A few months ago, gripped by baking fever, I purchased Mary Berry's Baking Bible. I quickly decided to embark upon a mission to bake everything in the book, and turn myself from an occasional baker into a bit of an expert. My Grandad Ern was a Master Baker by trade; the man responsible for introducing Danish Pastries to England in fact, and I wish it had occurred to me to spend more time learning from him, rather than simply enjoying the fruits of his effortless labours. This project is almost a way of making amends for that; I'd like to follow in his footsteps (if not in my career, at least as a hobby) and continue the proud heritage of baking in my family.
I credit my friend Rachel with the idea to write a blog about my baking exploits, hoping that there will be more successes than failures as I attempt all 213 of the Queen of Baking's recipes.
So as not to bore the husband with a monotonous diet of sponges, followed by weeks of biscuits, I've decided to tackle the recipes by selecting the first bake from each chapter, followed by the second recipe and so on. I'm not going to pick and choose; I'm determined to face my baking demons and learn how to do everything baking-related, even if the consequences are disastrous!
Everything will be photographed, with comment about how I found baking it, and a husband rating (to be taken with a pinch of salt as he has a very selective cake-tooth).


Saturday 24 October 2015

75. Double Chocolate Cookies

I have no photographic evidence of these beauties, and thus had forgotten that I'd even made them, but I had a recollection of baking something that Joe and his colleagues found absolutely delicious, and these were that something. They were extremely easy to make, and were always going to be good (if baked for the right length of time) because of the inclusion of condensed milk and chocolate rather than cocoa powder. I'm learning that chocolate fayre is really, really good if it is made with actual chocolate - there's a depth of flavour there which cocoa powder doesn't provide. Anyway, the recommended baking time for these is 15 minutes. I baked them for 10 and stood my ground. I've learnt that biscuits will always be soft as long as they are warm and to have faith that they're sufficiently baked. I was spot on this time; the cookies retained their softness and were properly chewy, like a great cookie should be.
Baker's verdict: ever so easy to make and really lovely. I'd definitely make these again.
Husband rating: 8.5/10 - really cocoa-ey, good chocolate cookie and very moreish.
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