I’m enamored with caramelized white chocolate. Sure, it adds a whole extra step to the baking process, but it’s worth it! The rich, creamy, caramel flavour is just out of this world on its own, but add it to a cookie or cake and you have stepped up to a whole new level of delicious.

Crunchy exterior, chewy interior, absolutely loaded with caramelized white chocolate flavour!

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients

250g (8 3/4 oz) good quality white chocolate
190g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
115g (1/2 cup) caster sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 120°C (250°F).

Break up the chocolate and spread it evenly in a small baking dish.

Cook the chocolate in the oven for an hour or so, stirring with a spatula every ten minutes, until it’s a deep, caramel colour. The time it takes will depend on the chocolate you use. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Note: You can caramelize the chocolate ahead of time and store it in an airtight container at room temperature (it will keep for weeks), then soften it on low in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat eggs and vanilla on high speed until thick and fluffy, about a minute.

With the mixer still running on medium speed, add sugar one tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated into the eggs.

Beat in chocolate until it has the consistency of a thick mousse, about a minute.

Fold in flour mixture until fully combined.

Drop dessertspoonfuls of batter 5cm (2″) apart onto one baking sheet.

Bake in centre of oven until cookies are set, about 13 minutes.

Alternate sheets, baking one batch at a time – the batter will start to melt if you put it on a hot sheet so it saves time to use two because you don’t have to wait for the first one to cool.

Allow to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Repeat until all the batter is used up.