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I had originally intended to call this post: "my life project" as I wanted to write about my new cooking project. But then I found out the SHF-IMBB theme was Cookie Swap and my post instantly changed aim. Anyway I'm going to write about both things as they're related.

I want to open a salon de thé in London. Actually I can't find a great place where you could stay for hours drinking the best hot chocolate and eating the most delicious cookies on earth while reading the latest cookbooks.
Here is my last life achievement. It rose after my boyfriend and I, walking around in Chelsea, had a discussion about my passion: cooking. And there he suggested I should open a kind of salon de thé (i.e. tea room). At that precise moment I wondered why I had never thought about it before. It seems so ideal for me; I'm conscious it's going to be hard to fight against Starbucks and Café Nero and that the whole thing is not going to be easy: wake up a 5am to bake thousands of muffins, cookies, pancakes… but this is what I want to do and I hope I'll be able to. Then i could publish my books and bake and cook as much as I want.

In that wish I'm trying to find the best recipes I can manage to produce for things such as cookies, muffins, sandwiches…
So you'll have to cope with all these experimentations.
Actually, last week-end I spent 2 days experimenting with flour, eggs, sugars, butter and chocolate chips and finally managed to make the most delicious chewy chocolate chip cookies I have ever had.
You understand, now, why this post has become part of SHF-IMBB event.

Just a short note: I sometimes have french reflex – when I read (a little too fast maybe) the theme was Cookie Swap, I instantly thought of cookies as what, we, French call cookie : the American TRUE cookie. Not your usual cookie that we call biscuit. So I'm sorry not to be very creative with this recipe. Hope you'll understand.

When I create a recipe I always think in cups as it's easier for me to realize how much it does of each ingredient. Sadly, I didn't have my scale when I made these (because I was home for the week end) and then I can't give you the metric measures. Just in case : 1 cup = 250ml.


Chewy toffee and milk chocolate chip cookies
makes 26 large cookies

One bite of these and you'll go to heaven. These are for me the perfect cookies: chewy and tasty. The toffee is not actual toffee but the deliciously browned white chocolate.
I advise you to eat them straight from the oven or cold as I think they develop a nice flavour while cooling. Actually I didn't like them warm.
To keep them chewy and moist, I wrap them by 6 (a cooking batch) in foil, as soon as they're out of the oven.
If you're not convinced yet, I should let you know that I had taken 6 of these with me in the train (back home – 6 hours) with the intention to keep them for the week, but I did eat them.


4½ cups flour (I used Italian tipo 00)
3 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

200g melted butter
1½ cups caster sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup light muscovado sugar
3 eggs
seeds from 1 vanilla pod

2 cups milk chocolate buttons
½ cup white chocolate buttons
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Set apart.
In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugars, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla seeds and mix well.

Pour the flour over the egg mixture and mix until you've got a smooth dough.

Fold in the chocolate buttons.

Form balls (¼ cup approx.) of dough and press them slightly between you hands. Place on the lined baking sheet (I put 6 disks on one baking sheet).
Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are very lightly coloured. And repeat until you've used all the dough.
Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack and enjoy!

Labels: chocolate, cookies, recipe inside

 Nic said something sweet:

These do sound delicious, Fanny. I think you were spot on with this entry!

26 November, 2005 21:24 

 *fanny* said something sweet:

Thank you so much Nic, i think your shortbreads are a good choice too.
Can't wait to ry them.
xoxo
Fanny

26 November, 2005 21:31 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Moi, j'ai goûté à ces biscuits (parcequ'elle les à fait chez nous)et je peux vous dire qu'ils sont VRAIMENT délicieux !!!

27 November, 2005 13:21 

 *fanny* said something sweet:

Merci ma puce pour ton commentaire, ca m'a fait tres plaisir. J'etais justement en train de pnser que vous me manquiez (enfin surtout toi) et j'etais un peu triste, mais maintenant, ca va mieux.
Je t'aime tres tres fort mon BOUBINOU.
Fanny

27 November, 2005 13:27 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

délicieux cookies goûtés lors d'un week-end, j'attends avec impatience le repas de Noël, que je sais déja délicieux. Je ne rentrerais pas dans la cuisine, c'est promis...Je m'occuperais des bouts de choux.
BIG BISOUS mum
j'adore les photos!

27 November, 2005 19:03 

 *fanny* said something sweet:

Trop sweet, maman. Merci, amis lis le post d'avant ou j'avoue que j'aime bien EN FAIT quand tu ranges apres moi...

27 November, 2005 19:30 

 Fran said something sweet:

Would love to have some of these delicious cookies with some hot tea right now! I'm sure they are just wonderful.
Fran

27 November, 2005 20:30 

 Aude said something sweet:

Hello Fanny,
Great idea to open a " salon de thé ", I like those kind of places where you can stay for hours with a good cup of tea and yummy cakes & cookies and these little places really miss in London & Paris (besides big chains like Starbucks, but it's not the same).
I'll give a try to your chewy cookies (I have so many recipes to try), they remind me of chewy ginger & sultanas cookies I had at M&S before they close their Paris stores.
Good luck!

28 November, 2005 13:54 

 rae said something sweet:

the salon de the does indeed sound like a geat idea...

28 November, 2005 16:54 

 *fanny* said something sweet:

Hi there,
thank you so much for comforting me with my choice.
Love
Fanny

28 November, 2005 18:20 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Those cookies looks so yummy Fanny! I wish I had a pack of six right now! :)

Good luck on your Salon de The...I think it's a great idea, the world could use more of those and I'm sure yours would be lovely :)

29 November, 2005 07:11 

 plum said something sweet:

That's wonderful Fanny! To discover how to lead your life with your passion! All the best with your new plans!

29 November, 2005 13:04 

 Robyn said something sweet:

Fanny no need to apologize for these babies! They look delicious and I can almost taste them! These are a must try for the holidays!

30 November, 2005 04:12 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Hi Fanny--

They look really good!

Best wishes on your dream--keep us posted!

30 November, 2005 17:20 

 Swamy VKN said something sweet:

Hi Fanny: What a wonderful visual treat! We instantly fell in love with it. Briliant results!

My Dhaba's rock cookies are yet to be released by Il Forno. Cant wait anymore.

02 December, 2005 16:40 

 *fanny* said something sweet:

Hi Joey, plum and chronicler, thank you so much for your nice words. If you could see the smile on my face...
Chronicler, if you want to make them, i advise you to refrigirate the batter for at least 30 minutes so that the cookies will be much thicker and thus much chewy...

Hi lisaD, thank you. Sure i'll keep you posted...
Hi PeteT, you should give me some norvegian recipe sometimes. For the cookies that'll be 10$! (i'm joking bloke, free for you)
Hi vkn, than you. I saw your dhaba's rock they look yummy with the sugar coating... But i don't think they're my type of cookies. Will try them anyway to see if i'm right.
Hi Rachel, thax for being so nice. My heart lifted when i read your comment. I agree with you that the atmosphere does everything.

Love to y'all
Fanny

02 December, 2005 21:11 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Great cookies! Think I'll try them.
And I hope you'll open a "salon de thé". Even if "cafés" as Starbucks are a great success: it's the small cafés that are recommended by city guides. Because the offer cookies & brownies that differ from starbucks...

02 December, 2005 22:26 

 *fanny* said something sweet:

Hi Claudia, thank you.
Wow, speaking of opening my own business is so exciting. I already see myself in a great place in knightsbridge making fancy patisseries but also my favoutite cookies and brownies.
But it's not going to happen soon. I first have to finish my studies, then take courses at le cordon bleu and finally get some money to open it.
But who cares, i'm only 20.

xoxo
Fanny

03 December, 2005 11:14 

 Anonymous said something sweet:

Hi Fanny! Can i use bread flour? Would it bring chewy results too?

18 January, 2007 08:28 

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