Baking:: Raspberry Liqueur Chocolatey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Well today is winter solstice and more importantly 4 more sleeps to Christmas; So still keeping in the spirit of my association of all things chocolate with Christmas, this is my signature take on Chocolate Chip Cookies with some life in it ☺.
Of course you can use any other liqueur flavour, I go with the raspberry flavoured liqueur because it is just subtle enough to come through without being overpowering.
Clearly not suitable for children, this will be ideal to indulge in "sensibly" late after christmas dinner.

*Makes 32 Cookies

Ingredients:

• 125g Plain Milk Chocolate
• 150g Plain Flour
• 1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1/2tsp Salt
• 125g Butter
• 75g Brown Sugar
• 50g Caster Sugar
• 1tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Egg
• 100g Milk Chocolate Chips
• 30g Cocoa Powder
• 5tbsps Raspberry Liqueur

Dark chocolate can be used instead of the milk chocolate I went for, but personally I can't abide dark chocolate at all!

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C
2. Break milk chocolate into pieces and place into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (Do not let the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Heat until completely melted
3.  Into a mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix together
4. Into another mixing bowl, add butter and sugar, and using a handheld mixer until light and fluffy
5. Add melted chocolate and mix thoroughly
6. Add egg, vanilla extract and raspberry liqueur and mix
7. Add  in the dry ingredients and mix 
8. Stir in the chocolate chips and gently fold into the mixture
9. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the cookie portions onto a baking tray lined with ungreased baking sheet. Be sure to leave enough space between each portions (about 5cm). Do not flatten!
10. Transfer into oven and bake for 10 minutes. (Place the tray on the 3rd rack from the bottom)
11. Remove from oven and leave cookies to cool on the tray before transferring onto a cooling rack

Tip: If you do not want to use all the cookie dough at once, you can wrap it in a cling film and then wrap over with an aluminium foil and refrigerate. It can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.