Chocolate Chip Cookie (chewy)

Recipe makes 24 pieces of 3-3.5 inch cookie

113g unsalted butter, softened
50g fine sugar
160g brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp vanilla paste
188g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
125g semi-sweet chocolate chip

1. Preheat oven to 175 degree celsius and line baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

2. Cream butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Scrap sides and bottom of mixing bowl halfway to make sure sugars are well beaten.

3. In another bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

5. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. Using an ice-cream scoop, place golf ball sized balls 2 inch apart onto baking sheet. (I slightly press the balls flatter before baking)

7. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cookie continue to cook a little when they are out of the oven, so take them out when they are still light brown.

Chocolate Chip Cookie (Crunchy)

Recipe taken from back of Nestle Toll House Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

2 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (225g) butter, softened
3/4 cup (170g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150g) packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (336g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup (125g) chopped nuts


1. Prehear oven to 190 degree celsius. (I baked at 180 degrees. 190 degrees would burn the cookies in my oven)
 
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

3. Gradually beat in flour mixture. 

4. Stir in morsels and nuts. 

5. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

6. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

Chocolate Truffle Icing

(Recipe from Donna Hay's Simple Essentials - Chocolate)

400g dark chocolate, chopped
125ml single or pouring cream

1. Place the chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over low heat and stir till melted and smooth.

2. Cool for 10 minutes.

3. Use a palette knife to spread the icing over cooled cake

(After cooling, I placed the icing in the refrigertor for 15-20 minutes so that it is slightly firmer to spread)

Chocolate Sponge Cake

Recipe for one 8" round tin

80g cake flour, sifted
66g vegetable oil or melted butter
32g castor sugar
4 egg yolks
2g baking powder
1 pinch of baking soda
1tsp vanilla paste (optional)
12g cocoa powder
60g hot water (for dissolving cocoa powder)

4 egg whites
62g castor sugar
1 pinch cream of tartar



1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius

2. Dissolve the cocoa powder and baking soda together in the hot water.

3. Separate egg whites and egg yolks into 2 separate bowls.

4. Beat the egg yolks with sugar (32g) until sugar dissolves. Slowing mix in vegetable oil, and liquid cocoa mixture from Step 2.

5. Stir in flour mixture till even.

6. In separate mixing bowl (make sure it is greaseless and clean), whisk the egg whites till frothy, add in the pinch of cream of tartar and beat till almost soft peak.

7. Add in sugar (62g) in 3 batches and whisk till pale white with firm peaks.

8. Fold 1/3 of the egg white meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Then pour the lightened egg yolk mixture back into the remaining meringue and fold lightly till even. Be careful not to overfold.

9. Pour sponge cake batter into (ungreased) cake tin, smoothen the surface and lightly tap to release air bubbles.

10. Bake in the center shelf of oven (cake must be in center of oven) for 35-40 minutes.

* Try not to open the oven door during the first 30 minutes or cake will deflat.

If the top browns, quickly cover a piece of aluminium foil over it at 30 minutes and continue to bake.

11. Test doneness with a skewer, it should come out clean if cake is ready.

12. Remove sponge cake from oven and immediately invert of cooling rack to cool. Remove from tin only when cake is completely cool.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

Recipe taken from Donna Hay's Simple Essentials - Chocolate
(makes 12 cupcakes)

125g butter, softened
3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups (190g) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
100g dark chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius (original recipe calls for 160 degree celsius, which I found too cool)

2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy.

3. Gradually add eggs and beat well.

4. Sift over flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and beat until combined.

5. Fold through the milk and chocolate and spoon the mixture into a 12 x 1/2 cup capacity muffin tins lined with paper patty cases.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool on wire racks.

7. Spread or pipe icing as desired.

(Note: I had combined steps 4 and 5 by alternating the adding or milk and flour mixture in 2 and 3 additions respective, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. )