I hate autumn! Some people find charm in shortening days, leaves falling from trees, and forest walks. Me, just the idea of getting out of bed when the air is freezing and rain is hitting the window makes me abhor this season. Ultimately, the only advantage of the return of bad weather is that we gradually rediscover comforting, rich and indulgent chocolate-based recipes. So to fight against the dropping temperatures (and accompany Sunday afternoons Netflix on the couch), I made a good batch of chocolate hazelnut cookies!
THE right recipe for chocolate hazelnut cookies!
I searched for a long time for a good recipe for crispy cookies on the outside, melting on the inside, and that didn't taste like "shortbread". After many tests and recipes of varying repute (including Michalak's), I finally found my happiness at Sally's baking addiction (if you're English speakers I recommend her blog to you anyway, it's always a mine of inspiration and good ideas, well if you're not on a diet!).
This recipe seems complicated at first sight but actually, it's just that it contains a few more ingredients than other recipes. In fact, Sally has worked a lot on her cookies and multiplied the ingredients to take advantage of each one's characteristics. She even explains her approach in this article: How to succeed with cookies.
If Sally recommends being very rigorous with the base, I admit that I often let loose on the filling depending on what I have on hand. I don't weigh my chocolate and do it "by eye" (anyway, it's commonly accepted that you can never have too many chips in a cookie!). I often add M&M's or Reese's to my batter. This adds a lot of indulgence. This time, I simply roasted hazelnuts in a pan (but you can also do it in the microwave) which I then crushed and added to the mixture.
The secret to these cookies is to use muscovado sugar (rather than brown sugar). This allows for a really soft center. This recipe requires time in the fridge, I find the result is always better this way. Once the dough comes out of the fridge, make small balls and flatten them slightly to prevent them from spreading too much.
Be very careful with the cooking, it's really to the minute (12 minutes in my fan-assisted oven at 160°). The center should still be "rare" when you take the tray out of the oven, let them cool until they're transportable with a spatula and then let them cool slowly on a rack. Guaranteed result!
Chocolate hazelnut cookies
