← Nouns Cooking · Bakery

Ingredients

• 115 g unsalted butter, soft
• 100 g light brown sugar
• 70 g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 150 g plain flour
• 30 g cocoa powder (Dutch-process for the darkest colour)
• ½ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)
• 250 g dark or milk chocolate chips or chunks

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Beat the butter with both sugars for 2 min until creamy, then beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Sift in the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, salt and espresso powder, if using, and mix on low just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate.
4. Scoop level tablespoons of dough (about 30 g each) onto the trays, 5 cm apart.
5. Bake for 9–11 min, until the edges are set and the tops look dry but the centres are still soft. They will seem underbaked; that is what keeps them fudgy.
6. Leave on the trays for 10 min to firm up, then move to a rack.

Tips

• Press a few extra chocolate chunks onto each ball before baking for bakery-style looks.
• Raw dough balls freeze well; bake from frozen and add 1–2 minutes.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

King Arthur Baking BBC Good Food Joy of Baking