FEATURE RECIPE
Choc-chip cookies with salted peanut semifreddo

Choc-chip cookies with salted peanut semifreddo

You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Serves 8

Cooking Time Prep time 40 mins, cook 55 mins (plus cooling, freezing)



220 gm   (1 cup) caster sugar
50 ml   pouring cream
200 gm   couverture milk chocolate, finely chopped
Salted peanut semifreddo
250 gm   salted peanuts
25 gm   pure icing sugar
For oiling:   vegetable oil
600 ml   thickened cream
3   eggs
2   egg yolks
120 gm   raw caster sugar
Scraped   seeds of 1 vanilla bean
Chewy choc-chip cookies
170 gm   salted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
170 gm   brown sugar
110 gm   (½ cup) raw caster sugar
1   egg
1   egg yolk
250 gm   (2 2/3 cups) plain flour
½ tsp   baking powder
120 gm   couverture milk chocolate, coarsely chopped


1 For salted peanut semifreddo, preheat oven to 180C. Stir 50gm peanuts in a frying pan over medium-high heat until golden (1-2 minutes), sieve icing sugar over, stir to coat and stir occasionally with an oiled fork until peanuts are caramelised (2-3 minutes). Transfer to an oiled tray to cool, coarsely chop and set aside. Spread remaining peanuts on an oven tray and roast, stirring occasionally, until browned (8-10 minutes). Transfer to a saucepan over low-medium heat and simmer with half the cream to infuse (5-6 minutes). Process in a food processor until a smooth paste forms, then set aside to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until pale and thick (6-8 minutes), then whisk in an electric mixer until cooled to room temperature (4-5 minutes). Whisk remaining cream in a bowl to soft peaks, whisk in peanut paste, then fold in egg mixture and half the candied peanuts, transfer to a container and freeze until firm (overnight). Makes about 1.5 litres.
2 Meanwhile, for chewy choc-chip cookies, preheat oven to 180C. Beat butter and sugars in a bowl until beginning to lighten (1-2 minutes), add egg and yolk, beat until pale (2-3 minutes), add flour and baking powder, stir to combine, then stir in chocolate. Roll 2 tbsp of mixture into balls, flatten slightly, place on oven trays lined with baking paper, leaving space between each, and bake, swapping trays halfway through cooking, until lightly browned on edges (8-10 minutes). Set aside to cool. Cookies will keep stored in an airtight container for 3 days. Makes about 16 cookies.
3 Stir sugar and 60ml water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, then cook without stirring until light caramel (8-10 minutes). Remove from heat, add cream and 70ml water (be careful, hot caramel will spit). Return to heat, stir until smooth, stir in chocolate, keep warm.
4 Sandwich scoops of semifreddo between two cookies and serve with remaining candied peanuts (optional) and chocolate sauce.

This recipe is from the September 2012 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

RECIPE Emma Knowles PHOTOGRAPHY William Meppem STYLING Vanessa Austin and Emma Knowles


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