Saved by the Cookie Dough

I am quite particular about my cookies. For me, as a bare minimum, they have to be chewy, those crunchy choc chip cookies that you buy in packets (mentioning no brand names!) just don't cut it for me. I spent years trying to find the perfect cookie recipe, and the best by far I ever came across was for Super-posh Chewy Cookies, from the Hairy Bikers - link here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/superposhchewycookie_89623

I adore this recipe, it has white and dark chocolate, cherries, hazelnuts and almonds, and a splash of cherry brandy and in my opinion it cannot be beaten.

My story today however comes from a couple of weeks ago, when I found myself in a (albeit brief) spell of austerity. I started a new job at the beginning of the month, and had to travel away for a few days for my induction. Having misjudged somewhat the dates of my last paycheck from my previous employers, and my first from the new, and then finding that I had pay my travel costs upfront, suddenly my purse was a little light.

I made some sandwiches to take on the train, and looked around the kitchen to see what else I could take with me to save myself from paying the inflated train station prices for snacks, but couldn't find anything. Then I spied a bag of chocolate chips in the corner of the cupboard. I grabbed a recipe book, had a flick through, and found a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe.

In short, these cookies were soft and chewy, exactly how I like them, and the recipe was straightforward, simple, and versatile. I replaced 15g of the flour with cocoa powder (I always use Green and Blacks Cocoa Powder as I find it has a deeper flavour) but you could also replace the chocolate chips with nuts or fruit if you wished.

I packed a bag full of cookies, and I'm not exaggerating when I say at 10pm at night on a train after having made two changes already, these little treats saved the last shred of my sanity!

The Recipe

225g butter
100g caster sugar
220g dark brown soft sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
310g plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
335g plain chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 190 C / Gas 5.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and eggs one at a time. Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Finally, mix in the chocolate chips. Drop heaped tablespoons onto ungreased baking trays.

Cookie Dough

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven or until edges are golden. Remove from baking tray to cool on wire racks.

Double Choc Chip Cookies