Wednesday, 30 March 2011

Apple Tempura

Hello bloggers,


Yesterday we decided to cook dinner for Maria who is leaving after being with us for four months.
I wanted to cook Asian food for a change and I was set on the entire menu except for the dessert part. I looked in the numerous cook books that we have but nothing stood out enough - I wanted to make something light, with an Asian influence to complement the rest of the dinner. And then it came to me: why not try something completely new and original... What if I were to make tempura for dessert? So I looked inside my fridge and found beautiful red English apples. That's when I decided to make apple tempura. I had absolutely no idea how it would turn out but I knew it needed something sweet on the side. I originally wanted to make a cinnamon sauce for dipping but once we finished dinner, which included a rice noodle salad with grilled peanuts and coriander, a teriaki halibut with sesame seeds and green vegetables on the side, I was a bit reluctant to make a cinnamon sauce considering it is made of condensed milk, butter and sugar.... I thought I'd better stay away from that for now since we're a few weeks away from bikini season (girls I know you understand my point here), which is why I simply decided to sprinkle icing sugar and ground cinnamon instead.
The result: it was simply delicious, the tempura was fluffy and very crispy - just the way you want it to be. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take the calories out this time, that's why a 10km jog was added to my schedule this morning... Definitely worth every bite!

Apple Tempura
Apple Tempura for 4-5 people
Ingredients
3 apples (medium size)
Icing sugar
Ground cinnamon

Tempura Batter
2 egg yolks
350ml iced water
1 teaspoon cornflower
200g flour

Method:
1) Peel the apples and cut in thin slices - set aside
2) To make the batter, simply mix the eggs with the iced water, then add the corn flour and flour, then mix.
3) Soak your apples in the batter.
4) In a hot pan, deep fry the apples using vegetable oil. Make sure the oil is very hot so the tempura doesn't get soggy. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden.
5) Remove from the pan and rest on paper towel to absorb excess oil.
6) Sprinkle with icing sugar and cinnamon to taste.

Monday, 21 March 2011

Felipe's Breakfast



As I mentioned in the previous post, Felipe hosted a breakfast yesterday and I was meant to bring something... but because I woke up with a slight hangover from Alex&Carol’s gathering, I was shattered… almost didn’t make it to breakfast let alone cook something … so it was all down to Felipe to impress his guest and oh yes, he did a great job!

When I arrived everything was beautifully prepared, from fruit salads to baked eggs and fresh homemade brioches (prepared the previous day) and to accompany the meal, Felipe made a very punchy “A la Flip Bloody Mary”. It was delicious however he added garlic to the mix and although I LOVE garlic, it didn’t quite work for me with this drink. And note that if you plan on going out, don’t go near it… or you will be smelling of garlic from a distance!

For me the 'Oeufs en Cocotte' were the winner: they were beautifully cooked and so tasty! Felipe used Julia Child’s recipes for both the eggs and the brioches from the bestselling cook book of all times 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking'. The book is fabulous and has all her recipes, the only downfall is the fact that there are no pictures to go with each recipe, something we find quite essential. 

Thanks Felipe for such a lovely breakfast and if you decide to share the secret on your fabulous brioche, I’m sure our readers will be very pleased!






Oeufs en Cocotte (baked eggs)
from Julia Child – Mastering the art of French cooking

Per ramekin:

1/2 teaspoon butter
1 ramekin 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter and about 1 1/2 inches high
2 tablespoons whipping cream
A pan containing 3/4 inch of simmering water
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter ramekin/s. Break an egg into the ramekin. Pour in a spoonful of cream over the egg and top with a dot of butter.

2. Place in middle level of preheated oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes. The eggs are done when they are just set but still tremble slightly in the ramekins. They will set a little more when the ramekins are removed, so they should not be overcooked.

3. Season with salt and pepper and serve. The ramekins may remain in the hot water, out of the oven, for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. To prevent overcooking, remove eggs from oven when slightly underdone.


Friday, 18 March 2011

Coconut Muffins


Hello Bloggers and Friends


 With the weekend approaching and the sky looking so grey, why not a tip for the weekend? Baking ...?

Felipe will be hosting a breakfast on Sunday  and I’m already thinking of what tI can make to bring to his house… Until I figure it out, here is our last Sunday baking session, a beautiful and moist coconut muffin, it’s so easy to make and its perfect for an afternoon tea.

Watch the space for Felipe’s breakfast on Sunday, we have been promised a “Brioche a la Flip”, looking forward to i!


Have a great weekend all!







Makes 12

Ingredients
4 eggs
2 cups of sugar
3 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup orange juice (250ml)
2 tbspoon of grated coconut
50gr butter
1 teaspoon of baking powder

For the covering:
1 small can of coconut milk
1 can of condensed milk
125gr of grated coconut ( fresh works best)  

Preparation
1.Using a food processor whisk the egg whites until snow forms
2.Add the sugar and butter and continue to whisk for another 3 minutes until smooth
3.Add the egg yolks, the flour , the juice and continue beating until forming a homogeneous mass
4.Add the baking powder last and whisk it for 40 seconds to mix it all together  
5.In a muffin tray place the baking cups and add the mix up to ¾
6.Bake at 180 degrees for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until golden  

Topping:
1.In a bowl mix the coconut milk and condensed milk, add 3 tbspoon of water and the coconut for last
2.Reserve
3.As soon as the muffins are baked, remove them from the oven and pierce the top with a fork to allow the topping to penetrate to make the muffins very moist.
4.Pour the covering onto each muffin while hot and sprinkle some fresh coconut on top
5.Let sit in the refrigerator for approximately 2 hours before serving

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

3 Course dinner - Catching up with old friends


Preparing a 3 course dinner on a week day after work can be quite hectic , but there are many simple things you can make that can really impress your guests and you can still eat at reasonable time. We love picking up ideas from our cook books and I must say the Jamie Oliver 30 min meals is great , I love how simple and delicious his dishes are !!! This time I picked up the chocolate Ganache from his book  and it was just what I was looking for: quick , tasty and beautiful (you just can’t go wrong with chocolate).
I hadn’t seen Monica and Patricia in a long time and Monica always says how much she misses my food ,so I was on a mission to make something that would remind her of why she missed it , something simple but full of flavor. I went for a pan fried scallops  with chili sauce served with rocket salad, followed by a spicy crusted cod fish served with butter beans and crunchy purple broccolis. Then to finish the meal off, chocolate Ganache … 

Everything went well, the food was delicious but there was one little disaster: I used a super hot chili for the fish crust and for those who can’t take hot spices, I certainly wouldn't recommend it, it was burning hot … so be careful when choosing your chili peppers , make sure you know how hot they are .

pan fried scallops with chili sauce


purple broccolis with garlic


spicy crusted cod with butter beans



chocolate ganache




Pan fried scallops with rocket and chili sauce
Scallops (3 per person)
For the sauce :
1 tblspoon Coriander
1 Lemon
2 Chilies ( red and green)
Olive oil , salt and pepper for seasoning
Rocket leaves for serving

Place the scallops on a paper towel to absorb the moist, meanwhile prepare the sauce: finely chop the coriander and the chili,  add to a small serving bowl, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon and drizzle some olive oil on top. Add a little bit of salt and pepper to taste . Once it’s  ready, put aside.
In a hot frying pan , drizzle some olive oil and gently pan fry the scallops, turning only once , leave it until its golden 5-7 min depending on the size
For serving , place a few rocket leaves on a plate and place the scallops on top , drizzling some of the sauce on top , ready to serve


Spicy crusted cod with butter beans
Fish
Fillets of Cod (without skin )
100 g crusty bread
100 g corn flour
½  leek
1 spring onion
½  celery
1 chili
1 onion ( finely chopped)
2 lemon
1 tomatoes
Small bunch of fresh coriander

Using a roasting tray , place the cod and drizzle olive oil , salt and pepper and the juice of 1 lemon , rub and toss the fillets in the flavours ,then put it under the grill in the middle tray of the oven for 5 min while you make the topping
For the topping :
using a food processor :
mix 1 - whiz onions , celery , spring onions and leek . put it aside
mix 2 - repeat process with the chopped bread making the crumbs adding the corn flour in the end . put it aside
in a large frying pan with high heat drizzle some olive oil and add mix 1  gently fry it until golden
In a large mixing bowl add mix 1 and 2 together and the chopped tomatoes,  squeeze the lemon of 1 juice and mix it all together you should get a moist crumb past.
Get the fish out of the oven and spread the mix on top of the fish , drizzle some olive oil and put it back in the oven for another 10 min , until crumbs are golden and crispy


Beans
150gr pancetta
2 tomatoes
1 x 400g tin of butter beans
Some fresh herbs , coriander or parsley
1 finely chopped onion

In a sauce pan drizzle some oil and add the pancetta , with medium heat , toss occasionally until it’s crispy , leave on the side
Using the same pan (fremove the extra oil from  the bacon put aside) fry the onions with a drizzle of olive oil and add the chopped tomatoes, with the onions golden, tip in the beans and their juices and the bacon let it simmer gently to cook the liquid down . sprinkle some coriander on top and ready to serve  

Broccolis
400gr purple broccoli
3 cloves of garlic ( finely sliced )
1 red chili  ( finely sliced)
Seasoning
2 tbsp Cider vinegar
2 tbsp Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Juice of half lemon

Put the broccoli into a pan of boiling water cook for a couple of minutes until tender , don’t cook it too much , you want to keep it quite crunchy , once cooked drain the water and place it in a serving platter
For seasoning using a small frying pan add the finely sliced garlic with a drizzle of olive oil , tossing occasionally until golden brown . 
For the sauce , mix olive oil , cider vinegar and the lemon , shake it until it all mix together
On the platter dress the broccoli with the sauce and toss quickly so it spreads through , sprinkle the garlic and chili on top

Ganache
2 x 100G bars of good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
A large knob of butter
300ml single cream
2 clementines
Some biscuits for serving

Pour boiling water into a deep cooking pot and place a large bowl on top (bain marie)
smash up the chocolate bars into the bowl and add the butter and cream with a pinch of salt . Finely grate in a zest of 1 clementine, gently stir and leave it to melt
once melted, give the chocolate a good stir and divide them into small serving bowls or espresso cups  , arrange the Clementine and biscuits on a platter and ready to serve

Thursday, 3 March 2011

Tostadas de Pollo by Carlos Jax

Continuing with the South American theme (we seem to be hooked these days), here's a recipe you will all love. Our friend Carlos came to visit us last week and made chicken tostadas, a traditional Mexican street food found throughout the country. This is a very simple recipe using fresh, simple ingredients. It got a little more complicated for us though as we decided to make the corn tortillas from scratch, which requires time and patience… Overall: great success and thanks to Carlos who brought us a tortillero machine, we can now try this recipe in many different variations from home. Keep an eye out for future recipes…


Tostadas de pollo (serves 5 people)
15-20 x corn tortillas
4 x chicken breasts
1 x peeled onion
2 x fresh tomatoes
A bunch of coriander
1 x fresh chili
1 tsp of ground cumin
Salt & pepper


1) Place the chicken breasts to boil in a large pan with one tablespoon of vegetable bouillon. Add one whole peeled onion and 3 whole garlic cloves. Add the bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste and cook for 20-30minutes.
2) Once done, remove the chicken and set aside. Keep the chicken broth from the pan on low heat to finish off the soup later.
3) Shred the chicken breasts into pieces, then mix in the chopped tomatoes, onion, chili and coriander. Add one teaspoon of ground cumin, salt and pepper. If the chicken is a bit dry, add a couple of table spoons of chicken broth to keep moist. Your filling is ready.
4) Serve with extra chopped coriander, tomatoes and onions, shredded lettuce and top off with spicy salsa and sour cream. You can also add a variety of ingredients such as cheese and avocados, just remember the more you add, the messier it gets (but the better the taste)!

Our home-made corn tortillas



Tostadas de Pollo



Consome de Pollo (chicken soup)
chicken broth
1 x tablespoon vegetable bouillon
1 x tablespoon olive oil
1 x onion
1 x can of chick peas
1.5 x cup of cooked rice
2 x bay leaves
3 x cloves of garlic
the juice of 2 limes
salt & pepper
fresh coriander for topping

1) The chicken broth should already have the vegetable bouillon, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
2) Drain the chickpeas and add to the broth and allow to cook for a further 10 minutes.
3) Remove from the heat and add the juice of 2 limes and the cooked rice.
4) Serve with freshly chopped coriander, onion and lime juice to taste.

Consome de Pollo

Thursday, 24 February 2011

Carrot cupcake for Amani's Birthday



Following Amani’s birthday party “Barrio Latino@Minories” her birthday celebrations was not quite completed without the cake

On Tuesday (her actual birthday) I decided to surprise her by baking my most “famous” carrot cake (“famous” simply means everyone has heard me talking about it but no one has had it for at least the past 13 years) … after baking so many carrot cakes for a Brazilian café I worked  when I first arrived in London, somehow I had a super block and could never bake it again

…Until I decided to leave my fears behind  and try again … this time I swapped the traditional round tray for cupcakes which was much more fun, I also changed the recipe slightly from the old one , and frankly it turned out much better, especially with the lighter icing with some twist on the original recipe, instead of full cream cheese you half the measures with yogurt …hmmm (see below full recipe)

So now I’m back in the game , I can officially bake carrot cakes again ...








Makes: 12

Ingredients
Cake
2 large eggs
175g golden caster sugar
150ml sunflower oil
200g self-raising flour, sifted
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 medium carrots, coarsely grated
1 tsp vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons  (save some for topping )

Icing     
150g Light Soft Cheese
150g natural yogurt
100g icing sugar, sifted

Preparation
Step 1.Preheat the oven to 180°C . Place 12 paper muffin cases in a  muffin tin
Step 2.Put the eggs, sugar and oil in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy
Step 3.Using a baking spatula gently fold in the flour, spices, grated carrot, vanilla extract and the lemon zest, until thoroughly combined. Optional you can add some nuts of your choice
Step 4.Divide the mixture between the muffin cases then place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until well risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

For the icing :
Beat together the soft cheese , yogurt and icing sugar until smooth. Chill for 10-15 min in the fridge until ready to use.
Using a food pipe spread the icing over the cooled cakes and top with the remaining zest and some nuts


Barrio Latino - A very hot Foodscape event!




Hello food lovers!

To celebrate Amani's birthday, Foodscape went on an exotic adventure and paid tribute to the entire Latin American continent. While salsa tunes mixed with hot cumbia grooves, people danced away until the early hours in what was probably the most exciting event of the year so far...

Guests enjoyed a little taste of Brazil and Mexico with delicious bite size food meticulously prepared by the Foodscape team. We would like to thank all our friends who joined us for the celebrations and hope they enjoyed the party just as much as we did!

Till the next event…



Potato, cheese & chorizo Quesadillas

Beef Empanadas & 3 Cheese Quesadillas
Sanduiche de Frango louco ( Chicken rolls )

pao de queijo

Romeu e Julieta ( Comte Cheese with Guava paste aka Goiabada)

Lime & Meringue tarts

Wednesday, 16 February 2011

Happy Birthday Clemence!



With Clem’s birthday approaching and Valentine’s day last Monday, Paulo put his chef hat on and embarked on a mission to impress his Valentine and obviously all his guests too …
He started by arranging a surprise birthday lunch with the closest friends, unfortunately he failed miserably on the surprise part as Clem overheard the conversation he was having over the phone.  He thought it was safe to speak Portuguese but he totally underestimated her language skills as she understood everything!! Luckily for Paulo, otherwise the 8 hours “car wash” excuse would not have gone down too well …

Back in the kitchen, Paulo and Michelle got everything prepared the day before but the real action began on Sunday morning. By the time we all arrived for lunch, everything was beautifully done and we all sat around watching the platters being put together … the colors of the vegetables were so pretty and inspiring that we spent hours photographing them. Thank God our friends are very supportive of our obsession of taking pictures of food: they all patiently wait for us to finish taking shots before attacking the food. Obviously once the food is served, we have to act quickly so that nothing gets cold.



Roasted Vegetables

Starters including Bolinho de queijo , mini Kibe and  Coxinha

Roasted butternut squash, courgettes and aubergines

Roasted peppers, fennel and onions

Everything was amazing, the “Bife a role” was to die for, literally melting in your mouth in the first bite. This is a typical Brazilian dish made with thin beef steak rolled with bacon, carrots and onions on the inside, then slow cooked with beef stock. This recipe normally works best when you using a pressure cooker.

Bife a Role

Roasted vegetables and farofa

Michelle took care of the desserts and made a beautiful marble & chocolate cake with fresh strawberry cream inside and Cadbury's Fingers on the outside! Carol was so entertained with the cake, she couldn’t stop eating it... So she sat in front of it and decided to just eat it off the platter!

Chocolate Marble Cake


Happy people!


What a great way to impress your Valentine, well done Paulo for “surprising” Clem with such a lovely and delicious lunch!!!

Sunday, 13 February 2011

Smile ... It's Nutmeg !!!

Nutmeg and their first photo shoot with Alex Gavinho... they look happy ...

Nutmeg is a seed used as a spice in culinary dishes but it also has other properties such as medicinal. It is always used in ground or grated form and is best grated fresh. This spice has been flavoring many dishes in many countries from Indonesia to India, the Mediterranean and Europe ...It is predominantly used in baking sweets for example pies, milk custards, puddings, fruit dishes, biscuits, muffins, cakes and breads. It is also widely used for savory dishes, soups, stews, mash potatoes etc... It has a warm, spicy and sweet flavor… Great for winter dishes.

PS: Apparently they can be poisonous in very high quantities, specially the extracted oil, but not to worry, you're safe on the cooking side, since we are only talking about small quantities per dish. 

 





Friday, 11 February 2011

Get inspired ....

Good Morning All

Feeling inspired? Why not take a closer look around you...
We challenge you today to create something beautiful, whatever beautiful  is in your conception. 
We all can ... the magic is in your hands !!!
Enjoy
 


Wednesday, 9 February 2011

Another Dinner Hit by Jad Fadl





There is no better day than Sunday to spend some time in the kitchen and get creative. Last Sunday however, I had the pleasure of being invited for dinner, for a change! It’s nice to actually have the chance to sit back, be served a glass of chilled white wine and watch while someone else prepares a meal for you. I really enjoy eating at Jad’s house because he never prepares the same meal twice. And this time I was in for a great surprise: an avocado humus for starters served with garlic bread and pan-fried sea bream with a sumac and toasted cumin-seed crust! His inspiration came from Silvena Rowe's Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfumes cook book - a must have for all Mediterranean food lovers with a twist.
Simply delicious - Thanks for dinner Jad, round two next Sunday?






Avocado Humus (serves 3-4 people)
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
the juice of 1 lemon
3 x tablespoons of olive oil
4 x tablespoons of tahini
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
3 garlic cloves
1 fresh chili
Salt & Pepper
Place all ingredients in a blender until smooth and serve with garlic bread - It doesn't get much easier than that!

Pan Fried, Spice-Crusted Sea Bream (serves 3-4 people)
Ingredients
4 x sea bream fillets, bones removed, skin on
2 x tablespoons olive oil
3 x tablespoons crushed cumin seeds
1 x teaspoon ground sumac
3 x shallots, chopped
100ml dry white wine
50g fresh chives
50g fresh parsley
Salt & pepper to season

1) Toast the cumin seeds on a pan until slightly darkened, crush with a mortar and pestle and set aside.
2) Chop the shallots, chives and parsley and set aside.
3) Rub the sumac, cumin seeds and salt & pepper on both sides of the sea breams. In a pan, heat the olive oil and sear for a couple of minutes on each side.
4) Once the fish is cooked, using the same pan, add the chopped shallots, chives and parsley in 100ml of dry white wine. Let it reduce to half and serve on top of the fish. Add the juice of a few lemon wedges and serve with a glass of white wine – Bon Apetit!

Monday, 31 January 2011

Kafta & Salads

Hello Bloggers and Friends

I’m sure many of you have made this dish or have eaten it somewhere, but it’s always good to add a piece of your imagination with very simple ingredients found in your fridge or cupboard. One of the things we find absolutely essential to have in our kitchen  is a full shelf of different spices and herbs. The amazing flavors and smells add character to the dish and compliment meats and vegetables so well, it’s a combination made in heaven.

Today , we have Lebanese Kafta marinated with different spices and love, Potato salad with yogurt sauce and Cucumber and Chili salad. This is not a heavy meal and can be prepared in just 30 mins. It can also be a great suggestion for casual dinner parties so you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen. 
Enjoy!

Tip : stock up your cupboard with amazing spices from all over the world , it will give you a taste of adventure. 








Serves 4 people
Kafta
Ingredients :
½ kilo of lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2  teaspoon of cumin seeds and ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
1 slice of bread of soft bread (cut the borders and moist with a bit of water )
Optional : 1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley or coriander

Preparation :
Step 1 : In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients until evenly blended (onion, parsley, spices, salt, pepper and the moist slice of bread). The bread will help the meat and the spices stick together.
Step 2 :  Divide into small portions, and press around one end of the skewers to form a log shape
Step 3: Preheat the grill for high heat or If using  the pan sprinkle some olive oil on it (you may have to remove the skewers depending on the size of the pan )
Step 4 :Grill for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until meat is golden brown

Potato salad
Ingredients :
½ kilo of new potatoes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
200gr natural yogurt
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley or coriander finely chopped
1 to 1 ½  tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste  

Preparation :
Step 1 :leaving the skin on place the potatoes in a sauce pan and bring it to boil until its tender. Let it cool down for 15 min.
Step 2 : cut the potatoes in half in half and place it in a large bowl
Step 3: adding the olive oil , salt , pepper and for last the yogurt
Step 4 :mix it gently and sprinkle the fresh herbs on top

Cucumber salad
Preparation :
Cut the cucumber in fine slices , add some finely chopped chilies and dress it with olive oil and lime juice

Tip: you can also add on top some fine slices of onion marinated in balsamic vinegar  ( drain the vinegar before serving ) , the balsamic vinegar reduces the acidity of the onion and gives a fabulous flavor


Wednesday, 26 January 2011

Chocolate Chip Cookies - for dark chocolate lovers!

Hello food lovers,


Following Fabiana's wonderful, exotic food stories brought back from Brazil, we're back in London to give you some of our latest home cooked recipes. And today, we have another dessert to share with you: chocolate chip cookies! 
I remember my mom used to bake cookies for my sisters and I for our birthday parties when we were kids. It was by far my favorite treat in the world... She used to make variations, including versions with Smarties or M&Ms. I remember the warm, sweet smell coming out of the oven, it was like being in a bakery. Just a few years later, I learned how to make my mom's cookies and today I have become the official cookie baker of the family! (to my mom's greatest delight of course). And the smell that comes out of the oven always brings back sweet childhood memories...
Try baking these at home, they're really fun to make and your friends will love you for it! 




Cookie Dough 
 
Place in the oven and  let the magic happen...
Chocolate Chip Cookies (makes 35-40 cookies)
Ingredients:

2 cups plain flour
2 cups Muscovado brown sugar
250g good quality butter
2 eggs
1 tea spoon vanilla extract
1 tea spoon baking powder
1 tea spoon salt
300g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)

Preparation:

1) In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract and salt together.
2) Dissolve the baking powder with 1 tea spoon of hot water in a cup until it starts foaming, then add to the mix.
3) Add the chocolate. You can use ready made chocolate chips but I prefer chunkier bits of chocolate in my cookies so I break 3 x bars of chocolate into bits. (You can use a Ziploc bag and gently beat the chocolate bars inside with a rolling pin. Be careful though, don't beat too hard or you'll end up with chocolate dust!)
4) On a non-stick baking sheet, place 9 x balls of dough at equal distance. Make sure the balls are no bigger than the palm of your hand, otherwise they flatten out too much and the cookies will stick to each other. 
5) Bake each tray for approximately 7 mins at 180C until golden. Once ready, take the cookies out the oven and let them cool for a few mins before serving.

TIPS: it's important to use good quality butter. I find that French butter usually works best (as with most desserts in my case). Apologies to all other countries but you just can't beat the flavor and texture of French butter. (Vive la France)!

Served with a glass of cold milk - perfect combination!

Mmmmmmmm.....