So I like to read.
Like, I really like to read. Like, even when I come home drunk a little tipsy, I get into bed and open up my book and read a couple of pages. It’s habit. I have to do it.
I usually read before bed. Because reading helps me go to sleep. I stop thinking about my day/life/blog/cookies and focus on the story in my book and usually fall asleep after a couple of pages.
So I can’t read super thrilling thrillers/crime novels/mysteries/books that require me to use my brain too much. Because then I get really into the book and read it for hours and even after I put it away I can’t sleep because there’s adrenaline pumping through my body because of the scary murder mystery and I can’t stop thinking about my book.
Which defeats my purpose of reading before bed.
Anyway, so I read chic lit (don’t judge me). Lots of Jane Green. I really like her. And Marian Keyes. I read books that have pink covers that you want to hide inside a newspaper when you’re reading them on public transport. My friend borrows my books and actually does hide the covers inside magazines when she is on the tram.
Because books like that are guilty pleasures. Like cookies. And I just can’t help enjoying reading them. Like I just can’t help eating cookies.
In my current book, Meg Cabot’s Boy Meets Girl, there is a character who bakes and runs the dessert cart at the New York Journal. And everyone in the book raves about how good her chocolate chip cookies are. And she gives away her secret recipe in the book. So I made them. Because I just couldn’t help myself.
And they are gooood. I baked them in cupcake liners to ensure a thick, moist, chewy cookie that wouldn’t spread too much. Because who doesn’t like thick cookies, right?
Thanks Meg Cabot, for all the books and the awesome, thick, chewy, gooey chocolate chip cookies.
THICK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE CUPS
Adapted from Meg Cabot’s Boy Meets Girl.
220g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups + 3 tbsp plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 180 C and line muffin pans with cupcake liners (you will need 18 muffin holes and may need to bake in batches if you only have one tray).
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, egg and vanilla extract and beat until well blended.
In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Pour half the flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat on a low speed until just combined.
Mix in the remaining flour mixture and chocolate chips by hand, being careful not to overmix.
Scoop large tablespoons or a medium cookie scoop full of dough into each patty case.
Bake for about 12 minutes, until lightly golden. Makes 18 cookie cups.