Browned butter, double choc chip bikkies

Inspired by traditional Italian-style almond biscuits and born from a desire not to waste egg whites at a café I was working at, these bikkies were a bit of a fluke creation.

Credit: Savannah van der Niet

• serves

  10

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 100 g (3½ oz) butter
• 230 g (8 oz/1 cup) brown sugar
• 2 egg whites, whisked
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 125 g (4½ oz/1¼ cups) almond meal
• 75 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) self-raising flour (or use gluten-free)
• 250 g (9 oz/1½ cups) mixed chocolate chips

Makes 15 big bikkies or 24 smaller ones.

Chilling time: 1-2 hours

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is almost coming to the boil, reduce the heat and cook slowly, stirring often, until it is beginning to brown and smells very nutty; this should take about 5 minutes.
2. Pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar. Mix well to combine and let the mixture cool for 5–10 minutes.
3. Add the whisked egg whites and vanilla and whisk well. Add the almond meal and flour and stir together with a wooden spoon. The mixture might seem slightly wetter than other biscuit doughs you’ve made, but don’t stress.
4. Add the chocolate and fold until combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours, or up to 2 days. This ensures the bikkies hold their shape when baked.
5. Around 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), and line a large biscuit tray with baking paper.
6. Roll the dough into 15 balls of equal size and arrange evenly around your baking tray. Press each ball down slightly with your fingers.
7. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the bikkies are beginning to turn golden. Be careful not to overcook them, unless you like them super crunchy. When the bottoms are golden and the tops are just the slightest shade darker, they’re done. They’ll feel super soft to touch when straight out of the oven, but will harden considerably as they cool. Best eaten with a glass of milk, many would say.

 

Recipe and images from The Shared Table by Clare Scrine, Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.