Let’s face it, in the world of baking there is little better than a still warm from the oven chocolate chip cookie. Cookies hit all the right notes of nostalgia; texture, flavour and ease of preparation. Even though a classic chocolate cookie is basically my idea of perfection that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t play around with them a little (or in my case a lot). Ever since I tried the chocolate and rye cookies served at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco I have used this grain to give my cookies and cakes a boost and the flavour brought by the flour really marries beautifully with chocolate. For a third dimension of flavour I have added a healthy dose of coffee which makes these extra special.

When it comes to the choice of chocolate I generally stick to something around 70%, not because this is an indicator of quality (it only shows what the chocolate is made with not what the quality of those ingredients are) for these cookies I like to use something around 60%. Because the cookies use a secondary bitter ingredient in the form of the coffee using a slightly sweeter chocolate makes these a little more rounded in flavour and a little less bitter. Of course this is personal preference, feel free to use whatever chocolate you like, a milk chocolate could be amazing in this, I could even imagine a toasted white chocolate being the perfect thing for these cookies.

Espresso and Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 18-20

225g unsalted butter, diced

3 tbsp freshly ground coffee

200g plain flour

200g dark rye flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

200g light brown sugar

150g caster sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

340g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (see note)

flaked sea salt, for sprinkling

To make the cookies place the butter into a small saucepan and cook over medium/high heat until fully melted and just starting to bubble. Remove from the heat and add the coffee, stirring into the butter, setting aside to cool slightly. 



Meanwhile mix together the flours, salt, baking powder and soda and set aside. Pour the butter into a large bowl and mix in the sugars followed by the eggs, yolks and vanilla and whisk together until fully combined and uniform. Add the flour mixture and use a wooden spoon to mix together until uniformly mixed. Add the chocolate and mix briefly to distribute evenly. Press a sheet of clingfilm onto the surface of the cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.

When ready to bake preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan) and line a few baking trays with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 60g portions and roll into balls, you could also just for these with my favourite tool, the old fashioned mechanical ice cream scoops. Place cookies onto the prepared baking trays a few inches apart and sprinkle with a little flaked sea salt. Bake in the preheated oven for about 14-16 minutes or until the cookies are golden around the outside but still a little paler in the middle. Remove the trays from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Kept in a sealed container these will keep for 3-4 days.