When my kids were growing up, the only cookies I was allowed to make was Chocolate-chip. Those were the only cookies they asked for or ate.
Here I was, hankering to make oatmeal-raisin cookies and buttery shortbread, lime-meltaways and florentines, but when our cookie bin got empty, all my kids wanted were chocolate chip or chocolate-chocolate chip.
Now my nest is (almost) empty, and somehow when I get the yen to bake cookies, its not the exotic cookies that call to me, but the homely chocolate chip.
In my recent trip to Boston, I went a little crazy and bought packets and packets of different chips- mint chips and butterscotch, toffee-bits and peanut butter chips. My suitcase groaning under the weight of all that chocolate, decided to abandon me and head off to another destination.
When I reached Singapore and realised that my suitcase had not come with me I had to file a claim with Changi. The staff there was bemused when I told them all I was missing was a cart load of chocolate!
Here is an adaptation of my golden oldie, chocolate chip cookies, with peanut-butter chips and milk chocolate chips.
Recipe:
1 cup/ 200g/ 2 sticks butter, melted
1/2 cup of peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar (you can use all brown if you like the cookies less sweet)
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
coarse salt
1/2 cup (or more) of peanut butter chips
1/2 cup (or more) of milk chocolate chips
Method:
Mix the butter and peanut butter. Add the sugar(s).
Lightly beat the egg with a fork and add it to the mixture.
Add the flour and mix it all in.
Add in the chips, reserving a handful.
Sprinkle in the coarse salt.
If the dough is too soft to handle, leave it to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 160*C.
When your dough is firmer, scoop small balls onto a cookie sheet, lined with baking paper.
Ideally your cookie balls should be the same size, or major fights will ensue.
Dot your cookie balls with 1-2 of the reserved chips.
Bake for 8-12 minutes turning your cookie sheet around midway.
The first lot will take upto 10-12 minutes, but the subsequent lots will bake much faster. So be on your hawk-like mode.
Cool your cookies on a cookie rack, then watch them vanish at the speed of light.
If you like your cookies on the chewy side, go with all brown sugar and take your cookies out 2-4 minutes sooner. Your cookies will be very delicate and seem undone, but will firm up in time.
If you like your cookies crunchy, go with a greater white sugar to brown sugar ratio. Bake for a few minutes longer on a lower heat.
Play around till you get the texture you love.
Cookie dough that rests for a day or even a week, makes the best cookies!