Triple Chocolate Cookies

Searching for last-minute chocolate recipes for my choir's "Tea and Cake" rehearsal (top tip - if you sing in a choir, ask for a tea and cake rehearsal!) I came across this wonderful recipe for triple chocolate cookies.  Sainsbury's, I salute you!   I adapted the recipe a little, by including some orange zest and essence, plus a pinch of salt as salt brings out the flavour of the chocolate.    They were a wild success!   And, yes, we all sang very well afterwards.... which is just as well as the concert is imminent.    The quantity below made 18 - perfect as we were four to a part, plus two for the conductor!

Triple Chocolate Cookies

Triple Chocolate Cookies

5oz/150g plain chocolate, chopped

5oz/150g softened butter (Sainsbury’s suggests unsalted)

4oz/100g light soft brown sugar

3oz/75g caster sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp cocoa powder

6oz/175g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

5oz/150g milk chocolate, chopped into chunks

5oz/150g white chocolate, chopped into chunks

Kate’s additions:

1tsp orange essence

Zest 1 orange

½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 180 deg C, and line two or three baking trays with non-stick baking parchment.    

Melt the dark chocolate, either in a microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, and leave to cool slightly.    Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (a whisk is good for this), then beat in the melted chocolate, egg and essences.  Sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder (add the orange zest and salt).  Lastly, mix in the chocolate chunks.   

Put the mixture in dessertspoonfuls onto the baking sheet, allowing space for them to spread – about 6 per tray.     Bake for about 12 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.   They will still be soft when you take them out, but will harden up as they cool.    I made 18.