Makes 15 big bikkies or 24 smaller ones · gluten-free option, leftovers friendly, freezer friendly.
Inspired by traditional Italian-style almond biscuits and born from a desire not to waste egg whites at a café I was working at, these bikkies were a bit of a fluke creation. The expression ‘perfect chocolate chip cookie’ gets thrown around a lot these days, and I know everyone likes their cookies a little bit differently, but look… I reckon these are pretty close. A slight crunch, a bit of bend, a real chew and a beautiful caramel flavour from the browned butter and sugar— they’re definitely my perfect cookies, that much I can say.
I like my chocolate chip bikkies seriously chocolatey: as in a one-to-one ratio of chocolate to dough. If this isn’t your style, feel free to use less chocolate. I also like to use a mixture of milk, dark and white chocolate chips, but, again, it’s up to you. Beauty is in the mouth of the beholder.
INGREDIENTS:
100 g butter
230 g (1 cup) brown sugar
2 egg whites, whisked
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
125 g (1¼ cups) almond meal
75 g (½ cup) self-raising flour (or use gluten-free)
250 g (1½ cups) mixed chocolate chips
METHOD:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is almost coming to the boil, reduce the heat and cook slowly, stirring often, until it is beginning to brown and smells very nutty; this should take about 5 minutes.
Pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar. Mix well to combine and let the mixture cool for 5–10 minutes.
Add the whisked egg whites and vanilla and whisk well. Add the almond meal and flour and stir together with a wooden spoon. The mixture might seem slightly wetter than other biscuit doughs you’ve made, but don’t stress.
Add the chocolate and fold until combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours, or up to 2 days. This ensures the bikkies hold their shape when baked.
Around 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C, and line a large biscuit tray with baking paper.
Roll the dough into 15 balls of equal size and arrange evenly around your baking tray. Press each ball down slightly with your fingers.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the bikkies are beginning to turn golden. Be careful not to overcook them, unless you like them super crunchy. When the bottoms are golden and the tops are just the slightest shade darker, they’re done. They’ll feel super soft to touch when straight out of the oven, but will harden considerably as they cool. Best eaten with a glass of milk, many would say.
This recipe is shared with permission from The Shared Table by Clare Scrine, published by Smith Street Books. Photography © Savannah van der Niet.
https://www.smithstreetbooks.com/books/the-shared-table/
