Double Chocolate Cookies

Give me a fresh batch of these and a pot full of fresh brewed tea and I'll be one happy camper.

If I haven't already disclosed, I'm actually a big fan of Nigella Lawson. Those who've attempted any of her recipes would find they all spell out one thing, that is 'simplicity'. Sharing the same views as her, I don't think slaving around the kitchen for the whole day would be any persons ideal, hence how we cook is vital. Less is more, but of course quality can't be forgotten also.

As I was searching up chocolate cookies on my ever-so trust worthy Google search engine, I came upon Nigella's recipe for'Chocolate Choc Chip Cookies' . By it's name, it had already won me over (oh for the chocolate). Not only did it contain cocoa and melted chocolate, the recipe also called for chocolate choc chips. That's triple the amount of chocolate an ordinary recipe would call for, which means triple the blessings, and triple the size of our thighs (well technically mine, cause I ended up eating most of them; oh the guilt).

These cookies have a fudgy texture to them, and I'm guessing it's due to the melted chocolate that incorporated. Those who don't mind a little under cooked cookies, I'd recommend you to take the cookies out of the oven after 15 minutes and let them completely cool on their trays before transferring them to another plate. The cookies will be slightly soft with a little resistance to the bite, and a tad chewy; which is what all cookies (in my opinion) should really taste like. If you not up for under cooked cookies, cooking them for the full time is also just as good (the recipes calls for 18 minutes, but cooking them up to 20 minutes is just as fine- but take note that different ovens cook differently, so start checking your cookies at the 15 minute mark to avoid burning them).

Adopting the melted chocolate method by Nigella, I've come up with my own recipe. It's not triple chocolate, rather double (as I've chose to omit the process of adding extra chocolate chips). Like I've already mentioned, I like my cookies soft and chewy, but it doesn't go as well with my loved ones who are particularly picky eaters. They like crunch, so I had to think of something that would deliver that to them.

Without much further or do, I present, here, my recipe. Try it and let me know how it all goes!

Double Chocolate Cookies 

Ingredients 
125g Unsalted Butter
3/4 cup Caster Sugar
3/4 cup Soft Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
2 Eggs, straight from the fridge (or room temperature)
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 1/4 cups Self Rising Flour
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
200g Melted Dark Chocolate (at least 70% Cocoa)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line two baking trays with baking paper. Melt the 200g dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Be sure the bottom of the bowl does not come in contact with the water underneath. Then set aside. 
2. Put the flour, cocoa and salt into a bowl. Set aside
3.  In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until creamy and fluffy.  Add the melted chocolate and mix together.
4. Beat in the vanilla extract and eggs, and then mix in the dry ingredients. Be sure not to over work the cookie dough. 
5. Scoop out approximately 18 equal-sized cookies, using an ice cream scoop and place on a lined baking sheet about 6cm apart. Do not flatten them as they will spread out when cooking in the oven.
6. Bake for 15- 18 minutes or until cooked. 
7. Leave the cookies to cool completely on the baking tray before transferring them onto a another plate. This is so they are more easier to handle as they would have firmed up.

These cookies to last long in the house given I have a paticular soft spot for cookies. But if you'd like, store them in an air-tight container to prevent them from softening (I sometime like to leave them out cause I like my cookies a little soft). These cookies keep well for up to five days (but I'm sure they'd all be devoured by then). 

Okay peeps! Happy Baking! And remember, leave comments below.