The Perfect Gooey Cookie Slab

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The Perfect Gooey Cookie Slab

October 7, 2013 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

A post for Elaine, who loves Pete’s cookie recipe!

Remember the chocolate chip cookie slab I posted about a few weeks ago?

Well, it was very nice, but not mindblowing. This one, on the other hand, is ludicrously good – it’s moreish and gooey and seriously chocolatey. It’s a tray baked version of Pete’s favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe – and the disproportionately high chocolate content vis-à-vis flour results in a crisp wafery crust over a molten and butterscotchy centre (which sets firm by the following day)…

165g plain (AP) flour
35g bread or bakers flour
a pinch of fine sea salt (or up to ¼ teaspoon if you prefer your cookies saltier)
120g (½ cup) white sugar
100g brown sugar (½ cup) – I used light Muscovado
125g (½ cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 large (59g) egg
1 tsp vanilla extract (I used homemade)
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
150g dark choc chips (Callebaut 54% cocoa callets)
50g very dark choc chips (Callebaut 70% cocoa callets)
100g bake stable dark choc chips (Callebaut 44% cocoa baking sticks, broken into small pieces)

Note : This results in a reasonably sweet bar – if you’d like it darker, use more of the 70% and less of the 44% cacao chocolates.

1. Preheat the oven to 150C (300F) with fan. Line a 31 x 14cm/12 x 5½” biscotti pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have a biscotti pan, a 20cm/8″ square pan should also work.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cold butter and sugars together, until they form a grainy paste. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, salt and sifted bicarbonate of soda (it’s important to sift the bicarb, or you’ll get bitter lumps in the finished cookie). Add the chocolate to the flour. Now, tip the whole lot into the batter and mix until just incorporated (no bits of flour left).

4. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, work it into the corners and flatten out the top with a spatula. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden, being careful not to overcook it.

5. Allow the pan to cool completely on a wire rack before lifting out and cutting into pieces. It will be very gooey when hot, so don’t try to cut it too soon.

My family demolished this batch in no time flat and have already asked me to bake some more!

Posted in Recipes | 88 Comments

88 Responses

on October 7, 2013 at 12:05 am emily @ wellcookedlife.com

Yes. That is all I can say. Yes.
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:39 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Em! It certainly is easier than making the individual cookies! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 12:23 am theclevercarrot

The name certainly says it all!! This looks to die for :)
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:39 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Em, by the next day it’s quite firm, but then it’s delicious for a completely different reason! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 1:26 am thecompletebook

Ooo, fabulous!
:-) Mandy xo
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:42 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Mandy! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 1:30 am heidiannie

So you took a good recipe and made it better! Yay! I love it when they eat it up and ask for more! I rather like the slab versus the biscuit- the texture is always rather molten inside rather than dried out!
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:47 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Heidi, the second batch is gone now too! The nice thing about this one is that even after it cooled completely and the chocolate set hard, it still wasn’t dry!
on October 7, 2013 at 1:36 am sallybr

I fully agree that the texture of the slab will always be nicer – if you are into soft, gooey, molten insides, which I definitely am!

that could be a nice recipe to inaugurate my new oven next week!
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:48 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Oooh Sally, new oven will be VERY exciting!
on October 7, 2013 at 4:18 am cecilia

You really do LOVE chocolate don’t you. I have to admit the ‘gooey’ is tempting! c
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:48 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Um…yes.. ;-)
on October 7, 2013 at 6:18 am Choclette

Ooh Celia, a biscuity brownie – sounds wonderful. I’ve bookmarked.
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:51 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Choc, I hope you like this one – it’s very moreish. The fam have demolished two batches already! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 7:56 am InTolerant Chef

Can you ever have a disproportionate amount of chocolate Celia? This sounds amazing, and gooey is gorgeous! Xox
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:51 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Becca, maybe not – but this one just barely holds together once the chocolate starts melting.. ;-)
on October 7, 2013 at 8:17 am Le Petit Potager

Thank you so much! I’ll bet Pete was is seventh heaven just smelling the slab.
Just checked and I’m out of baking sticks!!!!!………I’ll just have to use more sao thome and a little arriba
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:52 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Elaine, hope that works well for you – it will be a little bit gooey-er without the baking sticks I suspect.. :)
  - on October 8, 2013 at 6:19 pm Le Petit Potager
    
    I’ve decided to be patient and wait until I go into the city on Thursday; prefer not too gooey
on October 7, 2013 at 9:14 am Rose

Looks good Celia. I take it that a “bake stable” product doesn’t melt during cooking but keeps it’s shape and texture? So the callets would melt or partly melt but not the baking sticks?

I love how you introduce us to new ideas Celia — and Pete! I hope you all have a good Monday off.
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:53 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Rose, Callebaut make baking sticks – they were designed to go in chocolate croissants and pane de chocolat, I think and like a Nestle choc chip, they hold their shape during baking. And they’re MUCH better than a Nestle choc chip! :) Had a great long weekend thank you, hope you did too! (I read Jim Henson’s autobiography!)
  - on October 10, 2013 at 12:29 pm Rose
    
    Thanks for this Celia. I am definitely making a run up to CW late this month or early next.
on October 7, 2013 at 9:21 am lambsearsandhoney

OMG – I’m so into anything that bakes chocolate goodies in slabs. And I’m with Bec – there is nothing disproportionate about large amounts of chocolate.
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:53 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Amanda, the older I get, the more I’m opting for the easier option too (notice I didn’t say “lazier”.. ;-))
on October 7, 2013 at 9:26 am chrisd6

Hi Celia I’ve been looking for something special to take to a birthday party this week and thanks to you I have the perfect recipe.
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:54 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Hi Chris, hope it works well for you! :) If you make it the day before, it should set firm the next day and be good for cutting into reasonably small pieces.
on October 7, 2013 at 12:01 pm Fig & Quince

I can’t even comment properly, I’m attacking the cookies in my mind’s eyes & polishing them off! oh my God!
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:54 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Hahaha…thanks Azita! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 2:03 pm Tandy | Lavender and Lime

This is a serious sugar overload recipe Celia :)
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:55 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Tandy, actually the sugar isn’t that high, but there is a bucketload of chocolate in there.. :)
on October 7, 2013 at 2:41 pm GourmetGetaways (@GourmetGetaway)

I love homemade choc chip cookies! The are my favourite type of cookie, thankfully they are not the kids favourite so I get to eat a lot of them when I cook them. I will have to try out your recipe :)
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:55 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Jules, your kids don’t like chocolate chip cookies? Now that’s pretty unusual, what do they prefer instead?
on October 7, 2013 at 6:08 pm Suelle

That looks so good! There’s no such thing as too much chocolate!
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:56 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Suelle, and I think you might well be right! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 6:31 pm frugalfeeding

A cookie slab! Wow. I’m off cake, but I would really like some of this. Indulgent and homely!
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:56 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  You’re off cake, Nick? ;-) This is nice, but not really frugal – the chocolate in it is expensive! :)
  - on October 8, 2013 at 9:16 pm frugalfeeding
    
    Indeed – trying to drop as much weight as possible for cycling – need to go faster! Chocolate isn’t too expensive over here.
    - on October 8, 2013 at 9:33 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
      
      That’s true! You don’t have the same shipping costs that we do! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 6:38 pm Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

Thanks for the recipe! I’m somewhat relieved and surprised that you didn’t mention how naughtily I ate the pieces of this :P
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:57 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Not at all, you only had wafer thin slices.. ;-)
on October 7, 2013 at 7:04 pm Kavey

Aah looks awfully tasty!
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:57 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Kavey! I’m pretty happy with this one!
on October 7, 2013 at 8:23 pm saucygander

Oh my, forget bread, I’m making cookie slab this week!
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:58 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Hahaha…enjoy Saucy! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 8:29 pm Anne @ Life in Mud Spattered Boots

I saw the title and nearly didn’t read this. Celia, I do not need any more of your cakes and biscuit recipes because for some reason I feel compelled to try them all. Oh well, now I’ve read it I suppose I could just delete it from my memory. Possibly. Possibly not. x
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:58 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Anne, your tribe work hard, they need feeding up! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 8:47 pm Karen

Gooey is a good thing when it comes to desserts…yours sounds delicious.
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:59 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Karen, thank you! It’s interesting how it sets up the next day though – it’s like having two different desserts! :)
on October 7, 2013 at 10:36 pm Lisa the Gourmet Wog

those boys of yours are too lucky to have a Mumma cook them all these yummy goodies!!
- on October 8, 2013 at 5:59 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  That’s kind of you Lisa, thank you! I’ve just walked out to have a piece, and it’s all gone. Haven’t figured out who it all went into yet.. :)
on October 8, 2013 at 6:31 am andreamynard

I think I must’ve led a sheltered life as I’ve never come across a traybake version of cookies. But now I’ve seen this slab of deliciousness I ,may not be able to resist trying it.
- on October 8, 2013 at 6:00 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Andrea, it was just me mucking about with an old recipe when I was feeling too lazy to shape individual cookies! In this case, the easier option was a winner! :)
on October 8, 2013 at 7:50 am Norma Chang

My kind of cookies, gooey with tons of chocolate.
- on October 8, 2013 at 6:01 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Norma, they were great fun (and dead easy) to make! I’m going to try them with a variety of chocolate combinations next! :)
on October 8, 2013 at 8:36 am Jan Trounce

I think it might have been Heidiannie who commented once a long tome ago about one of your chocolate cakes/slabs that it looked as if it was saying “come sit by me a while and tell me your troubles”. I could just face plant that!
- on October 8, 2013 at 6:02 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Ah, that was a quote from Michael Lee West about chocolate slab cakes.. :) And I know we’re not supposed to find emotional support from food, but there are TIMES when a sweet treat really IS the order of the day! :)
on October 8, 2013 at 10:38 am ChgoJohn

Your description of this “slab” has me drooling, Celia. All that gooey, chocolatey goodness. I bet it tastes great served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, too. That Pete’s a lucky guy! ;)
- on October 8, 2013 at 6:02 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  John, I’ve actually been slicing it up thinly and serving it with tea like little petit fours. Well, the bits that I could salvage from the kids that is.. :)
on October 8, 2013 at 11:56 am hotlyspiced

This does look very good, Celia and you are so good at describing the taste of your dishes. I love how you say this has a buterscotch centre – that sounds wonderful. I can totally believe this was devoured in a hurry xx
- on October 8, 2013 at 6:03 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Charlie, thank you – I think that the butterscotch-ness was coming from the Muscovado sugar, which always gives everything such a lovely caramel edge…
on October 8, 2013 at 12:44 pm cityhippyfarmgirl

looks deadly Celia…DEADLY.
- on October 8, 2013 at 6:04 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Brydie, I suspect your Mr Chocolate would enjoy this! :)
on October 8, 2013 at 12:51 pm Krista

Oh my word, this sounds incredible!!! I love sheet cookies like this and haven’t made any in ages. You’ve inspired me. :-)
- on October 8, 2013 at 6:04 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Krista, that’s great, thank you! Hope you have fun baking! :)
on October 8, 2013 at 3:27 pm Vita

Drooling, Everywhere.
- on October 8, 2013 at 6:05 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Hope you enjoy them, Vita! How’ve you been? Hope all is well in your world! x
on October 8, 2013 at 6:13 pm Kari @ bite-sized thoughts

This certainly looks perfectly gooey to me Celia!
- on October 8, 2013 at 7:12 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Kari! It’s very rewarding when an experiment works out well enough to warrant a repeat performance! :)
on October 9, 2013 at 12:27 am dianeskitchentable

Oh Celia, you’ve got me drooling over these. How about if you ship some over to me since I can’t bake any for a few weeks?
- on October 9, 2013 at 5:40 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  I would try to, if they ever got out of my kitchen! The boys are hoovering these as fast as I can bake them! :) Can’t wait to see what the new kitchen looks like!
  - on October 9, 2013 at 10:12 am dianeskitchentable
    
    Oh that’s right I keep forgetting you have hungry boys. No chance those
on October 9, 2013 at 5:00 am Sophie33

Celia, I have made your previous cookie slab recipe & loved them so I Will looovvveeee these beauties, ….OOOh yes. 😀😀
- on October 9, 2013 at 5:40 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Sophie, thank you for trying them! :) xxx
on October 9, 2013 at 6:41 am The Life of Clare

That looks absolutely amazing!
- on October 10, 2013 at 4:48 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Clare! xx
on October 9, 2013 at 5:29 pm Lina

This is a fantastic recipe to save for Winter or a cold evening.Cause then you can use the excuse for the cold to eat more! haha!! Oh now my cellulite’s complaining!
- on October 10, 2013 at 4:49 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Lina, I know what you’re saying! As my friend Terri likes to say, “my butt’s so big it’s applying for its own postcode!” :D
on October 10, 2013 at 6:26 am marilynscottwaters

Celia! Hello! These look so tasty. I have a question for you. The boy made oatmeal cookies last night and they came out really flat. Any ideas why cookies can come out all in a layer? Thanks! Maz.
- on October 10, 2013 at 6:30 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Maz, probably because the butter got overworked and soft. If you put the dough in the fridge to chill first, it usually stops the cookies spreading too much.
  - on October 19, 2013 at 8:23 am marilynscottwaters
    
    Thanks, Celia! That makes sense. The dough was a bit warm when he slapped them into the oven.
on October 10, 2013 at 7:47 am sarah

I do so love your posts and will try the gooey cake. I would also like to try to make the sour bread teddies. Thank you sharing and feel free to visit me at my bog in the orchard.
Sarah
- on October 10, 2013 at 4:50 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Sarah! The teddys are always a hit with small people! :)
on October 11, 2013 at 11:10 pm Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

You didn’t get it wrong.. perfect :)
- on October 12, 2013 at 7:22 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks love! Easy to make too! :)
on October 15, 2013 at 11:41 pm Kitchen Butterfly

Love, love, love it. On my list of things to make!
on November 10, 2013 at 5:02 pm Cookies plus fun: chocolate, sprinkles, and giantness | Saucy gander

[…] Like Celia (of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial)’s Perfect Gooey Cookie Slab. […]
on November 10, 2013 at 6:17 pm saucygander

Celia, just wanted you to know that I’ve made your cookie slab again (with some tweaks) and blogged about it, it was every bit as good as the first time, if not better!
http://wp.me/p26KJv-pI
- on November 10, 2013 at 7:25 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Saucy, that’s great, thanks so much for letting me know! xx

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