Chocolate chip cookies

Last week, a very dear friend told me that one of his colleagues had brought homemade chocolate chip cookies to work. My friend, very hungry already, yet hours away from his lunchbreak had gratefully had some but was sorely disappointed. The cookies, he told me, looked beautiful but did not taste very nice. That had got me thinking: chocolate chip cookies basically consist of flour, butter, eggs, sugar and chocolate. Simple ingredients. What can go wrong? Once again, it probably all depends on your ingredients. Use the best and you'll be fine. That brings me to something else. Ilva, who's blog Lucullian Delights I always check out because I think it's one of the best around just did a post about chocolate chip cookies, saying she mainly makes them for her children as she wants to prevent them from eating trans fats (usually contained in shop-bought biscuits). I don't have children (yet) but I wholeheartedly agree with her. I try not to eat sweets all too often but if I do, I'd rather have them made from the best available ingredients.

Chocolate chip cookies (makes about 30)

• 140g butter
• 100g brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 egg
• 180g flour (I used spelt, half white and half wholemeal)
  
• 100g dark chocolate, chopped
• 80g walnuts, chopped
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Roast the nuts on a lined baking sheet in the hot oven (200°). It only takes about three minutes, set the timer. You think you don't need to because you'll check on them? Of course you will. It'll be too late. So set the timer. Remove the nuts from the oven and let cool. Beat the butter, sugar and egg until fluffy. Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda, then stir in the nuts and chocolate. Spoon little heaps on a lined baking sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes at 180° degrees. Place on a wire rack to cool.

It may seem a bit of a hassle to toast the nuts but it makes a huge difference to the taste. You can vary the recipe by using hazelnuts or maybe macadamia. I also like to add some cinnamon or allspice.

Bring them to work, your colleagues will love you.