These cookies take 24 hours to make. The cookie dough has to rest before baking, otherwise you end up with enormous, flat pancakes that will go incredibly crisp in the oven.
What you are aiming for is a cookie with crisp, chewy edges, a soft, chocolatey centre and fudgey notes from a combination of sugars and flaky sea salt to balance. You can keep these cookies in the freezer and bake as needed, which is very helpful in case of emergencies.
Ingredients
- 160g (5.6 oz) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 200g (7 oz) caster (superfine) sugar 70g (2.5 oz) light soft brown sugar
- 70g (2.5 oz) light soft brown sugar
- 70g (2.5 oz) Demerara sugar
- 340g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3g (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 4g (1 tsp) baking powder
- 5g (¾ tsp) fine sea salt
- 210g (7.4oz) dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa solids) chunks or discs
- 70g (2.5 oz) egg (about 1½ 1/2 medium eggs: UK medium/ US large eggs)
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Day one
1. Combine the butter and sugars in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugars together until they are lighter in texture and a pale golden colour. You’re not aiming for a fluffy texture here. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to gather any stray pieces of butter or sugar.
2. Whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl, then add the chocolate pieces.
3. Add the egg to the butter and sugar mixture and beat for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
4. Add the flour mixture in three stages on a low speed – you don’t want to incorporate air at this stage, but just bring the dough together.
5. Fold the cookie dough several times with a flexible spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed and distributed. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
6. Use a cookie scoop or your hands to weigh out the cookies into 95g balls. Arrange on the baking sheets and cover with cling film. You now have two options. Put the cookie dough in the refrigerator (it will keep for three days) or in the freezer (this will keep for two months).
7. Chill the dough for 24 hours before baking. This is really important, as it allows the dough to rest, the sugars to recrystallise and the butter to firm up again, and ultimately the flavour will be better.
Day two
1. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 170°C. Top the cookies with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt, then bake for 13–14 minutes. If baking from frozen, add an extra minute to the bake time.
2. Remove the cookies from the oven and tap the baking sheets on the work surface. This will knock the air out of the centre of the cookies, creating a soft, fudgey interior.
3. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets before enjoying.
Scéal by Charlotte Leonard-Kane and Shane Palmer (Quadrille)
