CC Healthy Choc Chip Cookies

Six hours after my new oven was installed I was taking a tray of freshly baked choc chip cookies from the oven. My old oven has always been a bit slow to cook anything. This new one is fan forced so I was quite impatient to try it out.

The renovations hadn't finished so Sylvia and I made them on the floor. We both loved the novelty of a light in the new oven. She had fun turning the light on and off and on and off and so on. The cookies cooked quickly and tasted wonderful. Everyone in the house loves them. Sylvia told me "I love chocolate". Well, who doesn't (except Nicki G!).

I found the recipe in a favourite cookbook: In search of the perfect chocolate chip cookie by Gwen Steege. I highly recommend it to any choc chip cookie aficionado. Who would have thought that there were so many recipes for the humble choc chip cookie! They are from contestants from around the USA who entered a national competition to find the best recipe.

The book starts with the story of how choc chip cookies were invented by Ruth Wakefield of the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts, USA. If you want to read about the history of the choc chip cookie, you could also visit Louise's post on Choc Chip Cookie Week (starting 13 March).

The latest Cookbook Challenge theme is American (ahem, I am slightly behind with this theme). I have given some thought to what is an American recipe but when I decided to make choc chip cookies, it seemed obvious. The dust jacket of the Gwen Steege book actually calls them " a uniquely American passion".

I find that the book's recipes make heaps so I often put a bag of them in the freezer. They are great thawed in the microwave. On this occasion I halved the recipe and made a few small changes - no nuts, less sugar, more choc chips. D. Michael Pitalo, who sent in the recipe, describes these cookies or biscuits as hard and crisp. Bearing this in mind, it is best to only cook them until just brown rather than a pleasing golden brown. This might be said of most choc chip cookies.

The cookies are best warm from the oven. Sylvia has learnt this lesson young and I had to shoo her away to stop her burning her little fingers on hot melting choc chips. After a short wait, we sampled and were very happy indeed. I love my new oven.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Index of Favourites
This time three years ago: Easter Nut Roast

Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from The search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, p 104
makes about 3 dozen cookies

• 125g softened butter
• 3/4 cup castor sugar
• 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup plain flour (I used half wholemeal and half white)
• 1 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup corn flakes
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup dark choc chips

Cream butter and sugars (I did this by hand). Stir in vanilla and egg until well mixed. Gradually mix in flour, bicarb, baking powder, salt, oats, flakes, coconut and choc chips. The mixture will be quite stiff but I didn't mix with my hands as the recipe suggested.

Drop spoonfuls onto a greased or lined baking tray (I have silicone mats) and shape a little with your hands to flatten slightly. Bake at 180 C (or 160 C in fan forced oven) for 10-15 minutes - I think 12 minutes would have been about right.

Cool on baking tray a few minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. We have kept most of ours in the freezer and microwaved when we want one as I don't think they would last well many days.

On the Stereo:
Workers Playtime: Billy Bragg