Benjamin's Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

[judydawn]

This recipe comes from the current edition of the UKThermomix Newsletter so because they are really nice, I thought I'd share it with you.  CC will fill in the details of who Benjamin is as I have already deleted the newsletter.

This cookie is crispy crunchy on the outside with a gooey, chewy, almost brownie interior.

220 dark chocolate - with at least 67% cocoa
30g butter
2 large eggs
130g sugar - I used castor sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking powder
35g plain flour
sea salt flakes (opt)  - I didn't use them.

Heat chocolate and butter 5 mins/50^oC/spoon speed. (I used speed 1) until chocolate is fully melted, pausing to scrape down the sides once or twice.

Preheat oven to 175^oC and line 2 baking trays.

Tip out chocolate butter into a bowl and set aside (or leave where it is and use your second bowl if you have one).

Insert butterfly, add eggs, sugar & vanilla and whisk 3 mins/speed 4 until light & fluffy.

Turn dial to speed 2 and slowly pour melted chocolate butter through the hole and into the egg mixture.

Continue mixing 10 sec/speed 2.

Add flour and baking powder and mix 20 sec/speed 2.

Scrape down sides.  When fully mixed, remove butterfly and spoon 12 portions onto trays.  Leave plenty of room for spreading.  Mix may be quite loose at this stage although mine wasn't.  If you leave it longer it firms up but it is not necessary.

Sprinkle with sea salt flakes if using.

Bake 10-12 mins - I did 12 mins.  Cool on tray.

Variations - After mixing in the flour and baking powder, remove the butterfly, add 75g dried cherries, pecans, choc chips or a mixture.  Stir speed 2/reverse to mix them in before shaping and baking.

Members' comments
Suzanne - omg these are absolutely delicious. I was pleasantly surprised the mixture was very brownie like so actually had to spoon blobs onto my tray but they looked just like Judy's once cooked so presume it was right,  I've had to put them at the top of the pantry because the kids kept eating them I also made them smaller so I made about 20, enjoy - they are very good. They do taste brownieish, even ds8 said they were delicious mouthfuls of brownie bites.

CP - Yummo!

Denzelmum - At last made this biscuit.  Yum!

[cookie1]

Great minds think alike Judy. I had saved those too. Thanks for trying them and posting them.

[Cornish Cream]

This is about Ben Axford the recipe developer .
Ben Axford is well known to Thermomix owners in the Gloucestershire area as their local Thermomix Demonstrator and as one of the chef tutors at FoodWorks Cookery School. In November, Ben launched a new business using his Thermomix and he writes:

"Living in Belgium, you could say that chocolate has always been in my veins, but it took many years before I realised that chocolate was my passion. A law degree followed by telecoms, headhunting, owning a cheese & wine business, catering - all came before I started focusing on chocolate. Last year I embarked on the first steps to creating my very own chocolate company Benjamin Chocolatier. Now I can truly say I am a chocolatier, and it feels so good to be able to say that! The first step was to develop my own distinct ganaches (the soft fillings inside a chocolate). Fortunately owning a Thermomix made the recipe research and development a whole lot easier, not to mention the silky smooth results that can be achieved only with this machine. Getting the ganache just right was essential, along with making sure that the flavours of the chocolate and the fruit or spices all came through beautifully."

Ben's website is here

[judydawn]

Thanks CC.

Cookie every now and then a recipe really jumps out at you and these cookies did just that for me

[Denzelmum]

Looking forward to try this, Judy!

[CreamPuff63]

I must try these over te weekend. Were they as delicious as they look JD?

[Bedlam]

Yum another diet killer...lifes too short

[*suzanne*]

omg these are absolutely delicious

[goldfish]

Ohhhhhh Suzanne...and Judy!!! How could you!!!! Was trying so hard not to look!!!! They look absolutely TDF!!!!! Can feel myself giving in ( very fast !!!) to temptation!!!!!!

(Thank you!!!!)

[*suzanne*]

I was pleasantly surprised the mixture was very brownie like so actually had to spoon blobs onto my tray but they looked just like Judys once cooked so presume it was right,  I've had to put them at the top of the pantry because the kids kept eating them I also made them smaller so I made about 20, enjoy gf they are very good

[Thermesa]

Just as well I've run out of eggs...

[goldfish]

enjoy gf they are very good

Thanks Suzanne!! I will!! Trust me!!!

[judydawn]

Great picture suzanne - I wonder why they crack like that.  I like a recipe that does exactly as you expect it to even if you don't know why it does 

[*suzanne*]

me to Judy;D,  I wonder if it's because the mixture is very brownie like and the un cracked bits are just like the top of a brownie so if you did it in a tin it couldn't spread and crack but because they're cookies they do

[judydawn]

Yes, I'll go along with that explanation suzanne