As I might have mentioned on the blog before I absolutely LOVE Donna Hay, her stylish magazines and her beautiful books. I found this recipe in a Christmas edition of Donna Hay's magazines last year and have had a craving to make them ever since. Sofie spotted them the other day when we were looking through a pile of Christmas foodie mags and insisted we make them as soon as possible. We headed over to Sofie's grandparents house on Sunday where we had to compete for space to bake our cookies as her aunt, cousins, and granny were all busy working on gingerbread muffins and gingerbread cookies!
We managed to squeeze ourselves in amongst everyone else and started on our cookies! They really look super festive, but they work just as well as really indulgent double chocolate cookies without the candy cane chunks. I have a strange fondness for chopping chocolate so I took that job while Sofie got to work measuring everything on her granny's brilliant retro weighing scales! I'm pretty proud of our results so you gotta give them a go!
Donna Hay's Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Personally I think these cookies taste even better a day or two after you make them. The intense dark chocolate flavour mellows out a bit and makes a really moist cookie. You can also make these without the candy cane chunks which aren't essential. Chopping the candy canes is fairly easy though so don't worry, just use a sharp knife.
Makes about 12-15 cookies
110g butter, softened and chopped
1 cup (175g) brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (150g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
¼ cup (25g) cocoa, sifted
½ teaspoon biccarbonate of baking soda
120g dark chocolate, melted
280g dark chocolate, extra, chopped
120g candy canes, chopped
Preheat oven to 160°C/ Gas Mark 3.
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8–10 minutes or until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
Add the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and melted chocolate and beat until just combined.
Fold through the extra chopped chocolate.
Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into rounds.
Place on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing room for the cookies to spread, and flatten slightly.
Press the chopped candy canes into the tops of the cookies and bake for 12–15 minutes or until the edges are firm.
Allow to cool on the trays.
