Chocolate cookies

Instructions

1. 01

   

   Cream the butter and sugars

   Beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and white sugar using an electric hand mixer at medium-high speed for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.

2. 02

   

   Add eggs and vanilla

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.

3. 03

   

   Incorporate the dry ingredients

   Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt over the butter mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold with circular motions until no dry flour remains. Do not overwork the dough.

4. 04

   

   Fold in the chocolate chips

   Add the dark chocolate chips and fold with the spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

5. 05

   

   Chill the dough

   Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This step is key: it prevents the cookies from spreading too much and deepens the flavour.

6. 06

   

   Shape and bake

   Preheat the oven to 175 °C (top and bottom heat). Roll the dough into balls of about 40 g each and place on a baking tray lined with parchment, spaced 5 cm apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are set but the centre still looks slightly underdone. Do not overbake.

7. 07

   

   Cool

   Leave the cookies on the tray for 5 minutes — they will continue cooking from the residual heat and firm up as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.