Ingredients

Method

• 200 g good-quality chocolate, roughly chopped
• 125 g butter
• 130 g flour
• 3 heaped T cocoa powder
• 1 t baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 150 g castor sugar
• 100 g brown sugar
• 2 free-range eggs
• 1 t vanilla essence
• a handful of Chuckles
• Woolworths soft-scoop vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with baking paper. In a bain-marie or heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter, then set aside to cool. We used a mix of milk and dark chocolate for an intense but not bitter flavour.

2. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside. In a stand-mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the sugar and eggs for 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy.

3. Add the slightly cooled chocolate and vanilla and mix to combine.

4. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

5. Using a cookie or ice-cream scoop, or two spoons, spoon the batter onto the prepared baking trays, spacing them out to allow for spreading while baking. Stud each cookie with a Chuckle, then bake for 9 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking trays for roughly 30 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Alternatively, serve hot out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream for a luxurious dessert.

Find more chocolate recipes here.

Photograph: Shavan Rahim
Videography: Jessica-Leigh Jacobs