Debbi Fields is a genius. Her recipes are foolproof, wickedly good and just perfect for the festive season. The Mrs Fields Best Ever Cookie Book is used more than any other cookbook in our kitchen – I’ve made more than thirty recipes from it. Watch this space, as I’ll be giving away copies of this cookbook before Christmas!
These Fudge Cookies with White Chocolate – a recent addition to our baking lineup – have instantly become one of Pete’s favourites. They’re very grown up, very dark and very moreish. Here’s our take on the recipe, which makes about three dozen cookies. They freeze well, so don’t feel the need to eat them all at once!
- 360g (12oz) semisweet chocolate callets (I use Callebaut 54% cocoa)
- 2 cups plain flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), sifted
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 250g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups (packed) dark brown sugar
- 3 large (59g) eggs
- 2 teaspoons homemade vanilla extract
- 120g (4oz) white chocolate callets
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil* (see topping instructions below)
1. Preheat oven to 150C (300F) with fan.
2. In a small pyrex bowl, melt the semisweet chocolate by microwaving on high in short bursts, taking care not to scorch the chocolate. Stir frequently. Set the melted chocolate aside to cool slightly.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sifted cocoa, sifted bicarb soda and salt. I don’t sift much, but cocoa and bicarbonate of soda are two ingredients that really need it, or you’ll end up with bitter lumps in your finished cookie.
4. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs and vanilla until just blended. Mix in the cooled semisweet chocolate, then the flour mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overbeat.
5. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the dough (I use a small icecream scoop) onto a baking tray lined with parchment, leaving room for the cookies to spread. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until set. Cool on the tray for a minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Topping:
The original instructions are to melt the white chocolate and oil together in a double boiler, then to drizzle this mixture over the top of the cooled cookies with the tines of a fork.
I usually temper the white chocolate, omitting the oil, and then pipe the tempered white chocolate over the top of the cookies. Enjoy!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 