(Makes approximately 18 cookies)

We used to make these cookies to serve with coffee at my restaurant, although I’m pretty sure just as many were troffed by the waiting staff when I wasn’t looking! I love the way the sugar coating ceases up and crackles as the cookies start to bake. This photo is on our Alia food photography background.

Ingredients

• 225g Dark Chocolate

• 45g Butter

• 2 Eggs

• 65g Granulated sugar, plus extra for coating the cookies

• Icing Sugar to dust

• 100g Chopped toasted almonds

• 120g Flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 2 tbsp brandy

Method

• Melt the chocolate, brandy and butter in a mixing bowl over a lightly simmering pan of water.

• Use an electric whisk to beat the eggs and sugar until white and forming ribbons when the whisk is lifted from the mixture.

• Fold in the chocolate mixture.

• In a separate bowl mix together the flour, toasted almonds and baking powder before stirring into the chocolate batter.

• Refrigerate the mix for an hour or so to firm up.

• Roll into walnut sized balls. Get two small mixing bowls and add a few tables spoons of icing sugar to one and granulated sugar to the other. Toss the balls in the granulated sugar and then the icing sugar and space out on a large baking tray lined with parchment.

• Bake at 180C for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on the tray. Once cooled, these will keep in an air tight container for up to a week.