Kick Ass Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I, along with everyone else in the world, am constantly on the search for that one chocolate chip cookie recipe that just kicks the ass off every other cookie recipe.  I've tried countless varieties, and while none of them have been particularly bad, none of them have took my breath away either.  To be perfectly honest, it's not really a bad quest to be on.  Even a mediocre cookie is pretty damn tasty fresh from the oven.

So far, on my epic journey I've met a few contenders for the throne but these babies have usurped the lot.  Bend the knee and swear alliance to the new king of the North, the chocolate chunk cookie.  Yeah, I may have been watching a little too much Game of Thrones, say something!

The only thing I'd recommend doing with this recipe is doubling, even tripling the quantities and freezing cookie shaped portions.  Hot cookies, fresh from the oven on demand.  You're bloody welcome!   The frozen cookies should only need two minutes longer on the cooking time, but that might as well be an eternity when your tummies a-rumbling.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients
125g unsalted butter, softened
2tbsp caster sugar
2tbsp demerera sugar
170g light brown sugar
1 large egg
1tsp vanilla extract
1tsp baking powder
220g plain flour
200g plain chocolate chopped into chunks
sea salt to finish

Method
Preheat your oven to 170C and line three baking sheets with grease proof paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a large bowl and hand held whisk, cream together the butter and sugars till light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, beating till incorporated.  Slowly add the flour and baking powder and mix to get a dry, slightly crumbly looking dough.  Stir through the chocolate chunks.

Take tablespoons of the cookie dough and shape into rounds, placing on the baking tray as you go making sure you leave enough room between cookies for spreading.  Sprinkle each cookie with a tiny pinch of sea salt before baking for 10 - 12 minutes.  Once baked allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling, that is if you can restrain yourself.

Pour yourself a cold glass of milk and dig in!

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Sweet Shop Tiffin

Sometimes you create something so filthy, something so naughty you feel you have to hide it from the world.  This chocolatey wonder is like the bastard son of rocky road and tiffin, hidden away in the attic and fed on a bucket of fish heads once a week.  The attic is never a good prison, the undesirables always escape.  Boom, sweet shop tiffin!

Sadly, I can't take credit for this awesome idea.  I was scrolling through Instagram a few weeks ago when I paused on a photo from Crumbs & Doilies showing a majestic square of goodness packed with sweet shop favorites.   Since I'm in Newcastle and they're in London the only thing I could do was make my own.  I headed straight off to the supermarket, filled my trolley with chocolate and sweeties and set about mashing it all together in an unholy union of deliciousness.

These bars can be customised with whatever you enjoy to chomp upon. I filled mine with Double Deckers, Smarties, Toffee Crunches, Kit Kats, marshmallows and Rolos but next time I'm going to add fudge bars and maybe a few Crunchies.

Sweet Shop Tiffin

Ingredients:

325g plain chocolate, chopped

225g milk chocolate, chopped

250g unsalted butter

100g golden syrup

10 bars of your favorite chocolate treats, chopped up

1 bag of mini marshmallows

Method:

Pop both of the chocolates, butter and the golden syrup in a large, heavy based saucepan and melt together over a low heat.

Jumble the chopped chocolate bars and marshmallows together in a large bowl and pour over 2/3 of the melted chocolate.  Mix together until everything is coated then pour into a 20x30 disposable tin, or use a greased and lined brownie tin. Smooth out the top before pouring on the remaining chocolate to fill any gaps and crevices.  

Refrigerate till firm then cut into 16 hunks.  Dust with icing sugar and enjoy your naughty treats.

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Hazelnut & Chocolate Banana Bread

I saw my first fly today.  Flies bum me out; flies mean Winter has finally passed and given way to immanent Spring.  The moment the first bluebottle bumbles across my path, I instantly lament the Winter I've been whining about for the last two months and start looking forward to weeks of not knowing whether to wear a coat.  With warmth brings regret, regret brings salad masquerading as a meals. Salad masquerading as a meal makes Katie unhappy.  I'm going to hide indoors and cling onto the last fleeting days of Winter,  I'm going to bake banana bread!

Banana bread is like a hug in a cake.  It's warm and comforting without being cloyingly sweet.  If you're a a calorie rebel, like me, you can even turn a few slices of this son'bitch into french toast drizzled with Nutella.  Filthy, I know.

 

Hazelnut & Chocolate Banana Bread

Ingredients:

200g unsalted butter

200g light brown sugar

100g whole, skinless hazelnuts

2 large eggs

200g self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

3 medium, ripe bananas mashed with a fork

1/2tsp vanilla extract

200g plain chocolate chips

Method:

 Preheat the oven to 175C then grease and line a loaf tin with baking parchment.

Beat the sugar and flour together for five minutes until light and creamy, add the eggs one at a time mixing well between each addition.  Scoop in your mashed bananas and vanilla extract and mix.  While you beat your butter and sugar toast the hazelnuts in the oven for a few minutes.  Once toasted pop them into a food processor and pulse them until they're finely ground.

Add the hazelnuts, flour and baking powder to the butter and mix until combined. Stir through the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon before pouring the batter into the prepared tin and baking for 60 - 75 minutes, the cake should be golden brown and springs back if prodded with a finger.

Allow to cool in the tin before turning out and enjoying.

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Oreo Cookie Bombs

What's better than a dunking a good cookie in your brew?  Dunking a cookie stuffed with another cookie in your brew, that's what!  It's pure, unadulterated hedonism is what it is.  I think I might have lost my mind a little bit.

If, like me, you're more than a little excited by the thought of ramming treats inside of bigger treats I implore you to get your booty in the shops and grab some Oreos.  You could be eating these cookies in less than 30 minutes, what on Earth are you waiting for?!

Oreo Cookie Bombs

Makes 12 large cookies

Ingredients:

250g unsalted butter, softened

240g caster sugar

150g soft, light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

440g self raising flour 

150g plain chocolate chips

12 Oreos

Method:

Preheat the oven to 175°C and line 2 large cookie sheets with baking paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Once creamed add the eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla extract.  Turn the mixer down to low and add the flour, once combined add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.

Grab a ball of the dough, about the size of a golf ball and squash it flat.  Pop an Oreo in the centre and squish the dough around the cookie until it's completely enclosed.  Place each ball of deliciousness onto your prepared cookie sheets, taking care not to over crown them, around 4/5 per tray.

Baked your prepared cookies for 18-20 minutes or until just starting to turn golden around the edges.  Allow them to cool for at least a few minutes before diving straight in.  Let me tell you, these babies are best eaten warm!

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Afternoon Tea: How Do You Do!

A few years ago I was lucky enough to visit the Sanderson Hotel for one of the infamous Mad Hatters Afternoon Teas and I've simply never stopped thinking about it.  Being a girl from the North East of England; trips to London are sadly few and far between, so I didn't think I'd have the chance to experience something as delightfully quirky again.  Much to my delight I noticed a marketing email from a local establishment How Do You Do advertising their Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea.  I didn't really need to read any more, I was already on the phone booking a table for my next day off.  

I'd already visited this eatery several times before it's charming re-brand, I can vouch that it used to make the best darned Sunday lunches ever. My expectations were high.

I wasn't disappointed.  We were greeted by a super friendly guy who talked us through everything to do with our tea, the service was quick and precise and the food was just delicious!  The Mad Hatters Tea was served with your choice of tea or coffee and also came with a fun tea pot cocktail.  We were told the cocktail is usually served spewing smoke from dry ice but sadly they'd run out after a particularly busy weekend.  Next time, I'm sure.

Every element was homemade from the jam for the scones to the delightful rhubarb soda in the drink me bottles.  The spinach and beetroot bread for the sandwiches was so vibrant and fun, I felt like I was tumbling down the rabbit hole with dear Alice.

The waiter informed us, before leaving, that they were planning on doing a Brighton Beach themed afternoon tea for the Summer months.  I certainly hope they do, I'm already planning on another visit!

How Do You Do
10 East Parade
Whitley Bay
NE26 1AP
0191 2533050

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