Mmmmmm chocolate cookies

It was a lovely morning yesterday so I was delighted to be playing tennis. I used my insider information and played a box match even though the lists do not go up untill Friday. I played well and was pleased with a win.

Alas the weather turned and it began raining in the afternoon. I took this opprtunity to bake some cookies. A mother in Mollie and Ben's school Glenageary Killiney National School, is running the Dublin City Marathon and raising funds for Banardos. She is also holding a cake sale at the school to raise further funds for this worthwhile charity. As she was looking for volunteers both to bake cakes and run the sale I offered my services. The sale is on Friday so I decided to start with cookies as they last when kept in an airtight container.

The recipe I used was given to me by a friend and I regularly bake these cookies. They are very easy to make, I use an electric mixer for the whole recipe and it is easy to make large quantities. I decided to make one batch of plain chocolate chip cookies and one batch of chocolate flavoured cookies with white chocolates bits. I made them simutanously and it took about 10 minutes.

First cream together 8oz butter with 6oz caster sugar and 6oz brown sugar.

Beat in two eggs.

Add 18oz self-raising flour (for plain cookies) or 16oz self-raising flour and 2oz cocoa powder (for chocolate flavoured cookies) and 200g dark or milk chocolate (plain cookies) or 200g white chocolate (chocolate flavoured cookies). I use bars of chocolate which I chop up but you can use chocolate chips if you prefer.

As you may notice I'm from the bung it all in school of thought and don't use a sieve, I don't think it makes any difference but you may choose to sieve your flour and cocoa powder.

On a floured surface roll out the dough into a sausage shape and slice into 1cm slices. Press down dough gently on a lined baking tray and bake for approximately eight minutes at 180oC.

Cool on a wire rack.

Finally, enjoy as these guys do!

I better put them away before they all get eaten!

NB: We often bake these cookies as presents for the kids teachers and wrap them up in cellophane. The teachers always appreciate being given something made by the children themselves and it's not yet another candle or more smelly stuff.