[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] 

There’s baking and then there’s chocolate chip cookies. Practically EVERYBODY loves them (except Yumi’s kids, of course) and they’re perfect for lunchboxes, kids' playdates, piling into your mouth 2 at a time when you’re the last one in the kitchen etc. Simon swears these are the BEST cookies and shares a clever substitution which makes them a little bit fancier (and healthier!). (SPOILER, it involves a bit of tahini – listen to get the lowdown). For the basic recipe though, read on. 

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RECIPE:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line two baking trays with baking paper.  

Place 200g softened butter, 150g brown sugar and 125g caster sugar in a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for a few minutes until pale and creamy. This will take a few minutes.  

Add a beaten egg, egg yolk and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and beat for another minute or so, then add 275g plain flour, half a teaspoon bicarb soda and a pinch of salt and mix on low speed until just combined and doughy. Finally, add 200g roughly chopped milk chocolate (reserving a small handful to press into the top of the cookies) and give the mixer another few turns on low speed to combine.  

Shape the cookie dough into balls and place them on the baking trays around 4cm apart. I find that around 40g per ball gives just the right size cookie but feel free to make them as small or large as you wish! I like to stick a couple of chocolate pieces on top of the cookie balls so that when the dough spreads as it cooks, there are visible chocolate pieces on the top. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until cookies are just golden around the edges and look a little undercooked in the middle. Any more golden/cooked, and they will go crunchy!  

Remove them from the oven and allow them to rest for a few minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely.