Chocolate Filled, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you ever have a good old clear out of your Kitchen Cupboards?……no me either, well not very often anyway. BUT yesterday I couldn’t squeeze anything else in my baking cupboard. I’d been shopping to restock the basics; sugar, flour, baking powder, that kind of thing, and they just wouldn’t fit!!

So time for an impromptu clear out. I pulled everything out and found some real little ingredient gems that I’d totally forgotten. It was like Christmas had come early – like pulling an old handbag from your wardrobe and finding a fiver in the bottom. I just love it when that happens, which sadly isn’t very often.

Anyway, at the back of my cupboard, amongst the dates, raisins, chocolate chips, vanilla essence etc, was a jar of Chocolate Spread…….unopened!!!!!! Seriously? Who has unopened chocolate spread in their cupboard? Me, apparently.

After having a 1 or 2 (or 4) crumpets with it slathered over, I set about baking.

These are really easy peasy. You need to pop your Chocolate Spread in the fridge for an hour or 2 before starting as it makes it firm and easier to roll into the middle of your cookie. You could also use Peanut Butter, but sadly I didn’t find any of that in my cupboard.

Chocolate Filled, Chocolate Chop Cookies

Makes 10-12

100gms Butter at room temp, or chilled Baking Spread

75gms Light Brown Sugar

100gms Caster Sugar

1 Beaten Free Range Egg

1tspn Vanilla Extract

250gms Plain Flour

.5tspn Bicarbonate of Soda

.5tspn salt

100gms Chocolate Chips – I used milk, but use whatever you fancy.

Approx Quarter of a jar of Chocolate Spread – I used the popular hazelnut one, but you can use any you have

In a bowl cream together the butter and both types of sugar, until thick and creamy

Add the egg and vanilla and mix through until fully combined

Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt, and add to the other ingredients.

Mix together, I found a wooden spoon best, until you have a thick dough.

Mix through the chocolate chips

Take a spoonful of the mix and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball in the palm of you hand and put a teaspoon of Chocolate Spread in the middle.

Bring up the sides of the ball until the Chocolate Spread is covered, and again roll into a ball.

I got 10 out of the mix, however, I may have got more if I hadn’t eaten so much (I have a weakness for cookie dough – don’t try this at home though as it contains raw egg – it’s a risk I’m willing to take).

Pop all the balls on a baking sheet and refridgerate for at least an hour. This allows the butter and Chocolate Spread to set-up.

Pre-heat your oven to 175c fan, 180c, 350f or gas Mark 4

Lay your cookie dough balls onto 2 baking sheet, making sure there is at least 2 inches between them as they will Spread when they bake

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the sides just start to turn golden

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Don’t try to move them straight away as they need time to firm up as they cool down

Transfer to a cooling rack, or into your waiting mouth.

These will last up to 5 days if kept in an airtight container.