Chocolate cookie ‘matrix’ recipe

This is a matrix recipe because it can be adapted to what you have or want to use, see below for details. I got the trick about bashing the tray of the cookies from a magazine and honestly having tried it both ways it makes the perfect crinkle and texture so do give it go even though it sounds mad. Please don’t skip the chilling step once you’ve formed the dough into balls, as it’s essential to bring out the lovely nutty flavours and make sure you get a good gooey centre and crisp outside. If you’re really impatient it does technically work with 30 minutes of chilling but I’d suggest you instead make a double batch and freeze some in a bag so you don’t have to wait as long next time.

Makes 12

Ingredients
120g butter
75g light brown sugar
75g caster sugar
1 medium egg
1tsp vanilla extract
90g spelt flour
90g plain flour 
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g chocolate chunks (I prefer to chop up a chocolate bar but use what you have) 
1/2 tsp sea salt flakes

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan and keep it going until it goes from yellow to a kind of golden brown. You may see some brown bits settling on the bottom which helps to gauge that it’s ready. Then take it off and pour into a bowl to cool, don’t leave it in the pan or it’ll burn.

When cool, pour the butter into a big bowl with the sugars and mix. Beat in the vanilla and egg.

When combined, stir in the flour, bicarbonate and salt. Then when you can’t see any more flour add in the chocolate chunks or any other fillings of your choice.

Roll into balls a little larger than a ping pong/squash ball. You don’t want them too small or they won’t get that lovely crunchy outside and soft middle. They should be roughly 10cm across when cooked. Leave to chill in the fridge for 2 hours minimum or overnight if possible.

Preheat the oven 180C/160C (fan)/ Gas 4 and prepare your baking trays with parchment paper.

When ready and nicely chilled, space them out on trays and bake for 10 mins. Take out sprinkle a small bit of sea salt on and bash the tray on the side which will help the cookies flatten.

Pop them back in the oven for 2 mins and you should see them start to rise up around the middle. Then take them back out and bash the tray again so they go flat. This helps to make them a good even texture.

After another 2 mins take them out and leave on the tray to cool for a couple of mins before transferring to a place to completely cool down before putting away.

The Matrix (alternative combinations)

Flours
This can be made with most types of flour you have to hand. The spelt gives it a nutty flavour but I make it often with just the plain flour when I don’t have spelt.

Fillings
For double choc ditch the spelt and use 130g plain, replacing the extra 50g flour with 3tbsp cocoa powder.

Or add cherries by using 100g choc and 50g halved cherries.