What could be better than a chocolate chip cookie? A Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie of course. So if you have a friend whose signature dish is a giant cookie then you just have to invite them to your home, right!
Until recently Emilie Baltimore the talented American Food blogger behind Cookies for England was a virtual friend of mine. I met Emilie online early on my recipe blogging journey when she featured me on one of her series of posts called Meet The Neighbors. Emilie started her blog "Cookies for England" because she dreamed of coming to England one day and she hoped that by writing a blog she might one day make enough money from that for a dream to become reality. So when I heard that she had done it and her dream was to become true, I said we had to meet up and our virtual friendship became real.
I really didn't expect her to say yes, why would she give up part of her much dreamt about holiday just to meet me. But I am so glad she did because despite the fact we had not met in real life, we really did feel like friends and in minutes of meeting for the first time we were getting on like a house on fire.
I knew Emilie wanted to see Tower Bridge even though she called it London Bridge, but as luck would have it I live within walking distance of the two and those that know London a bit will also know that the foodie mecca of Borough Market is also near London Bridge, so that was the obvious place to go first.
After meeting at the bottom of the Shard we headed to the market for coffee and croissants. By the time we had finished those, we were chatting away to each other as if we had known each other for years. Even though it was a Wednesday and the full market is only open till Thursday –Saturday there was still plenty there to see. We could have stayed much longer than we did, but we had a Bridge to see, and so we walked out of the market and straight onto London Bridge. "Where" are we she asked and was a little surprised with the answer. So after a little teasing, we walked along the Thames to Tower Bridge - the other London Bridge!
Next, we explored Tower Bridge and I take her up on to the walkways where there is a glass floor. Both of us are a little reluctant to walk on the glass at first but eventually both plucked up the courage.
We were getting a bit peckish by now so we headed to my house. But before I would let her eat anything I put Emilie to work in my kitchen. It struck me it would be great fun having Cookies for England make cookies in England and there is no such thing as a free lunch (or in this case afternoon tea). So she kindly agreed to share her recipe for this rather special giant chocolate chip Cookie.
I've rewritten the recipe here (with permission of course) with metric as well as cup measurements but you can check out her original recipe here. Do check it out there are lots of really useful hints and information in her post. Baking in someone else's kitchen in a different country can be a bit daunting and Emilie was too polite to have me searching out the exact right tin for the job, so she cooked the one we photographed in a tin that was a little too small. This caused the cookie to shrink back a bit in the middle. In my version of the recipe written below I have tested it with a larger 25cm (10-in)tin, so the dip is not as obvious but the cookie is still quite thick. You could go the whole hog and make the 30cm (12in) version Emilie makes on her blog (use a pizza tin) just reduce the cooking time by 5-10 minutes.
This is the cookie Emilie made for us here but if you want to see how fab it looks when you use the correct tin pop over to her recipe. Her photography is so much better than mine too. Trust me if you don't already want to make it you will once you have seen her pictures!
Thank you Emilie for taking time out of your vacation to bake in my kitchen. You may also like to read what Emilie thought about the day and her other adventures in London here.
Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ingredients
- 225 g butter softened
- 125 g light muscovado sugar
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 large free-range egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 350 g plain flour (all purpose)
- 200 g plain chocolate chips (dark)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 25cm (10in) loose bottom cake tin
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.
- Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl and beat to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips. Tip the mixture into the cake tin and press out level (Emilie does this with lightly wetted fingers).
- Bake the cookie 30 minutes, until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cookie comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin. Serve cut into wedges
Nige Bamford says
Stumbled across this recipe from your Facebook page. What a delight! I played it safe and went with the 10" spring-form tin - because I needed it to come out right for certain - but next time I'll throw caution to the wind and line my 'holey' 12" pizza tin. 🙂 Quite delicious.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Glad you liked it. It sure is a great recipe that Emilie so kindly shared with me.
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
This looks so tasty. I love cookies so who wouldn't want a larger version?! It's so lovely that you got to meet each other after years of talking online. I hope Emilie enjoyed her rip to England after all the effort and cookies she baked!
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Thanks Cat, I think it really was a dream come true for Emilie.
jenny paulin says
mmmmm I love the idea of a giant cookie and it is so deep too, how decadent! How wonderful for you and Emilie to meet up and have her cook her recipe for you and your blog. sounds like a friendship that will last beyond a computer `:)
thank you for sharing with #Bakeoftheweek xx
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Emilie was so kind to share it and yes I now have a fabulous friend
Mayuri Patel says
An enormous cookie... wow, looks really good. Wish I could have a teeny weeny bit. Will have to experience the glass walkway when I'm in London next.
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Its hard to stop at a teeny weeny bit. The walk way is a little disconcerting at first but fun.
Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook says
This is such a lovely post, Jacqui. I wish I could meet you someday. And I love that giant cookie. 😀 Thanks for sharing! x
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Maybe one day. Let me know if ever you come to London.
Corina Blum says
I think it's a brilliant idea to get friends to bake in your kitchen. It sounds like you had a great time and so good that a virtual friendship turned into a real friendship too! It looks like a fantastic cookie!
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Thank you Corina it was fab day a fab bake and making friends with a lovely lady was the icing on the cake
Noel Lizotte says
I love everything about this!!
I am a virtual friend of Emilie but I live in the states. It's great fun to finally meet virtual friends in real life!
What a great day you must have had ... I mean, I can tell from this post it was a success!
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
The virtual friends I have made through blogging has been such a bonus and yes it was fabulous to meet Emilie in real life , such a lovely person. We sure had a good day its just a shame we didn't have more time.
Emilie says
Thank you for sharing your kitchen and your friendship ❤️
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
It was an absolute pleasure.
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
This blogger friendship story just makes me so darned happy! I'm so glad you got to meet in person. My hubster would go absolutely bonkers over this giant chocolate chip cookie, so I'm pinning it to make on his birthday!
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
I know its one reason why I love food blogging. I have made lots of virtual friends got to meet some and have ore I would love to meet.
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
PS Im sure the hubster will love the cookie too
Mandy says
I love this idea and I just love that you made her bake in your kitchen! What a fun idea. #cookblogshare
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
I did make her an afternoon tea so I'm not completely mean lol