Choc Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

So I dialled it back a bit, though as you can see, nobody would say this is stingy on the chocolate. - Chocolate chips – I use dark chocolate chips, called semi-sweet chocolate chips in the US. You can use whatever type of chocolate chips you want, or even chop up a block.

- Barely melt butter – Put the butter in a heatproof bowl then microwave in increments until the butter is almost melted. Then finish melting by hand using a wooden spoon.

This way, the butter won’t be too hot to move straight on with mixing the egg in without worrying about it scrambling! If you do accidentally melt the butter and it’s hot, just set aside for 5 minutes or so to cool to room temperature.

- Dry next – Add the flour then scatter the baking soda across the surface. Mix until the flour is just about incorporated.

Add the choc chips then mix again until you no longer see flour. If they don’t disappear straight off the tray, transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling so the underside doesn’t sweat and soften.

Then once fully cool, they can be stored in an airtight container – terrific for 3 days, still good for another 2 days. Note: Gluten-free flour blends vary a lot between brands, so I can only vouch for White Wings.

However, the fact that it worked so well gives me confidence other good gluten-free flour blends should work too, though the texture and spread may vary slightly. I haven’t tried, but I should think that spreads with a similar spread should work, like Biscoff.

Nutella should work too, but I am not sure it would add enough Nutella flavour in this. But it won’t work with runny natural spreads, like pure natural peanut butter with no sugar, salt or stabilisers added. Note: if you are baking less than 8 per tray, check them first at the 10 mark as they will bake faster.

Watch how to make it

- 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter , cut into ~1cm / 0.2″ cubes

- 1/2 cup (tightly packed) brown sugar - 1/2 cup caster sugar / superfine sugar , or regular/granulated white sugar

- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract - 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

- 1 large egg , fridge cold is fine - 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter spread (ie Aus: Bega, US: Jif, Skippy, UK: Sun-Pat, NOT the runny natural sugar-free type)

- 1 1/4 cups plain flour / all-purpose flour (Note 4 for gluten-free) - 1 tsp baking soda / bi-carbonate soda , not baking powder (Note 2)

- 150g (3/4 cup) dark choc chips / US semi-sweet chips

ABBREVIATED RECIPE

- Melt butter, mix in sugars, then mix in egg, vanilla, salt and honey.

Mix in peanut butter until smooth, then the flour and baking soda, and lastly the choc chips. Fridge 1 hr, roll into 16 balls, bake 12 min at 190°C/375°F (170°C fan), cool 10 min on trays.

Don't forget extra choc chips for surface!

FULL RECIPE

- Set aside ~2 1/2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to decorate the surface. - Barely melt butter – Put the butter in a microwave proof bowl and microwave in 20 second increments on high until almost melted.

Then mix with a wooden spoon to finish melting using residual heat. - Add dry ingredients – Add the flour then scatter the baking soda across the surface.

Mix until the flour is mostly incorporated. Then add most of the choc chips (reserve enough to decorate at the end) and mix until you no longer see flour. - Fridge 1 hour – Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 2 days. (Note 2)

- Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F (170°C fan-forced). Line 2 trays with baking paper (parchment paper).

As soon they come out of the oven, press chocolate chips gently onto the surface (I like to push some in a tiny bit, on a slight angle). Cool on the tray for 10 minutes so they finish cooking and the edges crisp up.

Or transfer to cooling racks and fully cool before storing in airtight containers.

Life of Jaffle

They say you shouldn’t compare siblings because every child has their own unique talents. This week, I was reminded why.

Jaffle’s brother and sister, Taggart and Beatrice, went to the Golden Retriever National competition in South Australia last week and took out first and second place! Meanwhile, Jaffle, it would seem, did not inherit the show dog gene.

He spends a lot of time doing this…. ….his idea of adoring me is doing this…..

…I spend a lot of time doing this…. (taking rubbish out of his mouth. I think I do it a thousand times a day.) You can totally see he’s from champion stock – look at him prancing around like he’s in a show ring!! (Well, minus the toilet roll in his mouth 🧻🚽)