Coffee Royale: A Chocolate Chip Cookie for the Discerning Adult, and Absolutely Delicious.

Coffee, Brandy and Belgian Dark Chocolate Chips, a marriage made in Heaven! I came up with this recipe several years ago now, and still love it.  You know when something is perfection and nothing else can be done to improve it? Well this is the one.  I defy you not to agree.  So, I pass it on with love.

Like most of my recipes, they are simple to make and always work, as long as you follow the recipe and techniques as stated. 

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 190C (375F/Gas Mark 5)

Ingredients Required:

225g (1 cup/8 ozs) butter

170g (3/4 cup/6 ozs)  light brown sugar

150g (3/4 cup/5 1/4 ozs) white sugar

1 tblsp brandy

1 tblsp instant coffee

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg lightly beaten

345g (2 3/4 cups/12 1/4 ozs) plain (general purpose) flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

225g (1 1/2 cups/8ozs) dark Belgian chocolate chips

This is a really simple recipe but you must be careful when you add the egg and the chocolate chips.  If the butter /sugar mixture is too hot the egg will scramble; the mixture needs to be blood heat.  Put your little finger into the butter/sugar mixture and if you can hold it there for a few seconds without it burning, it is the correct temperature. 

The same especially applies to the chocolate chips; this is why I disperse them in the flour and don't add them until the mixture has cooled down.  Otherwise the chocolate chips will melt into the dough and loose shape - these are chocolate 'chip' cookies after all. 

These processes will only take a short time especially with stirring the butter/sugars, they cool very quickly and once the egg is added and stirred in, the mixture will soon be cool enough for the flour ingredients to be added.

So.......

1.  Put the butter and sugars into a plastic bowl and place into the microwave.  Blitz until the butter has melted - about 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the coffee, brandy and vanilla extract.  Stir very well until the coffee and sugars have melted and all is well combined.  

3.  When  the mixture is finger warm add the lightly beaten egg.  Stir until everything is combined and the mixture takes on the appearance of dark honey.

4.  Sieve the dry ingredients together and add the chocolate chips.  Disperse them evenly through the flour.

5.  Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir until all is combined.

6.  Roll into balls, about the size of a walnut.  

7.  Place on parchment covered baking sheets leaving 1/2" (1.25cm) space between each ball.  Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.

8.  Put into the pre-heated oven and bake until the biscuits are golden brown around the edges.  This will give a crispy shell with a chewy centre, and the chocolate chips will be soft and gooey. Yum.

9. When baked place on a cooling wrack until cold.  Store in an airtight tin (if they last that long).

I love them......let me know what you think.

Until the next time adios Amigo

From sunny Almeria Province, Spain. (40 degrees C today!) X