalted butter, softened
225g light soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium egg
25g cocoa
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
175g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
200g milk or dark chocolate, chopped roughly into big chunks
150g brazil nuts, cut into quarters
Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in the egg, then stir in the cocoa and cinnamon. Add the flour and soda, work until combined, then mix in the chocolate and nuts; I use my hands because I find it easier to scrunch up the dough and get the mixture really even. Pinch off nuggets of dough the size of a ping-pong ball (for regular cookies) or unshelled hazelnut (for mini ones), and roll between your palms until smooth. Cover a baking tray with nonstick paper and place the soon-to-be cookies on it 3-4cm apart. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan-assisted)/350F/gas mark 4 and bake for eight to 10 minutes (for mini cookies) or 12-14 minutes (for regular ones). Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack with a spatula. Once cold, store in an airtight container.
katielovescooking 