Soft chocolate chip cookies

 Who doesn't love a good chocolate chip cookie? I know I do!

Cookies were actually some of the last things I learnt to bake properly, and to be honest I was always kind of scared of making them. I don't know why but I've never managed to get them to be soft and chewy - they always ended up like frisbees! I always ended up just baking cakes as I found those easier and it was something that I did with granny or mum.

But I made these cookies the other day and they were such as success! I have to thank Mary Berry for the recipe - I love her baking recipes and they do always work. These cookies were everything I wanted from a cookie - they were soft and gooey from the inside. I have discovered that the trick is to underbake the cookies slightly. They will cook a little more from the residual heat and this will ensure that the final cookie is not hard.

This recipe only requires baking ingredients you are likely to have in your cupboard. These cookies also only take a maximum of 30 minutes to make. 

Ingredients
Makes ~20 cookies 

100g butter (softened)
125g natural cane sugar (demarera)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1 large egg, beaten
150g self raising flour 
100g plain chocolate chips
50g white chocolate chips 

Method 
Preparation time - 20min, baking time - 10 minutes

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan. Lightly grease and line 2-3 baking trays with baking paper (depending on your big your baking trays are - you need enough to accomodate 20 cookies)
  
  
  
• Put the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until evenly blended. I used my electric handmixer.
  
  
• Add vanilla extract to beaten egg. Slowly add the egg-vanilla mixture to the butter and sugar mix beating well between each addition. With the last addition add a small spoonful of flour to stop it from curdling.
  
  
• Mix in the remaining flour then stir in the chocolate chips.
  
  
• Spoon large teaspoons of mixture onto the prepared baking trays leaving room for the cookies to spread.
  
  
• Bake for 7-10 minutes. Watch carefully as these can go from golden to brown very quickly.
  
  
• Leave cookies to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes, then carefully lift onto a cooling rack with a palette knife.