Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

My daughter goes mad for these cookies and while I totally understand why she does, they’re such a palaver to make that I really need to be in the mood – and I’m not in that mood as often as she’d like me to be.

So why are they a palaver to make? It’s the whole waiting thing. You mix them, then you wait for the dough to be firm enough to work with, then you roll them into balls, then you wait some more, then you bake them. I can’t be doing with all of this waiting around.

Anyways, this is a seriously, sinfully, chocolatey, fudgey biscuit that answers every possible urge you may have around indulgences – if, of course, you’re inclined to an occasional indulgence or three. As such, they’re worth the waiting around for. Besides, sometimes it’s a good thing for gratification to be delayed…just a tad…

What you need:

235g dark chocolate (at least 55% cocoa solids), chopped roughly

150g plain flour

40g unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons bicarb (baking) soda

½ teaspoon salt

100g unsalted butter

240g soft brown sugar

2 eggs

85g dried sour cherries or unsweetened cranberries

What you do with it:

  • Preheat the oven to 165C, and line some oven trays with baking paper
  • Melt the chocolate in the usual way (I do it in a stainless steel bowl over, but not touching, simmering water)
  • Sift flour, cocoa, bicarb and salt into a bowl
  • Cream butter and sugar in your mixer
  • Add eggs, one at a time, beating each in well
  • Add dry ingredients in 3 batches, beating well after each
  • Mix in the melted chocolate
  • Fold through the cherries or cranberries
  • Hand the mixer blade to the waiting “helper” for cleaning
  • This is a seriously sticky dough so you’ll need to pop the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes or so – until it is firm enough to work with
  • Take large teaspoonfuls of the mix and roll into balls. Place on the tray, allowing room to spread and put the trays in the fridge for 30 mins, or until firm.
  • Hide the bowl so that the “helpers” who miraculously emerge don’t eat all the cookie dough.
  • Bake for 15-20 mins, or until risen and cracked on top. You’ll know they are done by the rich chocolatey smell.
  • Cool on the trays. They should be quite fudgey in the centre and are best eaten within a few days.