Chocolate Chewiness at its best! If you like the chewiness of American style cookies then these are for you!
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Ingredients
     A good drizzle of Olivado Avocado oil over some baking paper
     390g icing sugar
     70g cocoa powder
     1 tbsp cornflour
     ½ tsp salt
     2 egg whites
     1 tsp vanilla extract
     1 whole egg
     100g chocolate chunks

Method

Preheat oven to 180 Degrees Celsius.
Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and gently whisk to combine.

Then add the 2 egg whites, vanilla, whole egg and whisk together until well combined.

Now add in the roughly chopped chocolate and stir to combine. Line a baking tray with baking paper drizzle over the oil, then carefully place an ice-cream scoop of mix onto the tray.

 Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they begin to crack on top. Remove to cool.
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 Top tip: This mix is very loose, don’t worry about that, it’s meant to be. That is what gives them the soft chewy texture once cooked.

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Makes: 16

Cathy’s brownie recipe was a star at my mother’s café, Rhubarb, in Taranaki. She spent time in the States where she discovered the deliciousness of these chocolate brownies when she was 10 years old and visiting a family friend in Portland, Oregon. Twenty –two years later and she says her mouth still waters when this brownie comes out of the oven. If you like your brownies chewy, be sure to beat the eggs in really well!

Ingredients
       400g unsalted butter
       1 cup cocoa
       4 cups brown sugar
       ½ tsp salt
       2 tsp vanilla extract
       2 cups plain flour
       4 eggs
       1 cup chocolate buttons
       Icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease a 20 x 30 cm slice tin.
2. Melt the butter and cocoa in a large saucepan. Stir to combine, then add the sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix well. Take the pan off the heat, sift in the flour and combine.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add to the mixture and stir until well combined. Pour into a tin. Pace the chocolate buttons on top in a pattern of your choice.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes or until if feels slightly firm. Cool in the tin, then slice. Dust with icing sugar.

Useful tips

• Be careful not to overcook the brownie or it will be dry.
• Throw in a few raspberries for something a little different

Everybody loves to eat a rich chocolate cake that oozes deliciousness when cut into. This is one of those recipes that keeps you coming back for more. Just remember that everyone’s oven is slightly different, so always do a tester first. When removed from the oven and cut into it, should have a molten centre. Too long in the oven and you will simply have a cake. The little hint of chilli is just fantastic.

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients
       1 red chilli, seeded and finely sliced
       50g butter
       200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped into small, even pieces
       ¼ cup flour
       1 tbsp 70% cocoa, plus extra for serving
       4 eggs
       ½ cup castor sugar
       2 tsp vanilla extract
       Flaked chocolate and whipped cream to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Grab 4 ramekins and liberally butter the insides with a brush. Once completely covered, sprinkle the insides with castor sugar (or cocoa), shaking out any excesses.
3. Place a saucepan of water on a medium heat and bring to the boil. Meanwhile take a heat resistant bowl that will fit snugly on top of the saucepan and add the chilli, butter and chocolate. Place the bowl over the simmering water and stir while everything gently melts together. When totally smooth, set aside to cool.
4. Sift together the flour and cocoa into a medium bowl. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale yellow and fluffy. Add the chocolate to the egg mixture, a little at first, gently folding it in to keep the air in the egg mixture. Gently combine the flour and egg mixture.
5. Carefully fill the ramekins to at least ¾ full and place in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes.
6. Serve straight away sprinkled with cocoa or flaked chocolate, whipped cream and the raspberry coulis.

Useful tips

• These taste great with this simple Raspberry Coulis: Place 200g frozen raspberries and 2 tablespoons icing sugar or castor sugar in a saucepan, simmer until berries begin to break down. Pass through a fine sieve, then return to the heat in a clean pan and reduce to desired consistency.
• When buttering ramekins, butter from the base of the ramekin towards the top, it makes a big difference.
• Chilli can be optional if the kids don’t like it.

No need to cream the butter and sugar in these cookies which make them a perfect kids recipe. Perfect for a school holiday distraction.

Cook time: 15 mins
Prep time:  10 mins
Serves: 16

Ingredients
150g soft butter
125g soft light brown sugar
100g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
300g flour
½ tsp baking soda
150g dark chocolate chips
150g milk or white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170.
2. Melt the butter then let it cool a little. Put the sugars in a bowl and pour over the the cooled butter. Beat these together then add the vanilla, egg plus yolk and continue to beat until light and creamy, then add the flour and baking soda and gently combine. Finally add the chocolate chips and combine.
3. Divide the mixture into 16 balls and lay them onto 2 baking tray’s covered with baking paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden on top. A good tip is to make sure you swap the trays in the oven half way through cooking time to ensure they cook evenly. Remove and let cool.

Useful tips
If there is too much mixture shape like a log on some cling film, wrap and freeze. Simply pull the frozen cookie dough log from the freezer slice place on tray and bake.