We finally got there with the cookies…on the third batch.
I had it in my mind as to what I wanted these to be like and it just wasn’t working. However, I think I got the desired outcome on the third go and kindly, Mark’s colleagues approved them!
I love coffee and I particularly love it in baking. I also wanted the deep and rich flavour of browned butter.
So here they are, warm and buttery and full of caffeine; my espresso and browned butter cookies.
Ingredients:
- 2 shots of espresso coffee or 4 teaspoons of instant coffee dissolved in a little water
- 250g salted butter
- 115g caster sugar
- 275g plain flour
- 1 bag of chocolate chips
Method:
- Pre heat the oven to 190c/170c fan/gas mark 5
- Make up the coffee and leave to cool. I usually run a bowl of cool water and place the cup inside.
- Make the browned butter. Get a light pan (so you can see the colour of the butter changing) and melt the butter over a medium to high heat. The butter will fizz and bubble up a little but you’re looking for it changing to a golden colour, stirring constantly. Once you see the darker coloured residue starting to form, immediately take off the heat and keep stirring so that the darker sugar crystals don’t stick. After stirring for a few seconds, pour the melted butter into a bowl and again, set aside to cool down. This butter will form a lovely rich baked taste to the biscuits.
- Whilst both are cooling down, lay out your baking tray with baking paper and electric mixer, scales and little saucer.
- When the coffee and butter are quite cool, start the mixing…
- In the food mixer, mix the butter and sugar on a medium speed. Slowly add the coffee.
- Remove the mixer bowl and sieve in the plain flour.
- Mix again for a minute or two until all incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and mix for another minute until all mixed in.
- Take the bowl out and work the mix with your hands. It should still be fairly wet but dry enough to form a cookie dough
- Using a scales and a plate, weigh out roughly 30g per piece to make small cookies. I found this size worked well.
- Line up the cookies (you may have to do 2 trays) leaving a good 2 inch gap between. press the balls lightly with your fingers or knuckles so they are pressed down a little.
- Cook for 9 minutes, take out and allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes before moving as they will be quite delicate. Once they have cooled a little, move onto a surface like a wooden chopping board and allow to cool completely before serving.
