So I’ve got everything I love: my (very soft and lovable) dog is sitting beside me, it’s raining outside, I’m listening to Stacey Kent, and I’ve got a glass of insanely good wine right next to my computer. Does it get better than that? Mmmm…yes. I also just ate some of the most chocolatey-rich-gooey-intense-cookies I’ve ever made (Can’t say the best ever because that doesn’t really exist. All home made cookies are equally great in the eyes of god just for being cookies. Ahem) with a glass of cold milk. There really is nothing that could top that right? Except maybe two chocolate cookie recipes all in one post. Yup, two. And they couldn’t be more different from one another. Let me tell you about the first one. It’s a a recipe of my own which I can dare to call the perfect cookie to accompany your espresso. A rich in cocoa chocolate shortbread topped by a thick layer of white chocolate, the ideal combo of sweet and chocolate-y, just what you want after a long sip of good dark coffee, right? And not only that, they’re lovely looking AND easy to make. And they keep for more than two weeks. (can’t tell you how much longer because I’ve never actually been able to have shortbread lying around uneaten for that long). Just what you need when you have company over for coffee, trust me. And the second recipe: double chocolate cookies which are gooey inside, crumbly outside, warm from the oven and have to be had with a glass of really cold milk? Yes, a dozen please. That recipe comes courtesy of Kim at Strawberry Ginger, a great blog with tons of delicious recipes. This double choc recipe is one of the best I’ve tried, or at least they turned out really well for me! I highly recommend warming them slightly in your toaster oven before eating them, the chocolate chips will melt blissfully in your mouth. But enough talk about chocolate, go read the recipes.

Double chocolate chip cookies at Strawberry Ginger

For the double chocolate chip recipe, go here:

http://strawberryginger.com/2012/09/20/decadent-double-chocolate-chip-cookies/

White chocolate and cocoa shortbread squares
(own recipe)

225 grs. butter, cold and cut into small cubes
320 grs. flour
100 grs. powdered sugar
30 grs. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup milk

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 320ºF. Place in the bowl of your mixer the butter,  flour, salt, powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Using the leaf attachment mix until you can’t see any lumps of butter bigger than pea. (or even half a pea) Add the milk and mix for around 30 seconds to 1 minute, until you see bits of dough forming. Transfer to your work surface and using the palm of your hand, rub the mixture lightly against the marble, until you incorporate all of the dry flour to form a firm even dough. (try to do this in as little moves as possible to keep the butter cold). Roll the dough into a large rectangle about 1/4 of an inch (1 cm) tall. Make sure it’s as even and square as possible. Cut in half and transfer both “slabs” to a baking sheet. Bake for about 20 mins, until you see the slightest golden brown appear around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 5-10 mins. Place the white chocolate chips evenly over the slabs and wait for another 10 minutes until it melts. Using a metal spatula, smooth the chocolate over the slabs and using a quick flicking motion create a wave-like effect.

To decorate:

Let the slabs cool completely. Melt 1/3 cup white chocolate chips and color them in your favorite shade (I used blue). Make a wax paper cone or use a piping bag with the smallest tip you have and quickly run it back and forth over the slabs to make irregular lines. Alternately if you don’t want to melt chocolate or pipe, you can use colored crystal sugars while the white chocolate hasn’t set.
Cut into even squares using a sharp very finely serrated knife. (I used my turkey knife) Store in an airtight container.