Recipe of Lara Jean's dessert

Ingredients

• 150 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 120 g granulated sugar (½ cup)
• 120 g light brown sugar (½ cup, firmly packed)
• 1 large egg (60 g), at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 250 g all-purpose flour, no baking powder (2 level cups)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 180 g chocolate chips (1 cup, dark or semi-sweet)
• Optional: 80 g chopped walnuts
• Optional: 4 tablespoons raspberry jam for the cookie centres

Directions

1. 1

   Beat the butter with the granulated and brown sugar for 3 minutes, until the mixture lightens, grows and turns fluffy.

2. 2

   Add the egg and the vanilla and beat for 1 more minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl so everything blends evenly.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and the salt.

4. 4

   Fold the dry mix into the butter mixture with a spatula, in two additions and without overmixing: stop as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear.

5. 5

   Stir in the chocolate chips and, if you like, the walnuts, until they are evenly distributed.

6. 6

   Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 30 minutes: cold dough hydrates the flour and gives you thicker cookies that spread less.

7. 7

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.

8. 8

   Roll the dough into balls of about 40 g (1½ tablespoons) with slightly damp hands and place them 5 cm apart on the trays.

9. 9

   Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centre still looks pale and soft.

10. 10

    Leave the cookies on the hot tray for 5 minutes —that is where they finish setting— then move them to a rack to cool completely.

11. 11

    For the jam-heart version, press the centre of each ball with your thumb before baking and fill with ½ teaspoon of jam during the last 4 minutes in the oven.