Hazelnut and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hi again.

I did the stupidest thing last night - accidentally deleted the whole contents of my computer. It's amazing how sad you feel when technically all you've lost is a couple of intangible gigabytes, but I guess that justs shows our complete and utter reliance on cyberspace and the Inter-web. All my photos of precious memories, all my music and documents - gone! My mum says to call the computer doctor, but I doubt he has wizardly powers that will allow him to conjure up my data from the abyss of billions of empty recycle bins. Or wherever all that rejected data goes.

 I felt awful, so today I just had to make some cookies to cheer myself up.

These are no ordinary cookies! These are enhanced by the wondrous addition of hazelnuts, which, I think, gives them a lovely crunch and is also kind of like deconstructed Nutella! And who wouldn't love Nutella in biscuit form?

This recipe was pinched from the lovely blog 'Always with Butter'. It's probably my favourite food blog as it is just so sweet! And Julie's photographs are quite simply, stunning. 

Hazelnut and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 20

Ingredients:

125g unsalted butter, cut into tiny cubes

1/2 cup caster sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 and 2/3 cups plain flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup chocolate chips (milk or dark or both)

2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped.

Note: to toast the hazelnuts, place the nuts in a pan (no oil) over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until fragrant, and they start to colour. Nuts burn easily, so please be careful!

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Line 2-3 baking trays with baking paper.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and both sugars with electric beaters until fluffy. Add egg and mix again.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch and salt into the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Roll tablespoon sized balls of the mixture with your hands and place on the baking trays, evenly spaced.

Bake for 20 min, until golden. Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Hope this recipe adds some cheer to your day! This just goes to show that if ever you do something stupid, just bake and it will be all better.