Giant Travel Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The main reason why I cook and bake is for love. I want to create delicious things for people I care about. I got an opportunity recently when Ralph's aunt and uncle came to stay for one night on their roadtrip holiday. They are such warm, kind people and I absolutely adore them. I used to visit them in Cape Town regularly with my old work, but now I haven't seen them in months and I've missed them.

I made these for them to take along in the car. They come from my favourite blog: Tracey's Culinary Adventures and they got RAVE reviews. They are thick and gorgeous. Cookies here are usually pretty small and almost don't fully constitute a treat. These are that treat that comforts you or gives you that special moment sharing it with someone you love.

Mmmmm... Indulgent and chocolatey..

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

220 g cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
200 g butter
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup treacle sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 extra-large egg
1 extra-large egg yolk
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 180 C
2) Line 2 baking sheets. I lined with a silicone sheets- with them I don't need anything non-stick.
3) Mix together flour and salt in a bowl.
4) Put most of the butter (about 3/4) into a pan and place on a medium heat. Once the butter is melted, reduce the heat, and stir every few minutes until butter turns brown and gets a nutty smell. Take off the heat and add the rest of the butter and mix until melted.
5) Place both sugars, salt and vanilla, pour the butter over them and mix.
6) Add egg and egg yolk and mix until the mixture is completely smooth - about 30 seconds. Let rest for 3 minutes, and mix for 30 seconds again. This needs to be repeated twice more.
7) Now add flour and mix with a rubber spatula until just mixed.
8) Add chocolate chips and mix again.
9) Place large balls of dough onto baking sheets with enough space to spread (I place two per row of a swiss roll sized pan, of which two were just enough)
10) Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned. Then take them out and place on a wire rack to cool.

I wrapped these up in cellophane with a big bow and they made a great present. I also kept a couple aside, one for Anibug (the super supportive best friend who stopped by to give me a cupcake- YUM) and of course for Ralph, who also kindly took the photos for me.