I bake - Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Some moments only chocolate chip cookies will do. You know what it is, the moment when your guests finally leave (no matter how nice they are), the day when everything goes wrong (no matter how minute and insignificant they are), the second that you discover the colleague who always appears nice knife you in the back. When that moment comes, here is one of the best cures I've found.

Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies - adapted from Danielle Oron's original and David Libovitz's tweak

1/2 cup (110 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup (120 ml) tahini, well stirred

1/2  cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1/2  cup (90 g) packed light brown sugar

2 medium eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

150 g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp table salt

200 g dark chocolate chunks (at least 60% cocoa)

flaky sea salt,  such as Maldon or fleur de sel

In a large bowl, use a hand-mixer to beat the butter, tahini, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until fluffy.

Add in one egg and vanilla, beat until well incorporated before adding the remaining egg. Beat to mix. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides if necessary.

Tip into the butter mixture the flour, baking powder, and table salt. Mix together with the mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the motor and switch to a rubber spatula, add the chocolate chunks and stir until just combined. Cookies can be baked straightaway but the author recommends resting the covered dough overnight (or at least a few hours) in the fridge. 

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Form the cookie dough into rounds using an ice cream scoop, or your hands. I like the golf ball size (I managed to get 18 cookies). Place them evenly spaced on the baking sheets, at least 5cm apart. There is no need to flatten them as the dough spreads a bit during baking.

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time. Turning the baking sheet in the oven midway during baking, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges but still pale in the center. I bake mine for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle cookies with a bit of flaky sea salt, and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Bake the remaining cookies the same way.