Half-baked Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Who wants a regular cookie when you can eat ooey, gooey warm cookie dough?

We very rarely went to Pizza Hut when we were children but on the rare occasion that we did the choice of pudding was always a tough one...do you go for the Ice-cream Factory or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough? Unlimited ice-cream with as many toppings and sauces, or warm, gooey cookie dough topped with ice-cream.

It's a tough choice, and I'm still not sure which I would choose. However, I still remember the first time I tried that cookie dough. Perhaps I had never tasted anything before that was so buttery, sweet and deliciously bad for you . I instantly fell in love, and to this day if there is any kind of cookie dough dessert on a menu I can't resist it.

I have tried and tested many recipes since and I really think this is the best. Using brown sugar and real butter makes all the difference to that gorgeous flavour.

Half-baked Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 115g butter (salted)

• 200g light brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 egg

• 180g plain flour

• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 150g chocolate, chopped into good sized chunks

(notes, substitutions and variations found below the method)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°F (160°C fan). Butter a 9/10 inch skillet, oven-proof frying pan or 8x8 cake tin.

2. In a bowl melt the butter, then add the brown sugar and vanilla and stir well to combine. Beat in the egg, then add the flour and bicarbonate of soda and beat well until completely combined. Fold through the chocolate chips.

3. Pour into the skillet/frying pan and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. It sould be golden and crispy on top but very gooey in the middle (no one wants and overdone cookie!).

4. Serve with ice-cream.

Notes, substitutions and variations:

• Flour: plain flour works well, but if you have self-raising you can use this too. It results in cookies with bigger air pockets. Ground almonds can be used, but produce a very different tasting cookie. If you like the almond flavour then go for it!

• Sugar: use whatever sugar you have, this will just change the colour and flavour profile of the cookie. Brown sugars give a deeper, caramel-like flavour.

• Chocolate: I personally like Cadburys dairy milk in these, but use whatever you have. I sometimes don’t have chocolate so will use whatever I have in the cupboard, from crushed oreos to nuts to maltesers.

• Butter: Butter really is best for these and it definitely produces the best flavour. However, if you only have margarine then go for it, the flavour will not be as rich but it will still be delicious.