Chocolate Chip Cookies

I can't imagine a more traditional, more iconic, more first-coming-to-your-mind American dessert than chocolate chip cookies.

This was my first attempt to bake them, and I think they turned up quite well - when brought to work the next day, they disappeared uncanninly fast. So...watch out! ;)

(Recipe taken from here)

Serves: makes 39. Preparation: 25 min. Baking: 12 min.

Equipment:

- large bowl,

- mixer,

- spoon,

- baking tray,

- baking paper

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar,

- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar*,

- 226g (1 cup) butter,

- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract,

- 1 egg,

- 2 1/4 cup flour,

- 1 tsp baking soda,

- 1/2 tsp salt,

- 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts,

- 12 oz chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat your oven to 190ºC/375ºF.

* For regular brown sugar to become packed, you have to press it and squeeze it tightly in the cup, in order to eliminate all the air pockets. Then you just turn the cup upside-down in the bowl(!), as if making a sand castle.

Close enough ;)

Add the white sugar, vanilla extract, and the egg, and mix well.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt, and stir. The dough will be thick and stiff, so you might use the help of a mixer.

Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Line your tray with baking paper and, using a regular spoon or an ice cream spoon, place rounded pieces of dough on the sheet, leaving about 5 cm/2 inches of space between them.

Bake about 12 min.

The cookies, when baked, will be very soft, so it's best you leave them to cool for a few minutes on the tray, before placing them on a wire rack, to cool completely.

Needless to say, they taste delicious served with a glass of milk ;)