Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Things won’t change unless we change them. Sometimes it is so tempting not to get into trouble and leave things that are unfair, as they are. Sometimes we even do ourselves a disservice as long as we stay in our comfort zone. A full-of-rubbish comfort zone. Warm and well known rubbish that pushes us down. “Not that bad” rubbish that don’t allow us to breath. Stinking rubbish we have got so used to that it seems better to stay there just in case we get brand new rubbish that is even worse. The status quo is so much easier to deal with, we know it and are used to it – it is the easy option.

Sometimes we are so covered by rubbish we are not even able to see above it, believing this is the only way to be.

Other times we are so scared to move that we wait for someone to take some of the rubbish out. In fact, we start to believe it is up to someone else to pull us out of the dumping site. 

Believe me, this is not going to happen. And if it does, I assure you that you will be paying in full for the favour. Nobody will pull the chestnuts out of the fire for you. Apart from you.

And if it happens. If you really have someone brave and generous enough to do it, it would never work. 

Because you will carry on with your frustration, with your fears. Accumulating more rubbish. And awaiting for a kind soul that saves you.

I know it’s difficult. Being brave, courageous, non-conformist, maverick, revolutionary is not the easy way. But it is the right way. It is the only way. 

I cannot promise it is going to be easy. You may not have any support from the others. More scared people imprisoned by their very own rubbish. Deeply horrified by the consequences of your braveness. Begging you to not do anything. Or you can also find the complete opposite: people encouraging you to do things they would never do.

You may feel distressed, you may want to give up. To run away and leave things as they are. To wait for somebody else to be brave enough to fix it.

This has happened to me. I have felt weak, small, insignificant. Too many times I have relied on other people to set the record straight. To then feel more vulnerable, minuscule, useless. I know how this feels. 

But you can stop the vicious circle. You can get up and say no. You can fight for your rights. You are brave, powerful, courageous. You can make your own decisions, your own choices. You can get rid of all this rubbish. And you should do it not only because you deserve it, not even only because it is unfair. You should also do it for the others. For those who will come. For your loved ones. For your children.

You can set a precedent. And even if the changes are not huge, you will feel proud of yourself. For having actually done something rather than go through this life without being noticed. For having done something for you and the others. For you have believed in yourself. 

Things can change, and you can be the engine of change. 

This week I really needed an extra dose of chocolate. Pure dark chocolate full of endorphins, or more commonly known as the brain’s natural “feel-good” molecules. These Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are probably the prettiest in the world. The way they crack open in the oven is almost magical and hypnotic; and their intense dark chocolate taste melting in your mouth works as a natural immediate happiness boost for anyone.

WHAT DO YOU NEED

200g Baking Dark Chocolate
1tbsp Dark Cocoa Powder
60g Salted Butter
2 eggs
130g Sugar
200g Self Raising Flour
100g Icing Sugar

WHAT DO YOU DO

Start melting the butter and the baking chocolate together in the microwave (see how do it safely here).

Once the mixture is fully melted and smooth, set aside and allow to cool

In a big bowl beat the eggs with the sugar until having a thick, fluffy and foamy light yellow cream. Add the chocolate and butter mixture now lukewarm and whisk until fully integrated. Then add the flour and the cocoa powder sieving both with the help of a strainer and whisk gently.

Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put in the fridge for 1.30 hours or overnight. This will make the mixture harden and easier to work with.

Once cold, make small balls of dough (around a ping pong ball size), coat in icing sugar, and put them on a baking paper covered tray. Leave around 4 cm distance between them, otherwise they will stick while baking.

Preheat the oven to 170C.

Bake for 12 mins approximately. Be really careful with timings, as they get hard and dry really easy. Enjoy while they cracks leaving our biscuits with a gorgeous crackled look.

Leave them on a wire rack to cool.

In a tin box they will last fresh for around a week. But believe me, no they won’t.

Soak them in cold milk or coffee and enjoy!

Leave them in a wire rack to cool.

In a tin box they will last fresh for around a week. But believe me, no they won’t.

Soak them in cold milk or coffee and enjoy!