1. Chocolate Crackle Cookies

2. We’re going to enjoy a very cold Christmas festive season as usual in a few more days. I’ve learned to create imagery pictures of snowing scenes in my mind by enjoying some cold desserts or something look like snow. What I like about these cookies is their snowy look with natural cracks produced by both of the magic of baking powder and icing sugar, giving me more of a Christmas feel. Best of all, the crunchy outside and the fluffy, soft inside make these cookies so enjoyable.

3. Ingredients 40 gm unsalted butter, softened 3 Tbsp icing sugar 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1 egg 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 50 gm dark chocolate, melted 25 ml milk 100 gm cake flour 3 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp salt

4. Process

5. Method Beat the butter, icing sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Stir in the melted chocolate and milk. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into the chocolate mixture and mix it well. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight, until the dough becomes workable. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F. Place about 3 tablespoons of icing sugar in a small bowl. Line a baking tray with a baking paper or baking matt. Spoon out the chocolate mixture and roll each into a small ball. Coat each ball in the icing sugar. Place well apart on the baking tray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the surface turns crunchy and brown. Let them cool in a wire rack. Enjoy ! Prep time: 20 mins + chilling at least 3 hrs Cook time: 20 mins Yield: makes 12 to 14

6. Notes When rolling the dough into small balls, the action has to be quick especially in warm weather. The chocolate mixture will melt in your hands otherwise. If the chocolate balls start to melt, you might return them into the fridge and chill until they are workable again. Then roll in the icing sugar to coat before placing them into the oven.