Makes 12
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 10–12 minutes
200 g (7 oz) plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
125 g (4 oz) sugar
125 g (4 oz) butter, cut into cubes
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
150 g (5 oz) white chocolate, roughly chopped
75 g (3 oz) glacé cherries, roughly chopped
Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda and sugar in a bowl and mix through. Add the butter and rub in with the fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Beat together the egg and milk in a separate bowl. Add the chopped chocolate and glacé cherries, then mix into the flour mixture and stir well until smooth.
Drop heaped spoonfuls of the cookie mixture, well spaced apart, on to a greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, for 10–12 minutes until lightly golden. Leave to harden on the tray for 2 minutes, then slide off on to a wire rack or plate to cool.
For double chocolate chunky monkeys, replace 15 g (½ oz) of the flour with 15 g (½ oz) cocoa powder. Continue the recipe as above, adding the roughly chopped white chocolate and 75 g (3 oz) toasted blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped, instead of the cherries. Bake as above.