CHOCOLATE NUT GLOBS, Indulence, Not Healthy

Rich, crunchy, decadent : chocolate, nuts and peanut butter in cookie dough are a perfect Valentine's Day - or any special occasion - Indulgence

'Wonderful chocolate taste with surprise crunchiness.' ' A winner' 'Absolutely gorgeous'. ; Tasters  

Don't make these too far in advance or they'll be gone by the time they're needed!

Special Occasions are nothing without chocolate and these amazing chocolate 'globs' deliver in spades. 

The originals came from tv chef Ina Garten*; 67 adapted the recipe to replace  peanut butter chips** (not a standard supermarket product) with chopped up peanut butter cups***.  

Attempts were made to make them less calorific -- with limited success.  They're full of calories, cocoa butter and sugar -- but in the finest way! 

Intensely rich, the 'globs' give you dark-as-night chocolate, crunchy walnuts, creamy peanut butter and  - should you want it - candied cherries.  All in one mouthful.

Sinful but sensational but they come with a health warning.  Proceed with caution; they're incredibly more-ish.  

Note: 67 made half the globs with cherries and half without; the globs without the cherries were remarkable in their intense chocolateness; the ones with the cherries seemed slightly less sweet though the chocolate continued to dominate 

Cost:  £3.50
Makes: 20 

Ingred:
   55g/scant2oz butter
   85g/3oz dark chocolate chips
   28g/1oz cocoa (not drinking chocolate)

   1 large egg
   1/2 tsp expresso or strong instant coffee granules
   1 tsp vanilla extract

   55g/scant2oz sugar  
   
   1/2 tsp baking powder
   1/8 tsp salt
   25g/generous 3/4oz wholemeal flour

   1/2 cup half walnuts or large walnut chunks 
   85g/3oz dark chocolate chips
   1/3 cup peanut butter chips OR 5 chopped up Reese's peanut butter cups*** in chocolate chip sized pieces 

  small handful glazed cherries, halved (opt)

Method:

1. If using cherries, soak 5 mins in boiling water to remove preservatives
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter, 85gm/3oz chocolate chips & cocoa over a gentle heat until liquid and combined; take off heat, cool 15 mins
3. Preheat oven to 165c/325f/gas3
4. Using electric beater, whisk egg, expresso/coffee powder & vanilla 
5. Add sugar; beat on med speed 2 mins until batter is thick and falls back on itself in a ribbon
6. Slowly beat in cooled chocolate; the result will be very thick
7. Add salt, baking powder & flour; give it a good mix 
8. Fold in walnuts, chocolate chips and peanut butter shards, distributing everything as evenly as possible
9. Mix in cherries if using
10. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper, sticking down corners with a bit of dough
11. Using a small ice cream scoop or 2 tablespoons, drop mounds of dough onto baking sheet - they need a bit of space
12. Bake 15 mins
13. Cool 5 mins then transfer cookies to a cooling rack
14. Serve plain and unadorned with coffee, or if you're living dangerously,  coffee with whisky or cognac and whipped cream

Comments:
'They have a wonderful chocolate taste and the cherry is wonderful.  The crunchiness is such a surprise.  They may not break someone's heart but they may well stop one or two.' Political Agent
'The crunchiness is what makes the 'glob' so delicious.  I love chocolate brownies; these are like an upmarket brownie. A winner.' 20-something campaign manager
'Absolutely gorgeous!  Very, very nice.  Nice.' (Blogger: that's actually a bigger complement than it sounds)  Local independent (macho) butchers

Tip:

Kids may not like these unless milk chocolate replaces dark

*http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chocolate-peanut-butter-globs-2312132

**online or at specialist grocers like Partridges

***Tesco

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.