Flavours Column: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Image: Quinn & Katie Photography

The day this recipe was originally published in the paper I was excited for three reasons:

1. because it's a great recipe,
2. because of the beautiful photos taken by Quinn & Katie Photography and,
3. because it's based on the ever popular Cookie Time cookies!

But alas, this final point, and the recipe's point of difference was edited from my published piece. I was disappointed but understand that the paper had to protect itself, and printing what I claim is the recipe for Cookie Time cookies is probably not the smartest idea. So instead I publish it, in full un-edited glory, on my blog. Power to the blogosphere!

This recipe was deciphered from a list of ingredients and quantities that used to be printed on the Cookie Time packet. It was based on the world's largest cookie - a title which Cookie Time held officially until 2008 when they were usurped by some cheeky Americans. I've had this recipe stashed away for years. 

It's an ode to Cookie Time cookies. I grew up with these cookies. They were the cookie all my friends bought from the canteen at lunch time. They were the 'go to' cookie at the corner shop. They were, and are, damn fine cookies. 

I can't say that this is the Cookie Time recipe. Because it's not. It's just a recipe based on what I understood were the ingredients used in Cookie Time cookies, and therefore they taste quite similar. I highly recommend you try some and compare!

Image: Quinn & Katie Photography

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Unabridged version (abridged version published in the Bay of Plenty Times, Weds 10th April 2013).

Remember when you used to eat cookies with a glass of cold milk? I do, because it was yesterday. 

These cookies are my favourite milk-accompaniment cookies. Especially when eaten warm from the oven while the chocolate is still melty. If they taste familiar it might be because they taste like Cookie Time cookies. Years ago, during art class at college, my friend Melani and I, lacking inspiration and distracting ourselves with food, noticed on the back of the Cookie Time packet a breakdown of ingredients and quantities for Cookie Time’s ‘Biggest Cookie in the World’. Putting into practice the handy skills we’d learned in Math class, we calculated the recipe into normal cookie portions. 

I know you can easily buy Cookie Time cookies, making your own is simply more fun. Enjoy.

200gms dark chocolate (I use Whittaker’s 50% Cocoa)

240g butter

90gms white sugar

150gms soft brown sugar

2 eggs

350gms plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract (I use Heilala)

To get the real Cookie Time effect, you need to melt down the chocolate, spread it on to a sheet of baking paper and let it set before you start the cookie dough. Once set, break it into chunks of different sizes. You could use chocolate drops but trust me, the end result won’t be as good.

To make the dough, cream the butter and both sugars together until fluffy and pale in colour. Add vanilla then the eggs, one at a time. Beat until well combined. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together and add to the butter mix. Mix until you have a nice dense cookie dough consistency. Stir in the broken up chocolate.

Roughly shape tablespoon sized lumps of dough and place onto a tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 150˚C for approximately 20mins or until golden. Cool on racks.

Weekly Tip: ‘Cream’ butter and sugar means to beat the butter and sugar together until pale. If it hasn’t lightened to a very pale yellow colour then you need to keep beating. Creaming incorporates air into your mix, stopping cookies and cakes from being heavy.