The first sweet treat I wanted to bake as soon as I had free rein in a kitchen again? Chocolate chip cookies.
There is something truly wonderful about watching balls of dough transform into soft, chewy cookies before your eyes — and so quickly, too. I did a quick search for a reliable basic recipe. At home I might have attempted a more elaborate Nigella-style version, but given the unfamiliar kitchen and my eagerness to bake something straightforward, I chose a simple approach. I even came across an article on the Guardian that explored the debate around making the “perfect” chocolate chip cookie and included a handy recipe.
Fortunately, all the ingredients were available at the nearest supermarket in Munich, so I set about making the dough.
At first I worried that the amount of chocolate might overwhelm the dough, but it folded in nicely without melting in my hands. And really, you can’t have too much chocolate.
The mixture yielded enough dough for twelve generous, golf ball–sized cookies, with a little extra left in the bowl (requested and sampled by Scott). They baked evenly within the indicated time. I skipped the recipe’s suggestion to finish them with a sprinkle of sea salt because I wanted plain, honest cookies without any frills.
We tasted a few while still warm and with gooey centers — they were excellent. By the second day they had lost a touch of that fresh chewiness I prefer, but remained buttery and very tasty. They were so good that I made a second batch the following week using white chocolate, which we both enjoyed even more; those came out sweeter and felt even more buttery.