Ooh Delicious Double Chocolate Brazil Nut Cookies, sound scrummy, taste amazing!!
Today’s activities have been dictated by the weather!!! Actually not such a bad thing. I decided originally to make jam today, however it’s not raining and will be later on today, tomorrow, the next day, so on and so forth. Jam is most definitely a wet weather activity at this time of year – especially as I hadn’t yet put my Daffodil bulbs and Viola plants into the front garden flower bed.
I had actually resigned myself (given the very sorry state the Viola plants were in) to not being able to get this last bit of gardening done this year. My back has been playing up and as long as I’m up and about my priority for any given day is to try and get dinner sorted – in the morning, if possible, as my pain levels increase during the day. Also if I can get a wash load on that’s a bonus.
I know it sounds pathetic, but that simply is how it is. I always try and focus on the positive aspects of the day. If I started to look too closely as what I’ve not achieved I think that could lead me into a downward spiral – and that’s not the person I chose to be. Don’t get me wrong, there are days (weeks) that are harder than others and it does occasionally get me down, but I’m an optimistic person by nature, so I chose to look at the good things in my life.
I’m loved, more than I could ever imagine by The Most Amazing God, I have a wonderful family who also love and accept me. Friends that love and accept me despite my inability to be reliable or commit properly to something. I have a lot to be thankful for.
So today was the day for jam making, Except the weather’s good and jam can be made on rainy days!! I didn’t abort all cooking attempts though and decided to see whether some ‘left over’ chocolate covered Brazil nuts would make nice cookies? Oh yeah they do!!
Double Chocolate Brazil Nut Cookies
Recipe:
5oz Dark Brown Muscavado Sugar
8oz Unsalted Butter – room temp
1 Egg yolk – pref free range
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4tsp Salt
6oz Plain White Flour
2oz Cocoa Powder
2oz Shelled Brazil Nuts – chopped finely, to the same consistency of ground almonds
6oz Chocolate Covered Brazil Nuts
(or 3oz Shelled Brazil Nuts and 3oz Milk Chocolate Chunks)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 175C (160C fan)
Place the sugar and butter into a large bowl (I’ve used a clear glass jug as it’s easy to check that all the dry ingredient have been mixed in, later on).
Whisk (or beat vigorously) the butter and sugar together until completely combined and paler in colour. Whisk in the egg yolk, salt and vanilla extract.
Now take the 2oz of shelled Brazil nuts and either using a mini-chopper or food processor, chop finely until it has the same texture of ground almonds. Add these finely chopped nuts, the cocoa and the flour to the bowl.
Now chop the chocolate covered Brazil nuts roughly (do the same for plain Brazils if using).
Add the roughly chopped Brazils and gently mix all the dry ingredients into the sugar/butter mix. Make sure you combine all the dry ingredients that have dropped to the bottom of the bowl. Once everything is combined STOP!! If you overwork the mixture the dough will become tough and will affect the finished cookie.
Next, using a desert spoon and eating knife, drop golf ball sized dollops of the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Dampen your hand and gently press down on the cookie dough to slightly flatten it. This mixture is very sticky so you may need to rinse your hands, in cold water, in between squishing the cookie dough.
Place in the preheated oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. Keep a close eye on your cookies whilst cooking, it’s much harder to tell if chocolate cookies are burnt by sight!! the cookies are ready when the tops have a sugary, slightly shiny surface. When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely and firm up on the baking sheet.
It’s time to pop the kettle on!!! Place the cold cookies in an airtight container, or pop a few into cellophane bags tied with pretty ribbon and give as gifts
I’m sharing mine with my official ‘Taste Tester’ the Green Goddess, whose honest feedback and encouragement is invaluable.
It really is so much more fun sharing what you’ve baked with others – and they enjoy it too!!
Sammie x
