Crazy chocolate cookies

If you missed Allyson Gofton’s Best Ever Gingernuts recipe yesterday, check it out here.

These cookies are quite deceiving as they only go crazy, cracking up, in the last few minutes of cooking. They are equally delicious served sandwiched with ganache or plain, allowing them to be un-ceremoniously dunked into your tea — delish!

They come from The Baker’s Companion by Allyson Gofton. This treasure trove of recipes which she perfected over three decades also contains all the baking know-how you could possibly need. Read GrownUps columnist Lyn Potter’s review of the book here.

Crazy chocolate cookies

MAKES 20 sandwiched cookies

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

COOK TIME: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients

100 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped

100 grams butter, diced 1¾ cups self-raising flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 egg, at room temperature

¾ cup well-packed soft brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence or extract

½ cup icing sugar, sifted

chocolate ganache or butter icing, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan bake 180°C). Set two racks either side of the centre of the oven. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Heat the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 1 minute or until the chocolate is almost melted. Stir to mix evenly. Should small pieces of chocolate remain, allow the mix to sit for a few minutes until all the chocolate has melted. If it needs further melting, microwave in 10–15-second bursts. Alternatively, set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until the ingredients are melted. Allow to cool slightly.

Sift the flour and baking soda together.

Using an electric beater, beat the egg, sugar and vanilla essence or extract together until light and creamy. Stir the cooled chocolate mixture and sifted dry ingredients into the beaten egg mixture.

Roll teaspoonfuls of mixture into even-sized balls. Roll the balls in the icing sugar to coat and shake off any excess. Place on the prepared trays, allowing plenty of room for spreading.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes or until cracked on the surface. If not cracked, cook for a further minute and check again. Transfer to a cake rack to cool. The cookies will become crisp on cooling.

Sandwich the biscuits with ganache or chocolate butter icing if wished.

Store in an airtight container and enjoy within 2–3 weeks

Recipes from The Baker’s Companion by Allyson Gofton. Photographs by Lottie Hedley. Publisher Penguin Random House NZ. RRP $55.