Rye dark chocolate cookies
These have less sugar and butter than standard cookies. Make sure you use a dark chocolate with a high cocoa content for a rich, grown-up result. Rye flour adds a lovely toasty flavour.
MAKES 10 PREP 20min, plus chilling COOK about 25min
• 200g (7oz) 70%-85% dark chocolate (depending on how dark you like them), finely chopped
• 25g (1oz) unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 100g (3½oz) light brown sugar
• ½tsp vanilla extract
• 40g (1½oz) rye flour
• ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Sea salt (optional)
1 Gently melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove and set aside to cool for 10min.
2 With an electric whisk, combine the eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until pale and moussey, about 5min. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture along with the vanilla.
3 Mix in the flour and bicarbonate of soda. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30min.
4 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Scoop the dough into 10 mounds, spaced well apart on the baking sheets (each cookie will be about 2tbsp). Wet your hands with cold water, then roll the dough into balls, squashing slightly down. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt flakes, if using.
5 Bake the cookies for 12-15min until slightly puffed and firm around the edges – the tops should crack a little.
Allow to cool for 15min on the baking sheets before carefully transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
PER COOKIE: CALS 191; FAT 9G; SAT FAT 5G; CARBS 25G
Good enough to give as a gift