CREAM CHEESE "BROOKIES"

What on earth is a Brookie, I hear you ask?  Well, it is one of the latest creations in a trend of hybrid baking.  You've heard of the Cronut (croissant x donut) and the cruffin (croissant x muffin) well there is also the Brookie which is a brownie x cookie.  These are a very chocolaty and soft cookie.  The addition of the cream cheese makes them lovely and soft.  You have to be careful not to overcook them - all ovens vary so make sure you keep an eye on the first batch to work out the time. Also, you need to chill down the cookies after you have formed them and before they go in the oven.  If you don't chill them first, the cream cheese will melt and the cookies will spread too much. This recipe makes around 20 cookies depending on how big you make them. These are a little bit of a fiddle with the chilling but the rest is easy and they are worth it!

CREAM CHEESE BROOKIES

125g of diced, very soft butter
1/4 of 250g block of cream cheese diced and softened (don't use spreadable because it won't work)

3/4 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup caster sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp cold coffee

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup of cocoa powder (I used the Drost brand from Aldi which is lovely and dark)
1 3/4 cups of plain flour

2 tsp cornflour

1 tsp bicarb soda
1/2 tsp salt

2 cups of choc chip (I used dark but you can use milk if you prefer)
1/4 cup extra choc chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Place the butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, coffee and vanilla in the bowl with the kneading blade.
3. Select Speed 8 Time 40 seconds. Stop machine after 20 seconds and scrape down sides. Resume program.
4. Place all of the remaining ingredients, except the choc chips, in the bowl.
5. Select Speed 5 for 1 minute. Stop the machine after 30 seconds and scrape down the bowl. Resume program.
6. Add choc chips to the bowl. Select Speed 4 for 30 seconds.
7. Using either a cookie scoop (like an icecream scoop but smaller) or a 1/4 measuring cup, scoop out balls of cookie dough an place on plates or trays. Flatten slightly with your fingers.  If desired press two or three of the extra choc chips into the top of each cookie.
8. Chill cookies for 30-40 minutes in the fridge or 10-15 minutes in the freezer.
9. Place a tray of cookies, spaced around 4cm apart, in the oven. Bake for 10 - I2 minutes or until they are set on the side and top.  Do not over bake.
10. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the tray before transferring to a cooling rack.
11. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.