Heston's Chocolate Chip Cookies

OK... so  these chocolate chip cookies (which I swear by) may have some serious competition. Nigella's ones are better if you want something a bit more substantial, something chunky. On the other hand, these cookies are so crisp and buttery, yet somehow more light. Though I very often substitute milk for dark chocolate, the dark chocolate in these chips really works well and makes for an altogether more high-brow cookie.

Thank you, Heston.

Again, I would freeze the dough before baking it- just freeze the blobs until firm, but you can keep dough in the freezer for up to about 6 months. The ingredients listed makes enough dough for about 20 cookies, so it's a good idea to keep some of the batch in the freezer to bake later. 

Heston’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

Chocolate chips:

20g golden syrup

140g double cream

125g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Cookie dough:

440g flour

½tsp bicarbonate of soda

1tsp baking powder

5g salt

½tsp coffee powder

230g cold unsalted butter, cubed

520g caster sugar

2 eggs

15g vanilla extract    

Method:

1. For the chocolate chips, gently heat the golden syrup and cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. In a separate bowl, melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water.

2. Once the cream has come to a simmer, take the pan off the heat, mix in the salt and add to the melted chocolate (also removed from the heat), a third at a time to ensure thorough incorporation. Leave to cool a little.

3. Pour the chocolate mixture on to a baking tray (about 20x30cm) lined with baking paper. Leave to cool to room temperature for about 1 hour. Transfer to the freezer for 4hours, or until hard. Remove from the freezer and cut into 5mm cubes and return to the freezer until you need them.

4. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/mark 5 and line some baking trays with baking paper.

5. For the cookie dough, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and coffee into a bowl and set aside. Using a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment, or an electric whisk, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

6. Reduce the speed and gradually add the eggs. Once incorporated, mix in the vanilla and flour mixture. Add the frozen chocolate chips and mix briefly.

7. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into 40g blobs and place on the prepared trays about 10cm apart. Freeze until firm and bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden brown.