Soft Chewy Cookies

Of course, you probably know me very well for invading Vocal with my film studies stuff and articles entitled ‘a filmmaker’s guide’. I have often explained that I love to bake as well. Since I was young, I have loved the idea, the creativity and the relaxation of baking different things. I love to make macarons, layer cakes and gingerbread in particular and the activity of it really gets me away from my laptop (where I’m sure you know that I spend most of my life). So, I hope you enjoy me talking about what I bake and why I bake it complete with pictures (if not very good) of me actually baking, my baked goods in the process of being created and when they’re finished. I’m really happy to share this with you. And if you like, you can show me your baking (yes, I spend a lot of time writing, but I also spend a lot of time reading other people’s articles!), I would love to see it. Since I was in school, I was always interested in creating things, whether that be pieces of writing, welding things to make small statues or baking foods and making sweets (candy, if you’re American). I hope you enjoy looking at some of the stuff that has honestly kept me sane, because I seem to be going slightly mad.

Soft Chewy Cookies

I make these cookies every few days because they are the only ones my family will eat anymore and well, they like them a lot. These soft chewy cookies have a lovely centre with a crunchy outer layer if made correctly. I absolutely adore these cookies warm and when you put them in the microwave, you can melt the middle ever so slightly to create an even softer and meltier centre. When eaten with a cup of coffee it can be an incredible 4pm snack. I made these this morning and well, I have really enjoyed baking these - they only take about an hour in my oven (but if you've got a bigger oven then you can do it in less time).

• 110g Brown Sugar
• 140g Caster Sugar
• 140g Chilled Butter
• One Beaten Egg
• 225g Self Raising Flour
• 300g Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 200C
2. Line two baking trays with parchment paper
3. Cream together the sugars and butter
4. Mix in the egg
5. Add the flour and the chocolate chips and mix together
6. Split into cookies of about 1,1/2 tsp each (remember to space them out because they'll expand!)
7. Bake for 13-15mins until golden brown from the edges
8. Cool for 10-15mins and store in (preferably) a metal container or biscuit tin (that's how I do it, anyway)

If you want to vary these cookies, instead of chocolate chips, you can add dried cranberries, sultanas or, my personal favourite - roasted almonds soaked in honey.

Other variations you can make are that you can add extra flour to make the cookies extra crunchy, add extra sugar and less chocolate to make the cookies sweet and succulent. Then, you can add extra butter and cook a little longer to make them softer and juicier, however don’t add too much because then they’ll just melt!

The reason I love cookies is because there are so many ways you can make them and yet, they are very easy and quick to cook. Once you’ve got the recipe in your head there really is no way you can go wrong and you can add so many things you can add the the recipe if you want to change the flavour or the texture.

One way I like to make them personally is extra crunchy and filled with roasted almonds, honey and maybe some dark chocolate sprinkled atop if I’m feeling a bit like something to take the sweetness out. Another way I like them is extra soft with cranberries which are the ones my mother also loves (so I make them for her as well as the chocolate chip ones). Out of all the cookies I make, I have been complimented for my chocolate chip ones the most. If you become more and more at ease with these cookies, you can make them in about half an hour.