Nigella's intense chocolate cookies recipe
 Often I make a full batch of these chocolate cookies, but bake only half and freeze the other half. I freeze them on a little tray and once they're hard, I bung them in a freezer bag and stash it back in the freezer. That way I can bake another six without any effort. 125g/4oz dark chocolate 150g/5¼oz plain flour30g/1oz cocoa, sifted1 tsp bicarbonate of soda½ tsp salt125g/4oz unsalted butter, softened75g/2½oz light brown sugar50g/2oz caster sugar1 tsp vanilla extract1 free-range egg, cold from the fridge350g/12¼oz dark chocolate chips 125g/4oz dark chocolate 150g/5¼oz plain flour 30g/1oz cocoa, sifted 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp salt 125g/4oz unsalted butter, softened 75g/2½oz light brown sugar 50g/2oz caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 free-range egg, cold from the fridge 350g/12¼oz dark chocolate chips Method Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.Break the 125g/4oz dark chocolate into pieces and place into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted.Place the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and mix well.In another bowl, cream the butter and two sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and stir well.Beat in the vanilla extract and crack in the egg, then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate chips.Scoop out 12 equal portions of the mixture - an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job - and place onto a lined baking sheet about 6cm/2½in apart. Do not flatten them.Transfer to the oven and bake for 18 minutes, then test with a skewer - it should come out semi-clean and not wet with batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.Leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Break the 125g/4oz dark chocolate into pieces and place into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Break the 125g/4oz dark chocolate into pieces and place into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Place the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Place the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and mix well. In another bowl, cream the butter and two sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and stir well. In another bowl, cream the butter and two sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and stir well. Beat in the vanilla extract and crack in the egg, then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate chips. Beat in the vanilla extract and crack in the egg, then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop out 12 equal portions of the mixture - an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job - and place onto a lined baking sheet about 6cm/2½in apart. Do not flatten them. Scoop out 12 equal portions of the mixture - an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job - and place onto a lined baking sheet about 6cm/2½in apart. Do not flatten them. Transfer to the oven and bake for 18 minutes, then test with a skewer - it should come out semi-clean and not wet with batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again. Transfer to the oven and bake for 18 minutes, then test with a skewer - it should come out semi-clean and not wet with batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again. Leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool. Leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.