Butter. And Salt. An obsession. I was caught butter-handed many times when just tall enough to quietly extricate the pre-dinner treat from its plate on the dining table. That childhood craving resurfaces when I buy butter laced with sea salt flakes and spread it on a fresh baguette. Or, if in a mood for dark chocolate and vanilla, I will make a batch of a childhood favorite: chocolate chip cookies. In this recipe, the honey complements the vanilla, and the milk powder adds richness, making the cookies light, chewy and buttery delicious!
Makes 36 Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup / 225 g / 8 oz – salted butter
2/3 cup / 140 g / 5 oz – superfine sugar
3/4 cup / 170 g / 6 oz – brown sugar
1 Tbsp / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz – runny honey
2 eggs, large
1 Tbsp / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz – pure vanilla extract
3 cups / 370 g / 13 oz – bread/high-grade flour
2 Tpsp / 15 g / 1/2 oz – milk powder
1/2 tsp – flaked sea salt
1 tsp – baking soda/bicarb of soda
3 cups / 340 g / 12 oz – dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate chunks
flaked sea salt for sprinkling on top
Method
In a stand-mixer or by hand, cream butter, sugars and honey together until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl between additions. Mix in vanilla.
Sift flour, milk powder, salt and baking soda together. On low speed, add to butter mixture in 3 additions, mixing well to combine. Stir in chocolate pieces.
Line a baking tray with baking paper or a mat. Scoop large spoonfuls of cookie dough with a dessertspoon or ice cream scoop into 1.-oz/35-g balls (approx 1ó in/3 cm in diameter).* For best results, place on tray, cover dough and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC (325ºF/170ºC fan). Spread cookies on lined baking trays and sprinkle tops with a few flakes of sea salt. Bake until edges are golden and cookies are set but soft in the middle, 9–11 minutes.
Serve with a big glass of frosty cold milk!
For a bit of bitter balancing crunch in your chewy cookie, reduce the chocolate to 10oz / 280g and add in 2 oz / 55g lightly toasted cocoa nibs. And to really gild the lily, add in a cupful of dried tart cherries.