Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 430g plain flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• pinch of salt
• 240g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 230g light brown sugar
• 200g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 tsp vanilla extract
• 140g very dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• sprinkling of sea salt (use Hawaiian or Black Lava salt)

Two or three baking trays, lined

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan assisted/ gas mark 6.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt and set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugars together for 2 minutes. Gradually add the eggs, then vanilla. Now gently add the flour mix and fold in the chocolate.
4. When the dough has come together, break off pieces and form them into balls roughly the size of a golf ball. Press gently down onto your prepared baking trays, leaving a good 8cm between them. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with the salt.
5. Bake in batches for 8 minutes, then gently press each cookie flat with a spatula (this is optional — you may prefer to leave them to rise slightly). Bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until slightly brown.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE: You can store the dough unbaked in the fridge for up to three days, and slice off pieces to bake.