Chewy Chocolate Nougat Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tbsp unsweetened, sifted, cocoa powder
2 and 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp baking soda
1 and 1/2 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt
170 grams unsalted butter very soft but not melted
1 cup + 2 tbsp light brown muscovado sugar (use brown sugar if you can’t find muscovado sugar)
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
10 pieces Sally Williams almond nougat, chopped or roughly torn into small chunks
½ cup good quality chocolate chips

Method:

1. Mix the flour, cocoa powder, coffee granules, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a different bowl, beat the butter and sugar until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and whisk again until combined.
4. Add the flour mixture and mix together using a wooden spoon.
5. Finally pour in your nougat pieces and chocolate chips.
6. Mix everything together so you get an even distribution of nougat and chocolate chips (I find it easier to use my hands for this).
7. Then place some plastic wrap over the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (and up to 2 days). It’s very important to chill the dough, as this allows the flavours to develop and helps to ensure you don’t get flat cookies that spread all over your baking tray upon baking.
8. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, pre-heat the oven to 160 DC.
9. Line 4 large baking trays with baking paper or silicone baking mats. Take the cookie dough out of the refrigerator and scoop out a heaped tablespoon full (about the size of a table tennis ball). Roll the dough into a ball with your hands, and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until you have used all of the dough – you should get 22-24 cookies. Make sure your dough balls are a good distance apart on the baking sheet as they will spread.
10. Place in the oven and cook for 9-12 minutes, depending on whether you like your cookies soft and chewy or a bit crisper. Take out of the oven and leave to cool on the baking tray for at least 20 minutes before gently lifting off with a spatula to serve or store. It’s easier to use a sharper metal spatula – as the nougat may try to stick to the baking paper on some of the cookies.